Halloween/Birthday Crusade to the House of Mouse - 10/26-11/4/07 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Halloween/Birthday Crusade to the House of Mouse - 10/26-11/4/07
Well, this is a new thing for me. I'm going to try to put together a trip report. So here we are...
50 days from WDW!!!!!!
Cast of characters:
Me - Vicki - 47 (ok, 48 by the time we arrive)
DH - John - 53 (but 54 before we return)
DD - Madison - 10 (but recently and wants to know why we can't go to WDW for HER birthday)
DDad - Al - 69 (but 70 right after the trip so we're celebrating at WDW)
DMIL - Brenda - ?? (you know, I've only met her a couple of times and it has just never come up - maybe I should check with Dad on that)
We live in Kansas City, Missouri and Dad & Brenda are in the Atlanta are so we are going to (hopefully) meet at the airport since our flights are due to arrive at about the same time).
Transportation: Kansas City group is coming in via Midwest Airlines. Atlanta pair is coming in via Delta. We are renting an SUV from either National or Alamo - I have ressies with both and am watching prices for the best deal. Considering they are owned by the same company, it is amazing the difference in prices sometimes. Rental car will be used to/from airport, for groceries, two days at Universal (yes, John & Madison need their extra roller coasters and I need Hard Rock Cafe), and occasionally on property. All else will be via Disney Transportation.
Accommodations: We have owned DVC since 1997. We love it since it allows Madison to have separate space since we always get a 1-bdrm. Our favorite is Boardwalk Villas but we own points at Old Key West and Beach Club so we can't make our ressies until 7 months out. We got our ressies without issue. However, it took Dad & Brenda a little extra time to decide so we could only get them a studio at Saratoga Springs. We have them waitlisted for a studio (any view) at Boardwalk or Beach Club and have us all waitlisted for a 2-bdrm at Boardwalk. We are hoping that something will come through so that we can be located closer together. If not, we'll deal with it.
WDW - August 1997 Off Property
WDW - January 2005 AKL
WDW - May 2006 Pop Century
WDW- november-dec 2007 pop century
WDW- dec/jan 2009/2010 pop century
WDW- oct/nov 2012 art of animation
WDW- sept 2013 port Orleans riverside
WDW- july 2015 beach club
The KC group are due to arrive last - at 12:35PM. We'll pick up the luggage and rental car. We'll grab a quick lunch and (probably) head to the store for groceries. Mostly, we'll need water, bread, peanut butter & jelly, chips, water, cookies, cereal, milk, water, fruit snacks, pretzels, and oh, did I mention water? After the store, we'll head to the appropriate hotels for check in. We don't have specific plans until dinner.
Now, here is a summary of our plans with ADRs:
Friday 10/26 - EPCOT
7:10pm - Dinner at Rose & Crown (this is for my birthday which was actually 5 days before - this is a new one for us)
Saturday 10/27 - Animal Kingdom
8:00am - Donald's Breakfastasauras (family tradition - this will be our last time since it is closing and the meal is moving to the remodeled Tusker House)
Sunday 10/28 - Open
Lunch - ESPN Club (well, it is Sunday and football season...did I really have a choice )
Monday 10/29 - Universal/Islands of Adventure
Lunch - Hard Rock Cafe
Tuesday 10/30 - Magic Kingdom
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (yes, there are costumes)
4:30pm - Liberty Tree Tavern (another tradition with the party - always a good time)
Wednesday 10/31 - Open - John's Birthday
6:00pm - Yachtsman Steakhouse (John picked be we love this place)
Thursday 11/01 - Universal/Islands of Adventure
Friday 11/02 - Disney Studios
4:30pm - Hollywood Brown Derby (first time - celebrating Dad's birthday )
7:30pm - Fantasmic
Saturday 11/03 - Open
Sunday 11/04 - Going home
1:20pm - KC group heads home
Later in the pm - Atlanta group heads home
Now that I've typed this up, I see a lot of open spots. The thing is we've been enough that we have a tendency to keep park days pretty flexible. The things that don't show on the schedule are:
Downtown Disney - got to get my shopping done
Earl of Sandwich - good food and a better choice than McDonalds
Beaches N Cream - at least once for dessert, maybe twice for a meal
Big River Grille - we had a good experience last trip and it is handy for us
I'm sure I've forgotten something but I've got time to fill in the pieces.
If I don't make time for the pool and the clown slide, Madison will never forgive me . And John loves to sneak down to the hot tub to soak his weary body after I run him all over the parks all day.
Hi, I'm Vicki and I'm a Disneyholic. What else do you need to know?
Ok, a bit more. My first disney trip to Disneyland when I was 10. My uncle took me (he used to work for TWA so we flew for free). We stayed at a motel down the street and had our packets of A-E tickets. We were at the park for one day and had a wonderful time and I was hooked for life.
Fast forward to age 24. Girlfriend and I plan a trip to Florida. We were there for a week and stayed at a motel in Kissimmee. We went to WDW (only MK and EPCOT back then), Sea World, Wet N Wild and spent a day at Daytona Beach. We were so tired by the end but had a great time. I almost moved to Orlando after that trip but, being an only child, my mom guilted me out of it (so sad).
Since then, I have had 13 trips to WDW. The first two were off-site. Finally, I met my dh, got married, went on our honeymoon (to WDW) and finally got to stay onsite at Dixie Landings (no, not Port Orleans Riverside - my own little protest). Thirteen months later we returned to Dixie while I was 5 1/2 months pregnant (Madison's first trip to WDW!). We went on a DVC tour and the rest is history! We purchased 150 points at Old Key West, later added 60 more points and then bought 150 points at Beach Club Villas when it opened.
Pre-Vicki, John had only been to WDW once. Since we became a family of three, we have been eight times with nine 49 days away. Madison calls WDW our vacation home and I couldn't agree more!
As far as the Atlanta team, Dad and Brenda are making this trip to be with us. They have been to WDW but for a much shorter trip and are not used to my planning - maybe a little intimidated. They are being good sports though. This will be the longest time Dad will get to spend with Madison or with me since I was young. What better place for a mini-family reunion than WDW!
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Great start, Vicki! Your plans look great! I don't see why you couldn't celebrate you DD's birthday one night, as well. I bet she would it!! Can't wait to hear more
Great start, Vicki! Your plans look great! I don't see why you couldn't celebrate you DD's birthday one night, as well. I bet she would it!! Can't wait to hear more
Maybe when we have her special Strawberry Shortcake at Beaches N Cream. We always have to take pictures of her with it before she digs in. Here's last year's--
Ok, breathe... Anyway, as I've mentioned before, I have a ten year daughter. She's been pretty lucky - since my husband was formerly a City Councilman, we have been able to go many events at city managed venues including Hillary Duff and High School Musical in Concert. Unfortunately, now that John has returned to the real world, the free tickets have disappeared. Anyway, John & I had recently purchased tickets to attend High School Musical On Ice - big sacrifice for John as he managed to miss the previously mentioned pre-teen shows. Well, the one thing she really wanted to see was the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus concert coming to Kansas City in December. So I started checking online for tickets - brokers were already selling tickets for WAY over cost. The tickets hadn't even gone on sale yet. Found mileyworld.com - a membership fan club that gives access to a special code for presale of concert tickets. Ok, this may be my only shot and it seemed pretty thin.
Fast forward a couple of weeks. An email arrives from mileyworld.com - presale for the KC show to begin 9/11 10AM CT. Ok, mark the calendar, set alarms. How am I going to get online while I'm on the phone in a meeting. Set the meeting for record and catch up later - yep that'll work. Now, it's 9:40AM - gotta get out of the office firewall/screener that won't let me to the site. Quick trip to the local library with wifi, laptop turned on. Get to the site...and wait...and wait... it's locked. Shut it and open a new window...and wait...and wait. About ready to just phhhtttthhhtht.
Quick thinker that I am, I remember that I had saved the code in a text file on my hard drive. Maybe I can go straight to ticketmaster.com and use the code. Ok, moving now. Two tickets with code, best available....nothing available. Can't be, it's only 10:03. Go back, try again. Two tickets with code, highest ticket price...ok, here's something but it is on the opposite end of the long arena from the stage - no good, try again. Two tickets, with code, highest ticket price, floor....hey, 17th row center. Think about it, look at the map, zoom in. Wow, I can't believe these are available - grab 'em quick.
YEA! I pulled off the "Mom of the Year" stunt! Call John, guess what? I'm a hero! Not only did I get Madison tickets to the concert, I didn't make John go with us! Everybody's happy!
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which was actually 5 days before - this is a new one for us)
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Going home
. And John loves to sneak down to the hot tub to soak his weary body after I run him all over the parks all day.
Hurry back with more 
it!! Can't wait to hear more
The tickets hadn't even gone on sale yet. 
Found mileyworld.com - a membership fan club that gives access to a special code for presale of concert tickets. Ok, this may be my only shot and it seemed pretty thin.
Set the meeting for record and catch up later - yep that'll work. Now, it's 9:40AM - gotta get out of the office firewall/screener that won't let me to the site. Quick trip to the local library with wifi, laptop turned on. Get to the site...and wait...and wait...
YEA! I pulled off the "Mom of the Year" stunt! 
Call John, guess what? I'm a hero! Not only did I get Madison tickets to the concert, I didn't make John go with us! Everybody's happy!
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