Our Dreams of Happiness are coming true - PTR Aug 2010

[disneybound08]

WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO! We’re going to Disney World. Welcome to my inaugural Pre-Trip report, soon to be followed of course by my first Trip Report on our return from our vacation of a lifetime. I’ve have lurked on these boards for quite some time now, and figured it was time to start one of my own. So here we go....



INDEX
The Trip Particulars
Our Cast of Characters
Rough Itinerary

 

[disneybound08]

We will fly Jet Blue out of Syracuse on Friday, August 20. A first flight for all three kids. Our non stop flight leaves at 400pm and arrives shortly after 7pm. We are booked in at All Star Music in a Family Suite from Aug 20 to Aug 28. Our return flight leaves Orlando around 1pm. We will be using Magical express to and from the airport. I am however considering waiting for our luggage off the flight. I’m just worried about bell services knocking on the door after 10pm since it can take upwards of three hours to deliver our bags. Anyone experienced a flight around this time before? We have our fingers crossed for free dining but we will be going regardless of whether or not it is offered, so we are booked. My plan is to hit the parks for rope drop, and then take a mid-afternoon rest, and see where things go from there.

 

[disneybound08]

Me (30) A Disney aficionado (or Disney freak as my DH would say) I’m a kindergarten teacher in a small town in Ontario, Canada. My love for Disney has always been strong, as a child I was obsessed with Disney Movies, and as a teen decorated my room in various Disney paraphernalia. When DH and I were married I desperately tried to persuade him to honeymoon in Disney World but he outright refused.

DH (32) Not a Disney lover, but he is tolerating my obsession with this trip. My secret plan is to convert him into a Disney fanatic by the end of this trip....wish me lots of luck, cause I’ll need it. DH works for the Canadian government in a law enforcement capacity.

DS (3) our wonderful son who will turn 4 just before we leave on our trip. DS loves Disney – his favourites being Toy Story, Toy Story 2 and Meet the Robinsons – “Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious... and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths”. - Walt Disney I just love that quote in that movie. DS is 40” tall!! So we will hopefully be riding almost everything except the biggies from each park.

We will also be bringing my stepchildren on this trip. They don’t live with us full time (they are about an hour away) but come down every other weekend and half of most holidays/school breaks

DSS (12) is growing up so fast, hard to believe one more year then off to high school. This is one reason for the planning of our trip, my step kids are getting older and soon friends and jobs will start cutting into our quality time together (the friend factor is already beginning) So we figured we should go sooner rather than later. DSS loves Star Wars and is looking forward to the trip, especially his first airplane ride.

DSD (10) DSD will be turning 11 next month. She is very excited about the trip, and enjoys reading the planning books and watching the videos with me. DSD is slightly apprehensive about certain Disney rides, but I know that she will love them once there. She is the more adventuresome rider at theme parks; she keeps her eyes open opposed to DSS

 

[disneybound08]

Pics are added. Hooray I figured it out

 

[disneybound08]

Well I can see by the page views that I do have some readers, they must just be lurking, and that’s OK, I’ve lurked myself on these boards for an awfully long time, so I understand where you’re coming from. On to a rough itinerary of a dream come true trip.

Our plan is to hit rope drops every morning and take a rest/nap/swim/shower midday, and hopefully go back to the same park that evening to use up fast passes that we will save up over the course of the day (if crowds are light enough to do standby that is) We don’t have hoppers, but we’ll add them when we’re there if we feel they’re necessary

We have our fingers crossed for free dining, but we will most likely purchase the plan if we need to, it’s not a terrific savings for us since two of the kids are over ten but we like the convenience of budgeting up front and also not dying of sticker shock. We are still debating over QSDP or basic DDP (upgrade if needed), still on the fence about that one, pros and cons to both, even if we did QSDP we will still keep at least one or two TS reservations so I’m just not sure. Anyways, more about that later. Here’s our plans for our magical trip.

Day One – Our flight doesn’t arrive until 7pm so it’s onto the Magical Express and off to the resort to get settled for our first night.

Day Two – August 21 – EPCOT – This is my FAVOURITE park and I can’t wait to share it with the whole family. We have a reservation for the Garden Grill for an early dinner

Day three –August 22 – DHS – Lunch at Sci Fi and then staying for Fantasmic

Day Four – August 23- MK – Lunch at Liberty Tree

Day Five – August 24 – AK – Breakfast with Donald at Tusker House before park opens, maybe off to Downtown Disney for the early evening

Day Six – August 25 - EPCOT Lunch at Teppan Edo, dinner at Cape May (Perhaps the older kids will stay for Illuminations with one of us)

Day Seven – August 26 - MK - plan to be at EMH rope drop then off to Crystal Palace late breakfast - Stay for Wishes or summer nightastic thing, whichever is on then

Day Eight – August 27 - DHS lunch at Mama Melrose

Day Nine – August 28 – Departure day – We’ll have a CS breakfast somewhere possibly at the resort, although I would love to try some Tonga Toast, I’m not sure if you can get it at a CS though??? Anyone know?

 

[deslynnpatterson]

i am joining in!!!! your plans sound great so far-- I am looking forward to hearing more!! I am also going crazy waiting patiently-- okay well maybe not so patiently to find out if free dinner will be offered!! I hope it is soon your ADR choices sound great!! I am looking forward to hearing more about your trip!