Fabulous Fall Fun Trip! PTR for Sept 2014 WDW trip (AKL = Vero Beach) - Page 4 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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You will find plenty of FP+ options. You probably won't find the hot tickets like Anna & Elsa or 7 Dwarves Mine Train unless there has been a cancellation.
I would definitely do it today, since off site resort guests can book FP+ at 30 days.
We did good except for the Anna and Elsa and Mine Train. We hope the Halloween party means shorter lines for those. Usually we go on the good rides during parades, but the Halloween parade is so much fun that we won't miss it. At least the first time, then decide on the second time.
28 days. In 28 days from right now we will be flying over the gulf toward Orlando. And we are all excited to go. I do like the morking off on the calendar, the talking about what we will be doing in a certain number of days, and seeing the girls get more and more excited.
Well, it has been a stressed filled few days. My DW has to go out to her parents as her Mom has Early Onset Alzheimer's and her brother decided to take her Dad to Vegas for a pool tournament he is playing in. So we have vacation days taken so I am off to be here at night with the girls and help with homework (and you know...keeping them fed and alive) while she takes care of her Mom. Her sister lives near, but is out of town for a few days. With her Dad worrying and over-reacting to everything it has went from 'taken care of' to 'get on the plane before we strangle you!'. Top that off with finding out her sisters daughter has a heart valve issue from childhood that we thought was taken care of, to she graduates early in December and then has open heart surgery to repair the valve. That is bothering us all, such a great athlete, smart, funny...... and open heart surgery? It is a long way off but all prayers are welcome.
On the trip side the memories thing is added, we think all meals are planned (except for all the times I escape to The Earl of Sandwich to eat my fav turkey and another I pick. No sides, just awesome sandwiches!!!)
We need to buy the dining plan, and pack I guess. Figure out when to drop the dog off. Arrange with Noah to mow our lawn before we get back. sit here for three and a half weeks reading everyone elses trip reports and feeling like I am forgetting something. lol
Oh!! I did want to mention that while I usually wear New Balance shoes, I tried on some lightweight Sketchers that look like they will breathe well in the much more humid Florida weather. Bought them immediately. Not sure how they will hold up, but I feel five pounds have been taken off my feet when I walk. I am thinking that after many days of WDW they will pay for themselves in how my feet feel. If any other guys are used to doing Disney with athletic shoes and not slip flops (I have plantar faciitis so I can't do sandals or FF's), then take a look at these. I am pretty happy.
Three and a half weeks as of 7 pm tonight for takeoff time. My internal countdown clock is on. I am reaaaadddyy. DD is watching Disney as she too is wanting to do something Disney while we wait. lol I am training her well!
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The trip went ok for my wife. her Mom is still 80% there, and I think her Mom and Dad needed some time apart. It has always been a 'Mom takes care of Dad' old school relationship, and with him retired and needing to take care of her it's a whole new world for him. And one he is not very comfortable or prepared to handle. But he is doing the best that he can I think.
I did great with the girls, I know my wife is appreciative that I can handle it all just fine but thinks we don't miss her, which is just cray-cray talk. BTW, are they adding Dipper and Mabel meet and greets anywhere? I love that show, as does the whole family. Mabel is awesome!
Now back to the trip. We are trying to make sure everything is set up and I think we are good. Small things like 'I need to change the fish bowl water before we leave' are the things that are popping up now, so good to remember that. Don't want to have a buried at 'sea' when we get home, now do we?
So I did want opinions from all y'all. I was thinking of taking the ipad and trying to load pics from my cell into photobucket and maybe doing a report each day. I tend to get up earlier than everyone else and thought I might be able to pull it off to have it an ongoing thing. Has anyone else done that easily, or am I kidding myself? We are not 'first at the park' kind of people. or....my wife and oldest are not that way. Little mini-me is a digital kid. Off, or full battery powered on status.
I also wondered how you guys take notes for trip reports. I can type into a notepad on my phone, or should I take a pad and pen to scribble notes? (and probably a chicken to be an interpreter when I am trying to read them later)
Little things that I am thinking about as I have never done the whole report thing. As you can all tell already, I tend to write like we are sitting down having a coffee and are old friends. So there will be me jumping tracks, going on tangents in the middle of tangents, and typing out just about anything that pops into my head. Might be a good thing, or a bad thing. But you will know me, for better or worse, when I am done. Then you can decide if you will want to meet us on trips sometime, or have a restraining order handy.... just in case! lol
Glad your wife's trip went Ok. Continued for her mom.
Laurie (lauriep) might be able to help you with daily updates, as she's very good about doing those in real time on her trips. I tend to find I only have time for a very short update, as I'm too busy sorting out photos and writing up what will eventually become the trip report...
Continued for your DMiL! I was also going to suggest lauriep as she often does a live trip report. By the way, I'm enjoying your conversational writing style.
I also enjoy your conversational writing style - it seems very friendly.
Laurie does the best live reports. I've tried it a few times, but it don't seem to get further than a day or two before getting bogged down. You might want to try some brief updates while you are on your trip, then fill in the details later (but then you have to worry about spoiling surprises).
As for notes - if you take lots of pics, you don't need many notes. I occasionally jot something down in the notes app the phone.
Enjoy your trip - looking forward to reading all about it.