25th Ann.-2 TR w/over 1500 pics!!!!

[DizNee Luver]

So a little about me, I'm a mom of 7 kids (ages 23, 22, 19, 7, 3 & twin 21mths). I know you're going wow, what is she thinking....but let me clarify things: the 3 older are my biological sons, the 7 yr boy we adopted 3 yrs ago out of foster care, the 3 yr girl's adoption finalized Jan 6th (also out of foster care) & the twin girls adoption should finalize within a month (also out of foster care). We also currently have 2 foster kids ages 5 & 6 in our home, so as you can see our house is a bit hectic. (only the 23 yr old doesn't live at home.....getting the visual of my place now??)
My hubby, Mike & I decided to take a week long trip to DL for our 25th Anniversary. We are going March 7-14 & we're very excited as we get closer to those dates!!
We decided to leave ALL the kids at home.
We are planning to do some things we couldn't normally do with all the kids (either due to ages or finances).
We're driving down from Medford the day of the 7th & will be staying the first 2 nights at the Disneyland Hotel. This is something I've wanted to do all my life!! On Monday the 9th, we'll move over to the Tropicana Inn.
We are planning to do the Fantasmic, Dessert seating on the 8th. We're taking the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour on the 12th. We're dining at the Blue Bayou & Hook's Pointe. We're also taking in some character meals (which seems a bit strange not having kids with us, but I love to see them too).
We've read a million of the threads here to help us plan & decide on which restaurants to try & pretty much have our itinerary set.
Just extremely excited for the trip & to take a break from our crazy homelife. Besides, after 25 yrs of marriage....a trip like this will really help us reconnect as a couple & not just as mom & dad.

 

[kaoden39]

Oh how exciting and nice for you. You deserve this time to yourselves. There are so many fun things that you can do as a couple. The last trip we took the kids were busy doing their thing together and my husband and I had time alone and it was wonderful. It was the first time we had been alone at Disneyland since our honeymoon in 1992. Be sure and walk under the waterfalls together at the DLH. And stroll the grounds after dark. I am so excited for you.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Thank you for reminding me about the beautiful grounds at DL Hotel, I will definately take time to enjoy all of it!!

 

[kaoden39]

Oh do because it is so worth it. We were lucky enough to be able to leave our kids with my Mom and niece last trip and wander alone and it was kind of romantic.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Hooray the trip is fully booked & paid for now!!! Was sitting on pins & needles waiting for fed. refund to show up....but it came & was able to finalize our trip plans.
Has anyone ever used Vacation Planning to order baskets, etc?? I set up 2 suprises with them & hoping we will love the baskets....

 

[kaoden39]

Hooray the trip is fully booked & paid for now!!! Was sitting on pins & needles waiting for fed. refund to show up....but it came & was able to finalize our trip plans.
Has anyone ever used Vacation Planning to order baskets, etc?? I set up 2 suprises with them & hoping we will love the baskets....

I did a basket the last time we were there. I ordered a birthday basket as a surprise for my Mom's 70th birhtday. It was wonderful. And they had an autograph picture of Mickey and Minnie waiting at the front desk for her too. Although the baskets are expensive they are wonderful. It was so nice and beautiful that she didn't want to open it.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Cool Beans....I'm very excited to see them!!!
I've ordered the Mickey & Minnie's Welcome Basket for our arrival & then the 2nd night, I've got the Chocolate Lovers Basket coming for my hubby (tag: for my sweetie) & the Tink's Treasure Basket for me (tag: because I'm spoiled) lol I've also ordered the rice krispies and milk for our late night snack.

 

[kaoden39]

It sounds like you are going to spoil yourselves and I think that is wonderful. We need to do things like that more often. Right now I am in the planning stages of a family trip next December. I wish we were going to stay at the DLH this trip but not this trip. Enjoy your stay there. We love it.

 

[DizNee Luver]

I'm so excited....I just found out that a gal I met on pogo.com 5 yrs ago & had the opportunity to meet in person at Disneyland in 2005 is going to be there again while we're there. She planned a last minute trip, so we could meet up again!!! She's a huge Disney-fan & it will be great to reconnect with an old friend at what we like to call "home".
Just made the next 19 days seem like forever!!!

 

[kaoden39]

Oh how neat. And you are down to less than three weeks. Wow so close.

 

[DizNee Luver]

So I just realized that people tend to put pics in on their pre-trip reports....so decided to add some:

this is Mike & I (Laurie) at our wedding March 17, 1984

Our 2005 trip for Disneyland's 50th Anniversary:

Our Spring Break Trip last year (only took 3 of our kids)

My entire crew in August 2008:

So at least now you get a little better feel for who we are!!

 

[kaoden39]

You have a sweet family.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Thank You Very Much!!

 

[DizNee Luver]

I know we're getting close to our trip when the Disney Travel Package arrives via UPS!!! Super excited to find all the goodies inside!! I also pre-ordered some Disney GiftCards & they arrived at the same time!!
Now just sit & wait patiently for 17 more days........ guess I'll have to fill my time with these forums

 

[kaoden39]

I know we're getting close to our trip when the Disney Travel Package arrives via UPS!!! Super excited to find all the goodies inside!! I also pre-ordered some Disney GiftCards & they arrived at the same time!!
Now just sit & wait patiently for 17 more days........ guess I'll have to fill my time with these forums

To me that is when the trip becomes real.

 

[merrrydeath]

Oh my gosh. Congratulations on 25 years! I hope you two have the best time on your trip. Definitely spoil yourselves rotten! I'll be sticking with this report.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Yup, I agree.....with the travel package in hand it is definately real now!!!

And thank you very much.... I'm curious to see how your bday trip goes!!

 

[Sherry E]

Make sure to also wander into the gorgeous, dimly lit and enormous lobby of the GCH and plop down in one of the comfy chairs to listen to the piano player or enjoy the surroundings....or mosey over into the lounge just off of the lobby for a nice beverage. I see lots of couples doing that.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Make sure to also wander into the gorgeous, dimly lit and enormous lobby of the GCH and plop down in one of the comfy chairs to listen to the piano player or enjoy the surroundings....or mosey over into the lounge just off of the lobby for a nice beverage. I see lots of couples doing that.

That actually sounds like a great way to unwind.... thanx for the suggestion.... I may just do that. Question about that??? Will they have the wench handy to pry my tired butt out of chair????
Otherwise I may just sleep there!!

 

[Sherry E]

That actually sounds like a great way to unwind.... thanx for the suggestion.... I may just do that. Question about that??? Will they have the wench handy to pry my tired butt out of chair????
Otherwise I may just sleep there!!

It is tough to pry yourself out of the chairs, that's for sure. Those chairs are quite comfy in that GCH lobby - even more so than the couches. But it sneaks up on you. When you first sit down, you don't really realize that the chair is that comfy. It seems like kind of an odd fit. Then, the longer you stay in it I think you grow accustomed to it and suddenly getting OUT of the chair is a daunting and traumatizing task. I think you kind of slowly sink in to the chair and relax, whether you realize it or not. And the relaxing mood is set with the piano and the fireplace and the dim lighting and dark wood - so your mind at the end of a long day is probably thinking, "Okay, this is where I am going to sleep for the night."