Party of 5's First family trip to WDW! Just back from POR 6/16 *update 8/13 thoughts

[ampc3]

Originally Posted by MomofCKJ

Love your shirts! My DH would never do the matchy matchy thing. Unless he was bribed big time.

And cute countdown calendar too! Do you think the Home Depot folks are on to the DIS folks? They must just scratch their heads when they have to keep replacing Mickey Heads all the time, esp lime!

Getting closer! When will you figure out if you are flying?

Allyson

Hey if bribery works for ya what ever works!!! Yes I often wonder if Home depot is on to us?? I honestly still don't know our plans to drive or fly... since we fly standby the decision could be made that morning

Originally Posted by Jules3Kids

Since my DH has tomorrow off, and he will be out doing errands, I wonder what his reaction would be if I asked him to go to Home Depot and bring me back those Mickey heads...maybe !
But then again, any excuse to go to that store...I just might convince him!
And you're right, my DD would love to help me make it and get it all set up!
Thanks for the idea!

How did the mickey heads go? did you DH get you some

Originally Posted by MegansMom

When I went to go get my Mickey heads, I needed 30 for my calendar. I figured out that it would look more inconspicuous if I just picked a few colors, and then pull out like 5-6 of them at a time. I felt like I was STEALING something!! I know they are free paint chips, but I felt like I was carrying out this covert operation to get these chips--like I was being watched by the HD people and they would follow me out to my car and say something like, "HEY, turn over the Mickey Heads and no one will get hurt!" Once I had enough, I wrapped them up in one of the paint brochures and scampered out of there---once I got back to my car, I quickly jumped in and stuffed the chips into my purse!! WHEW!!! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

I am SUCH a Disney Goofball!!!

That is too funny

Originally Posted by nts4wdw

Cute calender! We do a chain along the mantle. I need to take a picture of that.......

I saw your chain on your PTR great job!

[ampc3]

Guess What today is......14 days!!!!

2 weeks today we will be on our way to POR..... STILL don't know if we are driving or flying.. I think our plan is to fly,but since we fly stand by we won't know until the day of

Makes planning a bit of a challenge for me to pack etc...

Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend.. We decided at the last minute to have a cook out with some of our friends in the neighborhood today..

and last night I went out to celebrate my neighbors 30th bday (she is the baby of our group) tomorrow (fingers crossed) our pool opens so we have a pretty busy weekend...

Next update I'll post our park plans...

[Jules3Kids]

Well I haven't got my Mickey heads YET, but I will! I did however get my customized maps and they are Awesome! Everyone was really excited to see them and they are all more in the spirit now...
Good luck on the rest of your planning....getting close now!

[MegansMom]

Hey Annette--I just wanted to say "hi!" Can you believe how close we are getting?!?!?! I am hitting that point where I am seriously starting to worry if I will get it all done--I know I can do it!!! I can't believe it is almost here!!! I don't want to wish the time away, because I want to enjoy every single moment of our time there!!! I hope our trip doesn't fly by as quickly as our countdown!!!!

[ampc3]

So here is what we or should I say …. What I have come up with for our park days..

I was really on the fence about whether we really needed park hoppers or not?
I was there with my sisters family (before I had kids) in July and it was sooo HOT!

We definitely took breaks in the afternoons. So I pretty much knew we couldn’t do commando style and would need to do breaks, plus I know the kids will want to get in that pool everyday I am sure!

So after looking over all the park hours , calendars and TGM this is what I have come up with (it was harder than I thought to pick the “right” park)


June 8 Sunday = ARRIVAL If we drive we won’t be arriving until close to check in I imagine, if we fly then we should be there late morning. I didn’t schedule a park day thought we would explore the hotel and the kids could swim or maybe even go to DTD… We have Adr’s @ ohana’s

Monday= BBB @8 MK we will stay there until 10:45 then head over to Epcot for our Lunch @ PSB the boys will be on their own for a few hours.
Stay at Epcot until mid afternoon, then go to hotel and rest (mean mom won’t let them go swimming b/c of the $ just spent at BBB) then most likely head back to Epcot that pm for illuminations

Tuesday = RD for HS lunch @ sci fi again stay until mid afternoon or even for the parade we’ll see how we feel no set plans here for pm… Pm will either be back to HS or maybe we will go to AK , hotel or DTD

Wednesday= RD for MK Lunch @ CP stay until mid afternoon, come back PM for parade and wishes etc

Thursday= our sleep in day and hang out at hotel/pool afternoon also maybe do DTD
Pm we will go to HS for Fantasmic

Friday= Tusker House @ ak 8am, then do AK until we don’t want to be there anymore, again no set plan for that pm either come back to AK , hotel, DTD or another park can also do Yak and Yati at some point this day if like

Saturday= RD Epcot early father’s day lunch @ Le Cellier
Pm= either Mk or back to Epcot

Sunday= Rd either MK or HS for star wars weekend can do lunch at Plaza if like
Father’s day dinner @ Kona
Pm= MK last night and EMH I didn’t plan any red days so we’ll see how this goes. It is our last night tho, so it can be a late night if everyone is up for it..

Monday= Come home

I have a “plan” for everyday but I also have left for flexibility within the day. I think that will work best for our family . I am open for change when it is possibly scheduled in …. This way hopefully I won’t be disappointed or upset if something has to change..

I really only have a “tour plan” for MK and a little for Epcot.. AK and HS are sortof going to be” we’ll see as we go along,” Emma isn’t going to be able to still ride so many of the cool rides, we’ll have to figure out that child swap pretty quick! She was just measured last week and is only 38 inches

I am aware of the top attractions that need to either be FP or get to first etc.. It is just to overwhelming to me to actually have a ride plan any where else but MK..

So that is it in a nutshell… what do you think and I forgetting anything VIP?

[Charleston Princess]

Sounds like a good plan!

Just think in two weeks, our families will both be at Epcot!

[IluvXU]

Great plan! Can you believe it is crunch time.... soon we will be in WDW!

[ampc3]

Originally Posted by Jules3Kids

Well I haven't got my Mickey heads YET, but I will! I did however get my customized maps and they are Awesome! Everyone was really excited to see them and they are all more in the spirit now...
Good luck on the rest of your planning....getting close now!

Yes those maps are pretty cool.

Originally Posted by MegansMom

Hey Annette--I just wanted to say "hi!" Can you believe how close we are getting?!?!?! I am hitting that point where I am seriously starting to worry if I will get it all done--I know I can do it!!! I can't believe it is almost here!!! I don't want to wish the time away, because I want to enjoy every single moment of our time there!!! I hope our trip doesn't fly by as quickly as our countdown!!!!

I think you will be fine , you seem really on top of it all! I am soo worried about it ALL being over so soon too

Originally Posted by Charleston Princess

Sounds like a good plan!

Just think in two weeks, our families will both be at Epcot!

I know Yeah!!!

Originally Posted by IluvXU

Great plan! Can you believe it is crunch time.... soon we will be in WDW!

Yeah for us!!!

[MegansMom]

Your plans look great!!! I DEFINITELY think breaks are a necessity in the summer. Tom and I are used to going all day because we usually go during the offtimes, but I told him this year, we are going to HAVE to find time for breaks, pool, and then come back for more in the evening! Since we just went in November, I don't feel like there is anything we HAVE to do--everything and anything is a bonus!

[nts4wdw]

Great plan! Breaks are a must in the summer! Riverside has an awesome slide in their pool! We've walked over from French Quarter to swim there. Of course, we've stayed there to swim there too!!

[5 crazy kids]

I'm really looking forward to reading your post - trip report! I hope you will write one!
Your plan looks really good and I want to hear how it actually plays out. If you feel like you needed more planning or if it was just right. Also if you do go back and forth and do the rests, etc.
Thanks for sharing your plan!

[Marthonica]

Plan looks good. It's enough of a set plan that you won't feel lost, but it does offer lots of flexibility.

Can't wait to see a photo of the family in matching shirts! My DH would NEVER agree to wear a Disney shirt, let alone matching one I have to live through others on this!

[ampc3]

Originally Posted by nts4wdw

Great plan! Breaks are a must in the summer! Riverside has an awesome slide in their pool! We've walked over from French Quarter to swim there. Of course, we've stayed there to swim there too!!

My kids have seen the pictures and are VERY excited about the slide, I hope my little one will try it with her vest on.

Originally Posted by 5 crazy kids

I'm really looking forward to reading your post - trip report! I hope you will write one!
Your plan looks really good and I want to hear how it actually plays out. If you feel like you needed more planning or if it was just right. Also if you do go back and forth and do the rests, etc.
Thanks for sharing your plan!

Yes I hope to write one as long as there is still interest in reading it
It will be interesting to me also to see what worked and what we should have done differently etc..

Originally Posted by Marthonica

Plan looks good. It's enough of a set plan that you won't feel lost, but it does offer lots of flexibility.

Can't wait to see a photo of the family in matching shirts! My DH would NEVER agree to wear a Disney shirt, let alone matching one I have to live through others on this!

well my hubby isn't exactly thrilled with the idea either that is for sure so well see if he'll try and boycot once we are there or something I hope our plan works, it really was more overwhelming then I expected. All I know for sure is we will be at the Rope drops and stay until mid afternoon, the rest not so sure about..


Thanks again for those reading and following along!

some of you are going a few days before us (Jen and Lynn) some the same time (Jackie) and some after ( Lesley) so that means we are at


10 days

[Lady Lallie]

Woo Hoo! 10 Days!!

[Charleston Princess]

Oh, I have been on Cloud 9 all day thinking about being at 10 days!!!

Whatever will we do to make those ten days go faster??? Especially now that we are out of school???

And can I just say, "What is up with the weather today???" I was all set to take the kids to the pool today to help pass the time, and it's downright cool out there! So, instead, we have played Monopoly since lunch. I finally had to declare a break!