Ya'll might remember me from my first TR: March 2009 or one of my numerous threads about being jobless during the recession. It has been a rough road these past 2 years but I am glad to say I am returning to WDW (AKL Savannah View) September 19th - 25th with my wonderful boyfriend of 4 years. We have a lot to celebrate!
Cast of Characters
Me :wave: My name is Shelley and we are planning to celebrate my 30th birthday which is September 21st!
My wonderful boyfriend Jason - we will be returning for his 30th birthday in 2 years. Yep. I'm robbing the cradle a bit! If I were older, people would call me a cougar. Jason would be a manther.
What will we celebrate?
It's more like what won't we celebrate! Like I said earlier, it has been a rough road for us these past 2 years. I lost my job in October 2008 which made us have to cancel a Christmas trip we had planned for that year. The trip we took in 2009 was a present from my awesome Mother who knew we needed it. That trip completely changed our lives forever and I am sure I would not be where I am now without that trip.
After our 2009 trip, I had renewed confidence in myself. I am a web developer and the technology industry in general has been very difficult since I graduated from college in 2002. I have been laid off a total of 4 times. During the last lay off I decided to read a bunch of books to bring my skills up to date. That was the best idea I ever had! After a string of horrible freelance jobs, I finally landed the job I wanted in July 2009 and I am celebrating one year with the company next week. :sohappy:
So what will we celebrate?
1. My 30th Birthday (of course) 9/21/2010
2. In life, there are good times and bad. Having bad times can turn out to be a good thing because it makes you cherish the good times that much more.
3. My weight loss (25 lbs so far!)
4. Last but not least, the most important thing: our love for each other :hurl:
ADR's/Itinerary
This time around I am very excited to be on the Basic Dining Plan. Last trip we decided on the Quick Service Plan because my family has never been into making reservations and eating a table service meal during our trips. My childhood trips were usually very casual, no one made any plans or thought up an itinerary. We usually did whatever we felt like at the time. This is going to be my 16th trip to WDW (Jason's 3rd) and we are doing things VERY differently this time around.
Let me start off by giving some advice. Make your ADR's the full 180 days in advance if you can! We did ours 3 months ahead of time. I had my heart set on Chef Mickey's for breakfast on my birthday but it was sold out for the entire week! We did manage to get a character dinner there but it's just not the same. It blows my mind that any restaurant in WDW is booked 3 months out during value season! Recession resmesshion!
ADR's:
1. Day 1: 9/19/2010 - Chef Mickey's (Character Dinner)
2. Day 3: 9/21/2010 - Cap May Cafe (Character Breakfast)
3. Day 4: 9/22/2010 - Les Chefs de France (Dinner)
4. Day 5: 9/23/2010 - The Hollywood Brown Derby (Dinner)
We have 1 ADR left to make (since the Brown Derby is a signature dining experience and takes 2 meal tickets each), any suggestions? I would like to do either Artist Point or Yachtsman Steakhouse but those are also signature dining experiences. Would they let us pay half the bill and use 1 meal ticket each?
Special Events:
Just one: MNSSHP on my birthday :ROFLOL:
iPhone Apps
Besides table service meals, I am very excited for this trip because Jason and I got iPhones for Christmas. I have mine loaded up with a bunch of awesome Apps for our trip:
TripIt - Travel Itinerary Organizer
WDW Guide - Notescast
WDW Maps
WDW Dining
WDW Wait Times
WDW Secrets Gold - Notescast
What 2 Ride
WDW Park Hours
Other fun Miscellaneous Disney apps I found:
Disney Facts
WDW Radio (my favorite! I've been listening to a podcast every morning on my way to work)
Disney
Radio Disney
Digicomics
Big Day Lite (for the countdown)
We are SO excited that our troubles are over and it has been smooth sailing so far in 2010. I cannot wait to get back to the AKL, I stayed there in 2002 and I just know Jason will love it. He really loves animals!
79 Days and counting! :sohappy:
Cast of Characters
Me :wave: My name is Shelley and we are planning to celebrate my 30th birthday which is September 21st!
My wonderful boyfriend Jason - we will be returning for his 30th birthday in 2 years. Yep. I'm robbing the cradle a bit! If I were older, people would call me a cougar. Jason would be a manther.
What will we celebrate?
It's more like what won't we celebrate! Like I said earlier, it has been a rough road for us these past 2 years. I lost my job in October 2008 which made us have to cancel a Christmas trip we had planned for that year. The trip we took in 2009 was a present from my awesome Mother who knew we needed it. That trip completely changed our lives forever and I am sure I would not be where I am now without that trip.
After our 2009 trip, I had renewed confidence in myself. I am a web developer and the technology industry in general has been very difficult since I graduated from college in 2002. I have been laid off a total of 4 times. During the last lay off I decided to read a bunch of books to bring my skills up to date. That was the best idea I ever had! After a string of horrible freelance jobs, I finally landed the job I wanted in July 2009 and I am celebrating one year with the company next week. :sohappy:
So what will we celebrate?
1. My 30th Birthday (of course) 9/21/2010
2. In life, there are good times and bad. Having bad times can turn out to be a good thing because it makes you cherish the good times that much more.
3. My weight loss (25 lbs so far!)
4. Last but not least, the most important thing: our love for each other :hurl:
ADR's/Itinerary
This time around I am very excited to be on the Basic Dining Plan. Last trip we decided on the Quick Service Plan because my family has never been into making reservations and eating a table service meal during our trips. My childhood trips were usually very casual, no one made any plans or thought up an itinerary. We usually did whatever we felt like at the time. This is going to be my 16th trip to WDW (Jason's 3rd) and we are doing things VERY differently this time around.
Let me start off by giving some advice. Make your ADR's the full 180 days in advance if you can! We did ours 3 months ahead of time. I had my heart set on Chef Mickey's for breakfast on my birthday but it was sold out for the entire week! We did manage to get a character dinner there but it's just not the same. It blows my mind that any restaurant in WDW is booked 3 months out during value season! Recession resmesshion!
ADR's:
1. Day 1: 9/19/2010 - Chef Mickey's (Character Dinner)
2. Day 3: 9/21/2010 - Cap May Cafe (Character Breakfast)
3. Day 4: 9/22/2010 - Les Chefs de France (Dinner)
4. Day 5: 9/23/2010 - The Hollywood Brown Derby (Dinner)
We have 1 ADR left to make (since the Brown Derby is a signature dining experience and takes 2 meal tickets each), any suggestions? I would like to do either Artist Point or Yachtsman Steakhouse but those are also signature dining experiences. Would they let us pay half the bill and use 1 meal ticket each?
Special Events:
Just one: MNSSHP on my birthday :ROFLOL:
iPhone Apps
Besides table service meals, I am very excited for this trip because Jason and I got iPhones for Christmas. I have mine loaded up with a bunch of awesome Apps for our trip:
TripIt - Travel Itinerary Organizer
WDW Guide - Notescast
WDW Maps
WDW Dining
WDW Wait Times
WDW Secrets Gold - Notescast
What 2 Ride
WDW Park Hours
Other fun Miscellaneous Disney apps I found:
Disney Facts
WDW Radio (my favorite! I've been listening to a podcast every morning on my way to work)
Disney
Radio Disney
Digicomics
Big Day Lite (for the countdown)
We are SO excited that our troubles are over and it has been smooth sailing so far in 2010. I cannot wait to get back to the AKL, I stayed there in 2002 and I just know Jason will love it. He really loves animals!
79 Days and counting! :sohappy:
