I'm going to WDW!!! Twice!!!

[Cindyrellablue]

Hi everyone! I am excited to be writing my first ever trip report, hopefully, I’ll be able to live up to the high standards that the ones I’ve read have set.

I have two trips to WDW coming this year…and it’s about time! I’ve been in withdrawal as I wasn’t able to squeeze in a trip last year due to planning my recent marriage (well worth the trade off)! I will be combining both trips into this report.

My first trip is with my sister and her two children, Aug 27 – Sept 5. I love going to WDW with my Niece 14 and my Nephew 8. Both of them have been to WDW at least once every year starting when they were infants (think my nephew was 3 months when he was there first). The kids love it, don’t get sick of it and definitely make my experience at WDW completely different from when I’m with only adults.

My second trip is with my wonderful husband…this is his first trip to WDW, although he was to Disneyland when he was little and we enjoyed the Disney Magic in Sept 2009. I’m trying to make sure that this is his best vacation ever and ensure that we’ll be returning with smiles on our faces year after year.


The Who’s, The Where’s and the Surprises along the way to come!

 

[Madisonsmom45]

Anyone at POR Aug 26 to Sept 4?

 

[Cindyrellablue]

Trip 1
Me: Lee, 30-something homemaker
Sis: Kelly, 30-something utility worker (water company)
Niece: Tia, 14 soon to be freshman in High School, attached to her SmartPhone
Nephew: Jayden, 8 soon to be 3rd grader, addicted to Club Penguin

These were taken on my last trip with them, July 2008
Left to right: Lee & Kelly

Left to right: Tia & Jayden

Kelly usually loves to stay at POP Century because she likes the bus system there, along with the food court. The kids love the pools there and the theming. I originally had reservations for us at Wilderness Lodge with a 40% pin I was so fortunate to obtain, but decided to trade that in for a stay at Coronado Springs with Free Dining. My sister doesn’t really care for WL because she likes the bright colors and what she thinks is a more kid-friendly atmosphere of the economy and moderate resorts (I don’t agree…I think they are all kid-friendly…Hey! It’s WDW for goodness sake!). While Jayden has never stayed at CSR, Tia remembers being there and she convinced her brother that the pool is worth the switch 

I am in charge of the dining plans, it’s always just fallen on me…and again, it’s all mine…haha! I planned for us to have 1 sit down meal for each day that we are there and even snuck in Hoop Dee Doo (a family favorite), we’ve got, Le Cellier, 1900 Park Fair, Cape May Café, Crystal Palace, Teppan Edo, Hollywood & Vine (Fantasmic) & Hoop! With the exception of Le Cellier, the kids picked the other restaurants, they have their favorites and Kelly and I just go along for the ride.

The kids are super excited, as well as my sister and me…I can’t wait…the kids make it a different kind of fun!

 

[Cindyrellablue]

Trip 2
Me: Lee (but you’ve already met me)
Husband: Saro (pronounced Sorrow), 30-something, financial systems engineer in nyc, doesn’t know he loves Disney yet!

Taken on our honeymoon:

This trip was difficult to plan, there were so many options and I didn’t know what to choose. First, we booked a Savanna view at AKL for 8 nights with a 40% pin and DxDP…that was great…until I decided that I wanted to stay closer to a park…then we switched to the Beach Club with a water view and the DxDP (still with a pin). Then…we got an invite to watch a webinar about the DVC...Saro had learned about it on our cruise in 2009 and thought it at least deserved more investigation.

To my surprise…about 20 minutes after the webinar had finished…Saro was the newest member of the DVC with 320 pts at Bay Lake Towers!!! I couldn’t believe it! Well…because of this…Saro had the guide redo our reservation for Dec to stay in 1 bed villas, the only snafu was there wasn’t availability for the entirety of our stay at one resort. So now…we are staying at BCV for 4 nights in a 1 bed and BLT for 4 nights in a 1 bed lake view room!

I’ve never been on a split stay vacation…so this should be interesting. We still have the DxDP as Saro enjoys sit down meals and after reviewing menus decided he wanted to do 1 signature dining a day.

Our ADR schedule:
Day 1 (Early Arrival):
Lunch @ T-Rex
Haircut for Saro @ Harmony Barber Shop
Dinner at Hoop Dee Doo

Day 2
Lunch @ Coral Reef
Dinner @ Yachtsman Steakhouse

Day 3
Lunch @ Cinderella Royal Table
Dinner @ Liberty Tree Tavern (Saro’s favorite meal is Thanksgiving!)

Day 4
Lunch @ Sci-Fi Dine-In
Dinner @ California Grill

Day 5
Lunch @ Yak & Yeti
Dinner @ Jiko

Day 6
Lunch @ 50’s Prime Time
Dinner @ Hollywood Brown Derby (Fantasmic)

Day 7
Lunch @ Chefs de France
Dinner @ Le Cellier

Day 8
Lunch @ Biergarten
Dinner @ Artist Point

Day 9
Breakfast @ Kona
Lunch @ Marrakesh

Wow!!! I’m tired just typing all of that! I can’t wait to eat my way around the world…yes, it is my favorite pass-time. No worries! I take photos of all my food! My camera is always strapped around my neck!

Hope you stick around to see how the trips turn out!

 

[Cindyrellablue]

Anyone at POR Aug 26 to Sept 4?

Sorry, not going to be in POR, we'll be at CSR around the time you will be there.

 

[Cindyrellablue]

I'm getting so excited, I can hardly stand it anymore

With many thanks to those who post on the Budget Board, I was able to snag a convertible car rental from enterprise for about 200.00 for my Dec trip (including fees). The discount is even better than renting a economy for the time we need!

This week, I'm driving my niece and nephew to Buffalo to visit with their great grandmother and their grandfather (my dad and grandma)...unfortunately, my sis can't go because of her work schedule, so I'm enduring the drive cuz it was too expensive to fly the two of them up with me. DH can't make it this trip due to work too

The kids are already putting together their lists of things they want to do while in WDW and will probably talk to me about it during the 8 hour ride to Buffalo...each way!