Nov/Dec Disney Adventure PTR

[dawnmichele]

Hi! My name is Shelly and there are only 20 (!!!) days until my Disney Adventure begins!

I will be adventuring with my daughter Hannah, who is 17. She and I visited Disney World when she was 3 & 4, but haven't been back since. We are being hosted by my brother Brian who is a Disney fanatic and a member of the Vacation Club, and his girlfriend Karen who is not quite so obsessed but humors him. I have no idea how many times they've gone, but it's quite a lot.

My brother and I have been wanting to go on this trip together for years, and started at planning it a couple times before it finally came together for this trip. We are both super excited and counting the days.

We'll be staying at the Bay Lake Tower. I'm not sure what the room is called but there's a bedroom for B & K, and a pull out couch for me and H. There's also a nifty little kitchen. We'll be staying for 7 days and 6 nights starting just after Thanksgiving.

I keep a blog on typepad. My username is dawnmichele. I've written about our trip a little there, and showed a bit of the scrapbook I've made to take along. You can find them in the Disney section. I'm sure I'll update some when I'm there and when I'm back I hope to make Trip and Dining reports when we get back! (I can't share my blog URL till I make more posts...)

I also hope to be back here soon to tell you all about our ADRs and the food we plan to eat.

[dawnmichele]

1. Bambi
2. The Aristocats
3. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
4. The Little Mermaid
5. 101 Dalmatians
6. Beauty & the Beast
7. The Lion King
8. Mary Poppins
9. Cinderella
10. The Jungle Book


(not particularly in order)

[dawnmichele]

We're at 16 days and I find myself thinking about Disney all the time. Today I started making lists. I can barely wait to pack! So to help express some of my excitement I thought I'd come here and tell you all a bit more about who I'm going with for this visit to Disney World.

I guess I should start with me. As I said, my name is Shelly. I am 44 and a stay at home mom to Hannah, 17. I love travel, history, nature, making art in my art journal. We also have 3 crazy Lhasa Apsos that keep us all busy. I have been to Disney twice; the first time when Hannah was 3 and then again a year later when she was 4. Both of those times were also with her dad, who now has mobility issues and decided to go on a vacation to Mexico with the guys this year instead of visiting Disney with us.

Hannah is about half way through her senior year of high school. She has just a handful of memories of our previous trip and likes to reminisce. She's not quite as excited as I am but says she's just saving her excitement for when we're there. She loves to draw and play The Sims. She grew up on Disney movies, and her favorite are the Lion King (she still has most of the movie memorized) and The Little Mermaid. Ariel is easily her favorite Princess, but she loves Belle as well.

Here's a picture of us this summer at Central Park in NYC:


We are going with my brother Brian. He is 32 and works some kind of businessy MBA job managing people. He is part of the Disney Vacation Club and loves Disney World more than almost anything. He's even more excited about this trip than I am! I have no idea how many times he's visited the World, but hopefully he'll chime in here and answer that for all the enquiring minds. Besides working and going to Disney, he rides his bike in crazy dangerous ways. I'm not sure, but I think his favorite Disney movie is Robin Hood.

Brian's travel partner is his long time girlfriend Karen, who has been to Disney with him many many times. I have no idea what her favorite movie or Princess is but I bet I'll be finding out. Karen is a professional photographer and super creative.

Here's a picture of Karen and Brian from earlier this year:


And here are a few from the last time Hannah and I visited the Mouse, way back in the early 90s.

[murmkc]

Great PTR!!! I am super excited for you (mostly because I will be there with you)!

Here is a photo from our last trip when we visited Bay Lake Tower (but did not stay there).
Here we are in the lobby.



- and here we are with some old friends.



I can't wait for more fun on this trip!

[murmkc]

So this trip should be super extra special awesome as Shelly and Hannah will be chilling at Bay Lake Tower with Karen and I.

We have "sorta" planned out a touring plan, but it is mostly dictated by our dining reservations. I will list out where we are planning to eat, if you have suggestions on anything we must try - or avoid - please let me know!

Our first night will be at Cinderella's Royal Table. In all my trips to the world I have somehow never given this a try.

The second night of the trip we will all be doing the Margarita thing at the San Angel - and will NOT miss la cava del tequila!

For the third night we will split up when Shelly and Hannah head to Le Celier while Karen and I goto Ohana.

Evening #4 will have us cooking in the room - which I have never done... Wish us all luck!

On our fifth night we will split up again. Shelly and Hannah will pig out at Tuto Italia while Karen and I stuff our faces in the classiest way at Narcossee's.

For the last night of the trip we will all regroup and enjoy a late dinner at Boma.

We are all hoping for good food and good times - I am positive Disney will deliver again. Less than two weeks left!!!!

[IheartDDuck]

Looks like you guys have a good trip planned! I will be there over Thanksgiving weekend myself. We're also DVC members, but I have yet to stay at Bay Lake Tower.

[murmkc]

Thanks! - I will let you know how we like it!

[DVCWDWMEMBER]

I am hoping to be able to book rooms for our whole family in July. My husband and I will be celebrating 40 yrs so off course we have to go to WDW to celebrate. will be taking the whole family.
My daughter and I will be at WDW Thanksgiving weekend can't wait.

I can't wait to hear how you liked staying at Bay Lake Tower.

[1971DBday]

I think you have some great options for ADRs! I like it that you are willing to split up and have some time apart. You guys will have stories to share even though you are on the same trip!!

I'm in and happy that we have the 1st trip in three years on our own for a whole 11 days. I can't wait to hear about BLT...not a DVC owner and I can't seem to talk DH in to trying the CR.

[murmkc]

One of my favorite parts of the whole countdown deal is when you get close enough to enter the 10 day forecast...

So far the begining of the trip looks very nice! Wish us luck!

[dawnmichele]

Originally Posted by DVCWDWMEMBER

I am hoping to be able to book rooms for our whole family in July. My husband and I will be celebrating 40 yrs so off course we have to go to WDW to celebrate. will be taking the whole family.
My daughter and I will be at WDW Thanksgiving weekend can't wait.

I can't wait to hear how you liked staying at Bay Lake Tower.

A whole family trip sounds fantastic. I hope we get to do that sometime.

I can't wait to check in and see how I like Bay Lake Tower I've seen some pictures and don't think I'll be disappointed. But be sure I will be back to tell you what I think!

[dawnmichele]

Originally Posted by 1971DBday

I think you have some great options for ADRs! I like it that you are willing to split up and have some time apart. You guys will have stories to share even though you are on the same trip!!

I'm in and happy that we have the 1st trip in three years on our own for a whole 11 days. I can't wait to hear about BLT...not a DVC owner and I can't seem to talk DH in to trying the CR.

11 days sounds fantastic! I am jealous.
Thanks about the ADRs. Some I'm not so sure about and some I'm super excited about. And yeah, we don't mind splitting up - we've known each other for years and you're right, it'll be great to get back together later and talk about our dinners.

[dawnmichele]

Originally Posted by murmkc

One of my favorite parts of the whole countdown deal is when you get close enough to enter the 10 day forecast...

So far the begining of the trip looks very nice! Wish us luck!

Good luck! Oh wait, that's for me too
But you're right, it looks like it's cooling down just a little and looking perfect.

Now we just have to place our order with wegoshop.com!

[murmkc]

We are leaving for the world tomorrow!