Walt Disney World? What's that? 05/18/13

[ItsyBitsy]

Okay, so where shall I start? Well, we are going to the magical World of Walt Disney. It's a gift to our family(of 7) from my sister and I. Both college/recent college graduates we are using this trip as a last hoorah family trip. See my big sister is getting married in 2014 and will be starting a family of her own. Our parents are divorced and both remarried. When we were in high school our mother and our step father had two more kids, Austin and Emerson, who at the time of our trip will be 6 and 3. We've never really gotten to have a full family trip with all of us. Em can be hard to travel with, but, arent all infants and toddlers. We really feel like they are both great ages to bring to the parks for the first time. Speaking of which, the rest of us have only ever been to Disneyland!

So everyone's first, and hopefully not last trip will be in may of next year. We have almost everything planned even though we are still a year away. Trying to get a good feel for the magnitude of WDW compared to DL.

um...... yeah I think that's all for today. I Have lot of plans to share but I'm still warming up to the DISboards.
OH! I almost forgot! here is an introduction of our family!!

Me: Recent college grad - finally just got me big girl job! Obbessed with all crafts, anything disney, cooking, and my dog. Honestly, I'm like a high consentrated 50's house wife.
My Big sister - Whitney: Recently engaged and jsut as all things disney obbsessed as I am. Seriously, we went to see beauty and the beast when it was back in theatres not too long ago... only adults in there without children.
Our mother: Law student and VERY hardworking mother of 5. Also, a bit of an overachiver.
Our step-father: Huge over achiver (no, it didn't rub off on us). Been in our lives since I was about 4 years old and *** much my family as anyone else.
My little brother - Dylan: About to graduate high school. hobbies? Sports? .... no he plays video games.
My baby brother - Austin: Probably the smartest little kid i've ever known. And I really believe that. My step dad taught him to play chess when he was 3! one time helped me finnish a 1,000 piece puzzel. and says some of the wittyiest most smarta$$ things I've ever heard come out of a 5 year olds mouth.
My baby Sister: Girly Girl who just started Dance and gymnastic and spends half her days walking around on her toes singing "Tippy toes" over and over again. Super cute untill about two hours in. Loves anything pink, dolls, trains, and matchbox cars.

Well that's us!

 

[ItsyBitsy]

Okay, so here are our details, well the ones we've worked out so far. We desperatly want this trip to be as stress FREE as possible. Which to me and my sister translates into "Plan every single minute, detail, inch of this darn trip.” Of course we can always stray off task and probably will but at least we know where we are eating dinner at each night and won’t have that “where do you want to eat? I don’t know where do you want to eat?” problem. Ick.

We are going to try to get a grand villa at AKV. Yeah, I know what some of you are thinking. Grand Villa? Is that really necessary? But, yes it is. So the grand villa has 5 beds and one pull out. Naturally most families might share beds (two to a bed) but here is why that simply won’t do for us: There are no normal sleepers in our family. First there is Em, who will be at the old age of 3 at the time of the trip and will need to take naps and will probably go to bed around 8-9 every night. Not that we won’t let her stay up if she wants to but, c’mon what 3 year old can stay up later than 9? Because of her demanding sleeping hours and the fact that she will have just started sleeping in a big girl bed we automatically need one separate bedroom for her. Now we can put Austin in a room with her because of his slightly similar sleeping patterns but they can’t, and won’t share a bed. Then there is my parents of course who will obviously share a bed and it doesn’t really matter where they sleep except of the fact that my brother will still be a teenager at the time of travel and will most likely want to stay up late. My parents will not. Now , I can’t blame it all on my brother as my sister and I are still growing out of that stay awake until 3am and sleep till noon phase in our life. Although, ours is almost out of our system. HOWEVER, my sister and I plan to leave everyone now and again to make our way to DD for a few cocktails during our trip and coming in late at night is sure to awake our family. So all in all, yes; we could have shared a one or two bedroom villa and made it out all right. But could you imagine trying to work out shower/baths with that many people on that many different sleeping patterns? What’s worse could you imagine trying to sleep while one person is up watching TV all night, or two people coming back in to the room at all hours of the night? Or how about have a toddler jump on you to wake you up after you just pulled an all nighter drinking? Not. Fun. So hey, yeah, we are splurging on our room. So sue us. But gosh darn it, we are ALL going to get the sleep we need/want on this trip.

We are having trouble finding an owner who has enough points though. Who woulda thunk it? 774 points hard to get? Luckily, there is David’s vacation points. They are a little more expensive but since I work for southwest our plane tickets will cost NOTHING. So if you subtract the $2,000 dollars we would have spent on airfare the room isn’t costing us that much more than a 2 bdrm. Right? Or am I just telling myself that to make myself feel better? Oh well it’s for the good of my loving family.

But we HAVE to have this room. Austin is OBBSESSED with animals I just can’t stop thinking about how his eyes would light up looking out his window in the morning to see a whole menagerie of animals waiting for him. Not to mention that The Lion King was the first Disney movie Austin ever saw.

My next post shall be about my plans for Dinning. Just so you know it includes a VHS my sister and I watched as children of a sing a long in Disney World.

 

[ItsyBitsy]

Okay, so when we were little my great grandmother used to baby sit us while my parents were at work. We loved those times for my they were filled with homemade ice cream sandwiches, pickles, homemade heart shaped waffles, butterflies (my grandmothers favorite), gum drops, soap operas, fresh tomatoes with salt, watching her knit and embroider, helping her paint different parts of her house and most of all…. DISNEY movies. And while my sister and I both had our favorites there was always one VHS on her shelf we had to watch every. Single. Day. Walt Disney World Sing- Along- Songs. I’m not sure how many people have seen it or remember it but it was basically a bunch of characters (in costume) and kids running around WDW signing different Disney songs. It made us want to go to WDW more than anything in the world and only kindled our passion for all things Disney. – Side story real quick: before we had ever been to any Disney park, we took a family vaca with my father, step mother, step brother, and step sister to Florida where we stopped in Orlando for a week to visit Universal Studios. It KILLED us that we were sooooo close to the mouse that we could see signs everywhere. But alas our parents decided that only we could enjoy Disney whereas the rest of the family could enjoy universal. End side story. – Anyways, in this video there was a part where he is eating pancakes with Winnie the Poo. Every time I watched that I thought “When I go to WDW I’m going to eat pancakes with poo”. And on this trip that is just what I am going to do.

So, what you may be thinking “There are no character breakfasts with Poo.” … Alright, then new plan. We make our own pancakes at the hotel. Wrap the cakes and put them in the cooler. As soon as we successful stalk, ahem, I mean run into, Poo we take a picture and take a bite of pancakes. BAM. Pancakes with Poo. + pancakes = a Juvenile? Yes. But what can I say it’s my childhood dream, and I’m almost too old to get away with it.

As for our real dinning plans? We are thinking the DD plan that has three table service meals per day. We want to eat breakfast in our hotel every morning because we are yogurt/pop-tart/ toast/ cereal people. Not so much bacon and eggs people. Although, after my great grandmother passed I stole her heart shaped waffle iron before my family gave it away to charity. What can I say? I have too many memories associated with those damn heart shaped waffles. Anyways, if we eat breakfast in our hotel than we can use two DD points for dinner and always eat somewhere nice. Now again this may sound frivolous, but, you don’t know my family. We only eat out for special occasions; birthdays, graduations, and when someone get a promotion. So we think it should be fun for us to get to eat out during our trip.

 

[ItsyBitsy]

I forgot to say our trip date. We are going in may of next year. We want to go BEFORE Memorial day but after our mothers, austin and em's school years end. Does anyone know.. is it busy the week before Memorial day?

Anyways, I've been really busy crafting lately. Besides trying to reupholster this terribly awsome mid century chair, I've been making personalized Disney blanket throws for each member of my family. I've taken a few hints from the Budget board and I'm going to try and make or pre buy any thing that austin and em may want during the trip. We are going to let them pick a few things out of course. I heard from another DISer that she gives her kids Disney gift cards each trip and that they get to buy what eer they want with that money plus a shirt, a toy, and I forget what the last thing was. But we really like that. It's been great lately becuase all of the fabirc stores in the KC, MO area have all been having huge sales lately. I've been getting really great disney fabirc for super cheap. Yesterday, I found a starwars fabirc for my step dad and a retro mickey fabric for my mother. Spent less than $10 total on both.

I wanted to add some photos today, HOWEVER, this darn thing wont let me share photos properly. I don't really understand whats going on.

 

[francis6306]

I see you are still "earning your ears" which means they want you to post more comments before they give you the option to post pictures! Just read and comment on some other pretrip reports and eventually you will get those "rights."

How many nights will you be there? Did I miss that? Can't wait to see how your plans come together!!

 

[ItsyBitsy]

I see you are still "earning your ears" which means they want you to post more comments before they give you the option to post pictures! Just read and comment on some other pretrip reports and eventually you will get those "rights."

How many nights will you be there? Did I miss that? Can't wait to see how your plans come together!!

Thanks! I'll try to post more.
And, no you didn't miss that. I completly forgot! We are going for 8 days. only spending 7 in the parks. We would go for longer but none of us want to use all of our vacation days at work on one trip.

 

[ZehnJahren]

If you can't get a grand villa or rent enough points to get one, you could consider renting a two bedroom for your family and a studio for you and your sister. That might be easier to come by (but possibly more points; I didn't check!). Then, you could also rent from two separate renters owners so you aren't trying to get over 700 points from one person! I'd just make SURE that the person you're renting from has good references.

Also, your brother could still sleep on the pull out in one of the bedrooms; if he's up late and the rest of the family is not, he's not going to be in the bedroom, he'll be in the living room. Also, add to that: Disney is EXHAUSTING. He might be up until 2 a.m. on a usual Saturday night, but he also wasn't walking 12-16 miles in the heat and sun all day.

Here's a site that is super interesting and very very helpful while planning your trip. It won't have dates for next year yet - but it will soon enough! I've used it the last two times I planned and it's a lot of fun; this month is September because that's when I'm going, but Josh covers every month as the crowd calendars open:
Easywdw monthly crowd calendar

Don't forget that you need to have your photos stored somewhere like Photobucket or Flickr to post them here! You appear to have enough posts now, so it should work for you.

Good luck!!

 

[ItsyBitsy]

If you can't get a grand villa or rent enough points to get one, you could consider renting a two bedroom for your family and a studio for you and your sister. That might be easier to come by (but possibly more points; I didn't check!). Then, you could also rent from two separate renters owners so you aren't trying to get over 700 points from one person! I'd just make SURE that the person you're renting from has good references.

Also, your brother could still sleep on the pull out in one of the bedrooms; if he's up late and the rest of the family is not, he's not going to be in the bedroom, he'll be in the living room. Also, add to that: Disney is EXHAUSTING. He might be up until 2 a.m. on a usual Saturday night, but he also wasn't walking 12-16 miles in the heat and sun all day.

Here's a site that is super interesting and very very helpful while planning your trip. It won't have dates for next year yet - but it will soon enough! I've used it the last two times I planned and it's a lot of fun; this month is September because that's when I'm going, but Josh covers every month as the crowd calendars open:
Easywdw monthly crowd calendar

Don't forget that you need to have your photos stored somewhere like Photobucket or Flickr to post them here! You appear to have enough posts now, so it should work for you.

Good luck!!

It's super funny you posted this today because RIGHT before I got on here I got on Mousowners.com. Someone just sent me a PM saying they would have the points after october. When getting references should I ask for phone numbers or email adresses? is there anything I can do to safe guard my self? after all this reveration will be over 7 grand.

I thought about going in September but with my mother, austin, emerson, and dylan hopefully in college we didnt think there was ANYWAY way that we could pull that many people out of school. But at all the sites I've seen so far it seems liek September would be perfect.

I have a photobucket account its jsut when I try ot post them it comes up with a little red "x".

Anyways, hopefully this owner actually does have the points I need or we may be doing it your way. Which is fine. But we would really love to be together.

 

[ItsyBitsy]

this is a test picture of austin on his first plane ride this past month.

 

[ItsyBitsy]

Great okay now that that worked here are a few more of our "crew"

This is Em on her new bike:

Our mother and Austin at our parents lake house:

Whitney and Emerson - why she looks so grumpy, I have no idea.

And last but not least, my step-father, Dylan, and Austin - Dylan and austin just caught a huge fish... needless to say Austin was VERY upset when we put him back in the water.

 

[francis6306]

Thanks! I'll try to post more.
And, no you didn't miss that. I completly forgot! We are going for 8 days. only spending 7 in the parks. We would go for longer but none of us want to use all of our vacation days at work on one trip.

I totally understand! I had to use up a ton of vacay days for our trip in 2010, but we coupled our Disney trip with Christmas and a wedding. Crazy!

Good luck figuring out the hotel options!

 

[ItsyBitsy]

Today I was lucky enough to get the day off. I have been reupholstering this mid century chair, did I mention that already? So I had to make a trip to a few different craft/fabric stores. While I was there I scored these really awesome Disney character stickers. They were $0.20 each! Since I wanted to make autograph books for Austin and Em I grabed two of every character I saw. Here is what I got: Lilo and Stich, Mickey, Goofy, Minnie, Pluto, Belle in a gold dress and a blue, Ariel, Tiana, Buzz, Woody, Rupunzele, Winnie the Pooh, Alice, Mary Poppins, The Mad Hatter, Cinderella, Pheneas, Pherb(spelling?) and Perry, Snow white and all the 7 dwarfs, 3 different evil queens, and some "It's a small world" themed stickers that I thought would be cool for my scrapbook. Since a few of them were package deals - Like Belle came with the beast and Cinderella came with her step-relatives- I only paid $3 with tax for a LOT of characters. It's cool too though because they are the Nicer scrap booking 3d stickers, the ones with different layers. Anyone who scrapbooks knows that these things are usually like $5 each.

I also found these Design Your Own snack bowls with lids. You know the mugs that you get at craft stores that either you can add photo inside or they come with a coloring page that fits perfectly for your kids to color in. They are usually plastic and your have to remove the pictures or paper inside before you wash it? They look like this:

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/design-a-mug-741769/

Well I found a snack bowl version of it in the clearence section of Hobby Lobby. Only $2.50 each. I'm going to decorate the inside with some of the stickers I found today. I got two, one each for austin and em. I thought they would be nice for taking disney shaped cheese nips and fruit snacks into the park to keep them distracted while in line and what not. Also, not bad for storing chips they could finish at lunch but will want 10 min later after we've thrown them away.

Also, Found THE coolest Perry fabric for Austin's blanket today. It was on sale at JoAnnes for $3 a yard!






I discovered Disney Movie Rewards last night. Too cool. I'm really glad that I've saved all those papers that come inside Disney DVDs - I never knew they were worth anything. Anyways, It's a bummer that you can only enter so many codes at one time. I have just over 1,000 points and can't enter any more codes until tomorrow. I can't decide if I want to cash in the points for a few $10 gift cards or get some of the super cool stuff they have on there for Austin and Em. I did get a free blue ray of tinkerbelle today though. Em is SUPER excitted to have her "own" movie. Austin hates tinkerbell.

 

[ItsyBitsy]

There is this REALLY great couponer that has her own blog. And yeah, yeah, yeah Doesn't EVERY extreme couponer have there own blog anymore? The cool thing about her, or maybe cool is the wrong word since the reason I love her is pretty dorky, but she coupons FOR Disney.

Anyways, this week I've been introduced to SO many things. As I siad before Disney Movie Rewards but also eBate, MyPoints, and SwagBucks. I was already a eRewards person but I didn't realize there were WAY better companies out there that gave you actually money and gift certificates. eRewards only gives you coupons or frequent flyer miles. Anyways, after getting a free bluray and 4 $10 disney gift certificates I am VERY excited to start these other things. Also, Did you know that at coin star you don't get charged a fee if you put your money on a gift card?

Here is a link to her blog. It's BEAUTIFULLY laid out. Take a look:
http://www.couponingtodisney.com/

Okay, in other news I've gone a little crazy with Pre-Buying Disney gifts for my family... Okay, and myself.
I haven't gotten anything FROM the Disney Store/Disney.com. Everything has come from Etsy.

I. AM. OBSESSED. WITH. ETSY.

So far I've gotten a pair of handpainted chracter themed Disney TOMS, and these SUPER cool coin purses. Now, normally because I am a fairly crafty person when I see something hand sewn I ususally think I could make that - and then I do. However, everynow and then I come across something I feel like was too good of an idea I am mad I didn't come up with it and I feel the need to support this craft god/goddess in her/his endevors. I just have to purchase these coin purse, made of felt, complete with Disney characters. And I just think they are almost too cute. Girl should sell the rights to disney and make a fortune. She does custom orders (Jungle Book Please!) Here are the picture of them and here is a link to her store:
http://www.etsy.com/people/LauraAshleeOriginals?ref=ls_profile

 

[francis6306]

I love Etsy too!! Such cute stuff!!!

 

[ItsyBitsy]

Okay, I've been a tad neglectful of my PTR. I've been speding most of my time reading other TR, on the DIS boutique wall and random other post.

Anyways, here's what as happened since the last episode of my WDW PTR:

I had an adventure being a chaperone for Austins kindergarten class when they took a trip to the zoo not to long ago. (Pictures to follow) It was my first time.

Austin Graduated kindergarten with flying colors.

Emerson figured out that "Sissy" was not a name but a shorter way to say "Sister". For the longest time Whitney was "Sissy" and I was not.

I got a new sewing machine which is good because the cording foot on my old one broke and put my chair on pause.

I've been up to my knees in Bridal shower planning.

This weekend is probably the happiest moment of my life as EVERY single fabric store is having huge Memorial Day sales.


I haven't planned much more on the Disney topic. DBS (Dear Baby Sister) a Disney Animators Doll - Repunzel. That's the most disney related my life has been this month

 

[Alysa]

Great trip report and cute family!

So, what you may be thinking “There are no character breakfasts with Poo.” … Alright, then new plan. We make our own pancakes at the hotel. Wrap the cakes and put them in the cooler. As soon as we successful stalk, ahem, I mean run into, Poo we take a picture and take a bite of pancakes. BAM. Pancakes with Poo. + pancakes = a Juvenile? Yes. But what can I say it’s my childhood dream, and I’m almost too old to get away with it.

I am actually thinking there is a breakfast with Pooh, at the Crystal Palace (or a lunch or dinner but if you want pancakes, then breakfast it is)

You'll love AKV - they are just beautiful! $7000 though, wow, ouch, that is more than a 1/3 of our entire original DVC purchase price! I wonder, with the way the resale market is right now, if you could actually buy into DVC for not much more than that!

Anyway, everything is so cute so far - looking forward to hearing more!

 

[ItsyBitsy]

Great trip report and cute family!



I am actually thinking there is a breakfast with Pooh, at the Crystal Palace (or a lunch or dinner but if you want pancakes, then breakfast it is)

You'll love AKV - they are just beautiful! $7000 though, wow, ouch, that is more than a 1/3 of our entire original DVC purchase price! I wonder, with the way the resale market is right now, if you could actually buy into DVC for not much more than that!

Anyway, everything is so cute so far - looking forward to hearing more!

You know, The owner actually bailed on us. I might look into that. It would be nice to own.