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Julia McCrone -- April 2001 -- Walt Disney World (PORR, Offsite)April 17-28, 2001 Cast:
WDW Summary-Pre Trip Planning Our trip begins in May, 2000, when we finally decide we will take a trip to the World. I am have explained to my husband it won't be that expensive, as we can exchange our timeshare. He is grudgingly tolerant, and I start planning. Our kids get of the Thursday before Easter at noon, so we could leave Wednesday or Thursday and return 10 days later on a Saturday, and they would only miss a bit of school. Two thoughts begin to haunt me: First, it will be crowded, crowded, CROWDED! We hate crowds! The next thing is, I begin to feel uncomfortable being at WDW during Holy Week-it just isn't right for me. So, I change our trip to leaving the Tuesday after Easter, and staying for a week after. This means we will pull the kids from school for a couple of days. Now, I begin thinking even more....will 7 days enough? After all, from CA, 2 days will be for travel. So I add extra days, until we are traveling 2 days, and at the World 10 days. (DH doesn't know what hit him!) I book a car from National, calling from the number in our Entertainment book. It's $287 for 10 days-I think I have done very well (all the other companies I called were LOTS more expensive) Then I go on line, looking for info, and discover WDW websites. This will significantly impact our trip, as I discover lots of things I didn't know. I rebook the car about 4 times and end up with a ressie for $199 for a full sized car for 11 days, including all taxes!! I also have learned to "copy and paste" and have started a file on the computer of advice and hints. I should add that I have been calling WDW ressies about once a week since May, and cannot get into PORR-it's totally booked. So, I have ressies at Holiday In Maingate East, the Howard Johnson and the HIFS. Now, just to be insane, I have booked the Marriott at DD, because it offers EE. I also buy five 7 day park hopper plus passes, assuming that prices will probably go up before we go, and also because we have a MKC that will expire in December, 2000. The cost is $1307 for all five (2 adults, 3 kids) and we ended up saving about $130, since we were able to use a MKC discount, and prices DID go up. I have hit a couple of sales at the Disney Store, buying some clothes for the kids to wear. I am able to justify this, as they are kind of souvenirs (in advance) and they will need new clothes next spring. I get Emily an adorable "Princess" baseball cap, and matching t-shirt and Thomas a cute shorts set with Woody. (Okay, I actually buy about 10 shirts, but they were no more than $5.99 each-I would pay that at Target for a plain t-shirt!) Now, at this point, anyone sane would assume that since this is a major trip, we should be saving everything we have for it, right? Well, dh Brian sees the advertisement for the Xmas parade at Disneyland, and the next thing you know, I have made ressies for 3 nights at DL at Xmas. I did manage to find a cheapie hotel-$49 a night on Harbor-a very short walk to the front gate. November arrives and a miracle happens-I make my usual weekly call to WDW reservations, and PORR is available. I book three nights, and I am so happy!! Dh doesn't understand why we are paying $189 a night, when the Maingate East would be $89, but I point out we can always cancel, this is just so we have the option (yeah, right, like I'll cancel, after waiting since May-over my dead body will I cancel!!) Now it's December and I am really worried about or DL trip. Our last trip was October 1999, and it wasn't too fun. Michael and Emily argued/bickered/squabbled the ENTIRE time, to the point I said we wouldn't return for years. This trip was wonderful. The kids were good the entire time, and Emily hardly whined at all about not riding in a stroller. I consider the trip well worth it, in order to help see how the kids will do at WDW. After Xmas DH Brian tells me about a SWA sale he heard about at work. We can get tickets from San Jose, with only one stop each way, for $200 each. After much discussion, we buy them-the stress of waiting and worrying about ticket cost will be over, thank goodness. I also make ressies for the Rose and Crown, to see Illuminations, as well as the Family Magic Tour and the Pirate Cruise for the kids. January arrives, and I attempt to change my car ressies, to align with airline time. The best price I can now get is $208. It's only about $10 difference from before, but I'm bummed-I loved seeing the cost keep going down-it was like a game! I book an Illuminations Cruise-I can't believe I got it, since I overslept that morning-I didn't call until 7:30 CA time (10:30 FL time) Am I lucky, or what? Then our luck continues to grow-my brother (who wasn't sure if he could go) is able to go and wants to spend the day with ds Michael on Friday, the 20th. Then Mom and Dad say they will take dd Emily and ds Thomas for the day, so dh Brian and I can spend the whole day without kids-wow! DH is a major Disney fan-this is especially great for him. I decide to try to book the Wonderland Tea Party, so my parents can wander at the Grand Floridian and have a bit of non-small child time. I am able to book the Wonderland Tea Party for Emily and Thomas, and then I also book Le Cellier for Brian and I, when we have our day together. Now, the only PS's I have left to make are for the castle at breakfast, with the princesses and at the Liberty Tree Tavern. I am also trying to get the money issues sorted out. I am the kind of person who HATES to charge anything on vacation, and I really want to have enough money that I don't feel "poor" the entire trip. We will generally "do" breakfast in our room-I don't like to waste time in the a.m. with eating in a restaurant. I figure we'll eat one counter service and 1 sit down meal most days. The HDDR and Family Magic Tour have already been paid for, and my mom says she'll pay for the Illuminations Cruise. Another task I am working on is how to keep the kids entertained for 2 flights (San Jose to Kansas City, and KC to Orlando). Michael will play his Gameboy (it will then be put away until the trip home!), have a couple of books and a new small LEGO set, but Emily and Thomas will need lots of things to do. I have taken a bunch of American Girl, Disney Catalog and other catalogs, and cut out pictures, to make "new" flannel board pieces. I am making a portable flannel board for each (8 1/2 x 11 cardboard with felt) and then putting the "rough" side of Velcro on the back of the cutouts that have been put on cardstock and laminated. I am also buying some of those cute "Little Books" made by Dover Press that sell for $1-they have little activity books, coloring books, dress ups, etc. I am on the lookout for garage sales for some new, small "stuff". In February, my first big mistake happens-I think that the dining reservations open at 8a.m (on Saturday) and I am too late to book a Cindy's reservation. I am SO mad at myself. I book at Crystal Palace, but I am still frustrated. I call for the next day and get a reservation, but was so focused on getting Cindy's, I forgot-that is the day we are going to 1900 Park Faire and the kids are going on the Pirate Cruise. Not an especially smart move on my part!! I post on DIS and am able to give our reservation away to a couple going on their honeymoon. So, I set the alarm a third time (for 3:50, since we are in CA) and finally get a reservation that will work for us! It's the day we have planned for EPCOT-we'll go to MK for breakfast at 8:20, then head over to EPCOT. Brian and I will have been there the day before without kids, and I am not sure how "into" EPCOT my kids will be, so I figure a shorter day won't matter. We'll still have one more day there. I tell the kids we get to eat breakfast with Pooh and Tigger and at the castle with the Princesses-they are more excited about Pooh and Tigger ("Kids-listen to me! I was up at 4am three mornings in a row! We're having breakfast with the princesses!! Show some enthusiasm!!) I am also able to book Liberty Tavern, so my PS's are done. We have made quite a few, I hope we haven't overdone it. We have three for breakfast, one for a late lunch and three for dinner. We also have 4 "special" PS's (Wonderland Tea Party, Pirates Cruise, Family Magic Tour and Illuminations Cruise). My kids really want autograph books this year, and I hate the waiting and commotion that happens in the parks. I am hoping that the character meals will help a lot (yes, I will pay A LOT to avoid how much stress the waiting causes me!) I am buying small memory books at Michael's, and will have the kids get a signature on one page and we'll put their picture with the character on the other page. I think they'll enjoy their books (long term) a lot more with the pictures. Two weeks before we leave, I am organizing stuff in the living room, and am totally stressed out-I am paranoid I will forget something important. Brian is packing for himself. I am packing for myself, three kids, the food we need for the plane ride (Southwest serves no meals) and everything to keep the kids amused for two traveling days. Fortunately, he is usually wise enough not to comment. I also learn how to download stuff to my Palm, and have menus, our itinerary and lots more on it (a last minute addition). The night I have downloaded the info into the Palm, dh Brian starts reading the itinerary and menus in it (yes, I have been obsessively planning this trip since May, 2000, and he decides to start paying attention 1 week before we leave!) He is wondering why the restaurants where we have reservations have 3 dollar ($) signs next to them. What I think: "You think Disneyland is expensive? We are now in the Big Leagues!" What I say: "I think it's more expensive at dinner-breakfast is cheaper" Luckily, all of the traveler's checks are in my name, as I was the one who purchased them, so I am hoping he won't pay attention to how much we are spending. We visit the orthodontist for Michael-we could pay for his entire orthodontia series and then some, if we weren't going on this trip. (I am trying not to think too much about that-it's kind of depressing. Why couldn't the kids have inherited my husband's straight teeth, instead of my crooked ones?) Day 1 - April 17 (Travel Day) Well it's finally the day. I got up at 6:30 and was still frantically trying to clean and organize the house before we leave, because we have friends staying here as they are having work done on their house. I had also decided, as long as I am doing all of this work, I might as well spring clean, so I am pulling outgrown clothes from closets and drawers, toys that aren't being played with, and so on. So, by this morning, I was wiped! I am also last minute packing! Brian wants to leave at 10:15, to have plenty of time to get to the airport, check in, etc. So, of course, we are not on the road until 10:40! We have a very high number when we check in at SWA, but since we have a child under 5, we get to pre-board. We carried a small cooler, with some wonderful salads and sandwiches from Trader Joes (for mom and dad) and Lunchables for the kids. As it turned out, SWA does provide a simple snack if your flight is over 2.5 hours, but we didn't know that. Since I had the boys next to me on our first flight, and Brian had Emily, we switched for the 2nd flight. I lucked out, because a 6 year old girl, flying unaccompanied, got on the plane. The stewardess was putting her in the row ahead of us, when I offered to have her sit with us. Emily and Brittany entertained themselves the entire trip, and I enjoyed the time to read my book. My dh Brian, on the other hand, was kept busy with Thomas! I enjoyed the Greek platter I brought from Trader Joes, with hummus, falafel, pita and tabouli salad-one of the stewardesses wanted to know where I got my meal! I highly recommend Trader Joes if you need a meal for a plane ride. We finally arrived in Orlando, picked up our bags and went to National to pick up our car. There were maybe five cars on Emerald Aisle, and NO full sized cars on that aisle. I grabbed the only full sized car on EA (there was no one around to ask-it was about 11pm) and we went to check out. I had brought my print out from my on line reservation, and sure enough, when I asked about the cost, they had it wrong. We had a reservation for $208 (for 11 days) and they had it as $222. I know it's just a bit more, but I said something. The attendant couldn't fix it to come up at $208, so we ended up with a full sized car for $186! We made it to WDW okay, and checked in at Port Orleans-Riverside. It was very confusing finding our way in the dark, and Brian got lost with our bags trying to find our room a second time. I had requested building 27, and called yesterday to ask again, since we would be arriving so late. We had been assigned 27, but the CM added a note-"do not change building assignment", which I thought was nice. The kids liked the room, (especially the trundle bed) but we had little time to check things out-it was now midnight and we were planning to go to the MK tomorrow, nice and early. Expenses for the day:
Day 2 (April 18) Magic Kingdom We dragged ourselves out of bed this morning much too early...arrived at the MK via Disney transportation about 8:15, after hearing that during peak seasons, all the parks open early to all guests (sometimes, anyway) Well, this was not one of those times. We killed time hanging out on Main Street, and then positioned ourselves at the castle, to race to Dumbo. We had a short wait for Dumbo (maybe 10 minutes) and then went off to the Pooh ride (which isn't at Disneyland) Very cute. We walked by the Lion King show and decided to go in. While we enjoyed it, it wasn't what we were expecting-I was anticipating more costumed characters, not puppets. We then went to Crystal Palace for our 10:20 PS. When we got there, people were being told that only people with PS's would be seated for breakfast at that point. I used this moment to remind my husband how lucky he was that I made PS's (hee hee). It was so insanely crowded (people were everywhere) I thought we would wait forever, but it was only 10 minutes. Our waiter told us that the characters would come to us, and the direction they would come from, so we didn't miss (he said it takes 1 1/2 hours for them to make the rotation) anyone. Pooh was in the center of the restaurant, and you just lined up to see him. Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet came to the table. It seemed to me that the characters didn't spend a lot of time at the table, but the kids were happy, so I didn't worry about it. After breakfast we headed to Tomorrowland and it was packed! I mean, the lines were outrageous! (At 11:45, the FP return time for Space Mountain was 5-6 p.m.) We hopped on Tomorrowland Transit Authority (which had no line) and the kids REALLY liked it. I think they liked the fact it went in the dark-Emily and Thomas felt like they were on a "big kids" ride. I hoped it might help "break them in" for other rides. We then did Carousel of Progress (again, a very short line) Brian and I liked it, but the kids weren't too impressed. We planned on heading to get a FP for Thunder or Space Mountain, but were sidetracked by the Tiki Room (another family favorite). So, I ran and got a FP for Jungle Cruise. Things were not nearly as crowded in other parts of the park as Tomorrowland. We tried to go see Pirates after the Tiki Room, but it was shut down. So, we just headed back to wait for the Jungle Cruise. The kids watched the Jungle Cruise boats. We have done them before at the Disneyland Hotel. Thomas had a ball just pretending to steer. Michael got lost when we went to this area-a big crowd separated us. Luckily, we had said to wait where you were if we get separated, and a few minutes later we realized he wasn't there. When we backtracked, there he was on the steps. We profusely praised him for doing what we asked-he was a scared, but not much (thank goodness) After Jungle Cruise, we headed back to Tomorrowland, got FP for Buzz (return time after 4:30) and left the park for PO. Brian took Michael and Emily to the pool, and I stayed back in the room while Thomas napped (okay, I napped too) Thomas was still asleep when they returned from the pool, so I took Michael and Emily back to the park (can't waste those FP's). I used our passes to get 3 more FP's, so Brian and Thomas could ride when they made it back. The man behind me asked me the return time, and we chatted a minute. We got in line to ride Buzz, and a second or two later the same man came running over to me-I left one pass (7 day hopper plus) in the machine! Thank you, nice man! Thank you, thank you! We LOVED Buzz. We rode Transit Authority again, waiting for Brian and Thomas (Emily really just loved it) and went to Cosmic Rays to eat. The guys buzzed us, and made their way over to us. They rode Buzz, and we went and got a spot for Spectromagic Parade. It was nice, but I like the Electrical Parade better. We headed out after the parade, as we were all still tired. Expenses
Day 3 (April 19) Today is supposed to be a relaxing day, after our cross-country trip and a full day at the MK yesterday. We have PS's for 1900 Park Fair at 8:10, but bailed-we're just too tired! We headed to the Grand Floridian (just observed in the distance yesterday from the MK) and went to check in the kids for the Pirates Cruise. There are a lot of kids milling around-we get our three pirates fitted with life vests, obediently promise to return at 11:45, watch them sail off, and run for the monorail-we want to check out three resorts with our time. The first stop is the Contemporary, and within 10 minutes we are back in line, waiting for the monorail-it's just not a place to hang out. The next stop is the Polynesian. We grab a cup of coffee and peak in a few shops, check out the pool-we like this place! Brian says that if we return to WDW, we should stay here ( he has NO idea of the cost, or these words would not be coming out of his mouth!) We return to the GF, and wait for the kids to arrive. They have had a great time, and Thomas (according to Michael and Emily-master informers) has not been good. We talk to him and take him over to Katie to apologize. It turns out he wasn't that bad-just ran towards the boat (away from the group) at one point. The kids are full of details about the cruise and have obviously had fantastic trip. The CM's also gave us a pass for River Country one per child) that expire in December, 2030. We take the kids on the monorail for a ride and then head back to PO. We go to the French Quarter to hang at the pool, which the kids like better than the swimming hole at Riverside. We ate at the Food Court at FQ-I though the food wasn't bad. While we are at the pool the shuttle launched We aren't able to see much more than the streak in the sky, but since that's more than you see in CA, it's exciting. After the pool we took the boat to DD. We went to the RFC, and they had a 30 minute wait, so we decided to wait. We poked in and out of the shops close by, and the kids watched the crocodile awhile, and then we were seated. Thomas, especially, liked the animals, so I am glad we went (there wasn't a lot about this trip specifically for him), but otherwise, I just can't recommend it at all. The kid' meals were $6.99, and then you had to pay $1.99 for a kids drink. Emily's meal was spaghetti (without sauce), so, for 8 bucks, she got a small bowl of spaghetti and milk. I mean, really!!! It made Disney's prices look reasonable! The kids wanted dessert, but no way was I going to give RFC more of my money, so we promised them ice cream. But by the time we had visited the LEGO store, I was ready to go to bed, so I bribed them with a treat in the room. Thank goodness, I had brought my own "surprise" snacks (a few treats from Target bought on Monday-Easter candy 50% off) and they were happy with that. We definitely lucked out with transportation in both directions-both times large groups of people were in line behind us within 5 minutes. This was my birthday today-I'm glad it was a nice day. Tomorrow Brian and I have the day to ourselves...Michael will hang with Uncle Bob...Emily and Thomas with Grandpa and Papa (other 3 adults arrive tonight) Expenses:
Day 4 (April 20) We got a later start today than planned. We have to check out of our room, and check in at Orange Lake Country Club. We get everything packed up pretty quickly, but Bob is not awake, so the kids can't go over. We get a phone call about 8:30, and bring the kids to my parents room. I leave my mom money for Emily and Thomas for the Wonderland Tea Party, and Brian, Bob, Michael and I head off to MGM. When we arrive, we head to Star Tours (one of Michael's favorites) and ride without any wait. We then go to the Indiana Jones stunt show, which Michael loves. Brian and I head off, leaving Michael with Bob (he is trying to convince Bob to see the show again) We walk over and get a FP for Tower of Terror, and wait for Beauty and the Beast to begin (the 11:15 show) There is an awesome pre-show, with 4 guy singers. Since we didn't have breakfast, I grabbed a pretzel (it was huge) that we shared. Since our FP for ToT started at 11:45, we ran over to Rock N Roller Coaster before riding to grab a FP for it (it's for 2:20-3:20) I really liked ToT, and am glad I didn't chicken out. We then saw the Great Movie Ride (not a great ride, but cute), took the Animation Tour (I wasn't too impressed) and rode Rock N Roller Coaster. I am glad I did it (I mean, I came all this way, I didn't want to NOT do it, but, as they say, once was enough for me. I bought a Mickey Mouse cookie cutter and GOH badges for the kids. We headed out of the park, stopped at the Publix and checked in at OLCC. The check in went relatively quickly and we went to see our room. A king bed in the master bedroom, and Jacuzzi tub (cool!) and 2 doubles in the 2nd bedroom. Also, a full sized washer and dryer. The TV in the living room was huge, and there were TV's in both bedrooms (we knew the kids would think that was great) We hung around the room about an hour and then headed to EPCOT. We tried to get a FP for Test Track, but they were all gone for the day. We ate in Mexico (the counter service) which was average. The service was insanely slow, to the point I thought I was going to scream. We then just walked around through the International Area. I made Brian stop so I could try a Beaver Tail. We left to pick up the kids from my parents, and they weren't there. We waited and waited and waited for the boat from DD (where they were planning on going) until I was really irritated. When they finally returned, they had to call for a wheelchair-my brother had an attack, and could barely walk. Bob has had some major health issues in the last two years, and it's frustrating-he can be perfectly fine one day, and hospitalized the next. Someone from the hotel had a wheelchair at the dock pretty quickly, so he could get to the room. On a side note...while waiting, we watched several boats return. On one, a little girl darted ahead of her parents and fell of the dock into the water. It looked quite scary. When the captain says "take children by the hand" they are not joking. Emily and Thomas' Day: They went to Fort Wilderness, rode the ponies, visited the petting zoo and then headed to GF for Wonderland Tea Party. They decided they were scared to go, but when they arrived, who should be there but Katie and Sheryl, the CM's from the Pirates Cruise. They greeted the kids by name and seemed genuinely glad to see them (my mom was really impressed) Tomorrow: Breakfast with the princesses, then off to EPCOT Expenses:
Day 5 (April 21) Magic Kingdom We got up early for our ressies at the castle. We got a call from my parents, and they were planning on being there (Bob will stay and sleep and rest) so we decided to meet in front of MK. They are only letting people from the resorts or with PS's on the monorail this early. When we arrived at the TTC, I asked if we could ride in the front of the monorail, and since only 4 can, Brian took the kids. We waited and waited in front of the MK (My Mom and Dad had Michael's pass, from yesterday) and they never showed. I am close to hysteria, as we can't get all in without them. I go in with Michael and Emily, and leave Brian to wait with Thomas for my parents. We are taken into the waiting area, where the fairy Godmother is holding court. They rest of the family still hasn't arrived and I am near tears with frustration and anger. FINALLY, finally, they arrive-someone at the TTC told my parents we wouldn't have been allowed on the monorail without all of our passes, so they waited there. At this point, I am on the verge of a breakdown, and the waiting area is full of people, so we have to wait forever. Finally, our name is called, and we are escorted upstairs, where I finally begin to relax. The characters are Belle, Jasmine, Cinderella, Snow White and Aladdin. Emily informs us her favorite character is Jasmine, so she is happy. We forgot Michael's autograph book in the car, so I pull sheets out from my little notepad. The kids get autographs and much better interaction that at Crystal Palace, the food is good, and I am beginning to calm down. Our plans change from my itinerary-we decide to stay in MK and head to EPCOT after our break. We head over to Buzz (a 10 minute wait) and get a FP for it, too. We ride Buzz, then ride again, using FP. I get 933,300 points, and makes sure everyone knows about it. I even make my mom check out my score 9she is in the car behind me) before we finish, so she can verify it. (I continue to gloat about this the entire trip!) We went to Splash Mountain and got a FP for 11:10 (it was 10:30) we poked around the shops, and I added items to the kids "lists". (I had told them they couldn't buy anything the first few days, but I would write down if they saw something they liked, along with the price and where it was, so they could decide how to spend their money) I like the boats at Splash Mountain much better here than at DL. At DL, you sit behind people on a long seat, while at WDW, you sit side by side in your own seat. The kids loved Splash Mountain, and Thomas just made the height requirement (he is just 40 inches) We drove home to nap and went back to Epcot for our PS at the Biergarten at 3:30. We rented a wheelchair for Bob. The food was good at the Biergarten, and at the end of our dinner there was a show. The kids were wearing their GOH badges and got a lot of attention from CM's. We saw the American Adventure and the France movie (things Bob wanted to do) and then took the boat to the Yacht and Beach Club for our Illuminations Cruise. We had a little problem-they didn't have our name. We were supposed to be at the Boardwalk. One of the drivers brought us over to the Boardwalk, so we didn't have to wait for a boat. I am positive we were supposed to be at the Yacht and Beach Club, so I don't know what happened. When we were taken to the Boardwalk, our captain was there, and everything was all right. What was kind of funny was that another group for an Illuminations Cruise also messed up-they were at the Boardwalk and were supposed to be at the Yacht Club, So, I wonder if our names were transposed when the reservations were given to the Captains, or something like that. We cruised out to MGM, and then headed back to EPCOT. Illuminations was nice, and we felt like celebrities, being on the boats. Since our car was parked at EPCOT, our Captain took us to the EPCOT dock, rather than the Boardwalk. It shortened the trip a bit, but between the kids (who were out late) and the wheelchair, we appreciated the convenience. We headed home after a very nice evening. Tomorrow: The Animal Kingdom and MGM Expenses:
(my parents paid for lunch/dinner at Biergarten and Illuminations Cruise) Day 6 (April 22) Animal Kingdom This day begins with another change in plans. I had planned on arriving at the AK bright and early at 8a.m.-this will not happen, since we are tired from last night. I had also planned on heading over to MGM in the evening, so Bob could see Fantasmic. Well, Bob won't have the energy to do that, so we bag that idea. So, we slept late (until the kids got up) and were at the AK by 9:30. We walked right into "It's Tough to be a Bug", which I was a bit concerned about (I had heard that some younger kids get freaked in it) We thought it was great, especially the special effects. The kids liked it, too. I ran ahead to get a FP for Dinosaur, and we took the kids to the Boneyard while we waited. Emily would not ride Dino, so I waited with her, and then rode. It's basically the Indiana Jones ride at DL, but the Indiana Jones ride is far superior (IMHO) I then ran ahead to Kali River Rapids, and got more FP's. We ate lunch at the area for Chakranadi (SP?) Chicken. My dad got a bit grumpy when he saw their menu, and decided to head back to the Flame Tree BBQ. So he got sandwiched for the adults and Michael and I stood in line for the younger kids and me. I got corn on the cob, half a chicken, chicken skewer and the won ton soup. Can you tell I thought it was great? My dad waited in line forever for his BBQ. We did Kali Rapids-everyone enjoyed it and yes, we were soaked! Emily threw a fit at having wet clothes (she was drenched) and my mom took her to buy a new t-shirt. We then took the Maharajah trail, which we really enjoyed, while Brian went and got FP's for Kilamanjaro Safaris. Before we got on, I got another fast past for the safari, in case we liked it and wanted to go again. Well, we did like it and want to go again. All except Emily, that is, but this time Brian waited with her. They let Bob stay right at the handicapped entrance, so we didn't have to push the wheelchair all the way out and back in again. We got out of the ride at 4:20, and raced (well, as fast as you can race with a wheel chair and stroller) to get to the 4:30 show of Lion King. We made it with a few minutes to share and got ace out, wonderful seat, right in front, in the wheelchair section. Thomas and Emily sat in the first bench, right in front. Emily and Thomas were picked to be in the show and parade, what fun!! On the way out, we checked to see if the snake Michael saw at the RFC in DD was here, and yes, it was. So, we told him he could buy it on our next day here (Thursday) We headed back to the condo, and ordered pizza from the onsite pizzeria at Orange Lake Country Club-yuk! We called it a night and went to bed early. Day 7 (April 23) Typhoon Lagoon and HDDR Today is planned to be relaxing and low key. We sleep in and arrive at Typhoon Lagoon just before it opens at 10am. We chose a spot near the Kiddie area and get settled. It's kind of breezy and not overly warm, so I am a bit disappointed, but that's okay. Michael and Brian went exploring and tried out the wave pool and some slides. We went to try the Castaway Creek-I liked this one. We took it to where the family raft ride (Gangplank Falls) is-another winner. Basically, we took turns all day-I would take Michael and/or Emily somewhere and Brian would stay with Thomas, and then we'd switch. Both Thomas and Emily adored the kiddie raft ride-they must have rode it 50 times in a row. (It was at Ketchakiddie Creek) In fact, I really like the kids area because the CM's really monitored it-if you were over 48 inches, they didn't let you on the slides. The only thing we didn't ride were the Storm Slides. Both Brian and I snorkeled at Shark Reef, but we couldn't Our original plans were to stay until about 2pm and then head back to the condo to change and rest for HDDR. Luckily, I planned ahead and brought our change of clothes, because we didn't leave until after 5:30. So, we drove straight to Fort Wilderness. We didn't have to wait too long for a bus and were soon at Pioneer Hall. We checked in at the window, then were told we had to wait in line again to get our table number, and then waited in line AGAIN at the correct door. Now, why can't they tell you your table number when you check in the first time?? It's not like they don't already know! They actually wanted us to wait in a fourth line-to be photographed-but we didn't. We had a very good table, just off center. Our table wasn't touching the stage, but was in the next row, so our sets were excellent. We really enjoyed the show. We thought the food was quite good (which we weren't expecting) My parents are quite good cooks and have eaten at some of the best restaurants in CA (unlike me-I think we have gone upscale if there isn't a drive-thru!) and they thought the food was good also. (well, the corn was below average, but everything else!) My kids LOVED the show. My oldest, Michael (who is almost 9) howled through the whole thing. He isn't particularly a kid like that He was just the right age to get all of the jokes and laugh at them. My dh Brian must have shot 10 pictures of him, because we have never seen him laugh so much. The adults enjoyed the show, also. My mom had paid for the show when we booked it (last June) and she said it was worth every penny, just to have watched our kids. On the way back to our car, we had a second run-in with a bus driver. I never mentioned the first run-in, because it happened to dh, not me. Our first day, he was taking Thomas back to the MK, after his nap. They were sitting near the back. The driver loaded one of those carts (the kind you can rent) that are used for someone who can't walk well. He took a turn fast and it flew away from it's area and pinned a 12 year old boy against a wall. Passengers were yelling at the driver to stop, and it took forever for him to realize they were serious. Another passenger took some names and phone numbers of people who witnessed the accident (including dh) in case the father needed to contact them later (while the boy seemed okay, who knows?) So, that was experience number one. This night, there were, of course, tons of people waiting. Brian got in with the kids and the driver stopped me and my parents, so he could open the back and put a wheelchair on. Well, he opened the back, and tons of people went on through the back. He was having a hard time with the chair, so the bus was filling up quite fast (So, people near the front were irritated) We were right at the front, and a woman pushed through to the front, saying, "let me on the bus". I told her that the driver said no one could get on, since they were loading a wheelchair in the back. (please note-we weren't mad about waiting for the wheelchair to be loaded, we were irritated that someone was coming up and pushing us out of the way, when there was no where to go) She continued to push through at us, saying "let me on". Well, there was no where we could move to, and the door wasn't open, so I told her again we couldn't get on. She finally yelled at us that she was the driver (wait a minute, isn't the OTHER guy the driver?) It turns out he was a trainee and she was the supervisor. We told her we didn't know she was the driver, and we were just doing what we were told. She very rudely told us that we should have known she was the driver by her clothing (yeah, it's 9:30 and dark, and I am supposed to be psychic, knowing she was his supervisor?) Anyway, I was glad the kids were inside, so they wouldn't hear, because everyone else we encountered at Disney was great. So ends our day at Typhoon Lagoon and HDDR. Day 8 (April 24) Today we have a very busy day planned at the Magic Kingdom. We arrived for the opening at 9, and took the ferry from the TTC, just to have tried all the different transportation methods. We rented a stroller-we have been using one, for Thomas, but Emily is definitely slowing down, so decided to get one for her. We headed over to Splash Mountain, at the kid's request. There was no wait, but before we rode I got a FP for Thunder Mountain, which was for 9:35-10:35. So we rode Splash Mountain and then went straight onto Thunder Mountain with no wait. Emily wouldn't ride, so I waited with her and then Thomas and I rode together. The CM decided to measure Thomas, because he is just 41 inches. It would really help if there was a way to be measured once and maybe wear a wristband, because Thomas figured out VERY quickly that if a CM was measuring him, he might not get to ride. He would get very stressed ("I ride 'Funder Mounain', Mommy, let me in the car!!!!") that he wouldn't be let on (He was not 40 inches in Dec. for our trip to DL, and obviously remembered) Luckily, he passed each time. We walked over to Adventureland and got a FP for Jungle Cruise, and rode Pirates while we waited. Joey (a girl) was our guide on the Jungle cruise, and was the best we have ever had, in all of our years of going to DL. After riding the Jungle Cruise, it was time to head down Main Street and check in for the Family Magic Tour. Grandpa bought popcorn (in the souvenir tub, of course) while I figured out the plan for the tour (it ended in Liberty Square, so we brought the strollers) Five families were part of our tour. It started off a bit slow-Thomas really had no clue and wanted to be in the stroller (he was tired) Michael was interested in the map (it was the Peter Pan tour) when he was reading it or carrying it, but Emily was in heaven. She skipped along beside the Tour Guide and pretty soon was holding her hand. Halfway through, we stopped for a break, and one family did not return afterwards. They were nice enough to tell another family, so we didn't wait on them. I should add that it was quite warm today (of course, the warmest day of our trip) and I was definitely getting a bit pooped. I can't imagine doing the tour in summer! We ended in Liberty Square, and Aladdin and the Snow Prince came to meet us, holding Hook's gold hook. Everyone got autographs and pictures taken-this area was roped off, so it was private, which I appreciated. One family did not know characters arrived at the end, and did not have books. Michael tore a page from his book and gave it to the little boy, which I thought was nice. Luckily, we were in no hurry and let others go first and the rest of the families (except one) left quickly. Aladdin and the Prince then took the remaining kids (my 3 and one other little girl) to the Snow White Ride and rode with them. They walked through Fantasyland, holding hands with the kids-I felt like we were celebrities or something. I could hear people whispering about why we were getting to do this. Of course, I was running ahead like mad, snapping pictures. At Snow White, the characters and kids entered through the wheelchair entrance and rode. I didn't of course, so I could snap more pictures as they got off the ride. The tour itself was okay-it was hot, and I just wasn't too interested. My kids enjoyed themselves, but meeting, walking and riding with the characters was fantastic. This was another expensive treat ($160 for the 7 of us) but as I was snapping away, watching Emily with Aladdin, I felt like it was worth it. I should add that Emily met Aladdin at Cinderella's castle at breakfast and this was the same one! When Emily was chatting away, I said "did you remember Emily from the castle at breakfast?" and he caught on right away. By this time, we were hot, tired and hungry, so we stopped in at Columbia Harbor House. Emily and Thomas DID NOT like the mac and cheese, although Michael thought the chicken strips were good (not that anyone should use that as a recommendation-Michael has never met a chicken nugget or strip he didn't like!) I had the clam chowder in the bread bowl, and my mom the chili, and we thought they were good. At this point, we separated-Brian and my dad took the boys to Tom Sawyers Island and my mom and I took Emily to Tinkerbell's shop, so she could spend her money. To our surprise, the Cinderella nightgown was on sale, marked down from $28 to $15. The CM said she was very surprised-they were very popular, so she guessed they would be discontinuing them and getting something new in. Emily also picked out a mirror, comb and brush set and a Cinderella necklace. We went to a few more places, and picked up a few things, and then went to meet the guys at Buzz. We were told in no uncertain terms that Tom Sawyer Island is MUCH better at DL. We had a drink (it was still quite hot out), rode Buzz (using FP, of course) and shopped at the Toy Story Kiosk. Thomas chose the Woody water squirt toy-he really likes Buzz and Zurg, but they were all out, and we were assured that this was the only place to buy them. Michael chose one of those plastic laminated cards on a lanyard and whined when I wouldn't let him buy a second one (what would he do with it?) so Grandma bought him one, while I wasn't looking. She explained she bought a t-shirt for Emily, and then she ended up buying one of those whirly light toys for Thomas, so she got off cheap with Michael. We headed back to Adventureland, and Emily saw the Jasmine outfit (the same one from the Tinkerbell shop) that she really wanted. I didn't want her to get it, because it was $55, and I thought that was too much for a costume. Everyone else went to the Tiki room while Emily tried it on, begging me. Well, Dad reminded me he had some extra money, so a deal was reached-we would pay for $30, and she would pay the rest. We told Michael we would buy him the Indiana Jones hat he wanted the same way-we'd contribute $30 and he could pay the rest. So we bought the costume and went to Liberty Tree Tavern for dinner. I was not overly impressed with dinner-it wasn't bad, but wasn't that great, either. But it was nice and relaxing and the kids liked the characters. Afterwards, the guys took the kids home (stopping at DQ on the way home) and my mom and I headed to DD. The parking at DD was horrible-we drove around for a good 5 minutes. We started to try to leave and see if we could park anywhere else and, miracle of miracles, someone was pulling out right behind the DD World of Disney store, right in the first row. As my kids would say, "ace out parking spot" We decided this was a sign we were meant to shop. Of course, one of the first things we see when we walk in is a big display of the Toy Story water squirt toys, with boxes and boxes of Buzz and Zurg. I'm a bit irritated, but realize the CM from the MK must not have realized they were sold here. I talked to someone walking by (it happened to be a manager) and he said we could exchange it, so we ran out to the car and exchanged Woody for Buzz and then I bought Zurg for Thomas, too. My mom found some cute pajamas and we bought a few other things. We didn't stay too long, since we were tired and had a big day planned at EPCOT. Expenses:
Day 9 (April 25) Today we are spending at EPCOT, so we once again meet up at the entrance, and today rent a double stroller and leave ours at home. It kills me to spend the money, since we brought ours from home, but the peace it buys would be worth it at double the cost, and it's not much harder than pushing a single stroller (they handle well). We went straight to Test Track, and got FP's, although there was no line (we have found this to be a good strategy) By the time we got off, the line was much longer, so we used the FP to ride again quickly. I could take or leave the inside portion of the ride, but when you are outside on the track-that's cool. We then headed to Body Wars, and even Emily ride (and liked it!) Everyone lese headed to the Living Seas, while I jammed to the Land to get a FP for The Land ride (of course, there was no wait, but no one else was with me) We liked the Living Seas, and spent a long time there and just happened to be there at the manatee feeding. We headed over to the Land ride, and then went to lunch at the Sunshine Food Court. The food wasn't bad at all, but nothing memorable either. Next, it was off to World Showcase, which the kids had been bugging us about,. They had started their masks the other day, as well as getting their passports stamped and were eager to continue. We started at Canada and saw the "O Canada" movie. There was a shop that had all sorts of Anne of Green Gables books and dolls-Emily and I liked that. We just made our way around, going to the United Kingdom and Morocco, and then went to the boat entrance to go back to the Land, for the ice cream social. We waited longer than I would have expected, but were finally seated. The waitress seemed disappointed we didn't order drinks, but brought the water for the kids in the special souvenir cups (I thought that was nice) The kids liked the characters and we finally saw Mickey Mouse!!! The ice cream was very good, too. We enjoyed the restaurant moving around, but the ice cream social was enough. We tried to go back and get FP's for Test Track (Michael wanted to ride again) and the ride was broken down. So, we headed back to World Showcase and started with Mexico. We rode both rides (Mexico and Norway) and watched some outstanding young acrobats from China, and then moved on to Germany and Italy. In each location, the kids worked on their masks and had their passports signed and stamped. When we reached Japan, we again hit Kidcot, and then quickly went to the second floor of the store (Mitsukoshi) and had an excellent view of the parade. After the parade, the kids finished their books and we left EPCOT. This was a big disappointment to me, as we had PS's for the Rose and Crown at 7:30, and would hopefully get an outside table to see Illuminations. We went over to cancel, and there was quite a line, with a lot of people attempting the same thing, so it was probably just as well. The kids were on the verge of collapse, and it just wasn't going to happen. We stopped at McDonalds for the kids and went back to our room. Brian ran out to the restaurant at the timeshare to pick up dinner for us-it was pretty yucky. I know we should have known, since the pizza was pretty bad a few nights ago, but it was close and relatively cheap. We went to bed as early as we could, as we wanted to be at AK at opening tomorrow. Expenses
Day 10 (April 26) This is our last day at the big parks at WDW, and we have a busy day planned. We arrive at the Animal Kingdom and get FP's for Kilamanjaro Safaris, and get in line quickly, since there isn't a line right now. We rode and then used FP to ride again quickly, It's amazing how much the animals move around, even when you were just on the ride. The saw a baby rhino, who had just been allowed out the day before. I thought the bit about the poachers was corny, but my kids loved that part. We walked the gorilla trail and then headed over to Kali River Rapids. It was a bit overcast and cool, and we came prepared this time-the kids were in bathing suits and the adults had ponchos. It was so uncrowded that you were just allowed to stay on the raft and ride again and again and again. We rode and kept riding-I think it was 4 times. After getting off, the adults helped the kids change, while I went ahead (once again) and got FP'' for Dinosaur. It was about 11:00 and our FP was for 11:35, which gives an idea of how uncrowded it really was. We walked to the Flame tree BBQ to eat (I wanted something near Dinosaur) and had a good lunch there. We went over to Dinosaur, but Emily and Thomas would not ride, so they stayed with my mom and the Boneyard. Brian, Michael, my dad and I rode, but dad couldn't ride a second time (because of his back) so we rode without him. Michael wanted a few minutes at the Boneyard, so we let him play, and then we drove over to MGM. When we got to MGM, we picked up a stroller, and got the LAST double stroller they had!! We went straight to Indiana Jones and Michael picked out a leather hat ($53-you can tell I've been here awhile-I don't even flinch when I read the price!)Brian ran over to get FP's for Millionaire, because he knew I wanted to see it. We walked over to see the Hunchback show and really enjoyed the pre-how, by a juggler. He really involved the audience and I laughed until I cried-I thought it was great. The Hunchback show was also very good. After the show my dad and Michael left to catch the Indiana Jones show and Brian ran from the show to get in line to meet Woody and Buzz. When there were about 3 people ahead of us before we were to meet Buzz, we were told by the CM that the characters would only see a couple more people and then go on a 10 minute break and then they would return. Well, we had FP's for Millionaire in 10 minutes, so I was panicking. Of course, when the family ahead of us went up, the CM said, okay, they're the last ones. Of course, I begged, her, saying I normally wouldn't mind waiting, but we have to leave in 5 minutes and she took pity on us and let the kids meet them. Thank you, nice CM-this was a big thrill for Thomas. We raced (and I mean raced) over to Millionaire, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The prize for a million points is a trip to New York City and the woman in the hot seat was at 500,000 points and had the million dollar question. She walked away and we couldn't believe it-what will you lose-a couple of pins?? We were amazed. Another lady came on and lost on the 1st question, so the fasted finger time was based on 1 question and a nine year old was chosen. It was really lots of fun. He was there with his 11 year old brother-their parents had dropped them off (they were sure going to have a story to tell) It was fun to be there, watching him. Afterwards, we waited a half hour to see Bear in the Big Blue House, but were 2nd in line, so the kids were right in front. It was slow, to me, of course, but the kids liked it. We then headed over to Mama Melrose for our Fantasmic dinner package. People were checking in when we got there, and were being turned away. We waited a very short time and then were seated. We thought the food was good, and again, appreciated having a low key meal during a very busy day. I ran and got a FP for Star Tours, while everyone else took the kids to the "Honey I shrunk the Playground". Thomas played the entire time on the film canister slide-he loved it! We walked over to Star Tours and there was no wait, so we didn't use our FP-just walked right up. Interestingly, by the time we had got off, there was quite a line, so we used the FP to ride. We then meandered down to the Fantasmic entrance, returned our stroller and sat in the Sebastian section, near the top. By 7:45, when we got there, all of the theater was full, except for the very far left and the dinner package section. We could see great, so were pleased we had done the dinner package. We decided there were SO many people, we assigned a child to each adult and planned to separate, and just meet at the cars. There was just no way we figured we could stay together. At the end of the show, we were grateful we could exit the way we came in, avoiding most of the crowds. Interestingly, I got on the tram with Emily, and a few moments later Brian showed up with Thomas. When the tram started, we looked around, and my parents were one car ahead of us, with Michael. We couldn't have planned it better if we tried. Tomorrow we have to check out of our condo and move to my parents for the night. We plan to go to Typhoon Lagoon again, having been told we won't like Blizzard Beach as much. Expenses
Day 11 (April 27) We got up this morning and I got packed faster than I imagined it could happen (where DID all of this stuff come from?? And how are we getting it home?) We asked the kids what they would like to do-go back to Typhoon Lagoon or go to the pool at the condo and play on the grass outside our patio and watch the ducks. They chose staying at the condo-I think they were on overload. Brian took the kids to the pool and I went with my parents to the Disney outlet-my dad had bought a jacket there the other day, and it turned out to be defective. Unfortunately, they were all sold out. I picked up some tattoos for the kids, and a millennium souvenir book about the parks (it didn't say 2000, which I liked) and it was only $2.99, but there wasn't a lot there I was impressed with. There is a Hartstrings outlet very close to the Disney store and that store I DID like! I bought Emily two dresses. If I lived in Orlando I'd be there every week. We bought sandwiched from Subway for lunch and headed home. We decided to miniature golf at Fantasy Gardens. My dad and Brian decided to golf the short course and we took the kids on the Fantasia side. BIG MISTAKE! Thomas and Emily whined the whole time, and it took the guys an extra hour after we finished to finish. By the time they were done (they had a great time-sure they did-they didn't have the kids!!) I had truly had it. My mom and dad wanted to eat at home, so they took Emily (who had been dying to try on her Jasmine costume) with them and we took the boys to DD. We ate at the Wolfgang Puck Express, which I had wanted to try. They gave refills on their fountain sodas, so we rested a bit after we finished eating. I had seen a shirt at the Animal Kingdom with Pooh looking a tiger in the eye, saying "Tigger, is that you?" They didn't have his size at AK, but we found it at the Pooh store. Michael had decided he wanted the Woody water squirt toy, so we bought one of those (For those who remember, yes, it's the same one I returned a few days ago!) We also picked up a video called "Four Parks-One World", to watch when we got home. We got back home and went to bed, since we had to leave for the airport around 9a.m. Expenses
Day 12 (April 28) Well, today is the day we get on the plane and fly home. My parents flight leaves at 9a.m, so they will be out of the condo first-we will follow two hours later. We found our way back to the airport, turned in our car, and found our way to the Southwest gate. Once again, we were able to pre-board (because of Thomas, who is still under 5) and had a rather uneventful flight (or rather, flights) home. As we walked up to the front door, Emily was asking to go down and play at the neighbors, and Michael was calling his best friend, Trevor. The next thing I knew, Michael was at Trevor's, and I was in a stupor on the couch, trying to decide what to unpack first. I definitely needed a vacation from my vacation! Final Thoughts We stayed too far off site. I am glad we booked our timeshare, as we wouldn't have ever planned a trip had we not done so. But it just took so long. I don't think we need to stay on site, necessarily, but I would stay at the Holiday Inn Family Suites, the Marriott Orlando World Center, Buena Vista Suites or something in that vicinity (very close) However, staying where we did was better than not having gone at all, by a long shot. I didn't find that I missed EE, by being off site. Our days were so full, it was hard enough being ready to be at the park for the regular opening time, let alone EE. So, I wouldn't consider EE too much in making the decision to stay on or off site. Even if I stayed on site, I would also rent a car. I paid $186 for 11 days for a full sized car-that's little to pay for the convenience. We did take Disney transportation when we stayed at PORR, and it was fine going to the parks, but I would want the car to get to water parks, or other hotels, to the store, etc. Especially during the first five days, when it was crowded, I am so glad we had made PS's. Waits were quite long, and in some cases, people were being told that there wasn't seating available. We needed the calmness away from the crowds. I am also glad we had planned character meals. It was the only way we saw the characters (no waiting in really long lines) The exception to this was meeting Buzz and Woody at MGM, and just running into Mary Poppins and Aladdin at EPCOT (no lines-Emily probably talked to each for 5 minutes). It was especially worth it not to have to get in line when characters are just in the parks (people pushing their kids to the front, getting in the way of pictures, etc) Having a basic schedule was great, and we basically stuck to it. However, when the kids were exhausted, we ignored our plans (let's see Fantasmic tonight!!) and bailed and went home. We also canceled a few PS's when it was apparent it wasn't going to work. We loved FP. I found that the best way to utilize it was to have an adult run ahead and get them for the next attraction, while the kids took a bathroom break, or drink break, or whatever. We also found it a good idea to get a FP for whatever ride we rode first thing in the morning-we generally would hop on with no wait and then, as the lines were starting, hop on with FP. Especially on a "scarier" ride (like Thunder Mountain) the kids seemed to like to ride a 2nd time. I was also very glad we planned to eat breakfast in our room. It was hard enough to get going in the morning without adding getting out in time for breakfast. We are bad parents, I'll admit-I bought pop tarts for the kids, to bribe them to get up. "Who wants a pop tart and wants to watch the Disney Channel?" got the kids out of bed relatively easily. The rule was they had to be dressed to get the TV. on, too. We didn't have the Disney Channel at the timeshare, but did have the Cartoon Network, which the kids had never seen before. We have always packed snacks and drinks for the kids for our DL trips, but did not do this much a WDW. I usually had a small package for each child of Fruitios, or another "gummy" type candy in my fanny pack, but that was it. I just didn't want to lug stuff around. I also am somewhat of a "rule follower" and since you aren't supposed to bring food in, I don't do it much. Now that the kids are older, they usually don't want my stuff anyway-they want what they see! Luckily, they still aren't huge eaters-I am scared of the thought of WDW with teens-we'd probably have to take out a second mortgage just to pay for food! Another tip that we followed was to have a cold drink (in a cooler) and snack in the car for the drive back to the hotel. It worked well for us. I really was glad that I spent a lot of time on the web a LONG time prior to the trip. My husband grouched sometimes, but it helped a lot. We would have never taken an Illuminations Cruise, the kids wouldn't have gone on the Pirates Cruise or to the Wonderland Tea Party, we wouldn't have seen the HDDR-we wouldn't have even really known to MAKE PS's. I am generally pretty organized, and will pick up AAA travel books and the like, but this trip really taught me the value of pre-planning. In fact, my dh and I are planning a 10th anniversary to Las Vegas in July, and I am using the strategies from my WDW trip to plan it. I am checking out all of the hotels on line, seeing what shows I want to see, what interesting free stuff there is to see, like the tigers and the aquarium at the Mirage and the shops at the Aladdin. It was also amazing for me how much we DIDN'T do, despite a 10 day trip. Of course, we did duplicate things, which isn't the smartest thing to do if you want to see everything. I pretty much gave up any hope of even beginning to do everything I wanted by the end of our first day. It's just so large, and it's so easy to get tired. I really felt like "We're spending $5000 for this trip-I want to see and do EVERYTHING". But I made myself relax and just enjoy what we WERE doing, and ignore what we weren't getting to do. Really, my biggest disappointment was not utilizing our Rose and Crown PS to see Illuminations (although we did take a cruise) If there had been ANY way to do it, I would have. But by that point, we were just exhausted, and it was apparent that we were all starting to lose it. I would like to return to WDW, but that's probably not going to happen until 2004. I think that would be a good time-Michael will be 12, Emily 9 1/2 and Thomas 7. I want to take the family to San Diego next summer, and to Williamsburg, Pennsylvania and D.C. the year after that. I also try to take the kids to Saint Louis every other summer, to visit my sister and her kids (this is the summer for it), and my dh and I go away every year for our anniversary (this year, it's 5 nights in Las Vegas for our 10th anniversary) Since we usually take a yearly trip to DL at Xmas, also, we just can't afford adding in WDW. I'm sure it would be different if we didn't live in CA, and have three kids! We just got our school schedule for next year-the kids are off November 1st and 2nd (Thursday and Friday), as well as the week after New Years. So, maybe a trip to DL will happen this fall or in Jan, 2002. I think when we go to WDW again, our trip plans would look very different-probably just a few character meals, no Pirates Cruise or Wonderland Tea Party, etc. We would also probably plan time at Universal and Discovery Cove. I wouldn't mind a trip to WDW with just my dh and I either, but that's not likely to happen (sorry, kids, you can't go to school this year at Queen of Apostles-mom and dad spent your tuition for a week at WDW at the Poly!) I feel like the kids were good ages to go this year-Michael and Emily are a bit cautious and Thomas is adventurous, so there wasn't a lot of difference in the rides the kids wanted to go on. I am assuming that might also be true in a few years-hopefully Michael, at 12, won't be horrified to be with us! All in all, we had an awesome trip. Thanks for reading! Julia McCrone mccrone@gte.net Mail a Comment to Julia McCrone |
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