You can't do Disney in a orange jumpsuit and handcuffs.

[parkers*momma]

Welcome to Our pre-trip report! First, be warned...we are definitely an odd lot of Ohioians. Though the cast of characters could actually be 1/2 of our town (we are a very large family in a teeny tiny town), I'll just introduce you to the mini-version of cast members.

Cast:

Diva-DD (8 years old) Our personal little drama queen who doesn’t want anything to do with the Disney Princesses. I secretly think they are to much competition for her. To her, the only reason to visit Disney is to hook up with Cruella DeVil. She makes a game out of searching for her hero and doesn’t understand WHY she can’t dine with the villains. Has Disney lost their mind by not having a character meal featuring Cruella, Ursula, Maleificent, Jafar and the rest of the gang?!?! She would like to know when they are going to get with the program! A precocious little girl who asks way to many questions and will question your answers then explain to you how it should REALLY be. She is the baby of the family….raised with adults and will remind you that she is the Baabeeeeeee!

Dobber -DS (16 year old) Remember the show Coach back in the ‘90‘s (yes I am that old!)…The laid back, comical, easy going assistant coach? Our DS just goes with the flow, never gives a care in the world about anything. When asked what he would like to do, the response is always the same “I don’t care.” Lucky for him, he doesn’t care because Diva always has better ideas on what they should do. When asked if he wants to go to Disney, he typically says, “I don’t care.” Either he honestly doesn’t care or secretly he is plotting until the day he turns 18 and never has to visit Disney again without breaking my heart. As long as there is a computer, mp3 player, cell phone, or hand held gaming system (with good batteries)…just lead him where he needs to be and he is there…he might not know where he is but he will be there.

Disney Mom-Me (a middle age-can’t share the age if you would like to live) An OCD momma who is a self-proclaimed Disney fanatic. If she had her way, she would vacation in Ohio and live at Disney! Planning is more than a simple call to make a reservation…it is an art! Finding the right codes, the perfect dates, planning each meal, all down time, and packing for every possible situation is a must. The ideal room in her house would be a complete Tinkerbelle room featuring not only all the fairies but a built in alcove bed and oversized furnishing. Alas, DD hates the fairies almost as much the princess and for some unknown reason, DH refuses to sleep with a bunch of dainty women in his bedroom(what is up with that, I thought all men fantasized about this). When she finally arrives at Disney…she converts into this 10 old little girl who has just as much fun as any other child visiting Walt Disney World. It’s great to Never Grow Up!

Grumpy with a touch of Sleepy-DH( I could tell you his age but then he would no longer be married. I would be dead and he would be a widower-who would never HAVE to visit Disney again-we can‘t make his life that easy, now can we??) His idea of vacationing is sleeping till noon, maybe sitting in front of a slot machine, or staying at home and owning the remote for a week. Yes, Diva loves the Disney channel and dominates the TV so while we are gone he gets to watch all those man shows…COPS and reruns of COPS (mmmmmm did I mention COPS). When vacationing at Disney, he converts to his beloved character-Grumpy! Why can’t we do this, do you really think we have to get to Main Street at 2pm for the 3pm parade, why do we have to leave here to eat there, I hate standing in lines to ride Goofy’s Barnstorming, etc.. He really grumbles when we have 8am ADR’s at Magic Kingdom so he has converted to a Sleepy Grumpy. I love him, but when we at Disney…there has been several times I don’t like him very much.

 

[parkers*momma]

Dh and I were married in 1987 and have 5 children and 6 grandchildren. Our first trip to WDW was in 1996 and the bug had bitten me big time. Since then, we have made the trip 10 times-missing the years of 2000(pregnant with Diva) and 2001 due to 9-11. As the children grew up and began their new lives, our annual trips became longer and longer. Our first trip in 1996 was a mere 5 days, today the trips are 12-14 days. Of course the older children complain how short their trips were but with less children going to WDW, the longer we can afford to stay. Our first trip was almost $5000.00 for those 5 days for 6 ppl staying at a Value Resort. WOW, I have learned a lot from the Disboards! Today’s trip run under $1600 for 12 days, all of our food, airline tickets, rental car, etc.. THANK YOU DISBOARDS! In 2007, it was a depressing trip--DH didn’t really want to go again and it reflected on the vacation. By day four, we were snipping….by day 6, we were throwing daggers…by day 8, not speaking at all to each other…and by day 10 he was vowing he would never go to WDW again and I was ok with that because I was vowing I would never take him to WDW again…see we can work together perfectly! In 2008, DS thought it would be cool to stay home with DH. Cool??? Ok, I will adapt and live with the fact that he thinks sitting at home with dad is more fun than going to Disney with mom. I decided to make it the trip our first Mommy and Me vacation and where a better place…DISNEY! Our duo trip was so magical! Everything she wanted to do, we did. Everything I wanted to do, we did. We stayed up late creating our version of shadow puppets on the walls at All Star Movies. Arose early to stroll the resort grounds. Skipped along Main Street, shared a Mickey bar, did whatever we wanted, when we wanted, however we wanted. We had so much fun, share many giggles, by day three of our 12 days at Disney decided we really need to come back and do it all over again. MMMMM Maybe booking the bounce back offer we found in our room??

 

[parkers*momma]

That very night that we decided that we wanted to make it an Annual Mommy and Me Disney Vacation, I called Dh asking him if he would like to join us. “Nope!” He was perfectly content staying to home watching whatever he wanted when he wanted on the TV. I asked DS if he would like to go to Disney with DD and I next year, “I don’t care”. UGGGHHHH…Son really it’s totally up to you, I don’t care either way. What do YOU want to do? “hummmmmmm..I think I would rather stay home, I’m going to be 16 and to old for Disney…I think I wanna just stay here with dad”

Ok, with that information I’m picking up the phone and making reservations for 2009 on our third day at Disney in 2008. I decided on September 15-24, 2009...give or take a day because we love the low crowds, the free dining, miss the love bugs (so far we have been lucky), and since school will have only been in school for three weeks DD won’t be missing much, if anything during her hiatus. Plus for the first time since her first Disney trip, we were staying somewhere other than All Star Movies. Look out Pop Century, here we come in 2009!

The rest of the ‘08 trip was just as memorable as the beginning of the trip. We took off our sandals and run though the water puddles, dug our heels in the sand at the Grand Floridian and spun in circles until we were dizzy, while visiting the Poly we practiced our hula just because we could and chase lizard till we caught them just to turn them loose in the grassy area. We didn’t care who was looking or laughing at our antics….I became my child’s age and her best friend. We had a blast!

Upon arriving home from our most magical trip ever…we were beaming with excitement as we relived those fun moments with DH. Being the wonderful DD and DH that he is, he shared in our excitement but when asked if he wanted to join us for 2009. Again, Nope…that is your two time…have at it and enjoy.

 

[parkers*momma]

As the end of September passed us while we were still enjoying the fond memories of Disney. October rolled around and we started planning our outfits for MNSSHP in 2009 as the clearance items showed up at Wal-Mart. She is going to be Carlotta from the Haunted Mansion…I will be a Pirate Wench. Again, when we arrive at home that night with our treasures from shopping. Dh listens contently to our ramblings but again the answer is “Nope” when I ask him would he like to join us.

 

[parkers*momma]

Mid January 2009...I’m already starting to feel panicked. I can’t seem to find any decent airline tickets. I always have my tickets bought before the month is out. But this year, I can’t find anything under $200.00! Now, I am as cheap as they come when it comes to Airline tickets. I NEVER have paid over $130.00 non-stop round trip. I search all the airports within a 3 hour radius of our home. Nothing! Nothing at all! My nightly ritual-several times a night is checking Detroit, Ft. Wayne, Toledo, Columbus, Dayton, and as far away at Cincy and Cleveland through Kayak.com. I’m really starting to dread the fact of paying not only the crazy luggage fees (we bought our tickets last year before the luggage fees so we were exempt) but a higher than “our” normal ticket prices. As the month grew longer, the feeling of desperation sank in more. I finally came to the conclusion I wasn’t going to get airline tickets any cheaper than $225.00 round trip non-stop. So I was tossed between spending that high amount plus luggage fees and parking fees at the airport or just driving from Ohio to Orlando.

I approached Dh with the idea , hoping beyond hope that he would change his mind and go with us. Even the expense of adding him to the Disney package would still be cheaper if we went together and we shared the driving time. I don’t mind driving but the idea of driving to Orlando by myself with our DD actually kind of worried me. Dh listened to my dilemma but again, he just wasn’t interested in going to Disney. Resolved that he wasn’t going to change his mind, I started the first week of February seeking airline tickets setting Feb. 28th as the day…no matter what, I would be purchasing my airline tickets. BINGO!! On February 13th-FRIDAY THE THIRTEEN- I found Tran Air has dropped their prices. As bad as some of the reports that I have read about Tran Air, the tickets for $139.00 non-stop round trip from Detroit to Orlando. Even if they change my times, I do have the option of changing it to something different that day or the day before (it’s true! I read it on the DISBOARDS). With the page still up, I quickly call DH and DS into the room. I want to make it perfectly clear that I am about to purchase the airline tickets so it is now or never if they want to join us. DH started shaking his head and laughing at me. “No dear, you and DD go, have fun and tell me all about it when you get home.” Okay dokey. I turn to Ds and ask him one final time. “Nawww Mom, I really don’t want to miss that much school. I’ve got to worry about my attendance when it comes to getting into college.” (ok at this point I would like to add-I’m very proud of my son, he is a sophomore honor student who has only missed one day of school since November 2007). Ok…I’ve done a great job at parenting, a child picking to attend school over missing school to go to Disney--Who can have imagined that?!?! So with both of the definite “No’s” from the guys…A click of a few buttons and the airline tickets are bought, seats picked out, and email confirmation is put in the vacation file. WAHOOOOO….we are flying to Disney!

 

[parkers*momma]

The first of March, the suitcases are brought down stairs as the freebies start showing up in the mailbox. Yep, the budget board has this wonderful thread full of freebies that you can sign-up for on the internet. Nightly, I check for new ones and sign up for anything I might need at Disney. Shampoo, crème rinse, toothpaste, perfume, occasionally new razors…anything and everything that arrives in the mailbox goes directly in the suitcase. Plus items I might happen to find on clearance at Wal-Mart, Dollar General, or Big Lots. Nice little zip-up hoodies for a cool rainy night…$2.00 or ponchos for those afternoon showers…50cents. Ohhhh how I love a good deal! I buy 6 ponchos. Why? Because I can and I know how much it likes to rain in Florida and how easily they tear. For 50cents, if it tears the first time we wear it…so be it, we can pitch it and get a new one without spending Disney prices. So for the next four months, I will be filling out online sites for free items and tossing them into our suitcases. Only to take everything out in August and decide what I really don't need. Which is history holds true...I will NEED everything!

 

[parkers*momma]

Not long ago…..two weeks ago…a mere 14 days ago, I almost ended up in jail. Which means our 2nd annual Mommy and Me Making Memories vacation would never happen and that would be an end to my pre-trip report.

I truly do have OCD. Obsessive compulsive disorder…it is a disease, ask me I know! Everything in it’s place and a place for anything. Move the table centerpiece a fraction of an inch from the center of the table, I’m straightening it (one of Grumpy’s favorite things to do to drive me crazy). So when I make plans, I can’t stand to be late, I have to know A goes to B which leads to C. and Heaven forbid if I remotely think I might have to change my plans. I freak out.

With that being said…even though we are 200 days out…I know we have to start thinking of those magical ADR’s. I know that June19th is the day I will be up at 6am brewing a pot of coffee and watching the click tick down to 6:45am so I can start dialing Disney’s number to make those wonderful reservation. I know…they don’t answer the phone until 7am but if I start calling at 6:45 and letting it ring and ring and ring…sooner or later someone will answer the phone. Maybe even a few minutes before 7am!

So two weeks ago, we are watching our Disney Vacation DVD for the one millionth time while Diva and I are pouring over the Disney Website for dining options. Which I might add…I hate the new format. It’s not as easy to use as the old one. At least with the old one you knew immediately which restaurants are in the Dining plan. Diva and I are bouncing between the Disney website and DISBOARDS to check out the reports and pictures and another website(which I won’t mention) to see what foods are on the menu. We are writing down which one sounds good, which ones we have visited and want to go to again, which ones we tried and never going to visit again and which ones are a MUST…recommended by DIS’ers.

DH walks in, picks up the remote and flips the channel. Draggers go sailing across the room…Nope not by me, but by Diva who loves the Disney Vacation DVD as much as any Disney Movies. To save the moment and her tushy for giving attitude, I distract her with the Hoop-dee-do revue meal which we haven’t done before. She’s all for this one but wants to know exactly what food they have. So as I am contently reading her the menu, the Disney commercial comes one. You know the one…the lil boy sitting in a classroom and the balloon comes out the envelope. So as I am reading the menu, Diva is watching the commercial and DH says……….





















………………….."So when are we going?" My head spins around like Linda Blair’s in the Exorcist, wide eyed I look at him and say “WHAT?!?!?!” Casually he says “I need to know when we are going so I can request the days off from work” I feel a shutter go down my spine, I close my eyes and open them slowly thinking all the while I must be hallucinating because I KNOW he said he wasn’t going with us. Yep he is still sitting in his chair looking at me and I am staring at him. Again I said “Like what???” He again relies slowly…”I need to know when we are going to Disney so I can ask my boss for those days off.”

OK, have you ever witnessed a Siamese cat…any cat for that matter…who has been backed into a corner by a pack of dogs? How they stiffen up, their eyes glaze over and get really squinty while they move they heads slowly in the direction of the dogs before the attack? Ok that was me at that exact moment! I look at this man sitting in a recliner…yea he does look like the man of my dreams but the man of my dreams would never EVER change his mind about going to Disney. He hates the place…hates everything that remotely resembles Disney. Yet the man sitting in my Dh’s chair sure looks like my balding Grumpy. Cautiously, I look even closer. Yep it is him, that’s the scar on his hand from when he was little and a cat attacked him. Only problem is…there is another cat about to attack him and this one is bigger and meaner! Honestly, my next comment came out long before it registered in my brain. “Are you serious?! Do you really want to go with us to Disney? Do you realize we do whatever we want, when we want? ARE YOU SERIOUS?????” His only reply was “yes, if you don’t mind me joining you and Diva” OMG!!!!!! At that precise moment I could see my fingers wrapping around his neck…slowly choking the daylights out of him…until he breathed his last breath. Don’t get me wrong…Two weeks ago, I would have been tickled to death if he would have said he wanted to go. BEFORE I bought the airline tickets!! Now I wanted to suck the life out of him!

With a slow deep breath in (and visions of me in an orange prison jumpsuit-Orange is not my color) I said we would love for him to join us but what made him change his mind? his reply...You two sounded like you had so much fun and listening to you two planning everything, I decided I didn't want to miss it two years in a row(he still doesn't have a clue how close he came to missing it forever!).

But now I’ve got to find out if I can get him on the same flight as us, hopefully for the same price and seat next to each other. But before I do that, I call DS upstairs. “Son, Dad has changed his mind and will be going to Disney with us. Now before I try finding airline tickets, I need to know…Are you positive, beyond a shadow of doubt…never in a million years…are you wanting to go with us. If you do…fantastic! I’ll get you an airline ticket and we can go as a family.” NOPE Mom, I don’t wanna go. I’ll just stay home by myself.

Ok at that moment…I don’t have enough energy to even begin the battle of why a 16 year old is not staying home by himself for two weeks. That battle is on the back burner until we get closer to the day we are leaving for Disney. The matter at hand at this exact moment was getting online, finding an airline ticket for DH so he could join us.

Look out KAYAK.Com, here I come. I pull up our confirmation and jot down the flight numbers and times then pop back over to Kayak. Luckily, without to much hassle, I found the same flight at the same time for the same cost. Now to move our seats around so we can sit together and Walla….we are all set with Airline tickets.

Luckily, I don’t really want to be a widow and was able to reframe from a compulsive urge to kill my DH. Or I might have been planning a funeral from Prison instead of planning a Disney Vacation from the comforts of my living room! My-Oh-My How I love that man of mine!(which a dearly do love him!)

 

[parkers*momma]

soon

 

[saratogadreamin09]

I'm signing up

Looks like its going to be an exciting TR

 

[parkers*momma]

Thanks!

HAHAHA...I think!

I've just finished post #7

 

[tiggersam00]

Im subbing too! This looks good

 

[michael's mom]

I'm here and LOVING IT!

 

[michael's mom]

Love your title by the way...although you psyched me out changing it so quickly...(thats two times today now!)

Keep it up, you're doing a great job here.

 

[kgle]

Oh I am totally signing on for this! I can't wait to hear more

 

[miprender]

Hello Signing on....

 

[Nurse_Mommy4]

I'm here!!!!! Great Start Maddie!!!!!

 

[Stacybaeasm]

I can't wait to hear the rest of this story. You are off to a great start!!

 

[WDWRocksMySocks]

Ooh, you found a great deal on airfare. We used AirTran in October, and even though they changed our flight times it always worked out in our favor (got us to WDW earlier!!).

Look forward to hearing more!

 

[DWGal210]

Great start! I am a planner too and I would also probably have given a death-stare about your DH suddenly wanting to go. But it sounds like you have some great plans!

 

[MainStMandy]

Loving it so far!!