You're going there, again? In the hottest mth of the yr & with whom? ~July 2013 ~PTR!

[Z28KatCar]

This is my first trip report ever and I'm so excited to share with like minded Disney fans all our plans for the trip. My family and I live in Maine and so we don't get to go to Disney nearly as often as I would like. First let me start by introducing myself and the traveling party!

First, Me! My name is Kat, short for Katherine but only my mother calls me that I'm a full time ER nurse. Our last trip to Disney was 3.5 years ago after I graduated college. Next to me is our beautiful DD Peyton. This trip is really for her birthday...my DH will never believe that but ultimately everything I do it for her.

Next, my DH David. He wasn't always a big Disney fan but after our first trip he has definitely become a huge fan of parts of the world.

The last part of our traveling party...my in-laws! I know most people gasp and say "Your bringing your MIL?" Truth is I am very close to my MIL. I couldn't have gotten luckier when I married my husband he came with an awesome family. So my MIL - Dianne & FIL Paul are coming with us to the greatest place on earth!

Here is our daughter from the last trip. She has grown so much since then and I can't wait to see how she reacts to Disney this time.

So this is a surprise trip for our DD's 8th birthday. We started discussing going back to Disney in March of 2012. We talked about going on a cruise, going to Disneyland & finally decided on going back to Disney World. Now the debate on how long and were to stay. My husband voted for Poly or AKL, I wanted BLT or BC & DD wanted AKL or PORS and made a point of telling me we can't have double beds again, they are way to small! She is very right on this, I ended up having to sleep with her every night of the last trip and don't want to do this again.

So its probably April, by the time we final make this small decision. We have also decided to wait to book until July, when the 2013 package rates will be out & we are going to use a TA at Dreams Unlimited Travel. This is new for us as I have always planned and booked everything myself but the fact that it cost me nothing more and they get paid too I figured why not....spread the wealth.

So fast forward through 3 months of agony waiting to book. I had about 100 spreadsheets we decided to book our trip for July 18th-Aug 1st to.........


Thanks you, for the picture.

and on July 17th, 2012 we booked with Beth C., she has been amazing. So we booked 14 night stay at AKL CL and my MIL booked pool view AKL.

More to come stay tuned...........

 

[Z28KatCar]

Introductions

The ADRs

Lions & Tigers & Airfare, Oh My!!

Winds in the East, Mist comin' in, Like somethin' a brewin' bout to begin...

The Surprise Reveal...Plans!!

The Scavenger Hunt!!

The Very Merry Unbirthday

The Crafty Stuff!

 

[ThePin Princess]

Hi there! Excited to hear about your plans! You're daughter is adorable! I love her Ariel dress. We're taking my 5 y.o. niece in June as a surprise and it's also her first trip!! AKL is beautiful! I really want to stay there one day!

 

[Z28KatCar]

There is an amazing spread sheet for the iPad on the boards that I was luck enough to find. It has been a lifesaver and made it very easy to keep all my budgeting, ADRs, daily plans, savings & packing list all in 1 place. So here are the plans so far...We are stay in at AKL CL, DDP, 10 day park hoppers with water parks and more.

I have been going to Disney since before I can remember, I lived in Florida from birth until I was 28. Then I met my DH and moved to Maine. So I am the Disney authority in this family and my in-laws told me to make all the plans. So as soon as the 2013 guide books started coming out I bought them 2, The Passporter and Birnbaum's Guide. My MIL & FIL haven't been to Disney since 1990 The 2 attractions they remember are: Indiana Jones just opening & Body Wars....they need to go back and I'm just the person to take them.

So once your booked what to do next........figure out where you want to EAT!!!!

This seems to be the hardest part for us. So much great food, so little time. I printed menus that I thought my in-laws would like, told them to do a little online research and give me a list. 3 weeks later this is what I get..................
"Oh, you can just pick them anything will be fine"

So after 20 billion changes we have the ADRs........................



Day 1 - Dinner ~~ Chef Mickey's (This is are tradition on the first night)

Day 2 - Breakfast ~~ Crystal Palace (before the park opens ) I have always wanted to try to take a picture of the castle without anyone in front of it except my daughter. I also heard that they sometimes have a photo pass photographer out at this time.

Day 3 - Dinner ~~ Boma

Day 4 - Dinner ~~ Trail's End (Just added a couple days ago due to change in hotel ....to be explained later)

Day 5 - Brunch ~~ Akershus (We like the last breakfast seating so we call it brunch)

Day 6 - Dinner ~~ Rainforest Cafe @ DTD

Day 7 - Dinner ~~ Paradiso 37

Day 8 - Dinner ~~ Whispering Canyon (Pass the Ketchup!)

Day 9 - Dinner ~~ Cape May (Seafood buffet...Seriously)

Day 10 - Dinner ~~ Via Napoli (Can't wait to try the Quattro Formaggi)

Day 11 - Dinner, Princess Surprise Birthday Party ~~ CRT (Where else )

Day 12 - NO ADR (DH & DFIL are going to play golf)

Day 13 - Breakfast ~~ Donald's Tucker House (Before the park opens)

Day 14 - Dinner ~~ Be Our Guest (Can't wait to go check it out)

Day 15 - Lunch ~~ House of Blues (Last day and flying out tonight )

Next adventure.........Summer Discounts, Maybe a resort change

 

[Z28KatCar]

Hi there! Excited to hear about your plans! You're daughter is adorable! I love her Ariel dress. We're taking my 5 y.o. niece in June as a surprise and it's also her first trip!! AKL is beautiful! I really want to stay there one day!

Welcome, I'm so excited to write this trip report. Thank you for following. The Ariel dress we bought in a 5/6 when she was 4 yrs old and she still fits in it at almost 8. Its a bit shorter but still appropriate. I plan to take it back with us this trip. We were also given a Cinderella dress to borrow. I think she will want the Rapunzel or Merida this time....we shall see.

5 yr old is such a great age to go to Disney for the first time.

 

[Z28KatCar]

So we've decided on where to stay and where to eat. Heck, I had started deciding what I wanted to eat, What to do next.......check out airfare So because of where we live we have 4 airports all less than a 4 hr drive from our house. Here are my options and the original quoted pp round trip prices:

1. closest to MCO ~~~$500+ , 1 stop
2. closest to Sanford ~~~ $445 , 0 stops, 0 ME
3. 2hrs from home to MCO ~~~ $400ish, 1 stop
4. 3hrs from home to MCO ~~~ lets not even go there
5. Boston to MCO ~~~ $380, 0 stops

So the prices weren't exactly what I was hoping for All I can think is please don't let the prices be this high next summer

Use Airfare Watch Dog and see if I can find a good deal. July, August & September went by and some seriously great deal.........none were for my dates to fly

Then.......Finally in October I got the email I was waiting for.......................... direct flight from Boston to MCO $196 pp round trip. SO it was just over $1000 for all 5 of us to fly!!

So what to do get up early and drive 4 hr to Boston then leave my car at the airport, rent a car and drive down in the early morning or drive down the day before stay overnight to fly out in the morning. Well, when you figure it costs more to park at Logan, than to stay the night before and leave your car for 14 days its a no brainer! So we used Stay123 website to get an amazing deal!! Even better this extends my vacation by 2 days!!!

 

[Yahweh]

Joining your TR

So excited for you!

 

[Z28KatCar]

Joining your TR

So excited for you!

Welcome, I hope to put an update in tomorrow so much has happened in the past couple weeks and I can't wait share.

 

[Z28KatCar]

Hey all!!!​

April 2, the Summer discounts are announced!!​

So the room we originally booked at AKL is only getting a little over $100 discount
My in-laws room is getting a $1700 discount

So the research begins.......lets checkout other hotels my MIL says. So first up Polynesian....with the discount our room would cost exactly the same as AKL so....very good deal . Wilderness lodge both my in-laws and I would save $800 a piece Beach Club......pay out more money My FIL just wants to feel like he has saved something, my Husband only wants to stay at AKL or Poly. So we decide to stay at AKL....................


Then my husband..... "I guess the Wilderness Lodge looks nice. Do you think we could see the fireworks from our room? and we can see the electric parade on water? the pools not as nice. Its alot closer to the MK! and there is a boat to the Contemporary & MK. We would be near a monorail. This could really open up some transportation options. I still want to stay at AKL one day & the Polynesian but I think WL CL will work for this trip." ME...... We are going to save money and stay closer to the greatest place on earth!!!! If you haven't noticed the MK is my favorite park and has been since I was a kid.

So I email Beth, she makes the changes and 2 days later I get the money refunded to my account. Oh Yeah, Our trip was paid in full in February!! So this is spending money for my family!! So now we are staying here:



I had to change my ticker immediately! You know the important stuff. Then I put in our room request....This reminds me I need to double check this because I haven't been very impressed with the WL IPO. AKL IPO were wonderful......WL IPO can't even figure out how to book a tee time for me & they think the "Her Royal Highness" add on at CRT is the same as the BBB .

Just a reminder our DD still has NO idea we are going to WDW and I have already changed resorts once . She thinks that we can't afford to go until her 10th B-day. I'm so excited to surprise her. We have worked really hard to make this happen and we are 2 1/2 months away!!

 

[happybelle]

Joining in!

 

[Z28KatCar]

The Surprise Reveal!!!​

OK, So I've gone through, food , Airfare & pre-post hotel stay & resort changes . Now, let me tell you how I am going to reveal the surprise to my adorable 8 year old!!​

So I am a big kid at heart and I love surprises! I love giving and receiving them! I have never had a surprise birthday party IDK, I used to hint to it all the time when I was a kid and no one ever caught on. So now I'm obsessed with surprising others! One problem, I have a really hard time keeping it a secret I get so excited I want to tell them before I'm supposed too. The argument, in my head, is that its still technically a surprise......I'm just telling them early. . So now that you know that, here is the story.......

Plan 1 - (Now you already know that means there are going to be at least 2,) When we started planning in April 2012 I had planned on making an in the car scavenger hunt with prizes. I completed that and then we asked my In-Laws if they would like to go, they said "2 weeks in Disney and you will do all the planning we just have to go.....YES" This scratches plan 1 because with 5 of us in the car there isn't enough room to do it and secondly, I always drive! Plan 2 - Tell her at Christmas , really what was I thinking 7 months of hearing "When are we going??" Plan 3 - Do a scavenger hunt in the yard right before we leave. This plan stuck for several months then.......... "Honey, I have all these prizes I bought for the car scavenger hunt and I need to use them, I really want Peyton to have some say in the planning and look at this cool countdown to Disney I made........"


So we decided to do it on her Birthday, which happens to be exactly 30 days before we leave for the trip

So I made this out of paint swatches, poster board, a piece of ribbon, scrapbooking stickers & some internet research. I used Mickey head I found on the internet as a template. Traced on the back of the swatches & cut them out. Then, I wrote 1 of 3 things on the back of each.....1) A super cool fact about WDW, 2) A "Guess who said?" - without the answer, 3) an activity or 4) Present #. I put a little hot glue on the corner of each ear and placed them on a ribbon. Then I cut slits in the top and bottom, pushed the top and bottom of the ribbon through the poster board and taped them to the back of the poster board. Add stickers to the front as desired. Why the ribbon? because it makes it easy to pull off the Mickey heads without tearing them.

Here are the presents:


So here are a few examples of what I put on the back: I will be happy to supply all of them if anyone is interested

Who says: "Mother says I'm to weak to handle myself out there. Tell that to my frying pan!"... Who am I?​

or
Fun Fact: On the Carousel, the horse with the Golden bow on it's tail is Cinderella's.
or
An activity, like....Pack your bag or make Mousekeeping envelopes
or
A present to be taken on the trip!​

​

Awesome, right! Big scavenger hunt on her birthday....wrong! Her birthday is on a Tuesday which happens to be her last day of school, I work the night before 7p-7a and have to bring cupcakes to school that day for her class , my husband has clinicals all day, my MIL works all day & I would need to set up the whole scavenger hunt So the original plan was I get home from work at 8:30am, go pick up the cupcakes, cake and supplies for the scavenger hunt, drop the cupcakes off at school, pick up the balloons for the big reveal, go set up the scavenger hunt and hope it doesn't rain, try to fit in a nap then pick up DD at 3pm from school, DH gets home at 4:30, then head to the in-laws to open presents by 5:00pm, then go to dinner our family, my in-laws & my BFF & her family, back to the in-laws for cake and right before cake the scavenger hunt.......Does anyone else think I'm spreading myself a little thin for the night??? So I just found out that I will be off the weekend before her birthday. So now I'm thinking we should do the scavenger hunt, dinner & cake on the Sunday before her birthday. It would give us a lot more time. We could do an earlier dinner and have plenty of time for the scavenger hunt, cake & time to hang out after. Now to tell my husband the new plan!

If you have made it this far....Thank you! I really needed to vent that out!! Next post........Scavenger hunt clues & there placement!!!

 

[Z28KatCar]

Joining in!

Thank you for Joining!!! I am enjoying the experience of sharing what we have done so far!!

 

[Z28KatCar]

The Scavenger Hunt!!​

So I am going to share with you all the clues that I made up and how we are going to place them throughout the house and yard!​

​

!​

Peyton's Big Birthday Surprise!​

Envelope #1; This will be in front of her cake containing an index card with this on it.................

So your finally 8, and its almost time for cake.
But before we eat, here's a treat.
Some birthday fun, Made just for our little one.​

Envelope #2; I will hand this to her..........

To find clue #2, here's a riddle for you...​

​

A bite of cake made me tall, but I need to be small.
So I searched up and down, until I finally found...
A drink that made me shrink.
Who am I?​

Alice in Wonderland​

To find your next clue....Where are your drinks?​

Sprite & Root Beer in the party cooler (she only has soda on special occasions)​

Envelope #3; In the cooler..........

To find your next clue, you'll need to guess who...​

​

We are the best of friends, until the end!
Thanks to you we saved the orphans on the train,
And the gang never made the plane.
To infinity and beyond, of you I will always be fond!
Who am I?​

Woody & Buzz​

To find your next clue....Who is your stuffed Best Friend?​

Either her American Girl Doll or whatever Build a Bear she favors at that moment!​

Envelope #4; On her stuffed Best Friend..........

Hope you're having fun, because we are not yet done.....​

​

I live on a Coral Reef, with my dad who is always giving me grief.
Then one Day, A boat came and took me away.
In a tank I was placed, while my father he raced.
Through the big ocean blue, with a friend so true.
Who am I?​

Nemo​

To find your next clue....Where might you keep me?​

Nemo stuffed animal in the bath tub!​

Envelope #5; On the Nemo in the tub..........

To get to the next clue, here's what you have to do.....​

​

Trapped in a tower so high, nothing to see but forest and sky.
All day long singing a working song, while brushing blond hair sooooo long.
Then along came a thief, who led to my release.
Who am I?​

Rapunzel​

To find your next clue....Find my house?​

In Peyton's Swing Set House!​

Envelope #6; In Peyton's Swing set..........

More fun for you, here's another clue.....​

​

Born under the sea, but I didn't want to be.
Went to a witch, and she made a switch.
From the sea I was ban, and walking only on land.
Until my prince found his way, then we had our dream wedding day.
Who am I?​

Ariel​

To find your next clue....Find what I brush my hair with?​

In the silverware drawer!​

Envelope #7; In the Silverware Drawer..........

So you've searched high and you've searched low, but you have a few more hints to go....​

​

Lips red as blood,
Skin white as snow,
Hair black as night...
Her name?​

Snow White​

To find your next clue....Where can you find her least favorite food?​

Apples in the refrigerator!​

Envelope #8; In the Refrigerator..........

Here's one more, let's see how you score....​

​

We are the reason, for your change in seasons.
Using our powers, to make spring flowers.
Even in the frost, we repair and return things you've lost.
Flying fast through the sky, you won't see us go by.
Who Am I?​

Tinkerbell & the Fairies​

To find your next clue....Where do we live?​

In the fairy house we made!​

Envelope #9; In the fairy house..........

What to do? What to do? Why don't you stew over this Bayou brew....​

​

A Princess I will be, but I'm not sure about kissing thee.
Beware of the Shadow Man, What is his master plan?
The evening star is shining bright, So make a wish and hold on tight.
Who Am I?​

Tiana​

To find your next clue....What do I make my Jambalaya in?​

In the large pot in the cabinet!​

Envelope #10; In the large pot..........

Look at you flying through, so I guess you know what to do....​

​

To the royal mother & father, came a curly red-headed daughter.
A new destiny is what she craved, one that showed she was strong & Brave.
The witch granted her request, but it was not what she expressed.
It became a beastly curse, that she needed to reverse.
Who Am I?​

Merida​

To find your next clue....Find your Merida doll?​

In the living room on the couch or in her bedroom!​

Envelope #11; On the couch or her bed..........

One final clue made for a beautiful princess just like you....​

​

Moving at a very fast pace, but forgot this isn't a race.
Should have slowed down, now I'm stuck in this dusty town.
Got to get out of this place, So I can still make the big race.
But nothing is greater, than my friend Tow Mater.
Who Am I?​

Lightning McQueen​

To find your next clue....Where do you keep a car?​

In the garage there will be a large wrapped box and when she opens it the balloons will pop out and I have made a sign that says "We are going to Disney World!"​

I am not a writer but I did make up every clue all by myself!! My Husband who is a very good writer was even impressed, especially since I completed them in less than a week, lol! I will post a video after the big reveal in June!! I hope you enjoyed the update and I will write again soon!

 

[Z28KatCar]

Just wanted to share!​

My DD wanted to get her hair cut and finally decided she also wanted to get her ears pierced too.....​

​

 

[Z28KatCar]

Hey All ​

Well, after much discussion with my husband and family we have decided to celebrate her 8th birthday 2 days before her actual birthday....so its technically her unbirthday.... So this gives me plenty of time to set up the scavenger hunt!!

So we get to the end of the scavenger hunt......What will she get in the box???
First, the balloons will pop out and there will be a postcard in an envelope sent from her FGM, thanks to the DIS FGM!!
Inside the box will be her new duffle bag with all her vacation/summer clothes, bathing suits, new shoes, sandals, socks, neck rest & Disney trip guide for kids So here are the pictures:​

The Duffle Bag - Great deal on Ebay!​

​

​

Continues......​

​

 

[Z28KatCar]

Here comes the crafty part!! So I really liked all the rhinestone shirts I saw but they were really expensive So I started researching how to make rhinestone shirts, patterns, how to glue them on and what shirts to buy.....

Well, after A LOT of research, pattern making and rhinestone setting we have the following shirts. PS I made 3 of each for DD, DMIL & Myself!









[/CENTER]

 

[Z28KatCar]

So we are at the 60 day mark!! What to do but Online Check in!! I know many people don't like to do the online check in thing but I figure its just one step closer to our trip. So I checked both my family and my in-laws in today My MIL is pretty impressed with everything and can't wait to get there! She even wanted to know how much longer it was going to be until we told my DD. I laughed and said not until June 16th. We can do it earlier if you want to but I think we should at least wait until Grandpa gets back, lol. Needless to say we are waiting until June 16th to do the scavenger hunt

Hope everyone is doing well!!

 

[Z28KatCar]

So yesterday was the big reveal. Peyton did a scavenger hunt, which she loved. As expected I was way more emotional than Peyton about the trip. She is very excited about her Merida dress Overall, it was a success. I think as we start to plan together and the days count down, she will get more excited. So I have attached the video of the scavenger hunt.


Part 1 Part 2

​

"We're Going to Disney" Scavenger Hunt!​

 

[WAHkoMom]

Hi Kat! We're going to Disney in July, too, but for the first week.
I LOVE the t-shirts you made! They came out great!!

 

[Z28KatCar]

Hi Kat! We're going to Disney in July, too, but for the first week.
I LOVE the t-shirts you made! They came out great!!

Hi, Thank you so much!! I am so excited about our trip and can't wait to get there. Have a great time on your trip. I will be updating more once we get a bit closer