1 more day! Some Mother/Daughter Mischief: A Jan 2016 PTR

And try to rest - I know, I know - impossible once the kids get home, but do try!

Oh I am resting... in bed all day. Parented from 4-7, by getting McD's for dinner and then watching TV with them... and they are both asleep already (it's 7:15!). So I am back in bed. I really do already feel much better. Next up: Packing!

Oh by the way, I took one of the tutu dresses out of the ziploc after about 5 days and it looks great, no wrinkles or anything. So I twisted them back and tucked them in the suitcase!
 

Hmmm - just now joining in. What took me so long. Wrapped up in my own world I am.

Ha ha, I doubt that! This trip doesnt have quite as much in common as our last one, does it :) But welcome aboard, we leave in 8 days!

Last night my husband said "I can't believe you are going to Disney World next week." He seemed sad. But he TOTALLY didnt want to go and is definitely now regretting it. He did this last year when I took a trip to Las Vegas to see my family and he decided to stay home and work. About two days into a trip I sent him a picture of me and the kids swimming and he was so sad he didnt come... you'd think he'd have learned! C'est la vie!
 
Ha ha, I doubt that! This trip doesnt have quite as much in common as our last one, does it :) But welcome aboard, we leave in 8 days!

Last night my husband said "I can't believe you are going to Disney World next week." He seemed sad. But he TOTALLY didnt want to go and is definitely now regretting it. He did this last year when I took a trip to Las Vegas to see my family and he decided to stay home and work. About two days into a trip I sent him a picture of me and the kids swimming and he was so sad he didnt come... you'd think he'd have learned! C'est la vie!

I just can't imagine ever turning down the chance to go to Disney! Glad you are taking it easy to get your strength back up before your trip.

Great to hear that the ziplock bag worked well for the dress. Cool
 
Today we are 5 days out and I am still having major anxiety about my resort choice!! All advice appreciated! Here are my thoughts:

Currently, we are booked three nights at Wilderness Lodge club level and one night standard view. 1/2 the lodge is closed down, which means less people, and reports are buses and boats running the same schedule. SO that is nice. Downside is the lounge has reduced offerings, is in the hallway, and seating/view is obstructed. We arent planning on eating a ton in the lounge. Not sure it is worth it. i know it would be for a resort-centered trip (like we have in the fall), but this is going to be a busy, park oriented trip.

So, my options!
1) downgrade to a moderate like POFQ and add the dining plan. This saves me about $800. I will have to take buses... ugh.
2) call guest services again and see if there is any availability in the MK area to transfer (probably not gonna happen)
3) change to yacht club non-CL room, add dining plan: same price as just our room as of now (so save $400 ish)

What do you guys think? Am I over thinking this? If I change I have to do it today :) I may call and just talk it over with a CM, though I know not all of them are equipped to deal with indecision!
 
You have to look at what's most important to you...you can't have everything on a single trip especially a short one.

Is what you want easy access to Magic Kingdom? Then stay where you are. Or check at the monorail resorts.

If you are only spending a day at MK and intend to hop around to Epcot and DHS, I would consider the YC with dining plan. (Or depending on your actual dining plans maybe just go OOP.) YC/BC now have their own bus to MK - so that really isn't too inconvenient.
 
Okay I did it!
I would consider the YC with dining plan.

I changed resorts! I feel MUCH better. My cost savings should be around $500 with this change too! While I was looking a standard view room became available, which was about another $50 a night cheaper than above. I am happy I am still deluxe, happy I can walk to Epcot, happy about the dining plan--- seems a much better value than club level.

Yippee! I have research to do!
 
Okay I did it!


I changed resorts! I feel MUCH better. My cost savings should be around $500 with this change too! While I was looking a standard view room became available, which was about another $50 a night cheaper than above. I am happy I am still deluxe, happy I can walk to Epcot, happy about the dining plan--- seems a much better value than club level.

Yippee! I have research to do!

Cool YC/BC! Glad you are happy about the switch. The walk to EPCOT will be nice! It will be nice not having to deal with all the construction at the Wilderness resort. WDW is hectic as it is without throwing in a ton on construction at your resort.
 
Okay, with so many changes, I am going for a TOTAL RECAP. I swore I was going to avoid the spreadsheet this trip--- ha ha. But I need to see it all written out!

Saturday: Travel Day!
Wake up and hit the road! It's a three hour drive to the airport. Time we leave will depend on the weather in both locations. Our flight is at 2:55pm so we have plenty of time! Hope to be parked by 1pm or so, it's a small airport. The flight is direct to MCO with projected arrival at 6pm. We will grab our own bag (I've packed us together in one suitcase), and head down to ME. Bus to Yacht Club! I did online check in with no room requests, because I looked at the standard view rooms on touringplans and I dont really care where we are. We will drop off our bag, then stroll down to the international gateway and activate my AP. I hope to be in bed by 8pm--- well I hope my toddler is in bed by 8pm! I'll likely be starving so I will grab something in the marketplace on the way back to our room, fill up my resort mugs too!

Sunday: MK/princess day
Good morning, early risers! I'll get dressed and ready, and wake up Sylvie at the last possible minute. Grab a coffee at Ale and Compass. I want to be out at the bus stop around 645, for our pre-park breakfast. We have 8am BOG reservations. I have preordered both an adult meal and a kids meal, since she gets one on the dining plan... i'm sure I'll eat most of both, ha ha. We will likely be done around 8:30-40ish. Quick bathroom run, then we will head to Peter Pan's flight, which we will start with. Then we will try to get in Under the Sea, It's a Small World, and maybe Dumbo. Depending on the time we will take the train back to the entrance, if it's still early we will walk through Tomorrowland and possibly take a spin on the Peoplemover (my kid loves that thing). Plan on exiting MK around 950am and taking the monorail to the GF for our princess tea--- we will be going against the crowds for sure! I'll change her into her aurora dress somewhere along that route. Check in for the princess tea is at 10:30. I'm expecting we will be done around noon. (by the way, I noticed last week that Disney changed the name of this, I wonder if it is going to be any different--- they dropped the "my Disney Girl" part of the title). Initial plan was to go back to WL for a few hours, but I am not going to do that now that we are at Yacht Club. If Sylvie seems tired I'll walk her around for a stroller nap, she is good like that! If she isn't tired (yeah, right) we will power through. Afternoon FPs start at 210. I'll be shooting to see A&E around 3, then Rapunzel and Cindy window starts at 3:10. After that we will likely go back on It's a Small World, ride the carosel, and look in shops. 4:20 FP for ETWB. I'd like to ride Winnie the Pooh if the line isnt horrid by then, I'll try for a 4th FP but by then it's pretty late so who knows. Then at 5:55pm we have dinner at Crystal Palace. This is an add on purely because we have the dining plan now, so why not?! It's be 6:45 by the time we finish (if we get in on time, ha ha at CP, right?!), so we'll head back to the resort right after dinner. Goal bedtime is 8pm again.

Monday: BBB and Epcot
I book Sylvie a 9am BBB reservation at Disney Springs this morning. We are going to take a taxi there because 1) DIsney springs doesnt officially open until 10am so I dont want to risk a late bus and 2) we can sleep a little later that way. So, 8am catch a taxi to Disney Springs. I havent been to Disney Springs in at least a decade... in fact my memory may actually be of Disneyland... I am not sure. We are among the first reservations of the day so I dont think we will need to wait too long. We should be done with make over and pictures by 1030. Maybe a little shopping for brother, then we will be on our way to Epcot. My thought is not a lot of people will be leaving Disney Springs at this hour, so we can get any bus to an epcot area resort and walk the rest of the way. If it looks crowded or traffic-y in anyway we will take a taxi instead. We have reservations at Garden Grill a little after noon. It is tight but I think we will be fine. After lunch we will do our FPs: Living with the land, Character Spot, then Seas with Nemo. We will also catch Turtle Talk in there, and explore the aquariums. Around 3-330 we will head back towards world showcase, heading towards dinner in Norway. If Sylvie is going to power nap I am sure this is when it will happen! Depending on the time and her sleeping I will walk the long way around, doing some shopping and picking up some snacks that will transport well home... karamell Kuche, anyone?? Akershus reservation is for 5:10pm. Sylvie will be in her Belle tutu dress from the morning if the weather holds up okay. If not we will change out and back into it. DInner will be over a little after 6. We will head back via Mexico because she loves the boat ride, then across the way to the international gateway for a quick walk "home." If no nap, in bed at 7pm! If she napped, 8pm.

Tuesday: MK day
I have another pre-park breakfast booked but depending on how busy the day before is I may cancel it he night before. It's such a good value for QS credits though it's hard to pass up. I am not sure if we should just go all day or plan on a break today. My goals are 1) skipper's canteen and 2) wishes. I will likely just go with the flow! It's supposed to be a quiet day. Almost every crowd calendar has MK as a 1 today, except touring plans, which has it as a 5. I can't figure out how it can be a 5. But if it is moderately crowded we will likely go back to the resort late morning if the lines get long. Wishes is early tonight, 8pm, so I am hopeful we will make it. I have random FPs scheduled, nothing we need to make, except a FP for Wishes. I wouldnt mind getting the dessert party though if someone manages to cancel! Then back to our resort, we have an early bus to catch in the morning!

Wednesday: leaving
Bright and early tragical depress. Landing around 1030, then driving home. Likely Sylvie will sleep the whole car ride, I bet! I will be missing the other half of my family dearly by this time.

Okay, writing everything out is so helpful, thanks for bearing with me!
 
I am so glad you did the recap! I was thinking I was going to have to back through all your pages so that I could refresh myself on what we will be doing five days from now. Really, just you and Sylvie but I am tagging along via the DIS and your soon to be TR when you return.

You may want to reconsider the time you plan to head out from MK to get to the tea. I would leave by 9:30 just because there always seems to be something that might hold you up. You can change into the Aurora dress when you get to GF. If I remember correctly, there is a nice bathroom right off the main lobby near the restaurant. If you are early, you can enjoy just strolling around the grounds a bit before heading into the tea.

I, too am curious about the name change for the tea. They probably dropped the my Disney girl caption because they want to be more unisex in their promotion of the tea.
 
My DD and I did a lot of the same meals that you are doing. CP, Garden Grill, and Akershus. Where is your pre-park breakfast scheduled for Tuesday morning?

For your three hour drive home, maybe you should consider buying a CD with the music from the parks in it so that you can listen to it on the drive home. But then again, maybe not, because it just might make you cry which is not a good thing when you are the one driving.

Just remember, I for one will be here waiting to hear all about your travels when you return. By retelling your adventure to me it will help extend your trip somewhat.

As I am writing this it is about ten to eleven in the morning on Tuesday. Next Tuesday, I expect you might be starting to look for somewhere to eat in MK. BOG might be a nice place or Pinocchios.
 
Weather Woes...

Dear Jonas,
I thank you kindly for avoiding Vermont and Albany. Please, please, please, don't change course. Also, I don't know where my airplane is right now, but if it can be ready by the time we are set to fly from Albany, that would be SUPER.
Sincerely,
Casey

I was feeling fine watching the weather forecast until Southwest put a warning on our airport that isn't supposed to get any snow at all... why do I have a travel advisory? Hopefully precaution? There are no flights to change to so my fingers are crossed. One other option would be flying from montreal tomorrow but it would be a pretty penny and I don't want to do it if I don't have to. Plus last time I crossed the border with my kids and no husband they gave me a really hard time, like I was kidnapping them. It was crazy. Thankfully they ended up calling my husband and he answered! My brain being what it is feels that there must be a problem getting planes TOO Albany, otherwise why have the changes allowed?? I can't find where the plane for my flight comes from, it doesn't seem to be on flightaware. So I may call Southwest this morning, though they are probably getting slammed. I'd hate to drive three hours and then have no options. Everything from my local airport goes through NYC so that is a no-go.

In other news...

Packing is completed, just have to throw the bathroom bag in in the morning. Outfits for travel are laid out.

Got a manicure yesterday.

Hotel availability for next week is HUGE right now, I can't believe the passholder rooms that are available last minute. Does that mean people were cancelling their vacations in anticipation of the storm? I don't want to switch again but seeing Poly standard room available is tempting...
 
Not to be a pooper but sometimes flights at airports that are clear of the snow get cancelled anyways because the planes aren't available. This has happened to us. Hope you get out OK!
 
Not to be a pooper but sometimes flights at airports that are clear of the snow get cancelled anyways because the planes aren't available. This has happened to us. Hope you get out OK!

Yup that is exactly what I am worried about. The earlier flight from Albany I can track and see that the plane was coming from Baltimore and that flight is cancelled. But I can not see where my plane is coming from. So I am on hold with southwest now, to see if they will tell me more. At the same time I am looking at rebooking options from other places, but it's slim pickings trying to avoid the corridor.
 












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