The "I've Waited My Whole Life" Christmas Suprise Trip Report-Final/Video Update 2/21

[Becky521]

Allyson
Yours is the first trip report I read from beginning to end. Thanks for a great report. I really am sad that I have no reason to keep checking back. Oh, and be sure to tell Grumpy how many people have responded AFTER your report was over.

Take care, Becky

 

[Credit Man]

WOW! What a wonderful report. Thanks for taking us along.

 

[Marjol]

Awww, it's definately over...

Thank you so much for your great trip report. I love your writing style!

I'm going to write my own trip report in may, but it will be in Dutch, because my English isn't good enough!

 

[mikymouse]

Allyson, You are going to love going in March the weather is just perfect, just be aware of the events during this time of the year and the timing of easter. We were there during St. Patricks days and had a great time. We might just be going in March again unless I break down and book a Christmas Trip... your trip report has me thinking!

Don't worry too much about being the only grown up on the trip... I feel a lot better at Disney than the local Target.

Your favorite picture is just the best!

Great Trip Report...THANKS!

 

[SHB]

Allyson,

Thanks for a great TR. I really enjoyed reading it. Your kids are so cute. I hate to see it come to an end. I used to get what my kids called "vacation depression" after we came home from WDW. I would cry on our last night there. My kids just thought I was silly. I know exactly how you feel. You will be fine by yourself with the kids on your next trip. I know you will have a great time and I look forward to reading that TR. Make sure you tell Grumpy about the great responses you recieved about your TR!!!

 

[Schachteles]

Allyson-
I'm in tears. Seriously. Thank you so much for sharing your WDW vacation with us. I really feel like I got to know you and your wonderful family! You are absolutely right about going to WDW at Christmas time! It was amazing! I only wish we had run into you guys while we were there! I was so inspired by you last posts, that I had to do this for you. (I hope you don't mind!) Now you have your very own YOAMD Disney ad featuring your family! It's really a perfect picture!!!

Take care,
Michelle

P.S. Happy planning on your next trip!

Michelle...that photo is awesome...how did you do that? BTW, I have been enjoying your Halloween and Christmas trip report over the last few days!! I am so jealous!

 

[LovintheLodge]

I really enjoyed your trip report and looked forward to each installment. I would love to go to Disney at Christmas time. We were last there (our second family trip) in Aug/Sep 2005 during the free dining promotion and had a fantastic time...now we're hoping to go this August. Again, thanks for sharing your trip and happy planning on your next one!

 

[mlill]

Michelle...that photo is awesome...how did you do that? BTW, I have been enjoying your Halloween and Christmas trip report over the last few days!! I am so jealous!

Actually, it's pretty easy to do the effect, (just select the area you want in color, and then invert the selection and desaturate the background) - but taking the perfect picture, now THAT's the hard part! Allyson's picture is just beautiful!

Thanks!
-Michelle

 

[Starwater]

Glad you found the DIS first off and secondly glad I could help make your workday fly by!

Jessica is the travel agent I used and The Magic For Less is the agency she works for. They specialize in Disney and she was just great to work with. If you are interested in her email PM me, I don't know if it is A-OK to post something like that on the DIS but I could share it with you in a PM. She can put together free quotes for you if you are in the planning stages and she is just wealth of knowledge.

And the abbreviations, well I can try and guess what a few of them might have been:

DH--dear husband
DD--dear daughter
DS--dear son
MK--Magic Kingdom
AK-Animal Kingdom
EMH--Extra Magic Hours
CR--Contemporary Resort
PC--Pop Century
RnR--Rock N RollerCoaster
ToT--Tower of Terror
EE--Expedition Everest
SM--Space Mountain
TGM--Tour Guide Mike (another website that for $20 gets you a lot of great info on touring Disney, highly recommended!)

Hmmmm, I can't think of any others off the top of my head that I might have used so I hope these are a little helpful!

Allyson

Hi Allyson,

Thanks for the response! I'll be messaging you as soon as my post count hits 6 - right now I can't send PM's yet. Grrr!

And thanks for the abbreviations guide! I finally just figured out on my own what all of the family references meant. Guess I'm a little slow... *blush* )

Talk to you soon! Or feel free to PM me and I'll respond! Thanks! )

~
Starwater

 

[Starwater]

Oh, and that's the best family DW photo I've ever seen, btw. Awesome job on the B&W conversion!

 

[Our2Girls&Disney]

Allyson-
I'm in tears. Seriously. Thank you so much for sharing your WDW vacation with us. I really feel like I got to know you and your wonderful family! You are absolutely right about going to WDW at Christmas time! It was amazing! I only wish we had run into you guys while we were there! I was so inspired by you last posts, that I had to do this for you. (I hope you don't mind!) Now you have your very own YOAMD Disney ad featuring your family! It's really a perfect picture!!!

Take care,
Michelle

P.S. Happy planning on your next trip!

I totally love this picture!!!!!

I am not very good with the programs, but do you know what would mke it better? Removing the other people as if they were the people there. Of course, I have no clue on how to do that. Still the picture is awesome as is.

 

[Cinderella2004]

Great report!!! I love all of the pictures!!! Your little guy looks just like you!

The reveal- LMBO!!!! That is sooo funny!!! We surprised DD for her 7th birthday. Her reaction was much the same as your oldest daughters. Tears. She thought we were going to the zoo. What a disappointment, to head to WDW instead I think that girls their age just need 10 minutes to adjust.

Great report, I'm sure March 2008 can not come soon enough!

 

[Ellester]

They will be 10,8 and 5 at trip time so I know I can do this. I am a little nervous though, being the only adult. But I know Belle will be helpful and Goofy a little older too. The best thing in the world would be a massive growth spurt for Goofy. If he could hit 48 inches that would be great but I won't hold my breath. He is only 41 now. We'll just cross that bridge when we come to it and I think if I give Belle a cell phone she and Bashful could ride say, EE, and Goofy and I could wait at the exit. Otherwise aside from a few rides we can do all the other things together and I think we'll have a great time.

What a great idea to go while Grumpy is away! It's a win/win, now March 2008 will be a happy month!

You really only have to get Goofy to 44" for everything but Rockin' Rollercoaster. Rebecca is 45" and was able to go on everything (RRC was down for refurbishment while we were there. ) Could be a good way to convince him to eat his veggies between now then!

 

[newcomer52]

Allyson,

What a fabulous report. I've never before read a compete trip report. I think you deserve a trip with the kids every March! Seventeen days in a long time to be home with three!

I think you would love staying at POFQ and so would the kids. POR would be great too. Very possible that there will be some codes.

Enjoy the coming months of planning. It add enjoyment to the trip.

Jerry

 

[paper1225]

Allyson,
I am so glad I found your report! Just perfect! We did the same thing with our three (DD12,DD11, DS5)for Christmas. When they came home from school on 12/21 at 11am-half day, we told them we were leaving in 30 minutes. We had about the same reaction but from different members! DD12 did not believe, even when I showed her the luggage in my room-finally after she noticed her guinea pig gone and the vacation feeder for the fish! DD11 was so excited she could not handle it! DS5 cried, and kept crying. He wanted to go to Tumble Drum(big climb through tube place). See when I brought them in from school, DH asked what they would like to do that day-DS said Tumble Drum, so we had to let him down with Disney!! We stayed at All Star Movies (suite) and really enjoyed it. It was way too busy though-your week looks much nicer on the crowd level!
Good luck with your trip alone with the kids-not sure I am there yet! DH sounds a lot like yours, but usually if I beg enough!
Great job with the report!!

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

I've finally finished reading! (Going on vacation in the middle of your report threw a wrench in keeping up!)

Loved it all, from start to finish!

 

[NMAmy]

Allyson--I read your report from start to finish this morning and I just wanted to say thank you so much for posting it! The video was hysterically funny and Belle reminded me of my own dd at that age. Crying about going to WDW? And the picture of Goofy dragging his suitcase behind him is exactly the way I feel when it's time to leave.

Loved it all! Thanks again!

 

[nettii]

I loved your report I did the same thing this year-Disney instead of a bunch of toys! Santa still came but we gave Disney (we me and my grumpy DH ) We dont go untill May but some day smoe magical day we too will go at Christmas! Thanks for your report

 

[Schachteles]

Actually, it's pretty easy to do the effect, (just select the area you want in color, and then invert the selection and desaturate the background) - but taking the perfect picture, now THAT's the hard part! Allyson's picture is just beautiful!

Thanks!
-Michelle

That is awesome, which picture program did you use??

 

[Liz]

I am a late arrival to your trippie because I've been working on finishing mine! I'm on page 13 and enjoying every minute of it! We were there Dec. 17-24 and actually at the same parks on the same day a couple of times! The weather was perfect, wasn't it? And your video is hilarous! It brought a smile to my daughter's face tonight (and she's not feeling real well at the moment) so that was nice! Can't wait to get back to reading more!!