No access and planning a trip

Well, for those of you wondering where my blog posts went, I was in Albuquerque this weekend visiting my wife's family, who don't have internet access. Well, they have internet access, but in order to use it, I would not only have to enter the modem dialing info into my laptop, but I'd also have to tie up their phone line, so I was not about to do that. I did notice that one of their neighbors had an open wireless network available, but I refrained from succumbing to the temptation.

The weekend itself was pretty nice, although we didn't get to do all the things we had hoped to. Every attempt to hook up with friends pooped out, we never got to Trader Joe's, we didn't manage to take in a movie, and allergies hit us pretty hard while we were there.

One high point, though, was the planning of a trip to DisneyWorld this winter. My wife's parents want to take our nieces to DisneyWorld while they can still be easily pulled out of school, and my wife wants to tag along. So we sat around, comparing the Disney resorts, watching the promotional DVD, and generally getting jazzed about visiting the "Happiest Place on Earth" again.

I have to say, this "Happiest Celebration on Earth" promotion they're putting on is actually a pretty good deal. The price tag of $1500 sounds high until you realize that this includes 6 nights of hotel room plus theme park tickets and transportation to and from the parks. That's $250 a day for a family of four including tickets. Really, that's unbeatable.

But the coolest thing is the anticipation of hitting the new attractions. The Pirates of the Caribbean makeover will be completed by the time we go, so we'll get to see Jack Sparrow in various scenes (which I hope doesn't interfere too much with the original feel of the ride), plus new effect technologies. We might get to see Haunted Mansion Holiday if they do it for WDW this year. There's the improved Space Mountain and the new Lilo and Stitch and Narnia attractions.

But the one I'm really looking forward to - at the top of my must-see list - is Expedition Everest. A horror-themed roller coaster? Can't go wrong. The only thing better than a breakneck coaster ride through an ice-covered mountain is adding a berserk Yeti trying to take you out as you go.

I'm of course also looking forward to taking my nieces into the best theme park attraction ever - the Haunted Mansion.

I am apprehensive about taking my son to the parks, though. I'm worried he will get so tired that he won't have a good time, and I'm worried that he will be so high-maintenance, being solidly in the middle of the "terrible twos" by then, that we won't be able to enjoy the parks, either.