TR -Dexter and Skylar Drive Mommy Crazy! With Pictures and Videos. Updated 2/17/09

[newtodis]

You got some really great deals! That's wonderful! We saw those shirts and stuff at Walmart but they weren't clearance yet. I might have to head back over there!

 

[natale1980]

You got some really great deals! That's wonderful! We saw those shirts and stuff at Walmart but they weren't clearance yet. I might have to head back over there!

I bought them a few weeks ago... I hope there are some left for you. But you make such cute personalized shirts anyways

-nat

 

[natale1980]

I know!! I know!! I'm getting out of control!!! Everytime I pay off the points I am buying from a friend I ask myself, "Self - What if we were to stay just ONE more night?" So then I said to myself, "Self - I'm sure there aren't even any rooms left at the Boardwalk to stay an extra night!! So why don't you just call up B and ask her to book an extra night... and let Disney decide."
Well... B called me back a few moments ago and they didn't have any standard view rooms left for Monday night.
So she upgraded us!!!! She told me not to worry about the few extra points!!! I'm telling you this girl is great!!! So we are now staying until Tuesday AND get a great view!!!
I'm really to the point where this doesn't seem true!! This is really going to be the BEST trip ever!!! (as long as I bring snacks for Shawn... he gets crabby when he hungry)

So I looked on Southwest and they have flights home for the time I want for $129. Do I book these or hold out for a better deal? Also - has anyone ever booked a flight with SW and then found a better SW fare? How easy was it to change? And how long does your creidt last for?

Thanks!
nat

 

[JustMickey]

Wow, your trip keeps sounding better and better!! Sorry I don't have any experience w/ SWA but just wanted to pop in to commend you on your awesome plans!

 

[natale1980]

Wow, your trip keeps sounding better and better!! Sorry I don't have any experience w/ SWA but just wanted to pop in to commend you on your awesome plans!

Thanks! I was wondering if anyone else was still reading!

I went over to the transportation board and it looks like there is no proublem getting a 'sw credit' if the price goes down. And I know we'll be flying within a year again anyways. I mean we still haven't touched any of our DVC points!!!
So I just booked our flight home. We'll be leaving Disney on Tuesday @ 4:45pm. It will be so nice to get off the boat knowing that we still have two nights to play in the parks and to relax at the resort.

I can't wait to go - but now I have to take time to save money for the dinning plan!!!

-nat

 

[Disneychix]

Sounds great Natale! Wow, you're going all out! Does DH know how many days you are spending at WDW?

Also with the SW credit you can call and have them extend it another 6 months after 1 year. I had to do that once and it was no problem at all.

 

[natale1980]

Sounds great Natale! Wow, you're going all out! Does DH know how many days you are spending at WDW?

Also with the SW credit you can call and have them extend it another 6 months after 1 year. I had to do that once and it was no problem at all.

Shawn knows how long - he just doesn't know how AWESOME it's going to be!!!
I just looked at SW and my flights are now only $68!!!! So now I have $249 SW credit!!! It's going to be hard to keep me away from Disney now!!!
With a SW credit, DVC, and annual passes... all I have to worry about is food!!!

Some times life is good!!

 

[JustMickey]

Shawn knows how long - he just doesn't know how AWESOME it's going to be!!!
I just looked at SW and my flights are now only $68!!!! So now I have $249 SW credit!!! It's going to be hard to keep me away from Disney now!!!
With a SW credit, DVC, and annual passes... all I have to worry about is food!!!

Some times life is good!!

How exciting! That's awesome to find $68 flights!!

 

[kristinanderic]

I haven't yet had a time to read everything yet....but WE ARE GOING BACK TOO!!! Remember me?

Can't wait to read your trip report since our kids are so close to the same ages

 

[natale1980]

I haven't yet had a time to read everything yet....but WE ARE GOING BACK TOO!!! Remember me?

Can't wait to read your trip report since our kids are so close to the same ages

Nice to see you again!!! Hows your little man treating you?
Skylar is still not anywhere near sleeping all night long!! She was up 4-5 times last night. Somewhere in the middle of the night I give up and sleep with her on the Twin bed in her room.
I guess thats why she is such a bad girl... She knows if she crys enough, she gets to sleep with me. Oh well.

Looks like we are just going to miss eachother. When does your trip start?

-nat

 

[kristinanderic]

The little one is great! He has been sleeping thru the night since he was 10 days old!! (I consider midnight to 6 am thru the night). He goes down about 8pm and wakes at 7 am now. LOVE HIM!!!

Our trip this time will start on February 6th. We are getting excited about going back!

 

[kristinanderic]

I'm all caught up, Shawn is going to be so excited!

 

[natale1980]

The little one is great! He has been sleeping thru the night since he was 10 days old!! (I consider midnight to 6 am thru the night). He goes down about 8pm and wakes at 7 am now. LOVE HIM!!!

Our trip this time will start on February 6th. We are getting excited about going back!

10days old!!! Wow!!! I would love to even sleep just 3 hours in a row!! Oh well... one day.
We are just going to miss you guys!! Too bad!

I'm all caught up, Shawn is going to be so excited!

I hope he gets excited!!! The last few days he's been saying things about Disney and how he can't wait! (little does he know!!!!!)

 

[natale1980]

BUNCH OF NEW INFO:

So I think we are just going to 'wing' it on our last few days at the boardwalk for our dinning reservations. I may change my mind and the last minute - but thats the plan right now.
It's funny 'cause I asked Shawn where he would like to eat on the last night. And guess what he said?!!!?!!?!
"I'm not sure, does the boardwalk have any good places to eat?" So the first thing I thought was.... DOES HE KNOW!!!?? Why would he ask about the boardwalk??? He doesn't know where staying there. I mean I THINK he doesn't know we are staying there. You don't know how badly I wanted to say... "Do you know something?" But then I would have given everything away. So I guess we'll all just have to wait and see.

So I was able to pay for the rest of our cruise!!! So far I have paid for the whole trip with Cash!! It has been my goal. I did put some of the trip on credit for a few months... but I have since paid it off the cards!!! I have been working like crazy to get it all taken care of - but I feel so much better about this trip knowing that it all has been paid for!!! I still have to come up with money for the dinning and park tickets... but I think I still have plenty of time.

Another update: My Mom, Dad, Brother and his family have reservations to be at Disney the same time as us. They will be staying at Fort Wilderness, in the cabins. They were able to book that buy 4nights get 3nights free! It's a really good promotion! What's crazy is they get a $200 gift card at check in!!! I WANT ONE!!
So now we want to book a photo-shoot at one of the resorts to get family pictures together! One more thing I have to fit in. It's something I really want to do, so it's worth it.

I also booked some baby watching time on the cruise on our second day. I'm not sure if Shawn is going to go for it.... but I figured for $12 it was worth the risk. Dexter is old enough to go into the kids clubs (free) - but Skylar isn't so they have a nursery. It's $6 an hour. I think it will be nice to have lunch together as a family and then send the kids off to their clubs and have some time just for the two of us! I hope it works out!

More later!
-nat

 

[ktmetke]

We cruised in August and it was extremely nice to have the nursery for our 2 year old....we actually got some Mommy/Daddy alone time which doesn't happen very often!

At the end of our 4 day cruise, the nursery gave our son a certificate, a hardcover Cars Book with CD, and a playskool truck! That was a very nice surprise!

 

[natale1980]

We cruised in August and it was extremely nice to have the nursery for our 2 year old....we actually got some Mommy/Daddy alone time which doesn't happen very often!

At the end of our 4 day cruise, the nursery gave our son a certificate, a hardcover Cars Book with CD, and a playskool truck! That was a very nice surprise!

That's really cool! We only have a few hours booked one day - I think she'll do fine as long as they keep her busy.
Mommy - Daddy time alone would be GREAT!!! Heck, just mommy time alone would be realllllly nice, and I guess Shawn can tag along. Unless they have a club I can send him off to.
We haven't found a house to buy yet, we are still at my parents house, so we are NEVER alone!!!!


I'm starting to go crazy - this vacation is just out of reach!! I don't know how I'm going to make it the next 58 days! I am really looking forward to getting our cruise documents. But I'm not sure if thats going to make it easier or harder. I wish I knew exactly when they were coming - so that I could make sure Shawn didn't see them. Fortunately my parents get ALOT of shipments from UPS & FedEx so I don't think he'll even notice.
It would be perfect if he was still working (he may start working alot less). Someone told him at work that they are keeping all of the apprentices working 5 days a week until they don't have anymore work. That's a really good thing. But he doesn't know how long that will be.
Last year at this time he had already been laid off for a few weeks!! So I'm very happy he's still working.

I made my first few door signs for the cruise:

this one is because we've been on two cruises and only been to Castaway Cay once.

got to go,
nat

 

[natale1980]

Little Bit of Happy News!!!
Disney Cruise Line stopped charging the fuel supplement charge. That means that we get another $69 on board credit!!! Sure it's my money that I already paid to them - but still!!! Now I can by the photo package I wanted!!!

-nat

 

[newtodis]

Hey Nat-sorry I haven't posted in a while! Love the pictures for your cruise and that you get another credit! That's wonderful!! Hopefully the time will pass quickly for you like it did for me-I can't believe we're leaving next Friday for Disney! Where the heck has the time gone?? Hopefully you're saying that soon!

 

[natale1980]

Sorry I have been MIA. Nothing has really been happening much Disney-wise.
Shawn got laid off last Thursday - But then he got a call back last night!! So he was only laid off for a week. Looks like he'll only be working 3 days a week until the beginning of January.
Today they announced that kids sail free for our dates. That would be a $400+ savings. But we can't use it. It's only for new bookings. So I'm kinda bummed about that. But I think I'm over it. (i think)
I'm just going to enjoy our trip and not think about it. Plus it's a good thing I can't talk to Shawn about it - that way I can't dwell on it.
So I'm moving forward - an I'm happy.

I just booked the Magical Express. So I can mark that off my to-do list. I have so much more to do!

-nat

 

[natale1980]

So I didn't tell you guys - but when me and my DVC friend called in our flight numbers for the magical express I had her check to see if there were any more nights available so that we could stay a night or two longer. Well - there weren't. So we booked the magical express as planned.

But then this morning I was laying in bed watching Skylar sleep and it hit me! Disney is offering nights at a value resort for pass holders @ $55 a night. So if I move up our flight two days and make reservations at a value resort we can spend even MORE time with Mickey Mouse! (or Donald Duck according to Dexter) So first I checked with Southwest. And YES they did have flights on Thursday. They were about $12 more each - but I have a credit. Then I called up Disney and all they had available was All Star Sports with a preferred view ($65 a night). Now I'm not a big fan of the All Star hotels. But for $140 for two more nights at Disney World I couldn't pass it up!!! Well... I guess I could have passed it up... but I didn't!!!
It may be total irresponsible BUT Shawn won't be working anyways... so why be cold in Chicago when you can be nice and warm in Orlando! Plus we are still living with my parents and I'm sure we can both use a brake from each other!

The only thing that kinda stinks is we are going to have to pack up one more time.
Thursday & Friday nights - All Star Sports
Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday nights - Wilderness Lodge Villas
Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights - Disney Cruise Line
Sunday, Monday nights - Boardwalk Villas
But if you have to have problems - this is the kinda I like!

We won't get the dinning package for the first two nights. Those will be our cheep nights. I'm not going to plan anything for those two days. They are just going to be hanging out relaxing days. Who knows if we'll even spend alot of time in the parks.

Considering that our trip is now only 39 days away.... I think this will be the last major change!!! I think I'm going to move around one of our dinning reservations but that's it! I really am ready to stop thinking about this trip and start enjoying it!

-nat