Just a big bunch of thanks!

Hey, we're going too! The 31st through 1/7. Do we overlap any?

oh wonderful! and how cool to have a video like that to prepare him for what is to come. you guys are going to have the BEST time, and you all deserve the time away together doing something so cool!!! YAYY

You'll have a great time! This might have been mentioned...take a disposable camera so Simon can document his trip first-hand.
If he likes the characters you can get a few autographs at the park and include them with his very own pictures on a layout.

we just got back from Floida(visiting my sister) and went to the Magic Kingdom for 1 day with Emma who is 2 1/2. She really loved it. The parade was the big hit. Hope you have a wonderful time!

I am so happy for you and your family. Walt Disney World is such a great place to get away and be a kid again. I took my son when he was 3 1/2 he loved it and so did we. You see everything in a different way with young children. A scrapbooking friend of mine had made up her own autograph book that she took along with her for her daughters. They were able to get autographs and then she kept a spot next to that page to put a picture of them with the character. The girls then wrote a little bit in the book about their trip. Her daughters are a bit older than Simon though. Can't wait to go again - we're racking up the disney dollars with my credit card every time I shop.

Ali: You will LOVE the Merry Christmas Party. This will be our 2nd year attending and my kids love it (they are 16, 14, 12 & 6). I so wish I could come see you at The Scrapbook Shoppe but the in-laws planned a last minute trip here before Christmas and she wants to get all her shopping done so she doesn't have to mail it. Have a great time at Disney. You will have the best time.

where did you get that planning video? We are planning a trip for February and that would be great!

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas is great. I took my daughter as one of her birthday presents a couple of years ago. She is a December baby and as we live so close it seemed to be an obvious fit. She was 9 at the time and she and I couldn't have had a greater time. The parade was way cool. Before we went to the park that night we went over to the area near Pleasure Island and had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. I don't know if you've ever had that experience, but I bet Simon would love it. My only advice is make it an early dinner or off the usual timing lunch, it does get crowded and there can be a line.

I'm glad Simon is getting excited. Have you made him a count down calendar so he can mark off each day until the trip?
I think you can order a free video from Disney website. I've also seen them offered in different magazines.
Sue

Ali~ You guys are going to have such a great time!. We go every October and would love to be there at Christmastime to enjoy the magic of season at the most magical place on Earth!. We always do the breakfast with Pooh and Friends at the Crystal Palace. It's wonderful. Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Eyeore all come around to the tables one at a time. They are totally in character! Easy time to get autographs and pictures! Oh, and the food is pretty darn good, too!
Have a fantabulous time!
[and use FastPasses wherever you can!]

Love love love DisneyWorld!! Got engaged there 3 years ago. :)
We loved having dinner at Chef Mickey's (it's in the Contemporary resort right near the Magic Kingdom)...the characters are so great and the food is actually pretty good. My favorite is the Crystal Palace, and it sounds like you already have plans for that...excellent! We made our priority seating for 8am so we could get in the park before it officially opened...got some great pictures of main street and the castle without 5 million other people walking around.
Hope you have a fantastic time!!!
Also, check out this website...VERY helpful. (someone else probably posted it already but I didn't go through all the comments)
http://www.allearsnet.com/

Yay! Be sure to see the carolers singing in Liberty Square! They'll be singing at the Riverboat Landing or by the Liberty Bell. :O)

I live in FLA and just went to Disney a few weeks ago for the Not so Scrary Halloween party at Magic Kingdom. We have done the Very Merry Christmas party in the past and you are going to have a ball. Disney is the best. I never get tired of going. I am taking your class at the Scrapbook Shoppe and can't wait.
peace
Kim

If it is still available, I recommend the Disney Sing A Long at Disney land. It shows a lot of the rides, and they are very similar at Disney World. My kids watched it over and over before we went when they were small. We still pull it out for kicks when we plan trips. Have Fun.

Ali, a couple of people mentioned autographs. I wasn't so into the idea until we got to Disney and i saw the clever autographs each character has. I did an altered clipboard and some giant tags for the autographs. When we got home I sliced the hole punched end of the tag off and mounted the already matted autograph into an album. Added a photo of the kids with the character and voila -- instant Disney autograph album. It's posted in my gallery at scrapjazz.com -- just do a member search for Jennifer H and click on my name, and the My Layouts link.

Disney World is fabulous! Been several times and love it each time! Hope Simon enjoys it! Just don't try to over-do it too much in those first few days there especially. Take naps in the afternoon and go back for dinner and singing and rides! YAY!
The fireworks are magical at Magic Kingdom! For a nice treat, go to the Contemporary Hotel restaurant, make reservations for 8-9 p.m. and sit and watch the fireworks inside. It's great. They sync the music inside for you to hear and see also. They stop serving and the lights go out for about 20-30 minutes for you to watch the fireworks! Great! Another option - sit on the beach at the Polynesian and watch them from across the lake. It's great!
Have a fabulous time!

Hey Ali,
Just sent you an email with some info.
I second what Karmen said about watching the fireworks from the beach at the Polynesian (if Simon han handle the noise level). We frequently will have dinner at 'Ohana and then hang on the beach

Oh yeah - and get a stroller for Simon. Even if he doesn't normally use one, he will need one at Disney - especially in the evenings - that place is HUGE!

We went to Disneyland in August of 1992, when my little guy turned 4. It was hot, it was crowded, and we were trying SO hard to see that he had a great birthday. We waited in line after line(This was pre-fast pass days) but the inevitible meltdown came: Standing right in front of Cnderella's castle, he dropped to his knees and wailed at us "Why, Oh why did you invite ALL THESE PEOPLE to my birthdayyyyy!"
Still a totally fun day, and not just for the kiddos. Epcot was also awesome...took him there when he was 16 for a baseball tournament. Have fun!

Ali-I second what Kim P says--take a stroller. You can rent them there, but why rent a big stroller when you can use one that your child is familiar with. You can use it to help carry snacks, water, sunscreen, etc. while you're in the parks. Plus, Simon will always have a seat for the parades!

Hey Ali! We just got back from Disney. As a mom w/ an ASD son, they are so very accomodating!
Best character meals: Chef Mickey and Crystal Palace.
Our little guy loved Animal Kingdom the most. And if you are doing the dining plan - Tusker house is great for lunch.
HTH! Jackie

Wow guys...I KNOW it will be a complete BLAST! Can't wait to hear all the MAGICAL details! Have FUN!!!! -Karla

I am so, so, so jealous. We took a girls trip a few years ago when AJ's little girl, Grace, was four. I had been a few times before, but it was a completely different experience with a child--the autographs were the way to go. She absolutely LOVED it. Believe me, Heather and I got our exercise literally running through the park to find characters while pushing Grace in the stroller. Two things that we did--started her out with a character that was more human, Mary Poppins. She had a bit of a fear of costumes at that age and it helped her warm up to the idea--plus she was a HUGE Mary Poppins fan at that stage. Second, we always had a stroller. She would walk often, but at four, her little legs got tired much faster than ours did. We were able to get one right outside the park and it was a lifesaver!!

So excited for your family! We just took our 5 and 7 yo last month for the first time. We live in Ohio and drove 32 hours round trip over a 4day weekend to go. It was SO WORTH IT!!! My best advice is to take a break from the park mid day. And snag a paint brush at Tom Sawyer's Island. My kids each did and turned it in to the raft operater and each recieved a pass for our entire family to skip ahead in line at a ride. And use Fast Pass! At the end of Oct. when we were there they were having record high's. It was 92 our day at Disney. We froze water bottles before we went and stored them in a locker at Disney to stay hydrated. That was our biggest challange-staying hydrated. Have a blast!

hi Ali,
You are going to have TONS of fun on your vacation! I work at Walt Disney World, and would be totally happy to get you and your family in for free if you let me know which days you are planning to go (tickets are almost $60 a person!). I would definately take Simon to both Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom if I were you, they are both great parks for kids. Epcot is more of an adult park, but is more calm than the other parks, and have a few cute rides for kids.. including the new Nemo ride, which is awsome! Vacation should be for parents too, and Epcot (where I work) is my favorite :) Also, if you call the restaurants ahead of time, they can accomodate almost any dietary needs (such as gluten-free diets), and even if you do not have the time for that, just let them know when you check at the restaurant or let your server know. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and again, I would be more than happy to let you guys in for free!
Camilla