We just can't help it - Updated: Finally paid the trip off!!!

[disndatworld]

We just can’t help it

So here's a pretrip report for those of us that just can't wait... We start planning the day we leave. It doesn't make us sad to leave... because it's just the beginning.

You know the story... You went last year. You’re heading back again this year. The main difference is everybody is a little older. I don’t know about you, but we took some video last year and the kids watch it all the time. Seriously, they are always asking to watch last year’s Disney trip video. We got video picking them up from school on Friday to head to the park-n-fly hotel, video on the plane, on the Magical Express bus, entering the resort, video of the hotel fountains and all the parks and rides. Really, you have to ask yourself why go back if you can watch it on DVD? And your family is the star of the show!​

But you just can’t help it. So you plan another trip. Here’s the breakdown of our trip for this year:

Dates: 12/8-12/16

The cast:

Me (I am a DH to DW) – I am 35. I meant to have 1 kid. She wants more, so we’ll compromise. Truth is I could not ask for anything better than the 14 years we’ve been married. The kids, the fun, the trials and successes.

DW – 35 (3 months older than me – this matters sometimes). She wanted 3 kids. We compromised at 3 kids (some compromise, huh!) She is the greatest girl in the world. She’s a lot of fun, smart and has a heart way too big for 1 person. She’s an incredible mom and sweetheart…

DS9 – Smart, bright, plays piano, builds telescopes (like daddy), sensitive, but has problems getting along w/ little sis. We’re working on it. He loves WDW and is pretty good on all the big rides… though any particular thrill rides does unnerve him until he’s ridden it.

DD6 – Sweet, beautiful, all girl, and clumsy. Seriously, she falls all the time. I watched her fall the other day and she didn’t even put her hands out to break her fall… she let her face catch her. I hope she figures out the every-day-physics lessons. But she is Daddy’s girl.

DD2 – The baby. The baby. The baby. Wrapped around mom’s & dad’s finger. He’s mostly an angel… or we are blind… or both. You know, you haven’t experienced WDW until you take a little one. It really is magic.​

Our Resort:

We did CSR last year for 8 nights, and we’re doing the same this year. See what I mean… we just can’t help it. I booked on the 40% pin I got earlier this year. It really was quite a savings. We got the MYW + PH + DDP. When at WDW we are a 1 sit-down a day family & CS for lunches. The kids are good in restaurants… nobody likes to cook at our house so we end up dining out a lot.​

The Drama

There is a twist to our trip. My mom. You see, I grew up in FL. My mom lives there, and while we visit WDW regularly, we don’t visit home often. She comes up twice a year to New England, but we end up vacationing other places. So, she’ll be with us starting Wednesday – Saturday. If I’m talking to her, I can’t wait to see her… if she can’t hear me I have to confess it’s a bit of a chore. I’ve got 3 kids, and they are easier than she is. She’s slow, indecisive, and opinionated. On vacation I like smiles, and simple, and fun, not…. Anyway, I think you get the picture.​

Enough for now. I’ll update w/ our details including schedule and ADR’s. Be back soon…

 

[disndatworld]

Here's some picstures of the cast members... from last year's trip and a recent trip to DTD...

DW, DS2 & I on a recent trip (9/2007) to DTD

DD6 from last December's trip... She's the little one. I think the big one is a fake princess playing dress-up

DS9 & DS2 from last December's trip. The matching coats are DW's idea... she matches them alot

I'm proud of our fam...

I'll post some details about our ADR's soon. We love to eat!!!! And we like cool restaurants. WDW is worth going to just for that!

 

[disndatworld]

Here's our essential ADR's. I cannot get LeCellier now. I originally booked 180 days out, but DW wanted to try a few new places. Now it's too late. I did end up making a change: originally Spoodles was dinner for Friday, but now we are doing Teppan Edo (Epcot/Japan) for dinner. We love Hibachi Japanese dining.

What do you think about Mama Melrose? Not my idea... It's DW's. She loves Italian and the fantasmic show. I'm not really a fan of the show, and we live in New England so I can do without Italian food for a while... But she doesn't really plan the trips, so if she has any input then I'm game.

How's this sound? I also want to sneak a Crystal Palace in for breakfast (for the kids, of course). Last year I had a little problem when I thought EMH was at MGM one morning. Everybody was tired, and DW was tired of me waking up so early, so she sent me out to the parks for 2 hours while everybody slept in... when I arrived @ MGM it was the wrong EMH park.... So I quickly got on the phone with 407-WDW-DINE and got a reservation w/ the breakfast w/ JoJo. It was humiliating, but at least I was eating and the 1st one in the park for the day... Oh yea... first one at the rope, first one on RnRC and in the first car.... but I had to put up w/ DW laughing at me for having breakfast w/ JoJo and telling all our friends when we got home.

• Saturday - arrival day... open. Lunch/Dinner at DTD? Or maybe Spoodles in Boardwalk
• Sunday 12/9 dinner Chef Mickeys
• Monday 12/10 lunch Sci - Fi Theatre
• Monday 12/10 dinner Pepper Market (CSR)
• Tuesday 12/11 dinner Concourse Steakhouse
• Wednesday 12/12 dinner Boma - 6:00
• Thursday 12/13 dinner Mama Melrolse (fantasmic package)
• Friday 12/14 dinner Teppan Edo (Epcot/Japan)
• Saturday 12/15 dinner Coral Reef - 5:00
• Sunday 12/16 departure day... open.

So much planning.... but pretty fun. Let me know what you think? We have never dined @ Concourse Steakhouse, Mama Melrose, Teppan Edo or Coral Reef... so we're really looking forward to it...

Bye... for now!

 

[disndatworld]

I mentioned about my mom going to WDW with us.... well she mentioned she may not go. The trip was getting a little pricey for her. I suggested she fly up for Thanksgiving instead to see the family, that way our vacation would be easier, and we'd still get to see her. I didn't tell her our vacation would be easier... but it will be. The last time she went to WDW she stayed in her room all day, and then at night wanted to go out for fun... the kids and we were whipped and it frustrated her. She just doesn't know how to do things w/ kids & family.

Anyway... it will make life much easier while on VACA, so I hope she comes to our place for Thanksgiving instread of on our trip.

 

[Avivasmom]

I totally understand..hoping mom comes to visit for Thanksgiving.

Sounds like a great plan. We have eaten at a few of the places you have our favorite is BOMA...a must for DH when we go to Disney.

In January going back for DD 7th bday and taking my Dad...thankfully he acts much younger then he is.

Your kids are adorable.

 

[disndatworld]

Avivasmom,

Thanks for the kind comments on the kids... Your daugther is adorable. Mine is now 6. She is definately the easy one!!!

With the DDP we end up making ADR's early, and a few changes once on site. I'd still like to eat at Le Cellier's again... we really liked it, but wanted to try something different at first... now it's booked up.

I was also trying to feel out my family's feelings on Crystal Palace. I haven't eaten there in years. Not for breakfast, DW says, she just doesn't like to eat that heavy or spend $ on breakfast... so we'll see.

Thanks again!!!!

 

[disndatworld]

Our first night @ WDW is a room-only at CSR, and then the rest of the week is a MYW w/ dining @ CSR. I have been told by disney reservations that my tickets will start the morning of my first day on the MYW.... but they also told me to check w/ the hotel directly on check-in because they probably would be able to activate my tix a day early. Has any of you had that happen?

If we can't get in on our 1st day, what do you recommend?

Thanks

 

[disndatworld]

I made the last pymt to WDW today for our upcoming December Trip. Only 49 days 22 hrs 31 min and 36 secs left!!!!