THREE for the Price of One -Farewell to a PTR, for now!

[brookelizabeth]

Your plans are looking great! I love the idea of just you two on the trip - it really will recharge you both I'm sure.

I hope Jack Jack is 40"! I'm sure he will be, kids grow like crazy it seems. Buy tall shoes too.

Rose & Crown, so very yummy. The review on my TR will be coming up fairly soon, hopefully before your December trip. I'll just say the Sticky Toffee Pudding is small, but delicious!

Love that you get to see Thomas Gibson! How very cool for you!!!! The CP is amazing...be prepared with some distraction items for Jack Jack (I don't recommend a flash camera but do recommend crayons! ), it will be fantastic! Last year the VIP area for Illuminations was at the very front of WS between the shops. It's not a short hike, but not bad at all.

Too funny about Edna and Yak & Yeti!! The Nemo show is awesome, everyone will love it!

I never knew you had to leave and re-enter for MVMCP, how strange! I thought you could enter at 4:00 pm with your MVMCP ticket and that was that? Same for MNSSHP.... Regardless, that Christmas parade is INCREDIBLE. Wow, oh wow!! Snow on Main Street is very magical as well. Now I'm suddenly wanting a December trip again....!

 

[gellybean]

I never knew you had to leave and re-enter for MVMCP, how strange! I thought you could enter at 4:00 pm with your MVMCP ticket and that was that? Same for MNSSHP.... Regardless, that Christmas parade is INCREDIBLE. Wow, oh wow!! Snow on Main Street is very magical as well. Now I'm suddenly wanting a December trip again....!

I didn't know if we'd have to leave or not. I was just thinking outloud. Or out type or whatever. Wondering if we'd have to leave or not since it's a changing of the ticket, sotospeak.

Thanks for the info!! If we can enter at 4pm with our VMCP tix and not have to leave that will work out much better!!

 

[praisehisname]

If we can enter at 4pm with our VMCP tix and not have to leave that will work out much better!!

That's what we did in December. Entered at 4pm with our MVMCP ticket. If you were already in the park, they had CMs near the castle giving out wristbands. I heard they were doing it the same way this year, too.

 

[2_Eagle_Mom]

When we went to the party many years ago, there were locations throughout the park that you could go and get your wristband if you were already in the park. I think at the very least you might have to go all the way to the front, but I doubt that they would make you exit completely.

Your plans sound fantastic. One tip about Soarin and hitting it right after roape drop. If the stand by line is 20 minutes or less hop in that line and ride, then on your way out grab fastpasses. I waited in the fastpass line longer that it would have taken to just get in line and then we had to hang longer waiting for our time to come around.

 

[gellybean]

You think I would learn by now never to say plans are FINAL!




I was DISing last night and reading menu's and just generally submersing myself into Disney goodness and for some reason I checked airfare to see if the rates had changed. I do this occasionally, since with Southwest anytime you find a cheaper fare you get the difference back as a credit to use on future flights.

Well, for whatever reason I happened to check the day after we were supposed to return. And the same exact flight we're taking on Monday was $92 one way back. I'd paid $130, x's 3 of us.

WOOT!

So I texted my sister at like 11:30pm "you awake?" She texts back " I am now"

I fill her in on it being cheaper to fly back a day later, etc. And she says go for it. Remember she's arriving a day and half later than us and is only getting one day in her beloved Epcot.

A quick check on TGM reveals that Epcot is our best bet for that Monday anyway! So that works well.

So first thing this morning, I call mom, tell her what I'm up to. She's all for it as well. But I make sure she understands that everything has to click to make this happen. She says nothing wrong with trying!

Then I call Disney and was able to add an extra night, same rate, same type of room for an additional night at the end of our trip. Click #1!

Then I check online and check mom's voucher flight which is gonna be the clencher. Because there are only x number of seats on a flight that can be voucher flights. Sure enough, I can switch her flight Click #2! but I have no way of knowing if the rest of us are gonna be able to switch. I hesitate to change mom's flight then try to change the other four tickets and we end up on split flights!

So I call SW and she tells me that while she can't switch the paid flights for me, the $92 fare was web only, she can tell me that there are a number of seats left on the flight and that worse case we won't get the cheaper fare but we should get a seat. Click #3! So while I'm on the phone with the SW person I switch the boys and my seats and get the $92 for all three of us! SCORE! Click # 4 ! Saved me $85.90, nearly enough to pay for my portion of the additional night at WL. Next I try my sister's confirmation number and I got her the $92 fare as well. She saved nearly $30 bucks. Click #5!

The SW lady has switched mom for me as well. So we're all set!

An extra day and night and cheaper airfare home!


So to amend our plans....

December 20, Day 7 -
Epcot Day, no ADRs, no firm plans

Maybe resort explore some, maybe end up at DTD again.

Overall just take it easy and soak it up, cover whatever we haven't gotten to or repeat our favorite things!

YAY for another day in Disney!


December 21st, Day 8 -

Same as previous Day 7 Departure Day plans were


I looked up the Nashville airport and they have a Neely's BBQ restaurant in the Concourse that SW flies into.

It's the family restaurant of the family that has the show Down Home with the Neely's on Food Network. Should be fun to try!

 

[Dugette]

Whew! I was getting worried there with a Gellybean PTR and no drastic changes in plan lately. Thank goodness things are back to normal now!

Gotta love that fuzzy Disney math when it adds an extra Disney day!

 

[jenjolt]

YAY for adding a day!!! Cheaper flights is always the way to go!!! I have also been checking on the price of my flights in January, but no change yet! I'm hoping that they will be doing one of those if you are flying on Tuesday or Wednesday thing....and I can save some serious money LOL!

 

[stayhomemom77]

An extra day!!

I'm so jealous. Since I booked our flights with expedia we were locked in. Cause we're flying home on a Friday and are available to stay until Sunday so when DH offered up his spending money to the trip we could have extended our stay for those two extra days. But, it's too late now.

Oh well, we're going to have a rockin' good time anyway!!

And this way, maybe we can do something crazy like Characters in Flight (I SO want to do that!!) or a water park or Disney Quest.

That's good too, right?

So glad you sister gets an extra Epcot day!!

 

[brookelizabeth]

for an extra day! Gotta love that Fuzzy Disney Math!!!

And the BBQ place sounds mighty tasty - be sure to take food pictures!

 

[gellybean]

Small change to December. We added a Mama Melrose lunch ADR for our DHS day. With the pregnancy and the subsequent gestational diabetes, I'm gonna have to make sure I eat more frequently and more protein etc. Less snacking on junk and more small meals. Plus Mama Melrose has a really yummy sounding no sugar added dessert that's calling my name.

My sister and I went over all the menus last night and basically have every meal planned out for the whole trip. Eating every 3 hours and watching carbs and eating no sugar is gonna be a challenge at Disney, but it's still Disney. Totally worth it.

I will have hot chocolate though at MVMCP!! YUM!

Mom and I may not keep Whispering Canyon Cafe on our arrival night. The refillable milkshake is not an option anymore. But thankfully I never canceled Teppan Edo and that type of food is totally doable with gestation diabetes. So I'll swap the arrival night ADR for lunch the next day. NOT that we are on the DDP just trying not to load down our schedule with ADRs.

My ticker on my phone says 50 days from today!! No trip has seemed farther away and yet right around the corner at the same time like this one. I'm sure the pregnancy and the suspension of time that happens in the early weeks isn't helping So much to do between now and then. Not ready to think about it yet.


Mr. I and I are still planning on our January trip, though I'm slowly beginning to realize all the things we were planning on doing that now we'll have to adjust with the pregnancy. Raglan Road was one of our ADRs and I just don't think I'll enjoy the scene as much not being able to drink a margarita or eat the bread pudding! So we're contemplating changing that ADR.

Will keep y'all posted as things progress. Kinda in that hurry up and wait stage!

Thanks for reading!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

I missed your update about being pregnant. Congratulations gelly!!! How awesome for you and your family.

 

[brookelizabeth]

No bottomless milkshakes? That stinks!!

But, a very good thing you already have that back-up ADR with food you can eat! Eating is good.

I know what you mean about a trip seeming so far away, yet so close - I had that same feeling with our September trip!

 

[gellybean]

I missed your update about being pregnant. Congratulations gelly!!! How awesome for you and your family.

I'm so sorry I just blurted it out like that! I had announced it on the TR and didn't even think about posting it officially over here. Thank you for the congrats!!

No bottomless milkshakes? That stinks!!

But, a very good thing you already have that back-up ADR with food you can eat! Eating is good.

I know what you mean about a trip seeming so far away, yet so close - I had that same feeling with our September trip!

It's CRAWLING Brook!! Time needs to speed up and then slow down to a crawl while we're there. KWIM?

I'm ok with the no bottomless milkshakes. But bread pudding at 'Ohana?? I may have to have some of that. Thankfully we're not booked there at Christmas, just in January with Mr. I.

And hot chocolate will be mine as well. Oh yes it will. During VMCP.

They've actually discovered that I don't have gestational diabetes, but I have impaired fasting glucose all the time, even when I'm not pregnant. So it's not so much the sugar I eat at meals when I'm up and active, it's what I eat right before bed that really matters. I always knew I was a little backwards! Apparently this is no different. I have high sugars first thing in the morning but my sugar after eating meals, regardless of what I eat, is fine. Who knew?! I still have to watch how much sugar I eat, of course, but it's not as critical at meal time early evening as it is late at night.



As far as PTR updates, not much is going on. I called and put a room request in for a room that opens to the lobby. Can't wait to open our room door every morning to the sight of that gorgeous decorated tree and lobby!

Haven't changed the ADRs anymore. For once I think they're gonna stay the same. Mom and I have definitely decided not to do WCC the first night. And depending on how exhausted we are, we most likely will just stay at the Lodge the first night and not even attempt MK that afternoon. Gonna try really hard to take it easy and not exhaust myself (or my mom for that matter). I think we'll all do well to take it easy.

My sister officially got her time off approved and I talked to Dash's teacher last month about his absences right before Christmas break and all is set with that.

I'm started to think about packing lists a bit. I had a dream the other night that I hadn't packed enough shirts for myself. So in my dream I was just gonna have to buy a few t-shirts. Oh poor me!

Christmas shopping is done for the kids, thankfully!! I thought about doing some shopping at Disney, but getting it back here and without the kids seeing it? Just decided that wasn't gonna work very well.

Still have the in-laws to buy for and that's it. I know what I'm getting Mr. I, just haven't ordered it yet.

We already put up our Christmas tree, which is a little weird with 80 degree temps but I love it and it makes me smile so why not?

I figured with the 5 days I'll be at my parents for Thanksgiving and the 8 days at Disney, that's a lot of days I won't be home to enjoy the tree, so why not enjoy it earlier instead?



I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the season. I'll keep y'all posted as things unfold the closer the trip gets here!! I can't wait til I can start checking the forecast!!!! UGH!!


33 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jenjolt]

Loved the updates!!! I'm sorry time is slowly crawling by for you!!! I'm having the opposite problem on the other side of 45 so maybe you should come my way LOL!!! Time is FLYING!! We are less than 7 school days away from Thanksgiving Break....SERIOUSLY!!!!! HOLY COW not to mention that finals will be here before I know it LOL!!!

Glad to see that you are making changes that will work for you! I love Mama Melrose and I have had that sugar free dessert...SO YUMMY! You will love it!

 

[gellybean]

24 days!!!!!


In 9 more days I can start checking accuweather for our weather forecasts!!
And those 9 days are gonna fly I'm hoping, since I'll be heading to my mom's for most of Thanksgiving week!


We finally got our Mickey mail !!!!


I ordered a ton of clothes from Old Navy (found a handy dandy 30% store wide code) and am anticipating them coming in the mail Monday. Hoping they'll all work. Not quite in maternity clothes but my normal clothes aren't comfy.

Not ordering the boys any new clothes for Disney. Gonna wear the same Disney t-shirts they've worn the last two trips (they still fit!) and layer them if the weather ends up being cold.

Still not planning on taking our stroller. Gonna let Jack Jack walk in the airport, hotels and buses and then rent a stroller for the parks.

Started my packing list and my must do lists and my rides I can and can't ride list. The CAN list is much longer than the can't list. I think it may actually be a nice change of pace and make me appreciate some of the slower paced rides that I tend to forget in the mad dash for FPs and single rider lines!

STILL haven't changed any of our ADRs. It's a record for me!

Will be posting more on here as I start getting weather reports and start packing!! So close yet so far!!!

 

[Lovemy3babes]

24 days is so close! Enjoy Thanksgiving with your mom. Glad the boys' Disney clothes still fit. Even just vacation clothes shopping adds up, doesn't it?

 

[jenjolt]

WOW only about 3 weeks left before you're in Disney...can it really be that close!! I'm so jealous, I still want to stow away in your suitcase!!!

Glad you are feeling better!!! YAY for new clothes!!!

 

[gellybean]

24 days is so close! Enjoy Thanksgiving with your mom. Glad the boys' Disney clothes still fit. Even just vacation clothes shopping adds up, doesn't it?

Thanksgiving was great !

So glad the boys clothes still fit. Resisting the urge to ck Disney outlet for sales!

WOW only about 3 weeks left before you're in Disney...can it really be that close!! I'm so jealous, I still want to stow away in your suitcase!!!

Glad you are feeling better!!! YAY for new clothes!!!

YAY for less than 2 wks now!! I have the perfect suitcase for you to stow away in, hardside too so you won't get smushed! Let me know! LOL



***************************************

Why oh why do I bother with Accuweather?

Yesterday our arrival day was a high of 62 and rainy. Today it's showing a high of 73 and sunny.



Probably going to have to wait for weather .com's 10 day forecast before I start making any big clothing decisions.

Still haven't made any more dining changes. Briefly discussed adding DDP but decided against it.

Have decided not to buy an AP. The AP discounts came out for January and when I called to apply it to our January ressie at BWI they only had garden suite concierge level available. Um no!

So it's not gonna pay me to get the AP. My park passes for Dec and January without hoppers are about $25 less than an AP. Worth it with a discount but not without one.

I've got a chair that I'm setting stuff in to go into the suitcases for December. A list is made. I'm sure more lists will be made.

My sister has figured out a way to take off work for a while on Tuesday the 14th to take us to the airport in our mini van, then she'll keep it and drive it back to the airport the next afternoon when she leaves, and leave it in long term parking, so we aren't having to leave two vehicles long term parked the whole time!


We are looking at adding DxDP for January. I didn't think we could add DP with a room only discount but I was told I could by the CM yesterday. I don't want to lose our 40% off or water view room but she said it was possible to change to a package and keep the discount. Gonna try that about 10 days out from that trip.

Our plans for January are as follows:

Weds 1/12
arrive 4pm ish
MK evening
9:35pm Flying Fish ressie

Thurs 1/13
Epcot all day
Le Cellier 12:15pm
Tutto 6:50pm

Fri 1/14
DHS all day
Mama Melrose 12:15pm
The Wave 8:20pm

Sat 1/15
Epcot all day
Via Napoli 12:45pm
Wishes from Poly Beach
Ohana 9pm

Sun 1/16
Kouzzina 9am
ME around 11am
Fly home


I may try to add a few more ADRs since we're looking at doing DxDP but I figure we have a chance at some walk in's and counter service meals and could always order in room dining or something like that.

We had Raglan Road but canceled after my gestational diabetes diagnosis and not being able to drink alcohol.

We want to fit Jelly Rolls in there somewhere but will depend on how tired I am.

I do want to get over to DTD at some point in there. And it's killing me only having one evening in MK but since this is just Mr. I and I trying to cater to what we can't do with the kids. May end up having to add hoppers on for our January trip!

 

[Dugette]

I know exactly what you mean about accuweather! I was noticing the same thing today - that some of our days went from rainy and cold to sunny and warm. I'm starting to think they just make things up for days 10-15 of their forecast!

My Fuzzy Disney Math calculator kicked in with the AP-or-not-AP thing. So, it's $25 more for you to get an AP than to stick with non-hoppers? Since you think you might want to hop in January, an AP upgrade would be cheaper than adding a hopper. Also, it gets you discounts on merchandise, if you plan to do any shopping.

Another option might be a no expiration ticket? I don't know a lot about these and I don't know what your total park day count is between the two trips, but I would think it might be cheaper than two separate sets of tickets?

Of course, both of these might take away the DxDP option. Or maybe not, I'm not sure.

Ah, well enough FDM...you're quite good at that on your own!

January plans look good. It will probably be very different with just the two of you on this trip. Enjoy!

 

[gellybean]

Single Digit Dancing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




Can I get a WOOT WOOT?!


WOOOT WOOOOT!!!


I wish I could say that I've started packing but I can't. I do have a pile of a few things set aside and I keep hoping Mr. I will go dig the suitcases out of the garage for me but nothing doing yet.

Not that I am really setting the house afire (that's southern for having a bunch of energy) anyway!
I think I'm gonna have to pack a little bit every day between now and the following Tuesday, just to get it all done. Keep waiting for that 2nd trimester burst of energy but it's not here yet!

I'm debating about checking in online.... and just decided. How can I resist being checked in already!?

We put our room request in and if we don't get it, I doubt there's a lot I could do about it anyway!

So I'm heading over to check us in right now!

Will be posting as things progress on the packing front.