Through Fresh Eyes...One Week Left 5/1

[ValarDisneyus]

So this is my first! My first PTR that will lead to my first TR about our very first trip to Disney World! *Insert royal bugle call from a herald here*

If you choose to read, well aren't you just the sweetest. I like you, too!

Our little Cast:
Me, Amanda, the mom and vacation planner-in-chief. I'm a Navy Vet, a technical publication specialist for the government, and a Masters Student (Education for Middle Grade Mathematics and Science.) My husband, Matt, is also a Navy Vet, and will be finishing up his stint as a full time student on his GI Bill benefits this December with two bachelor's degrees in Physics and Computer Science. (He's very smart.) The star of the trip will very likely be my DD, Squeaks. (Also known as Squeaker Bee, Stinker Bee, Stinkah-Bologna, varied combinations of the aforementioned, and of course, her real name that I try to avoid putting online much. I'm sure some other parents understand.)

Mostly, I hope that my report gives readers nostalgia and laughs for their first times seeing Disney. Matt and I have been to the Land, but I don't think it can really compare to the vastness of the World. Also, I have a minor condition that can affect my memory, so writing this will help me commit all the fun to long term memory, and also leave notes for myself during the planning that I can read while packing. (Always a good idea, that!)

So...without further ado, I will put a table of contents below as I continue on. And if you read/give advice as I continue on, thanks in advance!

So, You Wanna Date?
Our Cast of Characters
The One With the Math (AND TICKETS!)
Shoes for Cinder-Fella?
Big Ideas!
DEMOCALYPSE 2015: The Indecision Continues...
Once more, with feeling!
Not really an update, but a quick conversation with Squeaks.
Life Update 10/11/14
The Moment You've Been Waiting For...
The one where I get oddly concerned about leave-in conditioner...
Preliminary ADR/Park-A-Day Plan
The More the Merrier
ADR Magical Mess
Holy Cow, She's Alive!
Crunch Time!
No Repeat Days

 

[ValarDisneyus]

Like all good relationships, I have to tell you how this vacation and I began courting one another. At Squeaks' bedtime every night, we sometimes do a story, but we always talk about whatever she wants to talk about. Most of the time, it's "Valemtimes Day," but one night, somehow her Dad got around to telling her that there is a Disney World. This works out well, because we never took a honeymoon and said we would try at 5 years, which will be in 2015.

So....I had this idea, see, while the idea of Disney World for everyone's first time flirted with me with all of the magic I remember from visiting the Land as a small child, and all of the gorgeous pictures online....

...Disney, you saucy minx.​

I thought perhaps Valemtimes day might be a lovely story to tell, as it's Squeaks' current favorite. So, on August 18th, I asked Disney for a date at the Port Orleans Resort, and Disney accepted! <3

Of course, I made my first newbie error, as something had already come up...

See, CRT and BOG are *big deals* to Squeaks, who has seen commercials and Wants. To. Eat. In. Castles. Thankyouverymuch. CRT is closed during Valemtimes Day 2015...and booking Feb 14 on August 19...176 days out? Be Our Guest is full. Nice try. Also, my hubs wants to settle in a bit longer at whatever job he'll have at the time....soooooo

I swapped out our first date in a Royal room for four days for an economy hotel, but for EIGHT days of Disney love in APRIL!

And I made one more newbie mistake....I didn't know anything about crowd calendars. NOW: April sounds like a perfectly lovely time to go, but Squeaks....see....she's brilliant, and loving, and caring, smarter than you'd believe me over when I bragged....but patience is not our favorite virtue yet. The first week in May, see, is supposed to be pretty great for line wait times, which is a significant aspect for our Princess of Squeakerdom.

So I changed the date again, heh.

But I think we've officially set our date. And, as a bonus to show me there was no bad Karma for having a bit of cold feet over the date, that sacrifice of moderate to value for 8 days? Well, in May, my Military discount landed us a lovely, river-view reservation in Port Orleans French Quarter.

I'm very content with this. Stay tuned! I don't know what's up next, but I imagine it will have to do with how you have to plan out your WHOLE WEEK'S DAYS six months out in order to make the ADRs you need. It's totally realistic. My plans NEVER change...

 

[ach222]

Hi! I'm in, we are also staying at POFQ! Sounds like you guys will have a blast.

 

[ValarDisneyus]

Hi! I'm in, we are also staying at POFQ! Sounds like you guys will have a blast.

Thanks! I sure hope so!

 

[STLMickeyMom]

I found your PTR! and am joining in! I think you'll love POFQ. we stayed at POR in January and went over to FQ one morning for breakfast. it was so pretty and quiet. seemed like a great place to stay from the little bits I saw. plus, you can take the boat to DTD, which is so fun and peaceful.

isn't it crazy trying to plan things 180 days out? but, to get to eat in castles......ehh, I guess it's worth it!

can't wait to hear more!

 

[ValarDisneyus]

I found your PTR! and am joining in! I think you'll love POFQ. we stayed at POR in January and went over to FQ one morning for breakfast. it was so pretty and quiet. seemed like a great place to stay from the little bits I saw. plus, you can take the boat to DTD, which is so fun and peaceful.

isn't it crazy trying to plan things 180 days out? but, to get to eat in castles......ehh, I guess it's worth it!

can't wait to hear more!

THANKS! Yes, 180 days out? I don't remember what I ate for dinner on this day last week; how am I supposed to be sure beyond a shadow of what I'll want eight months from now?! Oh well-my daughter pretty reliably loves characters and Disney, so I'll do my best. Thanks for reading!

 

[ValarDisneyus]

Hey hey! So I thought I'd start learning how to photoshare while introducing this PTR's particular cast. Here we are in one of my favorite family photos:

That's me, Squeaks, and Matt, my hubby, all of us Disney newbies. My favorite characters are Meeko, Edna Mode, Daisy, Olaf, Merida, and Mary Poppins. (I even sing "Stay Awake" as Squeaker's lullaby! She didn't realize it wasn't my song.) Squeaker's favorites are Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Doc, Oso, Goofy, Figero, Jack Skellington, all of the Princesses....her list is quite long. Matt's favorite Disney character is originally from Lucas Film: Darth Vader. He also likes Jack Skellington. He is not a self-admitted Disney Fanatic, but he is excited about the trip. I really hope he experiences the Magic that Squeaks and I will; though he may take some extra pixie dust. This photo was taken 2 years ago on Squeaks' second birthday.

So, let's talk about the priority for the whole trip:

Seeing Squeaks' big ol' cheesy grin. Daddy dressing up as Wreck it Ralph while she gets to be Vanellope for last Halloween definitely brought it out. I worked so hard on those costumes! Phew!

I'd love to see Daddy let loose and be a little silly again, too. He isn't so carefree as he was before he started his degree (if you're curious, we're both pushing 30: we both pursued more education after enlistments with the Navy) and I know he's capable of it.

Dating photos are always cute, right?​

And here Squeaks and I are in a recent picture, just so everyone knows who to look for if they're traveling at the same time:

This is an important member of the family who will play into pre-trip planning, though she will not be joining us. (It's just as well, she's the only one of us happier napping in her own bed than taking a vacation!)

This is "Halloween Ribbon," named by Squeaks. We generally call her "Cat."
​

And surprisingly important members of this PTR are actually not living entities, though I am personally convinced they do, in fact, come with their own personalities and temperaments. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Disney Fandom, I present to you:

MY SEWING MACHINES!
They give me superpowers.​

Squeaks has told me so far that she wants a Cinderella dress, specifically this one:

And me without any mice or bird friends, so help me...
​

She also wants to wear an Ariel dress or costume (mermaid tail, anyone) and, even more off the wall, a Pickle dress (and she means it, thankyouverymuch) and a kitty dress. I also have my own plans for a Princess centric dress for photo opportunities during the Akershus breakfast....so.

Stay tuned for those.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Sounds like you are off to a great start! I know that the Disney planning process can be overwhelming if you have never done it before but you're a step ahead of all the poor shmucks out there who plan without thought and then get surprised when they get there and its hot in July. (no joke I talked to someone who that happened to just a few weeks ago. And she thought she was so smart with her Disney knowledge.)

I to am planning an early may trip at Port Orleans! Looking forward to planning along side each other.

If you haven't done it yet I recommend starting a planning Binder. It will be your savior, trust me.

 

[tzeitel]

You have a beautiful family! I bet you guys will have a blast My advice on dining - the only ones you have to be 100% sure about (and book them as soon as they open) are CRT and BoG (unless you also want to do CM or Ohanas). The rest are easier to book and there will be lots of cancellations to take advantage.

 

[ValarDisneyus]

Sounds like you are off to a great start! I know that the Disney planning process can be overwhelming if you have never done it before but you're a step ahead of all the poor shmucks out there who plan without thought and then get surprised when they get there and its hot in July. (no joke I talked to someone who that happened to just a few weeks ago. And she thought she was so smart with her Disney knowledge.) I to am planning an early may trip at Port Orleans! Looking forward to planning along side each other. If you haven't done it yet I recommend starting a planning Binder. It will be your savior, trust me.

Thanks for reading! When are you going in May, and which Port Orleans are you visiting?

I wouldn't know how or where to start a binder. Just now I'm operating from this thread and a Pinterest board; ha! Any pointers on starting a binder?

 

[ValarDisneyus]

You have a beautiful family! I bet you guys will have a blast My advice on dining - the only ones you have to be 100% sure about (and book them as soon as they open) are CRT and BoG (unless you also want to do CM or Ohanas). The rest are easier to book and there will be lots of cancellations to take advantage.

thank you so much! I'm going to be busting my rumpus to get BOG! I hope I do! Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorites, even if it is kind of about Stockholm Syndrome.

 

[SarahDisney]

I came across your PTR, and I love seeing people plan for their first magical Disney World experience, so I'm here following along!

Firstly, thank you to both you and Matt for your service. It's people like you guys that make America what it is!

First week of May should be a good week to visit - and Flower & Garden will probably still be going on at Epcot, which is really beautiful.
I hope you get some good ADRs ... be prepared to make them as early as you can so that you have a good chance of getting the castles!

I love the Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope costumes!

I can't wait to read along as you plan! And I'm excited to see what magic you make with those sewing machines!

 

[STLMickeyMom]

aawwww, what a cute little family! I love the wreck it ralph and vanellope costumes! they are probably my most favorite characters! I mean, "who doesn't love a brat with dirty hair?" denovagirl (not sure if you read her stuff) even made me shoes with them! cute, huh??!!??





oh, I so wish I had a serger.....sigh.....

I don't know if you're planning on sewing all squeak's dresses or not, but I found an ariel and tiana dress on ebay that looked totally new for about $10 each. it might save you some time if you decide to do a lot of other outfits. just a thought. can't wait to see what's next!

 

[jchurch0409]

Following along!! We are going in May as well!! I am so jealous of your serger!! I have one on my Christmas list this year!!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Thanks for reading! When are you going in May, and which Port Orleans are you visiting?

I wouldn't know how or where to start a binder. Just now I'm operating from this thread and a Pinterest board; ha! Any pointers on starting a binder?

If you want to follow along on my PTR as well you can find a link in my signature. We'll be staying at POR (Riverside)

As for suggestions on starting your binder: This might be a good place to start.

 

[ValarDisneyus]

Thanks everyone! I love those Wreck It Ralph shoes! I love Vanellope, she's tons of fun.

For anyone jealous of my serger: I bought a Singer Stylist II, it's only slightly more expensive than it's twin, the Brother...I think it's 1034D or something similar? BUT when you add up the cost of the accessories the Brother does NOT come with, the Singer came out better. I love that blasted thing.

I got my super secret Princess Project fabric today!!!! Now I just have to figure out what other fabrics I'm using with it....I really enjoy sewing Squeaks' stuff for WDW. Sticking with breathable dresses lets her and I both wear compression shorts underneath and stay cool while preventing chafing. CHAFING IS THE WORST.

 

[ValarDisneyus]

I BOUGHT AND LINKED MY SALUTE TO THE TROOPS TICKET VOUCHERS!
That's the same as buying tickets for civilians, only I have to check in at guest services to activate them first thing when I get to the Magic Kingdom. They can still link to magic bands now, though, for fast pass reservation's sake.​

I'm so, so excited! Wooooo!

...so of course, now I will do some math. I get excited when doing vacation math. What? You don't do Math when you're super happy? What about science expirements? ....no? Well. Mission Space was built for people like me. I'm going to squeal with glee.

Besides, this math may help other servicepeoples, so I thought I'd share just in case I get a fellow military reader.

OKAY, most all military people on these boards have heard of Shades of Green at www.shadesofgreen.org, right? They have an EXCELLENT ticket deal for servicepeople with qualifying ID. If ever a Salute to the Troops deal is NOT renewed (it has been since 2009) their deal is better than the standard military discount on Disney tickets. Their ticket deals are have the following pros OVER the Salute tickets:

SOG (shades of green) Pros:
*Choose your length of stay from 2-10 days
*Once you hit NINE days, the tickets are cheaper per day than the Salute tickets.
*Includes Park Hopper option
*Purchaseable by active duty and retirees who will be staying at SOG or on another WDW property.

STTT (Salute To The Troops) Pros:
*Purchaseable by any active duty or retiree who will be visiting WDW parks.
*Linkable to your reservation so early fast passes can be made if you're staying on property.
*Cheaper than SOG per day if you're staying for four OR EIGHT (if you, like me, have a family of 3 and will be using all six of your Salute tickets back to back so the 3 of you can have an 8 day vacation) days. IF YOUR FAMILY/TRAVEL PARTY IS LARGER THAN 3 MEMBERS, IT IS LIKELY IN YOUR BEST INTEREST TO GO THE SOG ROUTE.

SOG Cons:
Must be purchased the day before OR the day of first use, as their formula for expiration is however many days they're good for + 1 day from DATE OF PURCHASE (make sure you catch that; it's the date of PURCHASE, not ACTIVATION.) Military member or qualifying dependant must be present with party to purchase tickets.
*This makes getting fast passes 60 days in advance impossible, and can affect your ADRs if you haven't booked a Disney Property through Disney's resort reservation line.

STTT Cons:
*Your length of stay can be 4 days for up to 6 people or 8 days for up to 3 people, or you can waste some of the park time you bought by leaving early.
*You will have to take your whole party to a guest relations location to activate your vouchers into tickets before entering the parks.

SO: breaking it down, the STT works out to $44.25 per day, regardless of age of ticket holder. However, the SOG tickets are officially $44.11 per day for an adult ticket once the stay is 9 days long. 8 days is only slightly different, so once you include the idea that the children's tickets are slightly cheaper with SOG, they come out very close to even depending on the make-up of your party. At that point, you have to choose what's best for your party. Also, if you want 2 middle-of-the-vacation rest days, the SOG tickets may need to be purchased in separate groups, which doesn't give you the same discount for the amount of days, whereas the STTT tickets remain activated for 14 days, so it allows for more park breaks.

Okay, I suppose it wasn't much math, really, but strategizing. Fun for me all the same! I hope all the stuff I went through while hunting for the best deal helps somebody else!

I just can't wait to GO and SEE. I think just SEEING the ACTUAL Disney World will be like, seeing all magic just rush at me. It's going to be so nice.

...also, I started buying fabric for dresses...

 

[STLMickeyMom]

Honestly, I skimmed the "math" portion of this update because I dislike math however I got very excited when fabric was mentioned! Can't wait to see!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

I am very much NOT a math person unless its Disney Math!!! playing with numbers to make a vacation work is some of the best math of all!

Can't wait to see the dresses you make!

 

[ValarDisneyus]

Honestly, I skimmed the "math" portion of this update because I dislike math however I got very excited when fabric was mentioned! Can't wait to see!

Fabric IS super fun! My box is out for delivery today, then I get to start pre-washing! Squee!