[ilovedisney0_0]

OK, I admit it. I have a really annoying habit of ‘tweaking’ lyrics of popular songs, and adding words that suit what I am feeling at the time. Like that Edwin McCain song “I’ll Be”… instead of “I’ll Be your crying shoulder…” I sing stuff like “You Clean your room right now…” Or for Fergie’s song “Big Girls Don’t Cry”, my version goes something like “Big Girls Feed The Dogs”. Very goofy, I know. It bugs my DD to no end! And the worst part is that I cannot sing at all. I mean, I couldn’t carry a tune if it had handles. It’s bad. But I don’t care! So the Pussycat Dolls song is the one that I chose to tweak, and add my own special lyrics to, for our upcoming trip. I have been serenading my coworkers with it every day since we started planning our trip, back in October of last year. Every day. For an entire year. Believe me, they are sick of that song, and ready for us to go!!
Cast of Characters (it’s a small list )


Me – Amy, 37 years old. I am Disney crazy, as are the rest of us here! I grew up in San Diego, so I have been to DL a lot. I don’t even know how many times. And it is never enough! Even though I live in Phoenix now, my DD and I still go to DL once or twice a year. This will be our third trip to WDW, and it can’t get here soon enough!! I work in a dental office, but I also am going to school full time and I have a second job to help pay for this vacation. Life is busy. My kid is growing up way too quickly!! Luckily for me, she still thinks I am enough to hang out with for an entire week.


My DD – Kaitlyn, 15 years old. Kaitlyn is amazing, wonderful, kind, sweet and beautiful. I know all mothers think so - but she really is the most wonderful kid on the planet. I am so blessed to have her in my life. Kaity is a sophomore this year, and she has landed a major part in the school play. Between school, rehearsals, and after school activities, she is barely home anymore. I am excited that she is having such a great high school experience , but I am really looking forward to spending some quality time with her!

This has been an extremely busy year for both of us, and we are really ready for a break!
The last two times we went to WDW, we went extremely budget-conscious. Translation: too much counter service! This time, though, I have been saving a lot and planning for a long time. We are not on the DDP, but we are still planning on a lot of table service meals…and at all new restaurants (for us)! Every place we try will be a new experience for us. Now that I am in my 30’s, I am liking the fact that I don’t have to eat burgers and fries all the time . Thanks to the Passporter boards, I gathered so much valuable information, and we are going to have much better meals this time around!
We had a change of plans in the last month, so this is the revised schedule;


Sat Oct 6, 2007 – Last night of Kaity’s school play. The week we are on vacation is her October break, so that is why we chose these dates. Her play starts at 7pm. Our flight out of Phoenix is at 11:30pm. We are leaving the school at 9:30pm, whether she is done or not! (I can just see myself, in the audience, yelling in the middle of a scene – “Kaitlyn! C’mon, we have to leave! We have a plane to catch! ) I chose a red-eye because I don’t want to waste another whole day of vacation in travelling. Her teacher is not happy with me. I am not happy with him for scheduling the play into the beginning of a school break. He is being a real plonker! (did I say it right, Karen?) Hopefully it works out; I am cutting it close! I can’t imagine that the play would run longer than 2 hours. But we have to make this flight, because it is the last one of the night!


Sun Oct 7, 2007 – Arrive in Orlando, rent car. Check into POR, and we are hoping for the Mansions! I put it on my request, but we will see! I am sure I will be happy with pretty much anything, as long as it is clean! This is our AK day. I am sad because our original plans had us there in Orlando already, so I don’t think we are going to have a full day at AK. But we will get as much as possible done while we are here. My must-do this trip at AK is EE. I have read so many TR’s, and watched all the videos (thanks mestitch! ), and we are really ready to experience the Yeti! Tonight, we are heading to AKL to spend the evening. We have ADRs at Boma, and we plan on participating in the night-time animal viewing and bonfire and story-time. Plus, I really want to check this resort out for myself. I have a dream of spending my 40th birthday here, so I need to do some ‘research’!


Mon Oct 8, 2007 – We have an ADR at 1900 Park Faire. They are just opening after a rehab, so I am excited to check it out. Then we plan on going to Epcot Future World this day. It’s Columbus Day, so I hope it’s not too crowded in the parks! We have a Behind The Seeds tour planned at 11am, which looks like a lot of fun. I am always fascinated by the hydroponic gardening! The new attraction we will be trying this trip is M:S. I am still not too sure about this one. I am not normally afraid of anything! And then my ‘fraidy-cat daughter decided that if we are going to do it, we are going on the spinning version! Our dinner for this evening is scheduled at Coral Reef (thanks to mattnkatsmum for the wonderful review! ), and I am hoping we score a tank-side table.


Tues Oct 9, 2007 – Today we switch resorts from POR to CBR. When we were planning our trip, we couldn’t decide! So we are really happy to have a chance to sample both resorts. We have an ADR at Kona Café to try the tonga toast (PrincessSharon has been tempting us with those pictures! ). Then we head out for a day at Epcot World Showcase. We have an ADR at lunch for Le Cellier, and I am soooo excited to get to try this restaurant! I love World Showcase, and my DD is looking forward to spending some time in Italy. She went to Europe last summer, and fell in love with the country. She is looking forward to ‘going back’! Tonight, our ADR is at Garden Grille, and then we finish up the evening by watching Illuminations.


Wed Oct 10, 2007 – This is our MGM day. We have scored an ADR at SciFi for lunch. Although I am not too sure about either being - or having - a hitchhiker at my table, this looks like a really fun, corny experience. And Kaitlyn can’t wait to get her hands on a glowing ice cube! We love ToT, and for the first time I have convinced DD to go on RNRC!!! I am really looking forward to that!! She was too chicken the last 2 times we were there. I hated standing in line for so long the last time we saw Fantasmic, so this time we have the dinner package scheduled. Our ADR at H&V is early – 5:30pm – but that’s okay. I am hoping we can squeeze an attraction or show in between dinner and Fantasmic.


Thurs Oct 11, 2007 – Today is our slow day. We plan on sleeping in a little bit, and then going to Disney Quest for a few hours. We are going to do some damage at DD, and eat lunch at WFE. I had planned on going to EoS, but after mattnkatsmum’s last TR… The selection there looks much better and I am so easily swayed! While here, we want to stop at Goofy’s Candy Co for some souvenirs for Kaity’s friends. Tonight is our MNSSHP night! We are really, really, really looking forward to this!! We decided not to dress in costume, because we were worried about getting hot or having a hard time getting on and off rides. Instead, Caldercup designed some fabulous t-shirts for us ( Eileen!), and we are going to wear them to the party. We got some really cool black and gold boas from Hallmark, and some really neat Halloween jewelry. We are going to wear long fake eyelashes and lots of glitter. Not a costume so much, but still dressed for the event! Kaitlyn doesn’t like scary things at Halloween, so I think this party is going to be right up her alley! When we read LizardCop’s TR about Halloween at US a while back, and how scary it sounds there, she was like UH, I DON’T THINK SO!


Fri Oct 12, 2007 – This morning we have an ADR at CP. Kaity is a huge Eeyore fan, and is really looking forward to having breakfast with her donkey! We have Mickey’s Magical Milestones tour scheduled at 9:00am, and I think this is going to be so much fun! Mickey is my favorite . Afterward, DD is going to have her hair done at the Main Street Barbershop, and we bought a tiara especially for the occasion. (The original plan was that we had breakfast scheduled at CRT on Oct 6th , but with Kaity’s school play – things changed. Anyway, the tiara was purchased because we were going to go with the whole ‘princess theme’ for that entire day. Didn’t happen, but she still wants to get all glammed up! ) We plan to spend time for most of the rest of the day at MK, and I am hoping we have time to squeeze some shopping in at the Outlet malls!


Sat Oct 13, 2007 – This morning, we check out of CBR and take a drive to Sanibel Island. I read an article several years ago in Family Fun magazine about Sanibel, and how it is supposed to be one of the best places in the U.S. for collecting shells. I PM’d with Stripes, and she was a load of information and so helpful!! PPers really are the best. I have gotten so much help planning this vacation! We are going to spend the night in a beachfront room at Shalimar resort, and I am looking forward to having a nice, relaxing weekend before we return back to the grind. Saturday afternoon, we are planning on taking a dolphin cruise on Captiva Cruises, and that looks like fun! My DD doesn’t like boats very much, but I think she will really enjoy it if we are lucky enough to see some marine life.


Sun Oct 14, 2007 – We will spend a leisurely morning and afternoon at the beach, before heading to Ft. Myers to catch our 6:30pm flight back home.

I have some surprises scheduled for Kaity, but I can’t share them with you until we are there. All in all, it is shaping up to be a magical vacation! WDW, here we come!!!