Your going to Disney World?.......Again!!!! The Rivera's doing Disney...Again + 11

[Simbee3]

Well, I have been a loyal Disboards member for some time now, as well as and extremely loyal lurker of the trip reports board. I have gotten and used a wealth of information from the Disboards. So I decided to do our own pre-trip/trip report this year.
We go to Disney every year, at least once. It’s sort of an expected family tradition. What can I say, when I’m there I am happy, unlike anywhere else. If they can make a pill to make me feel the way I feel when I’m in Disney, I have to honestly say I wouldn’t take it, and gladly opt to go to Disney instead. Because in my heart, "THERE IS NO MAGIC LIKE DISNEY MAGIC".

So let me introduce you to our cast of characters.

Simone (Me), SAHM. Embarrassingly addicted to everything Disney related, and the planner of this and all of our Family Vacations.

Bee-Bee (DH) who claims he is all Disneyed out. He loves jet-skiing his motor cycles. My best friend in the world. How lucky I am, who else would put up with me and my Disney obsession. But, tell me if I am right. He sure does look like he was having a great time that night on the Disney Cruise, right?

Jermaine, our oldest son. MY TEENAGER. Voted best looking, and best eyes in his school this year. Why O Why did they do that to me. Very much into himself, and his appearance this year. But, he’ll go anywhere there is food and girls. Notice the pic? I took that picture of him when we were at Captain Cooks. He also loves basket ball and track and has done very well with the teams at his school.

Sean, my preteen, middle child loves school, sports, and most of all anything to do with electronics. He’s beginning to go through the stages of growing pains but nothing I can’t handle just yet. He claims he doesn’t like Disney, but his face lit up when we told him we were going in August.

Madison. Our little princess . She is her mother’s child. She loves Disney as much as I do, if that’s even possible.

As you could see I am the only one in the house with brown eyes. Maybe I should get contacts.

So moving on, I am busy planning, deciding what, where, why and when we are doing what. I always try to stay somewhere different so we can keep it fresh and new. And this has worked for me the past 4 years. But now, where I am usually just planning our family of 5, I feel as if I am going crazy trying to plan for 16 and lets not forget about . My best friend and her family are coming along for the ride this year, as well as another friend of ours with her family of 5. I will be updating names and pictures as soon as I can get to it. How did I get myself into this.

 

[disneydreamertoo]

Don't be embarrased by your Disney addiction. We all seem to suffer! What a lot of blessings you have--beautiful children, once a year Disney trips and the cherry on top you are a SAHM! May I also be so blessed. I do have beautiful children, I have gone to Disney the past 3 years--but I don't think we could swing trips if I wasn't gainfully employed. I need a financial miracle to make that happen!!!! I will believe!!! I'm subscribing and I'm very curious how you are going to make this trip happen with so many extra players! Your planning is going to have to kick into overdrive!!!!

 

[Simbee3]

Thank you so much. We have been extremely blessed in so many ways. I haven’t always been a SAHM. I did work, after the birth of our first son. But, when he was about 9 months, he became closer to the baby sitter than myself or his father. So both of us decided that it would be a better idea if I stayed home with him.
Then with the premature birth of our second son coupled with many medical problems that came along with his birth, staying home became more of a necessity than a luxury.
So over the years we have become more budget conscious. Believe me, with a 13 year old that wears an 11.5 size shoe, I have thought long and hard about going back to work. But, now with 3 kids ranging in ages from 3-13 years old. The long days from home would turn our family upside down.
Now as far as our annual Disney trips go, I say that is something that is non-negotiable. Mommy needs to be happy and have some fun too.
Actually last year, we were going back and forth trying to decide if we were going to be able to pull the trip off. And it wasn’t looking that good. Well, low and behold we lucked out and won a Disney land and Sea vacation including airfare, hotel, park tickets, food and the cruise for a family of four. Now we are a family of five so we had to pay a couple of extra dollars but it was much less than we would have had to pay for our original plans. After all was said and done, it was the trip of a lifetime. We were able to stay at the Poly, which we loved and the cruise was amazing. Something that the entire family all agrees on doing again in the near future.
Here’s a few pictures from that unforgettable trip.

I know that time is ticking, and I truly do have to kick the planning into overdrive. But, Disney has made so many changes as far as their ADRs and the posting of the Park hours to 90 days as opposed to 180 day in advance that right now I am stuck in limbo. Especially with the other two families not looking at the menus that I have sent them and basically telling me everything is in my hands. I think I am going to take someone from the boards advice and plan a few meals together and then let them do their planning for themselves. Because I am beyond stressed.

I have Sean’s birthday coming as well as Jermaine’s graduation right after that I have to plan for as well. I am on planning overload, but once I get my Disney plans all squared up I should feel a lot better.