The Start to one of the Craziest Grand Gatherings Imaginable

[DISNEY4XMAS]

Hello
My name is Stephanie. My family and I planned a grand gathering last year and it went from 25 people to 6 in a few short months. So Instead of a grand gathering we had a small family gathering for Christmas in Disney.

This year there were some people with regrets that they didn't go... namely my brother, considering I called him daily from the WORLD and gave him a run down of all the wonderful and fun stuff that we were doing. I was EVIL that way. I even told him to jump on a flight and come down and spend the last 4 days with us, but he had something called work that needed to be done. When we got back from our trip we showed pictures to everyone I even lugged them from Ny to Boston to Maine to show my family what they had missed out on. So for us we knew we would be going back ... just when was the question.

So I told my DH that I wanted to go back within the next two years before we had to pay an adult price for the older kids. So we had planned on going for October for when our baby was going to be 7. Ty is now 5 he will be six in October. So that gave us a year and a half to think and talk about it.

Then I was going through some treatments for my thyroid cancer and I wasn't feeling the best. Then they brought out the offer of FREE DINING for this September. I told Dh about it and he said hhhmmmm maybe we should go in September instead and hope that they offer free dining in 09.

So with a happy smile on my face I had gotten my DH to say we could go to DISNEY AGAIN!!!
Now I had to start planning right away! I knew that there were going to be more of us this time (I HOPE) so the cabins would be out of the question. I want to stay at the Boardwalk! A two bedroom villa to be precise.
So with the when we just need the who!
So I armed myself with facts and Emailed the WHOLE family well maybe not the whole family but all of DH 3 sisters and 1 brother. Of course I emailed my brothers and step mother. And my Mom of course. I told them that I could figure out and estimate of what it would cost them for the trip and that there are flights from BTV, or Boston etc....
So in April my brother (the one who regretted not going the last time) IM me and told me he was going NO IF ANDS OR BUTS! I was so excited that I was crying!
Now one of my SIL emailed me back and said what would it cost me??? I went right to WDW.com and put it in for different hotels deluxe I knew was out of there range so I skipped that and went for the moderates and values. I emailed it back to her and I haven't heard a word. But being the total DiSNEY FREAK I am I mention it to their girls every chance I get. Then MIL says that SIL think they may go with us if we go in 09 . They thought we were going this year... in my dreams
Then I got an idea for my dad and his GF to go. With dad's GF she is so for her own kids so I had to be sneaky in this attack... I emailed one of her kids and asked them to jump in and then I knew I would be guaranteed my dad and his GF to go if they were going. Unfortunately, they already have plans to go in Jan and can't swing two trips in one year. So I still pitched the idea to my dad and while I talked to him, I ran prices on the puter . i told him the range it would be and he said that it sounded reasonable. !!
So for sure there are the following people going
Me ~ Stephanie
Dh ~ Stephen ( stephan) yes we are steph and steph
Mom ~ Sue
DD-13- Samantha
DS- 8~ Zac
Ds- 5 ~ Tyler
Db~Andy

NOw this past weekend I went to a birthday party for a cousin's child and I mentioned that we were going again and they were like that sounds like so much fun! I told them all about it and then told the rest of their kids about the trip. So now I have sparked an interest in other to go along to.

So our possible cast is:
~DH family~
SIL ~ Becky
Her DH~ keith
DN Brooke ~ is 15 would turn 17 on our trip!!!!
DN ~ Jordin ~ 13
Dn~ Hailey she is 1.5
DH other sisters are afraid to fly... they have never been on a plane . MIL says No, to trip. DH brother has never answered us, so I am taking the silence as a NO.
Steph son Nate who would be 17 ~ doesn't like to leave his MOMMA! So I think he will be a NO again as he was the last trip!

~My Family~
Dad
Marion ~DAD's GF
DB ~Jeff
his GF ~ Shelly
DNephew ~ ryan he is two

~COUSINS~
Billy and wife alice
their kids
Billy and Trisha with natalie and Scott
This is a stretch asking them to come but David and amanda with Aiden and TWINS that are due in February.

So I will have all different family coming on the trip if everyone goes!

So in the midst of all this my Dh decides that we are going to build a house.. So instead of staying in a deluxe resort /Villa we are looking at staying in a Value or moderate.... I am just waiting on the pricing to come out!!!


So does anyone know how easy it is to get a connecting room?? in mods or values.
I already have a book that I have written down places to eat and see because if the time we went last year we didn't get to see a lot because of the VOLUME of people! So that is it for NOW! As people come and go from this trip I will be posting more! I will be posting more to when they FINALLY get 2009 prices up!

Oh any thoughts on if you get a better deal through Disney or a travel agent? I don't have AAA so that is out.

Thanks for Reading!!

 

[stagemomx3]

I'm here.

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

I'm here.

YEAH CHELLE is here!!!​

 

[Angelrose]

I've really enjoyed your last trip report, so I'm in too.

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

I've really enjoyed your last trip report, so I'm in too.

YEAH another reader!!!! This will be a long pre trippie!!! I have 14 months to go!! I am hoping that people will come and people will stay and offer their thoughts to me! Last year I had some great suggestions! One comment saved my whole day!!

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

Ok So here are some must things that we must do because we didn't do them the last time and I want to share the experience with my fellow travelers who ever they maybe!
Restaurants -

Le Ceillar - THis is a must do because every time I called for ressies for the December trip the CM's Laughed at me! I called right up to two weeks before we left to hope that someone cancelled.

Ohana's - heard good things about it food looks good on the food porn!

Cape May's - for breakfast! Not dinner because I am from New England and their New England clam bake is not a new england clam bake!!

Donald's dino breakfast- tried for ressie's for Dec but they were changing restaurants and couldn't make our ressies in june and I never tried again. I wouldn't be heart broken if we didn't get here.

1900 park fare - breakfast and dinner Oh my god the characters are great I love alice I haven't done breakfast here but they look FUn. Now we have done dinner and I LOVE the step sisters!! I really hope that my nieces are able to go because OMG they act just like them. I know Jordin would dish it right back!!

Biergarten - For my brother the Beer junkie! Not really but he does like to drink on Vacation. I told him he could drink around the world!

Tony's I have heard good and bad but I would like to try

Plantet Hollywood ... I think my teens would love it! Hell I would too! I still think of myself as a teen, I haven't been able to grow up yet kids and all I am still 18 at heart!

Capt'n Jacks I don't know I just want to try it!

Ghiaradelli soda fountain shoppe! MMM the smell just gets ya!

beaches and cream.... I think my brother could do the kitchen sink by himself..... Well him and my dad could share it! They were blessed with great bodies that they can eat and eat and never gain weight! (they suck)

AS for parks I would love to do 3 days at epcot and three day magic kingdom but that wouldn't leave any time for the other two parks... So maybe half days at them???

I also want to spend a day at typhoon lagoon
1. because I didn't get to go there back in 2001 my DD over ruled me and we went to BB, and
2. the december trip it was closed for referb. We didn't have time either to get to it if it had be open.

I also never realized that there was a whole aquarium in the seas.. So I will want to spend more time there.

I also want to do the Dinosaur ride in animal kingdom.

Mk- rides
Peter pan ~ winnie the pooh ~ snow white ~ Dumbo ~ These are rides I don't think I have done... I may have done them way back in 82 and I am sure that I did because MK was the only park open and I spent 10 days there so I am sure I rode them... I just remember space mountain and river country! ( which I wish they would do over)

So that is it today..... I need to go find another lost nitendo DS.. Since christmas we have lost two and broke one , so I am on the look out for the second lost one that got lost in the house!
Have a great day!!!

 

[disneyaddicted]

Hey there ol friend ol pal 'o mine. So the trip is on?! That's AWESOME! It's really cool that your brother is 100% on board, and how exciting that you get to be the one to show him the world.

the nintendo DS is probably with the socks that the dryer eats.

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

Hey there ol friend ol pal 'o mine. So the trip is on?! That's AWESOME! It's really cool that your brother is 100% on board, and how exciting that you get to be the one to show him the world.

the nintendo DS is probably with the socks that the dryer eats.

Hey Ty I found the DS it was under my mattress??? I don't know how it got there but it was so far under it required that I take the whole mattress off the box spring to find it!! I just wish that we could find the first one that was lost!

As for my brother he is very excited to go! as long as I let him drink ... I told him drink but you puke on me I won't be happy! Rides are a must so drinks are a not a must do for me! I asked him if his stalker ex knows that he is going to WDW and he said YES, I told her that I was going with or without her before we split then they split and now she is stalking him!!! I told him to be careful because she is a witch a real witch and she could cast some spell on him and he would be done!
Yes she is a real witch... sometimes in more ways than she cares to admit!

 

[stagemomx3]

Donald's Safari Breakfast at Tusker House is awesome!

 

[Angelrose]

Oh try Kona Cafe for dinner. I can't remmeber if you had eaten there before, but it is great. Breakfast is the best there too. If you want just a quick breakfast sometime, try Captain Cooks downstairs at the Poly. They have Tonga toast there too. Great food and better than most fast serve places.

 

[disneyaddicted]

Hey Ty I found the DS it was under my mattress??? I don't know how it got there but it was so far under it required that I take the whole mattress off the box spring to find it!! I just wish that we could find the first one that was lost!

As for my brother he is very excited to go! as long as I let him drink ... I told him drink but you puke on me I won't be happy! Rides are a must so drinks are a not a must do for me! I asked him if his stalker ex knows that he is going to WDW and he said YES, I told her that I was going with or without her before we split then they split and now she is stalking him!!! I told him to be careful because she is a witch a real witch and she could cast some spell on him and he would be done!
Yes she is a real witch... sometimes in more ways than she cares to admit!

How does a nintendo end up under a mattress?

A real witch? He better hope she doesn't own a locke of his hair Can you imagine going to disney and there she is...stalking. Trying to get him to eat the apple. "I picked it myself."

Rides are good! drinking is good! rides and drinking? I prefer to just ride and ride, and maybe a drink one time in the evening, just to kick back by the pool. A Margarita poolside after a busy day at the parks is a good settling down tactic.

I can't wait for 2009 prices to be posted, then I can book my Dec trip and start putting money into the trip instead of a into a jar for the trip. I called WDW yesterday and told them I was looking for a quote for a Dec. trip this year, just to get an idea of what it will be next Dec. I think they are more expensive then going through AAA or a travel agent, I think I will go with my travel agent at the mall. Her name is Ella and it just seems appropriate.

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

How does a nintendo end up under a mattress?

How am I to know? Their Boys! I find their mattresses off the box springs all the time.

A real witch? He better hope she doesn't own a locke of his hair Can you imagine going to disney and there she is...stalking. Trying to get him to eat the apple. "I picked it myself."

YES A REAL WITCH! She goes to Salem,MA witch capital of the World! Yes she is very scary! She has been hanging around my stepmothers house lately. She drives by my brothers new house to see if he is there or not. Listens to his conversations while she is visiting and makes comments on how is isn't dating anyone and his BIG plans for the fourth is to go out with his aunt and uncle on their boat to watch fireworks and she was like what no date.....only to go out with them. Yeah she is getting on his nerves!

Rides are good! drinking is good! rides and drinking? I prefer to just ride and ride, and maybe a drink one time in the evening, just to kick back by the pool. A Margarita poolside after a busy day at the parks is a good settling down tactic.

MMMM margarita's @ poolside.

I can't wait for 2009 prices to be posted, then I can book my Dec trip and start putting money into the trip instead of a into a jar for the trip. I called WDW yesterday and told them I was looking for a quote for a Dec. trip this year, just to get an idea of what it will be next Dec. I think they are more expensive then going through AAA or a travel agent, I think I will go with my travel agent at the mall. Her name is Ella and it just seems appropriate.

Ella that is perfect! I know I want September 09 prices!

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

Oh try Kona Cafe for dinner. I can't remmeber if you had eaten there before, but it is great. Breakfast is the best there too. If you want just a quick breakfast sometime, try Captain Cooks downstairs at the Poly. They have Tonga toast there too. Great food and better than most fast serve places.

I am going to have to check out their menu... what is tonga toast?? Is it like toast or french toast.. or is it like the french toast at Crystal palace?? Because that was SUPER I think I had four servings of that!

 

[Angelrose]

Oh Tonga Toast is thick french toast with bananas and cinnamon all mooshed up inside. I'm told it is to die for. I can't have it because bananas make me sick. But it smells heavenly.

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

Oh Tonga Toast is thick french toast with bananas and cinnamon all mooshed up inside. I'm told it is to die for. I can't have it because bananas make me sick. But it smells heavenly.

HHHMMM sounds good until the banana. I like bananas B..U..T... I don't like them in my food unless it is banana bread, kinda like raisins, I'll eat them out of a box just don't put them in my food! I don't even like banana splits. But ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey, mmm that is good, and fortunatly my mom works for B&J so I get it free! I am being good No more ice cream for me! DIET!

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

my brother ( he'll kill me for this one!)

Me:

Hubby ( yeah he'll kill me too!)

DD

mom

DS'S

So this is all the pics I have for now I hope to get some of my dad and his GF soon.

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

2009 prices are out I have already called well emailed for a quote using dreams unlimited! I think we will be using a travel agent this time and NOT the one we used for the flights last time. This lady owns a business and is never NEVER there! You have to call and leave a message and then wait to hear from her arggg! .
I meant to mention it to my SIL again yesterday and get a quote for her and her family. Once i get our quote I will get on disney and get their quotes and then when we go to a travel agent it will be cheaper and I will be a GODDESS! So still praying for free dining... Now please weigh in here, If I have a reservation can I call and have it changed from MYK w/ dining to FREE DINING? I just don't want to wait till april to make all of our reservations and then not get them.

So as for hotel choices that I put in for at dreams unlimited are :

The Boardwalk Villas are MY first choice

This is the Kids first choice:

I wouldn't NOT want to stay here! BUT...... It isn't MY first choice!

And god if we can't get in to either of those or they look way over our BUDGET then it would be:

I might look at staying at this one too! If They are all out of our reach!

This hotel looks fun I am just concerned about the buses and how long it takes to get places.
We have always stayed at Fort Wilderness cabins and They are pret near the MK and We love that. I really fell in love with Epcot this past trip and I would LOVE to stay close to there. I would love to spend the whole trip in epcot I don't think it will fly with the rest of the crew but Hey they are all going to be first timers maybe they won't know the difference?????

 

[disneyaddicted]

2009 prices are out? thatmeans.... I can go book my trip now too.

This is earlier than I had expected, I was told the earliest would be mid August but more likely September. the money has been burning a hole in my wallet!!!!

Doesn't it make it more real when you actually have it booked and money put down on it? Up until then it's just an idea.

Love the pic of your brother, he looks like a nut, Disney should be fun with him around, well Disney is always fun, I guess he'll just throw in some spice. Hopefully the stalker won't follow him there.

 

[DISNEY4XMAS]

2009 prices are out? thatmeans.... I can go book my trip now too.

This is earlier than I had expected, I was told the earliest would be mid August but more likely September. the money has been burning a hole in my wallet!!!!

Doesn't it make it more real when you actually have it booked and money put down on it? Up until then it's just an idea.

Love the pic of your brother, he looks like a nut, Disney should be fun with him around, well Disney is always fun, I guess he'll just throw in some spice. Hopefully the stalker won't follow him there.

Yes I happened to see it on the opening page of the DIS. I think I even had to hit the back button. Of course I went right to the disney site and tried to get pricing but it wouldn't go so I had to wait to today (said in my best eeyor voice)
I have emailed the whole Fam Damily to let them know that pricing is out and get ready and start stashing $$$. Prices have increased I think it was going to be 1900 -2100 for my dad and his GF with air and food now it looks like it is going to be anywhere from 19 - 3899 without air. YIKES! the 1900 is for the POP and then 3899 is for boardwalk! I priced with dreams unlimited and they are great the let you choose three resorts and they price all three at once! So I hope that some can still do this trip with us!

As for my brother yeah he can be silly his favorite character is Lightning mcQueen and Mator. I want to make shirts for him with those character on them. I am not sure the stalker is stalking any more I think that she got the hint that he is no longer interested in her! I HOPE! As he has said it LOUD AND CLEAR TO HER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. But maybe some one will drop a house on her or throw a bucket of water on her and she'll M E L T. I did metion she is a W I T C H, right... yes a real witch.... Pointed hat and all! OOOPSS not pointed hat just HORNS

This is the her in full get up!

 

[disneyaddicted]

I booked yesterday, WOOHOO, I wasn't too far off in my estimation of what it wouls cost either.
I am doing Pop Century, I love them cause they don't share a bus with any other resort and the ride to the parks isn't that long because there is no stopping anywhere else.

I should have this trip paid off in 10 months, everything after that is pocket money for the parks.

I want to start a pretrippie, but 16 months out is a long time, I will try and hold out till 14 months.

What a precious picture of the stalker (not) yeah, she looks like she could bring some bad joo-joo to the mix. Ever fear she might be watching you all through an enchanted mirror? Beware of old ladies with shiny red apples!!! Actually she looks like Ursula, you poor unfortunate souls!!!