[dizzparkmom]

Hi everyone – this will be my first trip report! I’ve enjoyed reading so many others and look forward to keeping up with one of my own. The title of our trip report comes from our DS who is 3 years old. Like most 3 year olds, he can be quite contrary at times. Even though we know he wants to go to Disney World and will have a great time, it’s still heartbreaking one day to hear him say, “No Disneyworld, stay home!” It’s also heartwarming the next day to hear him say, “Love Mickey Mouse. Go to Disneyworld!”

This trip went from 6 adults and 3 children in December of 2008 to 2 adults and 1 child in December of 2007. I won’t bore you with a long story about the difficulties of traveling with family as many of you have been there and done that! Needless to say, our trip has gone through many twists and turns before it got to its current incarnation – I wish I would have kept better track of each of those twists and turns, but I didn’t. Mostly, I’ll be telling you what our final plan looks like and how it goes. Here’s a little background on our traveling party.

Who:
Myself. (33) Stay At Home Mom (former Elementary School Teacher) to DS3. Growing up, we averaged a trip to Disneyland every 2-3 years. As an adult, however, I’ve managed a few more trips and try to get my Disney park fix at least once a year. My two favorite trips to Disneyland were in October 1998 (first trip with DH) and February 2005 (first trip with DS). Growing up, I always wanted to take a trip across the country to WDW. My dream finally came true when DH and I honeymooned at the Boardwalk Inn in Nov. 1999. On that same trip, DH fell in love with Universal Orlando. Since we spent so much time at Disneyland, I compromised and agreed that on future trips to Orlando we could focus our attention on Universal with only little tastes of WDW. Our next two trips to Orlando happened in March 2002 and October 2003. We stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel and spent only a couple of days on WDW property.

DH: (36) Prior to our trips together, his only trip to Disneyland took place as a young boy….and he didn’t have fond memories of that trip. This was back in the days of ticket books and all he remembers is that his parents couldn’t afford many tickets and he was left disappointed by all the rides he couldn’t go on. Luckily, he was willing to give Disney another shot and we’ve had a great time enjoying Disney Parks together ever since. DH is a good guy and a great dad! I really am fortunate and count my blessings everyday. That being said, DH doesn't always think before he acts, so I'm vowing to be more patient and understanding on this trip!!!

DS (3): Technically, this isn’t DS’s first trip to Disney World. It was on our last trip to Orlando in October 2003, that we learned we were expecting. We have been eagerly anticipating our return to WDW with DS. In the meantime, he has had two trips to Disneyland and two trips to San Diego. Overall, he’s a typical 3 y.o. with a mixture of good days and bad days that all center around how hard it is to be 3 y.o.. He does have some sensory integration issues that occasionally leave him feeling overwhelmed and over stimulated, so that might present some challenges along the way. We are willing to stay flexible; we’ll focus on DS’s needs and do what we can to give him the experience of a lifetime.

When:
December 5th – December 14th 2007

Where:
Here’s the short list of resorts we considered and had at one point planned on staying at: All Star Movies, Pop Century, Boardwalk Inn, and Contemporary Concierge (one of my favorite plans). In the end, we decided on the Beach Club Resort. With the cost of airfare being so high, our trips to Orlando are spaced out far enough that we can afford a Deluxe resort. Also, we plan to take 2-3 hour long breaks every afternoon and believe we’ll be more comfortable at BC. I’ve specifically requested a full balcony so that DH and I will have someplace to ‘hang’ while DS naps – we know nothing is for sure, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed (for the balcony and DS’s naps! ).

What: 9 nights/10 days w/10 day PH and the DDP.

Now, to say that I am an over-planner…is usually an under-statement. I spend more time making lists of what I need to do than actually doing anything on my lists. Having read quite a few trip reports, I feel quite at home amongst the Passporter community. On the other hand, DH and I have no interest in putting DS through a commando vacation. So, I’ve made a deal with myself that, despite how much planning has gone into this trip, in the end it’s all about having a great time with DH and DS and that I won’t be disappointed if all the plans get thrown right out the window. For me, the planning has been fun - in and of itself. So, if we end up being more flexible and spontaneous in order to have a great time – so be it!


Original Plans: Coming soon!