lisafer05
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2008
Heyo!
Normally I am a lurker. I have been a member here for about 2 years and I can tell you I am on here almost everyday. lol However, I have barely posted. Something about reading everything was enough to satisfy my disney cravings.
Well I finally can begin my own pre-trip report!! I live in St. Pete, FL so I hop in the car and drive a little over an hour and I am at WDW. I had an annual pass for two years and I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have made day trips to the parks. (I am actually going on Tuesday for my first solo day trip and I am thrilled
)
But enough about that...the trip I am planning is actually a huge surprise for my family. Growing up my parents weren't able to take vacations. We took a few trips to Disney but not many and we only ever went out of state for family funerals in Rhode Island. They just cannot do it financially. That was no big deal. I still got to go to Disney and whatnot with school since I am so close. Anywhoo, the last overnight trip to the world my parents got to go on was back in 1998 and they were only able to go to the Magic Kingdom. They have been twice since; one day trip in 2002 and one day trip this past summer.
So, I am planning a trip to surprise them. I still live at home and I am in college to be a teacher, but I have a pretty great job and I am able to make enough to do this trip for them. Sure, I could use the money to get myself an apartment but when I have to intern for my last semester in college I would be moving home anyway so that would be pointless. So I felt like this was a good way to use the money.
Plus, they really deserve it. They work really hard and have really put their own happiness on the back burner to take care of everything my 2 sisters, younger brother and myself needed and I would really like to give them a little something special.
So I am working on the plans right now and I plan to book the trip in the next few weeks. I plan to do a stay at the All Star Movie resort from November 28th-December 4th. I have to get two rooms because there are 6 of us. I would stay at the ASMu family suite, but I love the theming of the ASMo plus I really think my 13 year old hockey obsessed brother would love the Mighty Ducks building and pool. Come to think of it my dad, who coaches 4 hockey teams (including the Tampa Bay Lightning Sled Hockey team for handicapped players) would adore it as well.
I plan to get park hopper tickets and do one night at the Christmas party as no one in my family has gotten to do any party except for me. I am also getting the DxDP because my family are all big eaters. Especially my brother and my dad. Plus I really want to do a lot of the character meals as well as some of the nicer restaurants. I also really don't want them to even think about the bill so I feel that having it paid in advance won't even give them the chance to worry about it.
I am waiting to make reservations because I want to see the dates for MVMCP as well as see if there will be any discounts out soon. I have a pin for the hotel reservations which took a little off the price. But overall, it's actually pretty affordable for me.
The fun part is how I plan to give it to them. At one of my brother's games, which my dad coaches and whole family attends, I'm going to have a huge box with a 5 smaller boxes inside (one for each member of my family). I'm going to have them open up the small box and each will have a little disney character (toy or doll) that relates to their personality. Mickey for dad, Ariel for younger sister, etc.
They're all going to be standing there saying "huh?" Then I am going to have my brother's team out on the ice hold up signs saying we're going to Disney World. Then I am going to give them each a folder that has the entire itinerary complete with pics of restaurants and hotels. In my mind it sounds fun. And it will be a total shock.
So I will be updating this because I will have no one else to talk to about it and I need to get it out!
Plus, there is tons of great advice here so I'm sure I could get some great feedback on my trip. I look forward to updating this soon with more details!
Normally I am a lurker. I have been a member here for about 2 years and I can tell you I am on here almost everyday. lol However, I have barely posted. Something about reading everything was enough to satisfy my disney cravings.
Well I finally can begin my own pre-trip report!! I live in St. Pete, FL so I hop in the car and drive a little over an hour and I am at WDW. I had an annual pass for two years and I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have made day trips to the parks. (I am actually going on Tuesday for my first solo day trip and I am thrilled
)But enough about that...the trip I am planning is actually a huge surprise for my family. Growing up my parents weren't able to take vacations. We took a few trips to Disney but not many and we only ever went out of state for family funerals in Rhode Island. They just cannot do it financially. That was no big deal. I still got to go to Disney and whatnot with school since I am so close. Anywhoo, the last overnight trip to the world my parents got to go on was back in 1998 and they were only able to go to the Magic Kingdom. They have been twice since; one day trip in 2002 and one day trip this past summer.
So, I am planning a trip to surprise them. I still live at home and I am in college to be a teacher, but I have a pretty great job and I am able to make enough to do this trip for them. Sure, I could use the money to get myself an apartment but when I have to intern for my last semester in college I would be moving home anyway so that would be pointless. So I felt like this was a good way to use the money.
Plus, they really deserve it. They work really hard and have really put their own happiness on the back burner to take care of everything my 2 sisters, younger brother and myself needed and I would really like to give them a little something special.
So I am working on the plans right now and I plan to book the trip in the next few weeks. I plan to do a stay at the All Star Movie resort from November 28th-December 4th. I have to get two rooms because there are 6 of us. I would stay at the ASMu family suite, but I love the theming of the ASMo plus I really think my 13 year old hockey obsessed brother would love the Mighty Ducks building and pool. Come to think of it my dad, who coaches 4 hockey teams (including the Tampa Bay Lightning Sled Hockey team for handicapped players) would adore it as well.
I plan to get park hopper tickets and do one night at the Christmas party as no one in my family has gotten to do any party except for me. I am also getting the DxDP because my family are all big eaters. Especially my brother and my dad. Plus I really want to do a lot of the character meals as well as some of the nicer restaurants. I also really don't want them to even think about the bill so I feel that having it paid in advance won't even give them the chance to worry about it.
I am waiting to make reservations because I want to see the dates for MVMCP as well as see if there will be any discounts out soon. I have a pin for the hotel reservations which took a little off the price. But overall, it's actually pretty affordable for me.
The fun part is how I plan to give it to them. At one of my brother's games, which my dad coaches and whole family attends, I'm going to have a huge box with a 5 smaller boxes inside (one for each member of my family). I'm going to have them open up the small box and each will have a little disney character (toy or doll) that relates to their personality. Mickey for dad, Ariel for younger sister, etc.
They're all going to be standing there saying "huh?" Then I am going to have my brother's team out on the ice hold up signs saying we're going to Disney World. Then I am going to give them each a folder that has the entire itinerary complete with pics of restaurants and hotels. In my mind it sounds fun. And it will be a total shock.
So I will be updating this because I will have no one else to talk to about it and I need to get it out!
Plus, there is tons of great advice here so I'm sure I could get some great feedback on my trip. I look forward to updating this soon with more details!
