OK, I've got the ticker....Poly in August!!!

[solana131]

Hi there and welcome to my 3rd Pre-Trip Report! My name is Suzi. I am 33 years old, live in Maine, work as the office manager at a small used car dealer, am a wife and mother, and I am addicted to Disney World.

I was lucky enough to go to WDW a few times as a small child

And I took my first adult trip with my family last February. We stayed at the Poly and it was absolutely fantastic to share that magic with my little man.

My little guy, Bradey, was 5 in Feb and it was the perfect age. He is still young enough to believe in all the magic, but not too young that he won't remember it.

He just loved meeting all the characters and he had the time of his life.

I also took a little trip this July with my cousin as a graduation gift to her (and me because I had the time of my life too)

And now I am officially planning a trip in October 2013 (Changed to Feb 2014...I think) (Chnged to August 2013...man I really need to book this thing....couple more weeks). I don't know much right now. I actually don't even know who is going this time. I know it will at least be Bradey and I

And I am hoping I can convince hubby to come along. ***UPDATE - not gonna happen. We are going in August and hubby wants nothing to do with it.***

But that is like pulling teeth. See, my darling husband is not a Disney fan. I know...I know...shocking isn't it that such people exist??? But he doesn't like crowds, he doesn't like heat and he doesn't like rides. So therefor... WDW isn't really his cup of tea. But I have a plan.

I plan to relax more (more down time), eat less (more Quick Serve, less sit down), and the possibility of our friends going too is a big ace up my sleeve. The promise of hanging out with a good friend with a drink in his hand might just sway him to come along

More to come soon....please come along on this journey and help me decide the who, what, where, and when and all the details that make planning a Disney trip so much fun! I look forward to seeing some old DIS friends and making some new ones along the way!

 

[DMGeurts]

Me, Me, Me!!! I am here and I am FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love the photo you have of you and Minnie when you were little - how cool is that?

Sigh... non-Disney lovin' DHs... Story of my life...

Can't wait to plan this trip with you!! And can't wait to finally meet up! WHOOT!!!

D~

 

[KatMark]

I'm here...I'll be back soon to read, promise.

 

[oopsiDAISY]

Ah man, D~ beat me! Oh well, I made it third...now to go back and read!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm back! So glad to hear that now two of my Disfriends are official! Can't wait to follow along and watch your plans unfold. Even more exciting? I could possibly be a small part of your plans!

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

Good for you... You started your new PTR ...

Bring it on...

I believe that gentle spousal persuasion is really just another form of caring...... you know that he'll have a good time... you just need to up the anty for him...

 

[DMGeurts]

I believe that gentle spousal persuasion is really just another form of caring...... you know that he'll have a good time... you just need to up the anty for him...

Hmmm... So, maybe I've been doing this wrong all along?

D~ <--- Headed out to the livingroom now, to pull the Duck tape off of DH and cut the ropes... I should probably shut off the continuous loop of Stacey too?

 

[PrincessInOz]

YAY! Another Oct 2013 planner.

Looking forward to seeing your plans.

 

[cogero]

I'm in.

I am trying hard to get a trip planned for Next October. I am actually desperate to go then. I guess I need to get to persuading G.

 

[solana131]

Welcome aboard everyone!

Me, Me, Me!!! I am here and I am FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love the photo you have of you and Minnie when you were little - how cool is that?

Sigh... non-Disney lovin' DHs... Story of my life...

Can't wait to plan this trip with you!! And can't wait to finally meet up! WHOOT!!!

D~

Thanks D~. That is one of my favorite pictures of our past trips. I still remember the magic feeling of that first character meet.

I know! Meeting you and oopsi is definitely a highlight I am looking forward to!

I'm here...I'll be back soon to read, promise.

Thanks Kathy! We'll be here when you have time.

Ah man, D~ beat me! Oh well, I made it third...now to go back and read!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm back! So glad to hear that now two of my Disfriends are official! Can't wait to follow along and watch your plans unfold. Even more exciting? I could possibly be a small part of your plans!

Yay! Welcome oopsi Yes, you will definitely be part of my plans....can't wait to meet you!

Good for you... You started your new PTR ...

Bring it on...

I believe that gentle spousal persuasion is really just another form of caring...... you know that he'll have a good time... you just need to up the anty for him...

Gentle spousal persuasion... Too funny! He knows he will have a good time too, it is just the money factor. Folks...I have a confession to make.....MY HUSBAND IS A TIGHTWAD....there, I said it. He hates to spend money. In Feb he had no idea how much Disney costs, and we had my parents helping us because they came along with us. But once we got there and he saw the price of everything he had a fit. So now he knows how much. I am going to have to just go ahead with the planning and save the money myself. Then he can't say anything and he will be fine.

Thanks for joining It might be slow going since I have over a year, but I'll try to keep it interesting.

Hmmm... So, maybe I've been doing this wrong all along?

D~ <--- Headed out to the livingroom now, to pull the Duck tape off of DH and cut the ropes... I should probably shut off the continuous loop of Stacey too?

Hahahahahaha! Oh the scenes playing out in my head right now...

YAY! Another Oct 2013 planner.

Looking forward to seeing your plans.

Hey there! Welcome along

I'm in.

I am trying hard to get a trip planned for Next October. I am actually desperate to go then. I guess I need to get to persuading G.

Yes, you need to use this new GSP (Gentle Spousal Persuasion) technique. We'll test it out and see how it works

 

[DMGeurts]

Welcome aboard everyone!





Yes, you need to use this new GSP (Gentle Spousal Persuasion) technique. We'll test it out and see how it works

I totally agree with this... Chiara - you test out the new technique and let us know if we need to change anything.

D~

 

[cogero]

His biggest problem is pulling the kids out of school. I do worry about C but I think it is no big deal with J but I see no reason she couldn't miss a few days.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Welcome aboard everyone!

Gentle spousal persuasion... Too funny! He knows he will have a good time too, it is just the money factor. Folks...I have a confession to make.....MY HUSBAND IS A TIGHTWAD....there, I said it. He hates to spend money. In Feb he had no idea how much Disney costs, and we had my parents helping us because they came along with us. But once we got there and he saw the price of everything he had a fit. So now he knows how much. I am going to have to just go ahead with the planning and save the money myself. Then he can't say anything and he will be fine.

Excellent strategy.

I'm the keeper of the holiday fund in my family. If I have the funds, DH just goes along with it. And the discussion then focuses around where we are going to go and what we are going to see and do.

I can cope with that kind of not-gentle persuasive discussions.

 

[solana131]

His biggest problem is pulling the kids out of school. I do worry about C but I think it is no big deal with J but I see no reason she couldn't miss a few days.

Yeah, I'm pretty new at this whole school thing with Bradey just starting Kindergarten. I know they only have X amount of days they can miss, but the way I read the rule is that those are "unexcused" absences. And I think they consider family vacations as excused. Not sure, but we will soon find out.

Excellent strategy.

I'm the keeper of the holiday fund in my family. If I have the funds, DH just goes along with it. And the discussion then focuses around where we are going to go and what we are going to see and do.

I can cope with that kind of not-gentle persuasive discussions.

Yep. I am choosing to not talk to him about the trip again until next summer, by then I should have it all saved up if not paid off and he can just deal with it then

 

[solana131]

Wondering why my ticker on here says 1 year and 1 day and my countdown widget on my phone says 365 days. Am I missing something? Or did the year take on another day since I last checked??

So anyway....this is what I am thinking so far. Haven't booked anything yet. Still talking it over with my friend.

I am thinking the dates will be Wednesday October 16 - Wednesday October 23 (Now thinking Wed Jan 29 - Sat Feb 8). I want to do Wed-Wed so we will miss most of the Columbus Day Weekend crowds. Plus, flights are way cheaper on Weds than Sat. I also think W-W is good for Bradey missing school. They seem to do a certain lesson for the week, so if he is there for Mon & Tues one week and Thurs & Fri one week, he will still get both lesson plans a little.

So 16th-23rd (or 29-8)....hoping to stay at Port Orleans Riverside.

But French Quarter is a contender too.

Our friends need 3 beds because their kids cannot sleep together. So they will most likely end up at Riverside....but I think I prefer the small size and one bus stop of French Quarter and as long as we are both at Port Orleans it should be close enough.

But just so you know my planning craziness....I am also considering another Poly stay,

maybe the Contemporary Garden Wing,

maybe Wilderness Lodge,

maybe Animal Kingdom Lodge.....and possibly Art of Animation. Oy! Decisions decisions decisions....

So that's my news for today. I'm trying to take this PTR slowly so I can make it last and maybe get more opinions to help me decide. What do you think of the Weds-Weds at POR/POFQ plan?

 

[DMGeurts]

OMG... Suzi... Could we sound more alike?

POFQ? Maybe...
Still gotta look at AKL...
Or AKV...
Then that brings me to the Poly...
OKW is nice too...
Screw it - might as well look at AoA.

D~ <--- Who is probably going to end up in a tent on the roadside somewhere, because she just can't make up her mind. Oy!

 

[t_daniels]

I'm in!

AKL is gorgeous. That's my favorite! Haha

 

[KatMark]

First of all, I love your intros. And to your DH for not being a Disney lover like you.

I know you like to try new places, so why don't you stay at POR-Riverside since you just stayed at POFQ.

We have never stayed at WL -- doesn't appeal to us and we've had some very rude run-ins with CM's there.

We LOVE LOVE LOVE AKL and would stay there again in a heartbeat. We did the Contemporary garden view when the kids were really little...maybe 3 and 5 or 4 and 6. It was fine...nothing special and not a fan of the pool. And as for Poly...well we love it, but our pocketbook does not.

 

[solana131]

OMG... Suzi... Could we sound more alike?

POFQ? Maybe...
Still gotta look at AKL...
Or AKV...
Then that brings me to the Poly...
OKW is nice too...
Screw it - might as well look at AoA.

D~ <--- Who is probably going to end up in a tent on the roadside somewhere, because she just can't make up her mind. Oy!

I know....how about you pick one place, I'll pick another place, and we can switch off mid-week. Or you pick two, I pick two and then we will have 4 to choose from. I really really want to make the Poly work for us because I just love it so much and since it will be the first time for our friends, I think it would just be so nice. But there are so many other resorts, I hate to pick one I have already tried. Grrrr....maybe the discount that will surely come out between now and then will decide it for me.

I'm in!

AKL is gorgeous. That's my favorite! Haha

Welcome! Yeah, I went there to eat at Boma in July and just fell in love with it. My only gripe with AKL is that it is just such a long ride to the parks from out there. But the resort is so pretty, it might make up for the long ride.

First of all, I love your intros. And to your DH for not being a Disney lover like you.

I know you like to try new places, so why don't you stay at POR-Riverside since you just stayed at POFQ.

We have never stayed at WL -- doesn't appeal to us and we've had some very rude run-ins with CM's there.

We LOVE LOVE LOVE AKL and would stay there again in a heartbeat. We did the Contemporary garden view when the kids were really little...maybe 3 and 5 or 4 and 6. It was fine...nothing special and not a fan of the pool. And as for Poly...well we love it, but our pocketbook does not.

I think you're right Kathy, I am leaning towards POR quite a bit. Love the Alligator Bayou room decor, and their food court was a little better than FQ. I think I will just book POR and if a really good discount comes out I can switch to the Poly or AKL.

 

[t_daniels]

I know....how about you pick one place, I'll pick another place, and we can switch off mid-week. Or you pick two, I pick two and then we will have 4 to choose from. I really really want to make the Poly work for us because I just love it so much and since it will be the first time for our friends, I think it would just be so nice. But there are so many other resorts, I hate to pick one I have already tried. Grrrr....maybe the discount that will surely come out between now and then will decide it for me.

Welcome! Yeah, I went there to eat at Boma in July and just fell in love with it. My only gripe with AKL is that it is just such a long ride to the parks from out there. But the resort is so pretty, it might make up for the long ride.

I think you're right Kathy, I am leaning towards POR quite a bit. Love the Alligator Bayou room decor, and their food court was a little better than FQ. I think I will just book POR and if a really good discount comes out I can switch to the Poly or AKL.

It's true. It's farthest out. Sometimes it does suck. But, we love it anyway.

 

[PracPerfPatricia]

There really aren't any bad resort choices at DW... it's just what your personal preference and taste is and how much you want to spend...

The Poly is the most $$$ of everything you mentioned... it is right on the monorail...

Port Orleans is really pretty and much less $$$ but you only have the buses...

I'm going to the Beach Club for my next trip... but I do have to put in a plug for the Animal Kingdom Lodge... it really is a stunning resort, having the animals -especially with a little guy...really specially... it really has a luxe feel to it... the only down side is that the only transportation are the buses... but having said that they were always pretty consistent and never overly crowded...

you do have a little bit to decide...