The year of Disney

[bellaally]

Wow that is a gorgeous property. I may have to contemplate staying off-site if we decide to upgrade to the DVC PAPs on our December trip. I've been looking at Bonnet Creek, but I think we'll also be okay with renting points for a DVC studio if I can find any. Since it'll be a shorter trip and there's only three of us for any *potential* trips, I'm leaning towards a DVC studio since it'll be park intensive, and my first stay in one this past June it was just fine for me, a girlfriend, and the two boys 6 & 10 for a few nights.

Great that you're bringing your own stroller. We decided to go with the in-park rentals for two nights, because at 5, 6 , and 7 we didn't think the kids would use them during the day and we only have 2 nights in the park planned. Its sort of that odd age when they haven't used a stroller in over 3 years, but we know they're going to fade around 9p, so I'd rather bite the bullet and get one in park than order one for the whole week and spoil them. Will definitely feel the need to disinfect the park one though, maybe throw a blanket on it before the kids get in. When they were small we never used anything other than an umbrella stroller, our house was on a hill that had stairs so it was really inconvenient to use the car seat/stroller combo. By the time DS was 3 only the stuffed animals rode in the stroller; I have no idea where it might be now.

Yea it's at a better price for a last minute get away. For our may trip I want to stay at akl studio or maybe bay lake towers. We are doing resort touring in December to see what we like. I like how close Windsor hills is to the parks. Also I like that it feels more like a home then an actual condo. I needed a whole kitchen, I make my baby food and I didn't want to make a whole 9 days worth and have to fly it out that would be heavy and too much stuff to pack. So this was a nice alternative.

 

[bellaally]

Well here is my new and improve schedule, I am not making any changes to it or my ADRs because I need to focus on my January trip with the kids which is only 36 days after we go in December. I am honestly more excited about my trip with my kids, I can wait to take in the magic but since I know December will be more grown up a bit more fancy dining(as fancy as my hubby would let me) here we go....

December 10-
we land around 11:35,
jump on the magical express,
arrive at POP,
settle in hopefully our room is available
Around 3 head to AK( should be empty as ppl leave after parade(hopefully)
Lunch @ flame tree BBQ
Stay until closing
Head to DTD for some shopping
Have reservations for rainforest cafe DTD @ 8
Head to MK after wishes when it's less crowded
MK open late( hopefully till 1 am)


December 11
Wake early early
Segway tour @ 7:15 in Epcot
Lunch @ le chefs de France
Watching CP
Dinner @ coral reef
Epcot illuminations


December 12
Rope drop DHS
Lunch @ pizza planet(I am going to starring rolls for a cupcake and sandwich)
Dinner @ cape may cafe

December 13
Rope drop early MK
Lunch @ liberty tree tavern
Early dinner @ contempo cafe
MVMCP


December 14
Sleep in late
Resort touring
DTD shopping
Lunch @ WGPE
Dinner @ OHana
Epcot EMH

December 15
Breakfast at Kona
Whichever park we want to revisit
Leave on DME @ 2
Leave MCO at 5

 

[bellaally]

hello everyone I know it's been a long time since I've been on here to update my PTR . But I will not give up on the PTR because I am NOT a quitter. So big huge crazy news, I am taking my boys with me. I know I know what you're thinking I did all this big plans for just me and my husband and know all those plans are down the drain. All is not lost I love my boys and it was my choice to bring them. I just didn't feel right leaving them at home well the experience something amazing. and who cares if they act up we are in the greatest please in the world. Plus my kids are not that bad. So what, if tours were cancelled ADRs were changed. I do it all in the name of love. plus with our APs we are definitely doing a solo trip this year. I have decided it with my husband that we're not going in January since they're going now. It was a challenge to get some character meal reservations but I did it. Thankfully I have 2 boys so we didn't need it Cinderella's round table or anything like that. also we choose different parks.

 

[bellaally]

This is our newly revised schedule
December 10-
we land around 11:35,
Got a rental instead of DME
arrive at POP,
Stop at walmart for the babies diapers and some food for the babies
settle in hopefully our room is available
Arrive at POP
Around 3 head to AK( should be empty as ppl leave after parade(hopefully)
Dinner @ rainforest cafe at 5pm
Stay until closing
Head back to pop
See how the boys are behaving or if they get a good sleep in then head to MK for EMH

December 11
Sleep in if warm go for a swim
Return to AK
Lunch @ tusker house


December 12
Rope drop DHS
Lunch @ Hollywood and vine
Dinner @ cape may cafe

December 13
Rope drop early MK
Lunch @ the plaza
MVMCP

December 14
Sleep in late
DTD shopping
Lunch @ WGPE
Dinner @ OHana
Epcot EMH

December 15
Breakfast at kona
Whichever park we want to revisit
Leave at 3pm
Leave MCO at 5[/QUOTE]

 

[mnmrmustard]

Hey Alexandra! How close did your trip come to fitting that final itinerary? How did the boys do on their first trip to 'the World'? Did you get some good magic moments while you were there? Or the bigger question - will there be a TR from your trip or will you move this PTR over to the TR boards and keep rolling with it?

Either way I'm looking forward to hearing how your first real trip to WDW went!

 

[bellaally]

I actually just started it today hope you get the chancertain to read it and my trip vaguely resembles that lol

 

[bellaally]

I think I am going to keep this per going for our year odds Disney. Which is 2013 in which I plan on pulling off 4 more trips to Disney. We are very excited because we just got our 50,000 flyer miles from our Southwest card.

Our next trip is very soon we will be going back from January 21st to January 29th. I have so much excitement. We are staying at old Key West, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and all star movies. I am still thinking I'm moving our last week to the Disney Vacation Club Resort but the only ones available for our date is actually Saratoga Springs which I don't know if I want to go to. We actually visited Saratoga Springs Resort on our December vacation. It was huge it was spread out over a big piece of land. Are plane tickets are booked. And I also have our bags mostly packed. This trip will be just me and my husband and the baby. Nicholas will be staying home with his grandma, which she is excited because she love to spoil her grandkids. That's all for this quick update. next I will be setting up our itinerary for which parks to visit. For this upcoming trip I'm excited to be going to Epcot for the first time and finishing off my list of snacks to try.

 

[SAT887]

I think I am going to keep this per going for our year odds Disney. Which is 2013 in which I plan on pulling off 4 more trips to Disney. We are very excited because we just got our 50,000 flyer miles from our Southwest card.

Our next trip is very soon we will be going back from January 21st to January 29th. I have so much excitement. We are staying at old Key West, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and all star movies. I am still thinking I'm moving our last week to the Disney Vacation Club Resort but the only ones available for our date is actually Saratoga Springs which I don't know if I want to go to. We actually visited Saratoga Springs Resort on our December vacation. It was huge it was spread out over a big piece of land. Are plane tickets are booked. And I also have our bags mostly packed. This trip will be just me and my husband and the baby. Nicholas will be staying home with his grandma, which she is excited because she love to spoil her grandkids. That's all for this quick update. next I will be setting up our itinerary for which parks to visit. For this upcoming trip I'm excited to be going to Epcot for the first time and finishing off my list of snacks to try.

Wow 4 trips in 2013! Awesome! We having been doing 1 per year with our points, however we've needed larger accommodations with our traveling group. We seem to pick up family and friends in our travels! We did buy premium annual passes and are doing an October trip as well. I hope they offer the DVC discount occasionally because it already paid for the cost of the upgrade....

OKW is our home resort - I've been going there since 93 when I was a kid. What DH and I love about it - it lacks that hotel feeling and the rooms feel a lot bigger than other resorts. I bet you will enjoy it! SSR has two great pools for kids and I love the spa! Also we really enjoyed AKL for the one night this last trip, if you can try Sanaa, good eats and an awesome location.

Can't wait to hear more planning and trip reporting!

 

[bellaally]

Wow 4 trips in 2013! Awesome! We having been doing 1 per year with our points, however we've needed larger accommodations with our traveling group. We seem to pick up family and friends in our travels! We did buy premium annual passes and are doing an October trip as well. I hope they offer the DVC discount occasionally because it already paid for the cost of the upgrade....

OKW is our home resort - I've been going there since 93 when I was a kid. What DH and I love about it - it lacks that hotel feeling and the rooms feel a lot bigger than other resorts. I bet you will enjoy it! SSR has two great pools for kids and I love the spa! Also we really enjoyed AKL for the one night this last trip, if you can try Sanaa, good eats and an awesome location.

Can't wait to hear more planning and trip reporting!

Well I loved going I could tell dh loved it too like he let it slip "we should make Ohana a tradition like oh so we are coming back lol. I would squeeze more if I could. I have made a reservation at Sanaa for my sister and I. I enjoyed tusker house and I know Sanaa has similar spices and taste in foods. Hope I enjoy OKW we really are just going to go and relax we get there early around 10 am. Eerily just plan to go to downtown Disney.

 

[bellaally]

Planned out our itinerary this is a big headache my sister is now coming with us which would be okay except she has back problem is extremely obese and can't really walk that much. I explained to her to get a scooter but she is very embarassed and won't rent one like renting one will force her to the realization that she can't walk and get around like she use to.

I at least talked her into renting one on our MK days because that and Epcot I believe are the most spread out. She also was to take it easy and go to a park every other day. Which I honestly have no problem with.

January 21 arrival check in OKW
January 22 AK tusker house. check into AKL jambo studio
January 23 free day
January 24 MK
January25 check in kidani 1 bedroom Ohana
January 26 DHS
January 27 free day dinner Sanaa
January 28 Epcot
January 29 departure

So far that what we will be doing free days we will spend shopping, going to different resort. Hubby and I have APs so she has no problem staying in the resort and we can just visit the park

 

[bellaally]

So we are something like 13 days away super excited. I know I blew the budget totally, but I had something totally awesome a one bedroom at kidani for super cheap as in same price for a value how could I not jump on that. I will write a full review on renting points when I come back which so far has been super cool.

There are many things I am looking foward on this trip such as my 4 yr old nephews reaction to rides and character. Staying at AKL. Cooking in the kitchen of our villa. Going to epcot, hopefully getting some alone time with my hubby at disney.

 

[bellaally]

I am in the middle of trying to finish my TR for our December trip but so much is going on now its crazy, I will definitely be adding extra things this week as we go to Disney in TEN DAYS!!!

So how did this trip come about .......

It actually happened somewhere around November.

I can't say enough about hunting for deals, I am searching all of the time like no joke. I am always looking out for airline deals. Well I was checking my email and had received one from airfare watchdog. The subject line stated "$97 RT PHL to MCO" and that's how we picked the dates and the reason we are going back so soon.

My husband and I are very blessed to have a flexible scheduled and since we have already budget the Annual passes in the December trip, I thought it would be a super cheap trip.....

So this trip we will be staying at wdw from January 21-29th.

The cast a characters include the same crew from January

My darling husband

My son which will be Turing two NIC

The baby, Jordan and me(ally)

Also joining us for their first visit ever!!!!!

Is my loving sister Mari


Also my nephew celebrating his fourth birthday YAY!!



We will be staying at at get this drum roll please .....
We have a one night stay at Old Key West then it's off to Animal Kingdom Lodge we will be staying 3 nights in jambo and 4 nights at kidani,

I seriously would have been happy with staying at all stars or returning to POP, but this was amazing and it was such a deal only 400 more then staying at POP how renting points and the fact that we were going last minute.


So I put up our schedule already some repeat restaurants are OHana( now a tradition) and I am surprising my nephew with a lunch at tusker house, also we are trying Sanaa for the first time!!!

 

[bellaally]

Came back had a great vacation, well every Disney vacation is great. We didn't do a lot that we wanted to due to my sister and her back and leg probably, we have decided no more theme parks with her. Next time we will just take our nephew ourselves. Looking forward to finishing up both trip reports and beginning to plan our may anniversary trip only 98 days till then.