The Super Planner dropped the ball---6/20 ADRS and November 2008 mini trip report

[disneylovinfamily]

Right now my title is a work in progress but it definitely is appropriate for my current situation! Me, Nikki, the super planner of super planners is NOT ready to make my ADRS in 8 days!!!!!!

Is it because you just booked this trip you ask, I wish it were so, but sadly no. I just Completely and utterly dropped the ball on this one. MIL (more about the fam in a minute) asked last night were we were the dining plans and I about fainted. Maybe it is because my sewing business is super busy right now, maybe it is because my baby just graduated kindergarten and I have been wrapped up in all the end of the year plans, maybe it was because Disney has dropped the ball on getting the hours out but what ever the reason, I sit here today with my newly purchased Passporter in hand ready to lay out our plans for our 10 day trip in September.

How did you get to this point?……You ask?????? Well just wait and I will post the crazy cast and how our trip came to be.

For those joining the party late, here are the links to my chapters

THE CAST
THE RESORT CHOICE
Sucked in the Disboutiquer Vortex
Where are all the fastpasses?
Day out with Thomas con't--still no fastpasses!
DISNEY Party Williams' Style!
ADR plans
STOP THE PRESSES
BREAKING NEWS!
Adventures in ADR Making
Memories of November 2008 Trip Part 1
Memories of November 2008 Trip Part 2
Memories of November 2008 Trip Part 3
Memories of November 2008 Trip Part 4
Memories of November 2008 Trip Part 5

 

[disneylovinfamily]

If photobucket ever starts moving, I will have my cast update! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

[disneylovinfamily]

A little background on our family, so you can get to know us! We took our first trip as a family in 2003 when DD was only 6 months old. This was my 1st ever trip to Disney and I was hooked! We have gone on every Disney trip, all 6 of them in 6 years, with my in-laws. I am very lucky that I have WONDERFUL in-laws. We always have great trips. In 6 short years, we have converted many friends to the Disney-side~~~~mooohaha! Sometimes we try to convince them to come while we are there and do something fun together (it will be the case for this trip as well.) I will be bringing you photos of past trips along our ride as we approach D-day (Disney day!)

Just so ya know, I LOVE pictures so this PTR will be jam packed with them!

On to our starring cast!

First up is me, Nikki, 28 (29 at trip time) and the self-proclaimed super planner. I love all things Disney especially that 1st walk down main street and seeing the castle at the beginning of every trip. *sigh* My favorite character is Tink because I see myself in her~~~short and sassy. I am also a Disboutiquer (which is why all the cute Disney clothes~handmade by me).

DH, Mark, 29 (30 at the time of the trip) and our pack mule and Disney princess connoisseur. Seriously, he loves princesses and HAS to get his pic alone with all of them. He thinks all the princesses LOVE him, especially Jasmine. Shhh don’t tell him it’s not true. His favorite characters are Jasmine and Stitch.

DD, Roseanna, 6. She is a super planner in training! She loves Disney World and all things Disney. She loves going to the Disney Store just to get a fix of the magic. A girl after mama’s heart! Currently her favorite character is Ariel, but that changes constantly. I think she likes so many, it is just too hard to pick a favorite. She says she wants to ride BTMR this year but is afraid of kiddie coasters~~~not sure how well that one will pan out!

DS, Russell, 3. He is slowly learning about the love of Disney. When ever he sees a pic of the castle or anything resembling it, he screams DISNEY WORLD! He loves Ka-chow (aka Lightning Mcqueen.) HE his a busy, typical 3 year old and I look forward to this trip with him. This was my favorite age to take Roseanna when she was in awe of everything. Hopefully I won’t be let down with tons of tantrums!

DMIL, Anna, raraloveseeyore on the DIS. No I won’t put your age. As stated by her DIS name, she loves Eeyore and collects all things grey and mopey. I think her collection of stuffed Eeyores now is well over 100. She has been to Disney many times, maybe she can enlighten me on a number but has yet to make the trip with DFIL alone (sorry Hon!)

DFIL, Russell. This is where my obsession, cough, LOVE of Disney originated. Dad (as I call him) watches Disney planning videos daily, has tons of books on Disney and loves the travel channel specials. He loves the Disney magic and I have always said he would make a spectacular cast member.

OUR supporting cast consists of the family of DH’s friend Dale. DH knows Dale through the Army, they are in the same NG unit and were deployed last year. We took a trip to Disney together last year after their homecoming in November and he couldn’t get enough. So Dale planned another trip for last December and then this one with us. We have created a monster. Sadly Dale’s DW will not make it one this trip, she will be home with their two youngest musketeers. SO who is coming?

Dale, the newly converted Disney lover. He loves nightmare before X-mas stuff. Also loves Disney Dining and is on the Deluxe plan this year.

Dale’s DD, forgot her name at the moment but it will come back to me


Dale’s DB. I believe this will be his 1st trip. Ahhhh a Disney virgin on our hands. He has much to learn.

I will include pics of them when Dale gets them to me.


Up next, how our trip came to be and my frantic ADR plans.

 

[Jennia]

Love all the photos of the cast! Looking forward to more. Where will you be staying?

 

[crocko]

Yay for getting your PTR started.

I'm looking forward to hearing your details....since I noticed your countdown is at 98 days. Ours is at 97 days, so looks like we'll be down in good ol' WDW at the same time. Your kiddos are cuties (love the picture of your son painting his masterpiece)

 

[Raecheal]

Nikki,

Great start to your PTR.. I love all your photos about the cast.. everyone is so cute... especially Roseanne and Russell.

I can't wait to read the rest of your plans.. and see which adr's you picked.

 

[mom2prettyprincess]

I will be hooked on this one....especially when you make your ADR's I make mine in 17 days and really the only place I know for sure I want to go is Park Fare for DD5 Birthday dinner!!!

 

[MouseTriper]

Love the start of this PTR......count me in!!!!

 

[disneylovinfamily]

Yay for getting your PTR started.

I'm looking forward to hearing your details....since I noticed your countdown is at 98 days. Ours is at 97 days, so looks like we'll be down in good ol' WDW at the same time. Your kiddos are cuties (love the picture of your son painting his masterpiece)

Thanks! My DH hates France (sorry is that offends anyone) and won't even go in the country while in Epcot. So I took this of Russ to tease him after we were done kidcot. It is one of my favorites! Maybe we will run into each other!

Nikki,

Great start to your PTR.. I love all your photos about the cast.. everyone is so cute... especially Roseanne and Russell.

I can't wait to read the rest of your plans.. and see which adr's you picked.

Thanks a bunch! I was up until 1 this morning doing prelimintary planning on them.

I will be hooked on this one....especially when you make your ADR's I make mine in 17 days and really the only place I know for sure I want to go is Park Fare for DD5 Birthday dinner!!!

We did Park Fare for Roseanna's 6th birthday and she LOVED it! We went to BBB right before and she got so much attention! She will love all the little presents they give her.

Love the start of this PTR......count me in!!!!

Thanks Beth!

 

[disneylovinfamily]

Love all the photos of the cast! Looking forward to more. Where will you be staying?

Did you think I just ignored you, NAH! This was the perfect segway to my next installment. See, you are special and get to star in my where in the World are the Williams' clan staying this year?

Well, let me give you a background of past trips first. Come on people, I have to build up and create some suspense.

Trip # 1 May 2003 We stayed at All Star Music in the Herbie Building. (no pics because I didn’t have a digital camera then---I was fighting technology and loved my old camera. Dumb mommy!)

Trip #2 May 2005 Stayed at Fort Wilderness cabins, so NICE!

Trip #3 October 2005 We stayed at the Fort Wilderness cabins again, had to show hubby since he missed the May 2005 trip. We love them!

Trip #4 December 2006 Stayed at Pop. I sadly lost many pictures from this trip when I transferred them to cds. I never fully checked and lost hundreds of pictures including the perfectly princess tea party. Here are two from the resort.

Trip #5 September 2007 Stayed at All Star Music in the Broadway Building

Trip #6 November 2008 Stayed at Pop.

I will be giving photo overviews of all these trips later on the the PTR, so stay tuned for those.

So onto the BIG NEWS!!!!!!!! We are staying at…………




































Port Orleans Riverside!


I am so excited. A little history lesson for you: You see, me and DH were supposed to honeymoon at WDW and stay at this resort and then follow it up with a 3 day Disney Cruise back in Aug 2002. the trip was booked and mostly paid for and wedding plans were underway when 9/11 happened. Since DH is in the National Guard, he was mobilized and sent to the Pentagon for security and recovery (he is an MP) His unit was the first on the scene. Since we were no sure where he would be sent, we moved the wedding up to October and planned the wedding in 3 weeks. He left 2 days after the wedding and was stationed in GA. We had no honeymoon and I had to call and cancel our dream trip. So this trip is so special for me. We always stay value because we figure we are not in the rooms much, ect Well this trip, we are splurging a little and staying at POR with the free dining plan (our 3rd time taking advantage of that little gem)!

 

[disneylovinfamily]

I am working on our ADR selections and wanted some opinions on some things, please chime in and help me decide. I only have a few days to get it all nailed down. I am considering the following, any thoughts?

Tutto Italia

Sci Fi Dine In (never made it to this but always wanted to)

Yak and Yeti (been here and liked it but it may/maynot make the final cut)

50s Prime Time (been here too, but not sure on this one either)

Boatwrights (never been but it is at our home resort)

We wanted to do a GG with Dale and his family but they are all booked up so I am thinking one of the following, any thoughts or reviews!

Spirit of Aloha Dinner

Hoop Dee Doo Revue

I am almost positive that we ae going to try to book: Crystal Palace (for DMIL), Le Cellier (for all of us, YUMMY!), Chef Mickey (for DD and DS), Ohana Breakfast (for me----never done this any thoughts????) Cape May Cafe dinner (for DFIL)

 

[raraloveseeyore]

YOU FORGOT YACHTSMAN!!!!!!!!!!! DH and DFIL are very excited about this one. Everyone got to pick one place to eat and they decided together that they had to do this one too. You can change anything you want but not CRYSTAL PALACE! Eeyore looks forward to seeing me every year!

 

[disneylovinfamily]

Well, it is about time! Where have you ben? tardy, trady~ shame on you! I forgot that they wanted to do that one. I couldn't very well call you last night at 1 when I was doing all this.

 

[lovesdumbo]

Enjoying your PTR!!!


I can only comment on the ones I've been to:

My kids [DD(10), DS(8), DD(6)] love Sci Fi. I usually stick to a burger here and have always enjoyed the meal. It is a really fun atmosphere.

Boatwrights is very good!

Cape May dinner is also very nice.

I enjoy OHana breakfast. After a few buffets is is nice to have the meal served to you family style and the characters are fun!

I can't do a trip without doing Crystal Palace. I like all 3 meals here but really love an 8am breakfast on a day the park opens at 9.

Have you considered Tusker House breakfast? Food is good and I think it is the only meal with Daisy and she's so cute in her safari wear.

 

[reyasmommy]

First of all you and an adorable family. It's cute that your DH likes to get his pictures taken with all the princesses.

I loved the Spirit of Aloha! We did that as our reception meal after our wedding back in 2001. It might have changed a bit, but when we went it was very memorable and the food was super yummy.

 

[disneylovinfamily]

Enjoying your PTR!!!


I can only comment on the ones I've been to:

My kids [DD(10), DS(8), DD(6)] love Sci Fi. I usually stick to a burger here and have always enjoyed the meal. It is a really fun atmosphere.

Boatwrights is very good!

Cape May dinner is also very nice.

I enjoy OHana breakfast. After a few buffets is is nice to have the meal served to you family style and the characters are fun!

I can't do a trip without doing Crystal Palace. I like all 3 meals here but really love an 8am breakfast on a day the park opens at 9.

Have you considered Tusker House breakfast? Food is good and I think it is the only meal with Daisy and she's so cute in her safari wear.

Thanks so much! I have always wanted to try Sci fi, I hope it makes the cut this trip! I know the kids would like it!

Glad to hear Boatwrights is really good. I want to eat there since we may not make it back to that resort and it is not one that I think i would go to if we weren't staying there.

Haven't considered Tusker House, I will look at that! We saw Daisy in her Safari gear last trip at Camp Minnie Mickey and she is super cute! I love Daisy!

First of all you and an adorable family. It's cute that your DH likes to get his pictures taken with all the princesses.

I loved the Spirit of Aloha! We did that as our reception meal after our wedding back in 2001. It might have changed a bit, but when we went it was very memorable and the food was super yummy.

I am glad to hear that! The more I think about it, the more I think it owuld be a neat experience for all of us! THANKS!

 

[disneylovinfamily]

I was sucked into the Disnboutiquer vortex in 2007 and have never been able to escape their grasp for more then a few months. Because of those wonderful women, I have found my love of sewing. Back in 2007, I bought a few creations from the site not to be named and then I started sewing myself----first by hand then I got a machine and I have never looked back. Are you ready for too many pictures of my kiddos? Here are some of my past creations and also some that I have purchased.

Once I have my ADRs made and my day plans set then I can start planning the outfits for this trip! I already have a Jungle Book dress done for an AK day because I made it for Roseanna to wear to a play here this year and it will be perfect but I have to coordinate Russell set before I can show you. Don't worry, there will be tons of customs in the weeks ahead.

 

[*Toadstool*]

Very busy this week, but I read all of this. Your pictures are pulling me in!

 

[disneylovinfamily]

Very busy this week, but I read all of this. Your pictures are pulling me in!

Thanks! Oh how I love pictures and if you like them to, you will not be let down!

 

[penguinkimberly]

I love the Hoop-de-doo, have went to it twice and will be going back! Sci-fi is fun for the atmosphere, my niece loves it, the food is okay. My parents went to Boatwrights our last trip and said the food was good. I enjoy Yak and Yeti, but I order Pho and do not explore that menu much ( which is unusual for me!). I have never tried Tutto Italia so can't comment on that. My family just did not get into Spirit of Aloha. Enjoy your trip and if you have time try the beignets at POFQ ( it it about a 5 min walk from POR to POFQ) they are yummy!