Turning 40 at Mickey's House! My first PTR!

[Claire&TheBoys]

I have to admit, it's pretty exciting to see my countdown down to just a few weeks and days! On the other hand, I'm almost at the point where I think, "wait! slow down! I'm not ready yet!"

I'm in the middle of a crazy-busy week and still have a couple more events to go. I haven't made everything I planned to, or wanted to, but telling myself that's just the way it goes sometimes. This morning, I'm sitting here on the DIS when I should be getting ready to go somewhere in an hour.

I've started my packing lists and starting to set things aside to go. I talked to Dale last night and think I'm going to go ahead and get the 5-day tickets from UCT. I PM-ed Cheshire Figment to make sure that it's still possible to upgrade to the SAP once the black-out period ends, but once I know for sure I will order, hopefully today. I want to get them in my hand ASAP so I can link them to MDE and get FP+ times.

Only 20 days till Christmas, only 25 days till we leave!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I ordered our tickets today!

We all tried on our MB last night and even Dale's fit, which I was a little worried about - he has big hands and wrists and I was afraid it would be too small, but he even had a couple of notches to spare.

I'd love to finish up my Christmas shopping this weekend, but not sure that will happen.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

OH MY GOSH! IN THREE WEEKS I'LL BE AT

DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!!!!

I just can't believe how fast the trip is getting here now! I knew the last month was going to fly by, but I had no idea just how fast!

We made it through another busy weekend. Dale and I went to a Christmas party Friday night (with our Sunday School class), Saturday we went to the mall where my church choir was doing a "flash mob" (super fun!), Sunday night our 1st-6th grade kids' choirs presented a Christmas musical. Besides both the kids being in it, I was the only adult character, so I was involved in it too.

I've managed to do a little more Christmas shopping and I only have a few more items left to get. I'm waiting on a couple of orders to arrive and then I have packages to mail to Dale's family out of town.

In Disney news, I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of our tickets from Undercover Tourist. After reading some on the Theme Parks board, I'm hopeful that I'll be able to link them through MDE and get our FP+ times set. Crossing fingers!

I need to order some trading pins, like NOW. I keep forgetting!

It's getting so close I just can't wait!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

So my post yesterday shocked me into action!

I went on eBay yesterday and checked a couple of auctions that I'd been watching with sellers that were on the DIS-boards "approved" list. I bought a lot of 50 pins as buy-it-now and just got the confirmation they've been shipped already.

This morning, I reserved a hotel room in Gainesville for the night of the 30th. I wavered between booking the military rate or the pay-in-advance rate, which was $4 less. I decided to book the military rate so that just in case it doesn't work out for us to leave that day, I can cancel with no penalty. I booked the Sleep Inn & Suites, which got good ratings on TripAdvisor. I don't normally check it, but I had considered booking a La Quinta for like $53 and thought I'd better check it out first. Glad I did - it has exterior corridors and I know Dale prefers interior (Disney being the exception).

This morning I also added some funds to my SunPass. We don't have any toll roads around here, so I only have it for when we go to Disney, but it's worth having just for that trip. I have the one that sticks to the windshield; it was only $4.99 and when I activated it and loaded it the first time, I got a $4.99 credit. When you have a SunPass, you get a small discount on some of the tolls (maybe a quarter?) but the best part is not having to wait in line at the tolls booths. On the connector road from the Turnpike down to Disney (FL 429), you don't even have to slow down, you just keep going normal speed and it registers.

I've started my stockpile of items to take along. We picked up a case of juice bottles at Sam's Club over the weekend and last week the cereal and granola bars I like were BOGO at Publix, so I set aside one of each to go along.

Hope all of you that are going to be there at the same time are getting as excited as I am!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Just got my Undercover Tourist tickets in the mail today! Ripped the package open and thanks to a tip from the Theme Parks board, I knew to scan the back of the tickets with my iPhone MDE app to link them to my family members. It was SO EASY and quick! Then I was able to set up my FP+ for every day of the trip, including New Year's Eve.

For NYE at Studios I got: Toy Story Mania , Tower of Terror and Star Tours. I was thrilled to get TSM!

For New Year's Day at MK: Space Mtn, Thunder Mtn and Splash Mtn.

For my birthday at Epcot: Soarin', Mission Space and Spaceship Earth. They've started the "tiering" of the attractions so I couldn't get both Soarin' and Test Track. I read here on the DIS that you don't get to customize your car on TT if you are using a FP, so we'll wait standby for that; the kids are really looking forward to doing that. We'll just have to make it our first stop.

For 1/3 at Studios: TSM again, Muppet 3D and Star Tours again. Would like to do RNRC but had to choose between that and TSM and I figure RNRC doesn't usually get quite as busy as TSM.

For 1/4 at AK: Everest, Safari and Festival of the Lion King. I haven't seen FotLK in forever and it's shutting down for awhile before moving to make room for the new Avatarland. I think 1/5 is the last day of the show in the present location and I wanted to be sure we saw it again.

All in all, I was pretty happy with our selections for FP+. I do wish we could get more than 3 per day. But on the other hand, I'm pretty stoked that I have a FP for TSM on NYE, and another one on our other Studios day for mid-morning and we don't have to do the rope-drop craziness either day.

Happy Saturday!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I got the trading pins I bought in the mail today. I'm pretty happy with the assortment -- not too many that I actually want to keep, so a good lot of traders.

I finished my Christmas shopping (I think!) this morning. Unless I figure out that Dale over-spent this year, while I tried to cut back. Several boxes have arrived with his name on them, with several of them alluding to having Disney origins (Disneystore.com). He's not usually the type to shop online and ahead of time, so I'm mystified.

I mailed boxes to Dale's two brothers and his parents today, also. Check one more thing off my list!

I can't believe that in 2 weeks I'll be packing the car and getting ready to hit the road. I also can't believe that in 3 weeks it'll all be over. This is the part of the anticipation that I both love and dread. I am getting so excited about the trip, but also dreading that let-down that comes when it's all over.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

One kid is home from school, and just about to go get the other one. Then it's officially Christmas break!

In 10 days we'll be packing up to leave and in 11 days we'll be at Disney World! Almost time for the single-digit dance!

From here through Christmas, I probably won't have much DIS time. My family is coming tonight, and from here through Christmas we'll be spending a lot of family time. My favorite thing about Christmas is being with my family.

Brad and Drew are SO EXCITED about Christmas -- Drew's been counting down the days and he can hardly wait.

Once Christmas is over, I have to start taking down Christmas decorations so they can be put away before we leave. That will kind of be a bummer. I love how the house looks at Christmas - the pretty trees, the lights outside. But I know that if I wait until we get home to take it down, it'll make me sadder, so I have to do it next week.

Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

We had a wonderful Christmas and hope you did too! Now, we're on the full-court-press to our trip!

Drew wanted to know if we were leaving yesterday for Disney. This morning, he wanted to know if we are leaving today, or tomorrow. I've told him not till Monday, but you know how kids are with time .

I'm plowing through my To Do list. Yesterday I updated the checkbook from all the last-minute shopping and entered payments for the upcoming bills that will be due between the 30th and the 6th. I still have a couple to do today. I did manage to get to Target yesterday and get some of their super-cute Disney wrapping paper and bags half-price, plus a set of the Minnie Mouse ornaments for my Disney tree. Then yesterday afternoon I took down my Disney tree. Today I will take down all the ornaments off the big tree, take down my Nativity sets and undecorate the mantle.

I want to get a lot done today because HORROR! we still haven't seen Frozen yet and we talked about going to a matinee tomorrow. Seems like a good way to whet our Disney appetite!

I hope to check in again before we head out Monday afternoon!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

It's time to go! We're on our way!

Nothing else to say except TODAY'S the DAY!


Van is loaded, we're heading to Gainesville to see my niece and stay overnight, then tomorrow we check in to Old Key West!

Happy New Year!

Happy Birthday to ME!!!!!!!!!

 

[KatMark]

Claire, Happy Birthday and Happy New Year. I wish I had known you were doing this (you should have told me)! I hope you have a most magical trip.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Claire, Happy Birthday and Happy New Year. I wish I had known you were doing this (you should have told me)! I hope you have a most magical trip.

Thanks, Kathy. We had a terrific time! My hubby came down sick Friday night and didn't do much yesterday; came home and took him to the doctor to find out he has the flu. Since we were all cooped up in the car today on the way home, I'm fervently hoping and praying the boys and I stay well.