The "I gotta do something to pass the time"pre-trip report

[vdarrell]

This is a first for me so please bear with me and I hope I don't bore you.
After lurking on here since March when we booked our trip for Dec. I finally decided to do a PTR of my own to help me pass the next 66 days.

Sharing in this magical trip with me(Vickey) is my DH (Steve). Let me start by telling you how this trip came about.
Now mind you we had been to Disney World several times when our sons were little, but hadn't been in 10 years and had only gone during the summer or Spring Break but I had always wanted to go during Christmas as this is truly my most favorite of Holiday and had heard how amazing Disney World was at this time.

My story starts in October of 2003 I was diagnosed with bladder cancer suddenly and within one week from the doctors visit I was in surgery.
Surgery went well and on my 6 week check up my DH asked the doctor if it would be possible for me to go to Disney World for Christmas as he knew that was just what I needed at this time. ( I think he was afraid I'd never get my chance)so when my doctor said it would be okay as long as I took my medicine and didn't over do it.
So he booked our trip the second week of Dec. for 5 days.We stayed at POP Century.
All I can say is I remember SOME of the trip mind you I was having some magical medically enhanced moments so to say the least. We do have pictures but it looks as if I could've been there during Halloween as I looked awful.
We took it easy and slow didn't over do and I did fall in LOVE with Disney World.
When we got home my DH told me that we would return on my 5 year remission mark to celebrate and that brings us to our trip to Disney World in 2008. We booked our trip on March 21st. for Dec. 7-13th.( this will change as we go along, many plans will be altered many times)
These changes came about due to checking online for info on Disney World and low and behold I found this wonderful site that tells ALL called DIS Forums
and such sweet informative posters.Which led to my new medical problem called DFA (Disney Forum Addiction) let me tell you there is no cure.

Well got to run and make dinner but will return later if I haven't bored you all to death.

 

[vdarrell]

As I said we booked a flight an early one so we could take advantage of one extra day at DW.(this too will change many times) for Dec. 7-13th with rooms at ASMo with Park Hopper with our AAA agent. One week later I learned about DDP and decided that was something we wanted to add,put a call in to our AAA agent and added DDP. Well a couple days later we decided that MVMCP was also something we wanted to add to the package...another call into our AAA agent. Just as I thought we had everything just right, we get a call from our AAA agent telling us of a change to our flights so after 4 flight changes we found ourselves adding on 2 extra days just so we could spend more time at DW.
So now we are arriving DW ASMo at 11:00am Dec.7-13...POP Century Dec 13-15.
DDP
MVMCP

As I stated I am totally addicted to the DIS forums I have read about how to plan everything from making my ressies 180 days out which I got everyone I planned for (mostly the ones I knew my picky hamburger-pizza-ribs only eating DH would like)
Sci-Fi
Whispering Canyon
Biergarten
Crystal Palace
Disney Spirit of Aloha

MVMCP Dec. 9th

I have planned every moment of our trip from what food,parades,fireworks,resorts to visit for the best decorations to making any and everything out of green Home Depot Mickey Heads. How to make t-shirts to decorating the windows at your resort.
I will tell you more about the things I have made later.

 

[vdarrell]

OH NO......I must be BORING everyone NO READERS

I was going to mention the things I have learned to make or do on the forums to make my trip extra special.
1. I made a planning folder that holds all my info about DW such as ressies--times for parades/fireworks--which parks has EMH--extra points of interests at the parks--menus--etc
2.I made patterns for t-shirts thanks to some help from some very sweet designers .
3.made my count down calendar using the famous Mickey Heads, I just put my calendar up to count down my 65 more days.
4.Bought window clings to decorate the wondows.
5 made green Mickey Head luggage tags and GMH tags for us to wear in the parks so we will hopefully meet other DIS'ers.
6.Mousekeeping envelopes....DDP envelopes
7. An autograph book for the charactors to sign


I also have bought so many things that I normally would not think to buy just to make it more special.
1.poncho's
2. glow sticks to hand out to kids at the parades and fireworks as we won't have any with us we want to share that joy with others.
3.Small size travel products
4. So many Disney related items at the Dollar store I don't even know what I'll do with them but they were fun to buy...maybe I'll have a few give away wishes I'll grant to others.
5. I even found Disney toothbrushes to take with us.

I have to admit my DH,family and friends think I've gone bonkers but the funny thing is after seeing me do this for 5-6 months and them watching me enjoying it so much I find that the conviently just happened to run across something Disney that I might like to take with me and buy it for me. Or they are now actually asking what project I'm working on.

As soon as I learn how to post pictures ( I am computor illerate when it comes to some things but luckily for me my youngest is a computor tech so he promises to teach me soon) I'll post so pictures of the things I've made and collected.

Thanks again for listening to me ramble on

 

[vdarrell]

I'm back
Here are the things I'm looking forward to doing:

1.Going to all the parks and taking my time to see as much as possible.Enjoying the magical moments
2. riding rides that I have never even considered in the past , now of course I will have to ride alot of them commando since my DH is not into riding rides that go round and round or up and down his idea of a ride is It's a Small World and the train ride, he has promised me he will try and ride a few more this time.
As for me I have always gotten motion sickness but now it really doesn't take much to make me queasy due to meds I'm now since the cancer.
Maybe I'll just carry a Mickey decorated barf bag with me. Now there is something the Dis-boutique ladies have probably never considered making
3. I love Mr.Potato Head and had filed a box up in Disney when the boys were little and have collected the Holiday/Special ones(Easter,Halloween,Christmas, and Darth Vader and Reds Potato Heads) so I want to fill a box or bucket up with parts that we don't have.
4.Definitely am looking forward to trying most of the treats that everyone has mentioned and had me drooling over for the last 5 months such as school bread,Dole whips,treats at Goofy's etc. Believe me a have a list and a map showing where each one of those snacks are located.
5.Looking for green Mickey Heads hanging from strollers/backpacks/shirts and saying a big HI ....I have warned my DH about this so he won't be confused if someone stops him since I'm making me wear several.
6.Seeing most of the parades/fireworks
7.Visiting the resorts to see all the Christmas decorations as we didn't do this at all last time
8.taking lots and lots of pictures and actually letting hubby include me in them as last time I did not want my picture taken as I looked terrible.Not that I look any better considering I'm 85lbs heavier due to steroids and meds I'm been on for 5years but hey at least I don't look sick just FAT.
Last by not least:
9.This is a MUST for me I am looking forward to throwing a coin into the Wishing Well (this is one of the things I do remember clearly from my last visit) Since my wish came true and we are returning to celebrate 5 years more. Thank God and Mickey.

Now if I can just get through the next 65 days without having a breakdown I'm be okay.

 

[vdarrell]

I quess I'll pass the next 64 days just reading everyone elses PTR and Tr since I seem to have bored everyone with mine.

No problem as I love reading TR's and I learn so much from them.

After all I am a "MIDDLE" child so I am used to being overlooked and ignored

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Hi Vickey, I'm reading and I'm definitely not bored

Congrats to you for achieving the five-year mark as a survivor!! This Christmas I will celebrate ten amazing years as a brain tumor survivor, so I know EXACTLY what you are feeling. And what better place to celebrate than WDW!

Looking forward to reading more of your trip report. Particularly the part about the Disney barf bag.....I could sure use one of those! I was born with a particularly sensitive tummy, so I'm sure I'm gonna have at least one of "those" moments while on our trip in January. I am travelling with a soon-to-be teenager and my dear hubby who take great pride in making the only female member of the family turn a little green

 

[dvcmbr94]

Hi Vickey,
Please don't stop, I'm reading! I'll be at WDW from 12/13 to 12/20 and other than the flight, room and car, we haven't made any plans yet. I'm having a good time reviewing your plans.

Congratulations on your five years cancer free. My sister is two and 1/2 years free from ovarian cancer. We both had hysterecotomies in 2006. I was at WDW for 9 days of my recovery time 3 weeks after surgery.

I look forward to hearing more from you!!

 

[disneyvacalover]

We're going 12/5-12/10 to celebrate our 15 year anniversary, NO KIDS just us!
Maybe we'll see you at the XMAS Party on the 9th. I too can't wait. I wish time would just speed up!

 

[vdarrell]

MY FIRST POSTERS

Hi Vickey, I'm reading and I'm definitely not bored

Congrats to you for achieving the five-year mark as a survivor!! This Christmas I will celebrate ten amazing years as a brain tumor survivor, so I know EXACTLY what you are feeling. And what better place to celebrate than WDW!

Looking forward to reading more of your trip report. Particularly the part about the Disney barf bag.....I could sure use one of those! I was born with a particularly sensitive tummy, so I'm sure I'm gonna have at least one of "those" moments while on our trip in January. I am travelling with a soon-to-be teenager and my dear hubby who take great pride in making the only female member of the family turn a little green

Thanks and congrats to you for making the 10 year mark as you know each year means so much.I have always gotten car /motion sickness but since being put on steroids and a cancer drug I get extremely sick at times.But am hoping for some magic that I can rides rides and not need the Mickey BARF bag.
I heard "green" is the Dis greet color so we won't need our Home depot Mickey Heads for other Dis'ers to recognize us
A soon to be teen I remember those days also the only female syndrome having two sons and husband at one time even the pets were all male.
I hope you have a great trip in January and will be looking forward to reading a trip report from you.

Hi Vickey,
Please don't stop, I'm reading! I'll be at WDW from 12/13 to 12/20 and other than the flight, room and car, we haven't made any plans yet. I'm having a good time reviewing your plans.

Congratulations on your five years cancer free. My sister is two and 1/2 years free from ovarian cancer. We both had hysterecotomies in 2006. I was at WDW for 9 days of my recovery time 3 weeks after surgery.

I look forward to hearing more from you!!

I'm glad your sister is doing good. I can only imagine doing Disney after a hysterectomy I know when I had mine I was quite sore.
As for the planning my DH thinks I've gone overboard but I am having a blast trying to plan for every moment. There is so much to see and only 9 days to see it
Where will you be staying and are you planning on doing MVMCP?

We're going 12/5-12/10 to celebrate our 15 year anniversary, NO KIDS just us!
Maybe we'll see you at the XMAS Party on the 9th. I too can't wait. I wish time would just speed up!

Congrats on 15 years. NO KIDS sounds even better. We have been married 32 years as of June.
Where are you staying and what other plans do you have planned?
Maybe as we get closer to our dates we can come up with a place to meet and greet.
60 days for you and 62 more days for me....I even made one of those countdown calendars that I saw on here and my DH/sons/family and friends laughed when they saw it but now when they visit that is the first thing they check.
WHAT-O-WHAT CAN we do to make the time go quicker

 

[vdarrell]

Here is what my plans look like:

Dce.7th...Arrive CVG (Ohio)airport Flight time 9:00am arriving at MCO airport 11:06 am Planning on spending the day at HS taking in the parades and Osbornes Lights with a ressie at Sci-Fi Dine In for 5:00pm hoping to fit Fantasmic in after.
Check into ASMo eventually. This is an EMH night at HS so we should get in alot.

Dec.8th....get up early starting our day at AK (EMH). again doing the parades, Tree Lighting,and rides.
Going to Ft. Wilderness Lodge for dinner at Whispering Canyon and taking in the Water Pagent.

Dec. 9th....Start early at MK ,we have a ressie for Crystal Palace at 8:10am for breakfast with Winnie
Taking a midday break (maybe) then returning back to MK to see
Disney Dreams Parade 3:00pm
Castle Lighting5:45pm
Wishes Nightime Spectacle 6:00pm
MVMCP *****(7:00pm-12:00am)
Mickey Parade 8:00pm
Wishes 9:30pm
Drag self back to resort and try to get some sleep

Dec.10th...Planning on taking the morning and afternoon visiting the resort to view the decorations. With a ressie at Disney's Spirit of Aloha at 5:15pm
Then finish the evening back at AK (evening EMH)

Dec 11....Spending day at Epcot
Ressie at Biergarten (I am of German anciestry)at 6:25pm
Try to get in as much as possible but definetly see Illuminations at 9:30pm

Will post more later family needs to be fed

 

[vdarrell]

ON WITH THE SHOW

We don't have the DDP for the last 3 days of our trip so we don't have to be at any place at a certain time but we have lots of counter services and snacks we want to try such as
Flame Tree BBQ
Main Street Bakery
Earl of Sandwiches

Dec. 12th....we plan on spending time at DTD we want to try and use our $15.00 voucher for Planet Hollywood.
As for which park Epcot is on our agenda because it is evening EMH
See what we didn't see and do.

Dec.13th....Check out ASMo and move over to POP( the reason being the ddn't have openings for our last two days at ASMo) besides this is where we stayed 5 years ago so there is some memories there.
We will probably start out doing HS then re-visit the resorts.

Dec. 14th....MK morning EHM and HS has evening EHM
Last minute shopping and of course I will have to think about packing

Dec 15th....We have to check out
But we have a late flight 6:00pm so we can gather up some magical moments to take back and of course throw my wish coin in the fountain.

As for meeting and getting any wishes granted from the Dream Team it would be nice but I am not looking for any as my wish will have already been granted and that was to be able to return for my 5 year celebration and with the most wonderful husband in the world.What more can one ask for?

It will be interesting to compare notes when I get back to see if we follow our(MY) plans.My DH would probably like to just go with the flow.But he has been trained after 32 years to give me anything I want.(really it works both ways but don't let him know that).

I am trying so hard not to start packing but I do have a drawer full of must take things such as my new e-bag to carry in the parks and new Disney t-shirts I ordered and got a really great deal on.My window clings to decorate.
Autograph book I made (got this off the Disboutique forum) YES I plan on getting autographs.My Disney raincoat I found at a thift store even through it is NOT going to rain.

I had been fortunate to have had 2 garage sales this summer and made some spending money. But after being hit by a Hurricane like storm in Sept here in Ohio with 65-85 mh winds and having 3 very large trees fall down in our yard and we had to pay to have them hauled away $3,700. insurance did not cover this because they didn't fall on us or our house (Thank God)
We also had windows broke due to the winds throwing apples from the trees and throwing them through our windows,most of this was covered but we had to pay the deductable $500. as if that wasn't enough we had to throw away aprox. $800-$1000.00 worth of food from our freezers (We have 2 freezers and a fridg.) I am a stocker upper always waiting on that rainy day but didn't plan on a windy day knocking out our electric for 8 very LONG days. Candle light just doesn't have the same meaning for us.
So we both are trying to work as much overtime as possible so we don't feel the crunch.

Oh well I've rambled on enough it is dinner time again.
Hope everyone is having a good day

 

[sherreis]

Congratulations on being celebrate your 5 yrs at WDW. I can't think of a better place. We leave in 7 days to celebrate DH being 1 yr from kidney cancer.

I know what it's like to live in a testosterone filled home too. It's me, DH, DS(just turned 13), DS8, and the male dog. Needless to say I buy myself a lot of pink things - pajamas, my zune, my cell phone, things like that.

Your plan sounds awesome! And, it sounds like DH really loves you that he'll go to your special place to celebrate.

Looking forward to hearing more.

 

[NotSoEvilStepmother]

Congrats on being a survivor and coming back after 5 years!!! Nothing is more magical than Disney in the winter. I love all of your plans so far and I can't wait to read the TR when you're home. You definately aren't boring ME. I'll be here every step of the way.

 

[vdarrell]

Congratulations on being celebrate your 5 yrs at WDW. I can't think of a better place. We leave in 7 days to celebrate DH being 1 yr from kidney cancer.

I know what it's like to live in a testosterone filled home too. It's me, DH, DS(just turned 13), DS8, and the male dog. Needless to say I buy myself a lot of pink things - pajamas, my zune, my cell phone, things like that.

Your plan sounds awesome! And, it sounds like DH really loves you that he'll go to your special place to celebrate.

Looking forward to hearing more.

Congrats on your husbands 1 year celebration, I found the first year the hardest. I am so envious (but happy) that you will be in Disney in 7 days.
Hope yo have a very magical time, enjoy yourselves and let us know when your back I'd love to read all about your trip.

I always say God made my DH just for me as no other man would be able to tolerate me.

Congrats on being a survivor and coming back after 5 years!!! Nothing is more magical than Disney in the winter. I love all of your plans so far and I can't wait to read the TR when you're home. You definately aren't boring ME. I'll be here every step of the way.

Thanks for your kind words they are greatly appreciated. And having this PTR to do is helping to pass the time but it is also helping me cope with hitting the 5 year mark which is Oct.23.

 

[faerieprincess]

i'm in for the duration too, i'm enjoying hearing about your plans. i like reading TRs and PTRs from people who don't go with kids, to get a perspective on what "adults" do at WDW.

Not that i expect to behave like an adult when i'm there!

 

[sherreis]

Congrats on your husbands 1 year celebration, I found the first year the hardest. I am so envious (but happy) that you will be in Disney in 7 days.
Hope yo have a very magical time, enjoy yourselves and let us know when your back I'd love to read all about your trip.

I always say God made my DH just for me as no other man would be able to tolerate me.


There's someone out there for each of us. And, you're right about this last year - I can still replay the scene in my head when we found out about the cancer. It was 5 months after my mother died and I just figured that someone just wanted me to be absoutely miserable. DH has had 3 surgeries in this past year and will often get into his "poor, pitiful me" mood and I respond with "start acting like a cancer patient -- be happy, be grateful!"

 

[vdarrell]

Congrats on your husbands 1 year celebration, I found the first year the hardest. I am so envious (but happy) that you will be in Disney in 7 days.
Hope yo have a very magical time, enjoy yourselves and let us know when your back I'd love to read all about your trip.

I always say God made my DH just for me as no other man would be able to tolerate me.


There's someone out there for each of us. And, you're right about this last year - I can still replay the scene in my head when we found out about the cancer. It was 5 months after my mother died and I just figured that someone just wanted me to be absoutely miserable. DH has had 3 surgeries in this past year and will often get into his "poor, pitiful me" mood and I respond with "start acting like a cancer patient -- be happy, be grateful!"

I just read and posted on your PTR. Enjoyed reading it.
I too can replay the day when I was told and it was so un-real to me because I had went to my GYN because I thought it was a female problem only to find out within hours that it was cancer. And then next day scheduled for more tests and within 6 days in surgery.
it was as if it was happening to someone else.
Sorry to hear you have had so much to endure in the last year with loosing your mother and DH's surgeries but you sound as if you are a very strong woman hang in there and know that things will get better.
I have had more than a few of the "pity party" moments my self but I also know how lucky I've been to come through this and other medical problems I've been through in my lifetime. But you know as a woman we protect those around us and don't show it we more or less do it in private.

Again my prayers are with you and your family that you have a great time in Disney 6 more days for you

 

[vdarrell]

i'm in for the duration too, i'm enjoying hearing about your plans. i like reading TRs and PTRs from people who don't go with kids, to get a perspective on what "adults" do at WDW.

Not that i expect to behave like an adult when i'm there!

I am a child trapped in an adult body(some even might say a child's mind)
I will get alot of enjoyment out of seeing the families there since my boys are all grown and we don't have any grand babies yet. I miss taking them to things we did when they were little.
I too love reading PTR and TR to see Disney through the eyes of others.

 

[vdarrell]

Just dropping in I am still on the look out for Disney stuff and found a great Mickey fleece jacket. It was only $15.00 at a store called Family Dollar and it is red, I will try to learn this weekend how to post photos.
Also found some more glow sticks which we plan on taking to hand out to the kids at the parades.
I am also going to make our t-shirts this week-end I have several I want to make for my DH,and several for me plus I have a design I want to put on a night shirt.

 

[sherreis]

Great deal on the jacket.

As for "I am a child trapped in an adult body(some even might say a child's mind)," that's why I love DW. I get to turn on my child brain a lot of the time. Nothing like that feeling you get when you see Cinderella's castle and remembering what it was like to be 5 yrs old and believing you are a princess. I cry every time I see it and I cry every time I say goodbye.

Here's how I learned to post pictures.

How to post pictures.