Too much magic?! My first shot at Pre-Tripping! **Updated 2/13/09**FINALLY!!!**

[sfacowgirl87]

Well here it is. My first attempt at anything worth any real significance on the Dis. Just a warning. I don't know how this is gonna turn out. I think that a year out may be a little too early to start writing a pre-trip report but I have antsy pants and just can't wait any longer. Also, although I have been to WDW once before (June 2008) I feel like there are things we missed out on and would love some recommendations while planning our second trip. WE being my husband and I...more on that later.

NOW..for the introductions.

I'm Brittney. A full time college student majoring in All Level Special Education...that is actually the reason for our next trip to Mickey's House. I will be graduating college in December 2009 and we will be boarding the flight to Orlando two days after I walk the stage! My sweet sweet husband booked this trip as a surprise for me and knew better than to wait too long to tell me about it. I'm your typical over-analyzer and avid planner, and he knows that...bless his heart for living with me. Here is a picture from our last trip to WDW...

Fake bake much??? LOL

As for my DH, Tim. He is a big hearted firefighter/paramedic and is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. Our first trip to Disney was for our honeymoon and I never thought we would ever go back...and I kind of thought that it was my fault. He is a very go with the flow kinda guy, and I'm not. Well of course I'm not a guy...but I'm not very go with the flow either. Every single day we were there we started early with ADRs at the butt-crack of dawn, and ended late with one thing or another (usually EMHs) and every minute between was spent "making it there on time" or "doing this at this time then speed walking to the other side of the park to be here at this time". Whether it was because of the exhaustion we were already dealing with from the wedding, the time difference between Texas and Florida (only one hour...I know), or the sheer anxiety of my insane down to the minute planning, when we headed to the airport I heard my husband utter one sentence that made my skin crawl...and truly broke my heart.

"I've had about all the magic I can take."

At that very moment I just knew that I was doomed. I would never get to return to my favorite place on Earth. Ever.

THAT is why this trip is so special to me. Not just because we are simply going back to WDW (which is a treasure in itself) but because Tim concocted the idea on his own, as a surprise. Not only did he want to take me for my graduation present, but he, apparently, wanted to go back himself. I am uber excited and I'm proud to say that even through his level headed, quiet, even-keel personality, I think he is excited as well...

So I guess this is it for my first EVER chapter in the world of Pre-Tripping. Stay tuned...there is definitely more to come! And it'll be SOON!

 

[All7OfUs]

Hi Brittney!

Oh, you two are such a cute as a button couple! And no, I don't think a year out is too far out to plan or start a PTR. I'm planning to go (ok, I'm really hoping I can make it work out) in Sept., 2010. That's 20 months away, and I'm just longing for that time to pass quickly! I imagine I'll start mine about a year out too.

Anyway, I'm here for the ride. I've only been to the World 3 times (Jan., 2000, April, 2006, and April, 2008) so I certainly don't have all the answers, but we did a fair amount, and I can offer my insights on what we did experience. For me, half the fun or more of the trip is planning it out, and researching!

So, looking forward to your next installment. I think the next year for you will go very quickly with finishing up school and hanging out with all of us too.

 

[sfacowgirl87]

Hi Brittney!

Oh, you two are such a cute as a button couple! And no, I don't think a year out is too far out to plan or start a PTR. I'm planning to go (ok, I'm really hoping I can make it work out) in Sept., 2010. That's 20 months away, and I'm just longing for that time to pass quickly! I imagine I'll start mine about a year out too.

Anyway, I'm here for the ride. I've only been to the World 3 times (Jan., 2000, April, 2006, and April, 2008) so I certainly don't have all the answers, but we did a fair amount, and I can offer my insights on what we did experience. For me, half the fun or more of the trip is planning it out, and researching!

So, looking forward to your next installment. I think the next year for you will go very quickly with finishing up school and hanging out with all of us too.

THANK YOU! And I sure do hope this year goes quickly! Disney can't get here fast enough! (Neither can graduation either actually...) It seems like when you have things your looking forward to time passes as slowly as it possibly can and I'm dealing with a double whammy! LOL Well CONGRATS on your 2010 trip in the making...be sure and let me know with you start your PTR!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Hi Brittney!

I went to WDW for my honeymoon too! I am looking forward to reading your Pre-Trip report. I'm working on my own first attempt for our April trip. We'll figure it out together! Can't wait to hear more! Happy New Year!

 

[sfacowgirl87]

Hi Brittney!

I went to WDW for my honeymoon too! I am looking forward to reading your Pre-Trip report. I'm working on my own first attempt for our April trip. We'll figure it out together! Can't wait to hear more! Happy New Year!

Welcome! And YAY! I'm glad to know I'm not alone in this unknown territory of Pre-Tripping! Disneymooning is the greatest! Don't you wish it could be your honeymoon every time you go?

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Welcome! And YAY! I'm glad to know I'm not alone in this unknown territory of Pre-Tripping! Disneymooning is the greatest! Don't you wish it could be your honeymoon every time you go?

It was an awesome trip....but it was much longer ago than yours!! LOL....it was 16 years ago! MGM was the new park! I have a pic of my DH and I on our honeymoon posted on my Pre TR.....ahhh, memories!

 

[sfacowgirl87]

Firstly...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!! I can finally say our next Disney trip is THIS YEAR!!!!!!! WOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!

Anywho, on with the show...

New characters this chapter:
My mother and my father. (Pic from our wedding...but I'm sure you could tell that by the dress and flowers...)

Before my husband told me about our trip THIS December , he told my parents. Now let me tell you. For him wanting to keep this a surprise for awhile longer, he had some guts telling my mother. God bless her heart, she can't keep a surprise to save her life.

Example:
One evening in October 2007 my husband made the trip to my parents house to have "the talk" with my dad. Nothing formal, him and my dad have known each other for YEARS through their work (my dad is retired from the fire department where DH works). ANYWAY, Tim asked for "permission to propose" and Dad of course sid yes. Well let me tell you...Tim wasn't even out of their driveway before my mother was blowing up my phone. SERIOUSLY? Aren't these kinds of things supposed to be SURPRISES?! Thanks mom. Poor Tim had this huge surprise romantic weekend planned and she, unknown to him, told me every last detail. Of course I didn't tell him until AFTER I had the ring on my hand that I knew the plans the entire time BUT never-the-less, he should have learned his lesson then.

So, my parents knew about the WDW surprise a few weeks before Christmas rolled around. Christmas Day we were all sitting around opening presents and I got to noticing that almost every present I recieved from my mother was Disney related. A long sleeved Mickey shirt, Chip N Dale PJs, Mickey sleep set...she was serious about this Disney thing...and that's not my mother. She's more of a gift cards and things for the house kind of gift giver. Very practical things. As I opened my gifts, one by one, I saw her looking at Tim and smiling. I knew then something was up but honestly, the thought of another trip to Disney never crossed my mind. I had actually come to grips with the fact that I had burned my bridges to WDW on our last trip.

Tim knows that my mother and I are close, and I'm BETTING that through all the Disney garb he figured that she had already told me, so Christmas night when we got home he decided to go ahead and break the news. Now Tim never does anything half-way and he had put a little thought into how he was gonna tell me...

I'll tell yall about that, AND another Disney surprise next time!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Tim knows that my mother and I are close, and I'm BETTING that through all the Disney garb he figured that she had already told me, so Christmas night when we got home he decided to go ahead and break the news. Now Tim never does anything half-way and he had put a little thought into how he was gonna tell me...

I'll tell yall about that, AND another Disney surprise next time! [/SIZE][/COLOR]

LOL!! Great story about the engagement "surprise"! I am a horrible secret keeper so I can totally relate! I get so excited I just have to share! Can't wait to hear about how DH told you about the trip.... !

 

[ariel1025]

Great start to your Pre-TR. I am exactly like you in the planning field. My Husband and I also went to WDW for our honeymoon, and I, like you, thought that I had blown another chance of ever going back because I went into commando mode. I can't wait to read more about your plans, I was addicted after the first paragraph!

 

[sfacowgirl87]

Great start to your Pre-TR. I am exactly like you in the planning field. My Husband and I also went to WDW for our honeymoon, and I, like you, thought that I had blown another chance of ever going back because I went into commando mode. I can't wait to read more about your plans, I was addicted after the first paragraph!

WELCOME!! And thank you! I'm glad to know I'm not the only who Disney turns into a drill sargeant!

 

[sfacowgirl87]

This is gonna be a rather long installation, and I have yet 2 more characters to introduce for this...

My Aunt (my mother's older sister), Gay-Gay (I will explain the name later), and my Uncle, Kevin. (The two on the far left...isn't it sad that the only recent pics I have of my family are from our wedding? I think some got taken at Christmas...maybe I should look into that...)

So I guess before I go any farther, I should explain how my aunt, whose real name is Karen, got pinned with the name Gay-Gay.

I have always heard it said that people from the South are more inclined to have odd names for family members, and I don't know why, but by that definition we are definitley "Southern family". We have Big Mama, Big Papa (neither of which were very "big"...may they RIP), Aunt Ern (This is not pronounced as 2 words...its aintern), Uncle Chick...and not one just "gradma or grandpa". They are Nana, Pawpaw, Memaw, Pa...you get the idea. And I must admit, I can't blame these names on just anyone. (Now I'm telling on myself ) Me being the only child, the only niece, and the only grandchild, so many of these names were coined by yours truly. Anyway, I was one of those kids that came out talking...and much to many people's dismay I haven't quit yet. LOL. When I was little, at family functions, my mother would point around the room and ask me "Who is that?" trying to get some cute little kid answer out of me. Well for the longest time when she would get to my aunt, Karen, I wouldn't say a word. I would look at her with a deer in the headlights look and start shaking my head no. This went on for awhile until one night my aunt was keeping me, and was determined to earn a name.

She asked me, "Can you say K?"
I replied "Gay".
She then asked, "Well can you call me KK?"

And there it was. She was Gay-Gay...the little kid version of KK. And she's been Gay-Gay ever since then. And not only to me, but to everyone in my fairly large extended family and a few people who aren't even really related (such as my friends), and now my DH's family.

Well I told you all of that to tell you this; the last time she went to Disney, Epcot had just opened. (Now I'm telling her age...ooops . She would SHOOT me if she knew) She has always talked about wanting to go back but it really showed itself when we got home from our Disneymoon. I made a DVD of all of the pictures that we took on our trip (set to Disney music of course) and she had me bring it over one night to watch it. As the 4 of us (me, Tim, Gay-Gay, and Uncle Kevin) sat there watching it, about half-way through we realized that she was crying. She was crying for Disney World. She is a very emotional woman. She cried when I told her we were Honeymooning in the most magical place on earth, she cried as I told her our dailly plans including the character dinings and EMHs, she cried looking at the pictures, she cried when I told her we were going back...WDW just makes her cry in general. Or should I say her desire to go there makes her cry.

Her and my uncle are business owners and barely have time to even have a weekend off, much less take a week long trip somewhere...or so she thinks. (Did I mention that I work at their business? It's a semi-temporary thing...just until I finish school) Well, I was at work the other day and walked in to find my uncle putting around on the Disney website. Long story short, their anniversary is in April and he is taking her to Disney-AS A SURPRISE!!!!! Bad part is, I feel my mother coming through in myself...it's been everything I can do not to spill the beans to her, and I have 4 more months to go! I MUST STAY STRONG! I am so excited for her...and sadly enough, I'm excited that my uncle has never been, and doesn't know the first thing about planning a trip, so I am pretty much planning the trip for them! I got enough feedback from telling her about our trip to have a pretty good idea of the things she would be interested in doing. So, WISH ME LUCK.

Now, back to our trip...

So we got home Christmas night and I was just doin some things around the house, laundry I'm sure. For just two people we go through more laundry than most families of 4 that I know. Tim realized I had finally planted it on the couch to fold a load and emerged from the office (yea I call it the office so I feel fancy...it's a spare bedroom with desks and computers. LOL),

"Hey, I have something I want you to watch with me"

Now I have to admit, we are kind of behind the times. We just got our digital cable box with DVR earlier this year, and to say that my husband is not very tech savvy is putting it lightly. So needless to say, when he grabbed the remote and started pushing buttons (standing 2 inches away from the box might I add) it made me a little nervous. The month before we took our trip in June, I had caught Samantha Brown's Disney special on the Travel Channel and DVRed (is that a word?) it. We had watched it almost every night for the entire month before we left...it was such a great way to get ready! Well, apparently he had DVRed (there it is again) Samatha Brown's Disney Holiday Magic. Well we watched it and it was, of course, ahhhhhhmazing. I was sitting there ooooing and ahhhhhhing at the whole thing. Well right before the show ended Tim said,

"Man, this is so cool. I wish I could see this in real life...it would be so much better than on TV."

I was so enthralled in the TV that I'm sure I just smiled and nodded my head. Apparently that wasn't enough of a reaction for him.

Him- "Baby? Wouldn't you like to see this in real life?"
Me- "Oh my goodness yes. It looks so beautifu."
Him- "Well your going to."
Me- "WHAT?!?!"
Him- "You heard me. Your gonna see it."

Then he pulled the reservation confirmation e-mail that he had printed out of the drawer on our coffee table and handed to me. Then I turned into my aunt...and started crying. And cried. And cried. And screamed and hugged a little. Then cried some more. By this time I have both the babies (OH yall haven't met the babies yet...I'll tag that on to the end of this post...told you it was gonna be a long one!!!!) barking and whining and jumping and wondering what in the world was going on.

I was absolutly beside myself. And rightfully so!!

More about the official plans next time...I'll end this chapter introducing our 2 children before it gets any longer.

Dolly Parton- About to be 2 y/o (in Feb) Border Collie/Jack Russel mix. Yes that's what I said and no I don't know how it happened. She is the size of a Border Collie with the spunk, and energy, and ATTITUDE of a Jack Russel. She is a handful to say the least. She has endless amounts of energy and has the attitude of a 16 year old girl...if you know what I mean. And she is an avid kisser. She gives more puppy sugar than any dog I know. Lastly, this girl is SMART. And I know people always say that their dogs are smart but this one...I've never seen anything like it. She opens doors (using a variety of handles), knows a ton of words that she probably shouldn't being that she is of the canine species ("MeMe" and "PaPa" are 2 of many...that is how she knows my parents and those words can NOT be spoken in any tone or she will be posted at the front door for hours), and she has just recently figured out how to open her cage from the INSIDE...the second of two doors. The one that is NOT zip-tied shut because she figured THAT ONE out months ago. These are only a few of her genius dog attributes...

Johnny Cash - 1 year old Cocker Spaniel. Most of the time he has the personality of an old man. Doesn't really get excited very often (except when MeMe and PaPa come over)...but he tends to be very influenced by his big sister. He never learned to hike his leg to potty and it has broken DH's heart. Tim blames it on being around Dolly his whole life, and not having any "male dog" influences. I think it's because he's too lazy to use the extra energy to get it off the ground. Having said that, he is never too lazy to find something to chew on. And he's not very picky. Lately his favorite has been the pinecones out of the potpourri I sat out for Christmas. But he is Mommy's little snuggle bug.

Until next time...hope everyone has a great weekend!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Now I have to admit, we are kind of behind the times. We just got our digital cable box with DVR earlier this year, and to say that my husband is not very tech savvy is putting it lightly. So needless to say, when he grabbed the remote and started pushing buttons (standing 2 inches away from the box might I add) it made me a little nervous. The month before we took our trip in June, I had caught Samantha Brown's Disney special on the Travel Channel and DVRed (is that a word?) it. We had watched it almost every night for the entire month before we left...it was such a great way to get ready! Well, apparently he had DVRed (there it is again) Samatha Brown's Disney Holiday Magic. Well we watched it and it was, of course, ahhhhhhmazing. I was sitting there ooooing and ahhhhhhing at the whole thing. Well right before the show ended Tim said,

"Man, this is so cool. I wish I could see this in real life...it would be so much better than on TV."

First, DVRed is MOST DEFINITELY a word! My DH actually works for the cable company so we haven't watched TV any other way for a long time! LOVE IT! And....I loved that Samantha Brown Holiday special! How cool that he used that to surprise you!

Your Pre-TR is awesome and I can't wait to hear more! Cute dogs, by the way....and I love their names! Until next time.....

 

[sfacowgirl87]

My DH actually works for the cable company so we haven't watched TV any other way for a long time! LOVE IT!

LUCKY! We are finally getting the hang of..."hey if we just start watching it 10 or 15 minute late we can fast forward through the commercials." I dunno. I guess we just forget about it most of the time. But it sure would be nice to remember!

 

[All7OfUs]

Still with ya! Enjoyed the last two installments a lot! I love surprises, but can't keep one for the fricken' life of me! If you're gettin' a Christmas present from me, you'll know what it is by Sept. - including the color, size and how much it cost.

 

[sfacowgirl87]

Still with ya! Enjoyed the last two installments a lot! I love surprises, but can't keep one for the fricken' life of me! If you're gettin' a Christmas present from me, you'll know what it is by Sept. - including the color, size and how much it cost.

Now you sound like me when it comes to Christmas stuff! I got my husband a gift certificate to get Flo Masters for his truck (ya know...the more I talk the more I give away just how country we are...lol) for Christmas and he had them on there by November 1. Ugh. I just can't keep those kinds of things secret!

 

[sfacowgirl87]

Happy Monday!!!!

I know Monday's around here are pretty dull. Maybe this story will give someone a chuckle...and it becomes *sorta* related to Disney at the end. I have been working on my next "real" installment (trip details) but I just have to throw this in before I finish that one.

So I am actually scared of very few things. Snakes, spiders, massive bodies of water...and attics. BUT, I am also a very determined person and have the whole "if you do it I can too" mentality. That, and my fear of attics apprently doesn't mix.

Now I don't know where all of yall are from. It seems that what houses are equipped with as far as basements and attics go, varies in different parts of the country. Some regions all the houses have fantastic basements that people can turn into actual living spaces, or use for storage. We don't have a basement. Some people's houses have fantastic attics with real stairs that lead to them and cute little attic windows. Again, attics that could be used for actual living space. We don't have one of those either. We have a drop down door in our garage ceiling with a rickity ladder attached to it that will whop you in the head if your not careful. The 10 feet of space that surrounds that opening is what we call "storage".

Anywho, yesterday, my husband and I were doing the one task that we had been dreading since the day after Thanksgiving. Taking down Christmas decorations. Now, with this being our first year in our house, the one little measly box of decorations that we started the season with ended up being 3 or 4 large Rubbermaid tubs worth. I just so happen to be obsessed with Christmas decorations, and also just happen to have an issue buying them (or NOT buying them, depends on how you look at it and who you are).

Well I got my one little box filled and decided that I need another empty tub, which was "stored" in the attic, which I am scared of. My husband was attempting to take the lights off of the tree and I didn't want to bother him. So I got my happy little butt up and decided I was going to go after the tub myself. I got to the garage, pulled the little string to pull the piece of plywood covering the hole down, and dodged the ladder as it came tumbling down. I stood there looking up into the hole for what seemed like a few minutes then I made my move. I started up the ladder. I made it about half the way up before I stopped again. My head was just barely peeking over the top of the hole and I was taking in my surroundings. Eyeing my prize. I needed to know exactly where my tub was so I could be prepared. Get in, get it, throw it down the hole, and get out. All the while the voices in my head...

"Is this really a good idea?"
"It's right there."
"Brittney, get down and just tell Tim to get it."
"No. I can do this."

Against my better judgement (which I will realize in just a few seconds) I decided to trudge ahead in my journey for my empty blue tub. I climb the rest of the way up the ladder and begin looking for a place to put my foot. Exit the ladder, enter the attic. There was a piece of wood (I'm guessing it was a rafter?) directly to my left, in the direction of the tubs. I grabbed on to something (???) with my hand and put my foot on the piece of wood. I was fine. I was in the attic. I made it over to my tub, fought with it for a minute. You know when you stack those tubs in one another and they get suctioned together? I had to unsuction the ones I wanted. (Yes that became plural, I decided while I was up there I would just go ahead and get 2 or 3.) I won the battle. I tossed the tubs right at the edge of the hole so after I got my feet back on the ladder I could just reach up and grab them. I started making my way back to the exit. As I headed that direction I began looking around and trying to decide how I would gain access to the ladder again. Should I sit and slide down to a lower rung? Should I go around to the front and back down it. Should I go back to the front and walk down a few rungs like stairs then turn around to......













CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




The next thing I knew I was hanging, by my hips. The top half of my body in the attic and the lower half out the garage ceiling. Now I never thought I would ever say this. I never thought ANY woman would EVER say this for that matter. But gee golly. How I am thankful to have wide hips!!! Any narrower and my poor body would have ended up smashing into the concrete garage floor. I had, very apparently, missed the wooden rafter and stepped through the sheetrock (garage)ceiling/(attic)floor. By this time I am SCREAMING bloody murder for my poor husband. Reminder: when I left the living room I did not tell him where I was going or what I was doing. He had no clue I had intentions of getting in the attic. So naturally when he flung the garage door open and found my legs flailing around from the ceiling he was surprised. He might have sort of expected it if I would have told him where I was going. LOL Well he climbed up the ladder to my rescue. After a few minutes of trying to calm me down, he got me back on my feet and back on the ladder. I was crying, and shaking, and my poor hips were hurting and already bruising up. In the midst of the drama though, I got another sweep of determination. I was almost on the floor when I remembered the reason for my trip. MY TUBS. I went back up the ladder a few steps, grabbed the boxes I had ever so intelligently placed right at the hole, and FLUNG them down behind me, barely missing my husband. They weren't gonna get the best of me!!!!!!!!!!

Well we stood there a few mintues surveying the damage. Luckily, we just finished remodeling our bathroom and DH just so happened to have some extra sheetrock lying around. I was heading inside to survey my bodily damage when DH blurts out,

"This does mean we dont have to ride Tower Of Terror when we go back to Disney right? I mean, you did pretty much just ride it, and I was only gonna ride it because you wanted to!"

Typical Tim. Ugh.

So anyway, aside from some pretty nasty brusing on the outside of my hips (both sides), and a little bruising on my pride, I survived the incident...and I learned my lesson. I will NEVER attempt to get in the attic ever again...and yes. We are STILL riding TOT

 

[mommytothreeboys]

LOL...LOL....LOL!!! Good for you for facing your fears....sorry it ended up that way!! Ice and ibuprofen should do the trick!

 

[All7OfUs]

Too funny! OUr family has a serious knack for doing that same thing. But in Oregon, we have basments so we go below ground when we step wrong. I did the same thing once. At my husband's anut's cabin at Mt. Hood there is a trap door that leads to the basement. It was open and I didn't see it and backed straight into and down it. I was bruised in lots of places and was so embarrassed. For the next few days, and even to this day 15 years later, his family still makes fun of me singing, "Oh my goodness, oh my soul, there goes Liesa down the hole." It's slightly funny now, but was soooooooooooooo not funny then.

My poor son, when we was 3, (this is a bad mommy moment- no flaming!) fell to the basement too. I had the return air vent cover off to vacuum it out, and one of the other kids called me for something. The next thing I hear is a tremendous crash, and some muffled crying. I knew exactly what had happened, and thought I'd find him at the bottom in a "ripped-to-shreds- from-sharp-metal-heap" at the bottom. I was bracing myself for calling 911, but when I got to the basement, and found that he had ripped off the flexible plastic air vent tube and was fine, I was very relieved! It had really cushioned his fall! Thank God!!

So, if you want to know the fastest way down, just call us up, we'll be happy to show you the way.

 

[sfacowgirl87]

LOL...LOL....LOL!!! Good for you for facing your fears....sorry it ended up that way!! Ice and ibuprofen should do the trick!

Yup. The icebag and I have been great friends today. And I'm thinkin a bath in epsom salts is in my near future...

It's slightly funny now, but was soooooooooooooo not funny then.

You sound like me! I cried the vast majority of the day yesterday. Simply because the whole incident just scared me. During one of my first spells soon after it happened DH told me that he wished he would have thought quick enough to grab my camera. I told him that was VERY out of line..."that we would look back and laugh at it eventually, but it won't be today"

I guess you can see...it took me less than 24 hours to move it from the "traumatic" folder to the "hilarious" one.

 

[sfacowgirl87]

So it's official

7 nights back at POR! My fave!!!!!! December 14 through 21. (No pictures = no fun! I'm gonna throw some from or last trip into this installment just for kicks)


A few slight changes this time though...(these are all things that Tim and I discussed AFTER he made the initial reservations)

Last time we stayed in a King Bed room...we didn't bother paying the extra for that this time. We actually kind of like the idea of having an extra bed to lay all our luggage on. Our suitcases stayed in the floor last time and it was really kind of a pain...we wanna spread out this time! Also, last time, I'm convinced, we were in the very farthest away building they could find. It was nice as far as the privacy, and really was very quiet. Pretty close to a pool and a laundry room. On the other hand...we had to walk, what felt like, 20 minutes every morning just to get to the buses, and in the evenings after walking ALL DAY LONG the last thing we wanted to do when we got back to the resort after EMHs was walk another 20 minutes. Therefore, we requested to be put in a building a little closer to everything. Not to mention the fact that we didn't refill our mugs ONCE, simply due to the fact that it was too long of a walk. It was so much easier just to walk down to the vending machine.

Our corner room

Ah...home away from home

Due to Tim's work schedule at the fire department, we are going to be flying. He can only take a limited number of days off (especially since it's going to be during the Holiday season) and it allows us to spend more time in Disney and less time getting there. We flew last time we went. It was actually both of our first times to fly and thanks to a little help from my local pharmacy ( ) I kind of enjoyed what I remember of it. We don't have our flights booked yet...can't book until January 26.

Right before we took off...

I made Tim sit by the window...and he stayed awake the whole time.

As of right now we are in standby mode for tickets to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party...no one that we have talked to has really been able to tell us when they will go on sale, only that they sale out pretty quick. One lady told us June, another guy told us Febuary...??? Do any of you have any idea when to start looking for them?

Another thing...on our last trip, instead of using the Magical Express we took a town car from MCO, and for a few reasons. The main reason was because we are Dr. Pepper fanatics. We knew that our beloved DP wasn't sold anywhere on Disney property so we HAD to stop and get some to take to the hotel room. The other reason is because DH...he hates waiting. It's this horrible issue he has. Like yea, I get a little frustrated if we go out to eat and the wait is more than 30 minutes...Tim on the other hand is a different story. If there is one person standing in front of us, "UGH! We're gonna be waiting forever. Let's go somewhere else." I have gotten a little more used to it but honestly, it still really gets on my nerves. He has zero patience. None. Nada. Zilch. But only when it comes to waiting. He has patience for everything else. Even my obsessive Disney planning.We haven't decided for sure if we're going the Town Car route again this time or if DH is gonna try to push through his waiting issue. We have also heard about a grocery delivery service that runs to the resorts??? Maybe they could bring us some DP? If anyone knows anything about this, some info would be greatly appreciated

One of the perks of taking a Town Car...the driver noticed me trying to get a picture of the entrance and very abruptly pulled off the road long enough for me to take a few snapshots

We had the Deluxe Dining Plan on our trip in June and we have decided to stick with it this time. It's way more food than either of us could ever eat, but it's nice to know that no matter what time, day or night, or where you are, you will always be able to get something to eat. DH is one of those people that gets grouchy when he's hungry. He's like a baby in that respect, AND in the fact that he eats every 4 hours.

See what I mean? This is his "it's early and I'm hungry put the camera down and just let me freakin eat" face. Aw. I him.

I guess booking everything so far out in advance has it's pros and cons. It's great because you know it's set in stone. It's done. But on the other hand there are so many more things that need to be done but CAN'T be done until your trip gets closer and I am just really ANXIOUS. Can't book airlines till the end of January, have to wait for ADRs till mid June (not only because you can't book any earlier but because EMH schedules don't come out until then...and we schedule our days by those things!), no telling when we will get our tickets for MVMCP. How do these people expect me to plan my little butt off if I don't know anything!?!?