You're Going AGAIN?????

[JDailey]

Single Digits......YAY!!!!!! I am so jealous!! I am ready to go now too.

I am so happy to have someone to talk to about Disney that shares the same LOVE for it that I have!! My husband likes to go and he humors me when I talk about it but, I want to talk to someone who shares my absolute LOVE for it. I have a son who is 8 and a daughter who is 3 and she turns 4 on Oct 5th.

We are leaving Oct 7th, we are picking up my son up early from school. We hope to leave our house by 2:00 and we usually make it to Disney and check in by 9:30. We are staying until the 15th and we are staying at the Wilderness Lodge that is our favorite resort. I have tickets for MNSSHP and we are also doing the haunted hay ride this year, this will be a first for us so I hope the kids love it. I already have the costumes for the party so, we are ready to go on that end.

I can't wait to hear more about your trip!!

Jennifer

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Single Digits......YAY!!!!!! I am so jealous!! I am ready to go now too.

I am so happy to have someone to talk to about Disney that shares the same LOVE for it that I have!! My husband likes to go and he humors me when I talk about it but, I want to talk to someone who shares my absolute LOVE for it. I have a son who is 8 and a daughter who is 3 and she turns 4 on Oct 5th.
We are leaving Oct 7th, we are picking up my son up early from school. We hope to leave our house by 2:00 and we usually make it to Disney and check in by 9:30. We are staying until the 15th and we are staying at the Wilderness Lodge that is our favorite resort. I have tickets for MNSSHP and we are also doing the haunted hay ride this year, this will be a first for us so I hope the kids love it. I already have the costumes for the party so, we are ready to go on that end.

I can't wait to hear more about your trip!!

Jennifer

Hey Jennifer! I wish you didn't live all the way in Georgia or else we can plan Disney trips in person! Oh well.....that's what this ptr is for, right?? And when you start yours, you'll see how easy it really is. Boy I'm having such a hard time typing on the laptop. It has to rest on my stomach and that's still not very comfortable for me. I'm getting the stitches out tomorrow at 2pm. I cannot wait!!

I've read all about the Wilderness Lodge and you are so lucky to be able to stay there. I don't think we'll ever be able to afford it. I mean we probably could, but not for the length of time we like to stay. The airfare is expensive, so we can't afford to make just a short trip. We really need to make it worth it.

Your kids are at such a perfect age for Disney. The first time we took Victoria down was when she was 6. She was so cute back then....We are going down too early to take advantage of the Haunted Hayride. I was thinking of it last year, but we didn't get the chance. Maybe sometime in the future, I'll have to go down in October to do that. So.....what are your costumes for the party??

 

[JDailey]

I wish we did live closer and we could plan together that would be so much fun!

I am glad you are about to get the stitches out, I know that will be a relief for you. Now, just to get to feeling your best for DISNEY!!!

We love the Wilderness Lodge that was the first place we ever stayed and we were hooked from then on!! We took that first trip in Dec 2005 when my son was 3 and we have gone back every year since (sometimes 2 times a year.) What can I say I got the pixie dust fever and it hasn't gone away!! We have stayed at the Port Orleans Riverside and we have also stayed at All Star Sports both are very nice but, we always go back to the Wilderness when we can. We have flown down a few times but, it is REALLY expensive for us to fly out of Hartsfield so we usually drive down on the night before and spend the night outside the park then start our day bright and early.

The costumes for the kids are..... my daughter is going to be Cinderella and my son is going to be a firefighter just like his Dad. My son has done the MNNSHP before but, he was so little he doesn't remember it so this should be a treat for them both.

Well, I better get back to work. Talk to you soon!


Jennifer

 

[Victoriasmom98]

I’ve been rereading my ptr and discovered I have never finished telling you all about my daily plans…..yeah, with only 7 days to go, I best get to it!!!

Ok, so I left off with Day 8……

This day is going to be our official 2nd day at the Magic Kingdom.

As in all the other days, we will be hitting our faves and anything we didn’t get a chance to do the first day around or at MNSSHP. I’m hoping to have some character interaction as I have made up an autograph book which I’m also going to use for the stamps of the countries of EPCOT. I know --- I’m a dork! My ADR for this day is Liberty Tree Tavern at 1:20pm.

I’ve never eaten here, so this will be a treat!! Apparently it is a set menu served “family style” much like O’hana’s for breakfast. Here’s the menu: All you can eat Family style -
Tossed mixed Greens with Strawberry vinaigrette dressing Roasted Turkey Breast, Carved Beef and Pork Brisket with Mashed Potatoes, seasonal vegetables, herb bread stuffing, and Mac and cheese. Craisin bread pudding with Ice cream $17.99. Aside from the tossed greens, I like everything. Yay me!!! Who cares if Victoria and Peter will, right??!! Just kidding!!!

I don’t know how long we will stay in the evening. This is one of those “play it by ear” type of touring. I would REALLY like to try Columbia Harbor House for supper. Does anyone know about the “secret” upstairs dining room area?? I read about this in another tr and am curious. The evening might end in hanging around the pool at the hotel….who knows?

Day 9 is whatever we want to do day!!! Chances are, knowing my family, we will be at EPCOT once again! We will be starting off with breakfast at O’hana’s ---- yes, it’s our favorite!!! Our ADR is for 9am. We all know it’s because of Peter ---- he has one of those secret alien-crushes on Stitch….. ooops….not so secret anymore, is it??? So I guess I really can’t update you on this date until the Trip Report!! Ah, the trip report…..I have my little diary all ready and packed so I can do updates DAILY!!! I’ve noticed that if I don’t write things down, I will forget. Yes, people….that happens to those of us over 40!!! Not that I am or anything…..although taking numerous pictures do help with that. Hey pretty soon I’ll need notecards!

And finally……..our last day……oh, I just can’t talk about it!! That thought is way too sad!!! We are starting it on a high note by going to Chef Mickey’s for breakfast at 9:15am. I’ve never done this one either, so it will be cool! Our flight leaves at 5:15pm from MCO, so I’m assuming ME will be there by 2pm. There won’t be a whole lot of time to do anything, so maybe hang out at the resort and once packed, go to Downtown Disney --- if there’s any money left!! That’s ok, Peter has a credit card, right??!!

So, those are my plans……I think I have a good schedule done up and I’m hoping there will be no meltdowns or complaints…….if so, Victoria and Peter will just have to deal with me!! Hahahahahaa! One funny thing I’ve done is regarding postcards to my friends and family back home. Everyone knows that I’m a big clearance person, right? Well, I found postcards for 5 cents a piece at a discount store!! Much better than $1.25 or so that you’d pay retail, right?! The only thing is --- they are from CHICAGO!!! Now c’mon….does it really matter what the picture is on the front?? Doesn’t it just matter that they were special enough to get one??? They will be postmarked from Florida!! I think it’s a riot!!! And typical me! Too bad I hadn’t thought of sending them to Hope who actually DID go to Chicago!! Yep, they are even addressed and stamped already! It’s just a matter of writing the note. I’m crazy! I know! But hey, I like to have fun and there is nothing wrong with that.

Does anyone want to hear about Victoria’s first day of eighth grade?? No, well then you can stop reading here. Yes? Go ahead and continue…..

Well, since I had my doctor’s appointment in the afternoon, and I had won movie tickets off of the radio, I told Victoria that in order to celebrate the first day, I would take her to the movies. Yay!! How exciting, right??!! Yeah, thing is I forgot to tell her I would be picking her up at HOME. She thought I was picking her up at SCHOOL!!! Of course my cell phone is off because I had been to the doctor’s. So here I am at the end of our driveway waiting for ½ hour for the bus. (she is usually home by 3:50pm) At 4:05pm I was getting panicky so I go inside and turn on my cell. Message from Victoria AND Peter asking where was I and wasn’t I going to pick her up….OMG!!! BAD PARENT ALERT!!!! I felt HORRIBLE!!! I race to the school and she is sitting outside with the Assistant Principal (as the kids can’t be unattended). OMG!!! Now the Asst Principle thinks I’m a bad parent, too!!! Ok, so maybe not really, but OMG!!! Apparently they had a nice conversation, though. Victoria tends to spill her guts out to total strangers! Mrs. Rollins (the Asst Principal) wants to get Victoria involved in both the school yearbook and newspaper, as I told her how great a photographer I think Victoria is. Mrs. Rollins even said she would like Victoria to pick out one picture for her to get framed and hang in her office. I thought that was way above and beyond. This morning I wrote an email thanking her for taking the time to talk with Victoria. She said it was her pleasure.

Aside from all that drama, Victoria seemed to enjoy her first day! She states she likes her teachers which is always a good thing. I just hope she stays away from all that teenager drama crap!! We went to see “Don’t be Afraid of the Dark” which is a horror film. Both Victoria and I love those, although this one was a bit much for her! We had a great time!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

How cool about yearbook and the photography for Victoria!

I'm so excited for you! Your plans sound great! I have CHH on my list for lunch when we are at MK, I'm excited and I've heard it's good. Let me know about the upstairs area, that would be fun to go up there!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

I wish we did live closer and we could plan together that would be so much fun!

I am glad you are about to get the stitches out, I know that will be a relief for you. Now, just to get to feeling your best for DISNEY!!!

We love the Wilderness Lodge that was the first place we ever stayed and we were hooked from then on!! We took that first trip in Dec 2005 when my son was 3 and we have gone back every year since (sometimes 2 times a year.) What can I say I got the pixie dust fever and it hasn't gone away!! We have stayed at the Port Orleans Riverside and we have also stayed at All Star Sports both are very nice but, we always go back to the Wilderness when we can. We have flown down a few times but, it is REALLY expensive for us to fly out of Hartsfield so we usually drive down on the night before and spend the night outside the park then start our day bright and early.

The costumes for the kids are..... my daughter is going to be Cinderella and my son is going to be a firefighter just like his Dad. My son has done the MNNSHP before but, he was so little he doesn't remember it so this should be a treat for them both.

Well, I better get back to work. Talk to you soon!


Jennifer

Oh, I see you are like me and pop on the Dis during work, eh? shhhhh I won't tell!!! Alright, who am I kidding?? I'm on the Dis any chance I get!! Do you and your husband get dressed up for the MNSSHP too?? Sometimes I wish we lived closer so that we could drive down, but that's just not feasible from Maine. Besides, you guys down south have poisionous stuff like snakes, spiders etc. Here in Maine, we have them, but unless you are allergic, they aren't poisionous! Naw, we just have 16" or more of snow dumped on us in one storm!!!

Do you find the Wilderness Lodge to be huge? Is the main lobby and bus area a long walk away from your room? That part is nervewracking for me. I think that's why I chose POFQ this time around --- it's supposedly very small and an easy walk to everything. I keep reading TRs about the various Deluxes, but it seems pretty confusing to me with "club level", "consierge level" etc. Maybe it's the same as having standard vs preferred, but still. And I would NEVER want a suite ---- I might be tempted to cook!!

How cool about yearbook and the photography for Victoria!

I'm so excited for you! Your plans sound great! I have CHH on my list for lunch when we are at MK, I'm excited and I've heard it's good. Let me know about the upstairs area, that would be fun to go up there!

I'll let you know about CHH. I might even take pictures! Yes, I am excited for Victoria to use and improve her skills. She's big into the editing portion of photography so I really think this will be a good outlet for her. 2 days of school so far and she seems to like it. Whew!! Hey, maybe we got the wrong kids --- Victoria is the photography kid, so she should be yours and Savannah loves Disney and is playful like me!! Yep, I think they were switched. Although, I don't think Savannah could ever pass for mine --- with her beautiful dark complexion and hair.....nope. I'm as white as a ghost and blonde!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I love your idea with the Chicago postcards! That is a riot So, the secret room at CHH... are you talking about the little room that bridges Fantasyland to Liberty Square? I read about that little upstairs room on another Disney site and I was thinking of checking it out myself! I heard the food is great and they serve the same clam chowder that is served at LTT. Since LTT keeps getting nixed from our ADRs, I want to try to find this secluded spot in CHH.

I'm glad to hear Victoria has had a good couple of days at school! I want to see Don't be Afraid of the Dark, but I can't even get my kids to watch the trailer!

 

[JDailey]

Yes, I am bad and check in at work. I find that my mood is better there if I have a Disney fix throughout the day. I tell my husband I only work to fund my Disney habit anyway (which is so not true) but a girl can dream!
The Wilderness Lodge is big but, we love it. I do find that the bus walk back to my room after a long day at the park can be extremely long but, no worse than anywhere else we've stayed. The sacrifices we make in order to stay at our favorite resort! I just love the feeling I get when we pull through that gate and check in at the Lodge. We don't stay on any special level just a regular room. I am like you I would never want to be tempted to cook! The most I do is make oatmeal in the morning other than that NO WAY I am cooking!!
We don't normally dress up for MNSSHP I have a shirt that says Happy Halloween on it so, I will probably wear it.
I am counting down the days now! I have been checking everyday to see if they have decorated the parks yet. I am hoping after Labor Day they will. I am starting to make small list of things we need to pack. We had open house at school on Thursday and I told the teacher what a bad parent I am because my son is going to miss 3 days of school. We have a two day break on the 10th and 11th but, he is going to miss the rest of the week. She laughed and said "as long as ya'll have fun that's all that matters and I will send his work home so he doesn't get behind". That was a relief to hear!
Well, I better stop typing I could go on forever! I know you are getting so excited!
Jennifer

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Here we are…. 3 nights of sleeping at home and then we are off…….5am on Thursday morning cannot come fast enough!! I have packed everything that can possibly be packed prior to the morning of. Thursday morning I will have to pack the chargers for all electronics as well as my meds. I’ll have to make sure Rusty the cat has enough insulin to get him through the vacation. Trash pickup is tomorrow so I’ll make sure the fridge is emptied out. It’s all these little last minute things that you worry about forgetting. I believe all the animals have enough food that my Mom won’t have to go pick up any. I made sure to get extra. I’ll have to go to the bank on Wednesday and pull out the money. Also shave the legs!! And print out our boarding passes.

Over the weekend I finished up the autograph book,

Victoria’s last t-shirt and hemmed up all my pants. Ugh. I also made sure my LGMH was attached to my backpack.

I was really busy! Peter and I hit a few yard sales on Saturday and look what I found……..

I had to add some inches to the strap and wash him, but I am so excited. I knew right away that it originally came from Animal Kingdom. Now I wasn’t planning on wearing a fanny pack, but I just couldn’t resist!! It was only 50 cents!!! Even if I just wear it to AK, it will be worth it! I think it’s so cute!

Just 2 more working days…..I just can’t believe it’s soooo close!!!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

I'm so excited for you! I can hardly believe you are so close. I adore your autograph book. It is so creative! The Pooh fanny pack is too cute and at 50¢ how could you not buy it? You'll be no good at work the next 2 days with Disney on the brain No, I won't wish that on you. You'll have 2 very productive days at work

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Now you can say "the day after tomorrow"! (I love when I can say that, sounds sooner than 2 days!) Your autograph book is cute!! Will you be able to check in at all? FB on your phone or anything? I would like hourly updates, yep.

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Now you can say "the day after tomorrow"! (I love when I can say that, sounds sooner than 2 days!) Your autograph book is cute!! Will you be able to check in at all? FB on your phone or anything? I would like hourly updates, yep.

HOURLY UPDATES???? ARE YOU INSANE, GIRL?? THAT IS NOT ON MY TOURING PLANS!! Victoria does have her laptop with her (not in the parks, though, duh??) and I'll have my ipod touch with Facebook app, so it's possible if we can find a wi-fi hot spot.

Thank you for the compliment on the autograph book. It's nothing more that Mickey heads on a key ring and the cover is just scraps of paper. Yeah, I really put alot of time into it... (RIGHT!)

Can you believe Erin thinks I'm not going to be productive for the next 2 days at work??!! What is she, crazy?? I haven't been productive in like 2 weeks now!! I just need to remember to print out boarding passes and go to the bank!

 

[JDailey]

I am so excited for you!! I know you are excited. I can't wait for a little update.... maybe if you get a minute?? I hope you guys have a wonderful time!!!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I'll be thinking about you tomorrow morning!!!! Take LOTS of pics for me, K?!! Have a magical time!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

I am so excited for you!! I know you are excited. I can't wait for a little update.... maybe if you get a minute?? I hope you guys have a wonderful time!!!

I'll be thinking about you tomorrow morning!!!! Take LOTS of pics for me, K?!! Have a magical time!

Ok folks....boarding passes are now printed. I checked online banking and my paycheck has been deposited. I called the bank to tell them there will be a large withdrawal today, so they can allow it to go through (Gotta love bank security!!). I cleaned the bathroom and vacuumed last night and did a final load of dark laundry. I think I'm ready. I have my wallet here at work with me and I'm making sure my id's, medical cards, etc are with me in my carryon. I've printed the directions to the airport and airport parking. My Mom came over to check on the petsitting plans and to make sure she knows where all their food is. She also gave Victoria $60 in spending money.

I will try my hardest to do an update probably mid-trip. I think we'll just take the plunge and order internet for one 24 hour period. I promise to take lots of pictures --- not a problem for me whatsoever.

Would you believe Mother Nature decided to pay me a visit Tuesday??? Ugh!!! So, hopefully it's a really, really short visit. I knew it was coming, I was just hoping it would have been a couple days earlier so she wouldn't have come to Disney with us. That's ok, if Bob the hernia can come with us, I supposed Mother Nature can do. Oh Menopause, where are you???

I'll be packing the car tonight, so 5am will go smoothly. We'll see......

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I hope that you, Bob, & Mother Nature all have a great time together!!!!!

 

[Victoriasmom98]

I hope that you, Bob, & Mother Nature all have a great time together!!!!!

Gee thanks, Karen!!!

 

[Tink-erin-belle]

Can you believe Erin thinks I'm not going to be productive for the next 2 days at work??!! What is she, crazy?? I haven't been productive in like 2 weeks now!! I just need to remember to print out boarding passes and go to the bank!

I will be the same way when I am close to my trip! Just put on your computer face and act like you're working! Only a few more hours until you clock out! Before you know it, you'll be on the plane! I hope you can get some sleep tonight. Oh, and mother nature is the WORST sometimes! Mother nature came to visit me early too and if this pattern keeps up, she'll be visiting smack dab in the middle of my trip! Can we say: muscle relaxers?!? Well, I hope she ends her visit to you quickly because that is such an inconvenience. Other than that, it looks like you're all set to go! How exciting! I hope you guys have a fantastic trip

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Thanks for all the well wishes, you guys!!! I wish we could all travel together sometime!!! C-ya soon!!!

 

[JDailey]

Oh Mother Nature how wonderful!! I have had that problem myself while I was there right in the middle of the trip..... so fun!! Well, at least you will be in Disney nothing is as bad there. I am ready to see the fall decorations. I am still checking daily to see if the parks are decorated yet and I am hoping by this weekend they will do it. That's a sign my trip is near!!