The "It's all my brother's fault" Pre-Trip report About This Page:

[pparm]

Well, since we’re leaving one week from today I figured it was time for a pre-trip report!

Who:Me (age 42, 7th trip)
DH (age 49, 7th trip)
DS#1 (age 17,5th trip)
DS#1 girlfriend (age 17,2nd trip??)
DS#2 (age 12,6th trip)
DM (age 62, 4th or 5th trip)
DF (age 65, 4th or 5th trip)
DB (age 41, 2nd trip)
DSIL (age 41, 3rd or 4th trip)
DN (age 13,FIRST trip!!!)
When: August 5th or 6th until the 13th.
Where: First night for myself, DH,DS’S, DSGF at the Sheraton Safari Inn with a Priceline rate of $52/nite!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] We decided to leave a day early and I knew we’d need 2 rooms for that first night since there are 5 of us and I didn’t want to pay much! I also like to check in bright and early to have a better chance to get the room(s) I want! So well check in on Sunday morning at POR and we’ll be there for the rest of the week. The rest of the family will arrive Sunday afternoon. (By the way, we’re splitting the kids up with my parents for sleeping!)
Why: It's all my brother's fault! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]We were all set to take a year off (having just gone the last 3 years) and be responsible adults and put in a new furnace and a deck on the pool. We’ll long about February, DM says that DB and his family want to go this year and since DM and DF have gone twice with us, they want to go with DB’s family too. To which I promptly replied that there was no way they were all going without us and thus, a trip was born! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Of course, I was in charge of everything. (Like that was a real burden!) [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] Everyone agreed on a moderate and we decided we’d go with POR again, because we LOVE it there! I did have some thoughts about trying POFQ this time, but let DSIL decide and she said they’d like to go to POR. We all readily agreed to that! We all decided we’d like to see HDDR and thanks to DF’s generosity, we’re all going as his treat! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Next up: Will we all make it, or will some of us go to Oregon instead??? [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Thanks for reading!
Paula

[pparm]

Will we all make it, or will some of us go to Oregon instead??? [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

Rewind to about a month ago. DN has made the all-star team for softball. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] They play some games and keep winning, play some more games and they’re District Champs! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] Way to go! They continue on to states and keep winning! Now we’re told that if they win states, they go to Regionals in Albany, NY and then the Softball World Series would be held in Portland, Orgeon! While I am absolutely thrilled for DN and her team, I’m thinking in the back of my mind, gee, this just might interfere with our trip to see Mickey! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]Again, I tried to be a responsible adult and mentioned this possibility to my DH and DM, both of which replied,”We’ll still go!” [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]Last Sunday at the game, DB wonders about selling their PH’s and I informed him he can just keep them and go another time. So I knew they were discussing the possibility of what just might happen if DN and a parent have to go to Oregon. Well, to try to make this long story short, they lost their second game last night and are done! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] Way to go South Columbia, second in the state of PA!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Nothing to sneeze at! Good luck at regionals, Punxatawney!! So after the game, I say to DN, “Hey Alex, you’re second in the state in softball, what are you going to do now?” Her reply? “Go home, I guess.” [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] She quickly recovered though, and now can concentrate on being excited to go to WDW! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Since we weren’t planning on visiting Mickey this year, we had other financial obligations. That being said, we decided to forgo annual passes (except for me) and just get park hoppers. DH and DS#2 will get AP’s next year. This is DH’s idea, so I guess that means we’ll be traveling to WDW this year and the next 2! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] (DS#1 probably won’t be going next year, as he plans on starting college in the summer!)

Also along the not spending too much $$ line, I wasn’t sure about getting the DDE card for this trip. We had it last year and it was well worth it, but we were only doing a few table service meals this year, and I didn’t know if I wanted to lay out the $60 for it. I did decide in the end to get it, after we decided to do LTT our first night. I only ordered it about a week and a half ago and I was afraid it wouldn’t come before we left, but the mailman brought it about 20 minutes ago!!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Next up: our itinerary

Thanks for reading!

Paula

[lauren-roxy]

Great start!!! Can't wait for more!!!!

[disneydani]

Sounds like a great start...I guess if DN can't make it to Oregon, WDW is a good "consolation prize"! Looking forward to reading more! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[pparm]

Our (tentative) Itinerary:

Friday, August 4: Leave home! We leave around 10:00 pm and DH drives through the night. That way we get around Baltimore and DC without much traffic.

Saturday, August 5: Arrive in FL around 4:00pm, or so
Check-in at Sheraton Safari and head to MK
8:10 pm ADR at Liberty Tree Tavern
After LTT, I think we’ll head back to the Sheraton as we’ll be tired and no one will feel like leaving the MK parking lot with everyone else after Wishes.

Sunday, August 6: Check out of the Sheraton by 8:00am and head over to POR to check-in. I think DH and the kids might hop a bus to AK as soon as we get there. I’ll get us checked in and go over and meet them. Head back to POR in the afternoon to wait for the rest of the party to arrive and get them checked in with my AP! I think we’ll unpack and eat at the food court and head out to the MK and try to stay for EMH. I also hope to see Spectromagic and Wishes tonight.

Monday, August 7:
AM: Epcot at opening. Head to Beaches and Cream for lunch and to share a kitchen sink!
Head back to POR for swimming/rest
PM:5:00 Hoop Dee Doo Revue (First time for DB, DSIL, DN)
Head to MGM after HDDR and try to see Fantasmic! At 10:30.

Tuesday, August 8:
AM: Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach
Afternoon rest/swim
PM: ??

Wednesday, August 9:
AM: Crystal Palace 8:05
Magic Kingdom
Afternoon rest/swim
PM: Epcot See Illuminations

Thursday, August 10:
AM: Animal Kingdom
Afternoon rest/swim
PM: ??

Friday, August 11:
AM: MGM for EMH
11:30 50’s Prime Time Café
Afternoon rest/swim
PM: ??

Saturday, August 12:
AM: ??
Afternoon rest/swim
PM: ??
(Probably MK and Epcot as we usually end our trip with these 2 parks)

[lauren-roxy]

Your plans look awesome!! It won't be long now!!!

[forever_amber]

you are almost there!

[Colexis Mom]

Great start Paula [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zwavin.gif[/img] Have a great time [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Jillybean]

Great plans! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Only a few more days now!

Jill

[DrDolphin]

Looks like you have some great plans!

[luvnwdwgal]

Looks like you've got a great trip planned! Only a few more days!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[disneygramma]

Great report so far. Looks like you have things well planned, and it promises to be a memorable trip! Have a great time. Look forward to more trip report.

[bsblady01]

I hope that you and your family have a great time at the world.

[PrincessSharon]

Great plans! Have a wonderful time [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zwavin.gif[/img]