6 down, 1 to go: Completing my DVC mission! An April '13 PTR...TR LINK p. 16

[wdwgirl03]

Hello DIS friends!

It's time to start another PTR! I'll be honest, I've done a lot of PTRs/TRs over the years and was considering not doing one for my next Disney adventure. But lately I've been missing Disney World like crazy (I feel like that PDD picture is an appropriate description, haha!), so what better way to cure those Disney blues than start counting down the days until the trip? According to my WDW Vacation Countdown app, it's 120 (long)
days away. Less than 4 months!

Anyways, a little about myself. For those of you who have never ready my reports before, I'm Sarah, a 27-year old Disney fanatic for life. It's so crazy that a place my parents took me and my sisters to would become such an important part of our lives. We took many trips as a family and then in 2006, my dad decided to purchase a Disney Vacation Club membership. We've only been members for 6 years, but I think it's safe to say it's been a pretty good investment so far (in fact, Dad has talked about buying more points...wouldn't that be nice!)!

Now to explain the title of this PTR. Ever since we joined DVC, I thought it would be fun to try and stay at all of the different DVC resorts. So every time we talked about another Disney trip, Dad would have us make a list of our top choices before we could book anything. Some of the DVC resorts are easier to get than others, but we generally had pretty good luck getting whatever we wanted (it probably helped that most of the time we'd get studios since there were only 2-3 family members going). With each passing trip I was able to check another resort off of my list. So far I've experienced the thrill of that first "Welcome Home" at Saratoga Springs (our home resort) and the awe of seeing African wildlife right outside our window. Swimming in Stormalong Bay and watching a geyser erupt at the Wilderness Lodge. The carefree atmosphere of Old Key West and watching Illuminations from our Boardwalk view room. I have honestly loved each and every resort and can't WAIT to stay at that final place...BAY LAKE TOWER!!! (ok, so technically I have not stayed at the Treehouse Villas either but I am counting that as part of SSR. I'm also combining Jambo House and Kidani Village into one resort since they're both AK villas. So that's how I'm getting to 7 DVC resorts. Just in case anyone was wondering).

Now for the trip basics. I am a teacher and am therefore stuck to a school calendar. This trip will take place over our spring break, which is the week after Easter (meaning it will have been almost a year since I was last in WDW...YIKES! ).

The dates: April 1-7, 2013

The resort: Bay Lake Tower (theme park view studio)

I hope that many of my old DIS friends will join in, as well as some new ones! So are you ready?

up next: the cast!

PRE-TRIP REPORT INDEX
The cast and rough schedule...POSTED 12/11/12
100 DAYS!/New attractions...POSTED 12/22/12
Double Digits!/DVC Flashback #1 (SARATOGA SPRINGS)...POSTED 12/28/12
Trip notebook...POSTED 1/6/13
80 DAYS!!/ADRs...POSTED 1/11/13
Good-bye, Emma/DVC Flashback #2 (SARATOGA SPRINGS)...POSTED 1/13/13
Trip purchases/Emma update #1...POSTED 1/15/13
Animal Kingdom Must-Dos...POSTED 1/19/13
Emma update #2/DVC Flashback #3 (ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE)...POSTED 1/22/13
60 DAYS!/Epcot Must-Dos...POSTED 1/31/13
DVC Flashback #4 (BEACH CLUB VILLAS)...POSTED 2/2/13
49 days!!!/Hollywood Studios Must-Dos...POSTED 2/11/13
DVC Flashback #5 (VILLAS AT DISNEY'S WILDERNESS LODGE)...POSTED 2/15/13
40 DAYS!!! + Magic Kingdom Must-Dos...POSTED 2/20/13
DVC Flashback #6 (KIDANI VILLAGE)...POSTED 2/23/13
35 DAYS!!! + Character Must-Dos...POSTED 2/25/13
DVC Flashback #7 (SARATOGA SPRINGS)...POSTED 2/27/13
30 DAYS TO GO!!!...POSTED 3/2/13
DVC Flashback #8 (OLD KEY WEST)...POSTED 3/6/13
Downtown Disney Must-Dos...POSTED 3/13/13
DVC Flashback #9 (SARATOGA SPRINGS)...POSTED 3/17/13
10 DAYS!!!!! Simple Disney Things + Twitter/Instagram info...POSTED 3/22/13
DVC Flashback #10 (BOARDWALK VILLAS)...POSTED 3/23/13
3 DAYS TO GO!/Random must-dos...POSTED 3/29/13

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=47675498&postcount=164

Random posts
BOOKED FOR DECEMBER!!!...POSTED 1/29/13

NEW TRIP REPORT LINK!!!
You Can Spit on Space Mountain From Here!!

 

[WDWaddictt]

I am joining along.

 

[Pinkocto]

I'm here for the new adventure

PDD is a pretty accurate description!

 

[jwwi]

Joining in on your new PTR.

 

[marDgreen88]

PDD is bad... real bad.

I'm here!

 

[bluechic03]

Fellow April DISer here! We're also staying at BLT but not until the 20th... Hoping to here u love it

 

[gtpoohbear]

Another April DISer here- joining too!!! Definitely know what you mean about PDD. Can't wait to read more

 

[Angies1274]

Joining in!! I'm so glad you decided to do a PTR! Nothing like a little planning to chase away those Disney blues.

 

[Nermel9]

Ugh, I have some serious post Disney Depression right now! This is the time I start getting antsy and ready to book my next trip!

Glad you're doing a PTR! It will make the time go by faster!

 

[brookelizabeth]

I'm here! So excited you get to complete your DVC mission! We still have the Wilderness Lodge Villas (have stayed at the hotel though) and the Beach Club, but I'm on the same mission!

 

[shalom]

I thought it would be fun to try and stay at all of the different DVC resorts.

Me too, me too, me too! Well, I'd like to try all the onsite ones -- I can see us doing Vero Beach and Hilton Head someday after we've done the onsite ones, maybe, but I doubt we'll ever try for Aulani, and the VGC is pretty unlikely as well. So pretty much the same list.

And I totally agree with how you're counting AKL and the SSR Treehouses. Unlike you, I haven't done any of them yet, because I travel with a troop of chillins! But once I don't need so much room, definitely going to start staying DVC, and I'd like to try them all.

You haven't been to Bay Lake Tower yet because you were saving the best for last, right?

 

[wdwgirl03]

I am joining along.

Yay, welcome to my first poster!

I'm here for the new adventure

PDD is a pretty accurate description!

haha, I thought PDD was pretty accurate. Glad you're here.

Joining in on your new PTR.

Thanks for joining in!

PDD is bad... real bad.

I'm here!

Hi Marissa! Glad you're here again. I agree, PDD is very bad.

Fellow April DISer here! We're also staying at BLT but not until the 20th... Hoping to here u love it

That's awesome you're also staying at BLT. I am so excited for it.

Another April DISer here- joining too!!! Definitely know what you mean about PDD. Can't wait to read more

Welcome! Glad to have another April DISer join in!

Joining in!! I'm so glad you decided to do a PTR! Nothing like a little planning to chase away those Disney blues.

Hi Angie! Yeah, I figure I think about this trip so much I might as well just do another PTR. haha

Ugh, I have some serious post Disney Depression right now! This is the time I start getting antsy and ready to book my next trip!

Glad you're doing a PTR! It will make the time go by faster!

Hi Jen! Atleast you are going back in February so you have that to look forward to.

I hope so!

I'm here! So excited you get to complete your DVC mission! We still have the Wilderness Lodge Villas (have stayed at the hotel though) and the Beach Club, but I'm on the same mission!

Hey Brook! Thank you...I can't believe after this trip I'll have stayed at all of the WDW resorts. Next up, I'll have to do some of the other DVC places like the Grand Californian and Aulani.

Me too, me too, me too! Well, I'd like to try all the onsite ones -- I can see us doing Vero Beach and Hilton Head someday after we've done the onsite ones, maybe, but I doubt we'll ever try for Aulani, and the VGC is pretty unlikely as well. So pretty much the same list.

And I totally agree with how you're counting AKL and the SSR Treehouses. Unlike you, I haven't done any of them yet, because I travel with a troop of chillins! But once I don't need so much room, definitely going to start staying DVC, and I'd like to try them all.

You haven't been to Bay Lake Tower yet because you were saving the best for last, right?

It really has been a lot of fun getting to stay at all the DVC resorts. They're all so different and I can say that there hasn't been one that I haven't enjoyed. I would love to go to the VGC and Aulani. We'll see if it ever happens though.

haha, yeah. Though I actually have stayed at both AK places (Jambo House and Kidani). So the only one I haven't done is the Treehouse Villas, and to be honest that one doesn't really appeal to me. I mean, they look nice on the inside but maybe the whole treehouse thing is a little too woodsy for my tastes.

 

[wdwgirl03]

Hi everyone! Only 2 weeks until Christmas, and 8 more days until winter break starts! I know I've said it a lot but it's really hard to believe the year is almost over already. Where did 2012 go?! The good thing about 2013 being right around the corner is that soon I'll be able to say I'm going to Disney World THIS year. haha Right now we're 111 days away and I can't wait until we get to double digits. Anyways...before I start getting into any plans for our trip I thought I would introduce (or reintroduce) you to the cast of this trip.

Me (Sarah): Like I said, I'm a teacher and work in an elementary school. I've been to WDW lots of times and always love going back. My Disney favorites are Thunder Mountain, Soarin, the Polynesian, Tinkerbell, and of course, Mickey Mouse! I'm also pretty addicted to collecting pins and vinylmations.

My dad (John): Lately it seems like Dad has been my travel buddy. We've gone to Disneyland once together and WDW twice. On those two WDW trips we got to experience a couple of the tours: the Backstage Safari tour at DAK and the Keys to the Kingdom tour this past April. The dates when I'll be there will actually be the first part of his trip because my mom and sister are coming down the day I leave. Lucky for him, he gets to stay for a week and a half (after I leave he will be switching over to the Boardwalk Villas). That's because we are all going to be visiting the final member of this "cast", my sister Emma.

Emma: My 22-year old sister, who is a soon-to-be college graduate (she graduates this coming Sunday ). For those of you who don't know, Emma participated in the Disney College Program last fall as a QSFB cast member at Hollywood Studios. Yes, she spent 4 months working for the mouse and as soon as she got home she was ready to go back. So, she applied for the program again and was accepted again. This time she will be working in Merchandise and will be down there from January-August at the least (she is already talking about extending...) I don't know if she'll actually be staying with us, but I have a feeling she may want to spend a night or two at Bay Lake Tower.

So, that's the cast. Since we don't really have any set plans as of yet, here's a very rough schedule for our trip:

Monday, April 1, 2013
Flight out of Milwaukee to MCO
Magical Express to Bay Lake Tower (still can't believe I'm staying there!)
POSSIBLY go to the Magic Kingdom? I say possibly because our flight is later than usual...we try to leave early in the morning but sadly they didn't have an early flight this time. So we won't be getting to the resort until early evening.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013
First full park day! Always the best day of a trip.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Park day

Thursday, April 4, 2013
Park day

Friday, April 5, 2013
Park day

Saturday, April 6, 2013
Last park day

Sunday, April 7, 2013
Departure day...return back home to Milwaukee
start counting down the days until a return trip, which will hopefully be in December

We also have a couple of ADRs thrown in there but as to where they are, you'll just have to wait and see. (No, one of them is NOT Be Our Guest)

So there you have it. It'll be interesting to see how much we actually get to see Emma. Since various family members will be down for almost two weeks I doubt she'll be able to request off every single day.

UP NEXT: DVC memories!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Has Emma found out which park she will be in yet?

 

[shalom]

Though I actually have stayed at both AK places (Jambo House and Kidani).

They seem to be very different experiences -- or at least, 'most everyone who has done both seems to strongly prefer one over the other!

So the only one I haven't done is the Treehouse Villas, and to be honest that one doesn't really appeal to me.

They don't grab me, either. Woodsey is a good word -- in the "feels like there'll be lots of bugs hanging around" sense (although I would guess they aren't any worse than Riverside in that sense), but they seem very isolated and cramped. OTOH, I'd like to give a Fort Wilderness cabin a shot, so go figure!

It's great that you can be travel buddies with your dad.

 

[marDgreen88]

Yay, only three more weeks until your trip is 'this' year! Fun fun fun!

 

[Nermel9]

Yay your trip is getting closer! 2012 really did fly by!

I can't believe I'm staying at Bay Lake Tower either! We're doing a split stay, the first few days are at Pop, but then we're moving over to BLT, and I'm SO excited! I have a feeling I'm going to love it, and then whenever Brandon and I come back, I'm going to want to stay there!

I'm considering going in December next year too...I know I said I wanted to go to Disneyland, but I have a feeling I'll be back in WDW!

 

[wdwgirl03]

Has Emma found out which park she will be in yet?

No, she hasn't found out her work location yet.

They seem to be very different experiences -- or at least, 'most everyone who has done both seems to strongly prefer one over the other!



They don't grab me, either. Woodsey is a good word -- in the "feels like there'll be lots of bugs hanging around" sense (although I would guess they aren't any worse than Riverside in that sense), but they seem very isolated and cramped. OTOH, I'd like to give a Fort Wilderness cabin a shot, so go figure!

It's great that you can be travel buddies with your dad.

Well, I really liked both Jambo House and Kidani Village but then again I love the Animal Kingdom/watching the animals.

The other thing that seems really annoying about the Treehouse Villas is you have to go over to SSR to get a bus to the parks.

Yes it is...we have a lot of fun on our trips!

Yay, only three more weeks until your trip is 'this' year! Fun fun fun!

Yup, we're getting closer now!

Yay your trip is getting closer! 2012 really did fly by!

I can't believe I'm staying at Bay Lake Tower either! We're doing a split stay, the first few days are at Pop, but then we're moving over to BLT, and I'm SO excited! I have a feeling I'm going to love it, and then whenever Brandon and I come back, I'm going to want to stay there!

I'm considering going in December next year too...I know I said I wanted to go to Disneyland, but I have a feeling I'll be back in WDW!

hahaha, but you still have to stay at the Boardwalk too, right? You should just do what I'm doing...try them all and then start repeat stays.

I am dying to go back to Disneyland. But I have no idea when that would happen. It would be nice to go back sometime next year. Ahhh, too many vacations, not enough time.

 

[wdwgirl03]

Hello everybody! So sorry I've been slacking again on updating this PTR and finishing my April '12 trip report. But...the good news is it's finally winter break which means I have a week and a half off. I am definitely going to finish my April report and then start posting more on here because today it is

100 DAYS UNTIL BAY LAKE TOWER!!!



That means tomorrow we'll finally be in the double digits. Yippee! Since we're 100 days away, I thought I would do a post about all of the new/updated attractions I am looking forward to. As we all know it has been a busy year at Disney World with all of the projects they had going on. Because we go to WDW so often, it's rare for there to be so many "new" things for us to do. I still wish I was going for winter break (we would have been leaving the 27th...sigh) but atleast there's a lot to look forward to come April. So, here are those new attractions/additions I can't wait to FINALLY experience!

The zebras on Kilimanjaro Safaris

I can't remember where I first saw that they were getting rid of the Little Red scene at the end of the ride and adding the zebras. The safari is one of my favorite rides at the Animal Kingdom. And any chance to see more amazing animals up close is good in my book!

The Legend of Jack Sparrow

While this isn't a major attraction, I do think it could be kind of interesting. My goal is to check it out atleast once just to see what it's like. My only hope is that it is better than the Prince Caspian attraction. I loved the Narnia movies but the exhibit was really lame.

Test Track

When I first heard they were refurbishing Test Track, I was a little worried, mostly because I was afraid it would become another Journey Into Imagination (meaning they ruin a perfectly good attraction). I was still hesitant after seeing the concept art but a while ago I saw one of the on-ride videos. I have to admit it did look kind of cool. So we'll see!

Art of Animation Resort

OK, so this isn't technically an attraction, but ever since I saw pictures of the resort I knew I had to check it out. Everything about it just seems so fun! I fully intend on going over there some afternoon just to walk around and take pictures...especially of the Finding Nemo section. Love that movie!

New Fantasyland

New Fantasyland is the thing I'm most looking forward to out of all of the new additions. It's been fun going during the construction and seeing the progress, and then experiencing part of Storybook Circus this past April. It's going to be AWESOME seeing the whole area in person. I am so envious of everyone who has already seen it, or will see it soon...looking at everyone's pictures is killing me. I think I am most excited for the Little Mermaid ride and Prince Eric's castle. Oh, and getting one of those cupcakes from Be Our Guest. And Lefou's Brew. Since we won't be arriving until the early evening on April 1, I am seriously considering just walking over to the MK and waiting in line for the Little Mermaid ride. I CAN'T WAIT!

Why can't it just be April now?

I'll leave you with an Emma update: I just realized that 3 weeks from tomorrow, she will be leaving to move down to Florida! She has been keeping a blog ever since her last College Program and I asked her if she cared if I shared the link for it. If anybody is interested in reading it or following along, I can post it here (right now she mostly just reposts Disney pictures but I'm sure once she's down there again she'll have more to say).

 

[marDgreen88]

I'm so excited about all the new stuff to see, too! I mean, yeah, I agree about the Captain Jack thing. But seriously, ANYTHING is better than the Narnia experience. That was just awful. I hate saying that about a Disney attraction but it's the truth... hahaha. And I love the Narnia movies too! So yeah, that was just a flat out disappointment.

Hopefully I'll have a trip to look forward to here soon! I mean... April seems like a wonderful time to go!!!