2 vs 1: Mom's first trip outnumbered

[cheap traveler]

I just made my final payment on the vacation package!!

I could have waited another month, but I want to be sure I have enough time to get my rewards card all loaded up. Only around $38 this year, but every little bit helps.

They said I should receive mmy packet in 7-10 days

Now I will patiently stalk the mailbox

 

[crocko]

Who did you use to get your pins from?

 

[cheap traveler]

Who did you use to get your pins from?

I used bibbidi bobbidi boo colectibles. Between each word is an underscore, but it doesn't seem to show up on here

They are down to $1.10 each right now!! Must be getting low.

 

[crocko]

Awesome....I've been planning on doing this and $1.10 per is a GREAT price!

Just ordered 20

 

[cheap traveler]

So I've been reading my old 2007 Disney Guide. It is called something along the lines of "Disney World with Kids 2007." It was really helpful...in 2007. I want to get a new guide, but I'm not sure which one to get. I am open to reccomendations.

I don't actually get the guide because they tell me anything new, just because I don't have internet access at home so I need to immerse my self somehow

I've been realizing lately that there are a lot of great things at our favorite hotel - POP Century - that I have never even seen. I never spend any time in the lobby, so all the shadow boxes on the wall have been passed by. I have never walked over to the Generation Gap bridge. Looking at pictures recently I see that you can get some really great pictures there. And to my amazement I have never seen the twister game!! I love twister!! I still don't actually know where it is, but I will defenitly be seeking it out this trip.

We will really have a full arrival day, with all these little explorations on my to-do list

I will get a new installment up today - should be on to Epcot. Despite the ages of my kids, this is a huge hit with our family. The kids love fish

 

[cheap traveler]

Day 5: Epcot

We love Epcot. There are a lot of things we won’t be able to do this year with only one adult, but we still love Epcot. Isabella loves Soarin, likes Test Track, and tried Mission Space last year. All 3 of those are out this year, unless Hailey grows 3 inches in the next 71 days

The park opens at 9am this day. We will plan to be there before rope drop, because our breakfast in Norway is at 9:35. I don’t know if they will let us through early, but I will certainly try. It is great to have a quiet moment in the park, almost completely alone. We will miss the opening show that way, but no big deal.

After breakfast, Spaceship Earth will probably be our first stop. The kids were nervous at first on this last year, but really loved it by the end. In reading my old guide book, I realized I have never been to the Universe of Energy. I’m wondering if it is only open seasonally, and thats why I have never been there. If it is open, we will head there at some point. A good portion of our day is spent with the fish. Nemo ride, Turtle Talk with Crush, and the many viewing areas of the aquarium.

I hope to be able to push lunch back to about 1pm, since we will be eating breakfast so late. We always head to Sunshine Seasons in the Land pavilion for lunch. The choices are great and the portions are huge, allowing us to share.

The world showcase will be our destination after lunch. I always head clockwise around the showcase, so this year I want to go counter-clockwise. There are a lot of shows and rides in world showcase we usually skip, so with any luck the kids won’t be so tired they pass out.

Last year we got caught in Japan during a downpour, and it was the best hour of our day. We wandered inside and found the pick-a-pearl area. I bought one for each girl, and my sister bought one. The whole thing was just great. I want to get myself one this year. After the pearls, we headed outside and had a chance to see the “candy lady” doing her thing. She is amazing, I really hope to catch her again this year.

We won’t be staying for the fireworks, so we will head for the gate before the show starts. If we leave before dinner, the hotel food court will welcome us again. If we stay in the park until we are ready to eat again, we will just wing it. I’m sure I can find something acceptable for the kids in world showcase, and it would be fun for me to get something with some flair for dinner. We are really boring people when it comes to food.

Next up:
Our final park day, spent in Mk. My Brithday

 

[cheap traveler]

So this morning I had to take a trip north for work. I took my parent's GPS with me, as I do when I go anywhere new. The first time it spoke my directions I broke out into a HUGE grin

Last year we drove to Disney, and took the GPS. Today was the first time since that trip I heard that voice and it brought me right back. Of course I had to dodge the bad memories of my sister driving on the way back, but it gave me nearly 45 minutes of Disney bliss.

So worth it.
Wonder where I can go next?

 

[cheap traveler]

Ok I finally got some pictures of the pins I bought on E-bay. The first is how they came packaged, the second is out of the packages.

As you can see, they didn't come on the normal black hangers, but they were in perfect condition. They must all be discontinued or something. There are a lot of pirates, a lot of muppets, and a few others.

I also ordered some pin lanyards with little zippered pouches attached to the bottom. Hannah Montana for Bella, Princesses for Hailey. The seller is away for a few weeks, but I have plenty of time. 69 days to be exact, but whos counting?

Ok, last thing before I get on to our last day. I went online to get an updated flight cost for my friend Jenelle. She asked for a total price so she could decide if she was coming with me. When the info came up, I found out the flight times had changed. Our outgoing flight leaves 20 minutes early, no big deal. Our return flight leaves nearly 2 hours later. If I had never checked, as I am known to do, I would have been sitting at the Orlando airport 2 hours early!

The good thing is both of these changes give me more time in Disney. It is now number one on my list to re-check flight times the day before we go.

So the final word is Jenelle can't go, so it is indeed 2vs1 as my title says.

I will try to get the plan for our final day up today. I also have some great pictures of the kids from this weekend, so expect that coming up too.

 

[crocko]

Awesome....those are fun pins that you received

Excited to see if I get the same or different.


AND YES!! Definitely keep an eye on those plane reservations. Ours have had slight changes a couple times already.

 

[cheap traveler]

Day 6:

Our final day

As always, we decided on a second day at MK. There is just so much in this park to do that we like to take our time and spend 2 days there.

Our first MK day should have started in Fantasyland, so today will probably start the other direction in adventureland or somewhere over there. The jungle cruise is a must. I stumbled on this ride quite by accident 2 years ago and I think it is hilarious . Especially when we are told to take small children by the hand, because any children left behind have their feet stapled to the floor in “It’s a Small World,” are taught how to sing the song in 24 different languages, and sent home in a few years when they have gotten too tall to blend in.


Ah, the simple little things that crack me up.

A few things that, on 5 past trips, I have never done:

Liberty Square Riverboat
Swiss Family Treehouse
Tom Sawyer Island
Enchanted Tiki Room
Country Bear Jamboree

All of these are on the “if we have time” list. We usually visit in September, so I think the treehouse has been closed. None of these are on the “must see” list, actually there is no “must see” list this year.

We are going with the flow.

We are. I swear.

I think there is a chance I said this the last two years also.

But this time I mean it.



We’ll see.

Breakfast this day will be in our room, like most other days. Lunch is up in the air. We really like Cosmic Rays, but I would like to try new things this trip. The menu for El Pirata Y el Perico Restaurante looks pretty good. The kids have been liking tacos this year, so we might give it a try. I think we will just see what is nearby when we get hungry.

I am disappointed that the TTA will be closed for my trip. The schedule says the last day of the closure will be August 24th, which happens to be today. We like to ride this to relax and cool off, and sometimes the kids even fall asleep. Keeping fingers crossed it will open back up early.

A ride on Buzz Lightyear is always in order, so we will try to sneak that in as well.

Another thing we will try to fit in this year that we skipped last year are the parades. The kids really like parades, so it is on my list. Along with any stage shows going on. This year is really all about taking it slow, seeing what we want, and not stressing anything we miss.

Why, you may ask, is my attitude so laid back? Because I plan to book a bounce back offer if there is one. I have already made up my mind, we are going back next year. This year I pushed our trip up to August to avoid taking Bella out of Kindergarten her first month. It will be a big adjustment already for her. But next year, I think we will go the last week of free dining.
Cooler weather
Smaller crowds
Free dining

It’s all good.

So that’s it. Our days in the happiest place on earth are just about over.
I will post some general plans for our last day, which is really only a morning.

 

[cheap traveler]

So we had some nice weather this past weekend. We live near a lake, but it isn't quite warm enough for that yet
So I broke out the sprinkler.
The girls had a blast, and I was able to get a few pictures before they lost interest in posing for Mommy.

Onto our last day.

Now that our flight time has been moved back nearly 2 hours, we have NO rush on our last morning. We leave just before 2pm, so I figure we will have to leave about 11-12??

We will def sleep in, after a full week we will need it. I will probably have everything packed up already, so when we wake up we will roll down to the food court for a relaxing hot breakfast.

Ok relaxing might be pushing it in a loud, busy food court

Most of our breakfasts on this trip will be eaten in our room, so a hot breakfast will be welcome. The kids love cereal, don't get me wrong, but waffles win hands down. Especially ones with Mickey's face on them.

By this time, we might have some time for a stroll around the hotel one last time before boarding the Magical Express for the most depressing ride of our year.

Planned arrival time back in NY is 3:49pm, so we should be home for dinner with any luck. We are using a small airport this trip, since it is pure **LL getting in and out of NYC, so getting home will take a fraction of the time. I am so glad Jet Blue has added this airport to their arsenal.

So, thats it. Trip over. I am currently on the hunt for a small notebook to take notes in this trip. Last year I had a tiny one with the spiral binding at the top, and I just didn't like it. This year I am looking to double the size and get a side binding. I know I have seen them before, I just have to find it now.
And of course decorate it

 

[cheap traveler]

Well, it's official. Barring any huge roadblocks, we are going to see up this weekend.

We won't go 3D, because the kids won't keep the glasses on, but regular old 2D is good for us.

I have heard the movie is sad, but the kids are begging to go see it. The last 2 weekends, we had plans to see it, but something keeps coming up. Friend's birthday party, family visit, illness. Keeping my fingers crossed.

On another note, I have been trying to lose some weight before our trip. It will really be easier on my feet and legs if I am a little lighter. My starting weight is 16 pounds heavier than I was before my kids came along. I have finally gotten serious about this, and I am down 2 pounds in 10 days. Not bad. Only 5ish more to go. I don't really have a target number, I just want to fit comfortably in my clothes.

So sitting here writing my trip report, has been helping me not eat out of boredom. So thank you all for reading!!

 

[crocko]

Yay for going to see UP!!

It is great. I think the sad parts get to adults more than kids. I don't think my little ones fully understood the "sad parts". But they both really liked the movie and Joshua was ready to go back the next night.

Hope you have fun!

 

[cheap traveler]

So we finally got to see "UP" this weekend. We almost didn't, because the weather was just so wonderful. But Sunday afternoon we decided it was time to go.

The troop was me, the girls, and my mother. It's so much more fun to play when Grammy pays

Before the movie started, they had that cute little "short" with the clouds. As the credits rolled for that I told the kids "that's it, movie is over!"

They didn't believe me

So about ten minutes into the REAL movie, my mother pipes up with "well this is a crappy way to start a movie."

The beginning was very sad, and that theme really carried through the movie.

The kids loved it, and really loved "Dug." I loved the great messages in the movie - love nature, love your family, keep your promises, stay loyal to your friends...

The kids, even though they are little, really got the messages. They talked about it the rest of Sunday and I was amazed how much they really absorbed the messages. They don't remember any of the character's names, but they remember that you should stick by your friends no matter what.

Overall, such a great movie. The girls already have it on their Christmas list. To quote Bella, "if we buy the movie we can watch it all the time. Well not all the time, but on weekends."

Ah, got to love those kids. They know better than to ask for TV on school days. I'm such a mean Mommy

Hope everyone had a great weekend!! 65 days until the best week of our year! Thats only 9 weeks from wednesday!!

 

[crocko]

Glad they enjoyed the movie....

and yay for getting closer to your trip. 9 weeks....not too much longer.

 

[cheap traveler]

I forgot to mention the other movie I watched this weekend - "Haunted Mansion" with Eddie Murphy.

That was so funny, with so many parallels to the Disney attraction. Every time I recognized something in the movie from the ride, I just laughed. The hitch-hiking ghosts were the best.

My kids tolerate the ride because I like it, but it isn't a favorite. The movie was on after their bedtime, and I think parts of it are too scary for Bella anyway.

I never even knew this movie existed! Definitly worth the hour and a half

 

[cheap traveler]

So I haven't mentioned that I am part of 2 DIS swaps for this trip. The first is a fridge swap. The organization of that swap is great, and everyone always responds quickly. Love it

The second is a stroller swap. I was SO excited to find a sit-n-stand stroller available for our stay. We have one at home, but after spending a few months in the basement it got a bit moldy. Bella is allergic to mold, so it is headed for the trash.

Well it hs been a few months since I climbed aboard that swap, and it seems to be falling apart.
I just got a PM from the swapper who will have it this weekend, asking for my info since she and I seem to be the only people paying attention. I have 56 days left!

I am trying to get into another swap, but things just aren't looking good. I'm going to keep my eyes on yard sales I guess, just in case. My two are not up to the challenge of walking the parks. Not even the 5 1/2 year old.

I have PM'd the stroller swap leader letting her know if I hear nothing by Friday I will be pulling out of the swap. I am very nervous about winding up with no stroller, but trying not to panic yet.


Easier said than done. I live to worry.

Keep your fingers crossed for me

 

[crocko]

Good luck! Hoping something works out for you....I considered a stroller swap, but we're just going to end up bringing our own single strollers.

 

[Toystoryfan32]

Hi! I am late starting your pre trip report but I just got caught up. You daughters are so cute. My youngest daughter is named Bella too. We love the Haunted Mansion at our house. Its such a fun movie. Your PTR is fun I'll be tuning in.

 

[cheap traveler]

Down to the 50 day mark today

I have gotten an update on the stroller swap I am in. As of last weekend the stroller was in good shape and passed on. This swapper has it until July 5th, so we will see.

I also mentioned I have the same stroller at home. Well I dug it out of the basement this weekend, and it is in really good shape!!

Bella (5.5) is allergic to mold, so I was worried about the shape of the stroller. It turns out that the majority of the mold was confined to the buckles of the front seat, and the handle. So I washed off what I could and just cut off the buckles. Hailey (3) doesn't need to be buckled anyway, she prefers to get in and out herself.

We used it for a walk on saturday, and I have decided this will head to Disney with us if the stroller swap falls apart before I head down. My only worry, and I hope someone can tell me, how big of a stroller can you gate -check? We are flying Jet Blue, and the last time I flew I only had an umbrella stroller. This thing is a little bigger-folded-than a standard Graco you would use for a baby, like the ones that come as a "travel system."


So that crisis has been averted, and all is well. Hailey has asthma, as I have mentioned, and her Dr was worried about how she would be breathing in the summer heat. It isn't as hot and humid as FL in August will be, but we did have some 90 degrees and humid up here, and she has not had a single breathing problem!!

This means that she is probably more affected by cold than hot, and our trip should be just fine.

That is two major worries just off the table.

Now what will I worry about?

I know I have to have something, it's just the way I am.
Seems to be a requirement of a single mother

So 50 days until Disney means about 71 days until first day of school!! Bella is super excited to start Kindergarten, and I am super excited to start back-to-school shopping!! Crazy, I know. It was always my favorite time of year as a kid. I loved school, and really loved getting all that new stuff. Now my favorite part of the shopping is getting all those super deals!! Staples 1 cent sale should be starting soon, and there is a Staples about a mile from where I work. You better believe I will be there every day to get more than the limit of free and almost free stuff!! And weekends will be spent at Walmart to get their crazy-cheap stuff!!

Happy 4th to all my (very few) readers!! Stay safe, don't lose any fingers or eyebrows with home fireworks