We've got 2 Kids in College, We can't possibly afford 2 Go, Let's go Anyway w/pics!

[Cruella's Hubby]

Sounds like you have had some great trips!

We definitely have had some fun times, but for some reason I seem to be looking forward to this trip more than any other. I can't wait!!

Roger

 

[Cruella's Hubby]

Great job Roger! Keep it coming!

Thanks!! More to come shortly!

Roger

 

[Cruella's Hubby]

So here we are, July of 2006. We spent a great 5 days touring the parks in the heat and humidity. I have to tell you the bone headed thing I did. A couple of weeks before leaving for Disney, I bought new sneakers. As any Disney veteran knows, you need to really break in any shoes you plan on wearing when you’re touring the parks. I developed the biggest blisters on my feet, you can’t imagine! When we got home, I took my shoes off and didn’t wear any shoes on my feet for a week! By the time vacation was over and I had to go back to work, no more blisters!

We were back home for a few weeks and I started to realize just how addicted to planning our Disney trip I had become. I still stalked the DIS , I listened to my favorite pod casts about Disney, still visited all the web sites. Finally DW and I decided to come back again this year. I was all set to return to Asmu, because I was very happy there, but DW wanted to try a moderate resort. So of course I did too! We decided on staying at POFQ due to the overwhelmingly good reviews we had read about it. But before I booked it DW told me that our cousins were going down in August, and wouldn’t it be fun if we went down the same time as they did. Now these cousins own a Disney timeshare so we wouldn’t have to worry about what their plans were, we’d just book it for the same time as them and meet up in the parks. Sounded great to me, the more the merrier. I booked it! I made reservations for 4 adults (me, DW, DS, and DD) at POFQ. I got the dining plan and a seven day park hopper pass. So we really just had to book the airfare. Now we like to fly Southwest because they always seem to be the cheapest but you have to wait FOREVER for them to update their web site and allow you to buy tickets for the travel dates you need, so that was not going to happen for a few more months.
We told DMIL that we were going back to Disney and she was a little mad, because we hadn’t included her in our plans. Let me tell you that DMIL is married and went down without her hubby and now she wanted to come down again and again without hubby.
Luckily our cousin happily volunteered to room DMIL with them! So DMIL was thrilled she was going to get to go Disney and she was going to get to stay at the Boardwalk Villas! Better yet, our Cousin has a friend who also has a Disney timeshare and she’d let us rent her points from her so we could stay at Boardwalk too! But, would we be able to get a studio as Boardwalk thru the timeshare? We called Disney……we told them what we wanted……several days later the gave us the answer……NO! There were no more studios available to timeshare owners at the Boardwalk for the time we are going down.
Hmmm, wouldn’t it be a cool surprise to spring on DW, if I just called Disney and booked a studio at BW thru Disney travel since we can’t rent the points…

Find out what happens next time!

 

[dismom9761]

Next time???

 

[Cruella's Hubby]

(thats me and DS in the third row. It was DS's first time on splash mountain, can you tell? DD and Cousin Chris are behind us in the back row)

Okay, so I called Disney and booked the BWV studio but I didn't tell DW! I told DD, DS, and the cousins, but wanted to surprise DW. But I couldn't wait so after a few days, I confessed to DW what I had done. She was so excited!! So here we are. Tomorrow will be one week before we leave for Disney Oh before I give you the complete cast of characters and the touring plans we made, I have to tell you the money we saved! First, when I upgraded from POFQ to BWV the cost increased by some $900 bucks and to be able to pay for that sharp increase without breaking the bank I split the cost into 3's and used 3 different credit cards Now right around 45 days before our vacation, DW found a code for August on mousesavers.com. She called Disney and had them apply the code to our reservation....WE SAVED OVER $700!!!! So the final cost to upgrade was only around $200!! Isn't that sooooo cool! DS can go to college after all
Anywho, here is the grand plan (drumroll please):

6 nights at BWV studio for the four of us
7 day park hopper tickets
We fly Southwest at 6:30 am 8/11 out of Manchester, NH and return on Friday 8/17 at night.

Also at BWV but in different rooms:

Cousin Sandy, her DH (Matt), and DD (Danielle)
Cousin Ann and her DH (Bill) and my DMIL (Pat)

Thats 10 of us staying at BWV

Now Sandy and Matt have next door neighbors (Russ + Linda) there at the same time but they are driving down and staying at a different Disney resort.

Here is what we are planning to do on each day:

Walt Disney World Itinerary


Saturday August 11 2007

Arrive in Orlando Florida around 9:35 am
Check-in at Boardwalk Villas
Go to The Magic Kingdom
Dinner at the Polynesian Spirit of Aloha Show--arrive at 7:30 for 8:00 show

Sunday August 12 2007

EMH at Epcot 8:00 (or sleep late)
Go back to the resort from 2:00-4:00 pm for pool/nap time
Return to Epcot
Dinner at LeCellier at 6:45
Back to Boardwalk for nightlife (or Downtown Disney for the Adventurer's Club)

Monday August 13 2007

EMH at MGM 8:00 am
Return to resort at noon
Nap/swim until 3:00
Go to Magic Kingdom
Dinner at Ohana's at 7:00 pm
Wishes cruise at 9:30 DW's Birthday!

Tuesday August 14 2007

Sleep late!
Go to Magic Kingdom in the afternoon
Dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern at 6:30 pm
Go to Epcot for EMH. Epcot closes at Midnight.

Wednesday August 15 2007

EMH at Animal Kingdom at 8:00 am
Return to resort for Nap/pool in afternoon
Go to MGM around 3:00 pm
Dinner at Mama Melrose's at 6:30 pm
Fantasmic at 9:00
EMH at MGM--closes at 1:00 am

Thursday August 16 2007

Sleep late!
Day open until evening
Dinner at the Rose and Crown at 6:45
Illuminations at 9:00

Friday August 17 2007

Sleep late
Pack and check out (store luggage at resort)
Go to breakfeast at Cape May Cafe at 10:00

Spend Day at Magic Kingdom
Arrive back at the resort for 4:00 pm
Catch ME bus to airport for 8:30 flight.

As you might have guessed, this is a generally much more relaxed take on Disney then usual. First we were there July of '06 so I didn't think we really needed to tour comando style this time, and second, I don't have a week off to recover from Disney like I had last year so a slower pace might be best.

I have to tell you that this plan is subject to change!

So what do YOU think? Any suggestions, tweaks, or downright changes you think I should make to this plan?

I'd love to hear any suggestions!

Thanks for reading my pre trip report!

Roger

 

[sandyam76]

Well....all I have to say....i ...s you must have some really fantastic cousins...well....ONE IN PARTICULAR!! ME!!! Can't wait!! 7 days til Dinsey!!

 

[dismom9761]

WOW BWv studio!Awesome price!!

Love the picture!

 

[Cruella's Hubby]

WOW BWv studio!Awesome price!!

Love the picture!

Thanks!! We were almost more excited when we got the $700 taken off then booking the trip Well, okay maybe not quite THAT excited, but we were pretty thrilled. One week to BWV...I can't wait

Did you notice the look of shear terror on DS's face

He was fine btw and rode splash many, many times on our last trip.

Roger