Worrier plans DS's 5th Bday Celebration, DD/DH's first visit, & our 9th ann! Whew!

[UsNew2Disney2008]

Hello everyone.

This is my first attempt at a pre-trip report, but I've really enjoyed reading several and thought it might be fun to gather other's thoughts on ways to make this trip special.

This trip we will be celebrating LOTS of stuff...
1. DS will be turning 5 (where has the time gone???)
2. DD2 this will be her first visit
3. DH36 - his first visit too - and he is "taking one for the team" by going.
4. me33 - my second visit
5. DH & my 9th anniversary will actually be a couple days after we leave, but we generally celebrate on the closest weekend - so there you go.
6. Meeting a DISer buddy of mine for dinner our first night!

Both my DS & I have limited exerience at WDW. We went down for a mom/son weekend last year for three nights. We had a great time, but were super tired and super rushed. We visited MK, AK, HS.

Actually, in 2002 DH & I spent 2 hours in Epcot on a trip. Neither of us knew to read books, DIS, etc. We were there on an VERY HOT Oct day - now I know it was not crowded during our 2 hours in the hot afternoon. We walked onto Test Track, rode the ride inside the ball, saw the living seas, reflections on china, walked "round the world" and left. We had "earned" the tickets from attending a time share presentation, which probably didn't set us in the best mood for our 1 pm arrival to EPCOT. Needless to say we didn't feel the magic.

My son's trip with me was quite the opposite thanks to my DIS friends! We arrived on a Saturday - went to MK, next day - AK, MK, & then HS for two hours before we flew back home. Very rushed... VERY RUSHED.

My husband always said he'd never go back. I've told him that the kids will love it and it is worth every penny. SO.... he promised we'd go for 3 nights in 2010 for our 10th. Well... along comes WDW great buy 4 get free deal and I pitched in the fact that DD would be free this year, and not next. So my "Enron accounting" (as DH likes to call it) proved we would SAVE money and STAY longer this trip. He bought in. I was shocked!

So now we have reservations May 2 thru May 9 at CSR. We have a waterfront room (only one available for the promo during our stay) and requested the Cabanas which have just been refurbed with queen beds. It is a nod to our honeymoon in Mexico, so that part I really like.

Now, grumpy DH went down to WDW - CSR last Feb for a convention. It was 3 nights. He stayed inside meetings or his room, never ventured outside that and actually changed his flight and came home early. I say that to give you perspective on how disinterested in WDW he is.

So it is my MISSION this trip to change that, and then get him to buy DVC! But that is a bit away.

Myself - Lorrie - I'm a bit of an obsessive worrier about making all things optimal, so sometimes I struggle with planning. I second guess myself a lot - so feel free to tell me to snap out, I handle it well!

DS - Sadly he is growing up... This morning he declaired Mickey for girls and babies, and asked to see Dinosaurs instead. He is moving on to the land of Power Rangers and Star Wars and seeming really board with Playhouse Disney. He is a little on the skiddish side about things, getting scared easily, so this trip should be interesting to say the least. He's already said no PoTC, no to scarey rides, etc. But he wants to ride Dinosaur. (SURE!)

DD - Very independent and strong willed! She has loved Princesses since she grabbed one off the Disney Store shelf at 4 months! She dresses as princesses often and is all things princess and Elmo. I'm super excited to see how she is when she sees them. She also loves "Mouse". She'll be excited to ride anything she can I think. She is a thrill seeker to the extreme!

I think that is a good introduction. I'll try to get our ADRs and park plans posted today and would love to hear any thoughts.

I'm super excited! Thanks for reading along!

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

So here are the plans to date. We're using the DDP, but I feel like there will be some tweaking for sure...

Saturday 5/2 - arrive at MCO around 1pm
check in @ CSR
check out AKL
dinner @ Boma to meet my Bud
back to get a good night's sleep

Mon 5/3 - AK day
breakfast at Tusker - 8:30
CS Lunch - Pizzafari maybe?
break for afternoon nap
dinner at 1900 Park Fair - 5:00
maybe monorail to EPCOT, maybe back to room to swim?

Tue 5/4 - DS turns 5 - DHS (his request)
Ohana 7:50 breakfast (his request)
head to DHS
Here he wants to visit Char and do TSM, & Jedi Training
lunch at Pizza Planet (his request)
afternoon nap
8 pm dinner at CM
**** Yesterday, he saw T-Rex and is saying he DOESN'T want to eat at CM

Tues 5/5 - MK
CS Breakfast (probably at CSR)
CP lunch at 12
afternoon nap/pool
San Angels/EPCOT dinner at 5

Wed 5/6 - MK
CS Breakfast
CS lunch
afternoon nap
Dinner - Tutto Italia @ 5:30

Thur 5/7 - Epcot
8:30 Princess Breakfast - Norway
CS lunch
afternoon nap
5:30 Ohana

Fri 5/8 - MK (maybe celebrating our "anniv dinner @ MG")
8:30 Crystal Palace
Lunch CS
afternoon nap
5:45 Maya Grill @ CSR (figure that we can get packing done so we can do a park in the am)

Sat 5/9 - ??? MK or ???
8:45 Chef Mickey's

So the ones in red are the ones I am really sure we will need. The others -- I'm trying to figure things out. I'm just not a big fan on all the time that a sit down involves unless they are seeing characters. It is hard for them to sit. That said, I think we got some pretty good ADRs too, so it makes it hard!

 

[CRdisMom]

just letting you know we are here and yes this make the scrapbook so much easier

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

just letting you know we are here and yes this make the scrapbook so much easier

Hi Laura! SO glad you came! I was getting worried no one would! I'm glad you are planning too!

Which princess is her favorite? I'm trying to figure out something good to show that little mean girl that the princesses DO remember her!

Now that I have a reader, I guess I can keep going!

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

Well, I needed to get shoes for Disney after all, and my sweet DH forgot Vday, so he told me to go order some crocs for the trip. Look at my find for the family - and on sale too!

for me (I secretly coveted the kids shoe color choices more than my own)

for DS

and for DD - her first pair of crocs

Can't wait for those to come in so we can break them in for the trip!

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

Today I'm driving myself batty over the ADRs. We are on the DDP and I'm back and forth over should I leave things as they are, or should I upgrade to the DDP+

I know that everyone says it is a lot of food, but my daughter who is during 2 in a few days doesn't like meat too much except chicken, so that means one of the adults (aka me) will have to pick choices that she will eat all the time, or we'll have to pay OOP for her a kids meal because her brother is a boy that can put down food. He'll polish his off, quite honestly.

I'm trying to figure out a way to swing it without, but it looks like we will be OOP for 3 or so TS meals that way - on top of TRex (and that will be about $75 meal itself).

Decisions, decisions....

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

I think I finally got a way to make the ADRs work with our DDP so we are only out of pocket for two meals - two character breakfasts. I'm very excited about that, because that was a big worry for me.

I also found out that Ohana will do a birthday cupcake for DS with a candle and card, so that motherly birthday obligation has been lifted.

I talked DS into not doing TRex. I cannot stress how many fears I have of him sitting down and wanting to leave I have. He will not even go near small scale idol replicas at our science museum, so I cannot see him liking big ones that move and roar - just can't. I figure if he gets there and DOES like it, maybe we will pop in for a dessert.

Being the outstanding citizen I am, I bribed him. Eat at Trex, or go shopping at DTD and buy a toy. I know, I know, but it worked!

Today I need to find out about lifejackets for the CSR pool. I am not sure if we need to bring our own, but my son will be all over that slide and he will so need one. Being a big kid, he'll need a Youth size, and I'm thinking they might not have too many of those. I also wonder if two people can go down at once - if DH can do it with him, it won't be an issue.

Last night I DREAMED I upgraded to AKL. I guess subconciously I haven't got past the fact that I would love to stay there. I'm still mad I didn't lobby more for that one when we were booking!

So there are my updates on the planning progress... for now!

 

[TxRabbit]

I'm glad that you got your ADRs all worked out! Don't you feel relieved?

I think I have mine worked out, but until they post June hours, I can't really know for sure.

Sounds like you have a fun trip planned so far. If DS has a hard time looking at the dinos in the science museum, I think you made a good call on TRex. Not that I have been there. Sometimes bribery is a mom's best weapon. I think the dessert idea is great.

Dinosaur freaked out my DS then 6. That could be a rough one.

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

I'm glad that you got your ADRs all worked out! Don't you feel relieved?

I think I have mine worked out, but until they post June hours, I can't really know for sure.

Sounds like you have a fun trip planned so far. If DS has a hard time looking at the dinos in the science museum, I think you made a good call on TRex. Not that I have been there. Sometimes bribery is a mom's best weapon. I think the dessert idea is great.

Dinosaur freaked out my DS then 6. That could be a rough one.

First, welcome! Thanks for taking time to sort through my rambles!

Relieved - um... sure. The problem was the trip was approved by DH out of the blue - so I booked the day after ADRs became open for me. SO... I made them blindly - not knowing park hours, etc. Then I adjusted, then I waited and had to adjust based on TGM.

Yeah, I know he is super excited about TRex and Dino, but I just know better. Anyone that hides still during parts of mild shows - think Tigger & Pooh, etc - when the get "scary". Yeah - I just don't think Dinosaur or TRex will be that good for him. But I'll keep the dessert option open to him - and the build a dino area too - he loves his stuffed animals, so that might be good enough!

He was just dancing it up and loving watching the Mickey Beach Party this morning. For a little boy that thinks "Mickey is for girls and babies" he sure was dancing his little butt off!

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

So today Disney surprises came in three.

I got my Unofficial Guide 2009 in the mail. I love my Passporter, but I really like the reviews in this one. Don't take it with me like the other though.

My Disney Outlet box arrived with my little girl's Belle Yellow Dress in it. It fits her so much better than the Snow White dress I have, but I still think we'll take both with us.

I had scored a great Power Ranger toy in the box. My son peaked in and said "Hey Mommy, who is that Power Ranger toy for". I looked like a deer caught in the headlights! It is a super score from the outlet - a Power Ranger on a Motor thingy of some sort, but something cool to take down there with us for him to open in his room on his Birthday. I just told him "Never mind, it isn't for you". Shut the box, and moved on. I hope he will forget.

The coolest find was a Stitch Pin with a cupcake. That is where we are having my son's Birthday Breakfast. I am wondering if I can con Stitch into giving it to him. I've heard they'll do a cupcake there for him - so this is just too perfect!

And the third was actually my first thing today. I got the little envelope from WDW Travel suggesting things to pack, info about the dining plan, and a little map. Oh how those little things just make you feel...

Off to check out my Guide and obsess some more!

Oh, and as far as my planning today. I did find out that I don't need to worry about bringing life jackets to CSR, and that I shouldn't stress over obtaining a pack-n-play either. With SWA we can have 8 bags, so I'm thinking about maybe still brining my own down.

 

[CRdisMom]

Whoo-hoooo! Love boxes it is cool That you got your box from the Disney store. As far as kids shoes go, I can get my foot in a kids 6 and i'm a 7.5.

 

[TxRabbit]

I'm reading a dining report in which a young boy is wearing his birthday button for the entire trip. He is getting cupcakes with a candle in it at virtually every TS he goes to. Not every, but almost!

I love fun mail.

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

Whoo-hoooo! Love boxes it is cool That you got your box from the Disney store. As far as kids shoes go, I can get my foot in a kids 6 and i'm a 7.5.

Well, not me. I'm bigfoot. I was an 8.5 before pregnancy, but now a 9 feels much better, so the kid shoes were out for me. They were the same price, but I just loved those colors. Something I totally wouldn't have picked before being a SAHM. Better enjoy it until I have to return to Corp America - you know?

I'm reading a dining report in which a young boy is wearing his birthday button for the entire trip. He is getting cupcakes with a candle in it at virtually every TS he goes to. Not every, but almost!

I love fun mail.

Yes, I feel like an idiot. When I sat up my ADRs I told them his birthday was the 4th - and we'd be having an anniversary dinner on the 8th (even though it is the 12, but we would do that at home anyway, so I feel okay about that, plus I told them that one wasn't the actual date, just our celebrating date). I told them NOT to note his birthday on every ADR. IDIOT!

Good point about the button though. I'll let him wear it. He is a BIG talker, so I'm sure he'll tell everyone he sees! I hate it for my DD. She turns 2 next month so she'll be left out a bit - but that is okay. She'll be happy meeting the princesses though!

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

This morning, I decided I was going to put this thing to bed with the ADRs. Remember I told you that I found a way to make our DDP work with only being OOP for two Char Breakfasts? Well I have several ADRs that I'd have to drop/change and I hadn't done that yet, so I thought - let me see what I come up with and then I'll go from there.

SO... I sat up an Excel worksheet. In one side I figured out my "wish I could" adrs with two snacks daily. This was with us eating a few OOP char meals - 5 to be exact. I calculated price if we didn't do a DDP, savings if we did DDP, savings if we did DDP+. I also did the same thing for the revised worksheet where I had us following the DDP and only having two OOP meals - both Char Breakfasts (Ohana & Tusker) and 1 OOP snack per day for seven days.

I did NOT take into account the expense of the appetizers, because honestly if we are getting a big meal and a dessert, we just won't do that. I know us. For that reason, I just glossed over that potential savings.

Now, I won't bother you with specifics - but I will tell you I WAS FLOORED! Here is basically what I found.

1 - DDP+ still didn't make sense with our eating style/plan. Under version 1 with the extra 5 meals - we would still "save" only 111.90 which was LESS than our savings under the DDP ($218.57) for the same thing.

2. Doing the revised only 2 dinners OOP vs the 5 OOP was MINIMAL difference in savings.
- 5 dinners OOP would make our savings ($214.07) with a total cost of OOP costs and DDP fee to be $1052.62
- 2 dinners OOP would make ours savings ($218.57) with a total cost of OOP costs and DDP fee to be $792.23

I really didn't expect that, but I'm still leaning toward just 2 OOP dinners and the DDP. That gives us by far the smallest OOP cost at $792.23. Most other senerios under the plan span from $1003.65 - 1266.69.

So if you ever wondered - there you go!

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

I just looked up in my handy dandy new book and found out that my little boy can pick from 5 fastpasses or a gift card for $63.90 for his birthday. We'll be at DHS that day, so guess what I'm picking for him - the gift card! We're doing DTD that night, so he can go shopping and get a pretty good score off that!

Any suggestions on what to do there? We've never been

 

[TxRabbit]

I told them NOT to note his birthday on every ADR. IDIOT!

Good point about the button though. I'll let him wear it. He is a BIG talker, so I'm sure he'll tell everyone he sees! I hate it for my DD. She turns 2 next month so she'll be left out a bit - but that is okay. She'll be happy meeting the princesses though!

Call them back and have them note it! Your DD will get her own button. There's a first timer button. She can wear that and feel special while DS wears his to feel special.

I just looked up in my handy dandy new book and found out that my little boy can pick from 5 fastpasses or a gift card for $63.90 for his birthday. We'll be at DHS that day, so guess what I'm picking for him - the gift card! We're doing DTD that night, so he can go shopping and get a pretty good score off that!

Any suggestions on what to do there? We've never been

I've never heard that! It that related to the celebrate theme? Where do you get that?

DTD can be fun. It can be a little busy at night. If DS likes Lego, the Lego Store there is incredible, the Wide World of Disney Store is HUGE and fun to shop in, and I think there is a huge toy store down there too. We didn't have time to go in that one though. There's a build your own lightsaber thing in there, if your DS is into Star Wars.

And, of course, you HAVE to go to Goofy's Candy Store!

 

[TxRabbit]

Oh! And I forgot. There's an anniversary button. You and DH can were yours and feel special!

I'll be wearing mine! We are celebrating our anniversary on our trip. Officially it's a week later, but we rarely celebrate it ON our anniversary. That's the one thing I didn't think of when we got married close to a holiday (July 5), it's really expensive to go anywhere and do anything over that weekend!

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

Call them back and have them note it! Your DD will get her own button. There's a first timer button. She can wear that and feel special while DS wears his to feel special.



I've never heard that! It that related to the celebrate theme? Where do you get that?

DTD can be fun. It can be a little busy at night. If DS likes Lego, the Lego Store there is incredible, the Wide World of Disney Store is HUGE and fun to shop in, and I think there is a huge toy store down there too. We didn't have time to go in that one though. There's a build your own lightsaber thing in there, if your DS is into Star Wars.

And, of course, you HAVE to go to Goofy's Candy Store!

Well, thanks so much for the suggestions. The lightsaber will be it! He is WAY into Star Wars now! The Legos store will be a hit too. Oh how quickly that money will go!

That is their "celebration" thing this year. Only for birthdays and you have to register online BEFORE you go, print out your certificate and produce an id (in his case birth certificate) that day to get it. You have a few things to pick from - but since he isn't a big thrill rider, our choice is the card.

The real offer is for free admission on your birthday, but since ours is a package deal, you just pay and they give you a gift card for the admission price for 1 day - base ticket only. BUT STILL!

Oh! And I forgot. There's an anniversary button. You and DH can were yours and feel special!

I'll be wearing mine! We are celebrating our anniversary on our trip. Officially it's a week later, but we rarely celebrate it ON our anniversary. That's the one thing I didn't think of when we got married close to a holiday (July 5), it's really expensive to go anywhere and do anything over that weekend!

Same with us! Ours always falls on Mother's Day weekend. So we generally celebrate either before or after! Everything is always packed on Mother's Day weekend!

So when I get there I ask for:
1. Birthday Button for DS
2. First time Visitor Buttons for DH & DD
3. Anniversary Buttons for DH & myself

I'm sure their eyes will roll at us - like, Yeah right lady! You are really trying to milk it aren't you!

 

[UsNew2Disney2008]

Finally, I'm at peace with all the ADRs.

Today I'm working on customized autograph books for the kids - nothing creative, just using some DISigns and putting their names on them via Publisher.

I found a cool shirt to make for DS to wear for his birthday too! Now I have to attempt the iron on thing. I'm more than a little nervous about that.

I also made a pretty cool stroller tag to help ours stand out in the masses!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I'm here Lorrie! I somehow missed the start of this - too distracted I guess. Your plans sound great! It's exciting that your DS gets a gift card for his BD! I wondered what they did for people with passes or packages!