6/4/13 update Can I be my Ex's almost BFF?it gets me to Disney Cheap,Sure! 4/7-14/12

[bigsis1970]

How's that for a catchy title!!! my Daugter's varsity softball team is playing at the Wide World of Sports for spring training this coming April and my Ex can't go due to his school schedule but his Wife can (he left me over 10 yrs ago for her so wounds have healed and we've moved on), so her and I are traveling/staying together .. Sometimes I think she thinks we are BFF's However we all get along for my kids sakes (DD is 18 and DS is 15) Plus she has a friend who works for the Marriott and Delta so she offered to get me a discount if they get her one.. I could be her almost BFF for this reason, for this one week of my life .. I have offered to chaperone too if they need me to which means I might not need to be her almost BFF

so the trip is 4/7 - 4/14 2012..
the girls (16 of them varying from Freshmen to Seniors) are staying at the All Star Sports, get a WWoS pass and a 3 day MYW ticket.
We are right now waiting for airfare on Southwest due to no baggage fees and with softball equiptment we need NO bag fees..
which means we ride the SCHOOL bus from Portland Maine to either Manchester NH or Boston MA - oh joy but no parking fees.
I am going to just eat counter service meals (or snacks YUM)
the estimate for the girls portion of the trip is $750
the girls get $25 a day for food (not enough if you ask me)
for now this is all I know - the actually game schedule doesn't come out till FEB but I'll keep ya posted..

 

[WyldLynx]

Subbing. I so want to see how this goes for you. Keeping my fingers crossed that all works out well for you. Maybe a little sprinkle of pixie dust for luck

 

[bigsis1970]

Subbing. I so want to see how this goes for you. Keeping my fingers crossed that all works out well for you. Maybe a little sprinkle of pixie dust for luck

thanks I'll take all the luck I can get (both that we get discounts and the trip goes well!)

We have another meeeting towards the end of this month so hopefully by then Southwest has opened up past April 9 and we'll have tickets (at least for the girls)

 

[kthshh]

This sounds interesting!!! I'm in.

 

[bigsis1970]

Well we got an e-mail from the coordinator and she was able to hold 40 tickets on SW out of Manchester NH and was asking for a head count of parents going with their daughters on the same flight ect.. I told her my "new BFF" was on vacation this week so she should count me in the group.. I actually priced out a few other options - like taking the rest of the family - DH and DS - vs. doing a summer trip for the 4 of us and so far the only con to this is my DS will have to miss a week of school . I think I'll do a bit more checking and maybe DH and DS will come on Tues Night and we'll all come home Sat..

 

[lynn71092]

Wow, this sounds interesting. I'll have to subscribe to this!!!!

 

[bigsis1970]

Well recieved an email yesterday they are looking for chaperones - so I of course jumped right one that and had them put my name on the list (if there is more then two people names will be drawn out of a hat) - we will be responsible for clean uniforms, getting meals together, taking the girls to the parks on off days, getting them to the sports complex things like that - PIECE OF CAKE so then my DD gets home from work and gets a call from her step mom to say she is also going to put her name down for a chapperone oh gosh ...

as for making this a family trip - No Go- girls don't really get any time away from the team as it's about team bonding, so we'll keep our summer plans.

 

[bigsis1970]

Well that was a bust - got everyone all hyped up and now they deciced no parent chaperones UGH.. so back to the planning..
Looks like now my "BFF" will be bringing her son (HS senior - same as my DD) and will talk to him about us sharing a room - altho there is a chance it'll be my EX and there will be NO room sharing at that point
Keep ya posted LOL..

 

[bigsis1970]

Well looks like we (BFF, Son & myself) will be staying at the Hotel Royal Plaza in DTD - their website says 2 dbls and a loveseat pull out bed so that means 3 beds for 3 peeps and she offered to pay 2/3 of cost .. we are getting a good deal using the mousesavers website.

need to do a little research on how to get from DTD to WWoS, find out if the crossroads has a market to do a little fruit/snack shopping and decide what type of tickets I want to purchase.

 

[bigsis1970]

well with only 90 days left I can't believe I don't have ANY plans nailed down !! eeks I am such a BIG PLanner!! making myself nuts..

Still Royal Plaza, Still Southwest, Still 4/7 - 4/14, but nothing else is planned..

I have a rough draft but need to wait for the softball schedule to come out. Mid Feb I think . Then can do a park plan for myself. decided I'll get a 6 day no hopper pass

Still wondering if I can walk to the Crossroads and get some things like bottled water , bananas and few other little things for the room.

 

[bigsis1970]

So --- today is a good day, my BFF had her travel agent friend check the DTD hotels and she was able to book us at the Best Western DTD for $700, we will request a cot for her son. I think that is an awesome price. So I am going to pay my whole part on Friday and pay the rest of my airfare - which means about 1/2 of my trip is paid for!

now just have to wait till mid FEB to get the softball schedule then can make my park plan according to touring plans best and worst days.

 

[bigsis1970]

Well I paid the rest of the Airfare and paid for my part of the Hotel so now I just need to purchase tickets (which I can't do till the schedule comes out next Monday 2/6) and save for food and spending $$

right now I am working on shedding a few pounds - I'm aiming for 10 but am having such a hard time with portion control.. I am thinking of getting a childs plate with the 3 sections and putting meat and starch in the little spots and veggies on the biggest part. and i need to pare down what is in my lunch box everyday.. wish me luck

 

[bigsis1970]

Oh and I have committed to making the girls autograph books - I purchased 4x6 photo albums that hold 24 pictures and will make pages for the charcters to sign and under it a matching photo mat for them to put pictures with the characters on then leave a few pages blank for journalling and whatnot.

 

[bigsis1970]

Well we have our plans figured out mine are first in purple the girls game are in () and her plans are at the end - doesn't appear we'll be together too much just day 1 and 3 (besides our flight days and staying in the same hotel room) haa

4/8 Magic Kingdom before and after game (game Noon-2) looks like this was the same for us
4/9 Hollywood Studios before and after the games (games Noon-2,2-4,4-6)?? I think we are going to hang out at the pool in the and DTD at night
4/10 Animal Kingdom in the am and DTD after the games (games 2-4,4-6)-I think Animal Kingdom in the am and not sure at night…
4/11 (the girls day off) Epcot all day (no games)-Universal all day
4/12 Magic Kingdom again in the afternoon after the games (games 8-10,10-Noon)-epcot after the games
4/13 Epcot again in the afternoon after the games (games 8-10 & 2-4)-pool in between games and the Hollywood studios at night

Now to make my per park plan - FUN

 

[bigsis1970]

A few changes as a new schedule came out..

4/8 Animal /COLOR] Kingdom before and after game (game Noon-2)
4/9 Magic Kingdom or DTD before and after the games (games 10 - Noon,,2-4,4-6
4/10 Hollywood Studios for the day (games10 -Noon 2-4)
4/11 (the girls day off) Epcot all day (no games - they are doing AK then MGM)
4/12 Magic Kingdom again in the afternoon after the games (games 8-10,10-Noon)
4/13 Epcot again in the afternoon after the games (games 8-10 & 2-4)

 

[bigsis1970]

Well since it's now been more then a year .. I better just get some Pictures up and few words about each one!

Day 1
We boarded the bus around 11am on 4/7/12 - we were taking Southwest out of Manchester NH (they were not in ME yet) as they don't have a baggage fees and with softball gear that is a bonus! Naomi had a friend make all the girls a very cute pack of cupcakes for the ride.



here they all are at MHT waiting for our 4pm flight - My DD is in the back row on the right end with the zebra hair tie

They passed the time by playing some hide the quarter slap the table game - (Naomi is in the background with the white sweater on)


We had just about the whole plane to ourselves (there were 5 other passengers)



Ahhh we have arrived!!


We took Mears to the Best Western DTD - we only waited like 15 mins I think and had 2 other stops.. not bad.. Pics of the room..





The View




maybe the Nick hotel way in the distance??



We (Naomi, Davey and I) walked to DTD for some Dinner it was 8:30ish - Earl of Sandwich and little shopping then we all waked back and got soon sleep.. End of day 1

 

[bigsis1970]

Day 2 part 1
Happy Easter - I decide I am going to the Animal Kingdom today .. there is only one game today Noon - 2.. I get up early so I can get the first shuttle to the park.. Eat on the run - cup of dry cereal and a water flavored with a SF mix.. Snacks packed for later - granola bar and PB crackers..




we once sat in here for Breakfast when Donald's was served here..

Judging by my pics I went on Dinosaur first

Haaa I am on the left in the back row - blue T with the DUH look on my face.. haaaa

Offerings from Pizzafari for Breakfast.

I was on the way to the Safari - one of my favorite things to do

Hippos

alligators/crocs??

This animal was playing with that log that is in front of him - it was so awesome to see

giraffe -

Lots of elephants out today



continued in the next post :

 

[bigsis1970]

Day 2 part 2
Lions -


Pumba

the poachers camp


Next I headed to my most favorite place in Animal Kingdom - Pangani Trail

I did see all the cottontails, birds, fish and the hippo pool - but no hippo's but really I was on my way to see the gorilla's!





EE

I guess around 10:15 I got hungry for some real food

I then made my way out of the park and took a bus to ASSp to get the bus to the WWOS for the Noontime game.. You would have thought that 1.5 hrs would have been plenty enough time but I was about a half hour late for the start of the game - and I have no pictures - weird - just a FYI that it was a pain to travel to ASSp then to WWoS for all the games - I really wish I had gotten a car.. I wasted so much time and was late I swear for every game!

When I got back to AK I went to the Nemo show (sorry my pic are pretty blurry)




after I left Nemo - I came to a dance party .. the little girl with the blue T was just soo cute I had to take a pic


continued in the next post

 

[bigsis1970]

Day 2 part 3
I am guessing I was hungry again because I went back to pizzafari and got the hot italian sandwich! LOVE on a plate.. YUM


next up was Festival of the Lion King -- my favorite show!

tumble monkeys

the fire dancer

the party towards the end


Next I went to see It's Tough to be a Bug

Close ups of the Tree of Life

then I made my way towards the exit but saw all there nesting birds for the night..


End of Day 2

Next up 4/9 Monday Day 3 Magic Kingdom and Softball

 

[bigsis1970]

This am I was up and out again early got on the first bus to the MK today.. It drops you off at the ticket and transportation center and I took the boat over


went thru the bag check and ended up here!

Characters were out in the courtyard and lines were long


castle shot

It looks like I headed to get a fastpass for Space Mtn and there were a few more characters out and a dance party going on..



It appears I had some time to kill so I went over to my fave ride Carousel of Progress






continued in the next post ....