The Disney Remix (Better Known as the Disney Kiss Perfected) A PreTR - UPDATED 9/20 - Page 3 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Cathy
I loved reading your start of a PTR . My SIL wil love it too. I must send her the link to your old one also. She could learn a lot from it !
Thank you. I just read through it again the other day - it helps me remember why it's all important, and that the best plans can't substitute what comes from the heart.
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Some things are accomplished already (yay!!!) …Get out the check list!
I pre-ordered my PhotoPass CD in June and got it at a phenomenal price. I knew the cost to pre-order was only $99 (regularly $129) – but I heard the rumors about the price being increased to $149 sometime this summer. That info made me wonder if the pre-order would be increasing, too. Then I found the 15% discount code for Disney Visa cardholders – which brought the price down to $84.00. Just for the heck of it, I thought I’d see if I had any Disney Reward Dollars available – and guess what? I did! So in the end, I paid a whopping $30.00 for my CD!!!! I’m tellin’ ya – my Disney Visa is pretty sweet to use, especially since I also used the Reward Dollars to pay for a good chunk of our trip.
Another ‘bright idea’ that hit me : I am a member of some of the internet survey/opinion companies. Mostly I take surveys and test products hoping to win some of the bigger sweepstakes they have (I’ve only won a small cash award and an iPod Shuffle – so that’s not too bad.) But you also accumulate points for each survey you complete; you can redeem them for cash, gift cards, etc. I checked my point balances on each site, and had enough to redeem for some Disney Gift Cards – one for each of the girls. So their ‘souvenir money’ is taken care of!
Let me preface the following by saying that I bought a Baggallini Messenger Bag for our last trip to WDW on the recommendation of lots of PPers. And let me also say that I love it; it was easy to carry in the parks, excellent storage capacity and organization, easily adjustable and comfortable. I’ve used it many times since – for day trips and light hikes where we needed to carry a few items. Its only drawback is that (depending on how heavily it’s packed) it rubs into my shoulder by the end of the day. Carrying the Messenger Bag
But I observed a curious phenomenon over the past year when it comes to this bag…
When we go on hikes, everyone is responsible for their own stuff. The girls use fanny packs or sling packs; Kevin uses cargo shorts to hold anything he needs. However, if I carry the Baggallini, everyone suddenly has items they need to put in it. “Mom, can you carry my water bottle – it’s crushing my granola bar.” “Hon, can you put my cap in your backpack – I don’t need it right now,” and so on and so on. If I don’t carry the Baggallini, everyone miraculously finds a way to carry what they need. Funny how that happens, isn’t it?
So I’ve decided we’re all going to be minimalists while touring the parks this time. I’m trading in my messenger bag for the Baggallini Bon Voyage – which should be enough for my cell, KTTW, lip balm and rain poncho. That’s it. I haven’t ordered one yet as I’m agonizing over what color to choose.
This trip has been so shrouded in secrecy until just recently, that I didn’t plan any of my special ‘family vacation newsletters’ or ‘Dinner and a Disney Movie Nights’ like I usually do before a special event. As soon as we made the trip official, however, I hurriedly penciled in some movie nights on the calendar. With all the other things we’ve had going one, the first one snuck up on me; I was totally unprepared. We didn’t do any games or trivia, etc. like normal – I just fixed an African based dinner to go along with “The Lion King.”
Trust me, my family is used to me preparing unusual meals – I’m an adventurous cook. But everyone complained and rolled their eyes when they heard we were eating foods straight from the Dark Continent. However – when they finally tasted the Biafran Stew with Whole Wheat Couscous and Sweet Potatoes in Coconut Milk, they changed their tunes in a hurry. Five thumbs up! (Hopefully that means they’ll like Boma!)
Some things that haven’t been decided yet or taken care of…
~We’re still discussing whether we want to order some pins for pin trading. Cory told me she does not want to pin trade because “I’ll get so attached to the pins I have I won’t want to trade them!” Knowing Cory, she has a point. Kelley is still up in the air about it. I’m checking out Ebay for some ideas.
~We need to make our Mousekeeping envelopes and Cast Member Appreciation Cards. I think we’ll save that for a fun last-minute project.
~Some of us need new shoes and clothes (I’ll get into this later…)
And now – the Big Things that need to be addressed (which I will cover in the next update) 1. Helping Kevin feel more in control and not left out in the vacation process and 2. Combating motion sickness…
Up Next: The Ginger Pill Trials and Letting Go of the Reins (a little bit!)
I like the red bag, too. It looks a little like my Kavu bag which I love. You sound like me. You're planning the little, nit-picky things now. All the big stuff is out of the way. More please!
Great update. I love the bag, I so understand the "big bag" issue...even if the girls have their own little bags their stuff creeps into my bag by day 3, I think I need to look into these little bags
DD8 loves pin trading but she too gets very attached, I have gotten her into trying to get sets so she is more apt to trade now becuase she has a goal. Last year she traded for Tinkerbell pins, then she collected the pirate set. I ended up ordering on e-bay like 15 pins for her to trade, plus she as a couple from the last trip but I also last year picked her up one of those trading bags, that is where she keeps the pins she does not want to trade and each day she will put the ones she wants to keep in there. I do buy a few, ones I know she will want to remember the trip by.
I got a great price on e-bay I think the 15 cost me like 18 bucks and she got some really nice ones too.
I just spent the last little while reading your Pre TR and TR from 2007, and now this one. I am so happy I went back and read those b/c it gave me great insight to your family.
I am hoping you find a way for your dh to enjoy the rides better! I too agree I would have wanted to switch resorts since you aren't required to stay there.
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DD8 loves pin trading but she too gets very attached, I have gotten her into trying to get sets so she is more apt to trade now becuase she has a goal. Last year she traded for Tinkerbell pins, then she collected the pirate set. I ended up ordering on e-bay like 15 pins for her to trade, plus she as a couple from the last trip but I also last year picked her up one of those trading bags, that is where she keeps the pins she does not want to trade and each day she will put the ones she wants to keep in there. I do buy a few, ones I know she will want to remember the trip by.
I like the idea of having a 'goal' for pin trading - thanks for the idea. I'll see what the girls think of this.
The bag is cute. Thanks for posting the link, I am going to look into getting one for my trip in Sept.
I got the girls some pins for one of our past trips, but they were to to try to trade with CM. Maybe this year?
Sounds like things are pretty under control (even if you don't always feel like it). Love that you themed your dinner with your Disney movie - boy, you are adventurous. In my house, that meal would have gotten rolled eyes and too many left overs. Madison would have probably been looking in the cabinet for something else.
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I’ve used it many times since – for day trips and light hikes where we needed to carry a few items. Its only drawback is that (depending on how heavily it’s packed) it rubs into my shoulder by the end of the day.
We didn’t do any games or trivia, etc. like normal – I just fixed an African based dinner to go along with “The Lion King.”
Kelley is still up in the air about it. I’m checking out Ebay for some ideas.
PassPorter Guide Author
Cathy! I'm enjoying your pre-TR so much, I just may have to spend the next few hours at work catching up on your old one tee..hee 
to try to trade with CM. Maybe this year?
Liz 
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
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