August 2018 - Pre trip

Cast

Jen - snowflakegirl
Joe - DH
DS - 5 - anxiously missing Disney World since we last were there in April 2016. He frequently asks to go back because “I miss it SOOOOO much...I miss my friends the characters that I met there, and the rides that I loved there….” He doesn’t know we’re going yet!
DD - 2- Minnie obsessed little girl, going for her first trip

We ended up with a longer than planned trip this time around. Our original plan had us going Sunday to Sunday (7 nights), but the difference in airfare for extending our trip out a couple days on both sides paid for the accommodations and food!! So now we’re doing Friday - Tuesday (11 nights).

This trip will be our first split stay. And our first time staying at both of these resorts. We’re spending 2 nights at Art of Animation on the front end...DS loves Cars and Lion King and Finding Nemo...we figured he’d get a kick out of the theming of the hotel. We’ll spend the second part of the trip at AKL - Kidani Village. We’ve stayed at Jambo House before, and we’ve visited Kidani, but this will be our first stay.

We have meals booked at:
New to us
Cape May Cafe (D)
Akershus (D)
Bon Voyage Breakfast (B)
Jiko (D - just DH and I, my parents will take the kiddos and dinner at Jiko was my anniversary present to DH)

Returning favorites
Boma (D)
Boma (B)
Garden Grill (B)
Biergarten (D)
Hollywood and Vine (B)
Tusker House (B)
Restaurant Marrakesh (D)

Also looking forward to trying Satul’i Canteen and Flame Tree BBQ for the first time this trip. And we have the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert party booked, too.

Definitely looking forward to checking out Toy Story Land and Pandora, and riding some roller coasters that DS wasn’t quite tall enough for last time we were there and he’s still talking about wanting to go on them next time we go.
We’re also lucky enough to be traveling with my parents (arriving Saturday - Tuesday) and our best friends and their 5 year old daughter and 2 year old son (Saturday to Sunday)...we traveled with them in August 2015 when we took our 5 year olds for their first trips, too.

14 days now and starting to get really excited.

The tip sounds wonderful! I love that you haven’t told your children yet! ( it would be an endless “when are we going!?!?!?” We once waited until the time to leave for the airport to tell them. They loved the not having to wait to go!

We didn't originally intend to wait until we were on the way to the airport to tell him, but the longer we didn't tell him, the more excited we got for surprising him. And then it became, let's just tell them on the way to the airport. I can't wait to see his face! (And yes, avoiding the "are we going now? How about now? for the past few months is definitely a bonus.)

Sounds awesome! I'm glad that you're able to do the split stay and will have enough time to enjoy both resorts. Dining plans look great too. Jiko is on my bucket list.
We surprised my son with a trip a few years ago. We managed to not tell him until we were about 10 feet away from the Magical Express bus stop. (He knew we were in FL for his Great Grandmother's birthday but didn't realize that her party was a week from the day we landed in MCO.) The reaction was incredible.

I hope you get a picture of his face when you tell him. :)

Sounds awesome! We will be there too overlapping (in the middle) your trip, just seven nights for us. It will be hot for sure! It's not our ideal time to visit but with kids in high school and college it's a challenge. Enjoy it while they are young! Can't wait to compare notes on TSL.

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Originally Posted by baldburke

Sounds awesome! We will be there too overlapping (in the middle) your trip, just seven nights for us. It will be hot for sure! It's not our ideal time to visit but with kids in high school and college it's a challenge. Enjoy it while they are young! Can't wait to compare notes on TSL.

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Not the ideal time to visit, for sure, but I work in an elementary school and we're bound to only traveling during vacations, unfortunately. Which leaves summer or April...unfortunately my son's school district doesn't have the same April vacation I have... So there we have it.

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Originally Posted by Cinderelley

I hope you get a picture of his face when you tell him. :)

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I'm already planning how I'm going to manage to make sure I get a picture and/or video. DH is thinking we'll load the car up Thursday night after the kids are in bed so that in the morning we'll just wake them up and say we need to go somewhere and load them into the car and hit the road and then tell them as we're getting close to the airport!

It's getting so close. I'm excited for you. I was never able to surprise my kids (they were too old to be fooled by the time we started going.), but I'm hoping to pull a trick like this on my grandkids some day.

I'm guessing you might already be on your trip - hope you're having a wonderful time!!!

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Originally Posted by faline

I'm guessing you might already be on your trip - hope you're having a wonderful time!!!

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Yes, we were. Updated trip report to come. :-) It was a great trip.

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Originally Posted by snowflakegirl

Yes, we were. Updated trip report to come. :-) It was a great trip.

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Glad you enjoyed your trip!! I look forward to reading your reports!!