WITH PICS - THE CAST, PLANNING, PRESENTS, BUDGETS (Wait, we have a budget??)

[FanOfPixar]

"O'Hana means family"

Part One: The cast of characters: I am calling this trip our 2nd annual Walt Disney World October Trip to try and kick start an annual tradition! I am going with my dear Aunt who is more like a sister to me and her wonderful son (my cousin) who means the world to me. See below for a picture of us, we are all big Stitch fans.

Lilo: Me, a 39 year old Disney fanatic. See below for a picture of me in 1986 with Goofy for my High School Class trip.

I wear something Disney almost everyday even if it is just a watch. I love Walt Disney World and have a special place in my heart for Disney Land. I love the characters, the rides, the shows, the fireworks, I don’t think I dislike anything about the World (expect leaving it of course). I am a big softy and cried last year when I saw Mickey at the O’hana Best Friends Breakfast to the horror of my family and to the amusement of the other guests. We still joke around that in the back the Cast Members announced, “We have a crier at table 12!” I was just so overwhelmed at the fact that we were finally at the World, and I was so happy for my cousin “Stitch” to finally see Mickey again. See below for a picture of my beloved family laughing at me for crying. Please let me know that I am not the only one to get “overwhelmed” at The World!!!!

I am the planner of the trip!!!

Stitch: My 10 year old cousin. He has been raised on Disney. He made his first trip to Disneyland at the age of 2. This trip will be his 3rd to Walt Disney World in three years. I live with him and my Aunt and he is my best buddy. We do everything together and are really a lot alike. We love to laugh, joke and sometimes we get to be too much for Christopher’s Mom, my Aunt and she has to put us in “time out.” Stitch is a Stitch fan and collects most everything Stitch. He loves trading pins and talking with other guests and Cast Members. He loves the rides, the food, and pin trading and pin buying. He is on the DIS also, he is StitchRocks97. He started a pre-trip report also.

Minnie: My 48 year old Aunt. She is a big collector of everything Disney. She loves to shop. That is her favorite activity at The World. Last year we went with my brother who complained the whole time about us shopping. My Aunt and I are now worried that without his constant complaining that we will go way over budget on our shopping. Well we will see! Minnie says she is getting too old for “thrill” rides and does not think she will be riding Tower of Terror , Rock and Roller Coaster or Space Mountain this year.

That's all I have time for now. Coming soon: Part two, Planning

 

[FanOfPixar]

Part two planning and presents and the dreaded budget:

In August I started looking for the fall codes to come out. I knew once they came out I could talk my Aunt (Minnie) into going. They came out and I began my search. I priced the trip a few different ways; three travel agencies, WDW Travel Website and I called WDW Travel. I got the exact same price for each trip. I ended up going with calling WDW travel. I figured I would increase my chances in getting an e-mail discount code or a post card code for an upcoming trip. My Aunt (Minnie) wanted to stay with a value resort so we ended up with All-Star Music for October 2nd through October 28th. I was disappointed at first but after reading a lot of great things on the DIS I am very excited. We booked Magic Your Way with Dining. We really love character dining. I got really sick last year from a meal on the dining plan but have a good attitude this year, I figure that the odds are in my favor and I will not get sick again.

We secured most of the dining reservations that we wanted:
O'Hana's Best Friend's Breakfast
Chef Mickey's
Teppan Edo (I heard it's open now!!!)
Mama Melrose
Aloha Dinner Show

We just decided last week to get tickets to MNSSHP for the 23rd. Stitch had a great idea to go as Vampire Mickey. We would get a cape, Mickey Ears and fangs! I love this idea.

I also made a impulse decision to try the Photopass and pre-ordered the CD. The budget is getting bigger and bigger now. I just spent an extra $95.00 (figuring my cost - - split the cost with my Aunt (Minnie). Wait, I have a budget? My funds for pins are dwindling as I type. I need to put the brakes on the pre-trip purchases before I do not have any trip money!

I put together a small present pack for my family this year. Personalized pins, DIS tags for me and Stitch (StitchRocks97) which I plan on wearing on the end of my fast pass holder. I laminated and made a small slit so it fits right on. Be on the lookout for me!! (I am so glad I got to use the laminator for this trip , a pocket size laminated dining reservation card to keep track of our table service meals, 25 trading pins, a Personalized Bound Itinerary, Mini versions of us, Lilo, Stitch and Minnie.

I really think that planning is half the fun!

More to come!

 

[FanOfPixar]

The wait is getting unbearable. We only have 8 days, 9 hours, 57 minutes and 20 seconds to go! Stitch and I did the dance of single digits yesterday, we were so excited for our much planned trip to be almost here. I was getting out the fall/winter clothes yesterday so I pulled out the suitcase and started packing! I also bought the obligatory travel sized items.

Our 3rd set of personilized maps came yesterday and my name is still spelled wrong! I am really bummed that they can not get these right even though I have e-mailed them with the corrections many times. Oh, well. They are still really neat.

 

[MRYPPNS]

I love the picture of you and Space Goofy. Was that at Epcot?

And where do you get all your pins for trading?

SEVEN DAY DANCE

 

[FanOfPixar]

I love the picture of you and Space Goofy. Was that at Epcot?

And where do you get all your pins for trading?

SEVEN DAY DANCE

Thanks. The picture of me and Goofy is at EPCOT. I remember EPCOT the most from that trip, I guess it is because it was fairly new.

I get my trading pins from PinSeller.com. I used them last year and they send a good collection for trades, I even keep some of them.

 

[jordanyosh]

The wait is getting unbearable. We only have 8 days, 9 hours, 57 minutes and 20 seconds to go! Stitch and I did the dance of single digits yesterday, we were so excited for our much planned trip to be almost here. I was getting out the fall/winter clothes yesterday so I pulled out the suitcase and started packing! I also bought the obligatory travel sized items.

Our 3rd set of personilized maps came yesterday and my name is still spelled wrong! I am really bummed that they can not get these right even though I have e-mailed them with the corrections many times. Oh, well. They are still really neat.

imagine how you'd feel at over 100 days out.

you're down to the home stretch.

 

[FanOfPixar]

Oh no, I'm sick. Six days, seven hours, seven minutes and 19 seconds to go and I am sick! It started Saturday night - - a few chills, a few sniffles, which has now turned into full-blown sinus yuckies . So it's a sick day for me today, tissues, soup and rest. I will get better before next Monday. I will not be sick in WDW again!

 

[MRYPPNS]

Sorry to hear you're sick . Get plently of sleep and vitamin C

 

[FanOfPixar]

Sorry to hear you're sick . Get plently of sleep and vitamin C

Thanks, I am feeling better this morning. I slept most of the day and night and have been drinking my OJ.

 

[FanOfPixar]

I am exhibiting all the obsessive DIS behavior for a Diser who has two days, nine hours, forty-four minutes and 35 second to go to their trip to see Mickey:

1.) Constant checking of the Weather in WDW. Our forecast includes record breaking heat for the first three days of our vacation. I am prepared though. Last night I packed the Walt Disney World rain poncho from our June 2005 trip.
2.) Incessant surfing of all the Disney sites. I have a bookmarked folder of all Disney sites and I look at them a few times each a day.
3.) Organizing my Disney Documents. I can’t tell you how many times I have looked at these over the past week. I don’t know why I think my Magical Express tickets are going to change but I still check them each day. Yesterday I decorated a accordion folder to hold all documents (the ME tickets, the Resort Check-in, the spiral bound itinerary, pin information, etc.) with Fab Five stickers and Mickey Icon heads for an hour yesterday.
4.) Talking about the trip to everyone. Yesterday I was at Target and I was telling the cashier about my trip and she looked at me like I had ten heads! My Mom is so sick about hearing about my trip, she said she was looking forward to me going so she would not hear about the trip anymore! No one gets us!

Well, I need to get more packing done. I will update before I leave for my trip.

 

[MRYPPNS]

Yahoo!! 2 DAYS



Have fun

 

[jordanyosh]

Have a great time.

 

[FanOfPixar]

My counter went to zero days - -

Twenty hours, six minutes, and 10 seconds!

I will not be in touch again until I get back so I will tell Mickey that everyone from the DIS says Hi. Thanks to Jordanyosh and MRYPPNS for your well wishes.

I will try my best to come back with a Food and Trip report!

 

[FanOfPixar]

I know I said I would not be posting anymore but I could not keep away. This morning I was wide awake at 4:30am. I however thought it was 5:30am and got out of bed. I do strange things in my sleep and have changed the alarm clock before so I guess I changed it in the middle of the night. So, I got up and started brewing coffee, gave the kittie her morning treats and sat down at my computer and after about ten minutes saw the clock was showing 4:40am. So now that I have some extra time and thought I would get in one last post.

I forgot to print out the airline tickets last night so I just did and we got boarding group B. I will be trying to get some rest on the plane but it is hard to since the flight is only 2 hours and 35 minutes, it seems once you are up in the air it is time to come back down. That is fine with me!

I decided to take the laptop last night, mostly to download pictures but I may try to get on the internet while at WDW and get some live posts. Though I do not know that I will have time for that.

Well, I better check for last minute packing details. I am so ready for this trip and feel like a 5 year old right before Christmas, no I feel like a Diser before a trip to Walt Disney World.

 

[tyandskyesmom]

Looking forward to reading about your trip when you return...have a great time!