I'll Call Steve: A Wilderprincess PTR! (Aug 2015) *COMPLETED*

[ForeverDance]

I'm quite jealous of you Canadians, as you seem to have them everywhere

You have no idea. You cannot drive 5 minutes without seeing one inside a city. And in most places there is more than one within walking distance. There are 3 within a 5 minute walk from where I work.

 

[Newsies]

You have no idea. You cannot drive 5 minutes without seeing one inside a city. And in most places there is more than one within walking distance. There are 3 within a 5 minute walk from where I work.

Haha! In NJ, it's like that with Dunkin Donuts. I think I pass by 4 on my way to school? Something crazy like that.

 

[Newsies]

Magic Kingdom Plans- Day #1
121 days out
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Okay. I think I have some sort of tentative plan for touring the park on the first day. Possibly. Maybe. We just don't know.

9:00 A.M. be at the park for rope drop
And that's where the day begins. We'll probably take the boat launch.

9:10 A.M. breakfast ADR at Crystal Palace
Because why even go to the Magic Kingdom if you're not going to have breakfast here?

tentative after-breakfast plans for the whole day
Note: in no way will all of this be accomplished. This is just an outline of things I'd like to get done in each area so I'm not aimlessly wandering around like I was last time. Also, none of this is in any particular order whatsoever.
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Main Street USA

• Buy Duffy and Mickey Ears if I haven't done so already
• Meet Aurora and/or Snow White
• Possibly meet one of the flagpole characters
  • If line is too long: check out wait time for Tinkerbell
    • If wait time for Tinkerbell is too long: cry
• • FP+ Festival of Fantasy
    • cry a lot

Adventureland

• Meet Peter Pan
• Meet Aladdin and Jasmine
• Ride Jungle Cruise
• Get a Dole Whip

Frontierland

• Ride Splash Mountain
  • Possibly meet Woody and Jessie afterwards, but ONLY if Jessie is there
• Ride Big Thunder Mountain Rail Road

Liberty Square

• See Hall of Presidents
• Meet Tiana
  • go later in the evening to increase chance of meeting naveen
• Haunted Mansion
  • save this for one of the last attractions of the day cause, like, night time HM is the best HM.

Fantasyland

• Resist the urge to join the 70 minute PPF queue, FP+ it.
• Meet Merida
• Meet Fairy Godmother
• Winnie the Pooh ride
• Go to New Fantasyland!!! Yay!!!
  • Meet Gaston
    • It does not matter how long it takes. This is mandatory.
  • Ride Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
  • Meet Ariel
  • Enchanted Tales with Belle
    • line is long, make sure this is done early in the day

Tomorrowland

• FP+ Space Mountain
• Meet Stitch or Buzz
• Buy and consume a Turkey Leg for lunch

8:10 P.M. dinner ADR at Cinderella's Royal Table
What better way to cool down after a long day at the parks than a fancy meal with my favorite girls?

10:00 P.M. Wishes
Cause a day at MK doesn't end until Wishes.

10:45 PM. est. arrival time home
Boat launch back home so we can catch some ZZZs
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[xlsm]

I have lots of thoughts but not a lot of time, so for now I'll just go with how to get to the Fort from WL. You can walk there via the path OR take the CR boat. It does a triangular loop (can loops be triangular??) between CR, WL, and FW. I don't think there is a rhyme or reason to the direction it travels though, so you might end up going straight to the Fort or have to stop at the CR first.

Sounds like a fun and busy first day plan! Naveen meets with Tiana around 5:00. They. Are. Amazing. Best character interaction for us besides Gaston. As for Gaston, I find meeting him early to be the easiest, like between 9:30 - 10:30am-ish.

 

[Newsies]

I have lots of thoughts but not a lot of time, so for now I'll just go with how to get to the Fort from WL. You can walk there via the path OR take the CR boat. It does a triangular loop (can loops be triangular??) between CR, WL, and FW. I don't think there is a rhyme or reason to the direction it travels though, so you might end up going straight to the Fort or have to stop at the CR first.

Sounds like a fun and busy first day plan! Naveen meets with Tiana around 5:00. They. Are. Amazing. Best character interaction for us besides Gaston. As for Gaston, I find meeting him early to be the easiest, like between 9:30 - 10:30am-ish.

Thanks so much for this! About how long would you say does it take to walk the path from Fort to WL?

Thank you for the advice on Naveen, Tiana, and Gaston, too! Love them all!

 

[Newsies]

Let's Go to the Mall!
118 days out
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HAPPY EASTER!

Are you all having a good day? I hope so. We just got home from church and we're going out to dinner in about an hour and a half. Plus, the Easter bunny left me this, so I can't really ever complain again.

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That red and green thing is a rice krispie treat that's supposed to look like a monorail for those of you wondering. And thank God for that gift card, because I had zero money saved for this trip until this morning...

I'm looking for a job. I promise. I had one in, like, October, but because I was in a show at the time and couldn't hold a steady work schedule for a few weeks, I had to be let go. My involvement in theater made it impossible to work for a few months, but now I'm looking for a job again. Just a little part time thing to help save money for Disney/college.

This rant got waaaaaaaaaaay off track. Sorry.

Anyway, yesterday the family was watching a special about the Disney Cruise Line on TV. Of course that made us incredibly homesick, so my mom suggested that we go out to the Menlo Park Mall. And do you know what's in the Menlo Park Mall????

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Yaaaaaas!!! We were greeted by a CM in gloves. It's my favorite store. There was another one closer to us long ago, but it closed about 10 years ago. RIP.

There was a sale going on, and I took a few photos.

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I was sad in that last photo because Treasure was $16 and not on sale. I totally would have bought her, though. Don't even think for a second that I wouldn't have. Because I almost did. Until she was $16. Then I didn't.

My sister got a Dumbo tsum-tsum and pencil case, my mother got a t-shirt, and I don't think my father got anything. But look what I got!

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PASCAL!!! Yay! Just another friend to add to the rapidly, dangerously growing list of stuffies I plan on taking to the Wilderness Lodge. There are a lot. It's a problem. By the way, that photo is from my "makeshift Easter photo shoot", which I took this morning. I do it every year, featuring stunning photography on my professional iPhone 4 by Grace. This shot took a lot of tries and never really came out the way I wanted it to, so I hope you all enjoy it.

After our trip to the Disney store, we went upstairs to a store called Things Remembered so we could buy a gift for my baby cousin. Her name is Natalie Louise (how cute is that name?) and she's getting christened in about a week. We bought her a cute little piggy bank and had it engraved.

While it was being engraved, we took a walk around the mall and came across a Vans. Red alert. Vans is my fav and my mom was talking about how I needed new shoes (she doesn't like my red rainboots. Who doesn't love red rainboots?), so I convinced her to let me take a look around. We found a totally ill pair of Vans. And then as we were checking out... I noticed a totally ill matching backpack. And I was like, "mom it'd be sick if I had a matching backpack for these shoes" and she was like "Yeah tru".

Now I have officially found my backpack and sneakers for WDW! Wahoo!!!

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Totally sick ignore the Big Time Rush poster peeping in the background. I haven't updated my room since 8th grade

That concludes this update. I hope you guys have a great Easter Sunday! Or just a regular old great Sunday, for those not celebrating.

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[Newsies]

Epcot Plans- Day #2
113 days out
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Okay, my Epcot plans are easy because I know what I want to do in each pavilion. It basically involves me meeting a bunch of characters and eating a bunch of things I'm not supposed to be eating. #vacation

10:00-ish wake up and go to park
Wake up at a relaxed time after an action-packed Magic Kingdom day. I'm not super concerned with rope-dropping Epcot, but I am going to get dressed and hustle as soon as I wake up. Whenever it may be.

tenative whole day plans
Here we goooo!
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Future World

• Breakfast at Sunshine Seasons
  • There's no shame in strawberry shortcake for breakfast, right?
• The Seas with Nemo and Friends
  • Explore the rest of that area for a little bit
• Test Track
  • Single Rider line

World Showcase

• Mexico
  • Gran Fiesta Tour
• China
  • Meet Mulan
  • Possibly go back for lunch
• Germany
  • Meet Snow White
• American Adventure
  • Watch the American Adventure show
• Japan
  • Buy something cool in the shops
• Morocco
  • See Aladdin and Jasmine
• France
  • Meet Aurora
  • Get ice cream or QS creme brulee depending on how I'm feelin at the moment.
• United Kingdom
  • Meet Mary Poppins
  • Meet Alice
• World Showcase Plaza
  • Meet Duffy

General Note:

• Have a totally chill day forever

Family arrives before/around 4:00
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Future World

• Soarin' FP+ or Test Track FP+
• Mickey and Friends M&G FP+

World Showcase

• mill around and shoot the breeze on a leisurely pace to the Italian pavilion

6:30 P.M. ADR at Via Napoli
Yummo!

Chill for a while

9:00 P.M. catch Illuminations
cry

10:00 at latest- be home
Go to sleep and get ready for a glamorous day at Disney's Hollywood Studios!


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[Newsies]

Good News on Top of More Good News!
110 Days Out
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Okay. I have some REALLY great news to share with you guys. Well, it's probably not going to interest most of you and it's really brief, but it's good news to me.

Ready?

....

According to Kenny the Pirate, Jiminy Cricket is going to have a regular meet and greet in WDW starting April 19th.

I've been dying to meet Jiminy for, like, EVER. He's going to start meeting at Rafiki's Planet Watch in Animal Kingdom. I was certain RPW was a one time thing for me until this news popped up

Peter Pan is also moving back to Fantasyland in front of his ride. Remember the Neverland map back drop? Yeah, you remember the Neverland map back drop. He's going back to that because of all the Adventureland construction craziness about to ensue and I'm kinda glad about that, too. It's such a cute spot to meet at.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand I have some non-Disney trip related news.

I'm going back to Hogwarts!!!

I used to go to a Hogwarts-themed Girl Scout camp, but had to stop going so I could attend an acting conservatory last year. Now I'm going to be returning as a counselor it's going to be a tough week, but it's going to be super fun and rewarding. I'll be at camp from Friday, July 10th- Sunday, July 19th. Does that feel close to my WDW to anyone else?

In any case, I'm going to have a great time at camp and I'm STILL SO EXCITED ABOUT JIMINY CRICKET

See you all again soon!

 

[ForeverDance]

I've been away for a bit but I'm all caught up now. I think your plans look good for MK and EPCOT. I especially like the chill attitude towards EPCOT. Sounds like a great way to spend the day.

I'm looking for a job. I promise. I had one in, like, October, but because I was in a show at the time and couldn't hold a steady work schedule for a few weeks, I had to be let go. My involvement in theater made it impossible to work for a few months, but now I'm looking for a job again. Just a little part time thing to help save money for Disney/college.

My DD has the same problem. With her basketball schedule she keeps getting turned down for jobs because she's not available enough. Once her season ends she will be looking for some summer employment to earn some money for University and our <still theoretical> trip to Disney in August.

Okay, my Epcot plans are easy because I know what I want to do in each pavilion. It basically involves me meeting a bunch of characters and eating a bunch of things I'm not supposed to be eating. #vacation

This is what Disney, and especially EPCOT is made for!

 

[Newsies]

I've been away for a bit but I'm all caught up now. I think your plans look good for MK and EPCOT. I especially like the chill attitude towards EPCOT. Sounds like a great way to spend the day.


My DD has the same problem. With her basketball schedule she keeps getting turned down for jobs because she's not available enough. Once her season ends she will be looking for some summer employment to earn some money for University and our <still theoretical> trip to Disney in August.


This is what Disney, and especially EPCOT is made for!

Thank you! And I mean, you gotta have a chill attitude when you've got a whole day at Epcot. It's too easy to be overwhelmed there!

I totally feel for your daughter. A lot of people my age have to make the choice between their jobs and their activities. For me, it was like, "I can either work this job and get paid or be in the school show that I've been dying to be a part of", it was a tough call. Luckily I didn't have to make the decision... my employer made it for me!

Keep your head high for the still theoretical trip!!! There's still hope!!! Always hope!!!

I agree- Disney is all about the characters and off-limits food

 

[ForeverDance]

Keep your head high for the still theoretical trip!!! There's still hope!!! Always hope!!!

Oh I haven't given up yet. I've even booked the time off work. BUT we have had to cancel 3 trips already so I'm careful not to count my chickens now.

 

[xlsm]

Um, so I didn't see the post where you asked how long it takes to get TO the Ft. from the Lodge. I'm a bad reader
I think it's like a mile, so...20 minutes at a casual pace? I don't know.

I'm reminiscing after seeing the Disney Store sign. *sigh* I am a former Disney Store CM and I miss it so much! (not the hours on my feet and NOT holiday crowds though.)

Ok, so you're excited about Jiminy too! SO WAS I! My kids are like, "woo."
I'm probably about 15 years older than you, but between this PTR and the tsum tsum thread, if we had been in school together, we'd have been friends for sure.

You make me feel less old than my early-thirties self, LOL!!! Maybe I am just very cool?? Haha!!

Keep having fun with your plans!! I'm at 90 days away...only a month from FPs, so the downhill slide

 

[Newsies]

Oh I haven't given up yet. I've even booked the time off work. BUT we have had to cancel 3 trips already so I'm careful not to count my chickens now.

Booking time off is a start! I'm rooting for your family! Gooooooooo ForeverDance clan!

Um, so I didn't see the post where you asked how long it takes to get TO the Ft. from the Lodge. I'm a bad reader
I think it's like a mile, so...20 minutes at a casual pace? I don't know.

I'm reminiscing after seeing the Disney Store sign. *sigh* I am a former Disney Store CM and I miss it so much! (not the hours on my feet and NOT holiday crowds though.)

Ok, so you're excited about Jiminy too! SO WAS I! My kids are like, "woo."
I'm probably about 15 years older than you, but between this PTR and the tsum tsum thread, if we had been in school together, we'd have been friends for sure.

You make me feel less old than my early-thirties self, LOL!!! Maybe I am just very cool?? Haha!!

Keep having fun with your plans!! I'm at 90 days away...only a month from FPs, so the downhill slide

No, no, no, you're not a bad reader at all! And thank you so much, I appreciate it.

Awww, I'd loooove to be a Disney Store CM. They were making a lot of magic, especially for the little kids. It looks like a lot of fun!

YESSS!!! Jiminy forever! And age is just a number- if you enjoy tsum tsums and Jiminy as much as I do, you're cool to me

Yay for FP+!!! Have a great time planning them out

 

[Newsies]

Hollywood Studios Plan- Day #3
105 days out
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Hi again everyone!

It's getting warmer out, and you know what that means? It means I'm almost in my double digit dance!

My third park day is going to be a Hollywood Studios day. Which I recently- as I was writing this post- got into a bit of trouble with.

My dinner reservation at the 50's Prime Time was made for 6:20. I figured, wow, what a great time to have dinner because Kenny the Pirate says Characterpalooza is at 4:30 that day!

Then I woke up this morning and that was no longer the case. Suddenly, Kenny said that Characterpalooza would be happening at 6:10. Um...........................................................??????????????????????

So then I scrambled to see if I could get it bumped up later. And after HOURS of dealing with the Disney website, I finally moved my 50PT ADR up to 7:15 that night! And yet, Hollywood Studios is still being problematic for me.

My biggest concern right now is that I don't know how long Hiro and Baymax are going to be at DHS. That's what's throwing me off for the day. Because if they're not going to be there, I'm just gonna chill at the resort for most of the morning. If they are, things'll be different. I've heard they're going to be switched out with the characters from Inside Out, which would be a fun meet too, but I just don't know for sure what's going to happen and I'm so akijfdhkajsghgusfaskdhfaklsjdfhhgu7rry47ryhfaSKJDLFHKJG.

I also have ZERO clue what I'm going to FP+ this day. Whatsoever. Thanks, FP+ tiering! You really make my life a breeze!

Sorry. Rant over.

7:00 AM Wake Up and Get Breakfast
Chocolate Chip Mickey Waffles for real this time

7:45-8:00 AM-ish? Get on first bus to DHS from WL

9:00 AM/AS SOON AS PARK OPENS SPRINT TO BH6 M&G

Tentative plans for the rest of the day
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Hollywood Boulevard

• Great Movie Ride
• Stop to see what Citizens of Hollywood are doing

Echo Lake

• Indiana Jones

Streets of America

• CHARACTERS!!!
  • Mike and Sulley
  • Phineas and Ferb
  • Maybe Lightning and Mater?
• Muppet Vision 3D
• POSSIBLY for the first time in forever singalong????
  • not putting up with any long lines for the singalong

Pixar Place

• Meet Woody and Buzz

Animation Courtyard

• Voyage of the Little Mermaid
  • multiple showings if possible
• Meet some characters maybe?

Sunset Boulevard

• Beauty and the Beast live on stage
• Tower of Terror
  • dont chicken out
• Rock'n'Roller Coaster
• Starring Rolls
  • mandatory butterfinger cupcake

6:10 PM Characterpalooza

7:15 PM ADR at 50's Prime Time Cafe

Fantasmic! 10:00 PM

Go home as soon as it's over​

 

[Newsies]

Animal Kingdom Plans- Day #4
103 days out
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TERRIBLE NEWS.

It has come to my attention that the Jiminy Cricket will only be at DAK from April 19th to April 25th. As you can see, this is just short of my August trip. Therefore, it appears as though I may not be meeting Jiminy this trip after all. Nonetheless, I must go through life/this TR with some Animal Kingdom plans

Whenever in the morning
Wake up and get breakfast for a chill as heck day at Animal Kingdom

Shortly after whenever
Get on the bus to Animal Kingdom

Tentative plans for the rest of the day
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Discovery Island

• Discovery Island Trails
• Maybe Tough to be a Bug
• Lunch at Flame Tree BBQ
• Characters
  • Pocahontas
  • Russell and Dug
  • Baloo and Louie
  • Possibly Mickey and Minnie
  • Possibly Daisy

Africa

• Festival of the Lion King
  • FP+ this
• Kilimanjaru Safaris
  • FP+ this as well
  • Also do this first thing in the morning if you get there early enough for the lines to not be hecklacious
• Kusafiri Coffee Shop
  • Buy a cute as heck cupcake

Asia

• Expedition Everest
  • FP+ this too
  • Or just suck it up and wait in line cause you missed it last time
• Kali River Rapids
  • ONLY IF YOU ARE NOT WEARING WHITE AND IT IS EARLY IN THE DAY
• Maharajah Jungle Trek

Dinoland USA

• Meet Goofy and Pluto
• Finding Nemo: The Musical

5:30 PM Dinner Reservation at Yak & Yeti

Get on bus to Magic Kingdom afterwards

Have a chill evening at Magic Kingdom

Chill on back to the WL after Wishes
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[ForeverDance]

I find planning for DHS the hardest of all the parks. I haven't been with FP+ but the tiering appears to make it that much harder!

It's nice that you're have a chill day at AK but don't forget how HOT it will be there in August. Did I mention it will be HOT? We always try to do AK first thing in the morning and leave by 12 or 1 at the latest. I normally tolerate the heat pretty well but even I have trouble there. And my DH, who wears a sweatshirt instead of a winter coat here in Canada, well he just about dies. Maybe you will tolerate the heat better, but I thought I'd give you a heads up.

On a sad and unrelated note... my hypothetical next trip is now a definitely not going to happen/doesn't exist trip So I guess I shall live vicariously through you. I hope you write a TR afterward! I am need a a Disney fix!

 

[Newsies]

I find planning for DHS the hardest of all the parks. I haven't been with FP+ but the tiering appears to make it that much harder!

It's nice that you're have a chill day at AK but don't forget how HOT it will be there in August. Did I mention it will be HOT? We always try to do AK first thing in the morning and leave by 12 or 1 at the latest. I normally tolerate the heat pretty well but even I have trouble there. And my DH, who wears a sweatshirt instead of a winter coat here in Canada, well he just about dies. Maybe you will tolerate the heat better, but I thought I'd give you a heads up.

On a sad and unrelated note... my hypothetical next trip is now a definitely not going to happen/doesn't exist trip So I guess I shall live vicariously through you. I hope you write a TR afterward! I am need a a Disney fix!

Yeah, it's a really hard park to deal with when it comes to planning. Especially since everything is so limited there- dining, attractions, etc. that having to limit them down to a couple makes it even harder!

Thank you so much for your concern about the heat I tend to tolerate the heat pretty well in Disney World. It has absolutely never been a problem for me- even in the sweaty cesspool that is Animal Kingdom. I think our hottest day fell on our Animal Kingdom day last year, and even then I was doing well. I work quickly and move from one air-conditioned attraction to another, so I don't consider it my biggest issue. Dealing with all the BUGS, however... well, the mosquitos might be the ones to send me on the first bus back to WL

Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry to hear this if there's anything I can do for you while I'm down there, please let me know! Sending pixie dust for you!!!

 

[Newsies]

Mini-Update: 101 Dalmatians Movie Night!
101 days out
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OKAY, this is quick and kind of pointless. But Grace and I had a 101 Dalmatians themed movie night! Kind of.

We knew it was 101 days out, we know the live action 101 Dalmatians movie was on Netflix, we saw the opportunity, and we took it.
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We even made Dalmatian cookies to go along with it! Dalmatian cookies are just chocolate chip cookies. Get it? Because the chocolate chips look like spots? We thought it was clever

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If you're wondering why it sas "Oh NO!" on the board- my friend Jason wrote that. He's very silly.

Anyway, the live action version of 101 Dalmatians is WEIRD. Like, super weird. Dr. House and Arthur Weasley help steal puppies and all of these animals can suddenly communicate with them.

Sorry for bothering you all with this silly little update!!! We've never done a movie night before so I thought I'd be cute and share one with you

 

[ForeverDance]

I love the movie night idea. What a perfect way to celebrate 101 days out!
I've never seen the live action version of 101 Dalmatians and I have to say you haven't really sold me on it

 

[Newsies]

I love the movie night idea. What a perfect way to celebrate 101 days out!
I've never seen the live action version of 101 Dalmatians and I have to say you haven't really sold me on it

Thank you!! A lot of other posters have been celebrating their trip with movie nights so I figured... why not? LOL.

Yeah, it's uh... not really a movie that I can sell anyone on. It's worth seeing once, I guess. I used to watch it a lot when I was little, sat right down in front of my TV and popped the VHS tape in. Last night I sat down to watch it for the first time since I was about 5 years old and I have to say, it was pretty rough lol.