Is it too soon to be excited ... November 29 - December 4, 2016

[Duzzygirl]

439 days to go ... 439 ...

November 29 through December 4, 2016
Port Orleans, French Quarter

I actually booked July 31, 2015. So, it was over 460 days out. *Ugh* I've never planned a trip so far out. By the time it gets here, I won't have been to Disney in 3 1/2 years. Seems like forever. I figured I'd do a trip report as this is the only place anyone gets the excitement.

Just me and my Mom.

We used to go to Atlantic City, NJ, and New York City, NY, every year for a long weekend the beginning of December. When the travel agency we used closed, and we couldn't find a similar package we stopped "our" weekends. In 2012 we took a cruise in January. Nothing again for a couple years. I decided this year that we will start up doing something new every year that first weekend in December. What a better way to start than WDW? I'm sad to miss the Osborne Lights next year. However, I'm sure since I haven't seen them, I won't actually miss them.

A little about us ...

Me:
My name is Dusti. I do payroll for a small awesome company thankfully close to home. I'm also a wedding/portrait photographer. I'm blessed as I enjoy my job(s), if you want to call them that. I grew up with Disney. I will always be a child at heart.

Mom:
Her name is Vic. She's been blessed to be a stay at home Mom to 5 kids. She introduced us all to Disney cartoons at an early age. She is also a child at heart. That's how I know I will always be.

Mom loathes her picture taken ... So, here's the most recent shot of us together. lol

Anyhow, this is it for now. I'll probably be slow moving for a bit.

 

[Duzzygirl]

In honor of me and my husband's six year anniversary today, I'll post a portrait from the session we had at the Poly on our first anniversary.

 

[Pkltm]

Be excited and have a blast!!

 

[danjoan14]

It's never too soon to be excited! I haven't even booked our next trip yet, and I'm getting excited!!

 

[Elevationist]

Following! And I've already started my PTR for my late October 2016 trip, and yours is only a month later, sooooo... NO! Definitely NOT too early to be excited!

 

[Duzzygirl]

Thank you, kind folk, for your welcome and understanding!

Just some gibberish …

My husband has a love/hate relationship with Disney. Essentially, he loves to hate it. He wasn’t raised on Disney cartoons. He did go once as a child, says he can’t remember much from it. We went with my Mom, two sisters, and a nephew in 2010. Stayed off property, had a decent time. His Dad took the immediate family in 2013. There were 18 of us. It was filled with drama. I tried to do a trip report upon our return, but had to step away from it. Looking back on it, I had a wonderful time. Though, Hubs would rather set fire to his eyeballs than go back, hence the trip with my Mom.

My husband and I have no children. We do have two magnificent mutts and a cantankerous cat.

This is Kenai. We got her as a puppy about a month after we got married. So, she just turned 6. She’s around 50 pounds of Lab/Boxer (her Mom) and whatever else (her Dad) mix. Very independent personality. Takes her time to do everything. The whole world waits for her, she thinks.

This is Bongo. Hubs *found* him at the archery range in February last year. Someone said he’d been there over a week, must have been dumped off. He called me and asked if he could bring a dog home. I thought he was messing with me. He wasn’t. He gets home, and this 70 pound moose jumped out of the truck. I checked several lost/found web sites, posted all over Facebook. Checked craigslist. No one was missing him. We took him to the vet, had him checked for a chip. He didn’t have one. So, we got him his shots, got him licensed, fixed, and kept him. He’s also a Lab mix. Vet said he was around a year old. So, over two, nearly three now. He’s very hyper, needy, and now over 100 pounds. If he’s not running around like a lunatic, he has to be pretty much on you. Kind of drives Kenai (and me) crazy.

Patch kitty is next. She’s 12 this year. I’ve never had a pet so long. She was strictly an inside cat, declawed, fixed. Then we brought Kenai home. Now she’s outside most of the time. Comes in when it’s cold, and doesn’t feel like hunting. Even without claws she’s quite the mouser. So, she’s at least useful.

 

[Elevationist]

Just some gibberish …

I love gibberish! That's half the fun of a long PTR!

My husband and I have no children. We do have two magnificent mutts and a cantankerous cat.

I too am child free, so instead I have furbabies (two spoiled rotten house cats). And your furbabies are PRECIOUS!!! Thank you for sharing them with us! Your kitty is beautiful, and both your puppies just make me want to snuggle them up!

 

[hollybearsmom]

We too had a drama filled extended family trip and my hubs swore he wouldn't go back. I'm still working on that.

 

[bruinsfan88]

Hi there! Following along! My boyfriend and myself will be there around the same time you will be! Our dates are Nov 30 - Dec 7, 2016. I've been starting to plan things out already as well, my poor boyfriend just humors me. What a lovely trip for you to be taking with your mother though!

 

[jillnorman]

We're going November 27-December 3, 2016, staying at Boardwalk Inn! So excited!

 

[Duzzygirl]

YES! I KNEW I wasn’t the only one planning on then and getting excited about it. Lol

I originally planned on this year. Hadn’t actually booked though. Then my husband and I bought 20 acres of ground this spring. We’ve done some clearing along the road, had it brush hogged, which it needs again, and my folks are building a tree house on it. Yes. They’re getting a tree house (actually a stilt house in the trees) on our property before I get a house. Lol

Anyhow … This is from one of the lower corners before the woods begin looking up toward the “road.” I use the term loosely as it’s an old farm road. Not township maintained. I guess they will once we actually live back there. We’ll see though.

We plan on starting to build our home in the spring. I figured by the holiday season next year, I’ll need a break. So, WDW plans went from this year to next.

I intended to start this earlier today and add a few things, but I'm easily side tracked. I'll leave those thoughts for another day.

Thank you all for stopping by! I’ll make sure to stop by everyone’s threads over the next few days.

 

[Duzzygirl]

420 days to go

Not much going on … I’m just anxious to see hours for the days Mom and I are going next year. I feel like I can’t even begin to get an idea of how I would like to lay out the trip until I see that. Eh … First world problems …

I’ve been looking around for a swing pack type purse. Saw Vera Bradley has a Disney one, in hot pink even. However, I’m not really a Vera Bradley fan. I did find a cute crochet pattern. All I really want it for is my cell and ID. I’ve made two so far. Both in Red Heart Boutique’s Unforgettable. One in Parrot the other in Winery. Here’s the one in Parrot …

Here’s the pattern in case anyone else crochets and would be interested … http://jessieathome.com/quick-little-bag/

I did make mine a few chains/rows longer to fit my phone. I may also add a button or two. We’ll see.

 

[Duzzygirl]

390 days to go ...

Not too much going on planning wise. The initial excitement of booking has kind of worn off. It'll pick back up again after the holidays, and after they have a calendar available of what days have extra magic hours and all that stuff available.

In the mean time, I've been busy with life in general. I'm a hobbyist photographer. Well, I guess slightly above hobby, but below pro. I do weddings and sessions for friends. So, I had a wedding and senior session in October.

I've done some more crocheting ... (sling packs, infinity scarf, scrubby dish cloth, working on another pattern for an infinity now)

AND I had a fellow photographer do pictures for my husband and I at our property before we start digging and mucking it all up ... Please disregard the wet hair. It was snowing in mid-October. The days before and after were nearly 60. This day, naturally, was not. lol

That's pretty much all that's going on here.

 

[anniebean]

Hahaha!! I'm trying to pre-plan a May 2017 trip in my head since I can't book it yet. Totally feel your pain.

Nice pics, by the way.

 

[Duzzygirl]

208 days to go ...

Wow ... How did that happen? Less than a year already, and I've done nothing. Well, I booked our flights. Outside of that ... Nothing. I check the calendar every day knowing full well the hours/events aren't yet available. Can't help myself though.

I did get a UOC. However, if I use it, it'll only save us about $70 switching to a river view room versus the standard I have booked. So, haven't yet decided if it's worth the hassle.

There. That's my lonely little update. I was so excited, still am, but just have nothing to add. Have a lovely day/week/month, all!

 

[Duzzygirl]

188 days to go ...

When I first started to customize our bands, they didn't have purple available. I opted for pink for Mom and me. However, now they have purple. So, Mom now gets purple. Silly little things to brighten our day.

Hours have finally begun to show for the days we're going ...

Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Flight arrives in Orlando around 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016
MK: 9a-10p, EMH 10p-12a
Epcot: 9a-9:30p
HS: 11a-9:30p
AK: 9a-5p
DS: 10a-12a

Thursday, December 1, 2016
MK: 9a-7p, **VMCP** 7p-12a
Epcot: EMH 8a-9a, 9a-9:30p
HS: 9a-7p
AK: 9a-5p
DS: 10a-12a

Friday, December 2, 2016
MK: EMH 8a-9a, 9a-7p, **VMCP** 7p-12a
Epcot: 9a-9:30p
HS: 9a-7p, EMH 7p-9p
AK: 9a-5p
DS: 10a-12a

Saturday, December 3, 2016
MK: 9a-10p
Epcot: 9a-9:30p
HS: 9a-7p
AK: 9a-5p
DS: 10a-12a

Sunday, December 4, 2016
MK: 9a-7p
Epcot: 9a-9:30p
HS: EMH 8a-9a, 9a-7p
AK: 9a-5p
DS: 10a-12a
Flight departs Orlando 3:10 p.m.

 

[ariane37]

Hi there! Going to join in on your fun We're going a bit before you, Thanksgiving week so arriving the 19th and leaving the day before you get there, the 26th, doing a split BCV/CSR. Your ADR day should be early next week, right ?

 

[Duzzygirl]

Hi there! Going to join in on your fun We're going a bit before you, Thanksgiving week so arriving the 19th and leaving the day before you get there, the 26th, doing a split BCV/CSR. Your ADR day should be early next week, right ?

I believe so. I think I have it figured out. Though, that may change in the next couple days. I'll update when I make those decisions final with an ADR.

 

[mzpoirot]

I'm following along too!!!
We are going November 12-18th and are staying at POFQ also! My hubby has a similar reaction to WDW but he is going along this time. He doesn't share in my obsession for it. I'm anxious to hear what your ADRs are. I think I have my plans pretty finalized....it's funny because our last trip (Oct 2014) we did not book prior to the 180 day mark and I was obsessing with the ADRs right up to the verrrrry day we left. It was nice to book dining this time right at 180 and have our trip booked before that so I could get every ADR I was hoping for!

 

[Duzzygirl]

I'm following along too!!!
We are going November 12-18th and are staying at POFQ also! My hubby has a similar reaction to WDW but he is going along this time. He doesn't share in my obsession for it. I'm anxious to hear what your ADRs are. I think I have my plans pretty finalized....it's funny because our last trip (Oct 2014) we did not book prior to the 180 day mark and I was obsessing with the ADRs right up to the verrrrry day we left. It was nice to book dining this time right at 180 and have our trip booked before that so I could get every ADR I was hoping for!

In the future I may get the hubs to go again. He mentioned that maybe if it were just the two of us, he'd consider it. However, why make him suffer when I know Mom loves it.

The last time we went was the first time I'd used the dining plan. So, I was obsessed up until the day as well. It was worth it though.

I talked with Mom over the weekend about some plans. I think I have it figured out. Maybe. I'll start nailing plans down in the next few days as the ADRs open up. I'll keep you posted.