Warming our mouse ears in mid-February

[amyj1024]

This is my very first trip report... I thought it might be fun to share our trip details with others that will appreciate the thought and planning you put into a WDW trip!! Plus it will save my DH for listening to me talk thru all of our decisions about our trip...

So here we go...
Our Cast is

Me-Amy: Mom, wife, teacher, scrapbooker, Disney fanatic....

DH-Ry: Dad, husband, construction worker, hater of hot places, no quite a Disney fan...yet, our first trip swayed him when he saw DD lighting up at everything there!

DD-Emily: Age 6, first grader, Loves Tink and the Fairies--smart, artistic, sensitive.

DS-Joe: age 2, funny, smart, a boy of few words, memory like steel trap, enjoys things that are mechanical in nature and watching how things work...

We are also going with our good friends the McNulty's. Actually that is how we happened about this trip! They bought into DVC and the awesome friends they are, invited us to join them for their first trip!! We planned our last trip, in October 2008, together...but we learned a lot from that trip--as we barely saw each other during that trip! I need to add a picture later!

But they consist of
Cathy: Teacher, Mom, and co-conspiritar in planning this trip
DH-Mike: My DH's best friend from High School
DS-Quinn 4, almost 5!
DS-Liam 2

Our trip is planned for February 9th to the 15th. My DH's first question was are you sure you can have fun then, the temperature won't be that warm (as I love warm weather). Umm...hello?? It's Disney! Of course I'll have fun!

I really didn't think we be taking another Disney trip this soon after our last, like I said DH isn't 'into' Disney like I am. But seeing as how we got invited and we also had a family tragedy this summer (my step-mother in-law died suddenly at 47 of a brain aneurysm) we are trying to live in the moment and not put things off, enjoy our children, and each other....This was the perfect opportunity.

And here's the other fun trip secret...my kids don't know we are going! We are surprising them at Christmas! I think DD asks at least once a month about going to Disney...I'm doing a good job in turning her into as big of a Disney freak as I am. More soon... planning, planning, and more planning!

 

[amyj1024]

Our Meal Planning...

I am a big fan of the DDP, and we will be doing that again on this trip. We had our first experience with it on our last trip and I couldn't have been more pleased. It was plenty of food for us, and that even included for Joe--who can't get the DDP since he isn't old enough for a ticket.

So like many of the dis-ers on this board..we were up against that October 27th date for booking ADR's. We had our tentative plans according to crown predictions, etc... but of course nothing could be finalized until those February calendars came out on the 26 and 27.

We had a list a mile long of places we were trying to fit into our 5 days in the World! It took a lot of back and forth narrowing it down. We also went back and forth about doing the Fantasmic dinner at Mama Melrose. Unfortunately this one lost out...we decided with the 2 young boys maybe Fantasmic would be better off saving that for a future trip.

I like to plan out our ADR's I feel like it gives us a starting place for how to plan our days in the World.
So here's what we decided upon....

Dinner Wednesday night will be at T-rex in Downtown Disney. Never been--hoping we don't have 4 screaming kids in the restaurant.

Storybook Breakfast at Akershus on Thursday morning...this will be a repeat for us, but new for our friends. Their son, Quinn, decided that he likes pricesses. My DD thinks this is the weirdest thing ever! But it will be fun and it was one of Emily's favorite! I figure I might only have a few princess years left! I think it is also at this meal that we will 'surprise' our friend's kids, but we'll see how that works out!

Then Dinner will be at Biergarten. DH is a big beer fanatic and I like to be sure and fit in some "man fun" for him at the World. I fully expect to gain at least 10 lbs this day...

Friday we will have breakfast at Liberty Tree Tavern. I was really hoping to get into Crystal Palace this trip, as the refurb was suppose to be done on the 13th, but the ADR person said the 15th..so it will have to wait. However, Pooh and his friends are suppose to be at the Liberty Tree so I am excited about that. We loved Chef Mickeys and are trying to do more Character Dining this trip! Another exciting thing about this meal is that we will get into the park before it opens. I am so looking forward to pictures on main street and the castle with so little people in it. On our last trip we got into Epcot early but somehow that isn't just the same for me....MK is my favorite park.
We are also planning on doing a CS meal while we wait in our spots for Spectro and then watching Wishes! I hope this works out for us, and if anyone has a good recommendation for how to do this, I would appreciate any input!

Dinner on the 13 will be at Chef Mickey's. We were trying to avoid MK on the weekend...since we know that crowds will grow on the weekend of presidents day! But we also wanted to avoid Hollywood on Fantasmic day...that didn't work out so well!!

Our last day will be the Garden Grill in Epcot. Again another Character meal...The Land is also one of my favorites at Future World. So I am really hoping we are happy with the meal!

That's all for meals now, we don't have CS meals planned out and might just do those more spontaneously...that worked out for us last time since we ate near where ever we were
Any feedback on any of our meals?? We purposely did a lot of buffets or family style because of the 2 young ones--that way they can eat/share with the rest of us and we don't have to pay OOP!

 

[amyj1024]

I hoping more dis-ers will read my trip report
Maybe all my planning is too boring!

So on to our itinery..
If you put 2 and 2 together, you have figured out that I will be taking DD out of school, as well as myself. I really have not taken any time like this off of work, but figured after 12 years of teaching--I can give myself a little break. DD is an excellent student, heck she has her own personal teacher at home , and will have no trouble keeping up with the work in class.

We plan on doing 1 day in HS, 2 in Epcot, and 2 in MK.
I had my first experience in AK on our trip October 08, and I know I am in the minority here, but it is not one of my favorite parks. It may have been a combination of the heat, the crowds, and that we didn't ride any big rides cause the kids were little??

What I'm most hopeful this trip is that my son, has a chance to be 40 inches tall this trip! Right now he is 38, and I know 2 inches in 3 months is a lot to go, but he has tall genes so in my mind there is a chance. I know he would love BTMRR and we would probably be able to get DD on a few of those bigger rides if he were able to go with us.

MK is always my favorite park. We plan to hit Fantasy Land first, then head over to Toon Town when it opens. I also want to try and make it to a rope drop at MK. I've never done it! My family isn't the best early risers, so we'll see if that happens. Toon Town is a must for us this trip, since it will probably be our last chance to see it! We missed the Fairy Meet and Greet on our last trip, I think it started like a month after we got there. DD is so excited about that, and we have to hit Mickey and Minnie's houses--she loves those and I know will be sad when they disappear with Toon Town next year.

Some other must see's for us in MK are the Teacups, Small World, Peter Pan...and one of my new favorites--Pooh!

Of course I love a good parade, so we plan on seeing both the 3pm parade and Specto. And I have to see Wishes!! That was the best part of our last trip and almost converted DH into a Disney fan. The reaction from DD when Tinkerbell flew down from the castle was priceless and one we will never forget. Plus DS slept thru the entire thing, so maybe he will make it thru this trip!

Coming next: Epcot plans...
Hoping I get a few readers here!!!

 

[jordanyosh]

Okay, since you are going at the same time. I'll join in!!!!

Come over to my PTR and join in the fun and meet some other folks going at the same time. Don't let the length overwhelm you. You can use the links to get through it and catch up!

 

[jordanyosh]

Because you will be there over President's weekend expect crowds beginning on the 12th, but more on the 13th and 14th. If possible, see the things you want to see on the front side of your trip.

On Friday the 12th-Sunday, the 14th, there is the National High School Cheerleading Championship. The competition is held at Wide World of Sports AND DHS. DHS has also been used as a transportation hub for the competition in the past. With the holiday weekend AND the competition expect DHS to be very busy on Saturday and Sunday in particular.

 

[amyj1024]

Thanks! I will head over to your pre trip report... We did know that it was going to get more crowded as the weekend approached, but I didn't know that the Cheerleading thing was there that weekend. We have our Hollywood day as the first day, so that should work out!

 

[disneychick0412]

Signing on!! We will be there the week of the 8th!!
Can't wait to read more!!

 

[amyj1024]

Epcot: We have devoted 2 days to Epcot this trip. The last trip was short and I regret that we didn't spend more time here! DH really enjoyed the half of a day we were in Epcot, partly because it was less crowded, partly because they serve beer

I love Future World, so we will spend a lot of time there.
I hope to try some of the KidCot stops. Are these worth it?? Any one who can share some tips on if these are worth it for a 6 and 2 year old?
...and I have my fingers crossed that my DS will have grown the 1.5 inches so we can all enjoy Test Track and Soarin' He is my little daredevil, so I have no worries about him being scared on either one of those rides.

We also plan to do The Kim Possible Mission as well. I am most excited about this because I personally do not get that into the World Showcase--I know it is a favorite of many, but for me--not so much. I am hoping the Kim Possible thing will make it more exciting. I also know that the countries are also usually a great place to catch characters without the long lines...at least that's how it use to be, probably 10 years ago!

We plan on hitting a night of Illuminations, and by being at the Boardwalk I am excited about just being able to walk back and forth to Epcot and not deal with the buses!

Now, on to more recent news... My kids have 17 days till they find out we are heading to Disney in Feb. I am very excited but I hope that I am not setting myself up for a big disappointment! They will each get a big box from DH and I. Inside will be t-shirts and a sweatshirt for the trip. A countdown can, DS is getting a clipboard for siggies---hopefully, I have to find time to make that one soon while everyone is in bed, DD already has hers from her last trip. Also, each box will have a red mickey balloon that will float out of the box *hopefully!!* when they open them.
I have to say I am getting a little nervous---we had our first BIG snow storm today, and they talk about many flights being canceled at O'hare...I'm hoping that won't be an issue when we have to leave.

More soon!