You know it's time to start a PTR when......Update 1/12 Leaving in 10 hours!!!!!!!!!!

[gellybean]

My wife and I read through your PTR last night. It was a nice Disney moment after a long drive from the Twin Cities to Kansas to see Dugette's grandpa.

We're heading out in a moment, but just wanted to say your PTR is very well-written: we were on the edge of our seats with all the twists and turns! From the magical upgrade to AKL to the elliptical return for the DDP: very suspenseful!

Sounds like your plans are great!

One quick question. I'm not familiar with TGM. What are the differences between his advice and the unofficial guide/touringplans.com?

We will be at Wishes on your last night, most likely. Maybe we'll spot you there!

Thanks for joining in!!! Glad you're enjoying it. I'm not familiar with touringplans.com so that's probably the difference. I went over there for a quick look-see, sans subscription of course, but it sounds pretty similar. I'm very curious to subscribe and compare the recommendations of each site. Hmmmmmm.

I'll be looking for your cone of shame during Wishes!!

 

[Dugette]

Fun to read a PTR that overlaps with when we will be there! We are a little nervous about the possible crowds on MLK weekend (we were spoiled going in September last time and walking onto almost everything), but that's part of why we kept our Poly and WL days...so we can escape the crowds, if needed, and still be having a great time.

AKL sounds great. Definitely on our list of places we'd like to stay someday. We went to Boma on our last trip and LOVED it. I'm, at best, a mildly adventurous eater, but there was plenty that I really enjoyed. Still mentally toying with going back again this time.

As far as other food, we're looking forward to our 1st visit to LeCellier too! We went to Tutto Italia last trip and enjoyed it. Maybe not the best Italian food we've ever had, but it was on the free dining plan, so it was good! It will be interesting to see what your experience at San Angel Inn is like. DH would really like to have a meal in that environment, but we see such mixed reviews we haven't made an ADR this trip.

By the way, as a penny-pinching accountant, I really appreciate your creative Disney math!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Hey there my new Longhorn friend! (Wow, that was hard to say )

I just spent the better part of the evening reading through your PTR. Congrats on the upgrade to AKL! That's awesome!

Your plans look great, can't wait for the TR. I envy you being able to travel with your MIL, seems like I said this to Brook lately too, but I'd rather put my head in a vice than go on a vacation with my in-laws!

Your boys are adorable (yes, even when trying to flash the hook 'em horns sign )

 

[Lady Lallie]

I envy you being able to travel with your MIL, seems like I said this to Brook lately too, but I'd rather put my head in a vice than go on a vacation with my in-laws!

Ditto!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Ditto!

I knew it couldn't just be me!

 

[gellybean]

Fun to read a PTR that overlaps with when we will be there! We are a little nervous about the possible crowds on MLK weekend (we were spoiled going in September last time and walking onto almost everything), but that's part of why we kept our Poly and WL days...so we can escape the crowds, if needed, and still be having a great time.

AKL sounds great. Definitely on our list of places we'd like to stay someday. We went to Boma on our last trip and LOVED it. I'm, at best, a mildly adventurous eater, but there was plenty that I really enjoyed. Still mentally toying with going back again this time.

As far as other food, we're looking forward to our 1st visit to LeCellier too! We went to Tutto Italia last trip and enjoyed it. Maybe not the best Italian food we've ever had, but it was on the free dining plan, so it was good! It will be interesting to see what your experience at San Angel Inn is like. DH would really like to have a meal in that environment, but we see such mixed reviews we haven't made an ADR this trip.

By the way, as a penny-pinching accountant, I really appreciate your creative Disney math!

Thanks for the kudos on my fuzzy Disney math! I was pretty pleased with how I came up with paying for the trip.

It is neat reading plans of someone that will be there at the same time, isn't it?

We ate at Tutto and loved it last time and we've eaten at some pretty decent Italian food places, though granted not in Italy. I will say the item I ordered last year was icky... so maybe it's just what you order, as I guess would be the case with anywhere. I am hopeful that its as good as we remember, as this is Mr. Incredible's big birthday ta da! And I hate asking relatives to pay $25 a plate for food they think is bad.


Thank you, thank you for passing on your favorable opinion of Boma! I'm a little nervous about that one too, but since it's just for the four of us, not as pressured to produce a great meal ressie... if that makes any sense.

San Angel Inn is a great place to eat for the ambience. Being from Texas, I just accept that the food isn't gonna be great Tex-Mex... which is what I'm used to as Mexican cuisine. Since I don't get down to Mexico often, I can't really compare. I haven't eaten at SAI in years, but imo, it's worth it if you like margaritas and a great atmosphere!

The possible crowds that weekend were another reason I wanted to upgrade to AKL. If we end up spending a lot of time at the resort, then it'll still feel like we're on vacation!!

I'll hop over and read Dug's update soon!

Hey there my new Longhorn friend! (Wow, that was hard to say )

I just spent the better part of the evening reading through your PTR. Congrats on the upgrade to AKL! That's awesome!

Your plans look great, can't wait for the TR. I envy you being able to travel with your MIL, seems like I said this to Brook lately too, but I'd rather put my head in a vice than go on a vacation with my in-laws!

Your boys are adorable (yes, even when trying to flash the hook 'em horns sign )

Hey there S-ss- ssooner friend! Almost couldn't say it ! Thanks for finding me and reading along!!! I'm excited about my plans but trying to remember the Go with the Flow attitude I had to keep last trip!
My MIL can be a lot of help, and she can be a total "IN LAW". I had to accept that now that the can of worms has been open, with her living so close to Disney, it's gonna be hard to not invite her along. Hence the partial invitation.
about you rather putting your head in a vice ! I do understand. I'm sure there will be plenty of times on this upcoming trip where I'll be ready to throw something at them. Should make for good TR fodder though!

Thanks for looking past the attempted hook 'em horns signage to see their cuteness!

Ditto!

Poor Lallie!

I knew it couldn't just be me!

I'm sure most people would agree with you.... don't think I haven't considered transferring my obsession to Disneyland in far, far, far away California!

 

[gellybean]

We're doing the single digit dance today!!!

Oh yes we are!!!!


9 days baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And finally we're close enough to use weather.com's 10 day forecast. There's about a 10 degree split between their forecast for Jan 12th and accuweather.com's.

So... still really don't know what the weather is gonna be like. Anywhere from a high of 69 to 61 and a low of 55 to 41 for arrival day.

YIKES!

Looks like I'll be packing half the house. Not that I wouldn't be doing that anyway!

I've been trying to stay away from online shopping!!! There was a great discount at Vera....and I resisted. Which was HARD ! I didn't order a new memory card for my camera... yet.

I am still waiting for our last Disneystore.com order to get in. I've got our suitcases out and we are sticking a few things in there that I don't want to get lost in the laundry between now and then. Still need to clothe us between now and then, but some of the cuter outfits we can do without, I'm packing away.

Mr. Incredible is off today! Poor guy. It's his first day off since Christmas. He's exhausted, so I'm trying to be gentle with the honey do requests. He is off again on Tuesday and that will be his last day off before vacation.

He has to drive to Houston, not Dallas, for his ops meeting. I think he's gonna drive down a day early, so he's not leaving Austin at 5:30am to make the meeting. He should be home late Monday, Jan 11th, night sometime, but I'll be running around like a chicken with my head cut off getting everything done.

My mom and I talked and she was really starting to worry about keeping our Doxle puppy. To say he's hyper is an understatement and mom is young for her age, but she is still 67. And I have a hard time handling the puppy some days. So she generously offered to pay half of his boarding fee for our vet's facility. her.

We'll be dropping Jasper (the dog... in case you got confused) off at the vet's Tuesday morning, then driving to my sister's house who has generously offered to drive us to the airport. So no long term parking fees!! She'll be able to pick us up, upon return, as well. She'll keep our vehicle the whole week so she can put her car in the shop! Win Win situation for us all! her too!

We are getting down to serious countdown business around here! Jack-Jack is clueless of course, but Dash is asking daily how much longer, how many days he'll have to go back to school before we are leaving etc. We are reading, reading, reading and already working on next week's spelling words.

I opened a Touringplans account last night, the free kind, and started on their free planning journal thingie. I'll get that finished and see if it's worth printing it, or if I'm just gonna use it to remind me of things for my own lists!!

Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend and a wonderful 2010 so far!! The new 2010 Disney logo is too cute!!! Can't wait!!!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Woo Hoo for single digits!!!

On the weather thing, I checked both accuweather & weather.com before our trip and found weather.com to be a bit more accurate. Of course, I think they are all just throwing darts at a temperature map anyway, so just take a little bit of everything!

 

[Lady Lallie]

NINE DAYS!!



I can't believe you started packing and I haven't. I'm ashamed of myself.

 

[gellybean]

Woo Hoo for single digits!!!

On the weather thing, I checked both accuweather & weather.com before our trip and found weather.com to be a bit more accurate. Of course, I think they are all just throwing darts at a temperature map anyway, so just take a little bit of everything!

Thanks for the head's up about the weather sites. The weather is looking FABULOUS! I'm hoping it stays that way.

NINE DAYS!!



I can't believe you started packing and I haven't. I'm ashamed of myself.

heheeh sorry!!!
You'll get there!!! Packing for one should go really fast!

I have a laundry basket set aside, holding clothes that I don't want the kids to wear in the next week, for fear we'll lose it in the laundry again!

Here's hoping we don't have to wear any of it!

 

[kbheap]

I'm subscribing. Your PTR is off to a great start. It will keep me looking forward to ours coming up 2/14/2010. Have fun!

 

[gellybean]

I'm subscribing. Your PTR is off to a great start. It will keep me looking forward to ours coming up 2/14/2010. Have fun!

and thanks for joining!!!

Your trip is so close too!!!

And you live one state over!! Geux Saints!

 

[gellybean]

Just got a new Walt Disney Travel Company packet in, reflecting our adding DDP. They sent it to us 2 day air, since we added it so late. Thought that was nice of them!

We now have official proof that we are on the DDP!

I went ahead and called the front desk of the AKL, since they have our reservation now. They don't download them until 10 days prior to arrival. I changed our room request from 'close to the lobby' to 'Ostrich Trail'. I mainly wanted to talk to the front desk person to make sure that there were 'standard view' rooms in the Ostrich trail, and there are but of course they couldn't tell me how many or which ones, etc. I just wanted to try to get close to the main area without having a view of the walkway to the transportation area. Not too keen on the noise potential, having a room facing the bus depot! Hopefully this request will work out. It seems away from things enough, while still being close to the lobby's gorgeousness and Mara, Boma etc.

I also went ahead and did online check-in!!! Little nervous about how this will affect our room request, but figure the rooms are assigned early enough I hope it won't matter what way you check-in. So that's done! It was painless and I have the printed confirmation of check-in just in case! Will be interesting to see how different the process is with having checked in online!


Registered the new photopass card we got in the latest packet.

Starting a packing list spreadsheet!! FUN!

Getting last minute things done for Dash's return to school tomorrow.

8 days!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gellybean]

Well, we're officially back in the swing of school. Did not want to get up these last two mornings! But Dash was happy to see his friends, albeit reluctant to do homework again.

We are expecting a cold front tonight that's gonna bring us the lowest temps we've had in 14 years! A low of 20!!!! I'm sure all you Northerners are laughing at that, but that's COLD for us.

So far the Austin weather forecast for our departure day is highs in the 50, lows in the 30s with a morning shower. Nothing that should affect our flight! Here's hoping it stays that way!


The weather in Orlando is still all over the map. Right now the consensus seems to be highs in the 60s lows in the 40s with some showers some mornings, mostly to partly cloudy most days! I'll be glad to check a local Orlando news station's weather report here in a few days to get their opinion too!

We made a run to Wally World yesterday. It was Mr. Incredible's last day off before we leave! Poor guy.

I grabbed some color wonder packs, one for each boy, Disney themed of course, and then some blank color wonder paper because Jack-Jack is more into doodling lately. I also found Dash a composition notebook that has primary paper in it--lines at the bottom and an area to draw up top-- so he's all set for his travel journal. I thought it would be neat to use this journal for future trips/occasions, and get him in the habit of putting some of his thoughts down so he can do TR's when he grows up!

We grabbed plenty of NON STICKY snacks for the plane with enough leftover to take back to the room, socks for the boys -- I can never find socks in this house! --, a pack of four travel packs of wet wipes -- I tried the refill method last year and kept running out-- and as we were checking out I grabbed two Disney flashlights off the impulse area. Shame on me but they were tooooo cute and only 2.88 a piece! They have different lenses you can change out to make shadows of Mickey Mouse or whatever, and Jack-Jack is really into flash lights lately! They'll be cheaper 'light up' toys than we could purchase at Disney and with the glow sticks I already picked up, we should be good to go for night time entertainment for the kiddos.

The laundry basket of Disney destined clothes is filling up fast. I plan on putting the suitcase up on the dining room table this weekend, and dragging out the other ones. The spreadsheet is mostly done. Mr. I is gonna look at it and list things for himself so I can try to pack him as much as I can. The Touringplans free travel journal didn't really excite me too much, seemed almost info overkill.

I have all our documents set aside. I'll print airline confirmations after we check in 24 hrs in advance! Not paying the 10 bucks to check in earlier with Southwest! Last trip I had this elaborate folder set up with all our paperwork in it and it took me forever to just sort through the folder. Not gonna do that this time. All in one place, maybe a gallon size zip lock bag, and in the front of my bag. Easy access. After departure and check in, you don't really need it again until the flight home, anyway. I'll lock Jack-Jack's birth certificate in the safe!

6 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In one week we will be making our way from Future World Rides to check in at for our very FIRST Le Cellier ressie at 1:30pm!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Sounds like you're all organized and ready to go! Less than one week now

I love Le Cellier, mmmm cheddar cheese soup & pretzel bread. Great, now I'm hungry

 

[gellybean]

Well I was all organized and ready to go.....







If I don't laugh about this, I'm gonna cry!



So my MIL calls this afternoon. Turns out BIL has a last minute meeting in Orlando Friday, the 15th --the day BIL and SIL were scheduled to arrive. Which means they are going to drive down Thursday instead of Friday, and are going to stay an extra night. GREAT! An extra day with them.... but wait....

They have to go home a day early now, because BIL now has to work on Monday. Um ok.... So they are now returning home Sunday, early.

There goes Tutto Italia, for all 7 of us on Sunday.


But wait! There's more!


MIL has decided that since BIL and SIL are going home Sunday, that MIL needs to come down Friday instead of Saturday, or else we won't all have time together. Which I understand, truly. It would stink for us all to be there, but only have 2 hours total with us all there at the same time.

And thank GOD she decided not to add another night, but to just shift her stay up a day. On one hand I'm thankful that I'm still looking at just 3 nights of extreme family togetherness, instead of 4. BUT on the other hand, now we're talking Friday plans, Saturday plans, Sunday plans and Monday plans have to be re-worked.

Now, instead of us all doing Epcot on Sunday we have to all do something on Saturday. Which Saturday was our date night... so there goes that.

Friday instead of all day in DHS, now we have to leave early to meet MIL at the hotel to help get her checked in and unloaded.





I was proud of myself. I didn't pitch a tizzy. Externally.

This is what I worked out.....

I called my SIL and asked her if they had their heart set on going into a park or if they would be content just hanging at the hotels, theirs and ours, and going to DTD. She said that would be fine. They were really just coming down to see us.... so this made it much easier to switch it all around. I really wanted to do a birthday dinner with all 7 of us, still. Even if it would be a day earlier. By moving said dinner to a resort restaurant, we saved BIL and SIL having to buy a park ticket. I immediately went to the restaurants at AKL to make things easier on everyone. Jiko or Boma were our choices. Sanaa I thought would be too spicey for everyone. Jiko would be awesome for a birthday dinner, but I hesitated to ask them to spend that much money and also I didn't really relish the idea of taking the boys to Jiko. So I decided to try to switch our Jiko and Boma nights. I was crossing my fingers and saying prayers when I jumped on Dining reservations.

And I got it done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Re-worked plans:

Friday- DHS early, Mama Melrose lunch still, leave around 4pm to meet MIL, Jiko date night MOVED to 8:40pm Friday night instead of Saturday. WHEW!!! Possibly meet up with SIL and BIL at some point if they aren't crashing from their near overnight drive Thursday night.

Saturday- DHS return in the am if we didn't cover it all Friday, leave MIL, SIL and BIL sleeping in at the hotel.
Meet early afternoon at AKL, bus over to DTD. Spend afternoon there, light lunch at WPE.
Boma reservation for all 7 of us at 8:10pm to celebrate Mr. I's birthday.

Sunday- Epcot still with just MIL instead of all of us. Still keeping Tutto Italia ressie for Sunday night, but moved it to party of 5 instead of 7, and that pushed it to 7:50pm.

Monday- Boma breakfast still for the 5 of us. See MIL off, hit MK for a few hours, return for afternoon break. MK again for Spectro and Wishes. Got new
'Ohana ressie for 4 instead of 5 at 9:40pm instead of 9:30pm.

Tuesday - Boma breakfast buffet for 4, if time allows, ME to airport around 10:30am


Holy DISNEYFREAK Batman, I can't believe I pulled that off and in about 30 mins. I have so many ADRs right now my brain is spinning. I'm going to get them all straightened out and cancel the ones we won't need ASAP. But I wasn't about to cancel a ressie before I replaced it. If we had to keep a ressie and tell them our party didn't show and it was only 4 instead of 5 or 7 then so be it!

I think I got it all worked out. What a wrench! It could be worse.... I think. No really, it could have been worse.... maybe not from a logistics standpoint, but BIL's meeting could have been in North Carolina on the same day and they wouldn't have been able to join us at all. So, despite my internal freakout at all the re-working I had to do, SIX DAYS before our trip, I'd much rather do this than not get to see them.


Can I just say for last minute ADR availabilty!!!!!!!! FYI I actually was able to get a new Le Cellier reservation in one of my attempts to make this all work. I let it go, but was SHOCKED that I could get one so close to our trip. It was for lunch.... but there was one!

And FYI-- SIL was able to add an extra night at Coronado Springs and was told she would be able to keep the same room. I'm sooooooooo hopeful that this means the crowds won't be too bad!!


I'll try to post our new plans in their entirety once I know what they are, again.

 

[Lady Lallie]

Holy Freakout Batman!

I would have throw a hissy fit! Good for you for staying calm and getting it all figured out!

 

[SoonerGirl]

You are a better woman than I - I think I may have lost it! Good for you staying calm (even if it was only externally ) and getting everything re-worked.

I also think it's a good sign that you were able to book ADRs this late, hopefully it means crowds will be light!

 

[gellybean]

Holy Freakout Batman!

I would have throw a hissy fit! Good for you for staying calm and getting it all figured out!

I wanted to throw a hissy. Considering I got this call just after returning from spending 300$ unbudgeted dollars on two new tires for our car. Yeah.... wasn't the best timing. But if you'll remember Mr. Incredible nearly had an issue with a mandatory meeting at the beginning of our trip, so I just as easily could have been redoing everything because of a snag on our end. And honestly, I was just glad they are still trying to come down. It would have been easier on them to just say sorry and have put BIL on a plane and SIL stay home.

You are a better woman than I - I think I may have lost it! Good for you staying calm (even if it was only externally ) and getting everything re-worked.

I also think it's a good sign that you were able to book ADRs this late, hopefully it means crowds will be light!

LOL See above. I definitely was close to losing it! And thanks for the kudos. The thing that irks me the most I think is they have no idea how fortunate we were that it all worked out to switch everything 6 days from leaving. AND because I was able to switch it all, they now won't believe for future trips that booking things early is important because I was able to pull it off!!! I need a growling smilie here! LOL

I sooooooooooooooo hope it's a good sign that the crowds will be light. MLK weekend worries me a little!!

Soonergirl- how cold is it up there???? Are you gonna watch the game tomorrow night?? You're not pulling for Bama are you?!




Mini-update:

When we got home from our tire buying, we had a package from Disney Store. We got the boys raincoats in and my hoodie and tshirt! The hoodie's cute, not embroidered or anything fancy but cute nonetheless! Maybe it'll hold up better than the white one!

The boys raincoats fit perfectly but they are more what I would call a wind breaker than a rain slick kind of material. Hopefully they'll work and hopefully the forecast will stay just 'few showers' and not 'rain'.

I also got our additional ME tags in so we can each check 2 suitcases straight through to AKL! Southwest no baggage fee policy! Looking at that packing list, we're gonna need all the luggage we can take. I just have to remember we still have to get it into and out of the airport.

Doing more laundry and getting more piles of stuff set aside!!!

I had made index cards for each day with park hours, ADR #'s etc. I'll have to do a new set tomorrow with all the changes to ADRs I just made. My inbox was lit up with new ADR confirmations. I think I made 6 ADRs in about 20 mins. Thank goodness for online reservations. I would have HATED to do all that on the phone with someone!!!

I have organized all the confirmations into keep and cancel lists and will be canceling online shortly!

Getting ready for our big temp drop tonight! So excited!

 

[brookelizabeth]

All caught up now! Six days!

Wowsers on the wrench!!! You handled it like a pro though. Your plans are looking great!! Now, no more freak-out stuff is allowed to happen for you on this trip!

I completely missed the terrorist threat on Christmas Day. My FIL caught it on the news at AKV, but Henry was busy with something so I only half heard what he was talking about...I forgot about it until you mentioned it here! I gotta Google it....anyway, as far as ME buses-ours was still the same on the 1st, 3 hours in advance of your flight.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!! I would have never THOUGHT to just charge the gratuity back to the room!

Glad that bit helped you! I love not having cash in the parks, one less thing to worry about loosing. You have enough of that when you have a 2 year old!


I am VERY SORRY to read about your dog. That is heartbreaking...