So.. 3882 from my last day at WDW until I am there again...crazy? More than a little and NOT what I planned as I left WDW on New Years Day nearly 10 years ago..
Let's back track.. about 4630 days to be exact.. April 6th 1999..first trip to WDW , location..Dixie Landings resort..cast..Myself ( then 24), my mom, my cousin and my son Noah ( then 4.5)
here is Noah and I in Norway ( excuse the pictures..I dont have a scanner and they are pictures of pictures)... I was so much younger..and thinner..ack!
And of course just Noah..light of my life ( that was BEFORE he became a rotten teenager..lol).. we did CRT..he acted not happy with all the princesses talking to him..but really..he loved it and made puppy eyes at each one as they approached or left!
We had a glorious 10 days at the World..oh my ..we all fell in love..head over heels in love ( careful..love really gets in the way of this girls dreams..lol).
We no sooner get home and I plan another trip for Christmas 2000..so a mere 613 days inbetween.. not as soon as I wanted at the time, boy oh boy does that number seem so small now eh?
So about 522 after leaving WDW I met a guy..yep told ya love was gonna change a few things for this girl . Now up to this point the plan was Jan 2002 my mother was retiring and we were moving to Fl.. I was a waitress(head waitress and trainer thank you very much) and that skill travel wells!
WELL..one day with said guy and I knew I was head over heels in love..somehow WDW moved from #2 on my love list ( yeah my son was #1..lol) to #3 . In 91 days I was to leave this awesome guy for a 14 day trip to the World..boy was that hard ( and easy at the same time).
Well we went to WDW, stayed at CBR.. had 14 awesome days , but that guy 1200 miles away never left my head. Even with all the fun..
and the awesome people we met.. Noah was extremely taken with a certain CM named Vivian at the Brazil part of Millennium Village:
.
So after all that fun we went home..and I was glad..BUT plans changed.. in fact 138 days later that guy ( Eric BTW) and I got married. It was great.. and about ONE day later I was expecting our first child together.. well than rather quickly ( about 1704 days to be exact ) we had 3 more kids ( grand total 4...and holding).
Anyone that has 3 kids in 3.5 years ( or 1297 days from first birth to third) knows this..they are costly and exhausting. My WDW dreams had been replaced with nursing,changing diapers, chasing toddlers and then with homeschooling all 4 of them rugrats of mine.
Ok so now we are all the way up until November 19 2011...
So. Nov 2011..but that still needs a little more back story. See I have this friend.. been friends since 1981 in fact. Spent lots of time together in grade school..little less in middle..almost none in High ( lived in different towns). We have ( well in the last 4 years) become very close again. She and her hubby have 7 kids and go to Disney yearly if not more.I'm always jealous as heck..but with a single income and 4 kids..well WDW was just NOT gonna happen for us. I had resigned myself to this. She has asked us to go with them many times..but the numbers on that math scared me even more than the 1704 days from one birth to a third did!
So many little "things" started working in a weird way about 130 days ago. Planets aligned, the economy started picking up in my husbands field..ie LOTS of OT, my friend and her husband leased a building, started plans for a new club and need a head waitress ( still in process but we are soo close to opening and me earning $$) a few nights a week, the kids got older and less work.
My brain started working on the whole..well maybe we CAN do this. We have driven to outside Savannah GA and home not once but twice ( about 997 miles..straight thru EASY). So getting the FL was not an issue. What's 250ish more miles..nuttin!
Then came the free dining in August 2011.. hum.. that was one of my biggest things.. I can do the rooms, I can do the tickets I can do the drive..but the food..ack.. 4 kids, one husband.. that's a lot of food to pay for. ( and yes I know DDP isn't really "free"...but I crunched the numbers..it's close!). Well this "free" DDP sealed the deal. Called my awesome friends got the dates and resort they were going to.
Now we are up to Nov 22 2011 when I called, and made our ressies for two rooms with 7 people ( my mom is joining us) at Pop Century.
So this trip has really been 3629 days in the making. Lots of detours ( AKA KIDS) and life changes along the way..but we are finally on the right path to getting my butt back to WDW.
To say I am excited would be an understatement. I never thought we'd get our youngest 3 there before they all hit double digits. They will be 5 ( almost 6..like within days of us coming back home),7 and 9.. with the oldest turning 17 while there. Oh want to see them?
here's that once cute little boy who pretended he didn't like the pretty princesses..hard to believe he will be 17 in August.
and here's the tornado triplets ( while they are not true triplets they sure can stir up a tornado and leave a wake of destruction behind)
The one on the left side will be 9 in Feb, the girl was 7 in Oct and the sweet little thing is 5.
Oh and here is myself and my DH.. and YES that would be a glow stick under my hat.. we were at a parade..I was feeling goofy..enough said!
Oh did I mention we are going with friends? Well here's that amazing friend of almost 30 years and her hubby.. forgive them it was Halloween and they were some character's from Jersey Shore..they don't normally look like this:
they will be bringing their 7 kids ( from 16 to 3).. and her mom!
Also are these awesome friends:
who will have their one son ( 16)..
there may be various other teens that join if they can come up with the cash needed.. we shall see!
So that's who's going...
Now, if your still with me.. it must be known I am a planner.. OCD and I are best friends. I am organized, meticulous and I tend to be a BIT obsessed..
I sit here with 73 days until I can make ADR's, 208 days to have the two reservations paid off, 252 days until we leave, and 253 days until we arrive at WDW ( we will drive if ya missed that.. it's about 1250ish miles..or 22ish hours). I am so obsessed with planning this trip that I am on the boards all the time. Afterall it's been 3629 days since I was IN WDW.. a few things have changed!
Oh..wait... did I mention this is a SURPRISE trip? Oh I didn't..shoot.. well it is. Our 3 youngest kiddo's will NOT be told..The oldest knows..but that's ok.. I told him..lol .
So we don't plan to tell the 3 youngest ( Lord help me keep this secret please? ). The plan is to "decide" last minute to head to GA to visit our friends as we normally do ( we usually go in April though). We plan to leave at a time that will have us arrive in orlando at day break on the 19th..so the kids will wake and we will BE in WDW ( they won't notice we missed our exit to Savannah..lol).. the oldest and my mother are Amtraking it down as the drive is just too long for my mom.
So if all goes as planned my kids are going to be SHOCKED..thrilled I hope.. excited and full of magic I pray.
So that's a ways down the road..I try not to think on it too much right now.. on to plans right?
Sooo.. we are part of a rather grand Grand Gathering. We are all on DDP ( upgraded to regular from QS).. so 2 credits will used for something ( we haven't decided what.. I would already know but they are not the pre-planners I am!).
On August 23rd my oldest turns 17..the plan is MK that day then boat it over to Hoop Dee Doo for the early show. I am not thrilled we can't get cat 1 seating except at the 9:30 show..but we will survive ( 2000 we had the front table..it was GREAT).
I know we have to eat at Coral Reef ( i know I know..but I have to for the Dh who does NOT understand WDW and would prefer NOT to go) and I'd like to do Sci Fi and Whispering Canyon..
Once the calendars come out for August I can start planning what parks,what days and then yeppie..ADR time!!!
I am still internally debating on buying a stroller for my youngest. He's..welll..adorable but rather dramatic.. and if he gets tired..um.. I will make the notable list for sure. I plan to "train" all 3 wee ones to walk miles a day... so I guess I'll make this decision as it gets closer.
So there's my PTR up to today...if you came and read..awesome..if not..my feelings won't be too hurt..really..I'll hold it together.. I swear..
Let's back track.. about 4630 days to be exact.. April 6th 1999..first trip to WDW , location..Dixie Landings resort..cast..Myself ( then 24), my mom, my cousin and my son Noah ( then 4.5)
here is Noah and I in Norway ( excuse the pictures..I dont have a scanner and they are pictures of pictures)... I was so much younger..and thinner..ack!
And of course just Noah..light of my life ( that was BEFORE he became a rotten teenager..lol).. we did CRT..he acted not happy with all the princesses talking to him..but really..he loved it and made puppy eyes at each one as they approached or left!
We had a glorious 10 days at the World..oh my ..we all fell in love..head over heels in love ( careful..love really gets in the way of this girls dreams..lol).
We no sooner get home and I plan another trip for Christmas 2000..so a mere 613 days inbetween.. not as soon as I wanted at the time, boy oh boy does that number seem so small now eh?
So about 522 after leaving WDW I met a guy..yep told ya love was gonna change a few things for this girl . Now up to this point the plan was Jan 2002 my mother was retiring and we were moving to Fl.. I was a waitress(head waitress and trainer thank you very much) and that skill travel wells!
WELL..one day with said guy and I knew I was head over heels in love..somehow WDW moved from #2 on my love list ( yeah my son was #1..lol) to #3 . In 91 days I was to leave this awesome guy for a 14 day trip to the World..boy was that hard ( and easy at the same time).
Well we went to WDW, stayed at CBR.. had 14 awesome days , but that guy 1200 miles away never left my head. Even with all the fun..
and the awesome people we met.. Noah was extremely taken with a certain CM named Vivian at the Brazil part of Millennium Village:
.
So after all that fun we went home..and I was glad..BUT plans changed.. in fact 138 days later that guy ( Eric BTW) and I got married. It was great.. and about ONE day later I was expecting our first child together.. well than rather quickly ( about 1704 days to be exact ) we had 3 more kids ( grand total 4...and holding).
Anyone that has 3 kids in 3.5 years ( or 1297 days from first birth to third) knows this..they are costly and exhausting. My WDW dreams had been replaced with nursing,changing diapers, chasing toddlers and then with homeschooling all 4 of them rugrats of mine.
Ok so now we are all the way up until November 19 2011...
So. Nov 2011..but that still needs a little more back story. See I have this friend.. been friends since 1981 in fact. Spent lots of time together in grade school..little less in middle..almost none in High ( lived in different towns). We have ( well in the last 4 years) become very close again. She and her hubby have 7 kids and go to Disney yearly if not more.I'm always jealous as heck..but with a single income and 4 kids..well WDW was just NOT gonna happen for us. I had resigned myself to this. She has asked us to go with them many times..but the numbers on that math scared me even more than the 1704 days from one birth to a third did!
So many little "things" started working in a weird way about 130 days ago. Planets aligned, the economy started picking up in my husbands field..ie LOTS of OT, my friend and her husband leased a building, started plans for a new club and need a head waitress ( still in process but we are soo close to opening and me earning $$) a few nights a week, the kids got older and less work.
My brain started working on the whole..well maybe we CAN do this. We have driven to outside Savannah GA and home not once but twice ( about 997 miles..straight thru EASY). So getting the FL was not an issue. What's 250ish more miles..nuttin!
Then came the free dining in August 2011.. hum.. that was one of my biggest things.. I can do the rooms, I can do the tickets I can do the drive..but the food..ack.. 4 kids, one husband.. that's a lot of food to pay for. ( and yes I know DDP isn't really "free"...but I crunched the numbers..it's close!). Well this "free" DDP sealed the deal. Called my awesome friends got the dates and resort they were going to.
Now we are up to Nov 22 2011 when I called, and made our ressies for two rooms with 7 people ( my mom is joining us) at Pop Century.
So this trip has really been 3629 days in the making. Lots of detours ( AKA KIDS) and life changes along the way..but we are finally on the right path to getting my butt back to WDW.
To say I am excited would be an understatement. I never thought we'd get our youngest 3 there before they all hit double digits. They will be 5 ( almost 6..like within days of us coming back home),7 and 9.. with the oldest turning 17 while there. Oh want to see them?
here's that once cute little boy who pretended he didn't like the pretty princesses..hard to believe he will be 17 in August.
and here's the tornado triplets ( while they are not true triplets they sure can stir up a tornado and leave a wake of destruction behind)
The one on the left side will be 9 in Feb, the girl was 7 in Oct and the sweet little thing is 5.
Oh and here is myself and my DH.. and YES that would be a glow stick under my hat.. we were at a parade..I was feeling goofy..enough said!
Oh did I mention we are going with friends? Well here's that amazing friend of almost 30 years and her hubby.. forgive them it was Halloween and they were some character's from Jersey Shore..they don't normally look like this:
they will be bringing their 7 kids ( from 16 to 3).. and her mom!
Also are these awesome friends:
who will have their one son ( 16)..
there may be various other teens that join if they can come up with the cash needed.. we shall see!
So that's who's going...
Now, if your still with me.. it must be known I am a planner.. OCD and I are best friends. I am organized, meticulous and I tend to be a BIT obsessed..
I sit here with 73 days until I can make ADR's, 208 days to have the two reservations paid off, 252 days until we leave, and 253 days until we arrive at WDW ( we will drive if ya missed that.. it's about 1250ish miles..or 22ish hours). I am so obsessed with planning this trip that I am on the boards all the time. Afterall it's been 3629 days since I was IN WDW.. a few things have changed!
Oh..wait... did I mention this is a SURPRISE trip? Oh I didn't..shoot.. well it is. Our 3 youngest kiddo's will NOT be told..The oldest knows..but that's ok.. I told him..lol .
So we don't plan to tell the 3 youngest ( Lord help me keep this secret please? ). The plan is to "decide" last minute to head to GA to visit our friends as we normally do ( we usually go in April though). We plan to leave at a time that will have us arrive in orlando at day break on the 19th..so the kids will wake and we will BE in WDW ( they won't notice we missed our exit to Savannah..lol).. the oldest and my mother are Amtraking it down as the drive is just too long for my mom.
So if all goes as planned my kids are going to be SHOCKED..thrilled I hope.. excited and full of magic I pray.
So that's a ways down the road..I try not to think on it too much right now.. on to plans right?
Sooo.. we are part of a rather grand Grand Gathering. We are all on DDP ( upgraded to regular from QS).. so 2 credits will used for something ( we haven't decided what.. I would already know but they are not the pre-planners I am!).
On August 23rd my oldest turns 17..the plan is MK that day then boat it over to Hoop Dee Doo for the early show. I am not thrilled we can't get cat 1 seating except at the 9:30 show..but we will survive ( 2000 we had the front table..it was GREAT).
I know we have to eat at Coral Reef ( i know I know..but I have to for the Dh who does NOT understand WDW and would prefer NOT to go) and I'd like to do Sci Fi and Whispering Canyon..
Once the calendars come out for August I can start planning what parks,what days and then yeppie..ADR time!!!
I am still internally debating on buying a stroller for my youngest. He's..welll..adorable but rather dramatic.. and if he gets tired..um.. I will make the notable list for sure. I plan to "train" all 3 wee ones to walk miles a day... so I guess I'll make this decision as it gets closer.
So there's my PTR up to today...if you came and read..awesome..if not..my feelings won't be too hurt..really..I'll hold it together.. I swear..
