A Double Dose of Disney Fun-2 Pre-Trip Reports in 1!

[Tink9721]

I'm here! Great start!

Isn't the Wilderness Lodge great? I love it so much!!

 

[stace208]

Oh no!!!!

Ah, no worries! It only lasted a little while. I think now that the first one has come out, he'll be fine with it.

Never mind.....
It's the hospitality house
You are taken care of! You will love it there, it's soooo laid back!
Close to the big pool. Shuffle board. The counter service, out by the pool, community hall, it's all right there!
Be sure to plan some resort time.

That sounds like exactly what I am looking for! We usually go to Nags Head (beach in NC) for a week in the summer but we had to give it up this year for DVC. That's why I am so excited for OKW because it seems like it will be relaxing like our beach house. Now, nothing like your beloved BC but close!

​

I taught kindergarten for 24 years, 2nd grade for 2 years, 5th grade for 3 years, 6th grade for 2 years, and I currently am in my 2nd year of teaching At-Risk Math for grades K-5.

Wow! That's awesome!! Do you miss Kindergarten after teaching it for so long? We don't have at risk math in my district. Only reading (Title I).
I don't know if I will make it in education that long-not in Virginia anyways. Seems like all we do is test, test, analyze data, and then test some more.

Wilderness Lodge....how wonderful!!! I can't wait to hear all about it. We've never stayed here but have gone to WCC a couple of time and we always go early so we can sit and enjoy the lobby!!!

I am really excited about WL! When we stayed there the first time we didn't know anything about ADR's and the like (yes, we were some of THOSE people on our first trip!). We wanted to eat at WCC and we had to wait for just a few minutes. We had such a good time wandering around the lobby that we hated that they seated us so fast!

I'm here! Great start!

Isn't the Wilderness Lodge great? I love it so much!!

Yay! Thanks for coming over! The WL is great. My sister-in-law and her family are staying there starting on Saturday. I can't wait to see her pictures and get even more excited!!

 

[stace208]

Time for the food!! Woot!!
Shortly after I booked all of this came the fateful day when ADR's switched back over to 180 days. Being the good Diser that I am, I awoke early and headed to the computer. I had my pencil, planning journal, and credit card at the ready. I had practiced putting in my reservation number and knew that it would find it (I'd read about some DVC folks having troubles with this).
6:00 came. I put in my number and retrieved my reservation. Put in my first restaurant. Waited. Waited. Waited. I got some sort of error message. Tried a few more times. Same thing. After 30 minutes I gave up and went back to bed. I got up at my regular time, got ready, and started calling right at 7:00. Either the phone kept ringing or I got a busy signal. I kept trying and trying all morning long right up until students came into my room. I tried again at my planning period and still didn't get through.

That night, after swim team practice, I tried the computer again but the system was down. So, I called one more time and got through!!! The CM and I joked about what a day it had been. Miraculously enough, I got everything I wanted! I was shocked!! I guess because all the systems had been down not many folks had gotten to make reservations after all! Good for me!!
Here are our plans:
Sunday, April 4th. This is Easter. We are leaving Dulles at 6:00 and arriving at MCO at 8 or so. No Disney food today-airport food

Monday April 5th-Crystal Palace at 10. I originally booked this for 8. Then I realized that the park opens at 8 this week so we're losing that first thing in the morning advantage. So, I changed it to 10. I figure we'll work up a good hunger those first couple of hours and this will kinda be a brunch.

Tuesday April 6th-Hoop-De-Doo Review at 5:00. My kids loved this show in June so sticking with the surprise the kids trip we are returning here.

Wednesday April 7th-no ADR's this day. We'll be at Epcot for F&G so I am hoping to kinda snack around the world. Who knows where we'll end up!

Thursday April 8th-Chef Mickey's at 8:05. We'll have to be back at WL to get ME around 1 so we'll probably check out, go to CM, and ride the monorail in for a last hurrah at the MK.

We've eaten at CP and CM before but both for dinner, not breakfast so I am excited to give them a try!

 

[SoonerGirl]

Sounds good! We did CP for breakfast this last trip and really enjoyed it!

 

[Tink9721]

Yummy! We've only gone to Chef Mickey's for dinner and Crystal Palace for lunch. I'm curious about their breakfasts!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

We've done CP for breakfast and dinner, liked them both!
Snacking around the world sounds really yummy!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

I made it! Another teacher joining in too! Sounds very good so far! DVC........ heavenly! I would love to be in DVC. Maybe someday. I'd also love to go to Epcot during F&G. Can't wait to hear all your plans!

 

[Queenofallthings]

GREAT ADR'S

 

[MeMom]

I don't know if I will make it in education that long-not in Virginia anyways. Seems like all we do is test, test, analyze data, and then test some more.

That sounds all too familiar. Zaps the fun right out of teaching.

Monday April 5th-Crystal Palace at 10. I originally booked this for 8. Then I realized that the park opens at 8 this week so we're losing that first thing in the morning advantage. So, I changed it to 10. I figure we'll work up a good hunger those first couple of hours and this will kinda be a brunch.

Tuesday April 6th-Hoop-De-Doo Review at 5:00. My kids loved this show in June so sticking with the surprise the kids trip we are returning here.

Wednesday April 7th-no ADR's this day. We'll be at Epcot for F&G so I am hoping to kinda snack around the world. Who knows where we'll end up!

Thursday April 8th-Chef Mickey's at 8:05. We'll have to be back at WL to get ME around 1 so we'll probably check out, go to CM, and ride the monorail in for a last hurrah at the MK.

We've eaten at CP and CM before but both for dinner, not breakfast so I am excited to give them a try!

I know you were glad to finally get through and get all these things booked. There will be plenty of good eats as you wander around World Showcase, and Sunshine Seasons is always a good stop.

 

[stace208]

Sounds good! We did CP for breakfast this last trip and really enjoyed it!

Oh good, I am so glad to hear that!

Yummy! We've only gone to Chef Mickey's for dinner and Crystal Palace for lunch. I'm curious about their breakfasts!

Me too! We've never done many breakfasts so between this trip and June I am trying to make up some ground!

We've done CP for breakfast and dinner, liked them both!
Snacking around the world sounds really yummy!

I can't wait to snack around the world...hence why I am at the Y every night nowadays!!

I won't say we *disliked* CP's dinner buffet but it wasn't our favorite. I am excited to try the breakfast though.

I made it! Another teacher joining in too! Sounds very good so far! DVC........ heavenly! I would love to be in DVC. Maybe someday. I'd also love to go to Epcot during F&G. Can't wait to hear all your plans!

Yay! I am so glad you came over!
DVC certainly has made it feasible to plan multiple trips. I'll be going crazy when we use up all these extra points. Guess I'll start looking for add-ons then!

I'm really excited about F&G. When I first planned on doing a spring break trip I had no idea that it would be going on. It's something totally different for us and I hope to get some great pictures.

GREAT ADR'S

Thanks!
Your trip is coming up so soon!!

 

[stace208]

That sounds all too familiar. Zaps the fun right out of teaching.


It does, doesn't it? I have a spreadsheet right now on my jump drive full of disaggrated data that needs to be done. No fun for the kids taking all the dang tests and no fun for me calculating all the data!
I'm sorry that it is that way for you too.


I know you were glad to finally get through and get all these things booked. There will be plenty of good eats as you wander around World Showcase, and Sunshine Seasons is always a good stop.

I'm excited to try some of the different places in WS. We are not adventurous eaters but I think by snacking we'll be more likely to give something a try than committing to a full meal somewhere. I figure the kids will be happy at the American snack place.

 

[Tink9721]

That sounds all too familiar. Zaps the fun right out of teaching.

My grandma used to be a 1st grade teacher before all of the crazy testing. She's always saying how ridiculous all of the testing stuff is. I agree. When I was in middle school we had to take "NECAPs" (New England Common Assessment...something) every year and they didn't even count for anything. They were just "practice." This year I had to take the real one. Apparently they're required to graduate. But it seems really silly to make us take the practice version in middle school, not take it freshman and sophomore year, and then take the real thing junior year

 

[stace208]

My grandma used to be a 1st grade teacher before all of the crazy testing. She's always saying how ridiculous all of the testing stuff is. I agree. When I was in middle school we had to take "NECAPs" (New England Common Assessment...something) every year and they didn't even count for anything. They were just "practice." This year I had to take the real one. Apparently they're required to graduate. But it seems really silly to make us take the practice version in middle school, not take it freshman and sophomore year, and then take the real thing junior year

That's crazy that you have to take it so early for practice. By the time you take the real thing, who remembers the practice? Typical of many things in education nowadays...

 

[stace208]

I'm pooped tonight! My day started very early. 4:41 a.m. to be exact. Let me introduce you to Lucky.

He's my fur buddy and I love him dearly. He doesn't wake me often, and it's only when he needs it, but it still hurts. I have a hard time going back to sleep once I wake up. The mind just starts thinking about this and that, what I need to do, an email from a parent...etc.
I stayed in bed for a while and eventually John woke up and we talked a bit. Then Ben was up and I got up for the day. Started some laundry and got on the computer a bit. I didn't have long because we had to get ready because Ben had a swim meet. I had hoped to have some good pictures to share but I used my new camera on the sports setting and didn't get much of anything. I need to practice!! Then we dropped him at a friend's to go ice skating and sleep over.
Why is it that Saturday goes so quickly???
I wanted to share some of our between trips Disney fun. Back in November Ellie and I went to see Disney's Rockin' Road Show. It was cute. Please forgive some of these pictures. We had the WORST seats ever! We did end up moving but I am such a rule follower I didn't want to move too much.

Basically the story is that Mickey and the gang are going on a road trip. Their car keeps breaking down and they meet up with the other characters. They invite them to come to their talent show. In the end, all the characters come and do the talent show. That's why Buzz is twirling hoops. Awful seats aside, it was a fun afternoon. Not as much fun as Disney on Ice though. I'll have to upload those pictures another time.
Here's Ellie with her souvie from the show-a Jessie hat. Between that and her shirt, I'd say she's ready for TS3 in June

Hope everyone has a nice rest of the weekend! Thanks for reading along...I am almost in the 60's for days until the April trip!!

 

[SoonerGirl]

I've never heard of the Disney Rockin' Road show - how cute!

Your DD looks adorable in her Jessie hat

 

[stace208]

I've never heard of the Disney Rockin' Road show - how cute!

Your DD looks adorable in her Jessie hat

Thanks about Ellie I think she's a cutie but I am slightly biased I guess!

I had never heard of the show either. I got an email from the company because I bought the Disney on Ice tickets. I tried looking up information but couldn't find much. But, we're up for just about anything Disney and there was a nice discount code with the email so I figured what's to lose? Ben, of course, deemed it too "babyish". Honestly, he was right. He missed out on Disney on Ice though-he would've liked that.

 

[MHTeacher]

Cute pic of little Ellie in her "Jessie" hat! :cutie:

 

[MeMom]

Why is it that Saturday goes so quickly???

I don't know, but that needs to change!!!

Here's Ellie with her souvie from the show-a Jessie hat. Between that and her shirt, I'd say she's ready for TS3 in June

Very cute. She is definitely ready for Toy Story 3!
We don't have hats, but we're ready for it, too!
I wish we all lived close enough to get together and fill a theater with Dis-crazies to watch it.

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Love the hat! That will be perfect for movie day! Very cute pooch too, even if he did wake you up. Ours does that regularly! You gotta love 'em though!

 

[Queenofallthings]

CUTE CUTE CUTE picture in the hat!!!