The Return of the Disney Box--Trip Report Started--PTR Complete =)

[creativeamanda]

I must be crazy. That’s the only explanation for the bout of insanity I am experiencing. Was it something in the Disney water or perhaps in those Year of a Million Dreams refillable mugs? I honestly don’t know. . .what I do know is I am pulling back out.. .

THE DISNEY BOX


You might ask what a Disney box is. For those of you who have read my 2008 Pretrip Report, you’ll know that the Disney box is indeed a magical thing in and of itself. For somehow, the Disney Box always gets filled. The Disney box is a collection of items I pick up from time to time for the next trip and quickly, ah, hide before my husband can total the costs of the trip coming up. Well, not really hide, from him, as it’s in the middle of the house and he regularly peaks into it. He knows. He always knows.
But you get the general idea.

Before our trip in 2008, I had been to Disney World before but had never actually planned a trip. That was about to change. But not before I got hooked.

In 2007, my husband begged me, pleaded with me, and heck, even conned me into a trip with his brother’s family to Disney World.

“Just this one time,” he says.

“We’ll never have to go again,” he says.

Ha! Now it’s me saying, “This’ll be the last one for a long time.”

I was hooked. Hooked not on the Mouse Who Started it All, or princesses or pirates or Pooh, or even eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner with various and sundry cartoon characters. I was hooked on the possibility that for a snapshot in time, however brief, I could still play like a child and not be thought of as crazy, I could live in a home where my family and every family was special, and going home meant it was for the most part clean. I was in love with being a kid again for a week and it being okay because there were thousands of big kids all around me. Peer pressure is indeed sometimes a beautiful thing.

Now, where did that tangent come from? . . . . . .Think, think, I know it’s there . . . .(In my mind I’m doing a great impression of Dory)

Cue the choir! I remember! Planning a trip!

Now, unless you are a true DISer, as I call myself and others who frequent the DISboards, you don’t honestly know how very magical indeed planning a Disney trip can be. For me, it’s like having a bit of Disney in small doses. It’s like when I walk into a florist shop and smell yellow roses, I see Mama in front of me. It’s like hearing a diesel engine and closing my eyes. In that brief moment I can imagine Daddy walking through the front door. It’s like I feel anytime Tiger Rag is played, I can imagine myself in the bleachers at a high school football game again cheering the Saluda Tigers on. Brain studies have revealed that certain triggers help you relive moments of your life. Certain songs, sounds, smells, sights, touches, make your brain believe you are going through that moment again. Sometimes your brain thinks it’s all literally happening again. I think that’s why we DISers plan and replan. We want to get part of the kid in us back out there. The kid in us that’s free to be childlike because it’s okay. That’s why we plan. So we can keep the magic alive.

I’d never planned a trip until December of 2007. The January before we all had gone to Disney and I saw the pictures. Just look at me. I was overweight.

The turning point for me was in May of 2007. I joined Nutrisystem. I was going to lose the weight. The reward? A trip to Disney World.

In December of 2007, I met my goal. I had lost 50 pounds and dropped 5 dress sizes. I booked a trip to Disney. The planning commenced.

Before and after pictures. . .

I was amazed at all of the resources out there. I bought the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World for Kids, Passporter’s Guide, checked out mousesavers, got a subscription at www.tourguidemike.com, and was led over to www.wdwinfo.com. All I could say is WOW! I learned more about planning a Disney trip from the DISboards at www.wdwinfo.com than I ever could have learned from a book. It was here I learned it was a good idea to keep everything I needed and wanted for a trip together in one central location. In short, I dreamed up. . .

THE DISNEY BOX

Our Disney box for the 2008 trip, first circa April 2008 and again circa September 2008:

I’ve booked another trip. I’m ready to plan. Watch out, WORLD! I have another Disney Box! Our current Disney Box. . .

So, it’s kind of empty right now, but that won’t last. It never does. Remember, it’s magical.

Join me in the adventures with the Disney Box. In our next webisode, Opening Credits and Where o Where Has the Disney Box Gone?

 

[creativeamanda]

Contents. . . . . .


The Return of the Disney Box, a PTR for a New Year's Insanity

Opening Credits and Where O Where Has the Disney Box Gone?

No, that ticker is not a mirage. . .

A First Timer!!!!!

She's Going!!!! Another Cast Member!

Disney Trip Planning—An Obsession or Therapy? You Be the Judge

Disney Trip Planning—An Obsession or Therapy? You Be the Judge Conclusion

The Disney Box Sees a Little Magic. . .

Dang! A Commercial? What is this, American Idol?

June Hours are Out! And Of Course You Should Know What You're Gonna Eat 115 Days From Now (Better Than 180 days)

Shopping!

Water Parks and More?

Dining Update

What is Happening with the Dining Reservations?

The Blackberry Dilemma

44 Minutes, 49 Seconds

Crocs.com

A First Day Dilemma

The Magic of Disney Transportation

Park Bouncy Add-Ons

The Surprise is and PAID IN FULL!!!!

And Panic Sets In. . .

Nightmares have begun. . .

A Huge Surprise for Me!

The Week's Plan

I'm Smart

Park Bouncies No More

Car Packing 2009

A Ticker Update

The Disney Box Revisited

 

[LegoMom3]

Yay I'm first!! ( <--- c'mon, did you really expect anything BUT the babnana?!!...)


First of all, congrats on the weight loss! You look fantastic!!

Secondly, you have an empty box.

You know you are doomed, don't you?...doomed to act on every whim that floats by you and suggests every so softly in your ear...."Hey, that would be great to have for the trip!"



Wow, it's going to be a long year....I've never read a PTR that started this early! Maybe, just maybe, by the time y'all take this trip, I'll be living nearby and can pop over and say a quick howdy...

.

 

[creativeamanda]

Yay I'm first!! ( <--- c'mon, did you really expect anything BUT the babnana?!!...)

As a matter of fact, no, from the babnana queens, I expect nothing more. Problem is, we haven't seen the babnanas too much since they moved them off the 1st page of the Smileys. I say we start a petition.

First of all, congrats on the weight loss! You look fantastic!!

Thanks, I've gained some of it back, but I'm no where near where I used to be.

Secondly, you have an empty box.

You know you are doomed, don't you?...doomed to act on every whim that floats by you and suggests every so softly in your ear...."Hey, that would be great to have for the trip!"

I know. Good thing is, my plan is to gather the stuff in the house that was for the last trip first. It's all scattered far and wide. But I can't help but pick up "just one thing" when I'm in Walmart. Right now it's whatever supplies I need for the planning notebook, which will be featured soon. . .

Wow, it's going to be a long year....I've never read a PTR that started this early! Maybe, just maybe, by the time y'all take this trip, I'll be living nearby and can pop over and say a quick howdy...

For your sake, I hope so. It was after a harsh winter that we decided to build our house. I know, I know, harsh winther in South Carolina is no where near New Hampshire. But it can be downright cold in a home with no insillation, a broken heat pump that the landlord won't fix, and no fireplace. Now our house has double insillation, a working heat pump that dh has learned how to fix, and a nice big wood burning fireplace in the middle of the house. Same weather, different conditions.

For you and your weather, you just need different weather--translated as move to Florida.

 

[creativeamanda]

Now, on to my P. T. R.

Yet again I sit at home with the daunting task of introducing myself and the rest of the family. Last trip, I followed the lead of MRYPPNS and bulleted us.

It was neat.

It was organized.















It was boring.

No matter how hard I tried, my intros just didn’t have the same umph in them that MRYPPNS’ did. Then again, my kids are older. My kids are cute, but Liam just made her intros shine.



So how do I make it all interesting without revealing too much information? I mean, I don’t think MRYPPNS will let me borrow her son.

I guess I'll just have to introduce and hope it's good enough for the DisBoards.



______________________________________________

Well, here’s me, Amanda. Age: twenty-fifteen, short, a wannabe comedian. Lover of Disney and Harry Potter. Yes, my dearest ambition is to live at Disney World.
Not near.
Not around, not even close to Disney World.
In Disney World.
A cot set up in Cinderella’s castle will do just fine.

Here’s my DH, Dan. Tall, pasty, and cute. He has SOMEWHAT of a receding hairline. Bubbles at MGM once called him “Mr. Clean”. I promise he once had hair. I guess being married to me is tough. I’m a bit high maintenance, see. His dearest ambition? I think it’s to meet Robin Meade. I catch him in the morning singing, “Nobody does it like she does”. His number one friend on MySpace? Not his wife. I think I’m third after Robin Meade and his bff.

Dan and I around the summer of 1995. Ignore my bad glasses, but I told you he had hair.

Man, we looked young.

And us in October in Epcot. UPDATE: Dan will NOT be going with us. . .read on to find out why.

Sweetie. Smart as a whip, as a very young child she wanted to be a veterinarian and quilt and blanket maker. Why a quilt and blanket maker? “Because there are too many cold people in the world.” I told you she was sweet. She is also a chocoholic. Like mother, like daughter, they say.

Big ‘Ole Boy. He, too, is very bright. He loves trains and Legos and has always wanted to be a train conductor. Says he’s never going to get married and his most famous quote is, “I like to kiss the ladies.” He said this at the tender age of 4. His dearest ambition is to go to Typhoon Lagoon. Good for him we changed our minds and are going in June and not December.
Big Ole Boy and I have a long lasting joke,
ME: “Who’s your best friend?”
HIM: “You”
ME: “Who’s my best friend?”
HIM: “Me”
ME: “Who’s your Daddy’s best friend?”
HIM: “Nobody”

Boo, aka, “Monkey Mouse” (sorry, LegoMom). Diabolically Smart. She doesn’t want to do anything but stay at home. Once refused to dance in dance class because “Princesses already know how to dance. They don’t need lessons.” Thinks Cinderella’s castle is her castle. Loves MarioKart. Trouble with a capital “T”. But still my baby.

All three of them. . .

And then there are those of us who are not traveling:
Tiger, the wonder cat. The only pet we have had the entire time we have lived in our current home. Loves to eat, but hates being messed with. His favorite place to sleep is on my car. He and I have a love-hate relationship.

Charlie, our cocker spaniel. He’s been through the ringer, this one, culminating in being shot right before Thanksgiving. He’s fine, though. Here he is, sleeping in front of the fireplace. Apparently, he got tired of tearing up whatever trash is in front of him.

Copper, our basset hound. He has a great personality, this one. But poor thing did not like our snow this year. His legs weren’t long enough to walk through it and he dislikes doing any type of work. My kind of dog. Look at his ears. As a puppy, he tripped over them all the time.

The chickens. These are my husband’s pets. We have quite a few of them, but I’ve lost count.

Oh yeah, trip details:

• June 23-July 1, 2009
• Port Orleans-Riverside
• 6 day Magic Your Way Base Tickets
• Dining Plan

So, that’s us in a nutshell. And for those of you who are worried, the Disney Box is coming back. It’s just still empty. But the magic is coming to fill it up. I have faith.

Oh yeah, I forgot, the obligatory family pictures in Disney World--Magic Kingdom and Epcot.

Next up: Disney Trip Planning—An Obsession or Therapy? You Be the Judge

 

[creativeamanda]

At some point in the last few days, I've realized something. My husband does not want to go back to Disney World. I mean, he's been there twice already. Why should he return.

So, I'm gonna pick myself back up. I don't think he can take another trip, and so we changed plans. The kids and I are taking a trip to Disney World. Boo was supposed to go to Maryland with her dad, but it would be mean to make her go to Maryland whilst her brother and sister went to Disney, wouldn't it? I thought so. I have babies born in the late spring/early summer. Boo's birthday is during our trip. Since dh is going to Maryland that week, I'm enlisting my friend to go with us.

The catch: SHE's Never been to Disney World!



So. . .here are our UPDATED plans:

• June 23 (room only ressie on 1st day)-July 1, 2009
• Port Orleans-Riverside
• 7 day Magic Your Way Tickets with Water Park and More Option
• Dining Plan

By the way, I know I have lurkers, so come on out and introduce yourselves!!!

 

[LegoMom3]

Well, here’s me, Amanda. Age: twenty-fifteen,

NOW you've got it!

..... Yes, my dearest ambition is to live at Disney World.

Not near.
Not around, not even close to Disney World.
In Disney World.
A cot set up in Cinderella’s castle will do just fine.

Ahh, a gal after my own heart!

Dan and I around the summer of 1995. Ignore my bad glasses, but I told you he had hair.

Man, we looked young.

Ok that is just cute!!

Boo, aka, “Monkey Mouse”

(sorry, LegoMom).

No need. I didn't make that up. But my kids are watching "Night at the Museum" right now and I'm remembering why I can't stand those crummy little creatures....

And then there are those of us who are not traveling:

Tiger, the wonder cat. The only pet we have had the entire time we have lived in our current home. Loves to eat, but hates being messed with. His favorite place to sleep is on my car. He and I have a love-hate relationship.

He is just precious!! What a sweetie pie. I'm sorry your relationship is "strained!"

Alright I am not a big dog fan but he is pretty sweet!

Keep it comin'!!

.

 

[crazytp93]

Sub'ed!

 

[creativeamanda]

NOW you've got it!



Ahh, a gal after my own heart!





Ok that is just cute!!





No need. I didn't make that up. But my kids are watching "Night at the Museum" right now and I'm remembering why I can't stand those crummy little creatures....






He is just precious!! What a sweetie pie. I'm sorry your relationship is "strained!"





Alright I am not a big dog fan but he is pretty sweet!

Keep it comin'!!

.

First of all, you can come visit me in my castle, anytime. The cat and I have come to terms with things. He doesn't mess with me, I let him sleep on the car.

And as far as Copper goes, he is an awesome dog!

Sub'ed!

Welcome! Glad to have another reader!!!

 

[creativeamanda]

I mentioned that dh did not want to go. He knows how much I want to go and would love a friend to go. So my friend who used to work with me got a call this afternoon.

This is how the conversation went:

ME: Hey, what are you doing at the end of June? How long will the lady you are nanny for be out on Maternity leave?

HER: IDK, why?

ME: How would you like to go to Disney World with me?

HER: Shut up. You're lying.

ME: No. The trip is booked.

HER: OKAY.

Just the week before, we had this conversation on my way to town:

ME: Guess what?

HER: What?

ME: I'm going back to Disney World.

HER: YOU *?~*.

The phone dies. . . .



This will be her first ever trip. She has to check on Monday for sure, but I think she's going! DH is going to some strange man thing he does every year. Usually, I have to fight with the kids for a week at home during that time, but this year, well. . . .

We're going to Disney World!

Now, I know, my changes are hard to keep up with, but you'll learn that's all a part of me.

And guess what else? I'm going for the 7 for 4 deal!!!

Yet again, we are staying at Port Orleans-Riverside.

And when I get final verification from my friend, I'll ask her to join in the fun.

Until then, the Disney box is. . . . . . . . .









































Still Empty.

But I'm pulling out the spring clothes this weekend. It won't stay that way for long!

 

[LegoMom3]

........Yet again, we are staying at Port Orleans-Riverside.

....

I was doing ok with all this. Until that line right up there......

I wanna go home!!!!...

.

 

[creativeamanda]

I was doing ok with all this. Until that line right up there......

I wanna go home!!!!...

.

So, so sorry. I wish I could get you out of your winter wonderland.

 

[creativeamanda]

She's going! My friend is going! I guess I should introduce you all to her.


Gillian (pronounced gill--as in the fish--ian). Age 26 (what a youngin'). She is a nanny of a beautiful little girl (or so she tells me). She was my classroom assistant--the best I have ever had. She and I reach infamy in the fact that we waited in line all day for the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (Yes, Gillian, I said it). She was with me when Boo cut her hair (what a nightmare) and she and I have spent many a night up talking about life. Now we are going to Disney World together!!!!

So, here she is on the left. . .

Now, for now, I am finished with the tangents.

Up next: Disney Trip Planning—An Obsession or Therapy? You Be the Judge followed by The Disney Box Sees a Little Magic

 

[LegoMom3]

She's going! My friend is going! I guess I should introduce you all to her.


Gillian (pronounced gill--as in the fish--ian). ......

So, here she is on the left. . .

Hi Gillian!

Up next: Disney Trip Planning—An Obsession or Therapy? You Be the Judge followed by The Disney Box Sees a Little Magic

Therapy of course, my dear.....

 

[WDWAtLast]

New to the board - and enjoying your pre trip report!! I am planning our first trip with kiddos (dh and I went in 95) and I also love the planning!!! And I think I may need to get a box!

 

[BethEJo]

By the way, I know I have lurkers, so come on out and introduce yourselves!!!

Damn, you caught me

I'm beth, I'm a student and from the UK. I joined the DIS boards last year, became addicted for a while but then when I arrived back at university, work got crazy and the DIS took a back seat (I'm a medical student). But now I'm back

I'm loving the Disney box and PTR. My mum has a "disney drawer" - we filled it up all through last year as we had a trip planned for June 2008, but unfortunately my dad became ill and we had to cancel our holiday to Orlando.

Nervermind, we'll make it this year We've booked for August - and our poor Disney drawer has been waiting so patiently...It's starting to overflow a bit, what with the new holiday plans and all! May have to convert to a "disney cupboard".

 

[creativeamanda]

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Hi Gillian!






Therapy of course, my dear.....

Of course, it should be counted as therapy. . .does this mean I can take it off on my taxes as a medical expense?


I didn't think so . . .

New to the board - and enjoying your pre trip report!! I am planning our first trip with kiddos (dh and I went in 95) and I also love the planning!!! And I think I may need to get a box!

The box is awesome. If you ever get a chance to fill it up. Recently I have been a little lacking in my box-filling magic. Also, Welcome to the DISboards!!! Glad you are here!

Damn, you caught me

I'm beth, I'm a student and from the UK. I joined the DIS boards last year, became addicted for a while but then when I arrived back at university, work got crazy and the DIS took a back seat (I'm a medical student). But now I'm back

I'm loving the Disney box and PTR. My mum has a "disney drawer" - we filled it up all through last year as we had a trip planned for June 2008, but unfortunately my dad became ill and we had to cancel our holiday to Orlando.

Nervermind, we'll make it this year We've booked for August - and our poor Disney drawer has been waiting so patiently...It's starting to overflow a bit, what with the new holiday plans and all! May have to convert to a "disney cupboard".

Have fun planning your trip. HMMMM. . .a Disney cupboard. With three kids, that may be what I need, lol!

 

[creativeamanda]

Definition of therapy, courtesy of www.dictionary.com: any act, hobby, task, program, etc., that relieves tension.

Hmmm. . .any act, hobby, task, program, etc., that relieves tension. I think that definition beared a repitition.

I've been to therapy before. After I lost both of my parents in the same year to cancer, I needed it. And the thing I remember most from therapy is the fact that the therapist encouraged me to write everything down. Everything. I mean, EVER-Y-THING. To top it all off, I'm a visual learner. I take notes in church. I am the one sitting in the meetings at work with a notebook, postit notes, highlighters, and difference colors of pens. It's an obsession. I color code everything. It's almost to the point of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Now, there are ways to treat OCD to get rid of it.



Or you can embrace who you are, and get on with life. I choose to embrace who I am and get on with life.

So, planning a Disney Trip is second hand and therapeutic. In 2008, I met a new love in my life. . .a love that would provide therapy for my obsessive-compulsive disorder. . .I found

the Disney Trip Binder

I don't even have to explain the binder to all of you. You all know what it is. I went so far as to even scrapbook my 2008 Disney Binder.

The materials:

The finished product:

And the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party tickets I was so worried I'd lose. . .well, they had their own zippered pencil case.

So I was ready to go. I was having a ball. My binder? It had one major flaw. . .Nothing stayed in it. Things fell out. I eventually ditched it in the room, happy that I had laminated my major information.

What became of it? Well, it got stuck in a 2-gallon Ziploc bag and then in a Year Of A Million Dreams Shopping Bag.

In the shopping bag. . .

Out of the bag. . .what a mess. . .no wonder I haven't pulled it out until today. The OCD in me would rather it just stay there. . .

I think I stuffed everything in there.

My itinerary (TGM stuff of course whited out)

At least the receipts and MNSSHP tickets were semi-neat

Yeah--I pulled them out and stuffed them back in before I said, "I can't even look at this anymore"

I even laminated the park maps from the personalized maps online--I'd recommend this to anyone--you can put them in your touring order and find everything so easily and it fits in your hand so you don't have that big park map to contend with. . .

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT POST. . .

 

[creativeamanda]

So, what’s a gal to do? The 2008 Binder obviously did not hold everything neatly. Now, today, 02/15/2009, almost 4 months after our return, I pull it out for the first time. Then take pictures and quickly hide it away all over again. Oh, the humanity!

And the insanity!

I can’t even stand to look at it! 4 Months later! I know the problem, though. Not enough pockets to hold stuff in. Not enough zipper pouches. Not enough organization. I did some things right:
~I laminated the park information and the ADR list. This kept it all safe, and those maps were much easier to handle than the park maps, even though I picked them all up as souvenirs.
~I had that little zippered pencil pouch for receipts. I carried them around in my lanyard until that moment. This year, I’m going to get the Passporter lanyard to carry all of that stuff in, but having a good place to dump it all at the end of the day was great.
~I planned well! And most of my plans in my notebook were all in my memory. I knew it all! Remember, I’m a visual learner.

How do I fix the quandary, though? How about a Trapper Keeper?!? Have you seen these things recently? They are awesome! Pocket on the front, one on the side, filing on the inside, and everything zips back up!

Mine is in my favorite color. . .pink.

I’ve already looked at possibilities by copying pages from Tour Guide Mike. . .

Sleeves for catch-all stuff. I love it!

So, there in a nutshell is my new binder. I’m ready to fill it up!

And the Disney Box?!?

Well, a little Magic has appeared. Or a lot of magic. It’s exploding! I need to organize it a little. But for now, just look at it busting out of the seams. . .
And no, your eyes do not deceive you. . .There are 2 Disney Boxes. I can’t fit it all into one.

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

I love the binder!!! And the box!! I'm new to the boards, but I love the PTRs for all the planning help!