eeyore45
<font color=darkorchid>Do-it-yourself pixie dust =
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2004
- Messages
- 7,371
The Cast:
Me - Camando Style Touring Guide in Place
DH - still at work
DD - 7 1st trip to Disney
My preplanning included watching a commercial on the 5 + 2, calling and finding out that XXX amount left from paying bills in our tax refund could get us to a pool view at AKL. Then I run to Barnes and Noble and buy the Unofficial Guide to find out what AKL is, then I find the DIS. Then I call wdw back, and we find ourselves booked at the Poly. I continue to read book, and map out a week of PS, and add the Princess Package. I totally enjoyed every minute of planning. I thank the posters, and the trip report writers for giving me so many advantages, tips, and laughs. The one insight I hadnt counted on, but took to heart was traveling with a 7 year old, change your plans. 8 years ago we went with our DS's they were in 5th and 3rd grade, and I did the cammando style, following the unofficial guide touring plans to a tee.... this time I came close to paying for Tour Guide Mike, because it made so much sense. . . but glad I didnt, it was DD touring guide we had to follow!!
Reading the Dis I knew to expect crowds and heat, and to go early and come back for a nap and refresh at the hotel. Unfortunately DD didnt read the DIS, she slept in, and stayed up late. Period. And she had a blast!! Loved the Poly pool. Loved the magic of disney.
We were scheduled on the first flight out of Chicago July 30 - 6:22AM... which meant the taxi came for us at 4:30AM. Unfortunately Thursday my neighbors didnt come home, they were scheduled to babysit the 2 guinea pigs. I called 10 people finally at 11:30PM my friend, and dd teacher to be got home and said bring them on over. We got home at midnight, and there were our neighbors just pulling in. Meanwhile dh was at work, something about a software release.... at 4AM he calls to ask whent the taxi is coming - he made it home. Now I run around throwing things in bags last minute (like packing for dh - he assures me he could take care of it himself!) On the early am flight I have breakfast bars, and wanted ice water, so I fill our nalgene bottles with ice, and throw them in our back packs, and we're off. (Please note dh was told by me after a call to the poly, NOT TO BRING his laptop. He agreed. He snuck it in his backpack when I wasnt looking, and I snuck in the nalgene of ice when he wasnt looking)
The flight was beautiful. On time. Ear planes and sudafed are my friends!! Happy Limo was waiting. Our bags come off the line with no problems. Dh checks his laptop.... it is filled with water. He took out the memory thingy while happy limo went to get car, and it dripped. I was mortified, the look of horror on dh's face. Great way to start a vacation.
Went to Albertsons.
tip #1 If you have a home grocery store, check and see if Albertsons owns it, they'll take the Jewel card there!! Tip #2 Dont take 7yr DD, as I run around cammando style trying to find the items on my list, she is adding to them... confusing me... but dh stayed in limo, and couldnt take dd.
POLY TIME!! ALOHA!! We check in aroundd 10:30 am - I had requested 3rd floor Tokelau - thinking largest building more likely to get a 3rd floor room. I had mentioned we were celebrating our 25th Anniversary... she gives me the room number - 2nd floor Roratunga... well gee now that's awfully close... and afterall it is too hot to open a balcony... so I go with it!! The view was of the quiet pool, nothing obstructing the view - and I could view the tops of some of the fireworks from my bed (I turned my ankle one night so dd and dh went to pool while I watched tv, and looked out the window!)
DH bummed that his puter is fried, he lays down, and falls asleep, dd is now in her swim
suit - lets go to the pool mommy. So be it. I went to get our mugs, decide to only get 2, dh isnt into sodas, and we'll see how it goes. DD and I went down the slide. OMG - talk about tickle tummies on that slide. Never again!! I needed dramamine going down that twisty turny slide!! I didnt think I could get dd out of the pool. Finally I show her the castle and tell her dont you think its time to see WDW? So at 3:30 we head up and change and I ask dh if he wants to stay or come... he gets up and..
lets go to Animal kingdom, it wont be too crowded... nope, Magic Kingdom it is. So we went to a very crowded MK and soaked in the view. We got there just as the stage presentation of the castle was going on, DD was in love!! I ran and grabbed a fast pass, came back finished the show, and grabbed another fastpass, then went on Buzz with our first fast pass (great ideas presented and used!)we get on Haunted Mansion, Pirates, and teacups... we're near Cosmic Rays, so I head in for our first voucher use... and dh loved the condiment bar - very filling burger. DH and DD go on the Indy car ride - I get another fast pass...
DD wants to go swimming again, and the lines for the parade are huge, and we're hot and tired, so we head back, I look at the time and head to the boats... we catch the boat back - and catch the Electric Light Parade. By this time DH is so impressed with my obsessive planning, he just knows I planned this!! (hah, luck does have lots to do with it, but I keep my mouth shut!!)
We watch the fireworks in the Poly Pool, it was gorgeous!
TIP #3 about those journals. We always manage to write in them for the first 3 days, after that we are always too tired!!
Me - Camando Style Touring Guide in Place
DH - still at work
DD - 7 1st trip to Disney
My preplanning included watching a commercial on the 5 + 2, calling and finding out that XXX amount left from paying bills in our tax refund could get us to a pool view at AKL. Then I run to Barnes and Noble and buy the Unofficial Guide to find out what AKL is, then I find the DIS. Then I call wdw back, and we find ourselves booked at the Poly. I continue to read book, and map out a week of PS, and add the Princess Package. I totally enjoyed every minute of planning. I thank the posters, and the trip report writers for giving me so many advantages, tips, and laughs. The one insight I hadnt counted on, but took to heart was traveling with a 7 year old, change your plans. 8 years ago we went with our DS's they were in 5th and 3rd grade, and I did the cammando style, following the unofficial guide touring plans to a tee.... this time I came close to paying for Tour Guide Mike, because it made so much sense. . . but glad I didnt, it was DD touring guide we had to follow!!
Reading the Dis I knew to expect crowds and heat, and to go early and come back for a nap and refresh at the hotel. Unfortunately DD didnt read the DIS, she slept in, and stayed up late. Period. And she had a blast!! Loved the Poly pool. Loved the magic of disney.
We were scheduled on the first flight out of Chicago July 30 - 6:22AM... which meant the taxi came for us at 4:30AM. Unfortunately Thursday my neighbors didnt come home, they were scheduled to babysit the 2 guinea pigs. I called 10 people finally at 11:30PM my friend, and dd teacher to be got home and said bring them on over. We got home at midnight, and there were our neighbors just pulling in. Meanwhile dh was at work, something about a software release.... at 4AM he calls to ask whent the taxi is coming - he made it home. Now I run around throwing things in bags last minute (like packing for dh - he assures me he could take care of it himself!) On the early am flight I have breakfast bars, and wanted ice water, so I fill our nalgene bottles with ice, and throw them in our back packs, and we're off. (Please note dh was told by me after a call to the poly, NOT TO BRING his laptop. He agreed. He snuck it in his backpack when I wasnt looking, and I snuck in the nalgene of ice when he wasnt looking)
The flight was beautiful. On time. Ear planes and sudafed are my friends!! Happy Limo was waiting. Our bags come off the line with no problems. Dh checks his laptop.... it is filled with water. He took out the memory thingy while happy limo went to get car, and it dripped. I was mortified, the look of horror on dh's face. Great way to start a vacation.
Went to Albertsons.
tip #1 If you have a home grocery store, check and see if Albertsons owns it, they'll take the Jewel card there!! Tip #2 Dont take 7yr DD, as I run around cammando style trying to find the items on my list, she is adding to them... confusing me... but dh stayed in limo, and couldnt take dd.
POLY TIME!! ALOHA!! We check in aroundd 10:30 am - I had requested 3rd floor Tokelau - thinking largest building more likely to get a 3rd floor room. I had mentioned we were celebrating our 25th Anniversary... she gives me the room number - 2nd floor Roratunga... well gee now that's awfully close... and afterall it is too hot to open a balcony... so I go with it!! The view was of the quiet pool, nothing obstructing the view - and I could view the tops of some of the fireworks from my bed (I turned my ankle one night so dd and dh went to pool while I watched tv, and looked out the window!)
DH bummed that his puter is fried, he lays down, and falls asleep, dd is now in her swim
suit - lets go to the pool mommy. So be it. I went to get our mugs, decide to only get 2, dh isnt into sodas, and we'll see how it goes. DD and I went down the slide. OMG - talk about tickle tummies on that slide. Never again!! I needed dramamine going down that twisty turny slide!! I didnt think I could get dd out of the pool. Finally I show her the castle and tell her dont you think its time to see WDW? So at 3:30 we head up and change and I ask dh if he wants to stay or come... he gets up and..
lets go to Animal kingdom, it wont be too crowded... nope, Magic Kingdom it is. So we went to a very crowded MK and soaked in the view. We got there just as the stage presentation of the castle was going on, DD was in love!! I ran and grabbed a fast pass, came back finished the show, and grabbed another fastpass, then went on Buzz with our first fast pass (great ideas presented and used!)we get on Haunted Mansion, Pirates, and teacups... we're near Cosmic Rays, so I head in for our first voucher use... and dh loved the condiment bar - very filling burger. DH and DD go on the Indy car ride - I get another fast pass...
DD wants to go swimming again, and the lines for the parade are huge, and we're hot and tired, so we head back, I look at the time and head to the boats... we catch the boat back - and catch the Electric Light Parade. By this time DH is so impressed with my obsessive planning, he just knows I planned this!! (hah, luck does have lots to do with it, but I keep my mouth shut!!)
We watch the fireworks in the Poly Pool, it was gorgeous!
TIP #3 about those journals. We always manage to write in them for the first 3 days, after that we are always too tired!!
