Surprizing our new family of 6 with a Dec 2012 trip to WDW!!!!

[Lcaemom]

It is 8:50am and I am waiting for DBF to call so, we can reconfirm...for the 1000th time that we are really going to do this!!! We have been planning and replanning...and crunching numbers...and as of lately waiting for this hurricane to pass to book this trip. And here we are TODAY...ready to go forward!!! He usually calls from work around 9, once all the kids are off to school to say hi...so, I'm waiting for that and the final "GO" to make the official call.
Let me introduce ourselves:
I have been a single mom, to three amazing daughters for the past 4 years...ages 16, 15, and 11. I met DBF about a year and a half ago, he has one son, age 14. I am a fulltime nurse and will admit that I have a HUGE Disney obsession. Not sure how I got so lucky to have met a man, like DBF but, I could not be any luckier! He treats my girls and I like gold!
DBF is a police officer, a marine and the best dad a boy could ever ask for! He has had sole custody of his son for the past six years and has never for one second put anything else ahead of his son! I love him beyond words for that! He has been working crazy hours since this hurricane and we have been waiting to book to make sure that we were not going to have major damage to the house...feeling so blessed that we made it through unscathed!!!
DD16 makes me proud of her everyday! She is a straight A student, soccer and lacrosse player, works part time! She has been the mother hen, watching over EVERYONE and deserves a vacation...she has truly earned some time off!She will be VERY excited to hear about this trip!
DD15 also makes me proud...and makes me laugh! Another straight A student, my basketball and lacrosse player. She takes risks, which to her luck usually pay off! She is so funny and adventerous...she amazes me everyday!
DD11 is the most caring of the three girls...the most nurturing...she would have made the BEST big sister...if things work out the way we hope, she may get the chance!
DSS14 is a very caring, sweet boy who has gone from being an only child to living in a house with 4 females! He has adapted quite well, the girls love having him around and he really seems to love having gone from a family of 2 to a family of 6! He has high hopes of following daddy's footsteps into the marines and then law enforcement.
DBF and DSS moved into our house, about two months ago. We have talked about marriage, another baby, doing major renovations to this house that was not built for 6...BUT, after much discussion we have decided that we want to take our first family vacation. I have been a HUGE Disney fan for year...DBF and son have never been so, WDW was an easy decision!
Our thoughts: The Fort Wildnerness cabins from 12/9-15...never stayed there so, this will be a new beginning for all of us!
Just hung up with DBF...it's a GO!!!! Wish me luck...GOING TO MAKE THE CALL!!!!!!!!!!

 

[librarygeek]

Sounds like you have a wonderful family! And congrats for getting the go-ahead, have fun booking!!

 

[Lcaemom]

IT'S OFFICIAL!!! WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!

The plans: 12/9-12/15 at Fort Wilderness cabins and 7dbase tix!!!! Hoping to do the MVMCP on Tuesday, 12/11.
Next plan: airfare...and dining!!! I'm so excited...planning is one of the best parts!!!!!!!

 

[Lcaemom]

Thank you! I am so blessed and lucky to have the family, that I have...and for so many other reasons! Feeling like the luckiest girl on the planet, right now!

 

[Lcaemom]

WAIT!! The next plan is not airfare or dining...it is HOW DO WE SURPRIZE THE KIDS???

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

Oh sooo VERY excited for your family! So, I am guessing the kids don't know? This will be such an amazing trip! Looking forward to all the details...

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

WAIT!! The next plan is not airfare or dining...it is HOW DO WE SURPRIZE THE KIDS???

We just surprised our 3 kiddos on Monday as we were stuck in the house as Sandy visited... I still don't have internet to upload the video but here is the link to the post where I describe what we did..

post number 17...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3009619&page=2

Your kids are the PERFECT age for a surprise... mine are 10,10 and 13 and it was a great sucess... we surprised them when they were 4,4, and 7 and it was good but they handled it better this time around...

 

[Lcaemom]

Mouseketeer Mom: OMG...we have SO much to talk about! AND so much in common!!! Can't to chat! Lol...KOTS...the Keeper of the Secret!" Love it!

 

[Lcaemom]

OMG...this is really happening!!!!!!! I got so much done today. I booked and paid for the room and tickets in full! I then booked flights...and got a great deal I might add! We are flying down at 6am, nonstop arriving at MCO at 9:15am...which will give us a whole day at WDW. That'll mean getting up around 3-4am but, who is complaining??? Certainly NOT me!!!!!!! We fly home around 8p, nonstop, landing in Boston around 11pm. Great flight times...and for a great deal...$228pp roundtrip, nonstop on Jetblue! I have confirmed everything with DBF and now guess who can't keep quiet??? But, I am so excited that he is this excited! He thinks we should tell them tonight, after our house full of people is gone...around 9ish. So, tune in to see if we told the kids and any reactions. However, if I am able to stay quiet about it until then, I may talk him out of that. I really would love to think of something original and REALLY surprize them.
Also, for you FW experts...I requested area 2200...suggestions? opinions? I can't stop smiling...my mind is racing...I still can NOT believe WE ARE GOING TO DISNEY!!!!!!
Oh...and Happy Halloween everyone!!! I should probably go focus on giving out candy!

 

[Spunky946]

I hope the surprise is awesome. Congrats on booking your trip. We are going Jan 19-27th and I can't wait.

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

OMG...this is really happening!!!!!!! I got so much done today. I booked and paid for the room and tickets in full! I then booked flights...and got a great deal I might add! We are flying down at 6am, nonstop arriving at MCO at 9:15am...which will give us a whole day at WDW. That'll mean getting up around 3-4am but, who is complaining??? Certainly NOT me!!!!!!! We fly home around 8p, nonstop, landing in Boston around 11pm. Great flight times...and for a great deal...$228pp roundtrip, nonstop on Jetblue! I have confirmed everything with DBF and now guess who can't keep quiet??? But, I am so excited that he is this excited! He thinks we should tell them tonight, after our house full of people is gone...around 9ish. So, tune in to see if we told the kids and any reactions. However, if I am able to stay quiet about it until then, I may talk him out of that. I really would love to think of something original and REALLY surprize them.
Also, for you FW experts...I requested area 2200...suggestions? opinions? I can't stop smiling...my mind is racing...I still can NOT believe WE ARE GOING TO DISNEY!!!!!!
Oh...and Happy Halloween everyone!!! I should probably go focus on giving out candy!

Laceamom: I can't wait to find out if you told them!!! I do have some info for you if you are interested. Just regarding golf carts, groceries at the fort etc... Have you found your way over to the camping board yet? Lots of great information on Fort Wilderness...

 

[Lcaemom]

I hope the surprise is awesome. Congrats on booking your trip. We are going Jan 19-27th and I can't wait.

Thank you so much! Congrats on your's, too! Where will you be staying?

Laceamom: I can't wait to find out if you told them!!! I do have some info for you if you are interested. Just regarding golf carts, groceries at the fort etc... Have you found your way over to the camping board yet? Lots of great information on Fort Wilderness...

Good to know! I am looking so forward to chatting...just have to squeeze in a day of work so, I can start thinking about and planning for all this stuff. We have not stayed at FW before...so, it's all new!

 

[Lcaemom]

So, day two of planning and I'm still in shock that this is really happening!!! We are starting to think about dining...Ohana is at the top of the list. I saw a great deal on the pre-ordered Photopass CD...must be ordered 14 days out. Need to buy tickets for MVMCP. The dogs need a plan...no they are not coming with us. I am so excited I could burst!!!
Two big things that have happened since last night! We paid for the trip in full...when you book only 39 days out...full payment is expected within 24 hours...so, we took care of that "little" thing!
The surprize didnt go exactly as I had planned. I had visions of big Mickey balloons popping out of a box or waking them up on the day we leave with all their bags packed and screaming "we're going to Disney!!!" Nope...DBF said "hey kids, can you come in here...sooooooo, we've decided that we'd like to...." Before he could get the words out...the kids all screamed, "WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY!!!" He and I just looked at each other and laughed. Can't get anything by them...of course, DBF's constant blinking every time Disney was discussed in the last few weeks, didn't help with keeping the cat in the bag! I really just can't believe it's really happening...now that Halloween is over, Christmas decor will be EVERYWHERE...including Disney...especially at Disney...and I really feel SO blessed that I will be there this year to see it...hear it, smell it....

 

[Spunky946]

We are staying at akv. It's our first time staying on site. So excited.

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

Hey Lcaemom, we are patiently awaiting all those newsy updates to your plans

 

[Lcaemom]

Hey Lcaemom, we are patiently awaiting all those newsy updates to your plans

Good morning, I can't wait to do some more planning and update. I'm a nurse and work 4 days on, three days off...I'm on day 3 of 4 days on. (I hate that work gets in the way of Disney planning...but, somehow Disney needs to get paid for! ) I'm looking so forward to Monday and full day of planning...and laundry, and billpaying, and cleaning, etc. I will definately call the golf cart place you mentioned...it's one of the ones I had found. Also, we call our dog Belle, all the time...always a Disney spin on things...and she's my favorite princess...although, our dog is far from the princess-type; she's a yellow lab and is pretty clumsy and more like a bull in a china shop. Chat soon!

 

[Lcaemom]

So, we booked the trip and then it was off to work for 4 days...that put the planning to a screeching halt! I have been looking so forward to continue on...tickets for the MVMCP, rent a golf cart, plan for the dogs to be boarded, plan out our park plans, dinners, etc! Today is finally here!!!

Then it occured to me...a PTR isn't very interesting without pictures! So here goes our "formal" introductions:

DBF and I: It has become a tradition of sorts (two years in a row...we can call it the beginnings of a tradition?!?) to go to Nubble Lighthouse in York, ME on Labor Day weekend.

DD16 and DD15: My oldest DD is the shorter one with long, dark hair; DD15 the taller, blond. They play Lacrosse for the HS...my oldest won The Best Defensive Player Award; DD15 won The Coach's Award...one of the proudest moments, EVER!!!

DD11: She is my cheerleader, clarinet player...and one of the sweetest girls you could ever know! Everyone always says she'd be the best big sister...and she may just get that chance!

DSS14: He is into MMA, this was his first day of school from his new home...he went from an only child, in a two person family...to a household of 6, including 4 females! He is a sweet boy, who is really looking forward to following in Daddy's footsteps!

 

[Lcaemom]

Lastly, I can't forget the dogs!!! We truly have separation anxiety when we go out or leave them for a vacation! We have become "those dog people." We don't dress them up...they'd probably eat any clothes we may try to put on them...but, we have a really hard time being without them!

This is Bella...we affectionately call her Belle...somehow everything in our lives, ends up with a Disney spin and Belle is my most favorite princess. However, she is the most un-princesslike dog, EVER! Never name a dog before you get to know her!!!

The dog in the front is Molly...never take 4 kids to an animal shelter!!! She is a hound/beagle mix. She has the sweetest face...and we all fell in love with her at first site. Then she stood up and she was skin and bones; she was rescued from a dumpster in Virginia...she was emaciated!!! We have fattened her up! This is a pic from last summer when they got into the trash...it was all over the yard...and they were having a great old time licking the syrup and fluff containers clean!

 

[Lcaemom]

These are some of my most favorite Disney pics!

Grand Floridian 2008

Grand Floridian 2010

We did a photoshoot both of those years. Instead of paying for individual school portrait packages for all the kids...which are approximately $50/child...and the pics are usually horrible...these pics are so beautiful, it is hard to pick just a couple to hang on the wall. I have been able to do individual portraits of each of the girls, all three together, and the whole family. I think it cost approx $100 and you get a photographer to take pics for about an hour. All of the pics are put onto a CD...it is SO worth the money! I'm hoping to do it again, this year. However, I think we'll do WL.

 

[Lcaemom]

These are some more of my most favorite candids...
From 2008...

Our first morning in 2008...waiting for the Good Morning Show/ropedrop...one of my most favorite things to see! It's the perfect start to a WDW vacation...to have all of the characters come in on the train. This year will be no different...we'll be in that spot on our first morning!

I will NEVER forget this moment! My DD was 7 at the time...she LOVED Sleeping Beauty! We had a lunch ressie at the castle that day and at the last minute I took her to the BBB and they could actually squeeze her in. They told her Sleeping Beauty had gotten her hair done in the same chair that morning...and had fallen asleep there. They told her the story of the pirates coming in to steal the jewels...it was one of the best and most memorable moments of her life...and the Photopass photographer just happened to get the picture of her seeing herself when she was done...and me in the background...just loving how much DD loved that moment! Priceless!

This pic is after we ate lunch at the castle...the sun was in their eyes but, I needed THIS pic!!! It took many many tries but, I got it and will forever cherish it!