My Revamped, Reorganized & Rejuvenating Reunion with the Snowbirds About This Page:

[rlb38]

In late August at a family get together, my SIL mentioned that they might just head to Disney for Christmas. My first thought was it's August and you're THINKING about it ?
What I said out loud was " Let me know and we might join you" My mom says " let me know if you go, I'd like to join you." At this point my SIL & I just laugh because we figure there would be no way my parents would join in.

So now of course I have the Disney wheels in full motion in my head. I begin to look at prices and crowd levels I talk it over with my DH and he & I agree that we would rather go earlier in December with less crowds .

This decision puts an end to the family holiday fantasy because my SIL is a teacher.

So booking begins with my TA Doris. After some emails back and forth we decide on the Poly in concierge. We book MVMCP for December 11th. Then a day or so later , I'm talking to my mom on the phone and she asks if we have made any Disney plans. So I explain we won 't be going at Christmas but earlier. She says well book us in, your Dad and I want to go too.

It takes a bit to absorb this and I ask a bunch of questions and ask how long they'll be staying and my mom assures me she's not joking at they want to be there for the whole holiday. My dad has never expressed ANY interest in Disney and has often questioned me on why I would go more than once. I also tried to get my mom to join me and my DD Rachel for a girls trip and she said a week was too long.

So I get back on the computer with my poor TA and sadly cancel the Poly since I think my parents won't want to pay deluxe hotel prices and we get Caribbean Beach with free dining. I also get my parents MVMCP tickets .

So now I guess introductions are in order.

There's Me: Roberta (44)
DH Mike (49)
DD Rachel (15) !! How DID she get to be 15 so fast ???



We live in Ottawa, Canada. Whenever we travel abroad the most often asked question when we tell people where we live is.... Is it close to Toronto. So the answer (in case you are wondering) is about 270 miles east and slightly north. We boarder Quebec.

My parents live in a small town in Northern Ontario about 309 miles north of us. And since they've retired and don't like when the surroundings can look like this


They winter in Panama City Beach, Florida. So they are snowbirds leaving Canada just before the snow flies and returning (usually) when the snow has left. I am only a little jealous of this

We are excited to have my parents join us and to be seeing them near the Christmas holidays . It's been a long time since we've been together for Christmas. Last time my Dad and Rachel looked like this


Last August Dad 74 & Rachel look a little cooler


And finally my Mom 72 on the same tour of the Rideau canal


UP NEXT: more plans and many more changes to plans

[lauriep]

Great start, Roberta! I sure hope your parents enjoy themselves. Looking forward to seeing you at the party and maybe elsewhere around the parks!

[dutchdisneyfamily]

Great start! I can't wait to hear how it turns out!

[shazza]

Another nice December trip! Will be interesting to see how the planning evolves.

[yo ho yo ho]

Great start! Have fun sharing Disney with your parents!

[jimmymac]

Great start - looking forward to the next installment

[chezp]

Can't wait to see you at the party! Maybe one day we can meet up in Canada, as I really want to do a Toronto/Niagara/Montreal/Quebec City trip at some point in the next couple of years.

[rlb38]

Originally Posted by chezp

Can't wait to see you at the party! Maybe one day we can meet up in Canada, as I really want to do a Toronto/Niagara/Montreal/Quebec City trip at some point in the next couple of years.

Cheryl, I am looking forward to seeing you & Mark at the party ! I would love to see you in Canada but Ottawa ( the nation's captial & where I live ) seem to be missing from your list

[rlb38]

Thanks to all who have replied already gives me some encouragement to continue.

HOTEL SHUFFLE

I forgot to mention that we had originally booked an All Stars hotel for the first 2 days of our vacation. We have a direct flight from Ottawa to Orlando but land around
8 pm on Sat. Room rates went down on the Monday, so we decided to save a few $$ would we do 2 days at All Stars then 6 at the Poly.

So when my parents changed our plans, I booked us at the French Quarter. Now my TA did mention ( again) that there was free dining but I didn't think I wanted to do that and took the room discount instead. After mulling over free dining and then checking the price difference between room only and free dining..... well... I changed my mind

But no free dining at French Quarter or Port Orleans so we were booked at Caribbean Beach. We stayed here for my 40th and I just found it okay. I knew my folks would love the grounds so I had my TA book it. But I just wasn't keen on it and then I decided to check our photos again.


I just find that the Nemo wallpaper boarder and bedspread is a little lacking in
Disney magic for me. But they do have the cool pool which reopened not long before we got there


And I even found a Hidden Mickey. I was supposed to get a credit from Steve Barrett but I never got a second email saying they had found it and it was authentic.


Then I found some notes I had made and I was quite unhappy with the bus service and the food court. So.... I start thinking about where else we could go. I was happy to see some very positive reviews for Coronado Springs Resort from Ashli & Princess Sharon on the boards as well as some others. And I also found that PPer Buzz2001 has a site dedicated to CSR. So another email to my poor TA Doris to see if we could switch yet again. I didn't think with free dining it would be possible but the answer was yes !!

That simple move rejuvenated my planning. I'm happy we're trying some place new and that there are queen beds Dining options also sound better. We shall see.

UP NEXT: an unexpected call from the folks

[Coop]

I stayed at CSR on my first trip (2010) and it was great! Really liked the pool and the feel of the resort. There were a few bus stops but didn't share a bus with another resort. We ate at Pepper Market a couple of times and usually got coffee and a bagel or muffin at Rix before heading out to the parks. There was a convention of nursing students when we were there but it still wasn't a problem. (only once were they obnoxious on a bus coming back from DTD late at night) You will love the resort. But I don't like the sound of your teaser!

[yo ho yo ho]

uh-oh. I'm a little worried about your teaser!

[Cam22]

Great start! Glad you've been able to change the resorts around so that you are more pleased with your choice. CSR looks beautiful and my DBiL loved it when they stayed there.

[lauriep]

Glad you were able to get a resort that makes you happy! I stayed at CBR years ago and found it just ok-- for moderates my favorite is POFQ. Haven't tried Coronado yet, but hear very nice things about it.

Now, I'm wondering what the phone call from your parents is about...

[chezp]

Originally Posted by rlb38

Cheryl, I am looking forward to seeing you & Mark at the party ! I would love to see you in Canada but Ottawa ( the nation's captial & where I live ) seem to be missing from your list

Don't worry - I'm sure that will be on the list, as we try and visit a capital city every year. I nearly put Ottawa down, but last night (after a glass of wine in my defence! ) I was trying to remember if it was the capital or not - I thought so, but I wasn't 100% sure....

[rlb38]

Originally Posted by chezp

Don't worry - I'm sure that will be on the list, as we try and visit a capital city every year. I nearly put Ottawa down, but last night (after a glass of wine in my defence! ) I was trying to remember if it was the capital or not - I thought so, but I wasn't 100% sure....

Not to worry Cheryl, I figured it was just an oversight. If you're planning on driving you need to go by Ottawa to get to the other cities on your list. It is a lovely city.