One for the Money, Two for the Show... A Nov.2015 PTR - Updated 11/1

[MataHari22]

Welcome! Glad you are joining in! I can't believe we're already 4 months out. It's so close!

For me, it's feeling like it's going so slowly! I think that's because this year, I booked my trip a tiny bit over 6 months before, but the two trips prior, I booked at right about 3 months before. So, I was pretty much hard core planning straight through. Now, I'm kind of feeling like I'm just waiting on making my FP+ before I can do anything else.

 

[deannaf87]

For me, it's feeling like it's going so slowly! I think that's because this year, I booked my trip a tiny bit over 6 months before, but the two trips prior, I booked at right about 3 months before. So, I was pretty much hard core planning straight through. Now, I'm kind of feeling like I'm just waiting on making my FP+ before I can do anything else.

I've been planning this trip in the back of my mind since early 2014, so only 4 months to go seems like a breeze.

 

[jandlinz]

So excited to hear about AKL. It's on our list for our next trip. I have a question about the FP and rider swap. Do you just get a FP for you or your dh to take your DD and then the other parent uses the rider swap or do you both have to have a FP? We'll have our five littles with us and I wasn't sure if we could split up FPes. I hope thy makes sense.
-Lindsey

 

[disney-inspired]

Following along!

So happy to hear you were able to take advantage of the military discount extension.
We are using it to stay POR in September. It's so awesome!

 

[deannaf87]

So excited to hear about AKL. It's on our list for our next trip. I have a question about the FP and rider swap. Do you just get a FP for you or your dh to take your DD and then the other parent uses the rider swap or do you both have to have a FP? We'll have our five littles with us and I wasn't sure if we could split up FPes. I hope thy makes sense.
-Lindsey

My understanding is for the littles to ride the first go round they will need a FP+. When splitting them my plan is to do one ride for me and my daughter and the other for my husband and my son. Even if my son is not riding, my daughter can grab his magic band and use it to ride the initial ride with my husband. Then on the rider swap she'd be allowed to go with me again.

Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[deannaf87]

Following along!

So happy to hear you were able to take advantage of the military discount extension.
We are using it to stay POR in September. It's so awesome!

Thanks for joining in! The military discounts are so awesome!

 

[deannaf87]

Well I ended up making an ADR for 11/14 5:45 for Raglan Road. It looks like a place we would enjoy. I'm a little apprehensive because that day is a dedicated Universal day, but my husband said he probably won't feel like going back to Universal in the evening. We'll be at Shades of Green that day, so our transportation options would be either to drive or take the DTD bus from the Poly.

I thought maybe Whispering Canyon would be a better option for that night since we could just monorail/ferry there from SOG, but the only available time is 9:20PM. Which would end up like this...



You might think that would represent my kids eating at 9:20, but it would more likely be me.

So I think I'll keep my eye out for a earlier Whispering Canyon ADR and try to decide between WCC and Raglan Road.

 

[MidnightParade]

Following along! I'm a sucker for gif decorated PTR! lol

AKL is amazing and beautiful and you will not regret staying there. We were there October last year with a Savannah view and it was so lovely! Just make sure you make the time to explore and take it in. They have some great kids activities and have a bonfire I think every night. I suggest when checking in (if you do so online) to ask for something close to the lobby, the hallways can get long!

 

[IowaTater]

Congrats on getting BOG! You are going approximately the same time of year as us but we won't be going until 2016. Staying at AKL will be wonderful, I'm sure. It all looks so beautiful and peaceful.

 

[deannaf87]

Following along! I'm a sucker for gif decorated PTR! lol

AKL is amazing and beautiful and you will not regret staying there. We were there October last year with a Savannah view and it was so lovely! Just make sure you make the time to explore and take it in. They have some great kids activities and have a bonfire I think every night. I suggest when checking in (if you do so online) to ask for something close to the lobby, the hallways can get long!

Thanks for joining in! Thanks for the great tip!

Congrats on getting BOG! You are going approximately the same time of year as us but we won't be going until 2016. Staying at AKL will be wonderful, I'm sure. It all looks so beautiful and peaceful.

Thanks ! I am so excited to stay at AKL!

 

[beck00]

Following along! We will be there the 19th through the 27th of November. I'm with you on it feeling so close!!! I booked out trip over a year out, so I really feel like we're in the homestretch

 

[KCB4]

Following along! We will be there the 19th through the 27th of November. I'm with you on it feeling so close!!! I booked out trip over a year out, so I really feel like we're in the homestretch

We will also be there 19th - 27th.. I am nervous about crowds but so excited to get back.. I am looking for advice on how to make a plan to maximize short wait times for my girls

 

[deannaf87]

Hello guys! I have been majorly slacking on the PTR front. Summer has been busy!

A lot has happened since I last updated. I was able to get an 8:05 reservation for breakfast at Be Our Guest on our MK day. I just secured our fastpasses a few days ago and got the following:

Hollywood Studios
Tower of Terror 9:10 to 10:10
Star Tours 10:10 to 11:10
Toy Story 1:20 to 2:20

Epcot
Soarin' 9:00 to 10:00 (Reserved for Audrey and I, planning to do child swap)
Test Track 10:15 to 11:15 (Reserved for Daniel and Ezra, planning to let Audrey wear Ezra's magic band and do child swap)
Spaceship Earth 11:35 to 12:35
Turtle Talk with Crush 12:50 to 1:50

Animal Kingdom
Expedition Everest 9:10 to 10:10 (Reserved for Audrey and I, child swap)
Dinosaur 10:05 to 11:05 (Reserved for Daniel and Ezra, child swap)
Kali River Rapids 11:10 to 12:10
Kilimanjaro Safaris 12:40 to 1:40

Magic Kingdom
Pirates of the Caribbean 1:25 to 2:25
Peter Pan's Flight 2:25 to 3:25
Enchanted Tales with Belle 3:40 to 4:40

Overall I was happy with my selections and times. I wasn't able to get Seven Dwarves which I really wanted because my son is actually tall enough to go on it and he is really excited about rollercoasters. Our plan right now is to just hit that right after our pre park opening BOG breakfast and hope for the best.

I completed online check in for AKL and selected "lower floor" and "near elevator". Hopefully that works in our favor room wise.

I am re calibrating our plans for Monday November 16. This was originally planned as our 3rd Universal day. I am leaning now towards skipping Universal that day and either hanging out at AKL (we check in that day) or heading to DTD for Wolfgang Puck and some shopping. It depends mostly on how early we can check into our room at AKL.

54 days until we are at Disney!!!!

 

[MataHari22]

That BOG ADR at MK will be great and it looks like you got some really good FP+ with great times. Well done.

54 days for me, too!

 

[deannaf87]

So I'm contemplating an ADR change. Currently I have a 4:55 reservation at Boma for the evening we plan to go to Osbourne Lights. I'm thinking I'd like to maximize time in HS that night and am leaning towards just grabbing some QS at the Mara before heading to HS. Being who I am, I have to replace the Boma reservation with something, haha. I am thinking I'd like to try Jiko on the night we check into AKL. We don't have much planned for that day except maybe DTD and swimming depending on when our room is ready. Jiko looks amazing.

Thoughts?

 

[deannaf87]

I am working on my spreadsheet itineraries to share with you guys. In the mean time check out this super awesome shirt I got from Uniqlo.



I love Bambi. I may or may not have cried like a baby during the Bambi clip that was played on Disney: American Experience the other night.

 

[deannaf87]

Weekly Schedule as of 9/26/2015

It's a little embarrassing how long it took me to get this thing in the correct format to post here. I'm not as computer savvy as I should be.

 

[deannaf87]

NEW 11/17 Schedule

Now that I've secured my fastpasses, I've updated my touring plans. Here's the new schedule for 11/17

Daytime Park: Hollywood Studios
Nighttime Park: Epcot
HS Park Hours: 9AM to 4PM
Epcot Park Hours: 9AM to 9PM with morning EMH

8:00AM - Get to AKL bus stop (does that sound good for a 9AM HS opening or should I try to get there earlier?)

Rockin' Roller Coaster - standby with child swap
Tower of Terror - Fastpass+ 9:10 to 10:10 (we might need child swap depending on if Ezra grows a 1/2 inch between now and November...and/or his desire to ride)
Great Movie Ride
Muppet Vision 3D
Star Tours - Fastpass+ 10:10 to 11:10 (child swap a possibility)
Lunch - 50's Prime Time at 11:25
Beauty and the Beast or Frozen Sing Along at 1:00 (Depends on kid's preference)
Toy Story Midway Mania - Fastpass+ 1:20 to 2:20

2:00 - Back to AKL for rest

5:30 - Head to Epcot

Grab a QS dinner somewhere in World Showcase
Explore World Showcase
Ride Mexico boat ride (you know the name)
9:00 - Illuminations

Head back to AKL for the night

 

[deannaf87]

11/18 Schedule

Daytime Park: Epcot
Nighttime Park: Magic Kingdom
Epcot Park Hours: 9AM to 9PM
Magic Kingdom Park Hours: 9AM to 8PM with Evening EMH

7:00 AM - Get to AKL bus stop

8:00 - Garden Grill breakfast
Soarin' - Fastpass+ 9:00 to 10:00 for Me and Audrey (childswap)
Living with the Land
The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Journey into the Imagination with Figment
Club Cool
Test Track - Fastpass+ 10:15 to 11:15 (childswap)
Snack or Lunch at Sunshine Seasons
Spaceship Earth - Fastpass+ 11:35 to 12:35
Turtle Talk with Crush - Fastpass+ 12:40 to 1:40

1:00ish - Back to AKL for rest

5:00 - Head to Magic Kingdom

PeopleMover
Dinner - Be Our Guest 6:45
Dumbo
Barnstormer
Buzz Lightyear
Astro Orbiter
Monster's Inc.
Tomorrowland Speedway

9:30 - Head back to AKL

 

[deannaf87]

11/19 Schedule

Daytime Park: Animal Kingdom
Nighttime Park: Hollywood Studios
Animal Kingdom Park Hours: 9AM to 6PM
Hollywood Studios Park Hours: 9AM to 8PM

7:15 get to AKL bus stop

8:05 - Tusker House breakfast
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Expedition Everest - Fastpass+ 9:10 to 10:10 for me and Audrey (child swap)
Triceratop Spin - (we might split up and do Daniel and Audrey on Primeval Whirl and me and Ezra and Triceratop spin, depending on wait times)
Dinosaur - Fastpass+ 10:05 to 11:05 for (set up for Daniel and Ezra, Audrey will use Ezra's band, child swap) Ezra says he has no desire to ride this ride, haha
11:00 show of Finding Nemo the Musical
Kali River Rapids - Fastpass+ 11:10 to 12:10 (need to buy some ponchos!)
Lunch - Flametree around 12:15ish
1:00 show of Festival of the Lion King
Kilimanjaro Safaris - Fastpass+ 12:40 to 1:40
Pangani Forest Exploration Trail
Maharajah Jungle Trek

3:00 - Head to AKL for rest

Dinner - Boma at 4:55 (this is tentative....I might end up dropping this in favor of Jiko on a different night. If we drop it we'll just hit up the Mara)

6:00 or so - Head to Hollywood Studios

Enjoy Osborne Lights