The Kelley Family Does WDW, Survivor Style! **Pre Trip Report**

[Kelley Family]

The Kelley Family Does WDW, Survivor Style!

Survivors
DW - Planner, family vacation lover, The Mark Barnett of this adventure.

DH - Indulgent husband, big kid at hart, Jeff (Knows what is going on but is clearly being told what to say and do by Mark.)

DS - Caught between a fun kid and a cool pre teen. He kind of reminds me of that kid on the cruise commercial who doesn’t smile. The parents are taking the kids on a great cruise in search of that elusive smile. He loves Disney and I hope we see the smile the entire week.

DD - Happy kindergartner, princess, adventure queen. Will try anything once.

Hi! I am a classic lurker on the DIS boards and have had this problem for about two years now. It all started when I was researching for our first trip to WDW that we took in June of last year. We did it up right! AKL, DCL, breakfast in the castle with our favorite princesses, swimming with the dolphins, the works! It was fun, it was memorable and it was expensive. As soon as we returned I could not break the habit and privately started strategizing for our next trip.
You see, we hale from Southern California and it would be impossible to count the number of times we have been to DL. My DH and I grew up in the OC, the kiddos were born there and on most Friday nights you could find me and my DS taking a quick trip to ride our favorite attraction, Sorin Over California. My husbands company would rent out Disneyland at Christmas time and we would have our own private MVMCP! We could have lunch at our favorite Corn Dog stand on Main Street any time we wanted. (Has anyone ever had those corndogs before? Do they have them at MK? They are the BEST). Man were we spoiled! Anyway, two and a half years ago we moved to Texas. Don’t ask me why. It’s a long story. As you can imagine we needed a Disney fix and WDW was just as close as DL with the added bonus of a Disney ship to take us to a tropical oasis called Castaway Cay, so we went east instead of west.
So another trip was brewing for the Kelley clan and DH, DS and DD had no idea. I eventually had to get DH’s buy in and when I told him I wanted to go swear I saw $$$$ came popping out of his eyes! My DH is a very generous man but he would get along well with ZZUB. They both like to keep some cash in the wallet. I had to assure the hubby that we could do up WDW right and not go into hock. I astonished him with my research, bedazzled him with the great airline price I got and confused him with the DDP. He was sold and reservations were made. This was sometime in early 2006. It is so far back I can barley remember. We have had three fantastic family trips since then and of course, the only one that “secretly” mattered to me was our Nov. 06 trip to the World! And it truly was a secret. Shhhhh…. The kids don’t know we are going. They have no idea. I think my DH liked the idea of not telling them so I wouldn’t be able to talk about it with him in front of the kids. He’s sneaky like that. So that just added to my DIS addiction. I needed to “talk” to someone about the trip so I would read, and read, and read the boards.
That takes me to today. We are about a month and two days from our departure date. All my ADRs have been made months ago. I’m not one to change them after they have been made. After all, I had months to read reviews before I made them at 180 plus 10 days out. I am slowly gathering essential items such as mole skin and disposable rain ponchos. My husband has a shinny new pair of crocs. The kids teachers know they will miss two days and promised to gather homework for them to do on the plane. The dog kennel had been paid half the fee because we are going during a holiday week. I am even systematically deep cleaning the house so it is fresh and ready to be decorated for Christmas as soon as we return. What is left to do? I guess I could get a good juicy romance novel to distract me. I should work on my home based business a little extra and prep for holiday sales. No….no fun at all and has nothing to do with the trip! So, I have decided to plan how to tell the kids about the trip and keep the magic going all week long! (And write a trip report. I’ll need some valid reason to visit the boards when we get back)
Here is the plan. The Kelley’s are HUGE Survivor fans! Thursday night is an event in our household. Don’t judge. It’s our thing. So to tell the kids about the trip, each day they will get tree mail. This starts on the first day when we will wake up my DS with a tree mail box complete with our own family Survivor logo on it. Don’t you think Outwit, Outlast, Outplay is very relevant for WDW? So here are the first few tree mails. I’m so not a poet and they are being given to kids so they don’t have to be any good. Oh, my husband may read them too. He really has very little idea of what we are doing when. I gave him a spreadsheet but I doubt he paid any attention. Don’t get me wrong, he can’t wait to go. He just knows I have done my homework and will love what I have planned. So here are my first few tree mails. I’ll post the rest as I write my trip report. I’d love to hear if you have surprised your kids with a WDW trip. How did you do it? What was there reaction? Thanks for letting me share my excitement. My DH thanks you too!

(Morning wake up letter)
Survivor is our favorite show
And now it’s your turn to go.
An adventure is awaiting you
So pack your backpack
And we’ll tell you what to do.


(At the airport)
You may be guessing,
A little confused.
We’ll tell you soon,
You’re not being abused.
It’s going to be fun
It’s going to be great.
You might find out
When we get to the gate!


(When they are driving us crazy or have guessed correctly)
By now you have made many a guess
And it’s time for Mom and Dad to confess.
The place is full of Magic and more.
The castle, the animals, and a place to soar!
So to find our where our survivor adventure will be
Ask Dad to whisper the answer to thee.


(At MCO when we are getting off the plane)
When we get to the gate
You must guide us along.
The Magical Express
Is where we belong.
Tell the man at the counter
The Kelley’s love Sports
Then get on the bus
And say good buy to airports.

 

[DaPanMan]

We too, will be at WDW during the week of Thanksgiving. We're staying at SSR. I've pretty much got our days planned out, I am typing my first pre-trip report as well. ( The Wife Says We're Going to Disney!! )

Maybe we'll be able to meet up somewhere along the line.

Oh, I'm ready for Chap 2.

 

[Kelley Family]

Hi DaPanMan. I'll be reading your report. Can't wait to see how the week goes for other DISers. Chapter 2 won't come until after the trip. Not much more to share until then. I am going to the TA in the morning to get our documents! I can't beleive we are going in under 30 days. I plan and plan and then it just sneaks up on me that we are going soon! I have so much to do to get ready! Have a great trip!

 

[Lovin'Dumbo]

I love how you wrote those notes to give to your kids!!

Our first trip to the world was this past January for my kids' birthdays. I had told them, a year prior, in their birthday cards we would be going with a poem. I don't remember the whole thing, but the last line was something like "next year you'll be eating cake with Mickey".....I have pics of them with their jaws on the floor!!

I just escaped a domestic violence situation (it was my second marriage and the last at that) and planned a whirlwind trip for the end of this month and MNSSHP. I can't wait to be a kid again with my own kids, and finally have some fun and happiness we couldn't have in January when he was with us.

ENough of the negativity, hope you enjoy your trip!!!

 

[Kelley Family]

Hi Loin'Dumbo. I can't wait to see the kids suprised face too. Those memories are the best! So glad you got out of a bad situation. My home based business works with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and I just went to a Domestic Violence conference two weeks ago. You are so strong to get out. So many women don't. I wish you luck with your new life. Have a fantastic time being a kid again! You are going to have a blast!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I love the notes. I'm a Survivor fan myself, although now work is getting in the way of it, guess I'll just have to wait for the DVD. I hope you have a great trip.