3rd Trip in 1 Year & MIL's 1st Time!!!

[budafam]

Hello! Welcome to my pre-trip report! We're only 42 days away as of today so I figured, time to get started!

A little background first:
This will be my 3rd trip to WDW. It's also my 3rd trip in 1 year! Yes, I am an addict and proud of it!
Our first trip was last May (2011) and we drove. "We" consists of DH, DS(4 at the time), DD(2 at the time) and myself. Driving was our cheapest option coming from Wisconsin. The trip was amazing. We hit the perfect week in May. The temps were cooler than normal and there was no rain while we were in the parks (yes!) We stayed at Pop Century. It was amazing & I knew we would be back.

In September we decided to book for a trip in May again. We made reservations at Bonnet Creek since we would have 5 people with us this time. My mother-in-law was going to tag along. She has never been to WDW and has almost every Disney movie ever made. She is going to love it.

October 1st my husband surprised me and gave me the go ahead to plan a surprise trip for just myself and DS(who was then 5). I chose to go the day before Halloween. We got free dining and upgraded to deluxe, the Food & Wine Festival was going on AND MNSSHP!!! Not to mention my favorite band ever (Hanson) was playing in Epcot on Halloween. The timing for this trip could not have been more perfect. We flew (it was my son's first time and only my second) and stayed at Pop again. The DxDP spoiled us and stuffed our bellies. After this trip I decided I would never go again unless it was during F&W & free dining After our next trip of course...

And that brings us to now.

Let me introduce everyone who will be on this trip.

Me! Kristy, age 28, stay at home mom, daycare provider & extreme couponer. In my spare time I love spending time with my kids. I plan Disney movie nights & extra special day long getaways. I also love anything crafty. Add to my list of hobbies: scrapbooking, gardening, cooking/eating, cake decorating, sewing, rummage saling, name it! I'm always doing something. I've become a Disney enthusiast only in the last year or so but I feel like I know enough that I could write a book! I love Disney food so expect a food report as well... we made some great ADR's for this trip My favorite is seafood.

DH! Nick, age 29, works at a mobility company that makes vehicles usable for the handicapped. This man can do anything. You give him a project and he takes it on full speed... there isn't anything he can't do (yet). He loves spending time on his car, driving fast & working hard. He had a great time with our first trip to Disney but doesn't quite share the enthusiasm I do when it comes to going back. He would rather not vacatioin and just spend the extra money on his car. Hopefully we can change that! He's a picky eater and has been since he was 3 years old. He literally lives on cheese pizzas, grilled cheese sandwiches, french fries, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, bean & bacon soup, mac & cheese, pancakes, scrambled eggs, mozzarella sticks, cereal, vanilla ice cream & Mountain Dew. That is it. I'm not exaggerating either. Keep an eye out for our dining report and you'll see exactly what he ends up with in WDW.

DS! Dominic, age 5, is in kindergarten and full of energy. He LOVES anything Disney, Spiderman, Batman, Power Rangers, Goosebumps, pirates.. name it! He's a big fan of Toy Story & Cars naturally. Luckily his dad's eating habits have not been passed down to him. During our F&W trip in October, he tried many different foods. I was so happy. He is not a thrill seeker though. He absolutely hates any type of rollercoaster but loves Star Tours. He claims his favorite meal experience was in the castle on our last trip. He has his first appointment at Pirates League on this trip.

DD! Lucy, age 3, is the little princess of the family. I think she really believes she should live in the castle. She is the exact opposite of Dominic. We are praying to the measurement Gods that she will hit the 40" mark on this trip and get to experience some REAL rides. She has no fear and can't wait to go on Splash Mountain and Dinosaur. I think she will love them. She has an almost complete collection of princess dresses and she has her first appointment at Bibbity Bobbity Boutique on this trip.

MIL! Rose, age 50, our Disney virgin of the group. Rose works as a postal mail carrier and also runs a second business of selling her fresh fruits & veggies. She is a hard worker and deserves to have an amazing vacation. She has never flown either so there will be plenty of firsts for her on this trip. She loves seafood & is a very adventurous eater. I can't wait to take her on Living with the Land!

So that folks, is everyone in a nutshell. Now onto the planning...

Our Digs
Itineraries/ADR's & Must Do's
Clothes
Countdown
Pin Trading
Disney Movie Nights
Gifts

 

[Jonesloonybin]

What a great start!! I cannot believe you guys drove from Wisconsin!

I bet you guys are going to have so much fun! I cannot wait to hear how you like Bonnet Creek. We considered it, but the kids really wanted on-site. Maybe next time.

 

[wakica]

Nice to see you started a pretrip!

I too am a stay at home mom (well ok ok, work at home mom but emphasis on the MOM part b/c i make sure to be available to go on school outings, take my dd to and from school often and pick her up for lunch even though she seems to be outgrowing that fast b/c friends are important at lunches). My past is also in childcare - I've worked in a daycare centre for many many years, taught preK and nannied. Right now I watch my niece in my own home while working for my husbands business. Sorry to go on - just like to show our similarities

Our dh's are similar too - in that my DH is a go go go type of guy too. He is ALWAYS working on something and he works SSOOO fast I call him a machine!!!! lol.

It's nice that your taking MIL along We did the same for my mom and MIL several years ago and it is very handy to have them around when the kids are younger.

You'll have to swing by my ptr and check out my theme nights since your DH likes Cars and Toy Story so much - we did a theme night for both of those movies It was alot of fun!! Even though my dd is 14 she STILL loves theme nights and countdowns to Disney.

Looking forward to seeing and hearing more about your trip.

 

[budafam]

Our last two trips (and first two trips for that matter) were spent at Pop Century. While I absolutely LOVE Pop and really wanted to return, it just wasn't going to work with bringing 5 people along this time So we booked at Bonnet Creek!!!

I know it's not a Disney resort BUT it's still inside Disney's gates and I am praying for a fireworks view. We'll have a full kitchen & a much bigger space to work with than all being squeezed into one of those tiny rooms at Pop. Another big reason I was excited about Bonnet Creek was because of the free wi-fi... then Disney announces they just gave all the resorts free wi-fi... it's about time! lol... oh well, we'll enjoy that on our next trip (along with the mini fridges!)

I booked a 2 bedroom for 7 nights and only paid $693. We probably could've got a better deal if we waited closer to the date but I was happy to have it all booked.

Bonnet Creek is also owned by Wyndham. We've stayed at Wyndham resorts in Wisconsin Dells for the past two years and absolutely LOVED the condos. They are so nice!

 

[budafam]

What a great start!! I cannot believe you guys drove from Wisconsin!

I bet you guys are going to have so much fun! I cannot wait to hear how you like Bonnet Creek. We considered it, but the kids really wanted on-site. Maybe next time.

I was so worried about the drive but it went so quickly! The kids were awesome the entire time (thank goodness for dvd players) I also was not a fan of flying at all so driving was the only option for me. My love of Disney changed that. I am willing to fly to get there now. Flying means extra time at Disney, lol!

If we didn't have my MIL coming along, we would be staying onsite for sure! I absolutely loved Pop and can't wait to return.

 

[budafam]

Nice to see you started a pretrip!

I too am a stay at home mom (well ok ok, work at home mom but emphasis on the MOM part b/c i make sure to be available to go on school outings, take my dd to and from school often and pick her up for lunch even though she seems to be outgrowing that fast b/c friends are important at lunches). My past is also in childcare - I've worked in a daycare centre for many many years, taught preK and nannied. Right now I watch my niece in my own home while working for my husbands business. Sorry to go on - just like to show our similarities

Our dh's are similar too - in that my DH is a go go go type of guy too. He is ALWAYS working on something and he works SSOOO fast I call him a machine!!!! lol.

It's nice that your taking MIL along We did the same for my mom and MIL several years ago and it is very handy to have them around when the kids are younger.

You'll have to swing by my ptr and check out my theme nights since your DH likes Cars and Toy Story so much - we did a theme night for both of those movies It was alot of fun!! Even though my dd is 14 she STILL loves theme nights and countdowns to Disney.

Looking forward to seeing and hearing more about your trip.

Very similar indeed! I am going to check out yours as soon as I finish typing this comment That is awesome that you got to take your mom. My mom passed away 2 1/2 years ago and I would give anything to take her there. She would've absolutely loved it there... she loved fireworks and everytime I see Wishes, I think of her. I've tried talking my dad into a trip but he's 74 and just not into traveling. He thinks we're crazy going 3 times in one year.

I hope my kids are still into this when they're 14. I just can't see myself stopping the Disney movie nights They're so much fun!

K, I'm off to read now

 

[Kat in GA]

So glad you posted your link on the fb page! Can't wait to follow along!

 

[tosha27]

Hi! I followed your link from facebook. Love your backstory! Cute family!

 

[winkers]

Did you check out the family suites at All star music? We stay there with a family of 6 and have plenty of room. Just a thought.

 

[wakica]

I'm so sorry you lost your mom That's such a hard thing!!!
We took my mom along to WDW and to Hawaii as well. Without us taking her she would never have gotten off the ground and into another country so we were so thrilled to be able to help her do that
The fireworks is a really nice way to remember the good times with your mom. That's so great but bittersweet I'm sure.

 

[budafam]

So glad you posted your link on the fb page! Can't wait to follow along!

Thanks for following Can't wait to update some more!

 

[budafam]

Hi! I followed your link from facebook. Love your backstory! Cute family!

Hi, thanks for joining in

 

[budafam]

Did you check out the family suites at All star music? We stay there with a family of 6 and have plenty of room. Just a thought.

I did look into them. They seem to be a bit more spacious but Bonnet Creek was just so huge in square footage compared to anything Disney has to offer. Maybe someday we'll try a suite at the Art of Animation... they look really neat!

 

[budafam]

I'm so sorry you lost your mom That's such a hard thing!!!
We took my mom along to WDW and to Hawaii as well. Without us taking her she would never have gotten off the ground and into another country so we were so thrilled to be able to help her do that
The fireworks is a really nice way to remember the good times with your mom. That's so great but bittersweet I'm sure.

Thank you! It is hard... I'm still dealing with a lot of issues concerning our family matters I know my mom would love it and I'm excited to have my mother in law along this time especially since she's never experienced anything close to this.

 

[kkandaj]

Subscribing! Got the link from the Bonnet Creek pay it forward!

Your family is adorable. I hope your DS loves the Pirates League. Our kiddos have appointments too. And your princess will LOVE BBB!

I think it's awesome that you are able to take your MIL. My MIL will be meeting us from Washington DC (FIL is deceased). It's a surprise trip for the kiddos and they won't know she's there until we land in Orlando. She lands about an hour before we do. They haven't seen her in 2 years. My parents are also going, but will be flying with us.

Can't wait to read more!

 

[budafam]

Subscribing! Got the link from the Bonnet Creek pay it forward!

Your family is adorable. I hope your DS loves the Pirates League. Our kiddos have appointments too. And your princess will LOVE BBB!

I think it's awesome that you are able to take your MIL. My MIL will be meeting us from Washington DC (FIL is deceased). It's a surprise trip for the kiddos and they won't know she's there until we land in Orlando. She lands about an hour before we do. They haven't seen her in 2 years. My parents are also going, but will be flying with us.

Can't wait to read more!

Welcome I can't wait to participate in the Pay It Forward! Thank you so much for the compliment... my kids are aware that they have a "chance" at going to the appointments but they have to behave otherwise the Pirates & Princesses will not invite them. Surprising the kids is awesome! That is such a great idea. How exciting!!!

 

[budafam]

Be forewarned, I am a planner. I plan everything! My MIL is thrilled at this aspect. She's never been on a vacation where someone has taken the initiative to plan everything out for her... she is excited! Every trip seems to get better and this one is no exception. We are doing a bit more than maybe we should but it's MIL's first time. We need to make this special! Here is a rundown of our days, the ADR's & a few other "surprises" I have planned:

Friday, May 4th: (the night before I will be surprising MIL with shirts that I tie-dyed... she has no idea... that will be our first "planned" outfit for this trip)
- Arrive at the Airport
Get our rental car & head straight over to MK for the rest of the day
ride Haunted Mansion (this is a tradition to ride it first)
2:45pm - lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern
ride!!!!!
meet Mickey & Minnie
I have on MIL's plan that we need to find a seat for the parade & Wishes at 7pm but I will be surprising them at that point with the fact that we have reservations for the Tomorrowland Terrace Wishes Dessert Party so that's going to allow us another hour and 45 minutes to ride!!!
After the park closes we are headed to Red Roof Inn for the night. I won a free night awhile back and we decided to use it on this trip to save a few bucks

Saturday, May 5th: (Downtown Disney Day - this is our first time going to Downtown Disney so I am very excited!!! We will all be wearing plaid shirts & Lucy has a red bandana dress with matching bows for the day)
The motel offers a free continental breakfast that we plan to take advantage of.
A few places we want to hit up are: World of Disney, Goofy's Candy Co., Once Upon a Toy, Lego Imagination Center, Marketplace Fun Finds... we also want to do a little bit of pin trading then at
1:30pm - lunch at TRex!
After lunch we're going to explore a little more and then head over to
Bonnet Creek to check in!!!
Our grocery delivery will be scheduled for 6pm (from WeGoShop), I'm planning for the kids to take a nap and for us to relax a bit before heading out again for
9:30pm - dinner at Hoop De Doo Revue at Fort Wilderness!

Sunday, May 6th: (This is our big MK day. Planning to be at rope drop! We all have our names on white shirts for this day.)
Fantasyland is the first plan and then everything else.
We want to see the parades & shows.
5:05pm - dinner at Ohana's at the Polynesian Resort - DH will not be joining us for this meal since he doesn't eat any of the food that's served (I can't wait to try a Lapu Lapu)
After dinner MIL might go back to the resort with the kids while DH & I stick around at MK for Wishes... depends on how everyone is doing

Monday, May 7th: (Hollywood Studios! We're all wearing orange shirts on this day)
8:00am - breakfast at Hollywood & Vine
We'll be signing up for Jedi Training at Rope Drop and then headed over to Toy Story Mania (my favorite)
Tower of Terror is on the list of must-do's since skipped it the last 2 trips!
I can't wait to ride Rock n' Rollercoaster with DH as well... well, sort of can;t wait
We really want to see Beauty & the Beast & Indiana Jones.. I hope we can fit them both in.
2:45pm - lunch at 50's Prime Time Diner (DH is sitting this one out since he is so picky anyways, he's not comfortable with the antics there)
7:30pm - lineup for Fantasmic which is at 9pm

Tuesday, May 8th: (Animal Kingdom! Everyone will be wearing green shirts today)
8:05am - breakfast at Tusker House
Rope drop is at 9am and we're heading straight to Expedition Everest which will be another first for us!
We plan to see Finding Nemo the Musical during the day...
5:00pm - dinner at Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge (DH & DD will not be joining us for this meal)
explore the resort a bit and then head back to Bonnet Creek for a night off

Wednesday, May 9th: (Magic Kingdom Day again... everyone is wearing their choice of clothing since the kids will be changing halfway through the day for their appointments)
Breakfast will be in our condo and then we're going to head over to MK... when we get on the monorail I'm going to inform everyone that we're not going to MK, instead we're going to the Contemporary... I have a surprise planned for DH & I.
9:00am - our flight time for parasailing!!! DH has no clue about this and I hope he really likes it. I also hope everyone can ride on the boat to watch us I'm terrified!
We'll head over to MK afterwards and eat at Columbia Harbour House for lunch at 11am.
11:45am - Pirates League for Dominic
We're going to see the Pirate Tutorial after that and hopefully meet Pirate Goofy if he's out.
1:45pm - Bibbity Bobbity Boutique for Lucy
I'm still deciding on what dress she will wear... we have Snow White, Rapunzel & Silvermist. I'm leaning towards Snow White but I might have her change before our dinner that night for that picture.
I plan to get a bunch of Photopass pics taken and meet the princesses & Mickey/Minnie.
6:45pm - dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table (without DH since he won't eat anything there)
Afterwards we will probably stick around for the Main Street Electrical Parade since we've never had good seats for it before and then head back to Bonnet Creek.

Thursday, May 10th: (This is MIL's & the kids day off. They will be hanging out at the resort with the option of going to a park if they want since we have an extra free day ticket... DH & I are headed to Universal for the first time EVER!)
We are planning on Harry Potter first thing... then Jurassic Park, Spiderman, the Hulk , ET, etc.
We are doing both parks in one day and only hitting up the attractions that we REALLY want to do... I'm excited but nervous that I won't know my way around.
We have an ADR for that night at the Beach Club Resort.
8:45pm - dinner Cape May Cafe (just for MIL & myself... we love seafood and this is our splurge!)

Friday, May 11th: (Epcot!!! Everyone will be wearing yellow in honor of MIL because it's her favorite color and she LOVES gardening... hence visiting during the Flower & Garden Festival!)
We're doing breakfast in our room that morning.
9am is Rope Drop and we'll be headed straight for Soarin'. I made my plans figuring Test Track would be down for the refurb but recent news is saying that it may be open.
We'll start our walk around the world close to noon beginning in Mexico and have a few beverages & lunch in a country or two...
5:30pm - dinner at Flying Fish at the Boardwalk (we plan to walk from the World Showcase to Boardwalk..)
Afterwards we're going back to Epcot to watch Illuminations and then head back to Bonnet Creek.

Saturday, May 12th: We fly out at 7:15am (yes it will be a very early morning!!!)

Sooo, that's the plan!

 

[budafam]

I'm a fan of matching shirts *yes, I know * So I made a ton of shirts for this trip... my favorite? The tie dye. My mother in law gave me a tie dye kit for Christmas and little did she know that I would use it for Disney. (She still thinks I haven't used the kit and is probably kicking herself for wasting her money... lol) Here are our "tentative" shirts for each day:

Arrival Day:

Downtown Disney Day & HDDR:

Magic Kingdom Day #1:

Hollywood Studios Day:

Animal Kingdom Day:

Magic Kingdom Day #2 (I have yet to figure out what DH & I will wear):

then we have a free day (still not sure on this either)

Epcot Day:

(I ordered a yellow dress from Target and I don't like it... I think I'm going to wear a white skirt with a yellow top... just not sure yet)

Extras (I made these thinking we would wear them on Magic Kingdom Day #2 but the kids will be changing into outfits halfway through the day and I just don't think it would work so maybe we'll wear these on the day we fly home):

Lucy's dresses to pick from for BBB:

Her appointment is at 1:45 and we have dinner at CRT for 6:45. What should I do? Maybe have her wear the Silvermist dress for her appointment, meet the fairies then change her into the Rapunzel dress, meet her (I know that's a long line...) and then change her into Snow White for dinner? Ugh. Decisions!

 

[winkers]

I LOVE the shirts! Super cute!
My fav is the DHS ones...did you make those? They're very cool...I might even be able to convince my kids to wear those.

I've always wanted to do the matching outfits but my kids were a little too old to go along with it by the time we first went. It has to occurred to be lately that since I do ALL the packing...even for my teenagers...I could just not pack anything else.

 

[budafam]

I LOVE the shirts! Super cute!
My fav is the DHS ones...did you make those? They're very cool...I might even be able to convince my kids to wear those.

I've always wanted to do the matching outfits but my kids were a little too old to go along with it by the time we first went. It has to occurred to be lately that since I do ALL the packing...even for my teenagers...I could just not pack anything else.

haha, I love the way you think The DHS ones were super easy to do... I just cut out Mickey heads and letters to all our names out of cardstock, put them on the shirts then sprayed over it all with bleach. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to keep doing this so I take every opportunity I can!