The Reunion Tour- A Pre Trip Report *New-6/7* About This Page:

[ilovedisney247]

Planning Your Adventure: Your Plans
Okay folks I'm going to give it a try . . . I'm going to PTR and TR at the same time, so hold on to your hats. At best guess, I'll try and update this PTR at night while finishing my DoD TR in the mornings. Wait . . . Wine . . . BRB.

For any of you wine bargin hunters out there: Whole Foods has some house Chard and Merlot on sale for $3.65 a bottle. The Merlot is passable and the Chard is fine (okay I've got it on ice)
For those of you not so bargin wine hunters I had a bottle of Rocket Science ($44) that was SO not a $44 bottle of wine, shouldn't have run me more than $20--unimpressed. It did not live up to the fullness promised by my wine hack.

Okay back to the Pre Trip Report, which along with the Trip Report will probably involve lots of wine. Stay tuned for nightly wine reviews!

Who did that nut job Heather finally get to go on vacation with her? No not her family . . . that seems to be a lost cause. Brandon and I are taking HIS family on vacation with us. I didn't even have to pay them!
(Okay so maybe we did pay for the room using our DVC points, but that's not the same as bribery is it?)

So who are these people?
Me--Heather--Yeah you know me . . .

Thats me at Mousefest '08
Brandon--my best friend--currently exiled to St Thomas USVI in the kitchen of the Ritz Carlton, currently treasure hunting for the escape hatch. He's been to WDW twice with me.


Brandon's Mom--Julia
I don't have a picture on my computer of any of the Cooler-Scheffksy Family
Julia hasn't been to WDW in 20 years

Julia's Husband--Mark
I don't know that Mark has ever been to WDW, though its possible

Brandon's Brother--Blake
This will be Blake's first trip to WDW--he just turned 17.

At the outset of this I was given total control, that of course also means total resposibility for everyone having a good time! I hope I manage to accomplish that!

In addition to Our Fam we're going to be seeing lots of other friends. A whole bunch of Passporters will be joining us for FABs at the Mexican Pavillion and Illuminations on June 9.
Jilly and her Fam will be making an appearance along with Karen and her Fam, Eileen and Sharon! We'll be sure to raise our glasses to friends with us in spirit . . .

I'm not sleepy yet, so I'll continue in the next post with our travel plans and accomodations.

[ilovedisney247]

Getting There (And Back!): Our Journey

Travel was a little bit harder to coordinate, as we're coming in from three different locations, by two different means of transportation.

I will be flying Southwest on the morning of June 7th--direct from New Orleans to Orlando. My flight lands at about 1:30

Brandon will be flying American from St Thomas through Miami to Orlando that same morning, he arrives about 15 minutes before me and will shortly be getting his DME tag in the mail from me, with directions (and a map) instructing him to meet me at the DME counter line.
We will be vacationing for 6 nights 7 days.

The Fam is driving from South Carolina. They are leaving on the 7th, stopping in Jacksonville and then pressing on to WDW on the morning of the 8th. They will be vacationing for 3 nights and four days.


Now we have everyone in place, but there seem to be a few discrepancies in arrival and departure dates, which leads to my fun Room Rodeo.

Staying in Style: The Resorts/Hotels

Arrival night peeps: Heather and Brandon
Resort: Saratoga Springs
Room: Studio

8-11 peeps: The Whole Fam
Resort: Saratoga Springs
Room: 2 bedroom Lock-Off

I actually requested a lock-off room, why? Because it is noted on my two reservations that I'm moving from a studio to a 2 BR lock-off and wouldn't it be nice if the room assignment people just happen to be able to have the 1bedroom on the other side of the door be the other half of our 2 bedroom . . . a lot less luggage trouble in my humble opinion. Of course I will be moving from the studio into the Master Bedroom. (They are my points after all).

Then . . . I realized as we were well into the planning of this trip that some of my friends were going to be staying at the Wilderness Lodge for their annual June vacations. So instead of two more nights at SSR for Brandon and I, we're going to pack up and move clear across town

11-13 peeps: Heather and Brandon
Resort: Villas Wilderness Lodge
Room: Studio

And there you have it . . . the Who, How, and Where questions answered.

More coming in the very near future.

[chezp]

Great start Heather - and with the two trip reports at the same time, I know how much fun that can be, doing that!

[TheThomasFam]

Heather:

The kids and I will be around from June 10th - 13th at CBR and then the whole fam from the 13th through the 19th.

Great start on the PTR.

[Princess_Wantabe]

Great start Heather! I haven't read the TRs in a while, but you always cracked me up...looking forward to more!

[disneydani]

The plan all sound great and I am sure Brandon's family will have a blast! Good luck getting the second room added to the first, certainly would make life a bit easier!

I will keep my eye out for you (and all the other PPs, too...it is gonna be hopping in early June!)....we arrive the 9th.

danielle

[disneydreamer33]

I am sure you will have no problem keeping everyone excited about the World. I have faith you will plan a great trip.
Can't wait for more.

[DrDolphin]

Sounds like a wonderful trip is planned!!! Hope all works out on the room front.

[bsblady01]

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

[Cam22]

Great plans for the June trip! And I am so excited about meeting you and lots of other PPers at the Margarita Meet at Epcot!

[KandJluvdisney]

great start
have fun juggling the ptr and the tr
can't wait ti see how you do
hurry back with more please

[Colexis Mom]

Great start Heather!!

[amandal]

Well I'm looking forward to trying to keep up with a TR and PTR . . . . . No, really, I am. . . . . Can't wait for more.

[MickeyMAC]

Hope your room wishes work out. Great start.

[pparm]

Great start!

Paula