The One Where They're Actually Going To WDW!!! TWO MORE SLEEPS!!! 9/30/08

[dis75ney]

Now, how to fuzzy WDW math that $600.....

I'm sure I will find a way...

 

[CruisingCamper]

I have enjoyed reading your report. I can't wait to hear more.

 

[dis75ney]

I have enjoyed reading your report. I can't wait to hear more.

Only 17 more days until you go to WDW??? Lucky...I'm so jealous...

 

[CruisingCamper]

Only 17 more days until you go to WDW??? Lucky...I'm so jealous...

Yes, and we are getting very excited and a little nervous at the same time, due to the fact that we will be taking a 16 month old!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope he can handle the trip!! We don't really have a lot of downtime planned.

I feel like he'll be fine...he is a traveler already. He has been to about 10 states, flown twice and been on a cruise!!!! And he has been great on all of these trips, so I am praying that WDW is no different.

 

[lazidazi07]

I'm in and loving your report! Looks like you'll be leaving a week before we arrive..awww shucks. Cant wait to hear more.

 

[dis75ney]

Yes, and we are getting very excited and a little nervous at the same time, due to the fact that we will be taking a 16 month old!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope he can handle the trip!! We don't really have a lot of downtime planned.

I feel like he'll be fine...he is a traveler already. He has been to about 10 states, flown twice and been on a cruise!!!! And he has been great on all of these trips, so I am praying that WDW is no different.

Sounds like he's a little trooper. Just remember that the TTA and the Hall of Presidents make great napping spots - and not necessarily for the baby!

I'm in and loving your report! Looks like you'll be leaving a week before we arrive..awww shucks. Cant wait to hear more.

I should have another update tonight - I am imposing a well-deserved brain break before I go on major school mode this weekend...

 

[3princesses+aprince]

I can't wait to hear how your trip goes. We are going next May and as of now plan on checking in on May 3rd too.
Loving the pre trip report!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CruisingCamper]

Sounds like he's a little trooper. Just remember that the TTA and the Hall of Presidents make great napping spots - and not necessarily for the baby!



I should have another update tonight - I am imposing a well-deserved brain break before I go on major school mode this weekend...

Yes, he's a great baby!! I just hope he likes WDW as much as DH and I do.

 

[dis75ney]

I have just been hit by a sudden wave of exhaustion. I guess my first full meal after last weekend's bout with the stomach flu would make me tired. So if I seem a bit disjointed in the writing of this chapter...well...you know why...

Chapter Three: The Great Hotel Debate

I had long thought about Natepoo's first trip to Walt Disney World. I want this to be an experience he'll remember forever. Our hotel was a big part of this dream. I wanted something along the lines of...oh, shall we say...deluxe? Come on, it's our first family vacation to WDW. Shouldn't we do it up big?

Goofy: "How much is that going to cost us?"

I should have mentioned that one of Goofy's dislikes is spending money. On anything. Well, except food. Between Goofy and Natepoo, I'm going to be bankrupt within the next ten years, based soley upon food costs.

Me: "Oh, about $200.."
Goofy: "For the whole trip?"
Me: "No, that's per night."
Goofy:

I'm silently poring over my Passporter, trying desperately to find some plausible reason (to Goofy) to stay deluxe - and hopefully Contemporary - this time around...

Goofy: "Why would we pay that much for a place to sleep? We only need a room with two beds and a shower!!!"
Me: "Well, there's the convenience factor!"
Goofy: "Huh?"
Me: "Think about it. If one of us gets tired, we can just hop on the monorail and be back at the hotel with 30 minutes..."
Goofy: "That defeats the purpose of driving, doesn't it?"

Damn, he's right...

Me: "But don't you think we should splurge a little bit? This IS our first vacation in six years..."
Goofy: "We're splurging by even taking this vacation, aren't we?"

Damn, he's right again. I feel my hopes for luxury and a castle view slipping away...until Goofy says:

Goofy: "Since you're so insistent on making this a big deal for Natepoo, why don't we let him decide?"
Me: "Huh?"
Goofy: "There are pictures of the hotels in that...thing...aren't there?" as he gestures to the Passporter
Me: "Well, no...but we could hop online and look at the pictures there!"

So we pull up allears.net (wonderful site, by the way) and start going through the pictures. I copy one or two pictures from each resort from All Stars to Polynesian (Goofy and I decided that Natepoo wouldn't really enjoy Grand Floridian at this time. Maybe, when he's a bit older...) and paste them onto several Powerpoint slides. We then call downstairs...

Goofy: "Hey, Natepoo!"
Natepoo: "What?!?"
Goofy: "Can you come here for a few minutes?"
Natepoo: "But it's not bedtime!"

Natepoo thinks that whenever we ask him to come upstairs, it's bedtime. Doesn't matter what time it is...it could be 9 in the morning with sun streaming through the windows and he'll still think it's bedtime if we ask him to come upstairs...

Goofy: "We know, Natepoo. Mommy and I need you to see something and let us know what you think."
Natepoo: "Oh, OK."

Natepoo comes upstairs and joins me at the computer.

Me: "OK, Natepoo, we need you to make a very important decision. We're going to let you decide which hotel we stay at for when we go to Disney World."
Natepoo: "Really?"
Me: "Yep! So I want you to look at all these pictures and let us know where you want to stay."

So Nate flips through the slideshow, passing resort after resort after resort, ending each slide with...

Natepoo: "Hmmmmm...nope. I don't think so."

My hopes are starting to rise...most of the deluxe resorts were positioned near the end of the slideshow. Goofy and I wait with bated breath..

Well, okay, Goofy was playing Guitar Hero at this point...I was waiting with bated breath...until...

Goofy: "Make up your mind, Natepoo!"

MUYM Count: 5

Natepoo continues clicking and making his thinking sounds, until...

Natepoo: "I want to stay there!!!"

Both Goofy and I whirl around (I had turned around to laugh at Goofy while he failed miserably at Guitar Hero) to see which resort Natepoo had chosen. Was it my dream resort? Natepoo points proudly at...

A steel-framed bowling pin.

Goofy: "What the he** is that one?"
Natepoo: "Yeah, Mom, what the he** is that one?"

After a reprimand from me to Natepoo:

Me: "We don't use that word in this house!"
Natepoo: "Sorry, Mom."

And to Goofy:

Me: "We don't use that word in this house!"
Goofy: "Sorry, dear."

I inform Goofy and Natepoo that Natepoo has chosen to stay at the Pop Century Resort.

Goofy: "Looks expensive. How much does that one cost?"
Me: "Less than $100"

Goofy looks immensely relieved at this cost.

So, it's not my dream resort. But we're staying on property, so I suppose I can't complain too much. Plus, this means more spending money!!! Fuzzy WDW math, here I come!!!

So, four days before Christmas, I make the reservation for Pop Century from May 3 through May 11.

I also made reservations for hotels in Chattanooga TN, Atlanta GA, and Cocoa FL. We hope to drive straight through to Cocoa Beach on May 2, sleep there, and visit Kennedy Space Center on the 3rd before arriving at Pop Century, but have built in contingency stays in case Goofy and I are dropping from exhaustion and need to stop earlier than planned.

Speaking of dropping from exhaustion, I'm going to hit the hay. Natepoo has a dentist appointment in the early morning tomorrow, and afterwards I plan on taking him to the longest-running train car diner in the country for breakfast.

Up next: ADRs and hopefully pics!

 

[dis75ney]

I can't wait to hear how your trip goes. We are going next May and as of now plan on checking in on May 3rd too.
Loving the pre trip report!!!!!!!!!!

I've heard that May is a great time to go...I'm sure I'll be posting a report during/after our trip. Thanks for the compliment!

Yes, he's a great baby!! I just hope he likes WDW as much as DH and I do.

How could he not??? It's WDW!!!

Spoken like a true Disney freak...

 

[MomofCKJ]

Enjoying your report! And you'll enjoy Pop, we stayed there last trip and it really is very fun and colorful! We loved it! Great food court, friendly CMs and good bus service if you are using it at all.

Allyson

 

[lovesdumbo]

Hi! Enjoying your pre trip report!

I'll be at Pop May 4th to 10th with my youngest DD(5). I saw you on the ADR thread and looks like we may be doing a few of the same meals. I have an AP discount on my Pop room and have added DDP. Here's what we're doing:
5/5 Tusker House breakfast 10:30
5/6 Crystal Palace 8:05 (my birthday)
5/6 California Grill 5:30
5/7 Garden Grill 6:10
5/8 O'Hana 10:50

This will be my 3rd early May trip. It is a great time to go. Temps in the high 80's/low 90's and the crowds are very managable. This will be my 5th trip to Pop. It is a really fun place! My heart belongs to the Poly but I just can not justify those prices now that the kids are older and the discounts are smaller.

I was just at Pop in January with my DS celebrating his 7th birthday. He LOVED Pop!!!

 

[Lemming_of_the_BDA]

I'm in, I'm thinking of starting my own trip report and am trying to get inspired.

We'll be at Pop May 27-June 1, our 2nd trip to Pop, you will love it!

Courtney

 

[dis75ney]

I'm sorry I haven't posted an update recently - Saturday I fell on the skating rink that is usually referred to as the City of Kenosha Public Parking Lot and bruised my tailbone (OUCH!!!) - so that laying me up plus school work is causing me to fall behind. Good thing, I only have one more lab report to write up and a quiz on Monday to study for, then things start to lighten up a bit for SPRING BREAK!!! 3 1/2 weeks and counting!!!

Depending on how motivated I feel tonight, I may post an update after I finish my lab report...otherwise I'll post an update tomorrow. Which reminds me...I need to get more batteries for the camera so I can upload pics of my trip stuff (so far)!

Until then...

 

[dis75ney]

Enjoying your report! And you'll enjoy Pop, we stayed there last trip and it really is very fun and colorful! We loved it! Great food court, friendly CMs and good bus service if you are using it at all.

Allyson

We'll probably use the bus service a good chunk of the time...but it's nice to have our car available. Especially for our date night when Natepoo will be at Simba's Cubhouse and Goofy and I celebrate our anniversary with dinner and Pleasure Island.

Hi! Enjoying your pre trip report!

I'll be at Pop May 4th to 10th with my youngest DD(5). I saw you on the ADR thread and looks like we may be doing a few of the same meals. I have an AP discount on my Pop room and have added DDP. Here's what we're doing:
5/5 Tusker House breakfast 10:30
5/6 Crystal Palace 8:05 (my birthday)
5/6 California Grill 5:30
5/7 Garden Grill 6:10
5/8 O'Hana 10:50

This will be my 3rd early May trip. It is a great time to go. Temps in the high 80's/low 90's and the crowds are very managable. This will be my 5th trip to Pop. It is a really fun place! My heart belongs to the Poly but I just can not justify those prices now that the kids are older and the discounts are smaller.

I was just at Pop in January with my DS celebrating his 7th birthday. He LOVED Pop!!!

Ooooo, yay!!! I'm hearing great things about May at WDW - I'm getting pumped!!! Looks like we have the same reservation time for Crystal Palace - pretty sweet!

I'm in, I'm thinking of starting my own trip report and am trying to get inspired.

We'll be at Pop May 27-June 1, our 2nd trip to Pop, you will love it!

Courtney

Go ahead and start a pre-trippie! It's fun and makes the time pass a little more quickly (not much, but anything is better than letting time drag until the single digit dance commences!

 

[lovesdumbo]

Ooooo, yay!!! I'm hearing great things about May at WDW - I'm getting pumped!!! Looks like we have the same reservation time for Crystal Palace - pretty sweet!

It is one my favorite meals at WDW!



Hope your tailbone heals fast. Doesn't sound fun.

 

[dis75ney]

It is one my favorite meals at WDW!



Hope your tailbone heals fast. Doesn't sound fun.

It's actually healing a lot faster than I thought it would. My niece bruised her tailbone and couldn't walk right for several months. I can walk just fine - I have to be careful with getting into and out of seats. I look like a woman about to give birth trying to get up!

 

[dis75ney]

My countdown has changed to "1 month, 4 weeks, and 1 day!!!" It's getting ever closer!

And as my family's trip gets closer, my school load gets more and more heavy. I have a biology quiz tomorrow, but after that things start lightening up a tad, so I'll be able to post the latest update I've been promising my faithful readers...

Or, if work keeps going the way it has been, I may be able to post sometime during working hours. We shall see...

 

[dis75ney]

All that studying has PAID OFF!!!

I got 48/50 on my last Biology test (25 questions worth 2 points each) - class average was 31!!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Yes, that's one of my catch phrases...

So, I only have one more assignment due before Monday, which shouldn't be too hard, then I can look forward to SPRING BREAK!!! And term paper research!

Today is a slow day at the office for me (I alternate between slow and fast days), so I may have an update posted sometime today. If not today, then hopefully tomorrow, as Friday nights are my self-imposed brain rest nights where no studying is allowed...

 

[stagemomx3]

I'm sorry I haven't posted an update recently - Saturday I fell on the skating rink that is usually referred to as the City of Kenosha Public Parking Lot and bruised my tailbone (OUCH!!!) -

Ouch! I hope your not to sore!