13 Adults + 20th Food & Wine Festival = My 40th Birthday Celebration! - Sep. 2015 PTR (updated 9/22)

hokieinpa said:

So exciting that your group has grown. I think a babymoon is such a great idea, especially when they are expecting twins!

Glad that you worked out all of the logistics for the room reservation. Seriously, I thought planning for 7 was hard but you are the queen of reservation juggling now!

Click to expand...

Yes, so excited for the babymoon, and it will be G's babymoon as well, he is expecting a little girl at the end of February! Lots to celebrate!

SarahDisney said:

DHS plans sound great. In terms of Muppet*Vision - we've done it with and without FP+. Absolutely no difference. The only reason we get FP+ is because we don't do ToT or Star Tours and there's not much else to do with a Tier 2 FP+. So you definitely don't need to switch out the FP+.

F&W list looks great! So much good stuff on there!

Yay for an extra guest! I have a few friends who just had kids and they're all pretty busy, so it's nice that J & M are taking some time for themselves before the babies arrive! I'm very impressed that you worked out the room situation - you are definitely a master planner!

Click to expand...

Good to know about MuppetVision, thanks! I'm with you - not much else I want to do with Tier 2 FP+ in DHS. I've seen both VoLM and Beauty & the Beast show and frankly don't need to see either of them again. We may go visit One Man's Dream because it sounds like it's slowly being dismantled.

Thanks, I need a new business card - WDW master planner at work!

17 days and counting… woohoo!!!

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day weekend here in the U.S. I spent Labor Day with D and her family, having a cookout at their Long Island home – it was perfect weather and a very nice way to spend the holiday! Even better, D and I linked her three one-day park hopper e-tickets that her BIL (a Disney CM) gifted her, and we set up D’s FastPass+ reservations – yay! D thought she was only going to the parks for 2 days, but now she has tickets for 3 days, so she’s decided to go Saturday-Monday since Saturday is her arrival day and she will be all excited and ready to go, then she thinks she will be ready to sleep in and relax by the pool all day Tuesday before she has to fly home on Tuesday evening. Sounds like a great plan to me!

In weather news, Tropical Storm Grace is now a Tropical Depression and continues to weaken – yay!!! Even better, there are no other tropical disturbances in the Atlantic right now – here’s hoping it stays that way!

I can’t believe we’re only 17 days away, and this week is going fast already. Soon, I’ll be checking that 10-day weather forecast every day (and who am I kidding, sometimes multiple times a day!).

On to my main topic today – my wish list for resorts. I started keeping a running wish list for resorts, parks, and everything else Disney-related a few years ago. I think it’s great fun to add something to the list when I think of it, and even better when I can cross something off my list! I include dining in with my resorts and parks wish lists. As an example, I had on my wish list to eat at Beaches & Cream and then sit out in the rocking chairs on the YC verandah – I did that on my trip in March/April 2014, and it was delightful!

Out of 26 items on my resorts wish list, I’ve accomplished two so far. I won’t go into detail on all of them, but here are some of my wishes I’d like to come true on this trip:

• Swim in the rain at a resort pool – not while it’s lightning, but just swim in the rain. I love that feeling, and I’ll already be wet! Plus, sometimes the pool empties out when it starts to rain!

• Stay at the Beach Club or Yacht Club… I think this one is coming true, barring a major change in plans beyond my control!

• Watch IllumiNations while swimming in Stormalong Bay – I’ve seen the photos, it looks like it’s possible to see some of the fireworks from the pool! Or watch it from the BC beach, probably a better view!

• Climb to the top of the SAB slide at sunset for a great view! I love this one!

• Swim in SAB at night! (Are you seeing a pattern? Yes, I’m very excited to spend a lot of time in SAB!)

• Get a massage - I’m debating on this one for this trip. I’m sure the YC spa is lovely, but the Senses spa at the GF looks really nice. The massage prices are very high, as expected. I’m not sure I want to spend my valuable time at WDW getting a massage, but I might change my mind by Day 7!

• Do a monorail bar crawl (Poly, GF, Contemporary) with friends. I’m hoping we find time to fit this one in at some point.

• Watch the Electrical Water Pageant from one of the MK resorts. Not sure this one will happen, but maybe if we are at an MK resort lounge and step outside to watch it… all depends on the timing.

• Sit inside at the bar at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at the Poly. I may have better luck accomplishing this one when I’m alone rather than with a large group. I’ve been reading that the crowds have died down some at Trader Sam’s, especially after 8:00 PM, so I’m hoping if I go alone or if some of us go after dinner one evening, we will be able to sit inside.

• Experience entertainment on the Boardwalk – Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings! This one should be easy enough to experience.

So that’s my resorts wish list! I will keep track and report back on how many wishes come true on this trip!

• I love the superhero Magic Band photo! How fun!
• I would have been really nervous at the lack of tickets for a member of my party, too...but it sounds like it worked out well!
• ANOTHER person??? Party central!!!!
• Your F&W list sounds great - I only warn you off the waffle with chocolate ganache. The one I had wasn't good. The Hubs didn't like it either. BUT, I have heard the berry one is fantastic. As you know, though, it could have just been an off day, as we have only had it once.
• The only addition I would say is a must-have is the slider at Hawaii - that thing is AMAZING!
• You will LOVE Ireland...it was ALL amazing.
• I love your wish lists! I need to do that! And I second swimming in the rain. That does sound fun! I also love that your wishes are specific experiences - brilliant and meaningful!

Teetah said:

I don't know how I got so behind on your PTR! Oh wait, yes I do. I didn't get any alerts! Rawr. So, catching up...I won't quote everything since I am so behind:

• I love the superhero Magic Band photo! How fun!
• I would have been really nervous at the lack of tickets for a member of my party, too...but it sounds like it worked out well!
• ANOTHER person??? Party central!!!!
• Your F&W list sounds great - I only warn you off the waffle with chocolate ganache. The one I had wasn't good. The Hubs didn't like it either. BUT, I have heard the berry one is fantastic. As you know, though, it could have just been an off day, as we have only had it once.
• The only addition I would say is a must-have is the slider at Hawaii - that thing is AMAZING!
• You will LOVE Ireland...it was ALL amazing.
• I love your wish lists! I need to do that! And I second swimming in the rain. That does sound fun! I also love that your wishes are specific experiences - brilliant and meaningful!

IT IS ALMOST TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Click to expand...

Thanks, Teetah! I can't believe it's so close now! Yes, another person, ha ha - crazy, right? But it's all working out well.

Thanks for the F&WF advice - that pork slider in Hawaii does look amazing, I'll have to bump it up to a must on my list!

I love having a running wish list... then I feel like I have a reason to go back when I don't cross off everything on my list!

• Start the pre-planning – read a few books on the best time to go, check out websites and message boards. I really like the Unofficial Guide to WDW, and I think the Disney Food Blog is an excellent resource for F&B.
• Select a resort, and reserve room.
• Check park hours.
• Make very tentative plans for each day.
• Develop a budget for the trip. Include resort, airfare (or gas, tolls, and any parking fees if driving; or rental car), transportation to/from airports (I take a taxi to the airport in NYC), any transportation if you’re going off-site (i.e. to Universal Studio), food and drinks, souvenirs, and park tickets.

• Make ADRs.
• Update budget with estimates for F&B based on ADRs made.

• Book airfare.
• Buy park tickets (unless a price increase is near, then do this earlier).
• Update budget.
• Check for updated park hours. Make preliminary touring plans.

• Make FP+ reservations. Add them into the touring plans and reconfigure if necessary.
• Add your wish list items into your itinerary. Be sure to include down time to relax, swim, and resort hop if you want.
• Check if any room discounts have been released for your dates. If so, call Disney and have those discounts applied to your room.
• Decide if you want to purchase Memory Maker.

• Online check-in (unless you want to check in at the front desk, which I think I actually prefer, especially for this trip with such a large group)
• Reserve Disney Magical Express from/to airport if you need it.
• Customize MagicBands on My Disney Experience.
• Check monthly weather forecast to get an idea
• Start planning outfits and doing any necessary shopping for clothes, shoes, accessories, bathing suits, etc.

• Check your resort’s activity calendar (released the first of every month usually).
• Try on your outfits, make any adjustments needed.
• Create your packing list.
• Arrange pet care if you need it.

• Give any roommates you have their MagicBands and DME letters and luggage tags (if they are shipped to you, or get them from the person who made the room reservation).
• Make any final adjustments to your itinerary and touring plans.
• Finalize your shopping list for WDW, and update your budget.

• Check if you need any prescription refills.
• Create a list of anything you need to buy before you go – snacks to take on the airplane or into the parks, travel toiletries, etc.

• Buy your travel necessities.
• Check the forecast (daily, if you’re like me!).
• Print resort reservations and any ADR confirmation numbers.
• Print out or take screenshots of FP+ reservations, so you don’t have to rely on WiFi in the parks if your MagicBand doesn’t work for a FP+ reservation.
• Make sure your credit cards are all set for those charges to come!

• Do laundry, and start packing!
• Get any cash you think you’ll need for the trip.

• Check in online to your flight (if not driving).
• Finish packing.
• Buy any perishable food that you want to take (i.e. apples).

• Pick up any celebration buttons at your resort’s front desk or at Guest Relations.
• Request wake-up calls from a Disney buddy (last November, it was Olaf).
• Keep a trip journal.
• Shop for souvenirs.
• Get lots of photos taken from the PhotoPass photographers, especially if you purchased Memory Maker!
• Tip Mousekeeping daily (since you may not have the same Mousekeeper every day).
• Check for any Bounceback offers (dial #8844).
• HAVE FUN! YOU’RE AT WDW!!!

• Check out photos on Memory Maker, and order photos within 30 days of first download.
• Do a trip report!
• Plan your next trip to WDW!

So, that’s my long checklist to prepare for a WDW trip! What do you think, did I miss anything?

This was good for me to review this list, because I realized I’m a bit behind in a few things. Believe it or not, I don’t have touring plans made for all 8 days yet, so I definitely want to do that this weekend! I like to make a Plan A and Plan B for most days, and sometimes the day ends up being a mix of both plans, or something entirely different – I just feel better to know I have options already thought out.

I think I’m doing well in building in free time into my itinerary. I’m being especially mindful of this for my parents – being in their mid-60s, they just won’t want to go full force in the parks all day long, and that’s okay with me! That’s the beauty of having 8 days on this trip, with the last 2 days by myself – I can do anything then that I don’t fit in with my family and friends. I’m definitely interested in having fun in the parks with everyone, but mostly I just want to spend time with everyone.

I need to create my pre-trip shopping list this weekend, and buy any non-perishables I need. I also want to check out the Shop Disney Parks app and make my shopping wish list for the trip… I just need to remember that I will be back, I don’t have to buy it all right now!

I still have a few more updates in store - my parks wish list, and an update on my outfits! And I have a few surprises for my family and friends, I'm excited to show them what I bought for them all. More coming soon!

SarahDisney said:

I love your wish list. Definitely looks like you'll be spending a lot of time in Stormalong Bay ... but really, who wouldn't?
Electrical Water Pageant has been on my wishlist for the last 2-3 trips and I still haven't seen it. I'm hoping to see it on my next trip, but until then ... if you end up seeing it, take lots of pictures!!
Your planning list is great - that's a lot of really useful information. I never think out my schedule so much, but all the timing makes perfect sense.
Sounds like all the plans are going great ... can you believe you'll be at Disney in 2 weeks??

Click to expand...

I am so excited for Stormalong Bay! D told me she's most excited about that, too. I have a feeling that once people see it, a lot of our party will be spending some quality time there! The only tough part will be that J's parents and G's parents aren't staying at YC, and I've heard they are strict about only resort guests using SAB, which is fine - they are at WDW for such a short amount of time, and there are plenty of places to sit on the veranda if they want to hang at the YC.

I will do my best to take lots of pictures of we see the Electrical Water Pageant, absolutely! I may go see it at one of the resorts on Wednesday night after B&F leave and I'm solo, if we haven't seen it yet at that point.

13 days, I can't believe it! I'm listening to a great WDW Planning Playlist on Spotify (love Spotify!) while I update my spreadsheet and of course catch up on these boards!

hokieinpa said:

I love your resort wish list! I think I could put almost all of that on my own list!
That is a great planning timeline! Excited to see more of your plans and surprises as it gets closer!!

Click to expand...

My current wish list of restaurants, attractions, shows, and other fun activities at the parks is at 28 items. Out of those 28, I’ve crossed off 12 – not bad! One wish that I accomplished last trip was to ride Splash Mountain multiple times, and I did that – no one was in line, so the CMs let me ride it twice in a row!

Some of my wishes just aren’t going to happen on this trip. I want to do bus roulette at least once, where I’d get on the first bus that comes. I think it’s cheating if I do this at the YC, because if I do bus roulette, it’s only to the MK or AK (or Disney Springs). I could do boat roulette to either EPCOT or DHS – nah. I’d rather wait until I’m staying somewhere that has buses to all 4 parks. Of course, I could go to Disney Springs and then do bus roulette from there… hmmm. We shall see!

Here are the wishes I think I have a good chance of making come true this trip:

• Ride the Wildlife Express Train in AK and go to Conservation Station. I think I’d better try to fit this one in, because from what I’ve read, it may disappear soon with all the changes coming to AK!

• In DHS’ Streets of America, step on the grate under the umbrella to make it rain, a la Singing in the Rain. Another one that I think will soon disappear, so I’d better find it this trip!

• Buy breakfast in France, and walk around the pavilion with no one around. This is definitely coming true with our Parisian breakfast, woohoo!

• Meet Winnie the Pooh in the UK. I love Winnie the Pooh! Twice now, I’ve wandered around in the UK pavilion and have accidentally come across the exit to the house where Pooh’s meet and greet is. I want to meet him this time!

• Meet Mickey in the Magic Kingdom! I reserved a FP+ to meet Mickey on my last day, so hopefully everything will work out and this will happen!

• Take the monorail from MK to EPCOT. This one sounds funny, I know… it’s a childhood thing. I have memories of taking the monorail through the Contemporary and being in awe that it went through the Contemporary, and then taking it into EPCOT. But now understanding how it all works, we must have switched at the TTC. Anyway, I want to do it this trip!

• Ride the Astro Orbitor at night in the MK. I don’t think I’ve ever been on it before, and I know it’s a typical spin ride, but I think the view would be very nice, especially at night when Tomorrowland and all the park is all lit up. Bonus points if I ride it during Wishes!

• Watch the Kiss Goodnight. I’ve tried to catch this in the MK before, and I never waited long enough I guess. This is the 2-minute show at the castle that supposedly happens every 30 minutes after the park closes. I am planning to be there until park closing on Day 6, after B&F leave, so I hope I see it!

What’s on your wish list for the parks? Anything I should add to my list?

PS - I love the Disney Tourist Blog, check it out! Their photos are works of art!

Still to come... what to wear, weather forecast updates (yes, we are in the 10-day window now, so I'm obsessively checking!), and the surprises I bought for my friends and family!

dreamseeker9 said:

Ride the Wildlife Express Train in AK and go to Conservation Station. I think I’d better try to fit this one in, because from what I’ve read, it may disappear soon with all the changes coming to AK!

Click to expand...

dreamseeker9 said:

Meet Mickey in the Magic Kingdom! I reserved a FP+ to meet Mickey on my last day, so hopefully everything will work out and this will happen!

Click to expand...

dreamseeker9 said:

Take the monorail from MK to EPCOT. This one sounds funny, I know… it’s a childhood thing. I have memories of taking the monorail through the Contemporary and being in awe that it went through the Contemporary, and then taking it into EPCOT. But now understanding how it all works, we must have switched at the TTC. Anyway, I want to do it this trip!

Click to expand...

dreamseeker9 said:

Ride the Astro Orbitor at night in the MK. I don’t think I’ve ever been on it before, and I know it’s a typical spin ride, but I think the view would be very nice, especially at night when Tomorrowland and all the park is all lit up. Bonus points if I ride it during Wishes!

Click to expand...

hokieinpa said:

I think Boma is a great choice! Those zebra domes are amazing! Sanaa is on my list for my October 2016 solo trip!
And I think it's a great idea to head back to AK for one of your solo days! FOTLK is really amazing and a must see!
I hope we can do this in May. The train was down for refurb during our last trip. I would love to see a vet procedure! Is that weird?
Town Square Mickey is very cool - love his "office" and it's something really special when Mickey talks to you!

Click to expand...

I would go back to Sanaa in a heartbeat, I loved my one lunch there! Probably on the must-do for my next trip after this one!
I agree, I really must see FOTLK.
LOL, not weird to want to see a vet procedure, although once I saw something I didn't need to see at a zoo - an elephant had an infection in her private parts, and the vet was treating it. It looked SO PAINFUL!
I didn't know Town Square Mickey is in his office, how cool is that! Now I'm even more excited!

Teetah said:

IT IS GETTING SOOOOOO CLOSE!!!!! Down to single digits!!!!
I think it was smart of you to switch to BOMA. Makes sense for the day, and it sounds like you are keeping the rest of your party in mind. Wise.
I have never tried those Zebra Domes but I have heard about them - any idea if they sell them on their own anywhere???
Again, love the wish list! I have never head about the minute show at MK after closing...we will only be at MK late one evening for EMH, so I doubt we will see it. This is awesome to know, though! The Wildlife Express Train is super fun! A definite yes on Astro Orbitor at night! I think it was Peoplemover we were on late one night and that wasn't even very high up, but it was cool to see things lit up! Good view of the castle for a minute, too!

Click to expand...

SarahDisney said:

I think that one of the best part of having solo days at the end of a long, big trip is that you can go back and do anything you missed. With the big group, even when you split up, there will definitely be some compromises and some things that you miss - and it's awesome that you have days at the end of the trip when you can go back and see things you missed. And FOTLK is definitely worth seeing - it's great!
I finally found the umbrella in Streets of America last trip ... and it didn't rain! Probably because it was about 50 degrees. I hope you have better luck with the rain!
Astro Orbitor is not exactly like the other spin rides because it's a little tilted. Some people hate it, but I don't mind it. The view at night is definitely beautiful, though!
The Kiss Goodnight is probably one of my favorite things at MK. Mostly because I never actually plan to see it, it just happens. It really is the perfect way to end the day!
9 days now, right? Yay for single digits!!

Click to expand...

Yes, 9 days - I can't believe it!
I am so excited about The Kiss Goodnight, I hope I don't miss it. But there's always the next trip. I definitely want to see FOTLK this trip, though!
How weird that it didn't rain! I hope I can find the umbrella and that it rains!
Oh, your description of Astro Orbitor makes me want to ride it even more now!