Introduction
Since I found WDWMagic in the Spring, I have lived vicariously through many a trip report to get me excited for our trip, so I thought I would return the favor and do my very first one. Now that we are under 30 days until our trip, I thought I would go ahead and post our pre-trip report now. I hope everyone will enjoy our adventure with us!
Travel Dates: September 24 – September 28, 2008
Travel Method: AirTran Airlines and DME
Resort: All Star Music (IL’s at the Contemporary)
Cast of Characters:
Myself – 38, DH – 45, DD – 15/16 (starts the trip at 15, will end it at 16), DS – 10,
DD’s BFF – 15 (she is also my best friend’s daughter – there is 7 months between them, so basically they have been friend their whole life!), FIL – 69, and MIL – 66
Planning Phase:
During our last trip to DisneyWorld in 2004, we decided to make plans to come in 2008 to celebrate DD’s 16th Birthday. So I guess we could say we have been planning for 4 years. Okay, not really. Planning began in earnest in late 2007. We had booked a Family Suite at the ASMu in February, but in July we changed to two connecting rooms so we could take advantage of a discount code (saved $300 – yay, me!).
We booked our airlines in April, unfortunately unable to get a non-stop flight on Midwest (that ends up turning in our favor since they canceled flights to Orlando in July and the IL’s had to rebook on Delta), but we did get a decent price on AirTran for $200 a ticket. This will be our first time flying with them, so we will see how it goes. We have been a bit frustrated with the moving times of arrival, but it seems to be the state of the airline industry right now, so what can you do?
At the 180-day mark, I made our ADR’s for our trip, which causes a bit of a bump in the road. At this time, my in-laws had not made any indication they were planning on going down at the same time, so I made them for 5. About a month later they indicated they wanted to go and asked what we had planned so far. We decided to make a reservation to the Luau for our DD’s birthday (her choice) and we did, but because the in-laws waited they couldn’t get in and obviously we were not able to enlarge our party either. I was probably mean because I wouldn’t change plans to accommodate them, but hey, it’s her day not theirs. BTW, I love my in-laws, but hey they can drive me crazy at times!
The good news was that they were able to get reservations in the middle of August and we are hoping that we will be seated nearby. But then the IL’s decided they wanted to do the Hoop De Doo Revue as well and I honestly thought the fates were against them for a table of 7 less than two months before our travel plans, but bam they got Disney magic and were able to secure a reservation for a 5:00 seating. Wow, how lucky is that? Of course that meant a change of itinerary for us, but hey we can be flexible.
ADR’s:
Thursday – Spirit of Aloha Luau at 8:00 PM
Friday – Whispering Canyon Café at 8:00 AM
Saturday – 50’s Prime Time Café at 11:05 AM; Hoop De Doo Revue at 5:00 PM
Of course, the announcement of the closing of Pleasure Island also changed some of our plans as well. My husband and I have tried on 5 trips in 18 years to go and for some reason or another never made it, so we decided we had to go on the final night ever! Originally we were going to go to DisneyQuest with the kids – yeah, we find it a fun diversion and with the water & more add-on, we figure why not. So we decided since they are 16, 15 & 10, they could venture in there on their own for a few hours, while we check out Pleasure Island – though it can’t be too late of a night – we have a 5:30 AM pick up time with DME. UGH!
So after dining changes, closing announcements, quick consults of the operational calendar and the various fan sites to determine the best days to go when, we finalized our itinerary
Itinerary:
Wednesday – Travel, arriving in Orlando around 2:30 PM, Check into ASMu, Head to Epcot, and a quick evening jaunt to DTD
Thursday – Birthday Day! AK and Luau
Friday – WL for breakfast (I can almost taste that skillet!), BB and MNSSHP at MK
Saturday – DHS, Hoop De Doo Revue, PI (adults) / DQ (kids)
Sunday – Travel (Ahh, do we really have to go home?)
At the 90 day mark, we made our traditional countdown calendar for the fridge to start counting down the days; I live on WDWMAGIC at this point; and we have most of our packing list together.
At 45-days, we made that final payment (Yahoo!), began our Disney Movie Countdown at 39 days and now we are 27 days and counting. We have a fold-up table that we set-up in the living room that we are starting to pile stuff to pack, which we usually begin about 2 weeks our from the trip.
Thoughts:
We are extremely blessed to have this opportunity to take our oldest on this trip to celebrate this passage of life. I can remember being sixteen was such an amazing time as you approach adulthood and possibilities shimmer in front of you. It truly humbles us that this trip with her family and best friend was our DD’s fondest wish. She has a big heart, a sarcastic sense of humor and is wise beyond her years. Okay, I can’t help getting sentimental; she is the first of our children approaching the edge of our nest!
We hope this trip will be full of love, laughter, memories to cherish for a lifetime and the magic only Disney can make happen!
Stay tuned for Day 1 of our Safari!
Since I found WDWMagic in the Spring, I have lived vicariously through many a trip report to get me excited for our trip, so I thought I would return the favor and do my very first one. Now that we are under 30 days until our trip, I thought I would go ahead and post our pre-trip report now. I hope everyone will enjoy our adventure with us!
Travel Dates: September 24 – September 28, 2008
Travel Method: AirTran Airlines and DME
Resort: All Star Music (IL’s at the Contemporary)
Cast of Characters:
Myself – 38, DH – 45, DD – 15/16 (starts the trip at 15, will end it at 16), DS – 10,
DD’s BFF – 15 (she is also my best friend’s daughter – there is 7 months between them, so basically they have been friend their whole life!), FIL – 69, and MIL – 66
Planning Phase:
During our last trip to DisneyWorld in 2004, we decided to make plans to come in 2008 to celebrate DD’s 16th Birthday. So I guess we could say we have been planning for 4 years. Okay, not really. Planning began in earnest in late 2007. We had booked a Family Suite at the ASMu in February, but in July we changed to two connecting rooms so we could take advantage of a discount code (saved $300 – yay, me!).
We booked our airlines in April, unfortunately unable to get a non-stop flight on Midwest (that ends up turning in our favor since they canceled flights to Orlando in July and the IL’s had to rebook on Delta), but we did get a decent price on AirTran for $200 a ticket. This will be our first time flying with them, so we will see how it goes. We have been a bit frustrated with the moving times of arrival, but it seems to be the state of the airline industry right now, so what can you do?
At the 180-day mark, I made our ADR’s for our trip, which causes a bit of a bump in the road. At this time, my in-laws had not made any indication they were planning on going down at the same time, so I made them for 5. About a month later they indicated they wanted to go and asked what we had planned so far. We decided to make a reservation to the Luau for our DD’s birthday (her choice) and we did, but because the in-laws waited they couldn’t get in and obviously we were not able to enlarge our party either. I was probably mean because I wouldn’t change plans to accommodate them, but hey, it’s her day not theirs. BTW, I love my in-laws, but hey they can drive me crazy at times!
The good news was that they were able to get reservations in the middle of August and we are hoping that we will be seated nearby. But then the IL’s decided they wanted to do the Hoop De Doo Revue as well and I honestly thought the fates were against them for a table of 7 less than two months before our travel plans, but bam they got Disney magic and were able to secure a reservation for a 5:00 seating. Wow, how lucky is that? Of course that meant a change of itinerary for us, but hey we can be flexible.
ADR’s:
Thursday – Spirit of Aloha Luau at 8:00 PM
Friday – Whispering Canyon Café at 8:00 AM
Saturday – 50’s Prime Time Café at 11:05 AM; Hoop De Doo Revue at 5:00 PM
Of course, the announcement of the closing of Pleasure Island also changed some of our plans as well. My husband and I have tried on 5 trips in 18 years to go and for some reason or another never made it, so we decided we had to go on the final night ever! Originally we were going to go to DisneyQuest with the kids – yeah, we find it a fun diversion and with the water & more add-on, we figure why not. So we decided since they are 16, 15 & 10, they could venture in there on their own for a few hours, while we check out Pleasure Island – though it can’t be too late of a night – we have a 5:30 AM pick up time with DME. UGH!
So after dining changes, closing announcements, quick consults of the operational calendar and the various fan sites to determine the best days to go when, we finalized our itinerary
Itinerary:
Wednesday – Travel, arriving in Orlando around 2:30 PM, Check into ASMu, Head to Epcot, and a quick evening jaunt to DTD
Thursday – Birthday Day! AK and Luau
Friday – WL for breakfast (I can almost taste that skillet!), BB and MNSSHP at MK
Saturday – DHS, Hoop De Doo Revue, PI (adults) / DQ (kids)
Sunday – Travel (Ahh, do we really have to go home?)
At the 90 day mark, we made our traditional countdown calendar for the fridge to start counting down the days; I live on WDWMAGIC at this point; and we have most of our packing list together.
At 45-days, we made that final payment (Yahoo!), began our Disney Movie Countdown at 39 days and now we are 27 days and counting. We have a fold-up table that we set-up in the living room that we are starting to pile stuff to pack, which we usually begin about 2 weeks our from the trip.
Thoughts:
We are extremely blessed to have this opportunity to take our oldest on this trip to celebrate this passage of life. I can remember being sixteen was such an amazing time as you approach adulthood and possibilities shimmer in front of you. It truly humbles us that this trip with her family and best friend was our DD’s fondest wish. She has a big heart, a sarcastic sense of humor and is wise beyond her years. Okay, I can’t help getting sentimental; she is the first of our children approaching the edge of our nest!
We hope this trip will be full of love, laughter, memories to cherish for a lifetime and the magic only Disney can make happen!
Stay tuned for Day 1 of our Safari!
take care!
I also spoke with our guest's mom, who is also my best friend of 25 years 
