Been to Disney 10+ times, but my FIRST time planning-gonna do Disney MY way! Feb '11

[ashg8r]

My first PTR! I am in the process of planning a trip to WDW Feb 6-11. In some ways I’m looking at this as my first trip “doing Disney“. I grew up and currently live in FL and have been to WDW 10+ times, but never for more than 2 days at a time. I’ve never been to AK. And though I’ve stayed on property 6 times I’ve never done DDP. So now that I have my own family (we’ll be celebrating DD’s 2nd birthday) I get to do Disney MY way!!

The Participants
Me - ashg8r, 29 (will be 30 for the trip)
DH - I’ll mostly call him jg8r s
DD - the big star, currently 18 months old, lilg8r

So you might be wondering what the g8r is, or maybe you’ve figured it out. DH and I are alumni of the University of Florida, the Gators (G, 8, R). It’s been my screen name, former email address, ect, since I was in college. We're raising lilg8r up right, and she can already do the Chomp!

This is from Nov '09 when DD was 10 months old, tailgating with DH before we beat up on the Seminoles.

And here's DD and I at EPCOT Dec '09, went for a 1 day quick trip for my birthday. It was crowded and cold, but we had a BLAST!

More to come, including where we're staying, ADR's that have been made, and tons of plans - but this at least gets me started!

 

[ashg8r]

We're staying at POR, with a request to stay in the mansions. We're doing the DDP, which I am very excited about b/c I've never done before. Also, as part of our package we have to purchase at least 1 day park passes, but we plan to upgrade those to the FL resident weekday select pass, which I am so excited they offer, as just with this trip of 5 days, it pays for itself, plus the chance to get back to Disney a couple times before DD turns 3 and starts costing us!

ADRs booked:
Sun - Boma 5:30pm
Mon - Garden Grill 5:50pm
Tues - 'Ohana 6:10pm
Wed - Akershus 5:20pm
Thur - Le Cellier 6:05pm
Fri - CP 8:05am (Last day and DD's birthday. This will be OOP)

I have thought long and hard about these meals, trying to pick the best for our fam, and I'm very happy with my picks. We are doing mostly buffets/family style b/c DD is on the picky side, and this way she'll be able to eat kids food off the buffets. At Le Cellier we'll probably have to order her a kids meal. Oh, and speaking of Le Cellier - can't say how excited I was when they announced it wouldn't change to signature (for dinner) until March b/c that meant we could get in a meal before then. I'm sure if we like it we'll go back for lunch or maybe even dinner if we hear that it's worth it (I dream of doing DxDP one day!)

That's all for now - just a couple more posts until I can add some pics!!

 

[Piscesqueen]

I'm also doing my very first PTR and so I'm here to show some love! But, we've NEVER been to DW before and are coming from the NW. We're soooo excited!

Can't wait to read more and to see pics of your family!

 

[ashg8r]

Wow, I wasn't expecting any responses - Thanks Piscesqueen!!! I will be sure to return the love and check out your PTR as well! I see that you're going Dec, that will be such an incredible time to be there! Hopefully have more to add soon.

 

[ashg8r]

I wanted to write about some of my past trips to Disney, as I've never taken the time to figure out or write down exactly when and how many times I've gone. I'm hoping to go through my parents old photo albums next time I'm home and try to scan in some of the old pics.

So my first trip to Disney was approx Nov 1981. I would have been 11 months old and only know it happened b/c I've seen the pictures. Several of my Disney trips growing up were in November because my GM (is this the correct abbreviation for grandmother?) lived just under 2 hours from Disney and we spent every Thanksgiving with her, and every so often we'd combine that in to a trip to Disney (I grew up in the Panhandle, an 8 hour drive - about the furthest you can be from WDW and still live in FL, almost as far as living in Key West!)

The first trip I can remember was in Nov of 1984. We went to MK and EPCOT, but my only memories are of EPCOT and Figment. Figment was sitting on the Dreamfinder's lap (who was a ventriloquist), and to an almost 4 year old, he was 100% real. Figment was chattering on about something, and my uncle (who had Downs Syndrome) would hold his mouth closed to keep him from talking. I remember how funny it was and everyone laughing. I also remember the leaping fountains.

more to come! and pictures!