A little of this, a little of that, WDW US IOA SeaWorld Legoland Oct 12 PTR

[Chelley00]

Okay, so I'm a total dork. I had too many threads open at one time and must have copied the wrong link.

Here's the good link to the poll

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2836747

I'm home today with DS6, who yesterday missed the school Thanksgiving Feast to go to the doctor to find out he had pink eye AND get a flu shot. Not a good day. The worst news is that pink eye = no school today = miss the Childrens Museum field trip. He's been looking forward to it for weeks! Yesterday I took him to the frozen yogurt place he loves for "bravery beyond the call of flu shot bravery". Today we're apparently going to grab McDonalds for lunch (ick) I'm sure it in no way makes up for missing a field trip, but it's the best I can do

What's really bad is that if his eyes aren't better tomorrow he can't go to school and he'll miss his birthday celebration at school (birthday Friday, but since it's a holiday, they'll celebrate the school day before...tomorrow!)

 

[Simba22]

awww, poor kid! pink eye is the worst! and how sad he has to miss his field trip AND his birthday! i hope he feels better soon!

 

[debrapagliasotti]

Oh my goodness, I cant even imagine planning a trip for that many. But at least your family is giving you free reign, so that will hopefully make it somewhat easier.

I'm curious to see what you decide for accomidations.

Cant wait to hear more about your planning.

 

[disney<333]

I'm here! I would never be able to plan such a long trip for so many people! Bravo!!

 

[oboedm]

Subscribing! I am planning a trip in Oct 2013 for 10 (hopefully 11 people). Can't wait to read more!

 

[ampc3]

subbing well your the first TR I found that was offsite lol... looks like our next trip will be offsite for the first time... I think we are going with Bonnett Creek?

 

[Chelley00]

Rescuing my poor planning journal from the depths of nowhere!

Our 3 youngest kids have birthdays from mid-November, and then we got into Christmas and well, things just got crazy! My brother, SIL, nephew, mom and stepdad all stayed here for 5 days so we had a houseful! We had such a good time together it's made me even more excited for our trip this fall. Then DS7 had hernia surgery 2 weeks ago and recovered well, so finally I think I'm able to sit and start planning again!

Our first big decision was made over Christmas. We are definately staying offsite. We priced staying onsite renting points, and one week at Treehouse Villas or at AKL was still more expensive thatn TWO weeks offsite. It just makes so much more sense, even with paying parking, to stay offsite. We can always rent a car for my mom if we need to split up.

Now, where to stay?

We've narrowed it down to a few houses, so I'm going to make a spreadsheet for DH and mom and the kids and let them all have the final vote. I want to pay our deposit and get it locked in

 

[oboedm]

I think that when I go with my large group in Oct 2013, we will stay off site. Where do you usually stay/rent from?

 

[Chelley00]

I think that when I go with my large group in Oct 2013, we will stay off site. Where do you usually stay/rent from?

We have always stayed in a 4 bedroom 2 bathroom house in Sunset Lakes. We want/need more space this trip, so I'm currently scouring VRBO and WindsorHillsRents for villas.



We had our list narrowed down to one, and when I emailed the owner a few more questions, she answered everyone except she wouldn't give me the name of the property management company she uses, only saying that "We don't use a big company, we use personalized management that will be available 24 hours and I will only send that information in your check in information". It makes me nervous she won't verify the management company, as the owner we've rented from before was always happy to give that to me up front so I could call and verify they are clients. So, we're now waiting to hear from our second and third choices.

 

[oboedm]

Interesting. I have never rented a vacation home, so I am unsure about all of the particulars. However, it does seem off that theywon't allow you to confirm something like that... Hmm... Hopefully the other two will be more forthcoming.

How close are the rental homes to the parks? Is driving ever an issue? I haven't stayed offsite since I was a kid.

 

[Chelley00]

How close are the rental homes to the parks? Is driving ever an issue? I haven't stayed offsite since I was a kid.

We usually stay in Sunset Lakes, which is next door to Windsor Hills. There are many neighborhoods in that area (Emerald Lakes, Formosa Gardens etc) Using a shortcut on a road called Sherbeth, it takes you right next to AK in less than 10 minutes, and every other park in 10-15. You have to allow some time to TTC or monorail to MK. It's really not a bad trip at all.



So, we have our first blip. I got the email back from the second house with all the correct answers this weekend, and right under that was an email from DS16's soccer coach with next school years schedule. The rumor was that they were going to rearrange state tourney because of so many schools going to balanced schedules and long fall breaks. That didn't happen. Regionals are the first weekend we're gone, semi-state the second weekend. DS's school is VERY competitive and always makes regionals. DS already knows he will be a swing JV and varsity player, so he'll have mandatory practices and games while we're gone. Which means he can't go.

We jokingly told him Disney was more important than soccer and he couldn't try out this fall

Which also means we might need to just cancel since we really have no one to "babysit" DS while we're gone, although DH is saying no canceling. We went without them in 2010, and he's saying we can do it again. DH is planning his yearly week long fishing trip with his brother and dad, and DS is going to Belize in June on a mission trip, so they are all traveling without us. I'm not sure I want to do it again, but considering it's one of the few times I get to see my family, and I'll have to take off work anyhow to stay home with the little ones since they don't have school, we might as well go somewhere. I just feel bad spending more money on us than them.

I feel most sorry for my mom if we don't go because her husband is a huge homebody and they never travel, and my mom gets to see her best friend when we go to Disney and I don't want to take all that away from her. Also, the kids and my nephew chatted about the trip nonstop at Christmas, so it would make me sad to keep them at home.


So, basically my whole trip is up in the air. Whether or not we're going, who is going, where we're staying etc. This is so not good for my OCD

 

[oboedm]

I am a bit OCD as well-- I don't do well when things are "up in the air." Thanks for the information on where you stay, etc.

 

[Chelley00]

Rescuing my poor pretrip report from the depths of nowhere! Everything was so up in the air, and we were so busy with school and soccer that I let our Disney planning slide.

But, now we're back and I'm ready to start freaking out

So, here's what's changed in the past couple of months.

With DS16's soccer schedule, he is going to have to stay behind, and DH is going to stay home with him. In return, he and his brother are taking a Carnival cruise in November. That alleviates my guilt about going to Disney again without him, but makes me mad that he gets to vacation with his single brother and I have to vacation with my mom, brother, SIL, nephew and our 2 youngest kids......not fair!!!!

We are leaving October 12th in the evening, stopping to stay somewhere when it gets dark and then driving the rest of the way on the 13th, and checking into....

Wyndham Bonnet Creek.

I really debated about where to stay. We were going to rent an offsite villa when it was everyone with us, but without the guys, we don't need as much space and I feel a little more comfortable in a hotel/condo setting when DH isn't with me. Onsite was just so expensive, even with discounts, and we think that WBC is going to perfect. We'll have 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a full kitchen, laundry, pools and lazy rivers AND most important, shuttles to the parks in case Mom decides to go to the parks early when my brother is there (they are all morning people, we are SO not)

So, one big decision down. A million more to go!

 

[disney<333]

How exciting to be booked! Sorry to hear your son can't come. Time to start thinking about ADRS!!

 

[ampc3]

just got caught up.... yay for Bonnett Creek! I think that is where we are going to stay next year for our first Off site trip... So I'll be looking forward to hearing all about it

such a bummer about your son not being able to go and hubby staying behind.. I'm sure as my kids get older we will be faced with the same things especially with sports involved

noticed those adorable 7 dwards outfits ... wear/how did you get/make them?? It just dawned on me that we have 7 in our family and that would be so cute for a family halloween party..

 

[Chelley00]

Time to start thinking about ADRS!!

Blech. ADRs. I haven't even started thinking about that yet!

noticed those adorable 7 dwards outfits ... wear/how did you get/make them?? It just dawned on me that we have 7 in our family and that would be so cute for a family halloween party..

I found clip art of each dwarf online, enlarged them and printed them on transfer paper and then ironed the transfers on tshirts. The letters are all iron on transfers from Michaels. I also did trick or treat bags for everyone. Just small tote bags with Disney characters dressed in costumes with our names on them. We got SO many compliments on our costumes, and people were always counting to make sure we had 7. The hats we found online. We had beards too but they covered the transfers and you couldn't tell who was who.


On the planning front:

I spent 30 minutes on the phone with my mom today. It was a nice way to spend my commute on the way home. Basically we worked out that we would go ahead and register the kids for the YES class, which they'll love, and get the discount tickets. I registered for the class today and bought 8 day WDW tickets. That gives us 2 days at each park. My mom only spent an hour or so at AK last year because she ended up leaving her with "BFF", so I'm happy she'll get to spend at least one entire day there. I almost got park hoppers, which we have never had, but I just didn't feel like spending the additional money. One more thing off my list!

The kids and I are planning 2 days at Universal and then either 2 days Seaworld or 1 day Seaworld/1 day Legoland. We'll buy our tickets as soon as I find the best discounts for them, but we'll hold off on mom's and plan on going to those places on days she's with her BFF. It may work out that she'll still get to do one day at Universal and one day at Seaworld and just skip the second days at those parks. We'll just buy her tickets at the gate if she decides to go somewhere with us.

The only other thing we really hashed out was that my mom asked if we were going to "the Halloween parade" again I love MNSSHP (we've gone twice a trip the last 2 trips) I told mom we could go if she wanted to and she mentioned she really enjoyed it, so looks like I need to build in a MNSSHP night. Now to just see if Brother's family will want to go to. Last trip we paid for their tickets as their Christmas present, so that may be an idea again.

So now to figure out which park on what day and figure out those ADRs. Within the last 18 months I was diagnosed with multiple adult onset food allergies (Boooo) after years of being sick, so dining at Disney this trip is going to be a whole new ballgame for me. I've been reading some reviews people are posting with allergies/vegans, so hopefully I have enough information to make some decisions of where to go soon. Disney I'm not so worried about, but our other parks days could be interesting. We'll have a kitchen at Bonnet Creek so there may be a couple of days we'll eat in. Maybe I should pack the crockpot?

 

[Chelley00]

I asked everyone to pick a restaurant today.

My mom's choice: "the place I didn't get to go to because I was with Linda (BFF) and the place with the swimming fish and the drinks with the light up cubes Coral Reef. The place she didn't get to go to was Ohana. I'm really hoping I can get an ADR for there, but staying offsite lessens our chances since we can't do 180+10.

DD's choice: Rainforest Cafe. Ugh, but I do have reading charts for 99 cent kids meals so I won't complain too much.

DS's choice: T-Rex. Of course. My future paleontologist didn't get to go here last time since we had the dining plan and it wasn't on it, so he's jonesing for a dino fix

SIL will want to do Chef Mickeys on their arrival night as usual.

Now for my choice. I have NO idea! There are so many places I want to try that we've never been to, but I love character meals and the kids always enjoy them (so did my mom!) so I'm just not sure. My one concern is that I have some food allergies so I want to make sure I go someplace I can eat safely.

Here's my short list:

Garden Grill
Le Cellier
Boma (I've never been and we could visit AKL- our favorite resort)
Fultons
Brown Derby

or maybe even something like Hoop De Doo (never been)?

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Hey!! I am hopping over from my PTR. You have made some serious changes along the way already! Sorry to hear that not everyone is able to join you. You guys seem to be a very busy family, so it's not too surprising that something would get in the way, but still a bummer.
WBC is awesome, we really liked it there in Jan. We had some bumps in the road, but that can happen anywhere. If you are interested you can read our TR from Jan. Otherwise, it was a great vacation and we are looking forward to spending more time at the resort in Oct, we are staying one extra night so we can have some more down time to enjoy the pools and activities there. I'll be following along with your planning!

 

[Chelley00]

Otherwise, it was a great vacation and we are looking forward to spending more time at the resort in Oct, we are staying one extra night so we can have some more down time to enjoy the pools and activities there. I'll be following along with your planning!

I'm so glad you enjoyed Bonnet Creek! We've only rented offsite houses or stayed onsite, so this is our first condo experience. It was just so much cheaper for the long trip and we need the kitchen and shuttle. The kids are looking forward to the pirate ship and lazy river!




Time for some plans! The boring days up first:

Our first official vacation day will be Friday October 12. My mom gets off work at 2 and will arrive here around 5pm. Last trip we left right after she got here (after first surprising the kids that we were leaving...they had no idea!)

We'll probably leave right after my mom arrives, and drive about 5 hours to Nashville. I have enough Marriott points hoarded to pay for a hotel night. It's either that or leave crazy early on the 13th (like 4am) We've done that before and while it's not bad, I hate driving straight through. I'm off on Fridays so that will give me plenty of time to load the vehicle and get everything ready to go.

Either way, we'll arrive in Orlando right around 8pm or so and check into WBC. I'll have to order from WeGoShop instead of Garden Grocer because GG's selection of gluten free/allergy free food is pretty lame. This is the one night I'm going to miss having a counter service restaurant in the resort. We usually check in, dump the luggage and run to eat. Maybe this night we'll just plan on sandwiches from our grocery order.

 

[cinderella crazy]

Joining in. It was fun to read through your whole trip report in one sitting! It was almost like a little rollercoaster ride. Glad your getting to still go and that you've booked where you're staying.

My DS likes T-rex too. It's always one of his picks.

Can't wait to read more!