I went to bed early last night. Well, early for me - about 11ish. I just got sleepy and I'd already cleaned everything in sight with my new Sonic Scrubber (love it). Then, I went thru werepig mode.
Werepig mode is when I get hungry and I don't know what I want, so I eat lots of little things trying to find the "answer". It wasn't working, so I figured going to bed would cure that.
I woke up early and in a good mood. The Evil Twin and I stayed in bed and talked for a bit. I love those moments. We laugh about stupid things. This morning, it was the saying, "Confucious say: Man who go to bed with itchy butt wake up with stinky finger."
Clearly, we have the maturity of two five year olds, but what can ya do?
Anyway, the thing that is most on my mind these days is planning our first trip to Disney next June. I am OCD about organization, plus if you knew what I'm spending on this trip, you wouldn't blame me for wanting it to be perfect.
I have two close friends who are Disney freaks and I have been pumping them for information, along with obsessively reading my guides and visiting a few websites that I've found helpful.
According to one friend, June is rainy season in Florida. Then I got to thinking (bad!). What if we pushed it back to May? The first week of May - which would mean pulling Buddy out of school... That is something I typically have been very against. But, next year is his last in elementary school and usually by May, they've wrapped up most of the learning portion of the year.
I wouldn't want later in May because 5th grade has graduation, and loads of field trips planned at the end.
So, the pros would be: trip would be a little cheaper, weather would be better and parks may be a little bit less crowded. Cons would be: having Buddy miss a week of school and have to do make-up work.
Disney won't even have their 2009 rates out until August, so I've got a month to figure it out.
Until then, we are off to Mayberry's for dinner. I need a Mayberry's cheeseburger like a crack ho needs crack.
Well with that much advance notice perhaps the teacher could gradually give him some of the work early so he doesn't have a load of make-up work. I think avoiding some of the crowds would improve the entire experience IHO.
ReplyDeleteMy youngest son and his family (in California) always buy year round Disneyland tickets. No matter the weather they go several times a month. We have been to the one in Fla. and it is great and you have Epcot....you will have a great time!!!
ReplyDeleteMy 75 cents worth: (geez, even THAT's gone up)...The nice thing about "rainy season" in Florida is that it might rain like hell for an hour, then you have the whole rest of the day of tropical rain forest humidity and beautiful sunshine to look forward to. My brother took my nieces out of school to go to Disney last year, and they took along some schoolwork which they did during what little rainy down-time they had. Yeah, sucks to do homework on vacation, but that's the trade off. And I agree, less crowds and less money more than make up for it!
ReplyDeleteRon - I'm really trying to talk myself into it.
ReplyDeleterosemary - I think we'll have a great time, too! Thanks.
Laura - I know, I know. Such a dilemma for me b/c I've always been so opposed to this notion.
OK, kids are grown now, from when we went, all my children are honor roll from grade school thru college now, so I say take all of them out early it will be fine, buy lifetime tickets to get the best of deals, go for a morning session, if they get tired, go back to resort for nap/shower, and finish up with great evening after it cools down, if they can go all day go to typhoon lagoon in middle of the day..we bought lifetime tickets in 1993 and still have ten 'free' entries and Disney is going to upgrade the 'then child' to adults for free while there in few weeks for free, so get lifetime if you can swing it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your nice comment to the Kitchen!
ReplyDeleteI think taking Buddy out of school early is fine - once they go to middle school and high school, you cna't do that anymore with homework and tests, so now is the time to do it. You'll get more time at the parks when you all aren't so hot and tired from the heat and crowds.
My best advice is to make dinner reservations whever you plan to be that day. Breakfast and lunch are easy, but dinnertime there everything gets craZZZy!
Having never been to DW, I can't give advice on being there. I have heard that it's really crowded in the summer though, and refreshments can be a 20-30 minute line wait. If I were taking kids, I'd go earlier while the temps and prices are still lower, and take an insulated zippered pull cart with bottled water and extra pouches to put all the stuff you're bound to buy in :)
ReplyDeleteBossinjo - I don't think they sell those anymore. I'll have to ask my Disney friends.
ReplyDeleteT - we had planned to do the Dining Plan, so I have already been narrowing down dinner places.
Carolyn - We're taking Sissy's stroller, so we can load that down with water, etc. too!
Everyone - thanks for your input. I need all the help I can get.
June in Florida is life-sappingly HOT.
ReplyDeleteThe earlier in the year you go, the better, IMHO.
Orlando is June is like a swamp.
ReplyDeleteSurely if you tell the teacher as soon as school starts, or shortly after, about your plans something can be worked out.
And I'm not 100% sure, but everything is still just a little bit cheaper a month earlier. More bang for your buck!
I'd suggest taking him during Easter/Spring Break.
ReplyDeleteThe South in March/April isn't so bad, and you wouldn't have to worry about pulling him out of school.
Do 5th graders have EOGs? If so, the last month may be 'crunch time'. EOGs are taken prior to the last week of school.
In any other grade, well, I doubt it matters.
Nooze spent the last 3 weeks of school playing board games and doodling on the computer.
Go around a winter break if you can (Thanksgiving or the long Christmas break).
ReplyDeleteJune, July, and August are each progressively muggier (and I do mean I-fell-like-my-skin-is-melting muggy). It's bearable in the Summer. I did go in the Summer to Orlando, Universal Studios (which TET and Buddy will want to live at after the movie rides), and Cypress Gardens, but if anyone in the family isn't a fan of really hot weather it can be a drag.
Seriously. When I feel like my skin is melting, I fall (apparently). ;)
ReplyDeleteTiff - thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeleteDiva - that's what I was thinking. It IS a cheaper time to go.
Renn - I considered that, but WDW is supposed to be nuts crowded for that time (everyone goes during Spring Break). I'll definitely call the school ahead of time and see if there's anything crucial that week.
BB - I think we'll do just WDW this time. Maybe Universal if we go again. I think that first week of May could be ideal.
Werepig totally just got added into my daily vocabulary! :) I've been known to do that at least once a month. Finally, I figured out the secret ingredient was coconut cream pie. Weird! I never eat that.
ReplyDeleteThe last time we went to WDW was Thanksgiving 2 years ago - it wasn't too crowded - and almost cool, but for us Northerners, it was just fine.
ReplyDeleteSince my next trip down won't be for several more years, I'll just have to live vicariously through your planning. Will you stay on or off site?
Have fun planning and keep us posted. ALLEARS has good advice.
Honeywine - I stole that from the Evil Twin.
ReplyDeleteK - we want to stay at the Port Orleans Riverside (in the manor side, not Alligator Bayou). I LOVE allears and have visited there everyday since I found it. I'm so pathetic.
Confucious say: ...that was funny! Very very funny! I hope if I ever get married, my husband will be silly with me too.
ReplyDeleteI would opt for taking your son out of school for a week. He'll think it's cool. You can help him get caught up. And....the best part.... no long lines at the park.
Confucious say: He who farts in church sits in own pew.