Pre-Trip WE HAVE TO GO BACK! (April 2016)

Wow.

Well, this is quite a surprise!

We JUST got back from Disney on 9/26!! I hadn't been in ten years, and honestly didn't expect to be back for quite some time, but as luck would have it, it looks like we are going to be back in just SIX SHORT MONTHS!! I'm seriously still kind of in shock!

So here is a bit of back story to explain..My co worker has told me that her and her significant other are going to start trying for a baby...right now. I'm totally cool with this except that we normally vacation in September, and really any way it plays out if she were to be successful in the new few months, it would mean no vacation or any time off for me for up to 3 months. We always go to the beach, and so my brain started racking. We could go in early spring, but no, too cold, and basically it just went like that and me calculating out how many months from each month and blah blah. It got overwhelming. I knew that no matter what, I'd be pretty safe in April or May but it's not warm enough for the beach. Disney briefly came to mind but I thought "no way will i be able to talk my husband into going back this soon!" So all day today I looked up prices with the help of my mom (remember, she planned out entire vacation!) and I came home in hopes of trying to convince my husband that I think this is the best thing to do in regards to the uncertainty of my coworker being out next year. It didn't take much convincing! He was surprised that we could stay for as cheap as we could and that was it! We decided we are going to do it! I am giddy like a school girl!

I LOVE my beach trips, and the fact that I'm so excited about this is a bit surprising! So that's that! This is SUPER early in the planning process (and that step is OMG i'm still in shock!) and I know all of almost NOTHING right now except that we will be staying in a Value this time around since we are footing the bill. LOL

Anyway, that's all I've got right now. I honestly can't believe it! Stick around!

 

[TheMouseFan]

FASTPASS DAY!!!!! (well, at midnight)
That means we are 60 days out from vacation! It hardly seems real to think that we are going back already! Admittedly, we've been preoccupied and haven't really been focusing on it too much because until about an hour ago, I didn't even have my FP+'s PICKED! I'm such a slacker. ( I didn't do it on our last trip, my Mom did them all) so I had no idea how much thought went into them! you have to know where you will be what day, when you have any ADR's, ect. Whoops!

Now I have to set an alarm for midnight because I need to get a FP for the Anna & Elsa Meet and Greet because Harper is obsessed!

Man, Disney planning is hardcore!

Good luck! I hope you get everything you want! Your trip will be here before you know it!

 

[Figment Forever]

Hello everyone!

Planning for our trip has slowed down for the time being. We’ve made ADR’s and are still a LONG way from FP choices, so we are kind of just hanging out. We only have about 5.5 months, and that’s really hard to believe!

A month or so ago, I did order some of the Disney planning DVD’s (hoping for a pin code.. I know there is no method to it, but I was trying) and it showed up last night, so we watched it. Harper loved it too. We are now really really wanting to do a cruise in a few years when Harper is a bit older. I’ve ALWAYS wanted to do a cruise, but no one else in my family wanted to. My husband is down for it, so maybe in a few years we can plan for one! We’d want to do a 7 night one, and that’d likely be our whole vacation. I wish we could visit WDW too, but doubt we could afford it. Anyway, it’s something we are thinking about right now!

One thing I’m trying to think ahead with for this upcoming trip is breakfast! We brought NO food with us the last time, and it was kind of a pain to have to go to the food court EVERY meal when we weren’t in the parks. In the interest of saving money, I think we should bring some sort of breakfast meal with us, but then I think “heck! We’re in Disney! Let’s eat mickey waffles every day!” so… there’s that. I’ll probably still bring some food we can eat, but plan on eating a LOT of Disney food like we did the last trip. I am looking forward to a bigger food court this time. The Mara was pretty tiny and would get REALLY busy!

Fingers crossed you get everything you want!!!

 

[Figgy1]

i hope all went well

 

[ScarletBegonias]

Hello everyone!!
I ended up staying up until midnight to make my FP's and got everything I wanted, including a M&G with Anna and Elsa! Harper is going to lose her mind! She's SO obsessed with frozen. We watch at least once a week! I love it too, I won't like, I might be the one suggesting it about once a week!

Today we paid off our trip~!!!!!! How exciting!! It's a lot of money, but it's worth it and we just know Harper is going to have a blast on this trip! I cannot wait!

 

[Figgy1]

Hello everyone!!
I ended up staying up until midnight to make my FP's and got everything I wanted, including a M&G with Anna and Elsa! Harper is going to lose her mind! She's SO obsessed with frozen. We watch at least once a week! I love it too, I won't like, I might be the one suggesting it about once a week!

Today we paid off our trip~!!!!!! How exciting!! It's a lot of money, but it's worth it and we just know Harper is going to have a blast on this trip! I cannot wait!

Congrats ans Congrats!

 

[Frontier21]

43 days left for us. Congrats on the pay off of trip. Something we need to do. We did add another day, so now it's a 7 day trip.

 

[ScarletBegonias]

43 days left for us. Congrats on the pay off of trip. Something we need to do. We did add another day, so now it's a 7 day trip.

Awesome!!! More days are always better!

 

[ScarletBegonias]

Hard to believe we are quickly approaching the 30 day mark! I can't believe it. The time has gone so fast. Believe it or not, I have not started to pack anything yet! I am an extremely EARLY packer!

We went out this weekend, and I bought myself some Bermuda shorts and a few shirts for vacation! Call me silly, but I don't want to be in the same shirts I was in last year! Plus, it's exciting shopping for new clothes for vacation!

I'm going to start going through Harper's clothes and seeing what I think I'm going to put her in! This trip is a little different in that it's NOT summer clothing weather and we have no idea what fit's and what does not! Last year we went at the end of summer, so we'd been wearing these clothes for a couple of months.

I do have one annoying issue with this trip. I've been diagnosed with SIBO (a bacterial overgrowth in my intestines which makes me very bloating and sick). What this means is that I will not be able to have a bunch of sweets on this trip and it makes me incredibly sad! To avoid the bacteria from coming back, I have to eat low (practically NO ) carbs, and very very low sugar. The thought of not getting to enjoy my gluten free mickey waffles really bums me out, but in the long run, I do want to feel better so I really have to be "good" while we are there. I just don't know what I'm going to eat. Potatoes are OUT. Sugar is out, and grains are out, oh yeah, and most dairy. What. The?

anyway, I guess i'll deal with it when the time comes. It hurts too much to think about right now!

 

[MinnieM123]

Sorry to hear about your SIBO. Perhaps if you have time, check out the menus for WDW. They have a number of offerings for all kinds of different food allergies and medical conditions nowadays. It may take a little bit of the stress off you, if you had an idea of which restaurants (ahead of your trip) , might cater the best to your present medical needs. I wish you the best of luck with this, and I'm sure the rest of your vacation fun will make up for any food inconveniences you may have to deal with.

 

[Figgy1]

Hard to believe we are quickly approaching the 30 day mark! I can't believe it. The time has gone so fast. Believe it or not, I have not started to pack anything yet! I am an extremely EARLY packer!

We went out this weekend, and I bought myself some Bermuda shorts and a few shirts for vacation! Call me silly, but I don't want to be in the same shirts I was in last year! Plus, it's exciting shopping for new clothes for vacation!

I'm going to start going through Harper's clothes and seeing what I think I'm going to put her in! This trip is a little different in that it's NOT summer clothing weather and we have no idea what fit's and what does not! Last year we went at the end of summer, so we'd been wearing these clothes for a couple of months.

I do have one annoying issue with this trip. I've been diagnosed with SIBO (a bacterial overgrowth in my intestines which makes me very bloating and sick). What this means is that I will not be able to have a bunch of sweets on this trip and it makes me incredibly sad! To avoid the bacteria from coming back, I have to eat low (practically NO ) carbs, and very very low sugar. The thought of not getting to enjoy my gluten free mickey waffles really bums me out, but in the long run, I do want to feel better so I really have to be "good" while we are there. I just don't know what I'm going to eat. Potatoes are OUT. Sugar is out, and grains are out, oh yeah, and most dairy. What. The?

anyway, I guess i'll deal with it when the time comes. It hurts too much to think about right now!

I'm so sorry to hear about your tummy troubles. Contact special diets right away, fill out the forms and like magic you shouldn't have any problems at all with your ADRs. Due to digestive issues I can't eat gluten or any animal products and didn't go hungry on our last trip. Qs can be a bit more trouble but check out the menus now so you know what places will work best for your needs. Eating at nonpeak times for qs is also a big help. Also make sure to alert your server at TS places and the cashier at QS places and don't be afraid to ask for a chef or manager if need be. Best of luck

 

[Doc Disney]

Just caught up on everything! Sounds so exciting!! We will be there at the end of April (as in the 30th) so luckily for us I'm hoping we miss the majority of the cheerleaders haha. Not that I have anything against cheerleaders but I have been to Disney before when they were there and it was a bit irritating. I'm not sure what you decided in terms of gift cards but you can combine gift cards on the Disney site. I just did this so all my stuff is on one gift card!

 

[ScarletBegonias]

Thanks everyone! I really hope my dietary stuff doesn't give me too much of an issue. As long as I eat meats/veggies, i'll be fine.

I keep thinking maybe I'll just have one thing while I'm there! "it wont kill me" but then I just think It would open the gates to eat horribly all week. Sigh.

 

[Figgy1]

Thanks everyone! I really hope my dietary stuff doesn't give me too much of an issue. As long as I eat meats/veggies, i'll be fine.

I keep thinking maybe I'll just have one thing while I'm there! "it wont kill me" but then I just think It would open the gates to eat horribly all week. Sigh.

I know it's not a Mickey bar but the Ice Cream Parlour on MSUSA has a sugar free dairy free berry sorbet

 

[Frontier21]

Just a reminder too to bring the Gas-X. Sorry to bring it up but it helps stomach troubles too. I know the food at Disney is almost all good but it is still delivered and cooked in bulk. Not going to say processed because I might get taken out!!!! Lol. 35 days and coming quick just a few more for ya'll. Starting to get excited here.

 

[Figgy1]

Just a reminder too to bring the Gas-X. Sorry to bring it up but it helps stomach troubles too. I know the food at Disney is almost all good but it is still delivered and cooked in bulk. Not going to say processed because I might get taken out!!!! Lol. 35 days and coming quick just a few more for ya'll. Starting to get excited here.

I'm not 110% positive but i don't think gasx is gf

 

[ScarletBegonias]

Sorbet might be a good replacement! thanks!!!

and yeah, I've never taken Gas-X LOL!

 

[ScarletBegonias]

Guess what today is!???

THE THIRTY DAY MARK!
30 days until we're pulling out for Disney! In fact, at this time in 30 days, we'll probably be 3-4 hours into our drive!

here's our plan:
I believe on 4/6 I'm going to get my nails done. Last year this took HOURS, but looking back on the pictures, I'm glad that I got them done, because they are visible in a lot of our MM pictures! The place I went to was SLAMMED when I got off work, so I sat around and waited. Hopefully this year, it won't be as crazy. I want to do something Disney like, but not the red with polka dots that I did last time! Any ideas??

4/7- We are going to go over and get my mom's Subaru Forrester after work. We are lucky that she lets us borrow it, because both my husband and I have TINY hatchbacks that would be SO cramped on this LONGGGG journey to Florida. We will pack the car Thursday night, and take our showers so that we don't have to do anything in the morning except eat, and skedaddle!

4/8 - Friday! (departure day!) I'm not going to set any alarms this day. I'm going to wake up whenever we wake up (which with a toddler, will probably be between 6:30-7am) and get her and the hubs breakfast (I can't eat for an hour after my thyroid meds) and get the show on the road. I'd really love to be in the car by 8am, if completely possible. We are planning our first stop about 3.5 hours out in Richmond and stopping at this all natural, organic store called Ellwood Thompson's my mom told me about. We'll let Harper run around a little bit, and then back in the car we go.

We plan on driving 12-14 hours the first day and hopefully stopping by 10pm so that we can all get a good nights rest. Last year, we didn't stop until 1:30 am because I had to work a half day, and it was MISERABLE!

So, that's it for now! We haven't started packing. I'm slacking this year!

 

[Figgy1]

Congrats on hitting the 30 day mark! For nail ideas just look online for Disney nail designs there's a ton out there

 

[ScarletBegonias]

Congrats on hitting the 30 day mark! For nail ideas just look online for Disney nail designs there's a ton out there

Thanks! They are usually just so ornate, and I don't have time or money for all that! just trying to think of some colors that are Disney like... I love Belle and Little Mermaid, but yellow nails.. eek. So maybe i'll do the green on all my fingers and do my ring finger purple or something. Ah! I don't know!

 

[Figgy1]

Thanks! They are usually just so ornate, and I don't have time or money for all that! just trying to think of some colors that are Disney like... I love Belle and Little Mermaid, but yellow nails.. eek. So maybe i'll do the green on all my fingers and do my ring finger purple or something. Ah! I don't know!

What about Minnie pink with a white bow painted on? or a hidden Mickey in crystals?