The We're not going to Disney this year trip

[kimbac3]

Ok, this is my first trip report. I'm a trip report virgin..be gentle. I've read the greats...Delswife, Utah mama, and so many more. You all have inspired me!

The Details:
Arriving Port Orleans Riverside on Sept 7th staying till Sept. 15th. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party on September 14th. It’s our first time for this!! We’ve been to the Christmas party twice so we are looking forward to this!

Cast of Characters:

ME – Lover of all things Disney!! Wheelchair user (More on that later), homeschool mom, Highly efficient planner…ok so I’m maybe a tiny bit obsessive compulsive but I can quit whenever I want

DH (Sarge) – Likes Disney, wheelchair pusher, former Marine – nuf said!!

DD15 (Tink) – Disney lover, Especially likes Aladdin and Pirates (Should I be concerned??) Rides just about everything, Hates snakes and lizards (should be real fun at Port Orleans huh??

DS12 (Stitch) – Likes Disney, likes irritating his sisters more!, Enjoys roller coasters hates Tower of Terror. Runs hot and cold…one minute he’s silly and fun the next he’s sullen and obstinate…and he’s not even a teenager yet!!

DD9 (Belle) – Loves all things Disney, Especially Belle, Thinks she is a princess….a very sassy princess at that!! She’s very smart, very chatty, is quite the smart alec….they call her a “Mini- Kim”…hmm what are they trying to say??? She vows to be brave this year and do Tower of Terror and Splash Mt. – we shall see!!!

DD (Greta) – Ok this “DD” stands for Darling Doggy!! She’ll be staying at home with Grandmom.

So that’s my crazy cast of characters.

Kimba

 

[kimbac3]

Now a bit about us….
Both Sarge and I had visited WDW as kids. Our children however had never been, So on Thanksgiving Day 2005 we were headed down to sunny Florida for our once in a lifetime Disney Trip.

This trip was awesome! I pulled out all the stops!! Surprises everywhere! We met penguins in Sea World, Wendy at the Family Magic Tour, we did Behind the Seeds, Medieval Times, Dixie Stampede….it was just wonderful! Well, except for one thing: me! I was in excruciating pain the whole trip.

I was born with a “bum flipper” as Sarge calls it. Under normal circumstances I can handle the pain. Who knew Disney wasn’t “normal”??
Hey – Did you know that you walk A LOT in Disney??? I guess I didn’t. So I suffered through that trip.

Flash forward to January 2006. We decided to take the kids to see The Incredibles on Ice…or whatever it was called! Anyway the Incredible family visits the Magic Kingdom. Sniff, sniff…I want to visit the Magic Kingdom again!

Thanksgiving day 2006 we’re off on our 2nd family Disney trip. Only this time there is a wheelchair packed in the back of the truck!! Sarge insisted, and I agreed. Well I agreed kicking and screaming! I was too proud for a wheelchair. I could do it. It’s just pain. Then one day I had an epiphany….drum roll…..I was being stupid!! Funny how proud translates into stupid. We got me a nice comfy chair and it has become one of my best friends, It travels with us everywhere. Once I got over the “What will people think”, I was ok.

I want to get this out of the way right now. I am one of “those” wheelchair users. I will occasionally get out of my chair. No it’s not a miracle, it’s a numb butt!! Seriously though, I do get out of the chair to use the restroom, or to walk in a store. I occasionally do need to stretch and I can walk short distances (most days). But I can pretty much guarantee you will never see me run – shoot toddlers walk faster then me!!

So anyway, back to the trip. I loved our past two trips! Walt Disney World at Christmas-time is there anything better??? The sights and sounds! It’s so festive!! Sigh………. So okay, why am I going in September???

Well, it all started one day in May, May 25th to be exact. I was one the Dis Boards and saw a thread about free dining. Hmm…free dining….I wonder….
Next thing I know I’m on WDW’s website checking dates in September. What am I doing?? “We” decided we weren’t doing Disney this year. But it wouldn’t hurt to look…right?? So there I was waiting while the fireworks on the page are going off – please do not refresh the page….yadda. yadda, yadda….when ….TA-DA!!
There it was. A price too good to pass up.
“Kids” I say to my kids. “We actually could afford to go back to Disney this year. Do you think I should call Dad and see what he says?”
“CALL DAD!!!!”
That conversation went something like this:
Me: “Hey Honey” using my sweetest, sexiest voice
Sarge: “ Uh oh…what??”
Me: “ Well I was on the Disney website and…..”
DH: “oh no.”

So of course Sarge agrees. Several keystrokes and some mild damage on my Visa card….slam bam it’s a done deal. We’re going!!

Some picture of our past trips: (I apologize for their size! I've tried to resize them to no avail!)

Our First Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party 05

Tink "crowing" with Wendy that's Stitch laying down..he's Hook 05

Stitch being himself

Belle meeting the "real" Belle for the first time

 

[kimbac3]

After the cheers and happy dances are done panic sets in. I have 8 table service meals to plan and everybody else got the jump on me!!. I settle down into serious concentrated planning. Just me and the Dis and Allears menus. Nobody bug me!

Ok I’ve got everything planned. I make the call to Disney dining and success! I get everything I want. Or so I thought.

But then wouldn’t it be great to have Sarge’s birthday dinner at Coral Reef?? So I’m back on the line with Disney dining, success again. Then I call Debbi at Coral Reef. She’s AWESOME!! I get “everything” (shh! It’s a surprise and I’m not telling) set up. WooHoo I’m so happy!! Everything is falling into place.

Lest you think I’m done with my dining plans..think again!! I’ve called them at least 6 more times with the most recent being just this past Saturday.
During that call I spoke with the best dining reservation cast member ever! His name was Shane and he was so helpful. He went above and beyond. Thanks Shane!! (Hey, he could be a Dis-er, ya never know!!)

So here’s where we’re eating:

Fri Driving Day breakfast, lunch and dinner in the truck brought from home
Sat MK B-in room, L-Cosmic Ray’s D-Concourse Steakhouse
Sun MGM B–in room L-5o’s Prime Time D- ???
Mon Epcot B-in room L-Electric Umbrella D-Coral Reef…specto later
Tues AK B-in room L-Flame Tree BBQ D-POR foodcourt
Wed. MGM B-in room L- Pizza Planet D-Sci Fi
Thur Epcot B-Chef Mickey’s L-Garden Grill D- Biergarten
Fri MK B- Boatwrights L-Crystal Palace D-Cosmic Rays MNSSHP
Sat Epcot/Mk/depart B-POR foodcourt L Electric Umbrella D-on the road somewhere??

The new places: Concourse, 50’s Prime Time, Coral Reef, Garden Grill, Crystal Palace
We are really looking forward to all these wonderful places!!

More photos of past trips:

My crazy kids 06

Outside World of Disney store 06

My girls..happy to be in MGM 06

Me and Chef Mickey!!

Sarge and the troops with Pluto at Chef Mickey's 06

 

[kimbac3]

Ok fast forward to today.

We have “4 sleeps” left. Well if you can count Thursday night as a sleep. We plan to be on the road by 3am!!! I figure my best plan would be to let the kids stay up and watch Disney movies till it’s time to leave. They won’t sleep anyway. Sarge and I will go to bed around 8pm and try to get some sleep. Well Sarge will sleep. Me…not so much!!

I’ve got almost everything packed. I have my to do list and my to buy list made. I have all the bills paid up and the information note for my mom written.

The game plan is to pack the truck Thursday afternoon, eat pizza, then chill. The kids will wear their “driving clothes” while they hang out and watch tv. That way if someone does fall asleep I won’t have to worry about them getting dressed. Of course I will be getting up at 2am because..I NEED my shower EVERY morning. No matter what!!

So that’s it for now. Stay tuned for more……


This is Tink and Greta

 

[kindakrazy2]

Yeah! You are almost there!

 

[luvmy2sams]

You've got almost everything packed, and you don't leave until the wee hours of Friday morning? You are my new hero! I'll still be packing 5 minutes before we head out the door.

Have a fantastic trip!

 

[kimbac3]

Yeah! You are almost there!

I know!! I'm so Excited!!!

You've got almost everything packed, and you don't leave until the wee hours of Friday morning? You are my new hero! I'll still be packing 5 minutes before we head out the door.

Have a fantastic trip!

Thanks!! I'm really OCD when it comes to packing. Having things like that done ahead just makes my world better!! It really is a sickness!!


Kimba