A Gloriously Gluttonous Grand Gathering -- October 2015 *Complete

[Marnm02]

Welcome to my first ever attempt at a PTR! I have a fun adventure coming up in October with a big group of family and friends. I'm glad to have all my fellow Disney planning junkies along for the ride!

First thing's first...The Essential Details:

Who: 13 to 15 of my family and friends! We have a couple who haven't quite committed yet. I'll get to a full cast of characters in the next post, which I'll continue to update as plans firm up, and people give me permission to post more details about them.

What: An 8-night (for most of us) or 10-night (for some of us) stay at WDW! Some important highlights are Free Dining (wahoo!!), The Perfectly Princess Tea Party (squeeeee!!!), and a couple first visits!

When: Early October 2015!

Where: Port Orleans French Quarter

Why: We went last year with a group of 12 and scored a sweet bounceback deal for free dining. A bunch of us couldn't resist a return trip, and we even convinced a few others to join us!

Please stay tuned to meet our large and crazy group, and help us plan!!

 

[Marnm02]

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• Cast of Characters
• Getting There
  
• POFQ Love
• ADRs Part 1
• ADRs Part 2
• Day 1 Plans
• Day 2 Plans
• Day 3 Plans
• Day 4 Plans
• Day 5 Plans
• Day 6 Plans
• Day 7 Plans
• Day 8 Plans
• Day 9 Plans
• Pet Provisions
• Speadsheet
  
• Be Our Guest, Be Our Guest!
  
• Dining Dilemma
  
• Food and Wine
  
• Fastpasses!
• Shiny New Spreadsheet!
  
• Shinier Newer Spreadsheet
  
• Vacation Attire
  
• It Just Got Real
  
• Planning Party
  
• Single Digit Dance!

 

[Marnm02]

CAST OF CHARACTERS

We have a big, fun group of crazy cheeseheads coming down to WDW in October! Here's the roster so far:

In Room #1:

That's me on the left. My name is Marissa: Former College Program CM, busy mom and human resources assistant by day, Disney vacation planning aficionado by night.

My Dumbo riding buddy is my DH, Ryan: Master Plumber who loves relaxation and food! He was a Disney virgin before he met me, then look what I did to him:

He's been hooked ever since!

Here's our lovely DD...

Princess Maddie! This picture was taken last year at age 5.

Here she was on her first visit to WDW...

They grow up so fast!



Also in our room will be our friend, Rachelle. She's been friends with Ryan since high school and with me since college. She loves to travel, and has been along on our Disney adventure since my crazy College Program days.

Here we are back when we were a wee bit younger and having a totally proper and mature dinner at Planet Hollywood in DTD

This brings us to Princess #2 and one of our First Time Visitors: Rachelle's daughter, Princess Amelia:

She's an itty bitty newborn right now, but by the time we're ready to vacation she'll be 6 Months old -- prime age to take on The Mad Tea Party and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh!


In some combination of room #2 and room #3...

My mom, Jenny, and step-dad, Alvin (pictured here with me, Ryan and Maddie)

Mom is our personal vacation photographer. She has a super fancy camera and great artistic skill. Here are some amazing shots she got on previous trips:

As you can see, one of her favorite subjects is her grandbaby

Alvin tends to resist Disney a bit due to his frugal nature, but once he arrives he always has a great time...or at least plays along so we all think he's having a great time!

Also part of the Room #2/ Room #3 crowd are my Aunt Lisa and Uncle Don. They are hardcore Disney people and have been along on trips with us as far back as I can remember. I think Aunt Lisa is even on the Disboards, so maybe she'll pop in to say hello

Here are my in-laws Bill and Lisa. They are extremely fun people who know how to have a great time! Although we've been to local vacation destinations with them, this is their first time joining our Disney crew. It'll be be Bill's first time at WDW since childhood, and Lisa will be our second "First Visit" button wearer!

My sister, E, may be joining us, and if she does she'll be in either Room #2 or Room #3 with the others listed above. E just finished school to become a Dentist! She starts her first job this summer, and won't be able to make any final plans until she knows more about her schedule. We are all keeping our fingers crossed that she'll be able to join us and celebrate her great accomplishment!


In Room #4....

My Uncle Kerry and Aunt Caryanne (pictured here at MNSSHP with Uncle Don and Aunt Lisa)

They joined us last year and were amazing Disney troopers! They're all about fine dining, good drinks, relaxation, and really taking advantage of all the luxury Disney has to offer.

Their grandson, who is very close in age to Maddie, was along for the ride last year, and we are hopeful we may get to see him again this year!




So, that's the roster so far!

Is Disney ready for the Cheesehead invasion of 2015?

 

[Marnm02]

GETTING THERE

Most of our group lives in...

The only exceptions are Uncle Kerry and Aunt Caryanne, who will be flying in from the West Coast.

Myself, Ryan, Maddie, Bill, Lisa S., Mom, Alvin, and E (if she's able to come) will all start our journey from...

Mom and Alvin are the lucky duck retirees of the group, so they plan to drive down.

The rest of us will have to fly.

Now, Green Bay may have the world's greatest football team, but no city can have the best of everything...Green Bay decided to drop the ball on its airport. It's tiny, isn't serviced by many airlines, has no direct flights unless you want to vacation in Detroit, and is EXPENSIVE.

So, we'll be driving down to...

to catch a more affordable direct flight. This is also where Rachelle, Amelia, Lisa W., and Don will be starting their journey.

At this point, we are planning to head down to Milwaukee after work the day before WDW Day 1, and spend the night...somewhere. Will probably end up with friends or family down there, or possibly at a cheapie hotel by the airport.

Rachelle, Amelia, Bill and Lisa will be joining Ryan, Maddie, and Myself on the exact same departing flight:

We will fly out of Milwaukee at 7:35 AM and arrive at MCO airport at 11:20!

I LOVE the Orlando airport!!

Then, we'll hop aboard the Magical Express:

As for the rest of our group, Mom and Alvin should've already arrived by car when we get there, Don and Lisa W. will be just a couple hours behind us on their flight from Milwaukee, Uncle Kerry and Aunt Caryanne will arrive later in the evening from their longer flight, and E is still TBD.

 

[MamaJessie]

Great start, I'm in

 

[Lidian]

Eeeek! More October PTRs!

Hiiiiii!

One of your lovely October Facebook group admins subbing in for the long haul.

A few notes:
You better keep it down over at POFQ. I don't want to hear you across the river at POR. (Don't make me come over there!)
Your DD's curls... OMG! My kids had amazing curls when they were little ... now, not so much. The baby has a few light curls, but my older two had those AWESOME curls like your DD! She's so adorable!

And a baby to take! Eeeek! How exciting! DS1 was barely 1 on his first trip. He'll barely be 2 on his second trip!

Your mom's photography is amazing! My photography knowledge ends with my iPhone and the out-of-the-box settings on my point & shoot.

Your family is beautiful! I can't wait to "meet" them all and hear more!

Anyway ... I'm here and can't wait to read more!

 

[Marnm02]

POFQ LOVE

With all the resort choices at WDW, why did we pick POFQ?

The short answer is that it's where we were when we booked our Bounceback, we were having fun, it was available for next year, so we said, "hey, why not come back here next year?"

The more detailed backstory is this:

We'd previously been Value people and Pop was our resort of choice. We're also Free Dining people, however, and with our group growing we realized that the small price difference after the upgrade to DDP is probably worth it for a bit more space and luxury. So, last year we committed to trying out a moderate. I researched the choices and narrowed them down to POR or POFQ, since the DTD boat was very appealing to us. We had a major wrench in our plans, however, when neither of these resorts (or even our dates for which we'd already booked airfare) were included in last year's Free Dining release!

So, we settled for a travel agency exclusive room discount at Caribbean Beach. Not our first choice, but we were going to Disney, so it was still all good.

Well, I soon found out that one of the advantages of going to Disney with a large group, is that even though Ryan and I seem to be permanently banned from the Unique Offer Code list, my mom and aunt aren't! We were able to score POR! The caveat was that only Royal Rooms were available, so our price shot up from our CBR standard room. I have no doubt that the Royal Rooms are beautiful, but we were talking $400 here. That can go a long way at Cava Del Tequila! So we kept checking and checking for a standard room to open up. We never found one, but we did find Garden View at POFQ!

POFQ turned out to be a great choice! Here are 10 things we LOVE about POFQ:

1. It's soooo prettttttyyyy!

2. The food court wasn't chaotic. We enjoyed breakfast at the same table every morning, could hear each other speak, and were never trampled.

3. The food court also had some pretty tasty food. I highly recommend the Cajun Chicken Sandwich.

4. The DTD boat was a peaceful and efficient way to travel. We made use of it often.

5. POR is just a 10 minute walk away.

6. The pool was mellow, relaxing and fun for kids of all ages.

7. The whole place was mellow, and a perfect retreat from the busy parks. There isn't the crazy crowding and rambunctious kids you'll find at the Values, nor the gawkers and restaurant traffic you'll find at the deluxes.

8. The bus service seemed very smooth and efficient compared to our past experience.

9. There was shade everywhere! Very different from our previous experience at POP with the bus stops and walkways all out in full sun.

10. All our room requests (and we had many) were met!

So, we are pretty excited to be going back to this resort. Also, we're so very thankful to have our Free Dining locked in. This was our first Bounceback, and so far we are thrilled we booked it!

 

[Marnm02]

Eeeek! More October PTRs!

Hiiiiii!

One of your lovely October Facebook group admins subbing in for the long haul.


I'm so happy to have you following along!

A few notes:
You better keep it down over at POFQ. I don't want to hear you across the river at POR. (Don't make me come over there!)

LOL! I dunno, we can get pretty loud! I really want to try out POR sometime soon!

Your DD's curls... OMG! My kids had amazing curls when they were little ... now, not so much. The baby has a few light curls, but my older two had those AWESOME curls like your DD! She's so adorable!

I have no idea where she gets them from! Definitely not me!

And a baby to take! Eeeek! How exciting! DS1 was barely 1 on his first trip. He'll barely be 2 on his second trip!

My DD was also just over 1 on her first trip, and we actually really liked her there at that age. She couldn't walk yet, so no worry about her running off. And she didn't talk back or argue. LOL. I think baby Amelia will do just fine, although I know her mom is getting a little flack from some people about taking her so young...which is a shame IMO. Disney is great for babies too!

Your mom's photography is amazing! My photography knowledge ends with my iPhone and the out-of-the-box settings on my point & shoot.

I am also an iPhone photographer! No shame!!

Your family is beautiful! I can't wait to "meet" them all and hear more!

Anyway ... I'm here and can't wait to read more!

 

[Marnm02]

ADRS (Part 1)

Here's where the Gloriously Gluttonous part of the TR comes in. I don't think we've ever done a TS meal every day before...but we will on this trip!

Like a good Dis'er, I was up at 5AM on One-eighty Day to make ADRs. After only a little bit of extended ADR stalking, I'm proud to say I got everything we wanted. This was no easy task for a group of 15! We're not always going to be eating together -- some restaurants can't accommodate a group of our size at one table, and in a few cases we voluntarily decided to dine at separate restaurants. I'm very excited that we did get 3 dining experiences with the whole fam damily at one big table!

How do you book ADRs for 15? The best answer is that it NEEDS to be a team effort with such a large group. We had three of us up and ready to go on ADR morning. We each had a list to focus our efforts on, and then we made ourselves available to book second reservations at restaurants where other members of our group couldn't get the full 15 in one shot. This system is very smooth and efficient, but we needto be flexible. No, we aren't always all eating together at the exact same time and at the exact same table. That would be impossible to do every day for eight days straight with a group of 15. We are eating at all the places we'd like to eat, and when we're split up the groups are dining within an hour of each other, and that is good enough.

So, here's the lineup, along with some of my random thoughts and potential meal selections:

• Raglan Road (Dinner): The menu honestly doesn't sound too appealing to me, which is why I've never been here before. But, I just can't ignore the positive reviews anymore. I need to bite the bullet and give it a try. I'm very hopeful that everything tastes better than it sounds, and that our 6:30 ADR (the earliest we could get) is early enough that we may be ahead of any entertainment that might be too loud for our little ones. Based on the current menu, I'm leaning toward trying the Burger 'R Way!
• Kona Cafe (Breakfast): Question for anyone who may know: If we have all 15 of us at one table, and our ADR is for 7:40, is there any teeny tiny chance of us making it to MK for 9 AM opening?

This is a meal we're going to pay Out of Pocket for, because I really just want to try this:

And I'll probably split it with DH.

• 1900 Park Fare (Dinner): We LOVED this last year! Perfect service, perfect characters, perfect food. I got so full that I never even saw half of the buffet last time, so I'm determined to start at the opposite end this time! 1900 PF is actually our only repeat dinner from last year. Miss Maddie just loved it so much

• Tusker House (Dinner): So, I wanted a dinner, I wanted there to be classic characters present, but I didn't want Garden Grill because we were just there last year and not everyone was excited about returning. I also didn't want Chef Mickey's because I'm not brave enough to attempt it after some of the downright frightening reviews I've read. So, that left Tusker House. I'm of the very unpopular opinion that Boma is mediocre at best, and I've sometimes heard that Tusker is similar, and other times I've heard it's better. I'm cautiously optimistic, and happy to have a character dinner on the itinerary!

• My Disney Girl's Perfectly Princess Tea Party (Lunch): Only Princess Maddie and I are doing this one. The price tag shocked me and just about sent DH to the hospital, but DD has decided that this is what she wants to spend her birthday money on. She is an only grandchild on two sides and one of two grandchildren on the other, so she gets SPOILED on her birthday. If she is voluntarily choosing to spend her money on something that doesn't clutter up my house or yard, I'm 100% supportive. Plus, she and I are in need of some girl time! And I was able to actually obtain a reservation, so I'm taking that as a sign that we must attend!

Yep, in just 4.5 short months, this will be us...

I'll continue with the rest of my ADR list in the next post...

 

[wellesleyprincess]

Yay! Another October buddy! Joining in!

 

[Marnm02]

Yay! Another October buddy! Joining in!

So happy to have you here! Yay October!!

 

[Marnm02]

ADRs Part 2 -- The Gluttony Continues

I meant to list all the ADRs in one post, but got too tired last night.

Soooo....Here is the rest of the ADR Lineup:

• Narcoossee's (Dinner): Mmmmm seafood! I think I'll probably order the Surf and Turf, not just because it sounds yummy, but because it's the most expensive thing on the menu. My stepdad will be along on this trip, and he has a very strict Free Dining rule: Always order the most expensive thing. Also, we scored an ADR time that will let us see HalloWishes!

• Be Our Guest (Lunch): Another restaurant back by popular demand from last year! On our previous visit, I had the carved turkey sandwich, which was pretty darn good for quick service. This time I think I'll try either the carved prime chuck roast sandwich or the croque monsieur.

• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (Dinner): We've been here 10000 times (give or take a few) for breakfast, so this time we decided to live dangerously and see what dinner has to offer. Mushroom stuffed pasta sounds pretty amazing to me! Also, my aunts and uncles are all princessed out, so they'll be dining at Rose and Crown instead. More pasta for me!

• Via Napoli (Lunch): Anyone have any tips on how many of the Mezzo Metro pizzas it would take to feed 13-15 people with a kid or two and a baby included in the count? It's gotta be at least three, right? This will be an out of pocket meal, so we're trying to figure out the budget. I really want to try the Carciofi and Proscuitto de Melone!

• Whispering Canyon (Dinner): This is another one the aunts and uncles are skipping, because they aren't into antics. Lucky ducks got Be Our Guest dinner instead. The rest of us are cool with antics, and even cooler with the looks of that big, yummy skillet they serve, so we're venturing into the land of 10000 Ketchup bottles.

• Mama Melrose (Fantasmic Package Dinner): This was my toughest ADR this time around. I remember the good old days when no one knew what the Fantasmic package was and the ADRs were all over the place. Now they're snatched up in minutes and you have to be up at dawn and ready to WORK for that free appetizer and preferred seating. Also, I lied. This is a second dinner we're repeating from last year. And I'll have the Pasta Alla Vodka. Just like last year.

Those of us staying an additional night (Not me! ) are also dining at California Grill.

I'm full just from proofreading this!

 

[Lidian]

Here's where the Gloriously Gluttonous part of the TR comes in. I don't think we've ever done a TS meal every day before...but we will on this trip!

Man, I love me some TS meals at Disney! DH said the only reason he ever goes with us is because of the food.

Like a good Dis'er, I was up at 5AM on One-eighty Day to make ADRs. After only a little bit of extended ADR stalking, I'm proud to say I got everything we wanted. This was no easy task for a group of 15! We're not always going to be eating together -- some restaurants can't accommodate a group of our size at one table, and in a few cases we voluntarily decided to dine at separate restaurants. I'm very excited that we did get 3 dining experiences with the whole fam damily at one big table!

Wow! I can't imagine 15. I was stressing over 8 in 2009. It was originally us. Then mom wanted to come. So I added her. Reworked ALL of our dining. Then her BFF wanted to come. So I added her. Reworked ALL the dining (snagged a CM along the way). Then the BFF's son decided to join us (adult son). So I reworked what I could and then felt bad that I wasn't giving up CM and such... then his GF joined us, so I just started booking tables for 2 at other places. So we had lots of tables for 6, a few for 8, and a lot of 2s. But this was back when all dining had to be done over the phone.

Raglan Road (Dinner): The menu honestly doesn't sound too appealing to me, which is why I've never been here before.

Raglan Road was one of the tables for 2 I booked. My mom and her BFF decided to take it. They loved it. They said it was great food and a lot of fun. The menu ... yeah, I don't really want to try it personally. But they have great reviews.

Kona Cafe (Breakfast):

And the rest of your quote vanished. I guess it was because I hadn't had breakfast yet and you're talking food and posting yummy pics.

If I was you, I'd order and let the server know you'd like to be at MK ASAP. Ask for your check early so you can get it paid and leave a soon as you shove that last bite of yumminess into your food-hole. That way, you're not sitting there waiting for the server to bring the check and settle-up once done. I'd get that taken care of ASAP. It will definitely save you time!

1900 Park Fare (Dinner):

Have some Strawberry Soup for me!

Tusker House (Dinner):

TH is one of our favorites! We've always had lunch (so we could enjoy the buffet AND the characters). I never bothered to tell DH that dinner didn't have characters, and he loved TH enough he'd request it. Last year, it was fine. It wasn't as good as previous years and some of my favorites were MIA. But we wouldn't hesitate to book it again. I haven't done Boma dinner to compare it to though ... This year, we're changing it up and doing TH breakfast. We love Boma breakfast (and I'm in tears as my kids are BEGGING me to cancel my Boma breakfast -- but I don't wanna and you can't make me!). So really, DH and I love Boma breakfast. The kids weren't fans. At least there will be characters at TH.

Be Our Guest (Lunch):

I love the, whatever it's called, but the pork roast. YUM! I licked my plate clean last year. DH had the steak sandwich and he said it was pretty good, but he liked my pork roast better. So apparently while I was getting drinks for the kids, he was sampling my food.

I do not recommend the Tuna Nicoise salad

I think my DD13 is going to try this. Perhaps the bad-review dish was just a fluke. If she tries it, we will see. Either she'll enjoy it or go hungry.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (Dinner):

I LOVE Akershus! I can't recall the official name, but I had the "beef tips" last time we were there. I was licking my plate. The server recommended the meal (I love to ask servers what they like, they sometimes have great recommendations). I was sad that she wouldn't bring me seconds.

I'm full just from proofreading this!

Really? I'm starving. Thanks a lot.

 

[Marnm02]

Man, I love me some TS meals at Disney! DH said the only reason he ever goes with us is because of the food.

That would be my DH too!


Wow! I can't imagine 15. I was stressing over 8 in 2009. It was originally us. Then mom wanted to come. So I added her. Reworked ALL of our dining. Then her BFF wanted to come. So I added her. Reworked ALL the dining (snagged a CM along the way). Then the BFF's son decided to join us (adult son). So I reworked what I could and then felt bad that I wasn't giving up CM and such... then his GF joined us, so I just started booking tables for 2 at other places. So we had lots of tables for 6, a few for 8, and a lot of 2s. But this was back when all dining had to be done over the phone.

Oh, I remember those days. Poor CMs!

Raglan Road was one of the tables for 2 I booked. My mom and her BFF decided to take it. They loved it. They said it was great food and a lot of fun. The menu ... yeah, I don't really want to try it personally. But they have great reviews.

I'm glad they liked it, and everyone I've ever heard of going there has said they liked it. Irish food just isn't that yummy sounding to me, but with such great reviews I've got to give it a try. I'll stick with something non-Irish and have the burger though .


If I was you, I'd order and let the server know you'd like to be at MK ASAP. Ask for your check early so you can get it paid and leave a soon as you shove that last bite of yumminess into your food-hole. That way, you're not sitting there waiting for the server to bring the check and settle-up once done. I'd get that taken care of ASAP. It will definitely save you time!

Great advice! Thank you! It won't be the end of the world if we aren't there right at 9, but it would be nice since it'll be the first ever MK visit for my MIL and the baby, so the whole "Welcome" experience would be cool. But if they miss it this time we will be there again for RD throughout the trip. If we didn't have first visitors with us, I personally would probably linger over breakfast a bit to avoid the stampede


TH is one of our favorites! We've always had lunch (so we could enjoy the buffet AND the characters). I never bothered to tell DH that dinner didn't have characters, and he loved TH enough he'd request it. Last year, it was fine. It wasn't as good as previous years and some of my favorites were MIA. But we wouldn't hesitate to book it again. I haven't done Boma dinner to compare it to though ... This year, we're changing it up and doing TH breakfast. We love Boma breakfast (and I'm in tears as my kids are BEGGING me to cancel my Boma breakfast -- but I don't wanna and you can't make me!). So really, DH and I love Boma breakfast. The kids weren't fans. At least there will be characters at TH.

I'm glad you like TH! I've never done Boma breakfast, but was not impressed with dinner. I think we had to have been there on an off night or something, because everyone else loves it. Or maybe I'm just weird. lol.


I love the, whatever it's called, but the pork roast. YUM! I licked my plate clean last year. DH had the steak sandwich and he said it was pretty good, but he liked my pork roast better. So apparently while I was getting drinks for the kids, he was sampling my food.

That does look yummy too! Hmmm...decisions, decisions...



I think my DD13 is going to try this. Perhaps the bad-review dish was just a fluke. If she tries it, we will see. Either she'll enjoy it or go hungry.

I hope she likes it! Those who had it were waaay down the table from me, so I never got to actually witness the wilted lettuce and soggy french fry, but they talked about it a lot



I LOVE Akershus! I can't recall the official name, but I had the "beef tips" last time we were there. I was licking my plate. The server recommended the meal (I love to ask servers what they like, they sometimes have great recommendations). I was sad that she wouldn't bring me seconds.

Great! I will keep that in mind and ask them what they recommend!


Really? I'm starving. Thanks a lot. LOL. Sorry!

 

[Marnm02]

DAY 1

Who wants to see the Trip Tic??

I've already discussed our arrival plans, so I won't repeat all that info.

It is worth knowing, however, that while we're up in the air Mom and Alvin will have already arrived in one of their lovely vehicles. There are two contenders for their vehicle of choice to make the drive across country the short way. Also, my parents name their vehicles. And they give them really original and creative names too!

Meet Vanny!

OK, OK, that's not really Vanny. It'd be cool if it was though! And Vanny actually is big and blue!

and...the other option...

Meet Priusy (I told you they have creative names!)

Now, if they drive down in Vanny, our little Team Southwest Airlines group will probably hop off the Magical Express, check in at POFQ (with no expectation of getting in a room that early), and then hop right in Vanny with Mom and Alvin to head to Costco for supplies. If Priusy ends up being the chosen vehicle, we'll probably only send a representative or two

I'm sure those who aren't going on the Costco expedition will get some lunch at the POFQ food court (and probably meet up with Don and Lisa as they will be arriving shortly after Team Southwest Airlines.) The Costco people will probably grab something when they get back too, if they aren't all filled up on samples.

Hopefully by then we'll be able to get into our rooms so all the Costco goodies can be unloaded.

What would we possibly want to buy at Costco when we have Free Dining??

Yep, lots of liquor! This was Mom, Alvin, Aunt Lisa, and Uncle Don's room last year. It became known as The Party Room. We need a Party Room this year too!

Once everyone is all unpacked, settled in, and the party room as been established, we'll take the boat over to:

Then it'll be time to shop! I'm also hoping for a stop at Dockside Margaritas! A Sugar Cane Mojito sounds pretty wonderful!

Around 6:30 we'll head to

For our dinner ADR. I hope it's as wonderful as everyone says. We will all be first timers here!

Also, Uncle Kerry and Aunt Caryanne will be arriving at some point, but I'm not sure when, or if they'll make it to Raglan Road.

We will likely head back to POFQ shortly after dinner. My plans for the night may include a little swim or hot tub, possibly the outdoor movie depending on what's playing, and a little Party Room time. Then it'll be an earlyish night, as we have our earliest morning of the trip the next day!

 

[Lidian]

"The Party Room" 'Nuff said. You'll be posting your room number, right? Or should we just looking for the staggering adults with slurred words?

 

[Marnm02]

~~MINI UPDATE~~

I'm planning a full "Day 2" Planning post tomorrow, but today I want to give a quick update of a few small planning changes that have come up:

Change #1: We discovered OpenTable.com and were able to get an earlier Raglan Road reservation. We will now be dining there our first night at 5:15 instead of 6:45. This should be a little easier (and hopefully quieter) for the kiddos, plus will give us more party room time! We also will go from being split up into three groups to hopefully all being at one table. Open Table allowed me to book a reservation for 13. This could end up being our final number since we still have two people unconfirmed. But, if we do end up with the full 15, I plan on seeing if there's a way they can just sneak the little ones in. One will only be a baby. Hopefully it won't be an issue. If 1 or 2 stowaway babies ends up being a dealbreaker, we may just have to settle for Wolfgang Puck Express on arrival night.

Change #2: Flights got cheaper y'all! I spent five minutes on the phone with Southwest, and BOOM! 2500 Rapid Rewards points credited to my account! Gotta save up for next year! Ryan and I snagged a perfect return flight as soon as flights were released back in February (nonstop, leaving at a reasonable hour but still not arriving late, good price, etc.) but it quickly sold out, and Bill, Lisa Rachelle and Amelia had to settle for a flight that would require them to be up at around 5 AM to catch the Magical Express, for more $. But now it's looking like they should be able to get onto the same flight as us, and have a good chunk of change credited back to them for a future flight, since the price is now even lower than it was when Ryan and I booked it (hence our nice points payout this evening.) So, as long as they're able to finalize everything while flights are still as they are, Team Southwest Airlines should be remaining together until the bitter end!!

And, not completely WDW related (but kinda...), look what princess Maddie did yesterday...

That's right, don't let the innocent looking Girl Scout attire fool you, she is now PIERCED! So, if anyone wants to tempt me with places around WDW to find cute little earrings, I'm down.

Notice the tear-free face just seconds after having 14K Gold spikes shot through her ears? This is probably a good time to mention that Princess Maddie is one tough cookie. And she's tough at WDW too! She did all the rides she was tall enough for last year (measured in at 42 inches then). Her favorite was Tower of Terror (did it three times in a row!). She also really loved Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Splash Mountain, BTTMR, and Soarin'. She did NOT like Dinosaur, but she says she will go on it again this year, as long as she can sit with Grandma Jenny and they can make scary faces at the Dinosaurs. I'm hopeful that she'll grow very well and will be able to try out Expedition Everest and Space Mountain!

So, those are my mini updates. Everything you ever wanted to know about our Day 2 plans is coming up tomorrow!

 

[Lidian]

Congrats on the earholes little Daisy!

I dunno where to find cute earrings, as I have super sensitive ears and pretty much everything causes a rash, so my earholes grew over years ago. I can ask my DD13 if she's seen any. But she's at school, so it will have to wait until my Dory-brain remembers...

Congrats on the Raglan Road table! Also, congrats on the cheaper flights!

 

[Marnm02]

"The Party Room" 'Nuff said. You'll be posting your room number, right? Or should we just looking for the staggering adults with slurred words?

Stop on in, there's always room for more in the party room!

 

[Marnm02]

Congrats on the earholes little Daisy!

I dunno where to find cute earrings, as I have super sensitive ears and pretty much everything causes a rash, so my earholes grew over years ago. I can ask my DD13 if she's seen any. But she's at school, so it will have to wait until my Dory-brain remembers...

Congrats on the Raglan Road table! Also, congrats on the cheaper flights!

Thanks! It's been an exciting couple days!