CRAZY teachers (& company) going to Disney in July...HOT HOT HOT!!!

[bangzoom6877]

Here is more of our itinerary!!

Day 9: The whole family is going to Epcot together! It is neither an EMH-morning, nor an EMH-evening so we are hoping it will not be overly crowded. We will arrive for rope drop, about 8:30AM (30 min. before rope drop). This one is easy...right now the plan is that the rest of the family will come and have breakfast with us in the villa, then we will all walk over to Epcot together. We enter through the International Gateway. We plan to first ride Soarin', then I will walk over to Test Track and grab Fastpasses for everyone there to use later. I will meet everyone at Spaceship Earth, we will get in line and all ride it together. Then, we will head over to the Seas pavilion The first Turtle Talk with Crush is at 10AM, so we're hoping that the timing works out! Then we will ride the Nemo ride. My sons and nieces LOVE "Finding Nemo" and they're really looking forward to these 2 things! After Nemo, we will head over to the Imagination Pavilion and ride Journey into Imagination with Figment. We'll do whatever else we have time for in that area of Future World, perhaps pay a visit to Club Cool for different Coca-Cola products from around the world, then head over to Test Track and ride it with our fastpasses. Test Track is not far from the World Showcase, so from there we will go to the Norway pavilion and to our lunch at Akershus. We will arrive 15-20 minutes early for our 12:10 ADR. So, we will have to watch the clock and make sure we allow ourselves plenty of time to ride Test Track before lunch! Then, we will do some more attractions, or walk around the World Showcase for a little while. By 2PM, DH, the boys and I will walk back to BWV and take an afternoon break. Don't know if the rest of the family will join us. In the evening, probably around 5:00 or so (LOL, late afternoon to most people, but early evening to us!! ), we're going to return to Epcot (walking over there again...love it that we're staying so close!). We're all going to meet there and "eat around the world" instead of going to a regular dinner! We'll probably share a bunch of different things at CS places, or who knows...we may end up at a CS and love it and want to stay there! Whatever mood we are all in. We loved the CS in Morocco last time and I would love to go there again but would also love to try something new! We might stay for Illuminations, since we're not going to a park the next day. We'll see what the kids can handle.

Day 10: We have a 9:25AM ADR at 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian for the character breakfast! This is one thing that makes me a bit hesitant to stay all the way through Illiminations the night before...but it's not too early of an ADR so maybe, we'll see. Anyway, shortly after breakfast, the rest of the family has to leave and drive to Sanford, FL to put the car onto the auto train and go home. DH, the boys and I are not going to a theme park. We will be spontaneous...we have no lunch ADR, since we figured that with a late breakfast buffet, we probably will only have a light snack or something from Boardwalk Bakery in the afternoon to hold us over. Or we may end up in Downtown Disney, not sure yet. Something's telling me we may just spend the day at the BWV resort, go in the pool, take the boys to the Community Hall for some arts & crafts, etc. We'll see what the day brings! We have a 5:30 ADR for dinner at the Cape May Cafe clambake. Then we will turn in early, as we have an early morning ahead! We're hoping to be able to see home of the higher Epcot fireworks from our room, so if we can, we will let the kids see some of that and then off to bed they'll go!

Day 11: This is our Epcot EMH-morning. Not stressed over it at all...we will leave the villa at around 7:15 AM (eating breakfast in the villa that morning). EMH rope drop is at 8AM so this should be perfect...enough time to walk over and still get there early. We will hit the Future World attractions that are open, then at rope drop we will go to some of the others. We have a 12PM ADR for lunch at San Angel Inn. I think we will be able to do plenty before that!!! This should not be too hectic a day, since we have the extra hour and can go to some of the less-crowded attractions that we didn't hit the other day. We will once again take an afternoon break, this time probably right after lunch at San Angel Inn. OK, maybe...just maybe...I will have to hit the bakery in France on the way back to the BWV...it is on the way to the Int'l Gateway after all!! Plus, the desserts at San Angel don't appeal that much to me, so I would rather have some goodies from the bakery! We have a 5:30 ADR for dinner at Le Cellier. We'll leave the villa at 4PM so we have plenty of time to walk back to the world showcase, walk around a little then get there early (like around 5PM) for our ADR! I know this place gets CROWDED...so we want to be sure and arrive early. Then, we will probably walk around the WS a little more, maybe we will also get some pastries in France for the following morning's breakfast!!! Hey, I like that idea...and I'm sure DH will too...I see something with chocolate in his future!

More to come...next up...our EMH-morning at DHS!!! Stay tuned folks...this teacher may be quizzing all of you later on!!

 

[Leshaface]

Here is more of our itinerary!!

Day 9: The whole family is going to Epcot together! It is neither an EMH-morning, nor an EMH-evening so we are hoping it will not be overly crowded. We will arrive for rope drop, about 8:30AM (30 min. before rope drop). This one is easy...right now the plan is that the rest of the family will come and have breakfast with us in the villa, then we will all walk over to Epcot together. We enter through the International Gateway. We plan to first ride Soarin', then I will walk over to Test Track and grab Fastpasses for everyone there to use later. I will meet everyone at Spaceship Earth, we will get in line and all ride it together. Then, we will head over to the Seas pavilion The first Turtle Talk with Crush is at 10AM, so we're hoping that the timing works out! Then we will ride the Nemo ride. My sons and nieces LOVE "Finding Nemo" and they're really looking forward to these 2 things! After Nemo, we will head over to the Imagination Pavilion and ride Journey into Imagination with Figment. We'll do whatever else we have time for in that area of Future World, perhaps pay a visit to Club Cool for different Coca-Cola products from around the world, then head over to Test Track and ride it with our fastpasses. Test Track is not far from the World Showcase, so from there we will go to the Norway pavilion and to our lunch at Akershus. We will arrive 15-20 minutes early for our 12:10 ADR. So, we will have to watch the clock and make sure we allow ourselves plenty of time to ride Test Track before lunch! Then, we will do some more attractions, or walk around the World Showcase for a little while. By 2PM, DH, the boys and I will walk back to BWV and take an afternoon break. Don't know if the rest of the family will join us. In the evening, probably around 5:00 or so (LOL, late afternoon to most people, but early evening to us!! ), we're going to return to Epcot (walking over there again...love it that we're staying so close!). We're all going to meet there and "eat around the world" instead of going to a regular dinner! We'll probably share a bunch of different things at CS places, or who knows...we may end up at a CS and love it and want to stay there! Whatever mood we are all in. We loved the CS in Morocco last time and I would love to go there again but would also love to try something new! We might stay for Illuminations, since we're not going to a park the next day. We'll see what the kids can handle.

Wow got this day down! The Tangerine Cafe? Is that what it's called in Morocco? I've heard that place is bomb! And it smelled good too when we walked through it...mmmm...jeez, might as well stay for illuminations, since you'll be able to walk home and won't be standing around waiting for busses and walking with hoards of ppll!

Day 10: We have a 9:25AM ADR at 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian for the character breakfast! This is one thing that makes me a bit hesitant to stay all the way through Illiminations the night before...but it's not too early of an ADR so maybe, we'll see. Anyway, shortly after breakfast, the rest of the family has to leave and drive to Sanford, FL to put the car onto the auto train and go home. DH, the boys and I are not going to a theme park. We will be spontaneous...we have no lunch ADR, since we figured that with a late breakfast buffet, we probably will only have a light snack or something from Boardwalk Bakery in the afternoon to hold us over. Or we may end up in Downtown Disney, not sure yet. Something's telling me we may just spend the day at the BWV resort, go in the pool, take the boys to the Community Hall for some arts & crafts, etc. We'll see what the day brings! We have a 5:30 ADR for dinner at the Cape May Cafe clambake. Then we will turn in early, as we have an early morning ahead! We're hoping to be able to see home of the higher Epcot fireworks from our room, so if we can, we will let the kids see some of that and then off to bed they'll go!

This day sounds like it will be a lazy/relaxing day! Probably a much needed day! I would love to schedule one of these days for next time....no parks, only resort meals, DTD, perhaps catch a movie at DTD...ahh...wanna go back so bad now...I'm really hoping that clambake turns out well for you guys! I'm hoping you'll report back with something good to say about this place!!

Day 11: This is our Epcot EMH-morning. Not stressed over it at all...we will leave the villa at around 7:15 AM (eating breakfast in the villa that morning). EMH rope drop is at 8AM so this should be perfect...enough time to walk over and still get there early. We will hit the Future World attractions that are open, then at rope drop we will go to some of the others. We have a 12PM ADR for lunch at San Angel Inn. I think we will be able to do plenty before that!!! This should not be too hectic a day, since we have the extra hour and can go to some of the less-crowded attractions that we didn't hit the other day. We will once again take an afternoon break, this time probably right after lunch at San Angel Inn. OK, maybe...just maybe...I will have to hit the bakery in France on the way back to the BWV...it is on the way to the Int'l Gateway after all!! Plus, the desserts at San Angel don't appeal that much to me, so I would rather have some goodies from the bakery! We have a 5:30 ADR for dinner at Le Cellier. We'll leave the villa at 4PM so we have plenty of time to walk back to the world showcase, walk around a little then get there early (like around 5PM) for our ADR! I know this place gets CROWDED...so we want to be sure and arrive early. Then, we will probably walk around the WS a little more, maybe we will also get some pastries in France for the following morning's breakfast!!! Hey, I like that idea...and I'm sure DH will too...I see something with chocolate in his future!

There are NO "maybes" when it comes to that OUTSTANDING bakery!!! Only "For Sures"!!! Mexican food for lunch, Steak for dinner...winning combination!!! And honestly, there isn't much us Mexicans can make for dessert...all we got is churros and flan! lol! On behalf of my Mexican ancestors, I apologize for the inconvenience!

More to come...next up...our EMH-morning at DHS!!! Stay tuned folks...this teacher may be quizzing all of you later on!!

Yay!! Can't wait to read the rest! Unfortunately, reading your itinerary makes me want to go back soooo bad! I can literally "see" where you'll be walking to and it's really cool!!

 

[bangzoom6877]

Yay!! Can't wait to read the rest! Unfortunately, reading your itinerary makes me want to go back soooo bad! I can literally "see" where you'll be walking to and it's really cool!!

It's funny that you can picture all the things we will be doing! By the way, you're right about the bakery in France...what was I thinking? The only MAYBE that should be involved with going there is "Hmm...MAYBE I should get another one of those!!"

Yes, Tangierine Cafe is the CS in Morocco. It is so awesome!!!! DH and I love that type of food and it was excellent quality. Didn't feel at all like we were eating at a CS location!

 

[bangzoom6877]

Here is my continued itinerary!!

Day 12: This is our DHS EMH-morning. We're starting off the day by having breakfast in the villa, and leaving at around 7AM scared1 to walk over to DHS. This park is a further walk from BWV than Epcot is, so we want to be able to take our time. Our younger son will be in a stroller, but not our older one and he walks just a little slower than we do! So we're making sure to allow ourselves plenty of time...I've actually considered exploring the day we arrive just to see how long it takes to walk to DHS!! Anyway, my older son wants to ride Tower of Terror with his daddy. ToT is DH's favorite ride in all of Disney World! If I let him, he would spend hours on that ride! The height requirement is 40" and my son is 43.5" so he is excited that he is tall enough to ride! DH told him it is like a really big "Frog Hopper" ride (they have that ride at some local amusement parks!). Well...it's just a little bigger than that...we'll see if DS5 likes it! I don't do the big thrills, so I will take the little guy to do some other things during that time. No doubt that we will start our day going on Toy Story Mania, and DH can get Fastpasses for ToT for him and DS5. Then we can head over to the Muppet show. DH also wants to ride Rock 'n' Roller Coaster...he didn't get to go on last time. But DS5 is still too short for that one. We have a lunch ADR at 50s Prime Time at 11:35. With the park opening at 8AM that morning, I'm sure we will be starving by then! We'll arrive about 15-20 minutes early for our ADR, as usual. We want to take the kids to the Animation Academy, probably after lunch. This time we will not stay for the afternoon parade (too long a day because of the EMH morning, plus it will be way too crowded because of the EMH morning too). We'll probably leave the park by 2PM the latest. We will go back to the resort, probably by boat (I'm sure DS5 won't want to take that long walk by then!). Then, we'll rest a while, and we have a dinner ADR at Sanaa at 5:45. Planning to show the boys the animal at AKL...I'm sure they will love it there!

Day 13: No theme park on this day! Didn't make a lunch ADR because we're planning to walk over to the Beach Club and eat lunch at beaches & Cream. They don't take ADRs and it is very small, so we will get there a few minutes before they open and have an early lunch. We'll probably end up just relaxing that day at the resort and enjoy the activities there. We have a dinner ADR at Captain's Grille at 5:30PM. After that we will probably hang out a little bit on the Boardwalk and watch some of the evening entertainers out there.

Day 14: Magic Kingdom again! This time, it is neither an EMH-morning nor an EMH-evening! So, we have breakfast at Crystal Palace booked at 8:05 AM so the boys can see the Winnie the Pooh characters! And so I can stuff my face with puffed french toast! I never had breakfast at CP (only dinner on our last trip, which was excellent), but I have made puffed french toast myself several times at home, with the recipe from All Ears...and man is that stuff good! Anyway, there is something very intriguing about getting the chance to walk into a near-empty Magic Kingdom and take pics of the castle with no one in front of it! We'll spend the morning at MK, probably will just grab something quick around lunchtime, not too much though. We will take an afternoon break at the resort, then we go to Kona Cafe for a 5:35 dinner ADR. After that we will head back to MK. We'll see some more attractions, or even just walk down Main Street (love the stores there...oh yes, and the bakery!!). We're going to attempt to stay for SpectroMagic that night, as long as we feel the kids can handle it. But we're not going to stay for Wishes. It doesn't start until 10PM! I would rather leave that park at that point when it is less crowded on the buses than fight the crowds after Wishes and risk getting back to the resort at like midnight!

Day 15: We will let the kids sleep as late as they want (probably 7 or 8AM!), we're not waking up to an alarm! On this day, we will be going to Epcot yet again, but only to the World Showcase! We're going to make this a more relaxing Epcot day and tour the countries. The plan is to get there just before 11AM (the time the WS opens), tour the countries a little bit, look in the stores, and we have a lunch ADR at Chefs de France at 12PM. We're going to get the little passport they sell for the kids and have them stamped in each country there! We have a dinner ADR at 5:30 at the Biergarten! Can't wait to have some good german beer there! We loved this place last time, the entertainment is wonderful, the food is delicious. This will be our last night at WDW so we will turn in early.

Day 16: Since this is the morning we leave WDW, I booked a character breakfast at Cape May Cafe for 7:30AM when it opens. It makes the last night less depressing if we have a character breakfast to look forward to in the morning! We chose Cape May because I read very good things about it, and it is right across the lake at the Beach Club Resort. So it is very convenient too on the checkout day. After breakfast, we will hit the road and drive up to Lumberton, NC to stay overnight.

Day 17: We will have breakfast at the hotel, then hit the road and drive to Maryland (to the suburbs of Washington, DC). I went to University of Maryland and some of my friends live down there. We will be going to visit them for a couple of days.

Day 18: We will be in Maryland visiting friends. We will probably take the kids into Washington, DC and go to the Smithsonian. Last time, we took them to the Natural History building. This time I would like to go to the American History one. It was closed last time for renovations.

Day 19: We'll have breakfast at the hotel. We will hit the road at around 10AM, when rush hour is over (it will be a Monday). We'll have about a 4-hour drive to get home.

And there you have it!! Our itinerary!! An 18-night vacation! The boys are super excited to go to WDW, and they love the idea of staying in a few different hotels throughout this trip!

 

[Leshaface]

Here is my continued itinerary!!

Day 12: This is our DHS EMH-morning. We're starting off the day by having breakfast in the villa, and leaving at around 7AM scared1 to walk over to DHS. This park is a further walk from BWV than Epcot is, so we want to be able to take our time. Our younger son will be in a stroller, but not our older one and he walks just a little slower than we do! So we're making sure to allow ourselves plenty of time...I've actually considered exploring the day we arrive just to see how long it takes to walk to DHS!! Anyway, my older son wants to ride Tower of Terror with his daddy. ToT is DH's favorite ride in all of Disney World! If I let him, he would spend hours on that ride! The height requirement is 40" and my son is 43.5" so he is excited that he is tall enough to ride! DH told him it is like a really big "Frog Hopper" ride (they have that ride at some local amusement parks!). Well...it's just a little bigger than that...we'll see if DS5 likes it! I don't do the big thrills, so I will take the little guy to do some other things during that time. No doubt that we will start our day going on Toy Story Mania, and DH can get Fastpasses for ToT for him and DS5. Then we can head over to the Muppet show. DH also wants to ride Rock 'n' Roller Coaster...he didn't get to go on last time. But DS5 is still too short for that one. We have a lunch ADR at 50s Prime Time at 11:35. With the park opening at 8AM that morning, I'm sure we will be starving by then! We'll arrive about 15-20 minutes early for our ADR, as usual. We want to take the kids to the Animation Academy, probably after lunch. This time we will not stay for the afternoon parade (too long a day because of the EMH morning, plus it will be way too crowded because of the EMH morning too). We'll probably leave the park by 2PM the latest. We will go back to the resort, probably by boat (I'm sure DS5 won't want to take that long walk by then!). Then, we'll rest a while, and we have a dinner ADR at Sanaa at 5:45. Planning to show the boys the animal at AKL...I'm sure they will love it there!

Day 13: No theme park on this day! Didn't make a lunch ADR because we're planning to walk over to the Beach Club and eat lunch at beaches & Cream. They don't take ADRs and it is very small, so we will get there a few minutes before they open and have an early lunch. We'll probably end up just relaxing that day at the resort and enjoy the activities there. We have a dinner ADR at Captain's Grille at 5:30PM. After that we will probably hang out a little bit on the Boardwalk and watch some of the evening entertainers out there.

Day 14: Magic Kingdom again! This time, it is neither an EMH-morning nor an EMH-evening! So, we have breakfast at Crystal Palace booked at 8:05 AM so the boys can see the Winnie the Pooh characters! And so I can stuff my face with puffed french toast! I never had breakfast at CP (only dinner on our last trip, which was excellent), but I have made puffed french toast myself several times at home, with the recipe from All Ears...and man is that stuff good! Anyway, there is something very intriguing about getting the chance to walk into a near-empty Magic Kingdom and take pics of the castle with no one in front of it! We'll spend the morning at MK, probably will just grab something quick around lunchtime, not too much though. We will take an afternoon break at the resort, then we go to Kona Cafe for a 5:35 dinner ADR. After that we will head back to MK. We'll see some more attractions, or even just walk down Main Street (love the stores there...oh yes, and the bakery!!). We're going to attempt to stay for SpectroMagic that night, as long as we feel the kids can handle it. But we're not going to stay for Wishes. It doesn't start until 10PM! I would rather leave that park at that point when it is less crowded on the buses than fight the crowds after Wishes and risk getting back to the resort at like midnight!

Day 15: We will let the kids sleep as late as they want (probably 7 or 8AM!), we're not waking up to an alarm! On this day, we will be going to Epcot yet again, but only to the World Showcase! We're going to make this a more relaxing Epcot day and tour the countries. The plan is to get there just before 11AM (the time the WS opens), tour the countries a little bit, look in the stores, and we have a lunch ADR at Chefs de France at 12PM. We're going to get the little passport they sell for the kids and have them stamped in each country there! We have a dinner ADR at 5:30 at the Biergarten! Can't wait to have some good german beer there! We loved this place last time, the entertainment is wonderful, the food is delicious. This will be our last night at WDW so we will turn in early.

Day 16: Since this is the morning we leave WDW, I booked a character breakfast at Cape May Cafe for 7:30AM when it opens. It makes the last night less depressing if we have a character breakfast to look forward to in the morning! We chose Cape May because I read very good things about it, and it is right across the lake at the Beach Club Resort. So it is very convenient too on the checkout day. After breakfast, we will hit the road and drive up to Lumberton, NC to stay overnight.

Day 17: We will have breakfast at the hotel, then hit the road and drive to Maryland (to the suburbs of Washington, DC). I went to University of Maryland and some of my friends live down there. We will be going to visit them for a couple of days.

Day 18: We will be in Maryland visiting friends. We will probably take the kids into Washington, DC and go to the Smithsonian. Last time, we took them to the Natural History building. This time I would like to go to the American History one. It was closed last time for renovations.

Day 19: We'll have breakfast at the hotel. We will hit the road at around 10AM, when rush hour is over (it will be a Monday). We'll have about a 4-hour drive to get home.

And there you have it!! Our itinerary!! An 18-night vacation! The boys are super excited to go to WDW, and they love the idea of staying in a few different hotels throughout this trip!

PHEW!!! What an itinerary that is!!! Your trip sounds sooo awesome!!! Can't believe 19 days you'll be away from home! Bet you love it though!

I remember we walked from DHS to the Boardwalk because we had a dinner ADR at the Flying Fish Cafe, and it seemed like it took a good 15 minutes to get there. That was at a good pace too. So you're looking probably a little over 20 minutes for you guys perhaps. It is awesome though not having to deal with waiting for a bus and that walkway was NEVER crowded with people. It was like our own secret pathway that no one knew about! I REALLY hope your oldest like ToT! It's definitely a thrilling ride, and you don't know what to expect so hope it doesn't freak him out too much! I know on youtube, there are some videos that show the entire ride, so if you feel like he needs to see what's going on, youtube is where you should look! I've read that a lot of parents do that to help prepare their kids of what's to come, so that when they're on the ride itself, it looks somewhat familiar.

On Day 13 - where is Captains Grille at and what do they serve there?

PUFFED FRENCH TOAST! Holy goodness that sounds delicious! I'm gonna have to head over to Allears and check this recipe out! I'm hoping on our next trip, DH will let me make an ADR for Crystal Palace! I, too, want to see how the MK looks with hardly anyone there! Bet it's gonna feel way more magical!

I have to say, I think Epcot makes WDW what it is! It is so cool to walk around the WS checking out the different countries, hearing different kinds of music, smelling and tasting different foods, and especially hearing their accents! I've always been somewhat skeptical on Biergarden...definitely want to try it for the experience though, just worried i'm gonna leave hungry and disappointed...but I guess I can just walk over to the bakery in France and get my grub on there!

I think a character meal on the last day is a FANTASTIC idea! I need to keep that in mind for next time...I think you'll be able to leave the world feeling a little bit more upbeat from seeing the various characters at your meal.

We've always wanted to go to Washington DC, but hear that driving there is a nightmare, so we've always decided against it...I hear the museums are amazing and wonderful!

 

[bangzoom6877]

PHEW!!! What an itinerary that is!!! Your trip sounds sooo awesome!!! Can't believe 19 days you'll be away from home! Bet you love it though!

I remember we walked from DHS to the Boardwalk because we had a dinner ADR at the Flying Fish Cafe, and it seemed like it took a good 15 minutes to get there. That was at a good pace too. So you're looking probably a little over 20 minutes for you guys perhaps. It is awesome though not having to deal with waiting for a bus and that walkway was NEVER crowded with people. It was like our own secret pathway that no one knew about! I REALLY hope your oldest like ToT! It's definitely a thrilling ride, and you don't know what to expect so hope it doesn't freak him out too much! I know on youtube, there are some videos that show the entire ride, so if you feel like he needs to see what's going on, youtube is where you should look! I've read that a lot of parents do that to help prepare their kids of what's to come, so that when they're on the ride itself, it looks somewhat familiar.

On Day 13 - where is Captains Grille at and what do they serve there?

PUFFED FRENCH TOAST! Holy goodness that sounds delicious! I'm gonna have to head over to Allears and check this recipe out! I'm hoping on our next trip, DH will let me make an ADR for Crystal Palace! I, too, want to see how the MK looks with hardly anyone there! Bet it's gonna feel way more magical!

I have to say, I think Epcot makes WDW what it is! It is so cool to walk around the WS checking out the different countries, hearing different kinds of music, smelling and tasting different foods, and especially hearing their accents! I've always been somewhat skeptical on Biergarden...definitely want to try it for the experience though, just worried i'm gonna leave hungry and disappointed...but I guess I can just walk over to the bakery in France and get my grub on there!

I think a character meal on the last day is a FANTASTIC idea! I need to keep that in mind for next time...I think you'll be able to leave the world feeling a little bit more upbeat from seeing the various characters at your meal.

We've always wanted to go to Washington DC, but hear that driving there is a nightmare, so we've always decided against it...I hear the museums are amazing and wonderful!

Hi there!! I know the walk is a little long from Boardwalk to DHS. We're planning to walk it over to DHS in the morning, and we will pribably take the boat back to BWV in the afternoon...I'm sure DS5 will not want to walk at that point! The little one will be in the stroller so he won't mind!

Captain's Grille is a TS restaurant located in the Yacht Club Resort. They serve steaks, pork chops, crab legs, crabcakes, etc. We figured it would be a nice low-key place to try for dinner one night. It is very convenient, close to BWV. The menu at Captain's Grille was much more appealing than Kouzzina (I hate fennel, and it is in almost every dish on Kouzzina's menu! ).

Don't be scared of Biergarten! I mean, DH and I LOVE German food, but even if you are not into it, there are plenty of choices for even picky eaters. The entertainment is so nice too. All the tables are for 8 people so you get to meet new people. Last time we sat with a very nice man and his daughter (she was probably about 8 years old). The other 2 seats were left empty. The atmosphere is also amazing...you feel like you are outside, yet you get to sit in nice cool air-conditioning!

I will definitely check out youtube for ToT and show it to my son. I have looked at various rides on there before...actually before my first time on Big Thunder, I looked at every video I could find of it on youtube! I will let my son make his decision based on what he sees there, but knowing him he will want to go!

We love going to a character breakfast just before going home! It is a really great idea! Last time we went to Chef Mickey's and we loved it! This time we are trying Cape May because it is so close to the Boardwalk and we heard good things about it.

Puffed french toast is amazing! OMG, you have to try it! It's definitely NOT healthy...but I use canola oil to cook it so I tell myself it is OK!!

I also think Epcot makes WDW as great as it is. I really love it there. The countries are my favorite. I love it that the CMs there are from their respective country. I met a CM 2 years ago who came from the same region of Italy where my family comes from! And my kids love to hear me speak Italian, so it was pretty cool. I also like going into Mexico and speaking Spanish! I want to get the little passport for the boys this time so they can get it stamped in each country. DH told me that on a future trip, when the boys are older and we stop going to so many character meals, he would like us to all get annual passes and eat in a different country every night for dinner at Epcot! (The DVC discounted AP is less money than a 10-day park hopper, as far as I know) I say that is a great idea!!!

I am so glad this trip is 18 nights, 19 days long!!! I love vacations, and the longer the better!! I'm glad we have a washer-dryer in the DVC villa, so that I can use that! I don't want to do laundry on vacation, but it will be easy, and less to pack! I already bought the Purex detergent sheets so they travel easy...I used them already on one shirt for each of us to make sure none of us would be allergic, and it worked out fine! Yes, I do think of EVERYTHING!!

Glad you've enjoyed reading my itinerary! I will post more about our actual park touring plans, when I get the chance (probably over the weekend).

 

[cinderella crazy]

Wow! What a great itinerary! We also love Epcot. It's just fun to walk around the countries.

That puffed french toast sounds awesome!! I may have to also go find the recipe.

 

[Leshaface]

Hi there!! I know the walk is a little long from Boardwalk to DHS. We're planning to walk it over to DHS in the morning, and we will pribably take the boat back to BWV in the afternoon...I'm sure DS5 will not want to walk at that point! The little one will be in the stroller so he won't mind!

Captain's Grille is a TS restaurant located in the Yacht Club Resort. They serve steaks, pork chops, crab legs, crabcakes, etc. We figured it would be a nice low-key place to try for dinner one night. It is very convenient, close to BWV. The menu at Captain's Grille was much more appealing than Kouzzina (I hate fennel, and it is in almost every dish on Kouzzina's menu! ).

Don't be scared of Biergarten! I mean, DH and I LOVE German food, but even if you are not into it, there are plenty of choices for even picky eaters. The entertainment is so nice too. All the tables are for 8 people so you get to meet new people. Last time we sat with a very nice man and his daughter (she was probably about 8 years old). The other 2 seats were left empty. The atmosphere is also amazing...you feel like you are outside, yet you get to sit in nice cool air-conditioning!

I will definitely check out youtube for ToT and show it to my son. I have looked at various rides on there before...actually before my first time on Big Thunder, I looked at every video I could find of it on youtube! I will let my son make his decision based on what he sees there, but knowing him he will want to go!

We love going to a character breakfast just before going home! It is a really great idea! Last time we went to Chef Mickey's and we loved it! This time we are trying Cape May because it is so close to the Boardwalk and we heard good things about it.

Puffed french toast is amazing! OMG, you have to try it! It's definitely NOT healthy...but I use canola oil to cook it so I tell myself it is OK!!

I also think Epcot makes WDW as great as it is. I really love it there. The countries are my favorite. I love it that the CMs there are from their respective country. I met a CM 2 years ago who came from the same region of Italy where my family comes from! And my kids love to hear me speak Italian, so it was pretty cool. I also like going into Mexico and speaking Spanish! I want to get the little passport for the boys this time so they can get it stamped in each country. DH told me that on a future trip, when the boys are older and we stop going to so many character meals, he would like us to all get annual passes and eat in a different country every night for dinner at Epcot! (The DVC discounted AP is less money than a 10-day park hopper, as far as I know) I say that is a great idea!!!

I am so glad this trip is 18 nights, 19 days long!!! I love vacations, and the longer the better!! I'm glad we have a washer-dryer in the DVC villa, so that I can use that! I don't want to do laundry on vacation, but it will be easy, and less to pack! I already bought the Purex detergent sheets so they travel easy...I used them already on one shirt for each of us to make sure none of us would be allergic, and it worked out fine! Yes, I do think of EVERYTHING!!

Glad you've enjoyed reading my itinerary! I will post more about our actual park touring plans, when I get the chance (probably over the weekend).

That is probably another great advantage of staying at the Boardwalk...you have all the other resorts within walking distance for eats and entertainment...you've seriously sold me on the Boardwalk...hmm...looks like i'll have to look into that for our next trip definitely...ESPECIALLY since we love Epcot and find ourselves wanting to be over there all the time!

And one reason I would go to Biergarten is because you get to sit with other people! I bet some really neat friendships have been formed at the Biergarten...

Omgosh, I was TOTALLY going to say, I'm sure you've checked out youtube for some rides for your ownself!!! Bonnie, I think I officially know you too well now! But it really is a great introduction for a child(or adult ) to know what they're gonna get themselves into!

About the French Toast...I'm willing to run that extra 5 miles to work it off!!

Oh I'm SURE that passport is going to be a hit with your kids! It will be somewhat like a mission for them to complete their passport! You should give a little prize at the end for them completing it! Not only does it give them an initiative to see every country, it allows you and hubby to be able to see every country as well!

What a FABULOUS idea about trying the sheets on one of everyones shirts! I guess you DO think of everything!

I'll be waiting for the weekend then to read the rest of your Crazy thread!

 

[bangzoom6877]

That is probably another great advantage of staying at the Boardwalk...you have all the other resorts within walking distance for eats and entertainment...you've seriously sold me on the Boardwalk...hmm...looks like i'll have to look into that for our next trip definitely...ESPECIALLY since we love Epcot and find ourselves wanting to be over there all the time!

And one reason I would go to Biergarten is because you get to sit with other people! I bet some really neat friendships have been formed at the Biergarten...

Omgosh, I was TOTALLY going to say, I'm sure you've checked out youtube for some rides for your ownself!!! Bonnie, I think I officially know you too well now! But it really is a great introduction for a child(or adult ) to know what they're gonna get themselves into!

About the French Toast...I'm willing to run that extra 5 miles to work it off!!

Oh I'm SURE that passport is going to be a hit with your kids! It will be somewhat like a mission for them to complete their passport! You should give a little prize at the end for them completing it! Not only does it give them an initiative to see every country, it allows you and hubby to be able to see every country as well!

What a FABULOUS idea about trying the sheets on one of everyones shirts! I guess you DO think of everything!

I'll be waiting for the weekend then to read the rest of your Crazy thread!

We love sitting with new people at places like Biergarten too! Throughout junior high and high school, my parents took me and my sister on a cruise every summer. We always enjoyed sitting with new people in the dining room. Also, in Lancaster, PA, there are some family-style restaurants where you sit with other people. DH and I love that too! We have never had a problem at any place like that...we always have enjoyed our tablemates!

I like your idea of giving my kids a little prize after completing their passports! I was going to buy them each a souvenir from Epcot anyway, but this is a great way to do it!

Yesterday our new DVC Vacation Planner came in the mail! YAY!!! I LOVE getting Disney mail!

It's funny how you know me so well already!! Yes, I DO think of everything, from previewing rides on youtube to testing out new laundry detergent, to overpacking on every trip ("we just MAY NEED that Dimetapp...")! Always prepared and always have a plan! I like to find out as much info as I can so that I don't return only to find out there was something we missed!

It's funny, we're so happy with the location of Boardwalk. That's one of the reasons we bought the DVC there. It's a lot of money to stay there per night though on cash. Our 10-night trip in the 1-Bedroom would have cost around $5500 just for the hotel! Of course, we probably would have stayed in the BW Inn in a regaular room if we were paying cash...OK so that would be around $4,000 for the 10 nights! I was looking at Bay Lake Tower also yesterday in the DVC book. It's the one place I would stay besides Boardwalk, mainly based on location. But we don't have enough points for a 1-Bedroom MK view for 10 nights, or even for a 1-bedroom standard view!...maybe when the boys are older we will have to stay for only a week there in the standard view, and go stay in a hotel lose to Universal Studios for a couple of days beforehand and go to those parks first, then do all Disney! See...there I go planning way in the future again!

OK, I am still working on our touring plan. I will be back over the weekend with some details on that. Here's a little preview.....

OK, a little secret about me...I love to sing, and I do sing well (I don't tell everyone that though when I meet them!). Last month, I hosted and sang in a benefit concert at the school where I work...all proceeds went to the Haitian Relief Fund. My school does this every year and each time, the money goes to a different charity. I think I will be hosting it annually now! Anyway, someone on the boards suggested the American Idol Experience to me. I am going to look into it. I also found out that there is karaoke in the afternoon out by the pool at Boardwalk! I will definitely have to join in on that one!!

 

[bangzoom6877]

So, after a crazy busy work week, I am definitely ready for the weekend! The high school where I teach works on 4 cycles instead of 2 semesters...today was the end of Cycle 3. My report card grades are due on Monday morning, but I got them all finished today at work so I didn't have to bring anything home over the weekend!

Oh, also some news about my 5-year-old son....he takes karate 4 days a week. He started in November. Yesterday he took the test to move up to the Yellow Belt and he got it!!! So I began this weekend by coming home from work, enjoying a nice work out, having an early dinner and taking my son to karate for his first class as a yellow belt! Go Philip!!!

So, now that I got to brag a little bit about my son...moving on now to my park touring plans! I will probably look at these at least a bazillion times (is "a bazillion" a number?...I think it is! ), and change them constantly, but this will give you an idea of how much planning I do. But don't worry...I don't get disappointed if we don't get to everything...after all, we'll be back!

We plan to stay on Disney property for the entire 10-night stay!! Since we will be going to WDW every other summer, we have plenty of time ahead of us to take the kids to other places like Sea World and Universal, so for now while they are still little we want to enjoy WDW and not have to rush it. That's why we have more than one day at each park, and that's also why we scheduled days for just resort time and no theme parks! Here goes....

Day 1 (arrival):
-Leave hotel in Boca Raton, FL after breakfast and drive up to WDW (takes about 3 hours)
-At some point, we will pick up milk to keep in the villa for breakfast (we'll hit a supermarket in Boca the night before and get some cereal and other non-perishables...did this last time and it worked great!)
-Check into BWV (the rest of the family checks into Pop Century)
-I walk over to Epcot's International Gateway to upgrade my current MYW 7-day ticket to a DVC-discounted annual pass; I also purchase the Tables in Wonderland card
-We meet up with the rest of the family for lunch (we're talking about going to Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney)
-We will probably meet up with my dad's cousin in Downtown Disney also
-We have a 5PM ADR at Chef Mickey's for dinner...we will arrive at 4:45 the latest
-Early night...a few big days ahead!!!!

Day 2 (DHS...not an EMH day):
-Wake up at 6AM, get ready, then get the kids ready
-Eat breakfast in the villa (while the kids watch The Disney Channel of course!)
-Leave hotel room by 8AM to walk over to DHS (it's a longer walk there than to Epcot...DS3 will be in the stroller but DS5 will be walking...we need to allow lots of time!)
-Arrive at DHS and wait for rope drop (which is 9AM)
-I head to Toy Story Mania with all our tickets and collect a set of fastpasses, while DH and the kids head to the Playhouse Disney Live theater and wait for me (first show there is 10AM)
-We wait and go to the first showing of Playhouse Disney Live
-After the show, we go back to Toy Story Mania and ride it with our fastpasses!
-DH gets fastpasses for himself and DS5 for Tower of Terror (maybe before the Toy Story ride, once the fastpass time for that passes), and he gets a fastpass for himself for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster (ahh...the beauty of having 4 people in your party, but only 2 of them riding ToT...you can get FPs for another attraction!)
-We go to Voyage of the Little Mermaid
-We go to the Muppet 3-D show
-DH and DS5 go back to ToT & ride it while DS3 and I do something else, haven't decided what yet...maybe I will look in some of the stores!
-We have a 12PM lunch ADR for Sci-Fi...we will get there by 11:40.
-After lunch, we will go to the Animation Academy
-Great Movie Ride
-Beauty and the Beast Live
-Parade at 3PM, then leave the park and go back to BWV to relax!
-Leave hotel by 5:10 for dinner ADR at Whispering Canyon at 6:10 PM
-Go to bed early...VERY early morning tomorrow!!!

Haven't figured out the rest of this day yet...using Tour Guide Mike though and will be planning more details. We also have a second day at DHS.

Day 3 (MK, EMH-morning)
-Wake up at 5:30, get ready, get kids ready, breakfast in the villa
-Take very early bus to MK...arrive well before the 8AM rope drop...the rest of the family is doing the same thing from Pop Century and meeting us there
-At rope drop, head into Fantasyland and go right to Dumbo
-The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
-Peter Pan's Flight
-Mickey's Philharmagic
-Snow White's Scary Adventures
-It's a small world
-Tea Cups (only my sister and the kids...I don't do Tea Cups!!! ); while they are riding Tea Cups, DH will get FPs for Space Mountain for him, my future BIL, and the kids who are tall enough to go on
-Tomorrowland Indy Speedway if we have time before 9AM "official" rope drop (we had time on our last trip...did all of Fantasyland minus Dumbo in 25 min.!)
-Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (if time)
-Walk through Fantasyland again, and wait for rope drop to go into Frontierland
-at 9AM rope drop, go to Big Thunder and ride with the kids who are tall enough
-Splash Mountain if anyone wants to go (although I don't think anyone wants to at this point...we'll see)
-DH will want to go on Haunted Mansion again! Maybe I will join him and my parents will stay with the kids
-Adventureland: Pirates of the Caribbean (if everyone is interested...if not the 4 of us will go on our second MK day)
-Magic Carpets of Aladdin
-Eat a Dole Whip at Aloha Isle in Adventureland!
-Head into Toontown when it opens at 10AM (although I'm not sure how this will be with the Fantasyland expansion contruction going on...we'll see...in the mean time, the plan is tentative)
-Take all the kids on Goofy's Barnstormer (kiddie coaster)
-Mickey's House & Minnie's House
-Walk into Tomorrowland and hopefully the FP time will be up by then and anyone who has a FP will be able to ride Space Mountain (I don't do that one...nothing bigger than Big Thunder for me!! )
-Have lunch, possibly at Cosmic Ray's in Tomorrowland (we loved it there last time)...lunch will be around 11:30
-Carousel of Progress
-Afternoon break for DH, the boys and me...going back to BWV to nap, shower, relax!
-Leave BWV by 3:45 for bus back to MK
-Meet the rest of the family by the castle for our 5:15 dinner ADR...if we arrive way too early, walk around the shops on Main Street
-After dinner, Hall of Presidents (unless we can fit it in before our afternoon break)!
-Not sure for the rest of the evening, but heading back to the hotel early...no parade or fireworks tonight for us...my sister and parents will probably stay for the parade though

OK, so there are our first couple of days...tentative plans so far! I have been reading through Tour Guide Mike's website though, and it has been helping!

Next up will be a non-EMH day at Epcot, followed by an "off" day with no theme park! Actually, plans for the off day are not specific, but we know our options so of course I will list them here! Stay tuned.....

 

[bangzoom6877]

Here is our continued itinerary, park touring plans! Enjoy!

Day 4 (Epcot-no EMH morning or evening hours):
-Wake up at 6:30AM, get ready, get kids ready, breakfast in the villa
-Leave by 8:15 AM to walk to International Gateway so we can make rope drop
-At rope drop (9AM), go right to Soarin' and ride it
-I go to Test Track with everyone's tickets to get FPs; the rest of the family heads over to Spaceship Earth; I meet them there, we get in line and ride Spaceship Earth
-We go to the first showing of Turtle Talk with Crush (10AM)
-We ride The Seas with Nemo & Friends
-We look around the Seas pavilion a little with the kids
-Head to the Imagination Pavilion and ride Journey into Imagination with Figment
-Explore Imagination Pavilion a little
-Walk across the other side of Future World and ride Test Track with our FPs
-Our lunch ADR at AKershus is for 12:10PM. We will arrive by 11:50AM (this is not too far a walk from Test Track)
-After lunch, if the line is short, we will ride the boat ride in Mexico
-DH, the boys and I will take an afternoon break by 2:30PM (really depends how long lunch takes, hoping the break will be before then); if necessary, we can take the boat back to BWV if DS5 is too tired to walk
-Relax & shower at the hotel for a little while
-Leave BWV at around 4:30PM and head back to the International Gateway
-Eat around the countries of the World SHowcase!! I didn't make a dinner ADR for this day...we will enjoy the CS food in the WS together
-If we feel they can handle it, we will stay for IllumiNations since it is so close to get back to BWV, and we are not getting up too early the next morning

Day 5 (no theme park; the rest of the family is heading home):
-Wake up at 7:45AM, get ready, get the kids ready
-Head out no later than 8:45AM and drive over to the Grand Floridian
-9:25AM breakfast ADR at the character breakfast at 1900 Park Fare, with the whole family (characters are Alice in Wonderland, Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins in the lobby, Tigger and Winnie the Pooh!)
-Hang out with the rest of the family until they have to leave to drive to Sanford, FL and put the car on Amtrak
-No lunch ADR today, since I figured we would be full from a later breakfast buffet; however, I'm sure we will end up getting just a little something from the Boardwalk Bakery since it is so convenient! Or if I feel ambitious, I can head into Epcot myself with my annual pass and get us some pastries from France! Hmm....
-Nothing planned for the rest of the day, maybe hang out by the pool, enjoy the activities at the Community Hall at BWV, just relax!
-Dinner ADR at Cape May Cafe Clambake at 5:30PM
-Enjoy some of the entertainers in the evening on the Boardwalk
-Early night!!

Day 6 (Epcot, EMH morning!):
-Wake up at 5:30AM, get ready, wake kids up and get them ready; breakfast in the villa (maybe some treats I can pick up the night before from BW Bakery...hmm...)
-Leave BWV by 7AM and walk over to the International Gateway
-Rope drop is at 8AM
-Go to EMH attractions (no definite touring plan yet, depends on what we hit the previous Epcot day)
-Hit attractions in Future World we didn't get to do the other day; maybe do more in the Imagination Pavilion for the kids
-At 10AM, go to Turtle Talk with Crush (yes, AGAIN!)...my kids love this and will definitely want to see it again!
-See more of the Seas Pavilion we didn't get to see
-Club Cool!!!
-Head to WS and arrive at San Angel Inn at 11:45AM for our 12PM lunch ADR
-After lunch, take a break and go back to the hotel...oh, we have to pass France to do this? We might as well get dessert there and bring it back to BWV to enjoy in the villa!!!
-Relax in the villa, nap, shower
-Head back to Epcot at 4:30PM, go right to Canada; Le Cellier ADR for dinner at 5:30PM and we are getting there EARLY!!! I have heard how crowded and insane this place is, and if we have to wait a while for a table I would rather get there way early and still eat at a decent time for the boys!
-Walk around the countries a little after dinner
-Head back to the resort early...another early morning tomorrow!

Day 7 (DHS, EMH-morning!):
-Wake up at 5:30AM yet again , get ready, get the kids ready, have breakfast in the villa
-Head out by 6:45AM to walk to DHS (I know the walk there is longer than to Epcot, so leaving 15 extra minutes for it!)
-Rope drop will be at 8AM
-DH will probably want to ride ToT and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster again; if DS5 liked ToT, he will go on that with him (he is too short for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster...maybe next time!)
-I will definitely be going to Toy Story Mania, Muppet Vision 3-D, other open attractions during EMH that are not thrill rides
-9AM is the official rope drop
-Head to attractions we missed...again, no definite touring plan for this day
-Definitely will be taking the boys to the Animation Academy (did I get the name right?)
-Lunch ADR at 50s Prime Time Cafe at 11:35AM (arrive by 11:15, although I think it doesn't open until 11:30)
-Go to any other attractions we may have missed, maybe the Great Movie Ride
-Leave park by 2PM for afternoon break at hotel (maybe even right after lunch since we will be at this park an hour earlier this day)
-Relax, nap, shower, etc.
-Leave hotel at 4:30PM and drive to Animal Kingdom Lodge. Dinner ADR at Sanaa at 5:30PM...crossing my fingers to be able to sit by the window so we can see the animals while we dine!
-Go look at the animals with the boys after dinner...they will be fascinated by this!
-Return to the hotel, and view some of the fireworks from IllumiNations from the Boardwalk...now I am hoping we have a villa where we can see some of the higher fireworks at Epcot, if so we will be ecstatic!!!! If not, as I said, we can view it from the Boardwalk!

Day 8 (no theme park):
-Sleep late!!!!!!! Breakfast either in the villa, or maybe we will try and go to a resort breakfast that is low-key...we'll see!
-Since we have no theme park to go to today, we will probably just hang out at the resort and enjoy the activities there
-No lunch ADR today, but we plan to go to Beaches and Cream before they open and have lunch there; or we can go to The Fountain in the Swan/Dolphin (don't remember off the top of my head exactly which resort!)
-Dinner ADR at 5:30PM at Captain's Grille at the Yacht Club...wow, we really don't need to leave the resort area at all today!!!
-Early night!

Day 9 (MK, no EMH at all today):
-Wake up at 6AM, get ready, get the kids ready as quickly as possible
-Head over to MK (probably will take the bus, but driving is an option too)
-Breakfast ADR at Crystal Palace at 8:05AM, where I will eat my weight in puffed french toast AND chocolate waffles, which I just found out they have on their buffet too! I will be the blonde one rolling down Main Street around rope drop time, with a HUGE smile on my face! Here's what I will look like:
-No exact touring plan yet for this day, but working on it; the plan is to head to any attractions we missed the other MK day
-Eat a Dole Whip pineapple/vanilla swirl (like it that I have that one PLANNED, huh?! )
-No exact plan for lunch, not sure if we will be hungry enough for lunch after all that food at CP, but I'm thinking it will be a MUST to hit Main Street Bakery to share a HUGE cinnamon roll with DH! OMG, I'm gonna gain 10 pounds on this day alone!
-Afternoon break at the hotel (leave the park by 1:30)
-Dinner ADR is at Kona for 5:30PM; we will leave the resort at 4:30PM and head over there
-After dinner, we will head back to MK and stay for the parade! But we're leaving right after the parade, not staying for the fireworks, I think it would be too late for the boys

*Note: we're still unsure of transportation on this day; we may just take the bus, we may drive. If we take the bus back in the evening it gets a little complicated because our dinner is at a resort, so we would have to either 1)park at the TTC, monorail to Polynesian resort, monorail back to MK, or 2)drive to Polynesian and valet the car (free with TIW card, we just have to tip them), then drive to the TTC after dinner and monorail to MK...I wonder if we could just leave the car in valet parking until after MK, since we won't be using self-parking anyway?

Day 10 (Epcot, World Showcase only!):
-Let the kids sleep in! Breakfast in the villa and get ready
-Head over to Epcot for 11AM World Showcase opening
-Walk around the countries, stop in each one for the kids to get their "passports" signed and stamped
-I will definitely be speaking Italian in Italy and Spanish in Mexico! I love to share this with my boys!
-Lunch ADR at Chefs de France at 12PM...we are hoping Remy will still be there...but I have not mentioned a word of that to the boys because I don't want to disappoint them in case we don't see him...I figure if he is there, it will be a wonderful surprise for them!
-Continue walking around the countries, snacking, shopping, etc.!
-Don't know if we will be taking a break, maybe
-Dinner ADR at Biergarten at 5:30PM, we will arrive at 4:45
-Head back to the resort early, as this will be our last night and we have a big day of traveling ahead

Day 11 (check-out day):
-Wake up at 5:30AM, get ready and get the kids ready, luggage in the car, check out
-Breakfast ADR at Cape May Cafe for when it opens at 7:30AM (characters are Minnie, Goofy and Donald Duck in beach attire!)
-Hit the road and drive up to North Carolina where we will stay overnight and then continue on our journey home

And there you have it! At some point throughout this trip, in the second half, I will also be doing our laundry...we will have a washer and dryer in the villa and this will be a lot less work when we return home! Plus we can pack a little lighter.

So, as you can see, I only have a few more things to figure out with our touring plan. I also have to make a list of things to pack for me, and for each of the boys.

Hey, if you guys have any suggestions for me on my touring plan, transportation to MK or anything else, feel free to let me know!

Oh, and you may be wondering why you don't see AK in any of my plans...we went to AK last time. We enjoyed the safari (I got lots of great pics), the Dinosaur ride was awesome, and the Lion King show was awesome too. Other than that, there was really nothing we felt worth going back for just yet. DH had gone on Expedition Everest and he was not impressed...but he is a guy that likes the hugest roller coasters, and he said it was good but not worth going to AK just for that. When the boys get older, if they want to go to AK, we will. Otherwise we decided to skip this one and just take them to the Animal Kingdom Lodge for dinner one night and see the animals there.

 

[Leshaface]

Ok, first of all....

You've got almost every MINUTE of your trip planned....EXCELLENT! This is definitely my kind of planning!

Second, I second you about AK. We like it, but don't love it. We will only plan one day here, just to say we hit all the parks, but that day is usually only half a day since we can get everything done in that time period. We got to see FOTLK this past trip and it was so GOOD! The last time we saw Nemo and that was awesome as well! EE? Yeah, it's pretty fun, but not worth it if the main character is out of operation. Dinosaur? Pretty much like our Indian Jones, except darker. That's pretty much it though.

Third, I LOVE that you made time for some Dole Whips! Two in fact! I believe in making my touring plans around my food and snacks!

I'm literally so jealous of your wonderful planning capabilities! I believe we should open up our own touring business! We shall call it the BangFace Touring Corp....or LeshaZoom Touring Corp......

So let's see, how many days left till your trip??? Cuz I KNOW you know the exact number! LOL!

By the way! Congrats to your son Philip! How exciting for him!

 

[bangzoom6877]

Ok, first of all....

You've got almost every MINUTE of your trip planned....EXCELLENT! This is definitely my kind of planning!

Second, I second you about AK. We like it, but don't love it. We will only plan one day here, just to say we hit all the parks, but that day is usually only half a day since we can get everything done in that time period. We got to see FOTLK this past trip and it was so GOOD! The last time we saw Nemo and that was awesome as well! EE? Yeah, it's pretty fun, but not worth it if the main character is out of operation. Dinosaur? Pretty much like our Indian Jones, except darker. That's pretty much it though.

Third, I LOVE that you made time for some Dole Whips! Two in fact! I believe in making my touring plans around my food and snacks!

I'm literally so jealous of your wonderful planning capabilities! I believe we should open up our own touring business! We shall call it the BangFace Touring Corp....or LeshaZoom Touring Corp......

So let's see, how many days left till your trip??? Cuz I KNOW you know the exact number! LOL!

By the way! Congrats to your son Philip! How exciting for him!

OK, I HAD to plan on having more than one Dole whip...last time I had one (pineapple/vanilla swirl, a great combo!), and shared it with DH. I don't mind sharing it with DH since it is rather large. The boys didn't like it...they eat real pineapple though (I guess that's better anyway, LOL!). But I should have gotten another one on our second MK day on the last trip...this time, 2 it shall be! I am going to at least try!!! I also work my vacation plans around the food. I went nuts last summer figuring out where we were going to eat in Lancaster, PA because the food is SOOOO good there! The first thing I always look at when planning a vacation is the food! Even for a cruise, I will look online and look for menus and any info I can!

We shall open up our own touring company, you can be in charge of everything on the west coast and I can be in charge of the east coast division! We'll help people plan for both transcontinental trips to either DL or WDW, and also for trips on their own coast! You will have to fill me in on DL info though, never been there! We plan to take a road trip across-country when the boys are much older, and hit DL!

To answer your question...85 days until we check into BWV!!
BUT, only 80 days until we actually leave for our trip, since we first drive down to southern FL and visit relatives for a few days! So tomorrow, as far as I'm concerned, we have only 79 days until our Disney trip officially starts! YAY, the 70s already!!!

And, did you ever doubt I would know how many days until my trip? I knew when it was 600 days away!!! Seriously, we bought the DVC membership in September 2008 and this is the first trip home to BWV!! We wanted to make sure we had enough points for 10 nights in a 1-bedroom, and we had to bank some points for that to happen so we bought it early.

Thanks for congratulating Philip! He was so happy...we videotaped it and showed it to him! Right now he's not feeling so well though, he has strep throat. Seems to be going around. He missed school today and the doctor said he can go back on Wednesday.

 

[Leshaface]

OK, I HAD to plan on having more than one Dole whip...last time I had one (pineapple/vanilla swirl, a great combo!), and shared it with DH. I don't mind sharing it with DH since it is rather large. The boys didn't like it...they eat real pineapple though (I guess that's better anyway, LOL!). But I should have gotten another one on our second MK day on the last trip...this time, 2 it shall be! I am going to at least try!!! I also work my vacation plans around the food. I went nuts last summer figuring out where we were going to eat in Lancaster, PA because the food is SOOOO good there! The first thing I always look at when planning a vacation is the food! Even for a cruise, I will look online and look for menus and any info I can!

Two Dole Whips is definitely the way to go, especially since you'll be there in summer, and you'll need something cool and refreshing...heck, if you feel the need for a third, go for it girl! And i'm the same way about planning food too! If I find out we're going somewhere, the first things I do is go to tripadvisor or yelp to seek out some yummy places! It's kind of an obsession...oh well!

We shall open up our own touring company, you can be in charge of everything on the west coast and I can be in charge of the east coast division! We'll help people plan for both transcontinental trips to either DL or WDW, and also for trips on their own coast! You will have to fill me in on DL info though, never been there! We plan to take a road trip across-country when the boys are much older, and hit DL!

Oh man you're gonna have a blast out here whenever you guys do make it out! Our summers here are WAY different than Florida summers!

To answer your question...85 days until we check into BWV!!
BUT, only 80 days until we actually leave for our trip, since we first drive down to southern FL and visit relatives for a few days! So tomorrow, as far as I'm concerned, we have only 79 days until our Disney trip officially starts! YAY, the 70s already!!!

And, did you ever doubt I would know how many days until my trip? I knew when it was 600 days away!!! Seriously, we bought the DVC membership in September 2008 and this is the first trip home to BWV!! We wanted to make sure we had enough points for 10 nights in a 1-bedroom, and we had to bank some points for that to happen so we bought it early.

Thanks for congratulating Philip! He was so happy...we videotaped it and showed it to him! Right now he's not feeling so well though, he has strep throat. Seems to be going around. He missed school today and the doctor said he can go back on Wednesday.

Yeah, your trip is so close now! I laughed when you mentioned 600, because I also knew at 500! It was torture counting down the days, but then eventually you got down to the double digits, then the single! Ah, gotta love those single numbers!

I hope your little guys feeling better now! Poor thing...strep is no fun!

So what's next up on your Pre-tr? I don't even know what else you could add on here!!!

 

[bangzoom6877]

Yeah, your trip is so close now! I laughed when you mentioned 600, because I also knew at 500! It was torture counting down the days, but then eventually you got down to the double digits, then the single! Ah, gotta love those single numbers!

I hope your little guys feeling better now! Poor thing...strep is no fun!

So what's next up on your Pre-tr? I don't even know what else you could add on here!!!

Philip is all better now, thanks! The good thing about strep is that it goes away quickly once they start the antibiotic. He went back to school and also to karate yesterday.

Hmm...what else can I add into my pre-TR? I guess I can mention things I will be bringing in addition to the obvious (clothes, toiletries). I'm going to be starting a packing list this weekend...OK, who am I kidding? I will probably start AND finish my packing list this weekend!!

I also didn't completely finish the touring plan, but it will also depend on what we do the first day at each park. So we'll see. I'm going by Tour Guide Mike's recommendations on the best times to see each attraction on our list and we will take it from there!

My younger son Jonathan will be 3 on May 1st, my niece turns 9 on May 2nd and DH turns 33 on May 6th...so we have some busy times ahead between those and Mother's Day on the 9th!!!

My kids are very excited for Disney World, and also because we're going to be sleeping at a few different hotels throughout the trip...they love hotels! So do I!! I'm a bit of a hotel snob though...Marriott and Hilton mostly. I don't go to Days Inn, Super 8 or Motel 6 no matter how much cheaper they are.

I ask Jonathan where we're going this summer and he calls it "Disney's World" and "E-cot" (pronounces it right, just leaves out the "p"!)! The only reason he knows what Epcot is, is because they were watching Playhouse Disney a couple of weeks ago in the morning and they were reporting from Epcot. So he said he wanted to go there. When I told him it's at Disney World and we will be going there he was very happy and started giggling!!!

 

[Leshaface]

Philip is all better now, thanks! The good thing about strep is that it goes away quickly once they start the antibiotic. He went back to school and also to karate yesterday.

Hmm...what else can I add into my pre-TR? I guess I can mention things I will be bringing in addition to the obvious (clothes, toiletries). I'm going to be starting a packing list this weekend...OK, who am I kidding? I will probably start AND finish my packing list this weekend!!

I also didn't completely finish the touring plan, but it will also depend on what we do the first day at each park. So we'll see. I'm going by Tour Guide Mike's recommendations on the best times to see each attraction on our list and we will take it from there!

My younger son Jonathan will be 3 on May 1st, my niece turns 9 on May 2nd and DH turns 33 on May 6th...so we have some busy times ahead between those and Mother's Day on the 9th!!!

My kids are very excited for Disney World, and also because we're going to be sleeping at a few different hotels throughout the trip...they love hotels! So do I!! I'm a bit of a hotel snob though...Marriott and Hilton mostly. I don't go to Days Inn, Super 8 or Motel 6 no matter how much cheaper they are.

I ask Jonathan where we're going this summer and he calls it "Disney's World" and "E-cot" (pronounces it right, just leaves out the "p"!)! The only reason he knows what Epcot is, is because they were watching Playhouse Disney a couple of weeks ago in the morning and they were reporting from Epcot. So he said he wanted to go there. When I told him it's at Disney World and we will be going there he was very happy and started giggling!!!

Great to hear that Philip is feeling better!

I also did a packing list. There is a HUGE one that I got here off the boards and it was really helpful! Not sure if you already do this or not, but we took a power strip this last trip...helped us when I needed to charge our phones, cameras (3), and the computer.

Wow May is a busy month! Good luck with that! And that's all in the first two weeks of the month!

I'm a total hotel snob too! Especially after our incident at a Days Inn in PA that pushed me over the edge to becoming a snob...it was July 18, 2008 (dramatic right?) ....let me give you a break down of the horror I saw...urine still in the toilet, black widows on the balcony and one dead black widow above our desk, a big brown spot on the comforter (resembled diarhhea ) but the worst of all was the little hairs covering the bed (not head hair but private part hair! ) Went downstairs to complain and the response was, "The guy who rents out the room twice a week doesn't have a problem with the room." I can only IMAGINE what this disgusto does in that room...never again!

On a brighter note, I LOVE that he calls it Disney's World!! So adorable!

 

[bangzoom6877]

Great to hear that Philip is feeling better!

I also did a packing list. There is a HUGE one that I got here off the boards and it was really helpful! Not sure if you already do this or not, but we took a power strip this last trip...helped us when I needed to charge our phones, cameras (3), and the computer.

Wow May is a busy month! Good luck with that! And that's all in the first two weeks of the month!

I'm a total hotel snob too! Especially after our incident at a Days Inn in PA that pushed me over the edge to becoming a snob...it was July 18, 2008 (dramatic right?) ....let me give you a break down of the horror I saw...urine still in the toilet, black widows on the balcony and one dead black widow above our desk, a big brown spot on the comforter (resembled diarhhea ) but the worst of all was the little hairs covering the bed (not head hair but private part hair! ) Went downstairs to complain and the response was, "The guy who rents out the room twice a week doesn't have a problem with the room." I can only IMAGINE what this disgusto does in that room...never again!

On a brighter note, I LOVE that he calls it Disney's World!! So adorable!

OMG, I would have left that Days Inn room in a heartbeat...through the window if I had to!!! Wanna hear something funny though? Here goes...July 18, 2008 was when we checked out of WDW on our last Disney trip! So, you were in PA all disgusted at that place they called a "hotel", and I was checking out of Pop Century mainly depressed about leaving, but not too much because we went to Chef Mickey's for breakfast!! I guess that was just a dark day!!

Yes, May is a busy month, and so is June! My birthday is June 8th, then there is Father's Day, then my dad's b-day is June 23rd (he's turning 60 this year!! ), throw in the occasional graduation and it becomes even crazier! And my boys have their end-year show at their school at the end of June too, but that one is during the week! But the best thing is that it's the end of the school year and the beginning of SUMMER VACATION!!! So after all the chaos of May and June, we have 2 months off and this year we get to go to Disney!!

The power strip is a GREAT idea!! We will probably bring one of those. We will need to charge our phones and camera so this will come in handy for sure! We're also bringing some things that are not typical "vacation packing list" items for everyone...like laundry detergent (the Purex sheets I had tested out), Dunkin Donuts coffee for the coffee maker (OK, people probably do bring some of their favorite coffee from home!), coffee filters (they give us every 4th day in the DVC villa). Oh, and of course, I already bought the coffee filters after I asked on the boards what type they require...I found 100 of them at Target for 85 cents!!! We use the same ones at work so in September I will bring the rest of the pack to work!! See, I got it all planned out!!

OK, I'm gonna go relax now...we have a busy weekend coming up. Saturday my sister and I are going to Coldstone to order the cake for Jonathan and Sarah's family party the following weekend (after I take Philip to karate of course!); I have to go buy the party favors for Jonathan's class party next Friday; I have to go food shopping. Sunday the 10 of us are going to a museum in the city with my cousin and her girls. And then the madness begins......

 

[Leshaface]

OMG, I would have left that Days Inn room in a heartbeat...through the window if I had to!!! Wanna hear something funny though? Here goes...July 18, 2008 was when we checked out of WDW on our last Disney trip! So, you were in PA all disgusted at that place they called a "hotel", and I was checking out of Pop Century mainly depressed about leaving, but not too much because we went to Chef Mickey's for breakfast!! I guess that was just a dark day!!

Yes, May is a busy month, and so is June! My birthday is June 8th, then there is Father's Day, then my dad's b-day is June 23rd (he's turning 60 this year!! ), throw in the occasional graduation and it becomes even crazier! And my boys have their end-year show at their school at the end of June too, but that one is during the week! But the best thing is that it's the end of the school year and the beginning of SUMMER VACATION!!! So after all the chaos of May and June, we have 2 months off and this year we get to go to Disney!!

The power strip is a GREAT idea!! We will probably bring one of those. We will need to charge our phones and camera so this will come in handy for sure! We're also bringing some things that are not typical "vacation packing list" items for everyone...like laundry detergent (the Purex sheets I had tested out), Dunkin Donuts coffee for the coffee maker (OK, people probably do bring some of their favorite coffee from home!), coffee filters (they give us every 4th day in the DVC villa). Oh, and of course, I already bought the coffee filters after I asked on the boards what type they require...I found 100 of them at Target for 85 cents!!! We use the same ones at work so in September I will bring the rest of the pack to work!! See, I got it all planned out!!

OK, I'm gonna go relax now...we have a busy weekend coming up. Saturday my sister and I are going to Coldstone to order the cake for Jonathan and Sarah's family party the following weekend (after I take Philip to karate of course!); I have to go buy the party favors for Jonathan's class party next Friday; I have to go food shopping. Sunday the 10 of us are going to a museum in the city with my cousin and her girls. And then the madness begins......

July 18, 2008 = bangzoom and leshafaces D Day That is too freakin funny!

Wow so you're pretty much booked all the way up to vacation then! Great timing for a vacation right!?

Yeah LOVED having the power strip! We're usually going all over the room overturning tables and chairs to find spare outlets...this allows all your electronic stuff to be in one spot and it's way more organized! I bring my own coffee too! Worked for Starbucks so I have a very keen and sharp tongue for good coffee! Not sure how addicted you are to coffee (or if you even like Starbucks coffee, sounds like your a DD girl) but starbucks has the Via coffee which is kinda like an instant coffee, but it's really just their regular coffee ground down into a fine crystal that has not been freeze-dried. It comes in a little pouch, like those water flavoring pouches like crystal, so they're very portable. Just ask for a hot cup of water at any counter service (I've never been charged) and voila! You got a great cup of coffee instead of that crappy nestle stuff they serve - wow I sound like i'm a salesperson! Just trying to help a sister out!

Geez AND a busy weekend!!! Sounds like you need a massage pretty soon...better hit up that hubby!

 

[bangzoom6877]

So for a while now there hasn't been anything new to report, but now that my trip is less than 2 months away, I'm trying to get more things together.


OK, so we leave for our trip in 6 weeks from Thursday! Like I had said in my original vacation itinerary, we don't get to WDW for 5 days after that but the first part of the trip will be a lot of fun! We are visiting some loved ones in Southern Florida. One of those people is my great uncle, who will turn 87 in August. I called him last Saturday to see how he's doing. He loves to talk, so I have to call him on the weekend when I can block out an hour to speak to him, and I also love to catch him up on the kids and everything. He loves my boys, and he is meeting my nieces for the first time when we go to visit him! My mom hasn't seen him in almost 12 years, since just before he moved down to Florida, although they talk on the phone all the time. She is very excited to see him. Another person we are visiting is my mom's best friend since she was 11 years old. She is like family to us. And we are also visiting another dear family friend. My grandfather was a NYC police officer. He always stayed close with a few of the people he worked with, and one of them had moved down to Florida years ago. Unfortunately he passed away 2 years ago, right before DH and I took the kids down to visit. So we visited his wife and his son, daughter-in-law and grandson. We will be visiting them again. I wish we also got to visit my grandparents but they died in a car accident in Florida in 1986, only 16 months after they moved down there. It was a terrible nightmare for the family.

OK, on a lighter note, I started to do more things for the Disney trip. I bought some more clothing for myself! YAY!!! I definitely needed some new shorts and tank tops and I was very happy to buy some! DH took DS5 to buy new sneakers and sandals a couple of weeks ago. They should still fit him for the trip, I'm not worried at all. I bought DS5 a Toy Story bathing suit because the WALL-E one I got for him was actually too big so we are saving it for next summer. I would rather do that than pay to ship it back and not have anything to show for it! My parents bought him a Spiderman bathing suit that is mainly red, his favorite color, so he was very happy! I got 2 Cars bathing suits for DS3 who is obsessed with Lightning McQueen! Today I took DS3 to buy new sneakers and sandals, and sure enough they had the Toy Story ones for both pairs!! I also bought myself some new sandals!!

Tomorrow we are going to BJs to get some essentials that we're out of, and I have 2 coupons for cases of water that expire tomorrow. We're going to buy 4 cases of water tomorrow to take on the trip! And I have a $3 coupon for Prilosec, which DH always takes before and during vacation because of the rich food. So we're getting that tomorrow too.

I am also waiting for Ride Max to open up the July calendar. I'm having fun playing with it though!!

And finally....I worked on my packing list today!! I actually took the one I had from 2008 and updated it. It felt nice to take things off of there like sippy cups, Pack 'n' Play for the hotels on the ride down, etc. Nice not to have to bring all that baby equipment this time! Big difference 2 years make!!

Even though this is only our second family trip driving down to Disney, I am really starting to feel like an old pro at it now that we are in the final planning stages! I feel I know all I need to, and when I sit own and try to figure things out, I'm like, oh yeah, we'll just do it this way, like last time!

 

[Leshaface]

So for a while now there hasn't been anything new to report, but now that my trip is less than 2 months away, I'm trying to get more things together.


OK, so we leave for our trip in 6 weeks from Thursday! Like I had said in my original vacation itinerary, we don't get to WDW for 5 days after that but the first part of the trip will be a lot of fun! We are visiting some loved ones in Southern Florida. One of those people is my great uncle, who will turn 87 in August. I called him last Saturday to see how he's doing. He loves to talk, so I have to call him on the weekend when I can block out an hour to speak to him, and I also love to catch him up on the kids and everything. He loves my boys, and he is meeting my nieces for the first time when we go to visit him! My mom hasn't seen him in almost 12 years, since just before he moved down to Florida, although they talk on the phone all the time. She is very excited to see him. Another person we are visiting is my mom's best friend since she was 11 years old. She is like family to us. And we are also visiting another dear family friend. My grandfather was a NYC police officer. He always stayed close with a few of the people he worked with, and one of them had moved down to Florida years ago. Unfortunately he passed away 2 years ago, right before DH and I took the kids down to visit. So we visited his wife and his son, daughter-in-law and grandson. We will be visiting them again. I wish we also got to visit my grandparents but they died in a car accident in Florida in 1986, only 16 months after they moved down there. It was a terrible nightmare for the family.

Wow! You'll be visiting lots of family/friends on your way down! I think that's awesome that you're able to keep in touch with them still....somehow along the way for lots of folks, they forget about some of their loved ones...glad you still keep contact!

My goodness, that's horrific about your grandparents! And only 16 months after they moved to Florida? Was that their retirement spot?

OK, on a lighter note, I started to do more things for the Disney trip. I bought some more clothing for myself! YAY!!! I definitely needed some new shorts and tank tops and I was very happy to buy some! DH took DS5 to buy new sneakers and sandals a couple of weeks ago. They should still fit him for the trip, I'm not worried at all. I bought DS5 a Toy Story bathing suit because the WALL-E one I got for him was actually too big so we are saving it for next summer. I would rather do that than pay to ship it back and not have anything to show for it! My parents bought him a Spiderman bathing suit that is mainly red, his favorite color, so he was very happy! I got 2 Cars bathing suits for DS3 who is obsessed with Lightning McQueen! Today I took DS3 to buy new sneakers and sandals, and sure enough they had the Toy Story ones for both pairs!! I also bought myself some new sandals!!

I lOVE getting new clothes for vacations!!! It makes me feel fresh and revived for a new adventure! Make sure you buy yourself some good shoes too!! You'll be needing them! Even though we've only been to WDW twice, the past two times, we've each gotten a new pair of shoes from the Nike Outlet a month before our trip...it will be a tradition for us now!

Omgosh, after reading that your son loves Cars, you'll DEFINITELY have to make it out here to Cali! They're in the process of building a Cars Land over at Disney's California Adventure!!! They're building Radiator Springs Racers which will be similar to Test Track at Epcot! Luigi and Mater will also have their own rides, and there's going to be Flo's Cafe restaurant and a Cars Land Drive-in!! Look at me, I'M the one getting all excited over here!


Tomorrow we are going to BJs to get some essentials that we're out of, and I have 2 coupons for cases of water that expire tomorrow. We're going to buy 4 cases of water tomorrow to take on the trip! And I have a $3 coupon for Prilosec, which DH always takes before and during vacation because of the rich food. So we're getting that tomorrow too.

Alright gotcha...wasn't sure what he was taking Prilosec for! (I asked that on my thread..)

I am also waiting for Ride Max to open up the July calendar. I'm having fun playing with it though!!

I'm actually surprised that the July calendar hasn't opened up yet?! There's only a week left in May, then it will be June so that's kinda weird...Unless they display the calendar on the very first of each month..

And finally....I worked on my packing list today!! I actually took the one I had from 2008 and updated it. It felt nice to take things off of there like sippy cups, Pack 'n' Play for the hotels on the ride down, etc. Nice not to have to bring all that baby equipment this time! Big difference 2 years make!!

Even though this is only our second family trip driving down to Disney, I am really starting to feel like an old pro at it now that we are in the final planning stages! I feel I know all I need to, and when I sit own and try to figure things out, I'm like, oh yeah, we'll just do it this way, like last time!

That's how it felt for me..like for this past trip, I thought I would have to start from scratch, but I kept all of my 2008 stuff, so now that will be like a template for me to work off of! I can see that all trips from here on out will be much easier and smoother to plan...the first trip is really like a guinea-pig trip!