The Grandkids
DGS1: Jay, James, JJ - he answers to them all. Jay was our 1st grandchild and just graduated from high school. He's 19 and a really wonderful young man. He took a year off from school to earn some money for college to ease the burden on his mother. He's an excellent baseball player and hopes to pitch in college. He had a scholarship for baseball but it fell through on a technicality. His 1st trip to Disney was for his 5th birthday and he never wanted to come home again.
Favorite Rides: Anything wild
Favorite Restaurant: The Coral Reef
He HATES getting his picture taken. This will be his 5th trip (I spoiled him)
Jay and his brother
Me, Jay and his father (my son) on his graduation day
Jay and his girlfriend, my granddaughter wanted her to come with us
DGD1: Crystal and yes it gets confusing with the other Crystal. Jennifer's oldest daughter. She just turned 13 years old and is a typical teenager, moody, happy, looks at you like you are insane. She is an AMAZING ARTIST. These were drawn freehand. She's hoping to go to high school for art.
I'm hoping to surprise her with one of her pieces in the future Disney artist book at Art of Disney. She has no favorites but isn't fond of Haunted Mansion, we got stuck in the area with eyes and it freaked her out. She isn't crazy about getting her picture taken but she has a crazy, funny side and a great sense of humor. I told her that her father's family is "Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs" and she laughed and laughed.
Crystal
DGS 2: Mikey of the "Wait Where's Mikey" fame in my signature. Jennifer's son. Mikey is 11 years old and on the Autism Spectrum. As I tell my mom it's not an excuse it's an explanation. He's a sweet boy and very lovable. He's never met a stranger, just friends he doesn't know. We still lose him but he's getting better. Loud noised and bugs overload him and send him into full scare panic mode. He loves Star Wars and has never seen a movie, Bad Grandmom.
Favorite Character: Darth Maull or Kylo Ren, he has a bit of the Dark side in him.
Favorite Ride: He loved Tower of Terror but was terrified of It's Tough To Be A Bug. He said he is brave enough to see it this time.
Mikey, with his medal for most dedicated swimmer. It was his BEST day ever
DGS 3: Anthony, NEVER Tony, but sometimes Ant. Beth's oldest son. He just turned 10 years old and went to Disney when he was just shy of 4. He remembers nothing. I can't ask him what he likes because this trip is a surprise and he is getting suspicious. He does hate rides that drop like Tower of Terror but he loves rides that spin.
DGD 2: Ella, Jennifer's youngest. This is her birthday trip as she turns 9 the day after we come home. She is funny, sassy, dramatic, smart and only quiet in school. She was almost 4 on her first trip and her only memory is that she does NOT like Woody. She had a Jesse doll that she took to the parks with us. Woody liked the doll and put it ion his boot. She was very upset with him and still hasn't forgiven him.
Favorite Character: Olaf
Favorite Ride: Haunted Mansion. To be fair she was to small for most of them last trip
DGS 4: Wyatt, he is Beth's middle son. Wyatt turns 4 in January and will be exactly the same age Anthony was on his first trip. Wyatt is stubborn and a total Mommy's boy. He was also just diagnosed on the spectrum but high functioning. It will present a few issues. His favorite character is Olaf and his stuffed Olaf will be on the trip with us. He doesn't like "real" characters
Ella and Wyatt
DGS 5: Benjamin, Ben or Benny. He is Beth's youngest son. Ben is 2 and in the terrible 2's. Everything is funny and a game to him. He is very lovable when he wants to be. Ben and Wyatt are only 14 months apart so it should be fun. His favorite character is Stitch.
Beth and Jay with the Anthony, Wyatt and Ben. Wyatt is usually trying to escape
DGS 6: Isai or "Z", he is 9 and Crystal's son. He has never been to Disney and the trip was supposed to be a surprise. Crystal told him for his birthday and he wasn't impressed til he found out his cousins were going and there are rides.
Rounding out the trip are
Yoko: She's been Beth's BFF since they were about 5 in kindergarten. She's been to Japan several times but never to Disney.
Akari: She's Yoko's niece and is 10 almost 11. Yoko spoils her. Yoko's brother was Akari's father but sadly he passed away right before she was born. She is a real Tomboy and not a princess type at all.
Fallon: Beth and Yoko's friend. She's actually Yoko's nest door neighbor. She has never been to Disney.
Zackary: Fallon's son. He is 2 and actually just a month younger than Benny.
Danielle: She's another of Beth's friends. All the girls including Jennifer were friends growing up and hung around my house quite a bit. She has been to Disney at least once.
Makiyla: Danielle's daughter. She turns 12 a couple of days after we come home.
I have known Yoko, Fallon and Danielle since they were all in kindergarten. I was the crossing guard at their school and crossed them everyday, I was also their Girl Scout leader.
Beth and Yoko
Beth and Fallon
Beth and Yoko
Danielle, Jennifer, Beth, Yoko and Fallon on the end
Makiyla
Akari
Jennifer and Crystal
Fallon, Yoko and Beth
Beth, Jen, Anthony, Crystal, Mikey and Ella the very first time they met Mickey Mouse
Crystal and Makiyla
I don't have any pictures of Zackary.
If you have followed along to here this adds up to 21 people: 10 children and 11 adults. The breakdown by age
2 year olds - 2
3 year old - 1
8 year old - 1 (almost 9)
9 year old - 1
10 year old - 2 (1 turns 11 a month later)
11 year old - 2 (1 turns 12 4 days after we come home)
13 year old - 1
Crazy grandmother - 1
So you have the start of the background and the cast of characters. More on the background and some bonus past trip reports to come.