avalon451
Errrr... what?
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2008
It is March 18th and we are leaving in 6 days, next Monday. Our mission: to go to Disneyland and have a blast for 5 days, without the kids killing each other, or us strangling them.
The cast:
Me, 43, SAHM and part-time Kindergarten teacher
DH, 47, Boeing engineer and best dad ever
DD, 12 nearly 13, tomboy, perfecting her eye-rolling technique
DD, 10, individualistic, hyper and fun
DD, 5 nearly 6, the youngest, the spoiled-but-sweet princess
WARNING: WE HAVE NEVER BEEN TO ANY DISNEYLAND PROPERTY. Any of us, even when DH and I were kids. So we're more than a little excited, and my inherent passion for planning had me quickly reading everything I could get my hands on, online and in books, so I could plan. The DIS boards have been a lifesaver! SO I'M HYPER ABOUT IT!
After much angst about where to stay, the honey of a DH I married said, "Screw it, book the Grand Californian. We're going to do this in style." So I booked a standard view room at GCH. We're stayin' on property, baby!
If we get soaked on GRR, it's 5 minutes' run up to the room to change.
One of the things we did decide against was concierge. Well, I did ask about it, but the concierge rooms were booked, anyway. But it seemed like a lot extra, and if our room isn't near the concierge suite it might not be that convenient anyway.
Another thing we discussed was Fantasmic reserved seating. Early on in my research, I told DH, "Get this. For just $60 extra per person, you can sit down and have a box of cookies!"
DH was incredulous, as was I. Then I read more about the difficulty of finding good seating, people staking out spots 3 hours early, strategies for waiting for the 10:30 show 
... and I started thinking it didn't sound so bad. So. I have this little checking account that is my "mad money," which is what I earn teaching kindergarten for my church's private school, part time. Not a lot, but it's mine to use at my own discretion. So I secretly booked the Fantasmic seating for my family, using my own money. I can't wait to see their faces when I tell them to stroll over (ok, fight our way through the crowds) to riverside reserved seating on Tuesday night! Please, please please let the weather be good!
The other secret is this: I also booked a limo to pick us up from SNA and take us back again on the last day. Again, paid for by moi. It wasn't actually that much more expensive than the shuttle for all 5 of us, or the Disney Dream Express. So we will get to get off the plane, enjoy some root beer (DDs) and sip a glass of champagne (DD and me) and relax for our ride to the GCH in style!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch: DD5 is coughing and sniffly today
and we stayed home from school. I am just hoping and praying that the other 2 or DH don't get the cold before we leave. I just got over it myself. Can you say "vitamin C?" Also rest and lots of liquids. Where's my water bottle, BTW?
I am keeping caught up on laundry this week so packing will be easy. My list of stuff to bring along grows daily. Today I am getting down the suitcases (we just bought one new one) and starting to throw things in. I need to pick up sunblock.
We are flying out of Seattle around 1:30 on Monday. I could have picked a 6 a.m. or a 9 a.m. flight... but here's the deal: 6 a.m. has us getting up at 3 a.m. No way. Even 9 a.m., we would have to be completely packed and ready the night before (which is Easter, and we will be hanging with family) and the kids would still be rushed. This way, we leave the house at 10:30 a.m., which means the kids get up at 7, their usual time... we all get showers and can eat a leisurely breakfast, and not rush out of the house forgetting things. I weighed it against getting to the parks earlier (the earliest we'll get there is probably 6 p.m.) but I just think the first night we will explore and enjoy. Tuesday will be Magic Morning, and that will be the time to concentrate on rides and FastPasses.
DD5 is not sure about some of the dark rides. I think we'll wait on Snow White. She doesn't want to do Haunted Mansion, and is pretty iffy on Indy. However she has heard enough about Space Mountain from her friends that she is excited for it. Go figure. We've been watching YouTube videos to prepare her, and she thinks PotC looks cool.
DD10 isn't crazy about heights (no Sun Wheel) but really wants to conquer her fear of roller coasters. She went on one once and didn't like it, but after watching a few videos, thinks she might try them again. I am totally not forcing anybody onto anything. This is not about facing fears, it's about having fun. If they think they want to try it, good for them, but I'm not going to shame anybody into scaring themselves! That would be sad.
DD12 is acting like this is all going to be kiddie stuff, and she will be so bored. However I know her pretty well, and I think she will revert to her younger enthusiastic sunny self of a few years ago once the magic hits. Even if it doesn't, she's a great kid and will suffer silently for the sake of the rest of us! 
DH is seriously prepared for his role as FP runner. He is determined to do everything to make this the most fun for the family. He typically will sacrifice his own needs and wants to make sure everyone else is getting theirs... but I hope to keep him sane and happy, too! I was really trying to convince him to go on ToT with me (he is a big Twilight Zone fan; how could he not?) but he just said doubtfully, "I really don't like the idea of those drops." But then somebody at work was discussing it with him, and he came home and said, "Oh, you're sitting down and strapped in! I thought it was, like, standing free-fall in the elevator! I can handle it sitting down."
We have PS reservations for: Tuesday, Blue Bayou, 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Hook's Pointe, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Napa Rose, 5:30 p.m. (just hubby and me. Kids are having pizza in the room!) I was wondering whether we should try to get PS for Ariel's grotto for lunch on Friday before we leave. We thought that we didn't need to do any character meals, but DD5 is showing renewed interest in princesses since all this planning began, and it might be a neat way to end the trip.
We fly out at 6 p.m. on Friday the 28th. The limo is picking us up at the hotel at 3:30. Think it will be hard coming back down after all this?
The cast:
Me, 43, SAHM and part-time Kindergarten teacher
DH, 47, Boeing engineer and best dad ever
DD, 12 nearly 13, tomboy, perfecting her eye-rolling technique
DD, 10, individualistic, hyper and fun
DD, 5 nearly 6, the youngest, the spoiled-but-sweet princess
WARNING: WE HAVE NEVER BEEN TO ANY DISNEYLAND PROPERTY. Any of us, even when DH and I were kids. So we're more than a little excited, and my inherent passion for planning had me quickly reading everything I could get my hands on, online and in books, so I could plan. The DIS boards have been a lifesaver! SO I'M HYPER ABOUT IT!
After much angst about where to stay, the honey of a DH I married said, "Screw it, book the Grand Californian. We're going to do this in style." So I booked a standard view room at GCH. We're stayin' on property, baby!
If we get soaked on GRR, it's 5 minutes' run up to the room to change. One of the things we did decide against was concierge. Well, I did ask about it, but the concierge rooms were booked, anyway. But it seemed like a lot extra, and if our room isn't near the concierge suite it might not be that convenient anyway.
Another thing we discussed was Fantasmic reserved seating. Early on in my research, I told DH, "Get this. For just $60 extra per person, you can sit down and have a box of cookies!"
DH was incredulous, as was I. Then I read more about the difficulty of finding good seating, people staking out spots 3 hours early, strategies for waiting for the 10:30 show ... and I started thinking it didn't sound so bad. So. I have this little checking account that is my "mad money," which is what I earn teaching kindergarten for my church's private school, part time. Not a lot, but it's mine to use at my own discretion. So I secretly booked the Fantasmic seating for my family, using my own money. I can't wait to see their faces when I tell them to stroll over (ok, fight our way through the crowds) to riverside reserved seating on Tuesday night! Please, please please let the weather be good! The other secret is this: I also booked a limo to pick us up from SNA and take us back again on the last day. Again, paid for by moi. It wasn't actually that much more expensive than the shuttle for all 5 of us, or the Disney Dream Express. So we will get to get off the plane, enjoy some root beer (DDs) and sip a glass of champagne (DD and me) and relax for our ride to the GCH in style!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch: DD5 is coughing and sniffly today
and we stayed home from school. I am just hoping and praying that the other 2 or DH don't get the cold before we leave. I just got over it myself. Can you say "vitamin C?" Also rest and lots of liquids. Where's my water bottle, BTW?I am keeping caught up on laundry this week so packing will be easy. My list of stuff to bring along grows daily. Today I am getting down the suitcases (we just bought one new one) and starting to throw things in. I need to pick up sunblock.
We are flying out of Seattle around 1:30 on Monday. I could have picked a 6 a.m. or a 9 a.m. flight... but here's the deal: 6 a.m. has us getting up at 3 a.m. No way. Even 9 a.m., we would have to be completely packed and ready the night before (which is Easter, and we will be hanging with family) and the kids would still be rushed. This way, we leave the house at 10:30 a.m., which means the kids get up at 7, their usual time... we all get showers and can eat a leisurely breakfast, and not rush out of the house forgetting things. I weighed it against getting to the parks earlier (the earliest we'll get there is probably 6 p.m.) but I just think the first night we will explore and enjoy. Tuesday will be Magic Morning, and that will be the time to concentrate on rides and FastPasses.
DD5 is not sure about some of the dark rides. I think we'll wait on Snow White. She doesn't want to do Haunted Mansion, and is pretty iffy on Indy. However she has heard enough about Space Mountain from her friends that she is excited for it. Go figure. We've been watching YouTube videos to prepare her, and she thinks PotC looks cool.
DD10 isn't crazy about heights (no Sun Wheel) but really wants to conquer her fear of roller coasters. She went on one once and didn't like it, but after watching a few videos, thinks she might try them again. I am totally not forcing anybody onto anything. This is not about facing fears, it's about having fun. If they think they want to try it, good for them, but I'm not going to shame anybody into scaring themselves! That would be sad.
DD12 is acting like this is all going to be kiddie stuff, and she will be so bored.
However I know her pretty well, and I think she will revert to her younger enthusiastic sunny self of a few years ago once the magic hits. Even if it doesn't, she's a great kid and will suffer silently for the sake of the rest of us! DH is seriously prepared for his role as FP runner. He is determined to do everything to make this the most fun for the family. He typically will sacrifice his own needs and wants to make sure everyone else is getting theirs... but I hope to keep him sane and happy, too! I was really trying to convince him to go on ToT with me (he is a big Twilight Zone fan; how could he not?) but he just said doubtfully, "I really don't like the idea of those drops." But then somebody at work was discussing it with him, and he came home and said, "Oh, you're sitting down and strapped in! I thought it was, like, standing free-fall in the elevator! I can handle it sitting down."
We have PS reservations for: Tuesday, Blue Bayou, 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Hook's Pointe, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Napa Rose, 5:30 p.m. (just hubby and me. Kids are having pizza in the room!) I was wondering whether we should try to get PS for Ariel's grotto for lunch on Friday before we leave. We thought that we didn't need to do any character meals, but DD5 is showing renewed interest in princesses since all this planning began, and it might be a neat way to end the trip.
We fly out at 6 p.m. on Friday the 28th. The limo is picking us up at the hotel at 3:30. Think it will be hard coming back down after all this?
