We are a NEW family of 5 pretrip report sorta..

[bluejasmine]

Hey yall!

So reading everyone else TR and preTR got me wanting to start mine..

Let me introduce everyone:

Me-33 ( tho ppl swear I look 17 )
DF-31 never been to US/IOA or WDW
DS14-he's an 80's rocker born waaay to late (also WDW freak)
DD11-going on 16th my heart and joy also my mini me( told us we can go anywhere but WDW for honeymoon!)
DF-DS7- never been to US/IOA or WDW either also hyper as anything!

So..I am a HUGE WDW freak.. I mean I dont want to vacation anywhere else ;well besides Hawaii of course which by the way I plan on retiring in Kona Hawaii We noramally go atleast once a yr sometimes twice WDW that is not Hawaii..

Anyhoo, finances have been very tight this yr DF had his own construction business and we just couldnt keep work lined up due to the housing market. So a WDW trip just isnt in the cards for us. I am still holding on to hope that DF and I can book 4 day during Free DIning for Sept as a honeymoon. So we talked about how much the kids have been thru and done without the last yr and how we want to take our newly made mixed family on some kind of vacation. Carowinds in NC just isnt squat after going to WDW, 6 flags just doesnt appeal to me.. Then why not Universal?! So I looked into it and checked out prices and thought Hmm.. I might be able to swing this if that stimulus rebate is a real thing.. So I waited.. went online and read as much as I could about this stimulus thing.. and then low and behold..I checked my account on May 2 and it was there! OMG! We really are going on vacation! So I hopped on hotwire with DF and we booked a 3 star hotel for $43 a night free breakfast, wi-fi and fitness center very close to Universal by the looks of the map, but you know Hotwire until you book you have no idea what your getting or exactly where..So we agonized over it, do we do it? Do you want to? Ok lets. So i booked and we waited together as the page pulled up to tell us where we will be staying in Orlando for 4 nights and it was HYATT PLACE you should have seen DF face! We are use to having to stay in Rodeway Inns for the last yr when we needed hotel rooms due to finances, it was a true kodak moment.. So natuarally I am so curious about this hotel..Never stayed in a Hyatt before.. Stayed in a GORGEOUS Hotel in hawaii but.. Im getting off subject.. OMG! Its really nice, real contemporary looking, has a 42 in plasma tv in each room! Couch, wet bar w/fridge.. WOW we are amazed!

So next its time to buy our Universal tickets.. Ok so they are having that unlimited 1 wk pass for $80 pp so of course I chose those and well Meal Deal is a have to for our family b/c of the men.. DF and DS14 and DS7 are BIG eaters and eat all the time..Well Ive been watching what I eat I recently lost 92 pounds but I gotta tell you.. Im looking forward to those all you can eat hamburger, pizza, chicken strips.. Hey as long as I excersize I should be ok, Ive done the dining plan in WDW and ate what I wanted and maintained..
Oh wait I better get those sipper cup tickets too, we all drink alot..Well I decide to do 2 days of the 1 park meal deals and 1 day of the 2 park meal deals so we can take 1st day to do IOA and just eat there, 2nd day to US and just eat there and the 3rd day to go back to both parks and do whatever we want and eat where ever we want..
That night I sat DS14 and DD11 ( DS7 lives w/his mother in TN we will be getting him for the summer on May 23rd) and told them about the trip and they immediatly want to go online and check everything out so we did. We even checked out rides and things on youtube..
So for the last wk Ive been obssessing about this trip.. Already have made a packing list, a small list of things to buy. Now Im working on a game plan to attack the parks (alway do this for wdw) but its a bit harder since I dont have the park maps and the ones on the site dont show where everything is exactly..
Ive calculated gas cost, cost of food for on the road, spending money for each child DS14 will get $50 ( and whatever allowance $ he chooses to bring) DD11 will get $30 (plus she has $13) DS7 will get $20. Im shootin for $100 for DF and I to split, I just want a tshirt and maybe a cell phone charm or something..Its gonna be fun making sure the DS7 and DD11 dont spend their money all on candy..I know DS14 and DF will spend their money in the Simpsons store..They are big fans!
So I have 30 more days to go.. I do have alot to do between now and then tomorrow I have a job interview, this wkend we are taking DS14 and his GF15 to the first ever Hard Rock Park ..Sun we are having both our mothers over for breakfast for mothers day. Next wkend I hope to just relax b/c the next wkend or rather Fri May 23rd DF and I will leave home at 1am ( I work out my home) and go to Columbia( 1 1/2 hr away) to pick up DD11 she was going to a school there and is moving home that day, from there we drive straight thru to Nashville TN check into a hotel swim get some dinner and some rest the next morn pick up DS7 hopefully his mother will be on time as it is 9 hr drive home..She seems to be late every time when its time to meet us.. Last time she said none of his clothes were dry so we waited at the McDonalds while she dryed them but when she showed up his clothes were still wet on the hangers! Oh well.. That Mon will be Memorial day so we will most probably spend it at the beach with the kids and that Sat 31st is DF bday and we are having a big cook out to celebrate that and DD and DS homecoming!
I have it on good authority that I am 97% sure I will get this new job b/c Im the only 1 out of 2 ppl they are interviewing for this job and I have 7 yrs experience.. I will get a big jump in salary, company car and gas card. Only drawback is i wont be working at home and I kinda wanted to be with kids home for the summer, but from what I understand I can do that a few days a wk if I ahve a chance..So yall pray for me, hopefully we can work this out so I start when we get back from our vacation..Wew.. Ill be updating as things come along..
Should be a trip to the Dollar Tree coming soon for mini hand held fans, mesh laundry bags, big suction cup hooks (hang up towels and bathing suits) and three pairs of headsets (all 3 kids have portable DVD players) batteries.
Then I need to get snacks and drinks for the car and hotel fridge. I already have a 12 pack of Lipton Green Tea for me..Yummy..
By the way I cant wait to see DS7 face when we tell him about our vacation that will only be 2wks away at that point!!!

 

[LeslieR]

I love pretrip reports, thanks for posting...looking forward to more!

 

[tlinus]

Sounds wonderful to me!!!

Have fun planning - any questions you can ask on the regular universal thread.....lots of peeps with lots of knowledge

 

[bluejasmine]

So anyone who read my last pre TR knows that my DF son is always with us for the entire summer even tho court papers state first and last two wks only but his sons mother just never wants to spend time with their son. Anyway.. They have been arguing b/c she has put him on ADHD meds and now he has developed a noticeable tick. She told DF about it he became concerned and asked her to talk to their sons dr. She says its hereditary on his side? He spoke with several family members no one has a tick of any kind so he let her know this and again asked her to talk with dr. She refused so he asked for dr name and number which he has rights to according to their court papers, he can have name, number of dr and teachers and access to medical as well as school records. She refused they argued she hung up he called back this went on for awhile so she called TN police who called us here in SC. DF explained what was going on police expl to her that he had right to the info so she gave it. DF spoke with dr and dr immediatly agreed meds should be changed and the child be watched by a neurologis during the change. That was a few wks ago since then DF sons mother will barely allow him to talk to son and Mon night told him they were going back to court order of first and last two wks of summer That rules out our Universal vacation for his son! DF is devastated.. She has allowed him to be with us the entire summer for the last 4 yrs so this is obviously out of spite.. I am just so sad.. Im trying everything I can to cheer DF up.. Yall pls pray she changes her mind.. We were suppose to get him next Fri (May 23)

 

[LeslieR]

I'm so sorry to hear your family is going through such a rough patch. I will keep you and your family in my prayers...including the mother. I wish your family the best.

 

[donaldduck352]

Thats me Thats some Thats others Only 1 way to plan.THE DARKSIDEis always here too help

 

[bluejasmine]

So.. As I stated before.. We, DF and I werent sure if we would be getting his son since his mother was being so difficult BUT DF just called they are on their way back from Nashville and will be home with my two kids and I tomorrow afternoon He sounds so happy which in turn makes me very happy! So next wk is our cookout to celebrate DF bday and then next wkend we leave for Universal!

 

[LeslieR]

I'm glad to hear your DF's son is able to go to Florida with you! It sounds like you'll have a great time....I'll be watching for more reports!

 

[Adadmin]

This is exciting. so cool you guys got a great rate on a nice place on Hotwire. Sounds like you have everything planned out and y'all are going to have a blast

 

[klacey1]

Sounds great! I love US/IOA and hope you and your fam have a great time. Can't wait to hear more

 

[angela3676]

I am so sorry to read what you're going through. But keep this in your thougths, he did the right thing to demand medical information and because he did the dr changed his meds. Drs can't help if they don't know there's a problem. I will keep you all in my prayers and I pray that Gods touches her heart.

 

[mistymouse5001]

Go ahead and make those plans She isn't going to give up her summer just to ruin yours. Don't let her know about the plans either. Ppl like that are all the same. Hot air! You and the family will have a great time

 

[tlinus]

OP has updated in this report:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=25349747

maybe a mod can merge this and the other trippie please??

 

[phamton]

Yes, this needed to be merged into the other report. So it is now merged into one thread.

 

[alexb0923]

That sounds good. Have Fun!!!