javamom
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- Jan 11, 2006
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Ultimate Kool-Aid Shot: DVC, Star Wars, Storms, PICS and Video - OH MY!
Its time again! The Kool-Aid Family is getting ready for another grand adventure! For those in the know, you may remember that our December 2006 Christmas Trip was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. I spent nearly a year planning it and transforming, not only myself, but the whole family into certified Disney geeks. I spent hours researching, and reading trip reports. I shared them with the family. By the time our Christmas trip arrived, we were ready for the time of our lives. We were not disappointed!
Something happened to us over that year, which was only sealed by our great trip! We went from being a family that didnt take real vacations, to a family determined to take them. We owe that change in our mindset, to Disney for sure, but also to all of the crazy/imaginary/internet (NOAlGore) friends that we have made along the way. My kids s t i l l sing Brains on a Bun from time to time; although, I am sure that the HappyHaunt kiddos have since moved on to better things - like the alphabet to the tune of Walk This Way. Love ya, Mel. Mean it. But I digress
For those not acquainted with our crew, we are as follows:
Me Javamom
Steph: Soon to be 40 (how did that happen?), wife, mother, and full time worker bee (in that order). Addicted to coffee, Disney, and my laptop. I am a glass half-full-find-the humor-in-most-things kind of gal. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff, and the older I get, the more things fall into that category. On the other hand, patience is NOT one of my virtues and never will be.
Crashdad
- Mike: Just turned 40 (yeah he beat me there), husband, father, full time worker bee (in that order). Addicted to Starbucks, Ebay, any used truck for sale in a parking lot, and of course, his family. Hes an all around good guy and loves to share Disney with his family, a glass-half-empty-but-will-definitely-surprise-you kind of guy.
Jack Skellington :
DS 18 (how on Earth did that happen, either?), newly gradumacated from High School. Addicted to his cell phone (if I had known that getting him one would mean the end of any intelligent discourse from him, he wouldnt have it), seemingly the entire female population of the planet, and his facial hair. This trip is to celebrate his gradumacation, his Moms 40th birthday, and Fathers Day. What can we say, June is a bonus month for us!?
Princess Belle :
DD 9 (going on 16 it seems), sweetness-and-spice-and-everything-nice-with-a-mean-left-hook (just ask her little brother). Addicted to the Disney channel, coffee (if Id let her dont leave a cup unattended or shell down it), and generally all things girlie. She has a generous spirit (usually) and is a delight. Has her Daddy wrapped tightly around her finger, right where he belongs!
Peter Pan :
DS 8, energetic, smart, and never at a loss for words. Hes addicted to kick boxing matches against his Dad and brother, tormenting his sister, and trying to charm everyone else whenever possible. He seriously knows how to pour it on. He will exasperate you one moment and then soothe you the next. He lives, loves, and plays with all of his heart. He likes nothing quite so much as collapsing into a heap of giggles and laughter.
So that is the crew, in all their infamy.
Objectives for this trip:
A) Have fun
7) Celebrate everything: gradumacation, 40th Birthday, and Fathers Day.
ii) Experience Star Wars Weekend
22/7) Get our first Disney Vacation Club Welcome Home
***) Have fun
tan) Dont get lost driving
sin) Have fun
?) Did I mention Have fun enough?
So, this pre-tip has its roots in our December 2006 trip. We took the DVC tour thinking Wow, that sure would be cool, but not at this time. We filed that away as a dream that would just remain exactly that. However, Summer rolled around and we decided that we were going to take another trip back to Disney to meet up with some of our favorite Viking friends. Yeah, we were heading back. Had the trip booked, even. Just as soon as that reality sunk in, we (ok, I) grabbed the bank statement and had a meeting with Crashdad. The reality sunk in that the totality of the trips that we had taken, would have half paid for the DVC points that we could have used... and used, and used, and used. Given that we were already headed back to Disney after our once in a lifetime trip, it was clear to us that we were going to be returning to Disney again and again. The money was already spent (so to speak). So, we bought some DVC points. DVC works for us, your vacation spending habits may vary so do what works for you.
Since Crashdad decided to down the Ultimate Kool-Aid Shot with me, it was decided that he got to pick the when and where of our next trip. We had to cancel our trip to meet up with our Viking friends in lieu of our DVC purchase (but there well be other trips for that, yay!). So, Crashdad has always been a Star wars fan.
You may remember Exhibit A:
Sorry, I had to do it to drive in the whole why-are-we-going-in-June-to-sweat-with-strangers-dressed-up-in-sheets thing.
So, he was keen on Star Wars Weekend. I warned him that the weather would be similar to what it was when we took our couples trip in October of 2006, only probably a bit MORE humid. Still, that is what he wanted to do. So, that is what we booked: 5 nights at the Boardwalk Villas in a guaranteed Boardwalk view 1BR.
What he did not know, yet, was how we were going to get there this time. Last time, we flew on change-your-flight-a-million-times, I mean Delta. I booked waaaaaaayy out. This time, we werent sure if we would fly or try to drive it. We mulled it over for months back and forth. I kept checking rates and flight times, etc. As time got nearer, the flights disappeared and the gas prices started rising. Entirely too late, we decided to fly. So, I debated flying Allegiant into Sanford, or Airtran, Southwest, etc into MCO. Finally, I found some decent-ish fares on Southwest out of KC and booked. I am still hoping for a DING rate, though.
Well, would you know it, it ended up being cheaper to fly a day earlier and book a first night at Pop Century using my, recently purchased, AP rate!! Yay, another night of Disney!! We decided to rent a car this time, too. So, that has given me something new to obsess, I mean, worry about. Will we get lost? I never researched routes etc, because we knew we were taking Magical Express. I am going to have to grill my crazy/imaginary/internet friends for info, as we will be stopping to get snacks and stuff for the kitchen. So lemme know folks, where should I stop for supplies on my way from Pop Century to Boardwalk???
So, we are indeed flying into MCO. I am thrilled and, even, a bit sad that I wont have thousands of miles worth of conversations like this to share with you all:
Mom, Belle/Peter/Jack keeps kicking me in the back of the seat.
Mom, Jack just belched/farted/looked at my face on purpose.
Dad, are we there yet?
I have to go to the bathroom yes, again. Really bad. NOW!
Me: Peter, if you kick me in the back of the seat again, I will lash you to the roof of the car just like that old lady in that movie we watched where they went to Wallyworld.
To which, Peter would likely reply: Really? Cooooool, can I?
Then I would just sigh and tell Crashdad, Stop laughing, it only encourages him.
Of course, we are also going to miss out on Peter doing his tour guide schpeel. Seriously, he started doing this one-day out of the blue. He put on his best monorail-announcer-voice and started giving us a play by play, with commentary, of the sights and sounds of our fair-ish city.
It went something like this:
On our right, ladies and gentleman, is The Worst McDonalds In The World, we will not be stopping there. Coming up next is the big tree that got hit by lightening; I think that squirrels are still living in it though. Good for them
This goes on for a while and then, finally:
If you turn to your left, you will now see that we are approaching our destination. Please remain seated until the vehicle comes to a complete stop and take small children by the hand. Thank you.
After I finished cracking up, he looked up at me straight-faced and said, What? Im Tour Guide Peter!
The child is a sponge - no hes a Super Shammy. He soaks it up, stores it away and then unleashes it at will.
So, by NOT driving, we have saved us, and you dear reader, from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of a cross-country trek with the Kool-Aid Family. Good thing because I wasnt feeling particularly lucky, or punky, for that matter.
Ok, so I will end this pre-trip here for now and go make a packing list. If you have any info on the toll amounts, routes from the airport, where to shop, or any other comments, Id love to hear them!
Thanks!
Post links:
Ultimate Kool-Aid Shot: DVC, Star Wars, Storms OH MY!
Day 1 Departure Day Thursday June 5th, 2008 and Day 2
Day 2 Friday, June 6th Continued
Day 3 Sunday, June 8th Jedi, Sith, Heat OH MY!
Day 3 Contined Crashdads Adventures Without Me
Day 4 - 6/9/2008 Breakfast has a ropedrop, Wishes, Spectro, pics and video
Day 5 - 6/10/2008 The Family Splits UP
Day 6 - 6/11/2008 - Gearing up for that HOT Date!
Its time again! The Kool-Aid Family is getting ready for another grand adventure! For those in the know, you may remember that our December 2006 Christmas Trip was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. I spent nearly a year planning it and transforming, not only myself, but the whole family into certified Disney geeks. I spent hours researching, and reading trip reports. I shared them with the family. By the time our Christmas trip arrived, we were ready for the time of our lives. We were not disappointed!
Something happened to us over that year, which was only sealed by our great trip! We went from being a family that didnt take real vacations, to a family determined to take them. We owe that change in our mindset, to Disney for sure, but also to all of the crazy/imaginary/internet (NOAlGore) friends that we have made along the way. My kids s t i l l sing Brains on a Bun from time to time; although, I am sure that the HappyHaunt kiddos have since moved on to better things - like the alphabet to the tune of Walk This Way. Love ya, Mel. Mean it. But I digress
For those not acquainted with our crew, we are as follows:
Me Javamom
Steph: Soon to be 40 (how did that happen?), wife, mother, and full time worker bee (in that order). Addicted to coffee, Disney, and my laptop. I am a glass half-full-find-the humor-in-most-things kind of gal. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff, and the older I get, the more things fall into that category. On the other hand, patience is NOT one of my virtues and never will be.Crashdad
Jack Skellington :
Princess Belle :
Peter Pan :
So that is the crew, in all their infamy.
Objectives for this trip:
A) Have fun
7) Celebrate everything: gradumacation, 40th Birthday, and Fathers Day.
ii) Experience Star Wars Weekend
22/7) Get our first Disney Vacation Club Welcome Home
***) Have fun
tan) Dont get lost driving
sin) Have fun
?) Did I mention Have fun enough?
So, this pre-tip has its roots in our December 2006 trip. We took the DVC tour thinking Wow, that sure would be cool, but not at this time. We filed that away as a dream that would just remain exactly that. However, Summer rolled around and we decided that we were going to take another trip back to Disney to meet up with some of our favorite Viking friends. Yeah, we were heading back. Had the trip booked, even. Just as soon as that reality sunk in, we (ok, I) grabbed the bank statement and had a meeting with Crashdad. The reality sunk in that the totality of the trips that we had taken, would have half paid for the DVC points that we could have used... and used, and used, and used. Given that we were already headed back to Disney after our once in a lifetime trip, it was clear to us that we were going to be returning to Disney again and again. The money was already spent (so to speak). So, we bought some DVC points. DVC works for us, your vacation spending habits may vary so do what works for you.
Since Crashdad decided to down the Ultimate Kool-Aid Shot with me, it was decided that he got to pick the when and where of our next trip. We had to cancel our trip to meet up with our Viking friends in lieu of our DVC purchase (but there well be other trips for that, yay!). So, Crashdad has always been a Star wars fan.
You may remember Exhibit A:
Sorry, I had to do it to drive in the whole why-are-we-going-in-June-to-sweat-with-strangers-dressed-up-in-sheets thing.
So, he was keen on Star Wars Weekend. I warned him that the weather would be similar to what it was when we took our couples trip in October of 2006, only probably a bit MORE humid. Still, that is what he wanted to do. So, that is what we booked: 5 nights at the Boardwalk Villas in a guaranteed Boardwalk view 1BR.
What he did not know, yet, was how we were going to get there this time. Last time, we flew on change-your-flight-a-million-times, I mean Delta. I booked waaaaaaayy out. This time, we werent sure if we would fly or try to drive it. We mulled it over for months back and forth. I kept checking rates and flight times, etc. As time got nearer, the flights disappeared and the gas prices started rising. Entirely too late, we decided to fly. So, I debated flying Allegiant into Sanford, or Airtran, Southwest, etc into MCO. Finally, I found some decent-ish fares on Southwest out of KC and booked. I am still hoping for a DING rate, though.
Well, would you know it, it ended up being cheaper to fly a day earlier and book a first night at Pop Century using my, recently purchased, AP rate!! Yay, another night of Disney!! We decided to rent a car this time, too. So, that has given me something new to obsess, I mean, worry about. Will we get lost? I never researched routes etc, because we knew we were taking Magical Express. I am going to have to grill my crazy/imaginary/internet friends for info, as we will be stopping to get snacks and stuff for the kitchen. So lemme know folks, where should I stop for supplies on my way from Pop Century to Boardwalk???
So, we are indeed flying into MCO. I am thrilled and, even, a bit sad that I wont have thousands of miles worth of conversations like this to share with you all:
Mom, Belle/Peter/Jack keeps kicking me in the back of the seat.
Mom, Jack just belched/farted/looked at my face on purpose.
Dad, are we there yet?
I have to go to the bathroom yes, again. Really bad. NOW!
Me: Peter, if you kick me in the back of the seat again, I will lash you to the roof of the car just like that old lady in that movie we watched where they went to Wallyworld.
To which, Peter would likely reply: Really? Cooooool, can I?
Then I would just sigh and tell Crashdad, Stop laughing, it only encourages him.
Of course, we are also going to miss out on Peter doing his tour guide schpeel. Seriously, he started doing this one-day out of the blue. He put on his best monorail-announcer-voice and started giving us a play by play, with commentary, of the sights and sounds of our fair-ish city.
It went something like this:
On our right, ladies and gentleman, is The Worst McDonalds In The World, we will not be stopping there. Coming up next is the big tree that got hit by lightening; I think that squirrels are still living in it though. Good for them
This goes on for a while and then, finally:
If you turn to your left, you will now see that we are approaching our destination. Please remain seated until the vehicle comes to a complete stop and take small children by the hand. Thank you.
After I finished cracking up, he looked up at me straight-faced and said, What? Im Tour Guide Peter!
The child is a sponge - no hes a Super Shammy. He soaks it up, stores it away and then unleashes it at will.
So, by NOT driving, we have saved us, and you dear reader, from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of a cross-country trek with the Kool-Aid Family. Good thing because I wasnt feeling particularly lucky, or punky, for that matter.
Ok, so I will end this pre-trip here for now and go make a packing list. If you have any info on the toll amounts, routes from the airport, where to shop, or any other comments, Id love to hear them!
Thanks!
Post links:
Ultimate Kool-Aid Shot: DVC, Star Wars, Storms OH MY!
Day 1 Departure Day Thursday June 5th, 2008 and Day 2
Day 2 Friday, June 6th Continued
Day 3 Sunday, June 8th Jedi, Sith, Heat OH MY!
Day 3 Contined Crashdads Adventures Without Me
Day 4 - 6/9/2008 Breakfast has a ropedrop, Wishes, Spectro, pics and video
Day 5 - 6/10/2008 The Family Splits UP
Day 6 - 6/11/2008 - Gearing up for that HOT Date!
Steph can't wait to hear about your adventures this time. Take lots of pictures of your new home!! 
