Two Chicks and...a Mouse!~ADRs, a wedding, and Property Virgins? 9.25.09

[jewels1916]

So, this is our first pre-trip report, and we are starting it waaaaay in advance. Well. It's never too early, right? That's what I thought. First, let me introduce our characters!

Courtney (jewels1916 - ME!) - A southern girl at heart, having grown up in Texas, but I am currently in the VA/DC area for work and play. Just finished my graduate degree at GWU, and I work as an online communications consultant for non-profit groups.

Kelly (kellbelle0618) - Another southern girl, but with roots in Ohio! Kelly is currently teaching 6th grade English in North Texas, and is busy planning her wedding to her amazing Fiance Brad. After the wedding, she will be moving to San Antonio. She is a mommy to two adorable puppies, Izzie and Lexi.

We met in choir at Oklahoma State University where we were both working on our bachelors' degrees. And even though we've graduated and live far away from each other, we are still best friends.

Ever since we've known each other we've talked about taking a trip together. Many, many ideas have been tossed around and finally, finally we've settled on one. Seeing as how we are both card-carrying Mouse Junkies, we decided that the most logical place for us to go was The World!

We've begun planning our trip for the first week of December (3rd-8th, tentatively). For the end of 2009, and we will have a myriad of things (yes, I like big words!) that we will be celebrating, and we decided to start our PTR as a way to chronicle, document, and share the things we will be celebrating - the things that we know are happening (weddings, cross-country moves, new jobs) and the surprises that happen between now and then! Kelly and I will both be posting on here as we count down to our long-awaited No Boys Allowed Disney trip!

So, away we go with 2 Chicks and a Mouse!

Courtney

 

[autumnpalm]

Joining in! Looks like it's gonna be a great PTR. I would love to go to WDW with a friend one day, it seems like so much fun. Can't wait to see how all your planning turns out.

 

[Disneyfan71]

Joining in for this PTR...you're going at a good time from what I hear. I've always wanted to go around Christmas myself. Looking forward to reading more in your PTR

 

[jewels1916]

Joining in! Looks like it's gonna be a great PTR. I would love to go to WDW with a friend one day, it seems like so much fun. Can't wait to see how all your planning turns out.

Welcome! Thanks for joining! We are both very excited about this trip. The only time I've ever been to WDW with a friend was when I went for a dance competition in HS, needless to say I think this is going to be great!

Joining in for this PTR...you're going at a good time from what I hear. I've always wanted to go around Christmas myself. Looking forward to reading more in your PTR

Thanks for joining, and welcome! I've never been at Christmas time, but it is my favorite time of the year. So, why not combine the two? I was there in September this year when it was decorated for Halloween, and it was amazing. If the Christmas decorations are even half that is it going to great!

Courtney

 

[Disneyfan71]

I so want to go at Christmas as well..maybe one day.

 

[Blueyed Girl]

I'm in!! Glad you started a PTR. I would LOVE to try WDW in December. We've been toying with the idea of doing it in 2010.

Anyhoo, can't wait to read more.

 

[DARuss]

Hey, cool GUD start (I don't use big words). I'll hang around, if I'm allowed anyway.

December seems like a great time to go. The only non-great thing I've heard about early Dec is the pop warner days. If you are flexable, you may want to research those dates.

Can't wait to hear more.

I hitched a ride over from Blueyed Girl's PTR.

 

[jewels1916]

I so want to go at Christmas as well..maybe one day.

It's just one of my many Disney goals...

I'm in!! Glad you started a PTR. I would LOVE to try WDW in December. We've been toying with the idea of doing it in 2010.

Anyhoo, can't wait to read more.

Yay, thanks for stopping by! I think that Disney at Christmas is going to be great. You can use my TR as a reference guide when you start planning yours! (ie, learn from Miss K and I's mistakes - mistakes? gasp!)

Hey, cool GUD start (I don't use big words). I'll hang around, if I'm allowed anyway.

December seems like a great time to go. The only non-great thing I've heard about early Dec is the pop warner days. If you are flexable, you may want to research those dates.

Can't wait to hear more.

I hitched a ride over from Blueyed Girl's PTR.

Great! Welcome to the fray! Yeah, I have worried about the Pop Warner days a bit, which is why the my dates are tentative. We are planning on using frequent flyer miles to get out to Florida, so we will have to watch that though. Thanks for joining!! And of course you are allowed. No Boys Allowed ---> ditching the husband/boyfriend types.

Courtney

 

[Disneyfan71]

Speaking of Christmas...I do want to try and go in December 2011 when I turn 40...so does the MK (well in October) but that's my goal for 2011...what better way to celebrate a milestone birthday

 

[DARuss]

It's just one of my many Disney goals...

Great! Welcome to the fray! Yeah, I have worried about the Pop Warner days a bit, which is why the my dates are tentative. We are planning on using frequent flyer miles to get out to Florida, so we will have to watch that though. Thanks for joining!! And of course you are allowed. No Boys Allowed ---> ditching the husband/boyfriend types.

Courtney

Not sure I would be allowed since I am hubby of CleanLady.

 

[jewels1916]

Not sure I would be allowed since I am hubby of CleanLady.

Hm...should rephrase...we are ditching our husband/boyfriend types...and only for the trip. The boys hear more than their fair share of the Disney fodder between now and then!

Speaking of Christmas...I do want to try and go in December 2011 when I turn 40...so does the MK (well in October) but that's my goal for 2011...what better way to celebrate a milestone birthday

Sounds like a great way to spend a milestone b-day! My b-day is just at a weird time for me to go...April. Boo...perhaps when I turn 25....I am trying to convince my mother to do something super fun for that year, for the two of us, because it is our 1/2 b-days! By 1/2 I mean....25/50. I turn 25 and she turns 50 within a month of each other...needless to say I am more in a partying spirit about it than she is...and I've been harassing her about it since I was 16!

 

[Disneyfan71]

Jewels--that's awesome..My mom was 52 when I was 26..a long time ago now but it's really neat. Sorry you can't go in April. But I am looking forward to reading your PTR

 

[DARuss]

Hm...should rephrase...we are ditching our husband/boyfriend types...and only for the trip. The boys hear more than their fair share of the Disney fodder between now and then!

Sounds like ya'll are gonna have a great time. It is very nice of you to take girls only vacation in the heart of football season. Just sayin. I'm sure they will be GUD while you are away.

 

[kellbelle0618]

Yes, I am getting married in September and Courtney has convinced me to ditch my new husband for a week in December to go on a girl's trip to Disney! It didn't really take much convincing though....I am very excited!

Just kind of wanted to say hi, and let everyone know that I do exist

Courtney has been doing such a good job of posting for us.

 

[lazidazi07]

How fun! I'm trying to plan a trip with one of my girlfriends as well, so this should be a great PTR! And of course, as an Okie, I have to read this! Stillwater is such a fun place.

 

[jewels1916]

How fun! I'm trying to plan a trip with one of my girlfriends as well, so this should be a great PTR! And of course, as an Okie, I have to read this! Stillwater is such a fun place.

Welcome aboard!! Where abouts are you from in OK? I miss it....Kelly and I are already discussing the possibilities of going to a football game next season...

 

[pipermae]

Joining in!!! I can't wait to hear some of your plans!

 

[lazidazi07]

Welcome aboard!! Where abouts are you from in OK? I miss it....Kelly and I are already discussing the possibilities of going to a football game next season...

I'm from Tulsa but going to school at Northeastern State. I love the smaller school atmosphere here but I love going to Stillwater for the weekends! I've never been to a football game but I'm thinking about doing that next season as well. GO POKES! lol

 

[jewels1916]

Ok, I would like to state that it took NO convincing on my part to get Kelly to agree to this trip. Infact, I would like to submit into evidence the conversation that took place.

Courtney's facebook status says: Courtney is ready to go back to Disney World!
Kelly replies: I'll go to Disney World with you.
Courtney: I kinda want to go in December. It's not too crowded, from what I hear, and I would love to see all the Christmas decorations. Are you sure you want to go then, so soon after you and Brad get married and you move off to San Antonio?
Kelly: He won't mind. I'll ask him. I don't really like him that much anyways. *calls Brad (I was not privy to this conversation).
Kelly: He says it's ok with him! He ordered me the planning video!

So, that is how this all came about! And, if it's in italics, I made it up. The rest is ALL true!

Onward! (I'm watching Pirates of the Carribbean right now ) You've met the characters, how about some details?
Details: Well, the trip is slated for December, right now the dates we are looking at are the 3rd-8th. I am waiting on the dates of Pop Warner to be released until we finalize.

Next stop, resorts.
We decided that to work out a budget, we would choose one resort in each category, and figure out approximate costs. Then, based on those numbers, we would make our decision.
Value:
Pop Century - Neither of us have stayed there, Kelly hasn't even been to WDW since it was opened, and it looks like fun.
Moderate:
Port Orleans French Quarter - This was a tough one. I haven't stayed in any of the moderate resorts, so it took a loooong time to weigh the pros and cons. Kelly mentioned that her Mom had stayed at Dixie Landings back in the day, and really enjoyed it.
Deluxe:
Animal Kingdom Lodge - Kelly and I both thought this resort looked like a lot of fun. My personal favorite that I have stayed in is the Wilderness Lodge, and I would go back in a heart beat, but since it is my goal to stay at all the resorts I can't have any repeats until I have!

So those are the three resorts that we looked at. Based on budgeting, we've decided to stay at POFQ. Though....we may consider upgrading based on what discounts are available for the time we are going. We're hoping for the free dining. She and I both are Disney Visa cardholders so we want to take advantage of that. We are also looking at using frequent flyer miles. The more we knock of the trip, the better!

POFQ looks great, which is why we've decided on that one! Neither of us have ever even been to the resort, and I have been scouring the web looking at all the pics, and especially the Christmas ones. I am sooo excited! I could probably stay in a cardboard box just inside the big Welcome to Disney World sign and be happy. *sigh*

*ok, I just have to note that I took a brief hiatus from working on this post because Kelly was sending me pics of the two wedding dresses she is trying to decide between.

This has been a picture-less post! That's not any fun!! So how about a few of my favorite pictures from past Disney trips? (these will probably appear every once in a while!)

DSis and DMom

DBro - So cool. Heh.

DMom and Me - Figment is her favorite!

DDad - Poor Dad. We do this to him a lot, putting hats on him. He's such a good sport.

And...just for a change of pace....a Court and Kells pic!

Kelly and I are in the process of narrowing down our list of restaurants that we want to go to. We've decided to each make a list of the restaurants that we want to eat at, and the top 5 that match will be the ones that we try and make our ADRs for. Any suggestions? You see our lists coming up next!

Good night!
Courtney

 

[Disneyfan71]

I'm so happy for you going...wish we could go back in December too It's just so exciting planning a trip too