The Kidlets & Pooh go for their first Disney Adventure

[bluecinderellaeyes]

OK so this is my 1st attempt at a (pre) trip report! I was going to wait till at least mid October but have seen a few other December ones one here so I figured why not!Bare with me please I will try my best! I have a tendency to blab on and on so I will try and control myself! TRY is the word here!
I guess I should introduce the Ezard Family Cast of Characters;

There is Me - Sam (Samantha - BlueCinderellaEyes)- Part time Bartender/Waitress and Mom of 3

Then there is my DH - Robbie - Tow Truck Driver

We met when we were 16 started dating a few months later when we were both 17 and have been each others best friends for the last 11 years! (Insert Ahhhhh noise here )

Now let me introduce you to the Kidlets:

DS #1 - Tyler (7) Loves the Lightning McQueen and Mater. Ty drives a go-kart every Tuesday and came in 1st place this year here in Cornwall and in Brckville

DD - Madison (4) Lover of all things princess & Hannah Montana. Madi also loves dressing up! She started school in September and loves it!

DS #2 - Dude (2 ~ Real name is Ethan but nick named by me and his Sister at birth and it stuck) Mr. Crabby Pants or he has "baby of the family syndrom" I have not decided which one yet! He has some major temper that could be really fun at WDW!

Not to be left out is Pooh (I am sure she will love the fact that I called her Pooh) ~ My Mom ~ My best friend - Diane or as the kid call her Nammie

This will be my mom’s very 1st trip to Walt Disney World. She was in California when she was younger and they were going to go to Disneyland while they were there visiting family but she and my Aunt got into a horrible car accent that left my mom with like 500 stitches in her head and some reconstructive surgery on her face/ head! My Aunt escaped with a broken finger nail! So ... now as a grandma her grand kids have insisted that Nammie tag along with us to Walt Disney World! We gave her the "WORLD" as her Mother’s Day/Birthday gift! Everything paid - hotel flight & food!

Mom opening her gift

Trip history you are asking! That will come next!

 

[bluecinderellaeyes]

Trip history you are asking! Not really no one is! But I will put this in and if still no one reads I will close it!

Ok well here it goes!

In February 2006 we had an impromptu trip to Dayton for a dirt track race at the Volusia Speedway. While there Rob managed to get DBiL to drive to Orlando to do something else! Rob was "trying" to get him to go to Disney World. Well DBiL drove us to WDW and then changed his mind and drove over Universal Studios! WHAT! OMG knowing full well my love of Cinderella! (Even my wedding had a Cinderella Theme!) I was so upset and DH knew this! It was not our van so it was hard for us to say anything and we had to go with the flow! GRRR When we got home Rob said let’s look into going to WDW next year and we will make it our belated honeymoon! WOO HOO ! I was really taken back by Robs offer. Other then the impromptu trip to Florida Rob and I had never gone anywhere together and this would be our very 1st vacation ALONE! No kids! Nobody but US! I knew I would love it in the World but I was worried about Rob. Robbie is a typical guys’ guy! He loves cars and sports! As it turned out Rob had an amazing time even though he was being surrounded by princess’ 24/7. We could not get him into the NASCAR driving school while we were down there. He was kind bummed but it was ok!

When we returned home all Rob talked about was the wonderful WDW honeymoon/vacation we had and going back as soon as we could! The next time though Rob wanted to take the kids! So for our 6th anniversary in September (‘07), I opened my card and in it was a paper. I was sort of like “Gee Thanks!” Paper! Really thoughtful! I read the paper and it was a confirmation letter from Disney! Rob had booked us a 10 day family trip back to WDW for December (1st - 10th) of 2008 (All Star Movies with 7 day park hopper tickets)! Yeah! At 1st I was wondering how we could afford to make another trip back down to Florida so fast and when I asked Rob he said "With the CDN dollar being so high how can we afford not to!" Ok I will not argue with that logic and any time at Disney is a phenomenal. At the beginning I did not want to tell the kids but low and behold I could not keep my big mouth shut! LOL! They are super excited and what kid would not be!

My mom’s trip came around in late April - early May just before Mothers Day. Mother’s Day was rolling around I had no idea what to get my amazing mom! So I talked it over with Rob and we booked mom her own room and got her tickets. She has an all expense paid trip from her favourite daughter and son-in-law! Now how do I tell her! I had an invitation all done up and Mom opened it on the Saturday with her sister, her god-mother, myself and the kids all there. Mom was so happy! She could not believe that we actually had booked her, her very own trip to WDW!

I managed to conduct Operation Disney Dining Plan! I made all my valid points, made Robbie read a few of the threads about the Dining plan and managed to get Robbie to agree to add the dinning plan! Adding the DDP I was able to get a whole wack of character meals in this trip! The character meals will be a first for all of us! Rob and I lived off basically CS the whole time during our first trip. I did not think ADR’s were “that big a deal!” (GASP) If I would have found this site before the 1st trip I would not have tried to book them a month out! I booked it at the 180 - June 4th at 7:00am. I was up and on the phone with Disney! More on that in the next instalment. I was not going to make that mistake this time around! Not when I was bringing my Kidlets & Pooh for their 1st Disney Adventure.

But wait Sam your ticker says you’re staying at the Caribbean Beach Resort????

That’s true! Back in August when that little code came out I decided to call Disney and find out if I could use it! It could not hurt to ask right! Well I could not use it at the ASMo but I could upgrade to the CBR for about $130 less then what I was paying! Alrighty then, a quick call to Rob and CBR it was! I was so happy I would be saving a bunch of money! Well about 2 weeks later I went on to the Disney web site to check things out an noticed that I now owed money on both my reservation and my the reservation for my mom? What? How could that be? I was paid in full before I switched everything over and had a credit so how could I owe them money! I quickly called Disney back and the cast member who had given me the original quote did not have the travel insurance on! I was told that once they noticed the mistake they added it on and now I owed more money! I was not a very happy camper and asked them to switch us back to ASMo but I was told they were all booked! Ok then try another value resort I said! Nope I was told they were all full. I called back over and over but with no luck! I was stuck paying the extra money and when I asked if there was any way I could get some sort of compensation for this all I was told was NO! I am still hoping for a room upgrade maybe? I am not holding my breath just hoping. I just keep telling myself even having to pay a little more I was able to upgrade to a hotel that I probably would not have been able to afford without the code.

Coming up in the next instalment: Let’s Talk Plans & ADR’s

 

[Seewhatimesdone]

Can't wait to hear more! Your kids are adorable and DH sounds like such a sweety. Your mom looks so excited too XD

Sorry to hear about your room though, how frustrating. I'll be staying at CBR for the first time next month and i've heard great things about it so hopefully that will appease the frustration!

 

[bluecinderellaeyes]

Ah Thank you!

I cant wait to read your TR and see how you liked the room!

I gues I am not that interesting! LOL

 

[bluecinderellaeyes]

So I have been waiting for over a year for our 1st Disney family vacation and driving my friends & family nuts! I supposedly have been talking Disney every time I found something else new or changed my mind on where we are going to eat! My mom got so upset with me at one point she said "I do not want to hear anything about your Disney trip again until after you get back home!" (this obviously was before we surprised her with the trip) Most people really just don’t get the whole Disney Magic! I know many of you out there know exactly what I am talking about! Rob on the other hand has thank god been a Prince and has grin and bared every little detail change! What a good man Eh! (Can ya tell I am from the great White North. I even write Eh!)

Here is what we, who am I kidding! Here is what I have planned for all you (only SeeWhatTimesDone)wonderful itinerary readers out there! I don’t have every ride planned out as I will be taking my queues from the kids and checking on when the Crank Monster decides to raise its ugly head! Everything meal wise will be new for us except Planet Hollywood, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café, Toy Story Pizza Planet and the Rain Forest Café. Rob and I ate there last year. The kids all gave up birthday parties to pick one special dinner with a character!
There is also some non Disney related info but I add it anyways.

Sunday November 30th

Pack up the car (or Truck we have not decided) and head to Moms in Gatineau (Just outside of Ottawa. About an hour and 20 minutes away). Spend the night there and double / triple check that we have everything. Stop by the Dis web site and say farewell till we get back. Try and sleep. I will probably be too excited to sleep!

Monday December 1st

Have to wake up at 6am and start getting ready! Get the kids up after all the adults are showered and dressed! I will feed the kids while Rob packs the car/truck. Get to the airport and find the long term parking.
We have to be at the airport for 8:00am for our 11:30 flight! We have to make sure we are there 3 hours prior due to the international flight! It might be longer than most people would be there but with 6 of us and security, and customs I would rather have more time then not enough.
Arrive in MCO at 2:44 / Catch Magical Express to CBR

After Check in go to room if it’s ready

Dinner: Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner at 1900 Park Fare - Grand Floridian. This is going to rock for me! Ya that’s right ROCK FOR ME! Forget about the kids! I LOVE Cinderella. Madison`s choice.

Tuesday December 2nd – Epcot

Making sure we hit up the 1st photo pass photographer we see to start off the trip. Also stopping by so we can Build Your Own Cup @ Cool Club Innoventions West at some point during the day.
Lunch: Liberty Inn (America)
Dinner: Coral Reef - Moms Choice. She loves sea food but they had steak there for Rob and I who don’t care for feasting on creatures of the sea, so it worked out really well!
Tonight we party at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party - I am very excited for this!

Wednesday December 3rd - Magic Kingdom

Madison’s Bibbity Bobbity Boutique Appointment
Build your own Mouse Ears? (Depends on the kids)
Make sure we take Dude to go see Hot Dog!
Ok I guess you are wondering just who the heck is Hot Dog right! Well Dude loves Mickey Mouse Club House he watches it every day! Well because of the Hot Dog song at the end Dude thinks Mickey’s name is Hot Dog! That`s what he yells every time he sees him. Hot Dog! Hot Dog!Lunch: Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café or Pinocchio’s Village Haus
Dinner: Chef Mickey at the Contemporary (Dude’s Special Dinner with Hot Dog himself! LOL)
Then back to the Magic Kingdom or take the monorail to Epcot.
Meeting up with Teresa (TMWilson) around 2 to get a spot to watch the Dreams Come True Parade. Anyone else want in?

Thursday December 4th - Animal Kingdom
Bunch: Donald’s Safari Breakfast - Tusker House
Dinner: T-REX
Then some shopping at DTD

Friday December 5th - Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Lunch: Toy Story Pizza Planet
Dinner: 50`s Prime time Cafe

Saturday December 6th – AM /Animal Kingdom – PM / Magic Kingdom
Lunch: Not really sure yet
Dinner: Goofy’s Liberate your Appetite at the Liberty Tree Tavern

Sunday December 7th - AM Epcot - PM Hollywood Studio’s
Our full CS day

Monday December 8th – Magic Kingdom
Lunch: Cinderella`s Royal Table
Dinner: Counter Service

Tuesday December 9th
Breakfast: Ohana Character Breakfast - Polynesian Resort Family Photo Session Poly / CBR – I was originally planning on having this done when it was $25 with the pre-ordered Photopass CD but since they changed this I am planning on doing it myself! I am pretty handy with a camera so here’s hoping!
Lunch: Earl of Sandwich or something in DTD
Dinner: Planet Hollywood (OoP but at least you get that $15 discount coupon)

Wednesday December 10th - Last day at WDW
Breakfast at Resort
Check out time is between 11am - 12pm
Get Disney Magical Express to airport!

Well that’s our tentative plans! Other then the ADR’s things are being taken at a slow pace! We will make our plans as the kids moods change! Only a few more days and we will be heading off to the World we have all come to cherish and love so much!