Two Teenaged Boys and Three Grown Up Kids

[AuroraMeansDawn]

Ok, this is my first try at a pre-trip report. I'd not really ever thought of doing one but i posted a story on the happy dance thread and a few of you were kind enough to suggest that you might be intersted in our story.

RESORT CHOICE: Our trip is planned for November 2010 for Three adults and two teenaged boys. We are THRILLED to be staying at the Wilderness Lodge in two rooms -- a little gift from the PIN Gods that gave us 40% off deluxe accomodations! There is no free dining in that time frame so discounted deluxe it is!

DINING PACKAGE: We're doing the DDP, for a number of reasons. I don't like reading the right hand side of the menu and I love the flexibility and since it's our treat to our niece and her son we want it to be relaxed, easy and wonderful.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Myself, Dawn . I'm a good southern mom with a love of faith, family, football and Tex Mex.

I have been married for 24 years to the love of my life. My DH, Jason is a rabid Dallas Stars fan and a fabulous father and football booster.

We have a wonderful DS15, "D" who is a defensive end on a Texas High School Football team which makes our Friday nights very busy in the fall and on this trip he'll have just completed his Eagle Scout Rank. He's a great kid, with a huge heart. A bit of a mama's boy who won't admit it and will be a sophmore in high school next fall. He has a wicked sense of humor with a bit of a bite and a hug that could melt even Malefecent's heart.

And joining us on this trip is Liza, our niece, who joined our family by marrying my husband's nephew. If I could have picked my family I'd have chosen her!!

LIza has MS and will be using a cane on this trip. She is the hardest working woman I've ever known and has been raising her son alone since she was widowed when he was 9. They lived with us the first year after that and we loved having them and grew incredibly close.

and her DS17 "V": who has grown up with my son and despite the fact they are second cousins they are more like brothers. V has an auditory processing disorder and is extremely shy but around my son he is easygoing and more animated. He is a great student,will be a Senior in HS in the fall and it's looking very likely that he willl be getting into Vanderbilt University. He has plans to become a veternarian.

Our "boys" are funloving and goofy and not afraid to let go a bit and act like kids (it comes naturally) They also have hollow legs at this point with the HUGE appetites that teenaged boys are notorious for having.

And we can't wait to take on the world in November 2010!!!

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

Spreadsheets, Spreadsheets, Spreadsheets

It was harrowing trying to figure out where to stay.

A little bit of our Disney World history:

First Trip: First week of November, Offsite.

My own family had been to Disney World for the first time in 1991. We wer a young and small family of three with my adult daughter in 1991 (she isn't coming this time because she has to do grown up things like work and pay her rent. We stayed off site and we felt lucky to be there at all. I worked for a bank that had foreclosed on a hotel in Kissimee and we were able to pull a few strings and got a room for a week for $129 and DH had just started traveling for work and we had frequent flier miles and flew down on them. My company was part of the Magic Kingdom Club so I bought our tickets at a Disney Store in advance. We were young, semi broke, ate a lot of fastfood and only had funds for one TS meal (50s Prime Time Cafe) that we judiciously chose after reading descriptions of all of them.

This was pre internet days for me. (Yes, it exisited, but no I didn't use it regularly or even have it at home.) It was also pre-DAK and DHS was brand new. I read a library copy of WDW with Kids before we left as a whim and thank goodness I did. I had NO idea what to realy expect and I am an uber planner. I like to know what is available when I go somewhere and what I'd like to do. Playing it by ear makes me uncomfortable and certain that I am missing out on something.

One more note, our DD was 3 at the time and while I had been told she was too young and wouldn't remember the trip we went anyway. There is a certain magic in going to Disney with a child who can fully immerse in the magic. It is true that she doesn't really remember it but I do and I relished in it. I stilll FIRMLY believe that if you have not been to Disney with a child who fully believes in all of the magic, you've missed out. I love to tell the story about wondering if DD would be comfortable around the characters and worrying how she'd react. Those fears were relieved the moment we entered the Orlando airport. We had gotten to the main terminal and we were walking down the corrider and manhandling luggage when she broke free from my hand and started running. I ran after her and then saw her HURL herself into Minnie's arms and tell her "I'm here! I'm here! I've been waiting my whole life to see you!" Mickey and Minnie were at the airport welcoming travelers to Orlando. Don't think they still do that. She doesn't really remember it but I am still a big kid and I rememberd the trip and have taken them back since then so I am fine with that. Still a big kid andstill going back.

Second Trip: Disneyland Paris. We made a day trip on a weekend visit to Paris. W were living in Nice at the time on a 5 month assignment and DD was 8 and DS was 2. We took the train from Cote d'Azur to Paris for a three day weekend and I wanted to do some sightseeing in Paris but I also was homesick and wanted a taste of home so we spent a day in Disneyland Paris. It was different but it also was familiar. This was during the Hunchback movie era and DLP had totally embraced it. It was a wonderful day with Dumbo rides and an extravaganza of a parade in the afternoon and once again I had a toddler in tow with no memory of the trip.

Third Trip: Our first time staying on site!!! Luck of all luck, my DH had to attend a user group meeting in Orlando the third week of May. At the time DD was 10 and in 4th grade and DS was 4. I was the "bad mom" and pulled them out of school. It was the last weeks of school so they weren't exactly learning new concepts but were rather gearing up for parties etc. We also took my Stepmom along. We had those lovely frequent flier miles banked so we flew on them, DH's company had provided him with a hotel and rental car and they were fine with him staying at a moderate at Disney since it actually was less expensive than the room he would have booked at the Peabody. We like Donald better than their ducks anyway! We stayed at Dixie Landings (now Port Orleans) and spent 5 days. The kids and I toured parks during the day and when dad was done he'd call the cell, find out where we were and would join us for the evening. Some highlights - DD got to see NSync at DHS and she was in love! I didn't know they were doing a concert in the park and we stumbled across it by dumb luck. It burned a lot of our touring time but when you get lucky like that, modify the plan. I stayed with DD and my SM took DS all over the place and bought him way too much crap and junk food. It was AWESOME. DS met Jasmine and Snow White outside of the Great Movie Ride and is still embarassed that I have photos of him with lipstick prints on his cheeks. Cruella was also out and he wanted NOTHING to do with her and even told her in a rather harsh tone "You leave those puppies alone!" She played along and was hilarious.

Fourth Trip, May 2000 Same convention, same set up but sans Stepmom. Still at Dixie Landings, still in Alligator Bayou. \Return of the bad mom, DD missed a week of 5th grade. DS was still in preschool so no worries. We wanted to be there for the millenium celebration and we purchased a Leave a Legacy title for the kids. We also flew in earlier and stayed 7 days instead of 5 so we got the water parks option on our passes and honestly, after a few days of touring, floating in the lazy river is a wonderfully way to recharge. We got to visit both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach and loved it. Kids were 11 and 5 on that trip and it was pretty perfect. They became avid pin traders at the time too and that added some delight to our trip. But it was another trip that DS remembers but doesn't remember clearly so we CERTAINLY have to go back right?

Fifth Trip, December 2008 Drat it all but the kids are in REAL school so there's no pulling them out to go at a slower time so we have to work around the schedules now. Five days at the AKL and at Christmas time too! I knew that DD would be graduating the next spring and moving out soon and that this was probably the last trip with us all together before things changed. DH was great and we booked our first Deluxe resort. Oh my gracious, you can't go back after that! We also had free dining and upgraded it to DDxP and it was WAY too much food. I started the spreadsheets and the planning and the ADRs and we had a fabulous time.

And now....I want to go back and we ARE!!!! So on with the next trip planning session! Fire up the excel and set the favorites bookmarks to all ears, disboards and themeparkinsider! We're planning another tour and this one will be extra special!!!

Next Post: The resort selection process, or how to calculate 18 action plans and eliminate them one by one til we find the perfect fit - and then change it again.

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

Where to stay and what to do. I must have stayed glued to the laptop in every spare moment trying to figure out how to make it work.

We had Liza and V who live alone and wouldn't be totally comfy with no privacy. Liza also smokes which is ok when we are outside with her but I'm not sure I could take the smell when I was trying to sleep. I dont mean that to be unkind. It's just a face. Plus I am just spoiled and won't share a double bed with the DH anymore. We've been in a King for years and a queen is about all I can do. I remember our stay in the moderate and being exhausted and not having room to get comfy. No thank you.

So that said it rules out most of the values, CSR wasn't available on our dates and the rest of the moderates only have double beds so it was time to look at how we could make a deluxe work. We'd already stayed at the AKL so I didn't want to do that and the Villas at the WL weren't available.

So here were the options:

Plan #1 - Family Suite at ASM for DH, DS and myself and a separate room at the ASM for Lisa and V. It could work. I've only stayed at a value once and it was the final night when our moderate didn't have a room the last night. It was our luck that it was during a band festival and teenagers with little to no supervision were everywhere. I didn't love it but I could make it work.

Plan #2 - Two bedroom Beach Club Villas. Seems like a good option but no mousekeeping? I already clean up after these boys at home. But it could really be a great option. A little out of the price range though and it doesn't really give anyone some get away from the rest of the crew and chill time.

Plan #3 - One of the tree houses at Saratoga Springs. I'm still not sure that I didn't make the right call here but it's kind of far from the action and again, no mousekeeping, no alone time to just relax and be yourself.

Plan #4 - Sharing a larger "deluxe room" at the Beach Club. Still didn't quite work. Since we don't all live together it's really hard to have no escape. I still want to do this one day though!

Plan #4 - Two rooms at the Wilderness Lodge. One queen sized bed for DH and myself and one for my DS. A separate room for Liza and V. This was certainly more expensive than plan #1 but I really wanted it. With this being Liza and V's first time I wanted it to be special and having the boat launch and the bus option as well as the launch to the Contemporary which made the monorail easily accessible seemed fun. The movies on the beach and the ELP and the possibility of seeing some of the Wishes fireworks seemed nice too. Still, Plan #1 was cheaper until the PIN fairy blessed us!

So we got the 30/35/40 PIN and I booked the two rooms at the Wilderness Lodge. I still think about moving us to two rooms at the Beach Club but I think we're just fine.

You should have seen my spreadsheets and how I'd run a trip through the on line reservation system to calculate the 40% rate on darn near every combo.

But it was more than 180 days out an the November calendar wasn't up yet so I couldn't start tour planning yet.

I think I'm happy with my decision but I probably will second guess myself a bit. Thoughts and opinions are welcome!

Next Post: The ADR dance

 

[HeatherBelle614]

Hi! I'm planning for our first fall trip, too! I'll be looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

So jealous you've been to Disneyland Paris!!

And, what a great PIN! I got one for 30% off mods, so we used that, but I would've loved for the 35%! (More money towards something else WDW related!)

Oh, and I'm in the Dallas area, too! Where are you exactly?

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

Hi Heather,

We're in Flower Mound. My sister is over in Plano in the Chase Oaks area. When are you going this Fall?

And Disneyland Paris is the same but different. I never would have thought to bring a bike chain to lock up my rented stroller but it was necessary. I cannot tell you how many times I had to chase people off who were taking it. Crazy. The magic is there but you have to look a little harder to find it.

Since we're nearly neighbors, have you heard about the Disney Liquidation sale? It's an overstock sale and seems to be a lot items from past years and it seemed there was a lot of Disneyland items but a lot of great bargains too.

Its off of I35 at Round Grove Road in Lewisville on the west side of I35 next to Academy Sports and Toys R Us.

I went last week and grabbed a pair of the red Disney crocs with the mickey heads for around $12 and a ball cap with a blinged out Mickey outline for $11 or so. I also got the Yin Yang Mad Hatter hats for around $10 a piece for the boys. I thought the tri corner Pirate hats were nead and cheap as well as Haunted Mansion mouse ears. They change out stock regularly too. I think I will go back and get the boys each two Disneyland starter pin lanyards so they can have a set to keep and a set to trade.

It's a huge space with tons of tables. Lots of great things for younger kids and plushes and toys. Not everything suited me but it was a fun treasure hunt!

 

[HeatherBelle614]

We're going in October! (There's a link to my PTR in my signature!)

We actually just moved to Rockwall a few months ago; I need to change my location on my profile.

Haha; we went the weekend that store opened! DH got the Haunted Mansion ears and I got ones they had with candy corn! (There weren't many, and they were under $5, so I'm not sure how long they lasted.) I want to go back by, but it's a bit of a drive from Rockwall. (My DH is actually from Flower Mound, btw!)

Did you sign up for their mailing list? I did last year but never got any emails, then randomly got an update the week before the store opened again (this year.) It had a coupon for 20% off my purchase the first weekend, too. If you haven't signed up yet, you definitely should for next year! (They had a clipboard at the register.)

Small, small world! Can't wait to read more about your planning!