Could I / Should I pull this off?

[fourfoxesinpa]

My daughter will turn 13 the end of August. I would like to make a big deal of it for her because it's a special birthday, and school won't have started yet (one of the few times this happens). I first thought about renting a beach house for the weekend, and letting her bring a few friends. A few turned into 9 friends, and a beach house for that many (9 kids plus 4 of us) is over $1000 for a weekend. Plus, I'm not comfortable taking that many kids to the beach, I'm just not sure I could chaperone that many the way that I would want to. So, I talked to DD and told her maybe we'd just have the friends over for a little party, and the two of us would do a mom and me weekend. She loved the idea.

I've priced a few ideas (NYC, a spa resort in Phoenix, and of course, WDW). Believe it or not, WDW is the cheapest (using SR earnings, of course). Here's my proposed itinerary /budget:

Airfare: $400
Hotel: (2 nights at Pop Century) $140 (I can book it on expedia using a $50 coup I have there!)
Friday evening: dinner at DTD ($60) and shopping ($50)
Saturday: Blizzard Beach or Typhoon: $75, lunch at BB, $50
Saturday eve: hang at resort, eat dinner there at food court: $40
Sunday: DTD DisneyQuest: $75 plus lunch there $40

Total: $930
minus $50 Disney Dollars left from last trip
equals $880
minus $200 (amount I feel I can earn here on SR by Aug, including current balance)
equals $680 out of pocket for weekend

My first question, is do you think my budget is doable? Second, will we regret being there and not going to the parks? It's such a short trip, in Friday, out Sunday, and I thought the waterpark would be (a) much cheaper and (b) cooler, it is August, and (c) we've never been to a WDW water park.

My other problem is I'm sure my son will be jealous. But, he has a football game that weekend (which I hate to miss) so he can't go anyway. He's huge into football. If we'd have done the beach house, he and dh could have driven home for the game and come back. I told him dd and I were doing a mom and me weekend and I'd do one with him for his 13th bday if he wants. He may prefer a dad and me weekend, honestly, and that would be fine with me.

Any thoughts? If I book the hotel on expedia I have to do so by Apr. 30, so I have a little time to think about this.

I totally agree with you - 10 teenagers away from home is a big responsibility. Taking a trip with Mom is a great idea - the older she gets, the harder it will be to get her to want to go away with just the two of you. She probably won't want to spend her 16th or 21st birthdays with you. No offense to you, of course. Just a teen thing.

Check out the Top 20 deals at www.travelzoo.com. There are a ton of great deals there. Just me, but I would find it hard to spend close to $1K to go to Disney Quest and the water park. I'd want to be in one of those parks. Disney Quest is entertaining but not that great for me to go to MCO just for that. I'd rather swim with the dolphins at SeaWorld and skip the waterpark and Disney Quest. OR, dare I suggest it...there is an online deal right now for 1 week's worth of unlimited admission for $79.99 to Universal. It's not Disney, admittedly, but still, a great time.

As far as Phoenix goes, I just booked a week for us at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa for this summer. http://www.jwdesertridgeresort.com/ Not sure if this is the one you or Cate was talking about. It has a spa and a lazy river. It can be pricey, but there is a Marriott Vacation Club property (Marriott Canyon Villas) right next door that is less expensive and you can use all the facilities at the JW.

Whatever you decide, it will be a great bonding weekend for you. Enjoy time with your young lady.

[LyndaM]

"Just me, but I would find it hard to spend close to $1K to go to Disney Quest and the water park. I'd want to be in one of those parks"

When you put it that way... We could always forget waterpark and Disney Quest and go to MK. Then, Sunday, with whatever time we had to kill we could go to a movie or something...

Another idea my dd mentioned awhile back was Mall of America. She would like to go there. Has anyone been? That would be a cooler place to go in August than FL! Thanks to everyone for your ideas and suggestions!

[fourfoxesinpa]

Here's a crazy thought...would it be cheaper to go to Disneyland for the weekend?

A bunch of SRers are going to the MOA this summer and I think MagicalJen lives near there? Ooooh...a weekend "Back to School" shopping trip with Mom to the biggest mall in the country. Now, that sounds like a blast!

[LyndaM]

Here's a crazy thought...would it be cheaper to go to Disneyland for the weekend?

A bunch of SRers are going to the MOA this summer and I think MagicalJen lives near there? Ooooh...a weekend "Back to School" shopping trip with Mom to the biggest mall in the country. Now, that sounds like a blast!

Yeah, I'm looking at the MOA website now. It looks fun!

[fourfoxesinpa]

And your son wouldn't feel so badly!

[Blessing and Miracle]

I just wanna say, I think you planning a special trip like this for your daughter is awesome!!! I wish I would have thought about it for my oldest DD when she turned 18. I will definitely keep this in mind for when she turns 21 in a couple of years, or even next year!! Great idea!

Truthfully, it made me cry. I know that tomorrow isn't promised to anyone, but less face it, I do have cancer and it could progress at anytime, or I could get an infection and it could just wipe me completely out. I don't sit around thinking about dying and leaving my family, but I am human. I try to do as much as I possibly can with them now! We are all about creating memories and living each day as if it were my last! Although, our older children have plenty of memories, but my 4 year old twins..........I just really try to make special moments with them even more. And, I pray daily that I'm still here to see milestones in their lives as well!

No matter what the cost, enjoy that special time with your DD. It's priceless!

Okay, I didn't mean to go there. Sorry!

[LyndaM]

I just wanna say, I think you planning a special trip like this for your daughter is awesome!!! I wish I would have thought about it for my oldest DD when she turned 18. I will definitely keep this in mind for when she turns 21 in a couple of years, or even next year!! Great idea!

Truthfully, it made me cry. I know that tomorrow isn't promised to anyone, but less face it, I do have cancer and it could progress at anytime, or I could get an infection and it could just wipe me completely out. I don't sit around thinking about dying and leaving my family, but I am human. I try to do as much as I possibly can with them now! We are all about creating memories and living each day as if it were my last! Although, our older children have plenty of memories, but my 4 year old twins..........I just really try to make special moments with them even more. And, I pray daily that I'm still here to see milestones in their lives as well!

No matter what the cost, enjoy that special time with your DD. It's priceless!

Okay, I didn't mean to go there. Sorry!

[fourfoxesinpa]

Truthfully, it made me cry.

Lisa

[m 'n c]

I just wanna say, I think you planning a special trip like this for your daughter is awesome!!! I wish I would have thought about it for my oldest DD when she turned 18. I will definitely keep this in mind for when she turns 21 in a couple of years, or even next year!! Great idea!

Truthfully, it made me cry. I know that tomorrow isn't promised to anyone, but less face it, I do have cancer and it could progress at anytime, or I could get an infection and it could just wipe me completely out. I don't sit around thinking about dying and leaving my family, but I am human. I try to do as much as I possibly can with them now! We are all about creating memories and living each day as if it were my last! Although, our older children have plenty of memories, but my 4 year old twins..........I just really try to make special moments with them even more. And, I pray daily that I'm still here to see milestones in their lives as well!

No matter what the cost, enjoy that special time with your DD. It's priceless!

Okay, I didn't mean to go there. Sorry!

My mom took me on a Mother/Daughter trip right before my senior year in college. I had finally made straight a's for the first time in my life and she always said she'd take me where ever I wanted to go if I did that (within the US of course). So I picked San Diego and we went for a Wed-Sun and had a blast. I think you should do something like that with each of your girls.

[Blessing and Miracle]

My mom took me on a Mother/Daughter trip right before my senior year in college. I had finally made straight a's for the first time in my life and she always said she'd take me where ever I wanted to go if I did that (within the US of course). So I picked San Diego and we went for a Wed-Sun and had a blast. I think you should do something like that with each of your girls.

That was wonderful! I use to give each of my children a "this is your day" day that included just the two of us. Now it's kinda hard to do because of my health, but I'm definitely gonna plan a triip for me and DD19, hopefully for her next birthday! When Blessing and Miracle gets a little older, I'll do one with them. But for now, I do plan on the four of us having a spa day really soon!

You Houstonians recommend any place special?

Again, I love the idea!