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

[Lcaemom]

Some of my favorites from 2010...we went that year with some friends of ours...

This was one of our first nights at The Whispering Canyon Cafe...so much fun!!! Our waitress was HILARIOUS!!!

You are probably not supposed to this...but, we did!

Taking a trip to the Grand Floridian...a must do!!! We stayed there in 2008...and loved it! It is like heaven on earth! Someday we will go back...too much construction there, this year!

I am a true camper at heart...but, there is a huge part of me that just loves the lap of luxury!!! There isn't anything about the Grand that I don't love!

In my opinion, there is nothing more beautiful!!!

 

[Lcaemom]

I started today with what I knew would be definates...and then plugged things in around those things. Here is our itinerary:

Sun, 12/9: arrive at MCO at 9:15am. I estimate between 1-2hours to get from MCO on ME. DBF is renting a car...no matter what, he says. He needs Starbucks...and after a year and a half with him, NOW so do I! I figure that we should be at FW in time for late breakfast/early lunch. Not sure about check-in time...so, my thoughts are:
1. Do lunch close by...WL, at Whispering Canyon Cafe...around 1ish. If we are there early...plenty to see and do. But, I also fear that we may not make that...never know about delays. So...
2. Skip sit down meal...go straight to Epcot...and do Counter Service. BUT...
3. We'd like to rent a cart...not sure if we need to be there when they drop it off?!? So, I'm waiting to hear back from Tee Time Rentals on a cart...how that works and then I can decide.
Regardless of the plan...we'll spend the remainder of the day at Epcot. I may make a dinner ressie...just in case we eat light and end up starving at dinner time. But, I also don't want to be tied down by a ressie when our plans are so up in the air. So, for now...Sun is a wait and see kind of day.

Mon, 12/10: MK from open to close, 9am-11pm, PM EMH, that day. I was thinking a ressie at WL for an late lunch/dinner. However, there is no availability that I am finding at anything in the MK area for either...so, I'll need call. We'll plan to see the 3pm parade, Electric Parade, and the castle lighting...and for Wishes we'll wait til Tuesday night.

Tues 12/11: AK: 9am-3ish; late lunch/early dinner. MK-MVMCP 4p-12p

Wed 12/12: Play it by ear day...breakfast of Mickey waffles somewhere; Grand Floridian in AM; we'll pick a park but, not Epcot...MK, AK, and HS all close between 5-8pm and we'll spend night at DTD

Thurs 12/13: HS: 9a-8pm; we'll see Fantasmic and the Osborne Lights and then go to GF/PolyContemporary loop and try to do dinner at O'hana and hope we can see Wishes from our table, if we can time it right. One of our magical moments in 2008 were that we walked into O'hana for a late dinner and we shocked when right outside our window we could see Wishes...and the sound was piped into the restaurant speakers. Crossing all my fingers on that one!

Frid 12/14: Epcot 9am-12:30pm...we'll take the boat to the Boardwalk that day and see the BC/YC displays and pick a place for dinner. If we miss Illuminations earlier in the week, we'll see it this night.

Sat 12/15 MK 9a-5pmish...our last day. Our flight from MCO takes off at 8pm.

 

[Lcaemom]

What a productive day!!! Just finished making most of our dining ressies...still holding out hope for O'hana but, so far NOTHING...for any meal, on any day. Here is what I did get:

Sun 12/9: Whispering Canyon Cafe 1:05pm
Mon 12/10: Nothing...yet. We're spending the day at MK...hoping for O'hana
Tues 12/11: Nothing...yet. We're spending the day at AK; then MVMCP.
Wed 12/12: Mama Melrose's 3:35pm
Thurs 12/13: Sci Fi Diner 12:15pm
Fri 12/14: San Angel Inn 1:00pm; Rose and Crown or France bakery late night
Sat 12/15: The Crystal Palace 2:20pm

SO excited, especially for CP...however, I had to put a credit card number in and I have no idea how much the lunch buffet is per person.
Also, I want to make Mama Melrose's a Fantasmic package...not sure how to do that??

 

[princess&her4princes]

I'm here!! Just caught up, loving your plans, I'm SO excited for you!!

 

[taaren]

Looks like you have a great trip planned! Your girls are lovely, especially in those GF pictures ... now you're making me think maybe I should schedule some time with a photographer!

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

I loved all the pics of your beautiful family

Ironically, our Belle is a little less than princess-like as well, but you we love her!

Your itinerary looks great. What fun to tour with kiddos that can go a little commando style!

Any luck with your golf cart?

 

[Lcaemom]

I'm here!! Just caught up, loving your plans, I'm SO excited for you!!

Thanks, Kristen! It wouldn't be a PTR without you!

Looks like you have a great trip planned! Your girls are lovely, especially in those GF pictures ... now you're making me think maybe I should schedule some time with a photographer!

It is shaping up to be a great trip! Still can't believe it's happening! Happy to have you on board, for my PTR. Thank you so much for your kind words...I LOVE the pics from the GF; they do such a nice job! So reasonable, too! I think we will do WL this year, for a change of scenery...once I get to GF however, I may end up changing my mind!

I loved all the pics of your beautiful family

Ironically, our Belle is a little less than princess-like as well, but you we love her!

Your itinerary looks great. What fun to tour with kiddos that can go a little commando style!

Any luck with your golf cart?

Thank you about the pics! More to come...my kids are constantly rolling their eyes about my Kodak moment issue...I capture EVERY moment.
After our true Commando style WDW trip in 2007...we will NEVER do that again! I had every second of every day scheduled...we were constantly running from thing to thing...literally. In 2008, I came to my senses and made that and all trips since, alot more relaxing. We still have a plan but, with lots of wiggle room in case we change our minds...and time also to "smell the roses."
Just hung up with Tee Time...they called back while I was at the polls...I got alot of dirty stares but, in all honestly considered answering the call, right then and there. I did refrain and called back once we were home and apparently that is a busy week and they are sold out!!! On to Plan B...whatever that is??? Any suggestions?

 

[Lcaemom]

For every trip, we do a countdown chain. Twice we have started it on our annual Christmas in July camping trip...any idea how hard it is to keep a chain made of paper safe in the great outdoors for a week...AND/OR how long a chain made of 180 loops really is??? I do NOT recommend this! It's good that the kids found out about this trip on Halloween...only approx 40 loops...and that is still pretty long!
This is our 2012 chain:

This is our 2010 chain...INSANE!!!

And the end of our 2008 chain...she was SOOOO little!!!

 

[SAT887]

Stopping by! Hoping I can catch up later - however skimming through it very quickly I do love your GF pictures!! They are great!!!

 

[Lcaemom]

Stopping by! Hoping I can catch up later - however skimming through it very quickly I do love your GF pictures!! They are great!!!

So happy to have you here! I will forever love those pics; I'll admit the walls of my home are plastered with them! I've had several of them blown up, onto canvas...the quality isn't distorted even at ginormous sizes. They did a great job and it is so worth the $$$.

 

[disneychic2]

Wow! I popped in to see how your plans were coming and I am amazed at how much you have been able to do in such a short time! And all of it sounds fantastic! I don't think you'll be disappointed in having your pics done at WL. I think it's an outstanding choice. Love your pics at the GF, though. You have a beautiful family! That step-son (almost) of yours is one good looking young man as well!!

The joy you have comes through so clearly in your posts. I'm so glad that you have found someone to share life with. I was a single mom for a time and it's such a hard thing to do. But very rewarding.

It will be so much fun to introduce the men in your life to Disney. Your itinerary looks really good. I hope you can score Ohana. I love the opening at MK as well! You should get there extra early and try to be the family of the day. They say if you get there early and stand toward the right side close to the entrance, you may be selected. Wouldn't that be fun!

 

[SAT887]

So happy to have you here! I will forever love those pics; I'll admit the walls of my home are plastered with them! I've had several of them blown up, onto canvas...the quality isn't distorted even at ginormous sizes. They did a great job and it is so worth the $$$.

that's great to know. Right now I probably would have to tie the kids to one spot but maybe in a couple years!

 

[Lcaemom]

Wow! I popped in to see how your plans were coming and I am amazed at how much you have been able to do in such a short time! And all of it sounds fantastic! I don't think you'll be disappointed in having your pics done at WL. I think it's an outstanding choice. Love your pics at the GF, though. You have a beautiful family! That step-son (almost) of yours is one good looking young man as well!!

The joy you have comes through so clearly in your posts. I'm so glad that you have found someone to share life with. I was a single mom for a time and it's such a hard thing to do. But very rewarding.

It will be so much fun to introduce the men in your life to Disney. Your itinerary looks really good. I hope you can score Ohana. I love the opening at MK as well! You should get there extra early and try to be the family of the day. They say if you get there early and stand toward the right side close to the entrance, you may be selected. Wouldn't that be fun!

So, happy to have you along!! What kind words! DSS will be so flattered, when I mention your post when he gets home from school. Yes, becoming a single mom was not an easy decision but, you are SO right...when it's the right decision, it does come with many rewards. What a good idea re: family of the day!!! Didn't think of that...but, I think we will certainly try to be just that!

that's great to know. Right now I probably would have to tie the kids to one spot but maybe in a couple years!

True...mine are not little. But, when they get to school and they offer a portrait pkg for $50+ for not so great shots...only from only one shot! Just remember for the WDW photoshoot...for about $100, you can choose from several resorts, you can do each individual portrait, some of all of them, some of the whole family...a photographer for about an hour so, as many shots as you can squeeze in, in that time...and you can print out as many of them, as you like...and it's during a WDW vacation so, there are lots of great memories attached to them...and I can't think of a better backdrop! Hmmm...maybe, I should work for Photopass!

 

[Lcaemom]

Not a fun day to be a visiting nurse in the Northeast, during a Nor'easter!!! FREEZING!!!!!! On a good note, I put in for my vacation time today...I have so much earned time, that I can cash out approximately 40hours before we leave and still have enough left to take this vacation! As I was driving around today, in the snow, rain, slush and wind...all I could think about was gingerbread cupcakes and sunshine!

 

[Nancy F]

I'm almost as excited about your trip as mine. LOL. I hope you all have a WONDERFL TIME!! that Great Guy of yours for me. He sounds like a keeper. I'm Blessed to have one too.
Nancy

 

[Lcaemom]

I'm almost as excited about your trip as mine. LOL. I hope you all have a WONDERFL TIME!! that Great Guy of yours for me. He sounds like a keeper. I'm Blessed to have one too.
Nancy

Awww...I'll make sure I tell him! He shoveled out my car today, too! Where are you staying...I saw April in your siggie but, didn't catch if there was a location. I am sooooooooo excited...it'll be great to have you along for the planning...thanks for joining! Going to check to see if you have a PTR.

 

[Nancy F]

Awww...I'll make sure I tell him! He shoveled out my car today, too! Where are you staying...I saw April in your siggie but, didn't catch if there was a location. I am sooooooooo excited...it'll be great to have you along for the planning...thanks for joining! Going to check to see if you have a PTR.

We're going Nov.30TH to Dec 6Th and April 19TH to the 25TH. We have a DVC at Bay Lake Towers. I just love going to Disney World. We've been going twice a year since 05 and bought into DVC (Disney Vaction Club) in 2010. I'm more of the Disneyholic than the hubby. LOL. But he goes to keep me happy. (and has a good time too). I'm not much for doing the PTRs... but I get a kick out of other peoples.

Nancy

 

[Lcaemom]

We're going Nov.30TH to Dec 6Th and April 19TH to the 25TH. We have a DVC at Bay Lake Towers. I just love going to Disney World. We've been going twice a year since 05 and bought into DVC (Disney Vaction Club) in 2010. I'm more of the Disneyholic than the hubby. LOL. But he goes to keep me happy. (and has a good time too). I'm not much for doing the PTRs... but I get a kick out of other peoples.

Nancy

Oh wow!!! Look at that...I missed a whole trip! Are you staying BLT both times? So exciting...your trip is SO close!!! I'm really hoping that DBF will LOVE Disney as much as me...or even just half as much...and perhaps he will think DVC is the greatest idea, ever!!! I've always said that if a DVC opened at the GF, I'd be the first in line to buy...perhaps we'll take part in a tour?!?

 

[Nancy F]

Oh wow!!! Look at that...I missed a whole trip! Are you staying BLT both times? So exciting...your trip is SO close!!! I'm really hoping that DBF will LOVE Disney as much as me...or even just half as much...and perhaps he will think DVC is the greatest idea, ever!!! I've always said that if a DVC opened at the GF, I'd be the first in line to buy...perhaps we'll take part in a tour?!?

Yes. It's just the hubby and me so we get a Studio each trip. Dec. we get the Castle view and then April we do the Lake View. I'm hoping to add on at GF myself. That's where we always stayed before we got the DVC. Just enough points to use them every other year in April. Or if I can talk to hubby into going for a quick weekend in Sept. or Oct. to do the Halloween parade. Are you going to the MVMCP? We go every year and just love it!
Nancy

 

[Lcaemom]

Yes. It's just the hubby and me so we get a Studio each trip. Dec. we get the Castle view and then April we do the Lake View. I'm hoping to add on at GF myself. That's where we always stayed before we got the DVC. Just enough points to use them every other year in April. Or if I can talk to hubby into going for a quick weekend in Sept. or Oct. to do the Halloween parade. Are you going to the MVMCP? We go every year and just love it!
Nancy

I am SOOOOOOOOO jealous!!! The fall would also be a great time to go, too. DVC at the GF is like heaven on earth...I really hope they are doing DVC presentations about it while we are there. I can't wait to see it for real vs pics on these boards. Although, a little nervous for DBF to see the GF while it's ALL under construction...I really wanted him to see what I see while there...might be difficult with all those partitions up everywhere. It made the decision to NOT stay there, this year an easy one.
Yes, we are doing MVMCP. Hoping for 12/11; haven't bought the tix yet...they're $376 for the 6 of us...I decided to wait to buy until we're a little closer to the date...just hoping they don't sell out. I can't miss it though...I just LOVE the parade!