Finally the Whole Family can go to WDW Together! PTR Jan 2016

[pixiedust_in_ak]

Hello!!!

We are so excited to have a trip to WDW planned. This will be the first trip that all six members of our family can attend together!

Trip details:
Jan 9-18, 2016
Art of Animation hotel

The family:
Mom (Amy) - Me! A nurse happy to get the time off to go to the World. The Planner and organizer of the trip!
Dad - Wounded Warrior recently medically retired from the Army.
A - girl turning 16yo just before the trip.
T - 13yo boy
B - 9yo boy
O - 7yo boy
Gma - joining us for the middle of the trip

We are a crazy crew that is pretty loud and energetic. We tend to have fun and be noticed, but not be rude or obnoxious. respect is huge so we get loud when appropriate and are quiet and calm when needed. We are a close knit crew. We have lived all over the world and now like in K-State country. We are all Disney fanatics and are very excited for this trip. And for myself the planning is just as fun!

Our history:
I (mom) grew up in California going to Disneyland several times a year and Disney has always been a part of our family dynamics. I went to WDW as a kid and teenager with extended family. I am a member of an extended family obsessed with Disney - my grandma made trip spreadsheets and touring plans long before the internet existed. After getting married hubby became a huge Disney fan along side me and I introduced him to how to do Disney right. With schedules and cost of Disney this will be our first trip to WDW with the whole family. I and A went with extended family when she was a baby in 2001. Then in 2007 we went when we were a family of 5 and I was pregnant with number 6. In 2010 I and all the kids went to WDW with extended family while dad was deployed to Iraq. Finally this trip will have all 6 of us in WDW together! So excited!

This trip will be an all-out spoil ourselves trip where we can enjoy time together. The last few years have been rough with hubby being injured in Afghanistan, recovering, and going through the process of being medically retired. During that time I went back to school to complete my RN. So the last few years have been zero vacations, very little fun, and a whole lot of stress. This trip is our reward for surviving it all! We are looking forward to getting lots of family time together!

Gma:
Gma is my mom and will be joining the family for 4 1/2 days in the parks. She is a Disney fanatic and WDW expert who gets along great with the whole family. She will have her own room at the AoA hotel and each night plans to take one or two kids to her room for the night. Some time we will be all together, some times she'll take some kiddos and explore the parks with them. That will let mom and dad have some one on one time with the kids, or maybe even alone time?!? Yes! It should be a great balance of family time and quiet time for mom and dad.

Okay so that's the basics! More posts to follow shortly with the details and planning! I'll probably be the only one to read but that's okay, I just love putting it all down.

~Amy

 

[pixiedust_in_ak]

The Plan:


Day 1 - Arrival
Since we fly in midday and it will be winter I am not planning anything special for this day. Landing mid-afternoon, DME to the hotel and get settled in. We may hit DTD (what is is now Disney Springs??, sorry old school me can only say DTD). Dinner is planned as CS at the hotel or DTD. We'll see how everyone is feeling.

Day 2 - AK, MK
The plan is to be at RD at AK and enjoy the park. Then if we still have time and energy we will head over to MK. AK we plan to take slow since hubby cannot walk fast. We plan to check out all the animals and see some shows to keep the day from being to crazy and too exhausting. MK is just to hit a few rides and take in the joy of being at Disney.

Day 3 - EP
The focus of the day will be Future World. RD and off to the big rides. No park hopping today and not sure if it will be mid-day nap or going till we drop!

Day 4 - HS
Hopefully RD - hubby tends to want to sleep in by this point! We have to hit ToT, TSM, and RnR. The kids love Lights, Motor, Action. Everything else is flexible.

Day 5 - MK
Gma will be joining us starting today. Pre-RD at BOG (I'll post all the ADRs later). Probably a go until we drop day, though I'd like to stay to see the Electric Light Parade (one of my favorites)

Day 6 - EP
World Showcase is the focus today. Sleep in and hit Akerhaus at 10:30, then spend the majority of the day exploring WS, and then hit a few rides in FW if we still have energy.

Day 7 - MK
This is our slow day. We have to have one by this point! We'll let everyone sleep in as late as they want then head to MK. We'll focus on the less crowded rides. No stress, no racing around. Then back to the hotel to go to bed early!

Day 8 - AK, EP
Hopefully everybody is refreshed so we can do RD again and stay till we feel we've seen and done everything we wanted to. Then over to EP for dinner and do whatever rides everyone wants, and do anything we missed.

Day 9 - MK
Hopefully RD but we'll see. This is ride day - hit everyone's favorites and whatever else we can get on without huge lines. Gma will be leaving about lunch.

Day 10 - ?, Departure
In the morning we will go to whatever park we want. If there is somewhere we feel we didn't get much time for then we'll head there. about lunch time we will have to leave to catch MDE and head home.