The Drive, the Dream and DVC - A March 2011 Birthday Surprise TR(NEW 11/9 p. 32 END)

[Pluto_fan]

Yeaaaaaaa! I'm so excited that you bought your tickets!
Let me know when you get the dates for Paris settled...I'd love to plan a DLP meet!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Wow congrats on Europe Sheree!!! That is so awesome!


Holy Cow MK was packed!! That would have been scary trying to navigate with that many people all in the same area.

I have been thinking about trying Tony's next time. I'm sure DS10 will be like Sarah and just eat bread. I hope it wasn't Tony's that was making you feel sick.

Thanks, we're pretty excited! MK was nuts - I really should have known how to handle it better.
Tony's was alright. I don't think it was the food - Although you never know.
DH was still not quite well the next day.

I knew I better get over here! You have been a busy lady!

First... EUROPE... I am so so so so so so so so jealous!!!! I have two dream trips that I am determined to do before I die, one is somewhere with clear turquoise water (getting ready to check that one off! ) and the other is Europe! You are killing me! I know you said a while back that you were trying to work it out. I am so glad that you were able to. I know that is going to be one awesome trip. Did I mention that I am REALLY jealous!

Don't you hate it when you think you have allowed enough time to get somewhere in WDW and then the transportation gets backed up. I get all worked up and in a tizzy when that happens. I hate being late!

Your review of Tony's is pretty much like every other one I have read. Good but not great. I really wish they would do more with that place. It really could be a neat TS place with just a little tweaking. I love the Lady and the Tramp theme, and that's about the only place at WDW that you see them.

Those MK crowd pics and your description have me hyperventilating over here! I wasn't even there and I feel like I am smothering in that hoard of humanity! You are so right though. I think it is best to just do some shopping or whatever for 30 minutes and let that crowd blow through before trying to get out.

So sad for the last day.

Rinky - I could be way off base, but I'm getting the feeling that you might just be a teeny bit jealous of Europe?
I really think Tony's could be SO much more! It's a great location and really the only "theme" stuff is the statute of Lady and the Tramp. It just needs a little help.
I had a really hard time on our last day on this trip.

Yeaaaaaaa! I'm so excited that you bought your tickets!
Let me know when you get the dates for Paris settled...I'd love to plan a DLP meet!

I knew you would be excited!!! I haven't booked yet, but it's looking like it will be March 4-9 for Paris. It's during the week mostly (hoping for light crowds), so I hope we can meet up!! I'll be filling in more details as they come and when I finish this TR, might do a PTR.

 

[Charleston Princess]

YOU'RE giddy? I am nuts! I need to come up with a cool way to tell them. Any tips or ideas?

Hmmm, you could have a lot of fun with the reveal! Maybe a scavenger hunt with them finding things at each place like a map of Disneyland Paris (I bet you could get one on ebay pretty cheap) and French chocolates at another place...I will think some more...

 

[wigdoutdismom]

That's just awesome that you are going to Europe! I would love to do that someday! I can't wait to read all about that adventure!

I just know your girls are going to be very excited!

 

[MeMom]

The girls have a very nice Christmas surprise coming. Can't wait to see how the big reveal turns out.

We've eaten at Tony's - only once - and we liked it just fine.

We usually either ride another ride or shop our way out as the biggest part of the crowd exits. We'd rather be doing that than standing in a gigantic bus line.

 

[jenseib]

Do you follow Disneeat? She is about to start a mini/weekedn trip report to her most recent trip to DLP. If you want I can get you the link.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Hmmm, you could have a lot of fun with the reveal! Maybe a scavenger hunt with them finding things at each place like a map of Disneyland Paris (I bet you could get one on ebay pretty cheap) and French chocolates at another place...I will think some more...

You don't have to think anymore. The cat has left the bag! It was so uneventful. I'll tell you more in a bit.

That's just awesome that you are going to Europe! I would love to do that someday! I can't wait to read all about that adventure!

I just know your girls are going to be very excited!

Thanks! We're very excited! I don't think the girls realize the magnitude of this trip!

The girls have a very nice Christmas surprise coming. Can't wait to see how the big reveal turns out.

We've eaten at Tony's - only once - and we liked it just fine.

We usually either ride another ride or shop our way out as the biggest part of the crowd exits. We'd rather be doing that than standing in a gigantic bus line.

Well, it's not so much a surprise, and not so much of a big reveal. My DH is all talk apparently. "Let's surprise them!" Then blabs.

Do you follow Disneeat? She is about to start a mini/weekedn trip report to her most recent trip to DLP. If you want I can get you the link.

OOH, I'll have to find that one! If you have the link, I'd appreciate it!! Thanks!


So we're sitting at dinner a couple nights ago and somehow the subject of our potential trip came up. I think Sarah asked if we were going to go. We sort of dodged a bit, saying things like, "it's pretty expensive". Then we asked the girls if they'd want to be surprised, and when they'd want to know. OF course, Paige says "I want to know now!" Sarah wants to be surprised, and just find out a little before the trip. I told them, this is a trip where we want to plan things to see and do, and it would be good to talk about it so we all could have input, etc. So then Sarah said, maybe a month before? I said, we'll have to plan it by then. DH and i are exchanging glances and he just says, "we're going" The girls sort of sat there like they didn't believe us at first. Then we told them we bought plane tickets and they started asking a million questions about flying, when, where, ....

So no big surprise reveal this time! But I will keep a few secret agenda items. Sarah is a big Harry Potter fan, and I know (thank you DIS TRs) that there is a Platform 9 3/4 in the London underground where you can take pictures. I think there's some other HP things we can see too, like where they filmed things, or a building they used for external shots etc. So we'll do that, and then there's a big Toy Museum that they'd probably like.

I've got both girls saying they'll go to the top of the Eiffel Tower with me. Dave's not so sure - he's not fond of heights. Heck, neither am I , but IT'S THE EIFFEL TOWER!!!! Come on!

 

[jenseib]

Buumer on the surprise, but it will be fun doing the planing with them too.
I would love to see Harry Potter sights too. I am a big fan...my son is too, but he's kind of grown out of it a bit...not me though.

She just started writing about the DLP trip (so far just the flight)...it's in her current PTR. Here's the link to the page it starts on.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2807261&page=9

post 132 is where it starts

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Buumer on the surprise, but it will be fun doing the planing with them too.
I would love to see Harry Potter sights too. I am a big fan...my son is too, but he's kind of grown out of it a bit...not me though.

She just started writing about the DLP trip (so far just the flight)...it's in her current PTR. Here's the link to the page it starts on.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2807261&page=9

post 132 is where it starts

Thanks Jen!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Oh well, it will be fun to be excited together.
Let's not be too mad at poor Dave.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Yep, that's how things usually go down at our house -- we never get a big surprise reveal.

Like Anita said, it will be fun to plan things together now.

 

[Lovemy3babes]

I could never in a million years pull off a surprise trip. I don't like being the only one planning. I also enjoy talking my kiddos' ears off about Disney.

Did your girls enjoy their MEA break Sheree? I really would love to be in Disney during MEA next year!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Oh well, it will be fun to be excited together.
Let's not be too mad at poor Dave.

I sure can't be too mad at him - he's the one who went and booked the tickets!! We will have fun planning!

Yep, that's how things usually go down at our house -- we never get a big surprise reveal.

Like Anita said, it will be fun to plan things together now.

Surprises can be stressful! We'll plan most of it together, and I'll keep a few little surprises for the trip. It's easier that way!

I could never in a million years pull off a surprise trip. I don't like being the only one planning. I also enjoy talking my kiddos' ears off about Disney.

Did your girls enjoy their MEA break Sheree? I really would love to be in Disney during MEA next year!

Hey Kelli - yeah, sometimes if you're the only one planning, they don't always appreciate your plans later! It's more fun to yap about it a lot!

MEA was too quick for Paige. She was bummed to go back to school yesterday! They spent most of it with my parents since I had to work! Next year - WDW baby!!! You should come too!! The kids would have fun! We will probably be driving though - ugh. I'm hoping to be able to stay at an Epcot resort for food and wine!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

Hey Kelli - yeah, sometimes if you're the only one planning, they don't always appreciate your plans later! It's more fun to yap about it a lot!

MEA was too quick for Paige. She was bummed to go back to school yesterday! They spent most of it with my parents since I had to work! Next year - WDW baby!!! You should come too!! The kids would have fun! We will probably be driving though - ugh. I'm hoping to be able to stay at an Epcot resort for food and wine!

That would be a ton of fun Sheree! It's on my radar for sure.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

March 18 - a sad day! I did not want to go home yet!
I woke up around 7 and still had a bit of a scratchy throat. I was thinking "this could be a rough, long car ride".
I got showered and did a little packing. I was not in a hurry, although I probably should have been moving a little faster.
Took these from our balcony:

DH and Paige were up by 8, but I had to wake Sarah. We packed up most of our stuff and headed to Boma for breakfast! We still had one adult TS left to use since Sarah declined anything on the menu at Tony's. So we used that and just paid for the kids ($25.98). DH wasn't feeling well still (upset stomach) so he just had a Sprite or something. I thought the food was really good!
After breakfast we loaded some of our stuff in the car and stopped at the Zawadi Marketplace to spend the last of our $$! I got a cute animal print bead necklace and bracelet. Every time I wear it I think of AKL!

I wandered around the resort snapping pictures.

Big fire place just off the lobby

guess I wasn't the only one taking pictures

We spent some time watching this family of ducks. The babies were so cute!

Oh, we love this pool!!

The carpet in the halls. Can you find the Hidden Mickey?

cont.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I just kept roaming around taking more pictures as we loaded up the car and stopped in The Mara for drinks and used the last of our dining credits for lunch foods on the road.

The wallpaper in the bathroom

This was like a little street sweeper! She was driving around the parking lots cleaning up! Never seen that before!

And with that we FINALLY got in the car and headed out. We left AKL about 11:05 a.m. and said "See ya real soon" to our happy place. I won't bore you with our travel time- but we had a lot of traffic and ended up stopping for the night around 10 p.m. (we were SOOOO tired) in Manchester TN. We arrived home the next day at 9 p.m.. We drove 3339.2 miles on that trip!!!!

We were pretty beat. But, not so tired and exhausted that I would forget to take pictures of all my souvenirs for my DIS buddies!! So I will still have a bit more to post - final thoughts and souvenir pictures!

Then it will be time to look ahead - to London and Paris!!!!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Girl..that's a LOT of driving!! LOL!!! but, it reality, it's about 150 miles or so farther than we would have to drive-which is whe we don't do it
and you timed it perfectly!! Just in time to roll into European travel planning!!!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Love the pictures of the fog on the savannah! So pretty!

Boo to leaving. Are you going to start a PTR for the Europe trip/fall trip?

 

[MEK]

OK - THAT is alot of driving. 3340 miles! Wow! It must have been so hard to leave you happy place and face all the car time.

You really did have a wonderful trip and I can't wait to hear all about your London/Paris trip. How absolutely fabulous!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Girl..that's a LOT of driving!! LOL!!! but, it reality, it's about 150 miles or so farther than we would have to drive-which is whe we don't do it
and you timed it perfectly!! Just in time to roll into European travel planning!!!

Yeah - I'd rather fly every time if I could pack what I wanted and not pay extra. But it gets too pricey.
I'm ready to plan my Europe trip!

Love the pictures of the fog on the savannah! So pretty!

Boo to leaving. Are you going to start a PTR for the Europe trip/fall trip?

I really like a lot about AKL. Never thought I would!
I believe I will be starting a PTR. I have to get to work on a title! I need a ticker too.

OK - THAT is alot of driving. 3340 miles! Wow! It must have been so hard to leave you happy place and face all the car time.

You really did have a wonderful trip and I can't wait to hear all about your London/Paris trip. How absolutely fabulous!

It sounds worse when you see that total number. Saying it's about 1500 miles each way doesn't sound quite as bad.

Okay, maybe it still sounds bad.

It was a great trip - our last few have been terrific!
London and Paris - I can't believe we're doing it!!! Getting really excited!