What do you do after a year of child services visits, a new born and near death experiences

[nataliej_vk]

So after reading so many trip reports I am going to attempt one!! This ptr is my trial run
I always want to do a report but my life (and I'm sure many others so maybe not a good excuse) can get really hectic! And lately it has gotten even more complicated :s actually I was debating skipping Disney world this year "GASP" I know sacraligous!!!! But it seems that this year was going to be one of stress and crazy insanity. However when running it by my father he shocked us all by saying he wanted to go and making the decision for me.
So now to the back story :0
The participants
Me (Natalie)
I am a 30 something single mother to an 8 year old daughter, I work 8-4 (basically) doing driving examinations for cars, trucks and motorcycles. It is an amazing job that is always interesting and more importantly pays for my Disney trips!

I slow down in work during the winter months and since I live in the cold Canadian tundra (1 hour from Detroit so I'm exaggerating but dang it I'm thin skinned and ABHORE the cold) I cannot wait for November or decber to roll around for my yearly Disney trips!

My daughter (Calissa)
An 8 year old going on 20 ball of sunshine. She is so precious to me and being her mom is one of the best things I could ever be. She love the Disney trips for the time we spend together and the time she gets with her grand patents. She is pretty tall for her age (4'2") and has developed a love of roller coasters that her height phobia mother cannot satisfy! For her the taller and scarier a ride the more she wants on it!!!!
She also cannot wait to share this new trip with her cousin!


The Grandparents
"Bepa" (Frisian for grandma)
My mom is very supportive and the biggest help I have as a single mother! She homeschool's and thus baby sits my energetic daughter while I work so thus has a HUGE impact on my baby girl. She is also animated and extremely artistic (which my daughter has also inherited as I have no talent) my mother has also joined me on my past 3 trips.

Next "Opa" (grandfather)
My dad is the light of my daughters life!!! He can do no wrong and is the one my daughter insists will sit by her on all rides and transportation. He also had a heart attack a few months ago (mild one) so this trip will be a lot more relaxation then commando like we normally do. This trip actually came about because my dad said he wanted to go (however he did try to say it's because me mom loves Disney "sure dad, mom loves it, that's why YOU insisted on it!" Hehehe)

Here is a ride photo from our last trip November of last year

My mom would KILL me for this!! My sister (the red head will not be joining us instead
OUR LAST GUEST:
My nephew Lyum (Liam) he will be 11 months old, and is part of the reason we thought this trip may not happen. Last December when we got back from Disney we had a call from children services that my astranged brother and his girl friend were having a baby. Children services was going to apprehend due to many valid reasons and gave the family the ability to offer to be a temporary home for the year. This was to give the parents the time to fix their lives and potentially get their baby back. Well we put our name in the hat and about 10 days before the bay was born we were told we were picked. Well January 11th of this year my nephew was born. Two days later he came to our home. So me and my mom took the challenge. On week days she watches Lyum and gets up in the night and I take weekends. But by our trip we will find out if this will become a permanent situation.


So now you know the players time for the specifics!

Dates: Dec 5-12
Where: 1 night (dec 5) at beach club then 6-12 using DVC points at SSR

I hope to go to MVMCP on dec 6th and then 6 days of base tickets.
I cannot wait and look forward to our time and the experience of having a baby on this trip!

 

[nataliej_vk]

So I was able to get ALL of my ADR's at 180 days out, EXCEPT I totally spaced and forgot that I could now make BOG lunch's at 180 days out instead of the old way the last two trips I had at 27ish days out. I got up at crack of stupid o'clock and was pretty excited to get all my first choices and the times I wanted. I had to wait a few weeks for my candlelight procession and fantasmic packages.
I ordered tickets for Mom, Dad and DD from Under cover Tourist and will be having 6 day base tickets (with a little baby in tow I do not want to do any hopping and just plan on spending afternoons napping or such)
I got a 7 day base ticket using my airmiles and MAY upgrade mine to an annual pass and try to get a few trips in.
This trip will be a few new restaurants as well as some old time favorites.
in the past I have taken my daughter, sister and mother to HDDR and they all loved it. I have NEVER seen my mother laugh so much as she did watching that and my daughter is obsessed about the Red headed girl. Well after hearing all the stories my dad wanted to know what all the fuss was about but sadly I didn't book HDDR last trip and when I found out he would like to see it we sadly could not get any dates. So this year it was a number one along with the following
Tappen Edo (my DD first choice, I always let her pick 2 of her must do's)
Cinderella's Castle ( DD second choice)
Yachtmans steak house (Dad's second choice)
and Le Cellier (moms one request)
So with out further ado here is my line up:

Arrival date: Dec 5th arrive at MCO at 11am then ME to Beach Club with the rest of the day at Storm Along bay for dinner grab something at the quick service
Dec 6th - stay at the pool then I will go at around 1ish pm to SSR to check in. We will have the Deluxe dining plan so planning on MANY meals.
Supper on the 6th will be at BOG at 5:10 with the evening being spent at MVMCP

Dec 7th - We will be spending the day at Hollywood studios
Breakfast - snacks or food in the room (we are placing an order with we go shop)
Lunch - 11:30 Fantasmic package at Mamma Melrose
Supper - 5pm at Yachtmans

Dec 8th - a Magic Kingdom day (leaving at 7pm due to the MVMCP)
Breakfast - 8:20am at Crystal palace (pre-opening)
lunch - some quick service or LTT if I can get it when they open)
Supper - 8:30pm HDDR final sitting so we get Category 1

Dec 9th - Epcot day
Breakfast - no plans
Lunch - 11:30 Candlelight processional at Via Naples (5pm showing)
Supper - 6:40 at Tappen Edo

Dec 10th - AK day
Breakfast - 8:05 pre opening at Tusker house
Lunch - Flame tree
Supper - 5pm Fultons (my request )

Dec 11th - Epcot again
breakfast - no plan
Lunch - 12:30 Le Cellier
Supper - right now 6:20 at Chef's De France but I may let mom and dad go there and me and Cali will do Tappen Edo again

Dec 12th - MK (leaving day )
Breakfast - 8:45 Breakfast at BOG (may cancel still not sold on it)
Lunch - 2pm Lupper at Cinderella's Castle (going to go out with a bang)

then 6pm to be at our resort to leave for a 9pm flight home to Detroit

 

[nataliej_vk]

Well, I spaced AGAIN and thought my 60 day fast pass was from the date we check into SSR since that is when we plan on doing most park days. So the 61st day before SSR check in I go Online to play around and to my SUPRISE I could make the FP+! so I feverishly did all my FP selections but unfortunately was not able to get it all exactly the way I wanted. I was hoping to get a FP for FoF parade on our 2nd MK day but it's all booked, so I got it on our last day. The problem is our Cindy's reservation:0 it's at 2 so technically not enough time to get to the parade. I'm hoping I can beg borrow or steal an earlier Cindy dining or worse comes to worse when we are there ask if they could seat us a bit early and send my parents with the kids there. I'll stay if we haven't finished paying!
I'll come on tonight and upload our FP plans and the total game plan this evening or tomorrow. Now I'm off to do some political campaigning as we are in an election here in Canada and my Uncle is running. It's kept us busy on top of our already insane schedule with CAS and visitations!

 

[grandmomhop]

It looks like a great trip is planned. It warms my heart that you got your little nephew. He's a doll.

We're headed to Disney in 18 days and if you don't mind sending a pm with your address, I'll send Calissa and Lyum a postcard from Mickey so they know he's looking forward to seeing them! I'm sending one to another little girl I know that is going, the same time as you actually.
Since you're leaving from Detroit, and we live in Michigan, north of Detroit, we are practically neighbors!

Have a magical trip!