A Celebration Trip Full of Surprises - May 2015 PTR (New 9/15 - New TR Link!)

[DisneyKid4Life]

I had no idea what you were talking about. So I scrolled down and now it looks like I have another TR that I'm WAAAAYY behind on that I should probably start reading. I read the far enough to at least get the Canadia explanation. Hi, @DisneyKid4Life .

Hi @afwdwfan

Rob's trip reports are awesome! Once your life is less hectic, you should absolutely put them on your list!

(The Canadia story came about in one of his December trips, I believe, due to a CM mistake. Needless to say, it's stuck since!)

You are FAR too kind Jenny. I'm just delighted that Canadia is an actual thing.

it wouldn’t seem right to go through our list of Disney must-do’s and leave out Downtown Disney and the waterparks!

Given the length of your trip, I would say this is very much true.


Hey, since you already have the option, there really is no reason not to at least try DisneyQuest. I've read various degrees of reviews, but it does at least sound like it's worth a shot.

Another thing on the West Side that I’d love to cross off our list is the Characters in Flight balloon ride:

THIS is something I've been dying to do for a long time. I have heard about that groupon deal too. Seems like a no-brainer.


I am still just in awe of all you have planned for this trip. This really is the ultimate dream trip, and once again, if Anika as a sister doesn't work out, I am fully willing to go through a procedure to replace her.

 

[KathyM2]

Love all your plans for DS....I actually haven't been in Goofy's Candy Co....have to do something about that next time. When we were there in March we were too full from lunch at Raglan Road to care about treats...sigh...not gonna let THAT happen again! The waterparks are a lot of fun. We went a few years ago to TL but never BB...they both look amazing though!

 

[JoshAndEvsMom]

Disney Springs sure looks like it has so much more going on! I'be always wanted to do the Characters in Flight, (awesome score on the Groupon!) And the new amphicars look really fun too! I know they're crazy expensive but they're just so darn cute!

I have such fond memories of the water parks. I am really looking forward to the day when we can enjoy them with the kids. While they're young we decided we'd just enjoy the resort pools and skip the water parks. Crush & Gusher looks like a blast though!

 

[Tracy161]

Excellent must-dos at these places! I rarely spend more than an afternoon at DTD and it's just never enough time. I have plans to get there once is trip but I'm a little worried about traffic related delays because of all the construction. But hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised. My must-do at DTD is Earl of Sandwich, though I'd really like to try Wolfgang Puck's someday as well.

It's been years (since 1997 to be exact!) since I've hit up a waterpark. My family went to Blizzard Beach and I just loved it! I wouldn't hesitate to go again on a longer trip. It'll be a nice break from the guaranteed heat for you!

 

[glennbo123]

Looove Crush 'n Gusher.

 

[afwdwfan]

These areas have always seem to be afterthoughts in our planning.

We visited a Disney waterpark for the first time on our 2013 trip and REALLY enjoyed it. I don’t think we’re going to turn into waterpark junkies, but it really was fun to do something different. A trip this long and in the warm months of May and June definitely call for some waterpark time!

Definitely makes a lot of sense. Not a bad way to kill some times since you're going to be there for like a month.

Disney Quest has always intrigued me. I’m a child of the 80’s and 90’s, so I certainly love my video games! We have the Water Park Fun & More Option on our tickets (somewhat of a no-brainer if you have the Park Hopper and wish to visit a water park), so this is finally on the list! I don’t know how much time we’ll spend here, but I’d love to visit some of the classic video games as well as some of the Disney-themed adventures. If we get bored or it gets too loud, we’ll escape!

I've been there once. A long, long time ago! It is definitely interesting and it does make sense for you to at least check it out since you'll have that as part of your package. And the fact that you won't be compelled to stay even if it is crowded/loud/whatever will be a nice bonus.

I always manage to purchase enough to get my Disney Visa discount – last time my purchase included the Four Parks, One World CD (which has a permanent home in my car!).

The Visa discount is always within reach. There's always something else you can add to get over the hump.
And I have that CD as well. It's great!

Another thing we’d love to do is play at least one round of mini-golf. The most likely course would be the one next to Blizzard Beach:

Excellent choice! I've heard nothing but rave reviews of Winter Summerland, but we've just never taken the time to even think about trying mini golf when we're there.

 

[heathsf]

It’s Snack Time!
Must-Do Snacks

Before jumping into the must-dos at Magic Kingdom (which I promise will be the next PTR section!), I thought it may be fitting to follow up our list of ADRs with a few “must-do” and “would love to do” snacks.

My list includes a few favorites as well as a whole bunch of new snacks.

First the favorites…

Anika’s favorite snack in all of Disney World is the Mickey Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Sandwich. I’m sure several will be consumed during our trip:

My favorite snack is the Carrot Cake Cookie from the Writer’s Stop in Hollywood Studios. If you like carrot cake even a tiny bit, you MUST try one!

It isn’t a Disney vacation without Disney (crack covered) popcorn:

Or a tasty Mickey Pretzel:

During our 2013 trip I finally tried a Cream Cheese Pretzel and I LOVED it! The Lunching Pad will be getting another visit from me!

We also need to return to Goofy’s Candy Company and make another custom Mickey treat:

I also have a few “must-dos” at the Universal Parks. Of course, they include:

Butterbeer! Ahhh… I can almost taste it now!

We also must get another Cauldron Cake (another Harry Potter treat). They’re delicious!

Of course, we must get a treat at the new (to us) Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream:

I think Anika would love a Brain Freezin’ D’oh Nut Sundae:

Moving back over to Disney World, there are a few snacks I’d love to get at the water parks.

First, I want to try the Sand Pail – an ice cream sundae in a bucket! I mentioned this one to Anika and she thinks it sounds awesome!

I also can’t wait to have another box of mini donuts. I’m actually not a huge fan of most donuts, but these are PHENOMENAL:

As for new park snacks, I’m determined to finally get a treat from Karamell Kuche. A top prospect is the sea salt caramel:

I also want to finally try a Grey Goose Slush. Would you believe I’ve never had one?!

I’d love to make sure to leave room for a Sunshine Seasons Strawberry Shortcake. I know Anika would love to help me eat this!

The new ice cream shop in France also needs at least one visit – near the top of the must-try list is an ice cream macaroon:

A final spot that needs a visit in Epcot is La Cava. I can’t wait to try the Avocado Margarita!

Another beverage that must be tried is LeFou’s Brew at Gaston’s:

Finally, I need to knock another cupcake off of my list at Starring Rolls. Red Velvet, anyone?

Does anyone else notice that besides the popcorn and the Mickey pretzel, all the rest of our snacks are drinks or desserts?

Thankfully I have forty more days to expand my stomach so I have room for all this food! Thank goodness I have a travel companion!

Up Next for 2015: Magic Kingdom Must-Dos (for real, this time!)

As a hungry pregnant woman, this post was torture to read! I may or may not be licking my computer screen right now

 

[heathsf]

I had a lot of catching up to do and your trip is SO soon!

Every time I see the instructions from Gary Sinise I always want to watch Apollo 13.

Me too!

I LOVE the Soarin’ soundtrack!

Me too!

We were super successful in Epcot that morning! In just three hours we rode five attractions (including three headliners and one of those headliners twice!), as well as looked through the seas and watched a movie.

You were seriously productive! And all that after an early (and awesome) breakfast ADR! You are serously pros.

We continued on to China:

I think I just uploaded this exact photo to photobucket for the next update on my TR!

It was no surprise that we LOVED Le Cellier

Those fries looked absolutely amazing.

The Magic Kingdom greeted us with this beautiful site:

Love this picture. It's not totally night time but it's dark enough for Main Street and the castle to be lit up and gorgeous. Perfect!

There was a Photopass photographer available so we had to take advantage:

This is awesome. There was no PP photographer when we went to our dessert party.

Great shot!

We did it - four ADRs in a single day!

Seriously impressive!

First up was Dumbo:

I can't believe I forgot to check it out since it was redone. It looks so pretty at night in your picture.

Is there anyone that doesn’t love Philharmagic?!

I seriously doubt it.

We also ventured to Adventureland for a boat ride with some pirates (I’m so sad that this won’t be open this time! ):

Is it closing for refurb? I'm not up to date on my Disney news

Although I’ll ride it at any time of day, I think Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is even more awesome at night! If you’ve never ridden it at night, you need to give it a try!

Totally agree.

We packed tons of fun into one day. Tons of attractions at two parks and four awesome ADRs! It was a great (but exhausting! ) day!

You guys did amazing!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Aww, love all the must-dos at each park. Most of them are ours too!! Yay for getting your magic bands!

Hope you get to eat at La Hacienda as well...we're eating there too during illuminations. It'll be fun to compare experiences!!

Have a great trip if I don't see ya around the DIS...I leave tomorrow!!

Thank you! It was so darn exciting to get those magic bands!

We'll absolutely have to share experiences! I hope you guys have a great time!

I hope you're having a wonderful time on your trip!

Love all the updates - I missed a bunch! You're getting me excited to go, though! I wanted to do some posts like that, but just didn't get to it.

I swear, time just runs away from you the closer you get to a trip. You're SO CLOSE... just a few more days!

We have done this a couple times and loved it! Good food, not crowded (in our experience, at least), they pipe in the music, great views, good service, love it!

That's great to know! I'm really looking forward to it.

Wait, what?! You came here on vacation?

We did! My aunt and uncle have a cabin in Alexandria (technically not in Alex, but you get the idea). My mom, sister, and I try to get up there for a few days each summer. Anika and I drove into town one night to play mini-golf and get a treat from Dairy Queen. We had a great time!

Also, Winter/Summerland is a really fun golf course - we did it once and got such a kick out of all the details and theme.

I think I remember that! I'm glad you enjoyed it - we're looking forward to finally playing Disney mini golf!

Great plans for Disney Springs. I don't know if I mentioned this - but we took a walk over to DS (from SSR) in February and it looks fabulous. DTD was always an after thought for me. I like shopping, but don't love it so it was never a must do for me every trip, but the new layout looks fantastic. I love it and I was actually a little sad that we aren't staying at SSR in August (but not enough to give up my BWV reservation ). You're going to love it.

Two summers ago Denny and I did the characters in flight balloon. Tip - we went up first thing in the morning - as soon as it opened at 8:30 and we stayed up 20 minutes instead of the usual 10. It was great. I highly recommend it if you are able to get there that early. Either way, the view is amazing. I definitely recommend it.

I have some non expiring water park tickets that my kids are going to use in August. Denny and I were lucky enough to have a premium AP a couple years ago so we visited both water parks - we had a blast. They are both so fun!

That's wonderful to know - I feel like all I've been hearing about Disney Springs recently has been complaints about the construction and the parking. I'm glad you thought it was beginning to shape up!

Thanks for the tip - I believe I remember your extra-long journey in the sky! We may try to go early on Sunday morning depending on how tired we are from the travel day. I'd love to do it during the daylight hours to have the most interesting views (not that going up at night wouldn't be neat, too).

We had a fantastic time at Blizzard Beach. I'm very excited to try Typhoon Lagoon!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

You are FAR too kind Jenny. I'm just delighted that Canadia is an actual thing.

The compliment was very much deserved - I do love your trip reports!

You'll be thrilled to know I showed Anika our "Canadia" magic bands. When I told her what they were, she gave me an odd look and (without skipping a beat) said, "Why are they Canadian?"

Nice work, Anika.

Given the length of your trip, I would say this is very much true.

Hey, since you already have the option, there really is no reason not to at least try DisneyQuest. I've read various degrees of reviews, but it does at least sound like it's worth a shot.

I'm really looking forward to our time at Downtown Disney and in the water parks. I was hoping to try Disney Quest last time but we ran out of time - as we have a whole afternoon and evening slated there (at least!), we should finally make it!

THIS is something I've been dying to do for a long time. I have heard about that groupon deal too. Seems like a no-brainer.


I am still just in awe of all you have planned for this trip. This really is the ultimate dream trip, and once again, if Anika as a sister doesn't work out, I am fully willing to go through a procedure to replace her.

I'm super excited about Characters in Flight - I'm hoping I can follow Mary Ellen's trip and try it first thing in the morning.

Thanks so much, Rob! Now that Anika is done with school (today was her last official day plus tomorrow's graduation rehearsal) she's really getting excited about our trip. I hope she enjoys all the things I have planned!

(You're so funny - no procedures would be necessary. I'm pretty sure I would do this for any sibling!)

Love all your plans for DS....I actually haven't been in Goofy's Candy Co....have to do something about that next time. When we were there in March we were too full from lunch at Raglan Road to care about treats...sigh...not gonna let THAT happen again! The waterparks are a lot of fun. We went a few years ago to TL but never BB...they both look amazing though!

You absolutely need to visit Goofy's - it's great! There are tons of great candy options and the make-your-own treat is totally awesome. You could always get a treat to-go - I'm pretty sure I ate my rice krispie treat for a solid week!

We loved Blizzard Beach - especially Summit Plummet! I'm very excited to see what Typhoon Lagoon is like!

Disney Springs sure looks like it has so much more going on! I'be always wanted to do the Characters in Flight, (awesome score on the Groupon!) And the new amphicars look really fun too! I know they're crazy expensive but they're just so darn cute!

I have such fond memories of the water parks. I am really looking forward to the day when we can enjoy them with the kids. While they're young we decided we'd just enjoy the resort pools and skip the water parks. Crush & Gusher looks like a blast though!

I think there's going to be tons of cool things once they're done (in about 10 years! ). I think Characters in Flight should be really neat I'm looking forward to how much I'll be able to see!

I think that's a wise plan - I believe smaller kids aren't allowed on some of the slides and other things at the waterparks. Once they're older and can experience more I'm sure it would be a great add-on.

I'm SUPER excited about Crush 'n' Gusher!

Excellent must-dos at these places! I rarely spend more than an afternoon at DTD and it's just never enough time. I have plans to get there once is trip but I'm a little worried about traffic related delays because of all the construction. But hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised. My must-do at DTD is Earl of Sandwich, though I'd really like to try Wolfgang Puck's someday as well.

It's been years (since 1997 to be exact!) since I've hit up a waterpark. My family went to Blizzard Beach and I just loved it! I wouldn't hesitate to go again on a longer trip. It'll be a nice break from the guaranteed heat for you!

Thank you! We've been limited to an evening at most, so I'm looking forward to spending some extra time there. I'm very happy that we'll be staying at Port Orleans for a chunk of our stay - I think taking the boat will be nice during the crazy construction time.

I've actually tried both Wolfgang Puck's Café and Wolfgang Puck Express! I don't really remember my meal at the Café (I visited back in 2006), but our meal at WFE in 2012 was EXCELLENT! I highly recommend it!

I think the heat is going to hit us hard - the temperatures in the Midwest have been pretty mild this spring. Shooting from 70-75 to 90+ will be a big jump!

Looove Crush 'n Gusher.

That's great to know! I'm glad my excitement is well-founded!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I'm really glad I gave them more attention this time - I think we're really going to enjoy them!

Definitely makes a lot of sense. Not a bad way to kill some times since you're going to be there for like a month.

I've been there once. A long, long time ago! It is definitely interesting and it does make sense for you to at least check it out since you'll have that as part of your package. And the fact that you won't be compelled to stay even if it is crowded/loud/whatever will be a nice bonus.

I've wanted to try it for so long so it's silly not to. I've read it can get a little nutty in there, so I'm glad we can escape easily.

The Visa discount is always within reach. There's always something else you can add to get over the hump.
And I have that CD as well. It's great!

Absolutely. That CD is fantastic - I was so excited to buy it!

Excellent choice! I've heard nothing but rave reviews of Winter Summerland, but we've just never taken the time to even think about trying mini golf when we're there.

We almost tried it last time, but we were EXAUSTED from our previous Disney day. Instead of mini-golf we went back to the resort for a nice nap!

As a hungry pregnant woman, this post was torture to read! I may or may not be licking my computer screen right now

I'm so sorry - I think my food posts had that effect on several people!

I had a lot of catching up to do and your trip is SO soon!

ONLY 12 MORE DAYS!!! (Not that I'm excited or anything... )

Perhaps you'll have a beautiful new baby by the time I come back!

Me too!

It's just wonderful. If they ever change it I will be seriously ticked off.

You were seriously productive! And all that after an early (and awesome) breakfast ADR! You are serously pros.

It worked remarkably well - it was definitely a combination of good planning and a little Disney magic.

I think I just uploaded this exact photo to photobucket for the next update on my TR!

That ceiling is incredible.

Those fries looked absolutely amazing.

They were delicious!

Love this picture. It's not totally night time but it's dark enough for Main Street and the castle to be lit up and gorgeous. Perfect!

It turned out so well - I don't think I'm often on Main Street at that hour, so I'm glad I took the picture!

This is awesome. There was no PP photographer when we went to our dessert party.

That's too bad - it was nice getting the picture!

Great shot!

Thanks! I'm not usually successful at fireworks pictures so I was excited that a few turned out well!

Seriously impressive!

It may have seemed a little crazy but it worked remarkably well. We would absolutely do it again!

I can't believe I forgot to check it out since it was redone. It looks so pretty at night in your picture.

The whole area was beautiful. As an added bonus, it was really quiet back there so we enjoyed short lines!

I seriously doubt it.

At least no one here that would dare admit it!

Is it closing for refurb? I'm not up to date on my Disney news

It was supposed to go down for refurb in mid-May, but they pushed it back to mid-June. I'm excited that we'll get to experience it, now!

Totally agree.

I think it's even better when you can't see what it's going to do next. (I think that's why I love Space Mountain!)

You guys did amazing!

It was such a successful Disney day!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Day 1 Plans
Saturday, May 23rd

It’s time for the day-by-day plans! I’m afraid these posts will be a bit word-heavy and picture-light (also known as picture-free! ), but I’ll try to intersperse them with a few more 2013 trip report posts. I wish I was more on top of this so I could have totally awesome “One Month From Now” posts (a la @Dugette) or the equally awesome “Two Weeks From Now” posts (as seen by @Tracy161) , but alas… we’re too close to our trip!

Oh, what a terrible problem to have.

First, I want to welcome anyone that happens to spot us in the parks to please feel free to say hello! I’d love to meet any DISer that’s out and about anywhere in the World (or at Universal)! The only thing I ask is that you not spill any of my top-secret plans to Anika (although if you see us inside an actual Disney Park you’re okay – we won’t be going into a Disney park until we’re already checked in to the Grand Floridian). Thanks in advance for your discretion!

Also, just in case you meet us, I’m going to give you a primer on how to pronounce Anika’s name: it’s pronounced “ah-nih-kah” (rhymes with Monica). She’d be thrilled to pieces if you pronounce it correctly. If you get it wrong, don’t worry – her school has pronounced it incorrectly for nearly her entire school career.

We’ll be starting our Disney travel day bright and early – so bright and early that I plan to have the taxi pick us up at 4:45! Anika is going to drive to my house the day before so we can get everything situated and ready to go without losing our minds that early in the morning. The night before will also be exciting as Anika will finally learn our first resort destination! I plan to have her open an envelope with a picture of Pop Century Resort and our Magical Express luggage tags inside. I will be sure to record her reaction on video (not so much for this reveal, but so she doesn’t wonder what’s going on when I tape the other reveals!).

Once we’re at the airport, my plan is to grab some breakfast (and COFFEE) before our flight. We have a connection through Midway and then we’ll be arriving in Orlando a little after noon. We’ll make our way onto the front of the mini-monorail (isn’t the first “monorail” of a Disney trip so exciting?! ) followed by our journey to the B side of the airport. I always love arriving at the Magical Express queues!

I’m not really looking forward to the new Magical Express video , but I can always spend my time looking for other fun Florida landmarks along the way. That list includes the most important landmark of all - the Disney Welcome Sign!

(Why look, I snuck a picture in there anyway! )

Once we arrive at the Pop Century Resort (and Spa!) we’ll head to the online check in desk. I know you don’t necessary have to stop at the desk anymore, but I always like chatting with the front desk CM. Hopefully we’ll be able to get into our room (as it should be around two at that point), and I hope they listen to my request and put us in the 50’s section! Anika LOVES Lady and the Tramp and it would be nice to be in that section!

Once we’re (hopefully!) in our room I plan to spend the next four or so hours exploring the Pop Century Resort and taking tons of pictures. I would also like to cross the bridge and explore AoA. We’ll probably grab a small lunch or a few snacks from the Pop or AoA food court. Anika mentioned she may want to head to the pool – that’s definitely a possibility as we have a good chunk of open time. Another very important item on the to-do list is having our first official DISmeet with Tracy (@Tracy161)!

We’ll be heading out around 6:00 and taking a bus to MK for our first ADR of the trip! We have a reservation at the last Hoop Dee Doo Revue show of the evening at 8:30. We’ve never seen a Disney dinner show and I’m really, really excited about it! Anika is not so excited about the show itself but is very excited for the food! (She’s been bubbling with excitement about the food we’ll be eating – I told you I have the perfect travel companion! )

We’re likely going to be zonked after Hoop Dee Doo (after all, we’re walking up around 3:30 that morning! ) so we’ll head back to the resort after the show. I think our first Disney day should get us off to a great start!

Up Next for 2015: Day 2 Plans

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Day 2 Plans
Sunday, May 24th

ADR’s for the Day:
Beaches and Cream, 12:10pm

Our second vacation day will begin with an early morning for me - I need to get to the Disney Car Care Center to pick up our rental car for the Universal portion of our trip.



I will reveal the Universal surprise to Anika either this morning or during the afternoon on arrival day. The reveal will involve opening another envelope with information about the Royal Pacific Resort. As I think Anika will be confused (she knows the Disney resorts cold, but I don’t believe she knows the Universal resorts ). Her (hopeful) confusion will lead to me presenting a small gift bag – with the Hogwarts Express lanyard inside!

Other than the rental car pick up, plans for the rest of the morning are pretty loose. We may stick around Pop Century and enjoy a bit more time at the resort or check out another resort. If it’s not too windy, we may drive over to Downtown Disney and ride Characters in Flight.

For breakfast, we’ll either grab breakfast from Pop or go to another resort for breakfast. I’m fine with eating wherever Anika wants to go. The possible options that I’ll mention are Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Olivia’s at Old Key West, or Wolfgang Puck Express at Downtown Disney.

After our laid-back morning, we’ll be heading to the Beach Club for our first experience at Beaches and Cream! I’m very torn on whether to order a burger or the grilled cheese – I’ll have to decide that day what sounds best. We’ll definitely be getting ice cream. My plan is to either split a No Way Jose or two get two smaller sundaes and share those (so we can try an additional flavor).

Once we’re done with lunch, we’re going to walk over to the Boardwalk Bakery. My reasons for this are three-fold – I want some time to explore the Boardwalk area, I want to grab some pastries for our Universal morning breakfasts, and I need to get a Strawberry Cupcake (notice that that one is a need, not a want! ). Along the way, I hope to see @Dugette and her family who should be on their way back to the Boardwalk from Epcot. That’s two DISmeets in our first 24 hours!

After our bakery run and Boardwalk exploration, we’ll head back to our rental car and the Beach Club and make our way to the Royal Pacific Resort! Once we check in and see our room and obtain our express passes, we’ll either (1) take a nap, (2) head to the pool, or (3) explore the resort. I know that doesn’t sound terribly exciting, but I’ll likely be tired and I don’t really want to be in the parks in the monster heat of the afternoon. We’ll see how that resolve holds once I’m THISCLOSE to Harry Potter!

I don’t have any specific ride or dinner plans for this evening – we'll grab dinner wherever Anika wants to eat. The only thing I know for sure is that I want to see both parks (especially the Harry Potter sections!) at night. I would also like to catch the Cinematic Spectacular at Universal Studios on one night of our trip. - we'll have to wait and see what nights it's playing.

We’ll plan to head to bed at a reasonable time so we can be fresh and ready to go for our early entry the next day!

Up Next for 2015: Day 3 and Day 4 Plans

 

[Tracy161]

This all sounds great!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!! I'm so excited for our Dismeet!!!

I'm just anxious to hear all about Anika's suprises... and I promise to remain close-lipped about everything you have up your sleeve!!! So will she think you're spending the entire trip at Pop at that point?

 

[TheLittleKatie]

Your plans great so far! And I'm glad you're going to film Anika's reaction! I seriously cannot wait for this TR

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

I wish I was more on top of this so I could have totally awesome “One Month From Now” posts (a la @Dugette) or the equally awesome “Two Weeks From Now” posts (as seen by @Tracy161) , but alas… we’re too close to our trip!

So... am I supposed to feel bad here that your trip is so close...


So yeah, totally been mispronouncing her name wrong all this time... but I got it now. It's actually kinda fun to say.

I will be sure to record her reaction on video (not so much for this reveal, but so she doesn’t wonder what’s going on when I tape the other reveals!).

Clever girl.

I haven't seen Hoop De Doo but I have a feeing Ah-Nik-Ah will like it. I've never heard a bad thing about it.

and I need to get a Strawberry Cupcake (notice that that one is a need, not a want! ).

Um.... YES YOU DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[KathyM2]

Wow your plans sound fantastic!! And I love the way you are revealing things to Annika a little bit at a time!! So awesome!! You are building in some rest time too which is great...with all the moving around you are doing it may get exhausting otherwise!!

 

[afwdwfan]

I will be sure to record her reaction on video (not so much for this reveal, but so she doesn’t wonder what’s going on when I tape the other reveals!).

Sneaky... I like it!

I’m not really looking forward to the new Magical Express video , but I can always spend my time looking for other fun Florida landmarks along the way. That list includes the most important landmark of all - the Disney Welcome Sign!

(Why look, I snuck a picture in there anyway! )

Wow. If you manage to replicate another picture even close to being that good, I'll be impressed!

We’ll be heading out around 6:00 and taking a bus to MK for our first ADR of the trip! We have a reservation at the last Hoop Dee Doo Revue show of the evening at 8:30. We’ve never seen a Disney dinner show and I’m really, really excited about it! Anika is not so excited about the show itself but is very excited for the food! (She’s been bubbling with excitement about the food we’ll be eating – I told you I have the perfect travel companion! )

I've always thought that show looks like fun. And the menu is definitely right up my alley. But our trips just never are long enough to want to take that much time away from the parks to do a dinner show. It is definitely on my Disney bucket list though!

I think our first Disney day should get us off to a great start!

I will reveal the Universal surprise to Anika either this morning or during the afternoon on arrival day. The reveal will involve opening another envelope with information about the Royal Pacific Resort. As I think Anika will be confused (she knows the Disney resorts cold, but I don’t believe she knows the Universal resorts ). Her (hopeful) confusion will lead to me presenting a small gift bag – with the Hogwarts Express lanyard inside!

This is awesome. Seriously, I'm so looking forward to the TR to find out how all the surprises go over!

After our laid-back morning, we’ll be heading to the Beach Club for our first experience at Beaches and Cream! I’m very torn on whether to order a burger or the grilled cheese – I’ll have to decide that day what sounds best. We’ll definitely be getting ice cream. My plan is to either split a No Way Jose or two get two smaller sundaes and share those (so we can try an additional flavor).

Again, another bucket list spot for me. I already know I'm ordering a burger and No Way Jose when I get there. There's nothing to even think about.

Once we check in and see our room and obtain our express passes, we’ll either (1) take a nap, (2) head to the pool, or (3) explore the resort.

Yeah, I'm not buying it. I'd say the nap would be the best choice following a day that had an early morning and kind of late-ish evening at HDD. But You'll end up going to the parks. I'm calling it now!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

This all sounds great!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!! I'm so excited for our Dismeet!!!

I'm just anxious to hear all about Anika's suprises... and I promise to remain close-lipped about everything you have up your sleeve!!! So will she think you're spending the entire trip at Pop at that point?

Me, too!

Thanks so much! No, she's aware that we're staying at four different resorts - her guesses are Pop Century, the Wilderness Lodge, Port Orleans Riverside, and the Beach Club.

She's half right.

Your plans great so far! And I'm glad you're going to film Anika's reaction! I seriously cannot wait for this TR

There's no way I'm missing replaying those reactions for years to come! I sure hope they're as good in real life as the imagined ones in my head!

I'm very excited to tell everyone all about our adventures!

So... am I supposed to feel bad here that your trip is so close...

I sure wouldn't!

So yeah, totally been mispronouncing her name wrong all this time... but I got it now. It's actually kinda fun to say.

I thought many people might be pronouncing it wrong in their head. I figured it wouldn't hurt to include a primer!

Clever girl.

Always thinking...

I haven't seen Hoop De Doo but I have a feeing Ah-Nik-Ah will like it. I've never heard a bad thing about it.

I'm very excited about it! At least Anika's game to see it - I can always bribe the girl with food!

Um.... YES YOU DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow your plans sound fantastic!! And I love the way you are revealing things to Annika a little bit at a time!! So awesome!! You are building in some rest time too which is great...with all the moving around you are doing it may get exhausting otherwise!!

We learned on our last May trip that the heat really takes it out of us - the midday breaks of pool (or nap!) time are essential. Plus, it keeps you out of the heat and the crazy crowds during the craziest time of day!

I love my step-by-step reveal plan. It will keep the surprises coming!

Sneaky... I like it!

I do my best.

Wow. If you manage to replicate another picture even close to being that good, I'll be impressed!

Thank you! I had a GREAT seat on the ME on our 2012 trip!

I've always thought that show looks like fun. And the menu is definitely right up my alley. But our trips just never are long enough to want to take that much time away from the parks to do a dinner show. It is definitely on my Disney bucket list though!

That's why we've never been to it - with a trip this long it was a great way to kick off the trip with a bang.

It's a low-key plan, but I think it should have a lot of fun moments.

This is awesome. Seriously, I'm so looking forward to the TR to find out how all the surprises go over!

I'm pretty excited about it, myself! They should be pretty good!

Again, another bucket list spot for me. I already know I'm ordering a burger and No Way Jose when I get there. There's nothing to even think about.

I'm pretty sure the burger will win for me, too.

Yeah, I'm not buying it. I'd say the nap would be the best choice following a day that had an early morning and kind of late-ish evening at HDD. But You'll end up going to the parks. I'm calling it now!

Hey, at least I'm ATTEMPTING to be practical! We'll see if you're right!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Days 3 & 4
Monday, May 25th
Tuesday, May 26th

In up-to-the-minute news, I FINALLY nabbed a great price on a rental car! I've been following the May rental thread on the Transportation board for months... and yesterday the board finally lit up! Rates were dropping like mad! It was about time, too, as I'd found only crappy rates for the past few months - over $200 for just a few days of car rental and weekly rates close to $300. I did find slightly better deals for week-long rentals from the airport, but I didn't want to rent a car for the airport because I didn't want Anika to ask why we needed a rental car.

However, I don't need to worry about it any more! I'm paying a mere $128 all-in for four days of rental from the Disney Car Care Center. The rates dropped AND I was able to stack discounts to get this awesome rate. Even better, this allows me to pick up the vehicle on Sunday morning on Disney property, just like I wanted. I'm super pumped!

Onto Universal!

The great thing about going to Universal and staying onsite is you hardly have to do any planning.

The bad thing about going to Universal and staying onsite is you can hardly do any planning.

The Universal portion of our trip is driving my OCD crazy.



Rather than a chunk by chunk plan like I have for our Disney days, Universal’s plan is more of a checklist. There are certain things I’d like to see and do, but the order that we’ll do them depends on the final operating hours, which park has early morning entry, and the crowd levels.

I’m planning on arriving at the gates before early entry both days. The ideal scenario is if they open both parks early and we can do one each day, but I don’t think that happens very often. The other ideal scenario is if one park opens one day and the other park opens the next day. If the early entry park is the same both days, I’ll play the second day by ear.

Harry Potter wise, we will be doing EVERYTHING. No, that is not an exaggeration. We’re riding every ride (hopefully more than once), eating at both quick service restaurants, and going into every shop and nook and cranny of both sections. We will also be riding the Hogwarts Express in both directions. I’m also interested in watching a bit of both shows at Diagon Alley – I love the Tale of the Three Brothers, and the Celestina Warbeck shows looks fun, too. The only thing that may not be a must do are the “shows” in Hogsmeade, but we’ll see once we’re there.

If you can’t tell, I’m REALLY, REALLY, REALLY excited about spending lots of time with my pal, Harry.

Outside of the Wizarding World, I’d really like to try nearly every attraction. We enjoyed several of the attractions back in 2012 – I’m excited to ride the Mummy, Men in Black, and the Simpson’s Ride again. I’m also looking forward to another ride on Hulk, the Jurassic Park River Adventure, and the Caro-Seuss-el (I’m a sucker for merry-go-rounds).

We missed a few rides in 2012 that I can’t wait to try this time, including Spiderman (it was under refurbishment), Despicable Me (it didn’t exist), and Rip Ride Rockit (the line was crazy long and we were just done by that point in the day). We’ll also be sure to try a few extra attractions that Anika’s never experienced, such as Shrek 4-D and the ET Adventure. I’m sure our Lucy fan will want to walk through the I Love Lucy display again and I’m also interested in seeing the Horror Makeup Show.

I would also like to spend one afternoon riding all the water rides – we’ll get nice and soaked and then slosh our way back to the resort to sit by the pool. We need to take advantage of being a 10-minute walk away!

Speaking of pools, I want to spend both afternoons relaxing by the pool. From what I’ve read, Universal allows (and encourages!) pool hopping, so it may be fun to see some of the other resorts and try out their pool. The pool at Portofino Bay looks especially nice. I know Cabana Bay has a lazy river, but that isn’t as big of a pull as we’re going to visit both Disney waterparks and they have lazy rivers.

Food-wise, I’m pretty open to eating anywhere with three exceptions: we absolutely must eat at the Leaky Cauldron, the Three Broomsticks, and the Simpsons food court. I don’t care if it’s for lunch or dinner – all of these are absolute must-do’s. I haven’t decided what I’m going to eat from the Simpsons area yet, although I’m leaning heavily toward a Krusty Burger.

Can I just say how weird it is to not have two days of planned ADRs?

I’m so very excited about our two and a half days at Universal. I can’t wait to see Diagon Alley and I think staying at the Universal resorts will be a great experience. I think we will love the excellent onsite perks such as the unlimited express pass and the early entry. I think both will be a major advantage with the holiday weekend crowds!

If any of you know of other attractions, experiences, or food (it is us, after all!) that we need to add in to our Universal experience, please let me know!

I have two posts about our 2013 trip nearly ready to go - I just need to upload pictures. I'll try to get those up tomorrow with another daily plan post!

Up Next in 2015: Day 5