4 kids, 3 adults, 2 Grand Villas, and 1 Split Stay!!!!

[Irishlisa]

Just a few quick online purchases today for the kids. And I'm waiting on 3 custom outfits for the girls that my friend is making. So now I'm done with purchasing for the kids and have to control myself for the next 50 days.

3 sets of these earrings for my girls:

This bathing suit for the twins:

And this Hawaiian shirt for my son that will match the girls' outfits I'm having made for our dinner reservation at Ohana:

 

[Irishlisa]

45 days ​

So let's talk Magic Bands and Fast Pass+.

I have to admit that I was feeling a little left out when my November people started talking about getting MBs and FP+. Usually I don't get caught up in the hype of these kinds of things, but honestly I wanted MBs badly. Not that MBs will make or break our trip, BUT imagine my excitement when I finally found out we go them.
I can't wait to try the system out. I love the idea of not having to carry my room cards and credit cards, etc with me, and although we're still going to have to during this trip since Disney is in the testing phase, I'm happy to know the possibilities for the future of MB. So I think Magic Bands are a brilliant idea.

As for Fast Pass plus....Ugh. Last year when Disney first started rolling out the testing phase for their new Fast Pass system there was a lot of hype on the blogs. It was kind of like what is happening now with MBs. Everyone was talking about wanting to get picked for the test, people were disappointed when they didn't get picked, and eveyone was looking for that Disney postcard to come in the mail. Well we did get the postcard in the mail last year and were part of the testing. Before our trip I was able to get on line and choose our Fast Pass selections. How exciting. Except that we didn't use any of our selections while we were there. Not one. And I don't think we will this year either. I like the idea of having the option to choose before we go to the park, and it's a great back up plan, but it doesn't fit with my family and our needs yet. Maybe as the kids get older.

Thoughts on MBs and FP+?


The time is going by faster now but still not fast enough....

 

[JoJo1980]

Hiya! Tagging along from the FB group

Sounds like you've got an amazing trip planned! You're little one's are gorgeous and I'm very jealous of their brilliant T-shirts I share their POTC obsession, photo with Jack Sparrow is on my 'Must Do' list too

You'll enjoy the split stay, we did it on our first two trips (4 hotels in 2 weeks! ) and that way we got to experience lots of different resorts

Love the camera bag, I take so much with me into the parks its crazy and then I start to fill DH's bag too

Your binder is great! I never get around to doing stuff like that, wish I did We only booked our trip last week and fly on the 8th November so you can imagine how much of a planning panic I'm in at the moment

Oooo don't even get me started on MB and FP+, in theory they are wonderful ideas - until you try to plan out your whole day for the whole of the trip, I gave up! It was stressing me out way too much will try again in a couple of weeks once I've got other things sorted

We stayed at the WL villas for part of our wedding / honeymoon trip and they were amazing, loved having all that extra space

 

[purplepixiedust]

Following along via the FB group! Loved reading over all of your planning so far.

 

[RVinMomma]

<~~~~ Kim from Nov FB group!!

 

[Irishlisa]

To my November FB friends!!!! So glad to have you join along as we're all almost there.

 

[Irishlisa]

Hiya! Tagging along from the FB group

Sounds like you've got an amazing trip planned! You're little one's are gorgeous and I'm very jealous of their brilliant T-shirts I share their POTC obsession, photo with Jack Sparrow is on my 'Must Do' list too

You'll enjoy the split stay, we did it on our first two trips (4 hotels in 2 weeks! ) and that way we got to experience lots of different resorts

Love the camera bag, I take so much with me into the parks its crazy and then I start to fill DH's bag too

Your binder is great! I never get around to doing stuff like that, wish I did We only booked our trip last week and fly on the 8th November so you can imagine how much of a planning panic I'm in at the moment

Oooo don't even get me started on MB and FP+, in theory they are wonderful ideas - until you try to plan out your whole day for the whole of the trip, I gave up! It was stressing me out way too much will try again in a couple of weeks once I've got other things sorted

We stayed at the WL villas for part of our wedding / honeymoon trip and they were amazing, loved having all that extra space

Hi!!!! Great to hear from you. And thanks for the compliments.
Like you, I too have an obsession with Jack Sparrow, although I like to pretend it's all because of my son.

Wow, 4 hotels in 2 weeks.
I would love to hear more about that trip. Which 4 hotels? What a great way to experience more than 1 hotel stay. Any tips on the moving between the hotels aspect of it?

Glad to hear someone else gets my stress over FP+.

How exciting to plan your trip so quickly. Although I know it will be stressful at least your countdown is short. .

 

[Irishlisa]

Following along via the FB group! Loved reading over all of your planning so far.

Hi and thank you.

 

[Irishlisa]

<~~~~ Kim from Nov FB group!!

Hi Kim!!!!

 

[Irishlisa]

I planned on going through some of the kids clothes this week so I could start packing a few things such as shorts and T-shirts. But then the weather decided to get up to 86* today. Gotta love autumn in New England. In the forties last week and the eighties this week.


I did manage to find our ponchos from last year though. So these will be added to the very small pile of things I have ready to be packed.

 

[taaren]

45 days ​

So let's talk Magic Bands and Fast Pass+.

I have to admit that I was feeling a little left out when my November people started talking about getting MBs and FP+. Usually I don't get caught up in the hype of these kinds of things, but honestly I wanted MBs badly. Not that MBs will make or break our trip, BUT imagine my excitement when I finally found out we go them.
I can't wait to try the system out. I love the idea of not having to carry my room cards and credit cards, etc with me, and although we're still going to have to during this trip since Disney is in the testing phase, I'm happy to know the possibilities for the future of MB. So I think Magic Bands are a brilliant idea.

As for Fast Pass plus....Ugh. Last year when Disney first started rolling out the testing phase for their new Fast Pass system there was a lot of hype on the blogs. It was kind of like what is happening now with MBs. Everyone was talking about wanting to get picked for the test, people were disappointed when they didn't get picked, and eveyone was looking for that Disney postcard to come in the mail. Well we did get the postcard in the mail last year and were part of the testing. Before our trip I was able to get on line and choose our Fast Pass selections. How exciting. Except that we didn't use any of our selections while we were there. Not one. And I don't think we will this year either. I like the idea of having the option to choose before we go to the park, and it's a great back up plan, but it doesn't fit with my family and our needs yet. Maybe as the kids get older.

Thoughts on MBs and FP+?


The time is going by faster now but still not fast enough....

The irony of FP+ is that the people who will be able to use them (eg. extreme planners who follow the websites and know all the stuff in advance) are exactly the people who won't need them because we'll be at the lowest crowd parks on the lowest crowd days, when there won't be lines for many things.
I'm getting them. I may use some, I may not. Personally I'm still hoping for the MSEP and Wishes ones to show up, those will be mainly what I want.

I think we'll use the TSMM and RnR coaster ones as well. All the others, we didn't run into any lines last year because the parks were so nice and empty. We barely used FPs, and I think that was mostly habit from DLR. (Though we did use switchpasses heavily)

It makes a difference if all the kids are over 40", too. We had one at 38" last year, and mine is currently at 47.5". Really hoping that last half inch comes in the next month so he can do RnR and several of the Universal rides.

 

[Irishlisa]

The irony of FP+ is that the people who will be able to use them (eg. extreme planners who follow the websites and know all the stuff in advance) are exactly the people who won't need them because we'll be at the lowest crowd parks on the lowest crowd days, when there won't be lines for many things. I'm getting them. I may use some, I may not. Personally I'm still hoping for the MSEP and Wishes ones to show up, those will be mainly what I want. I think we'll use the TSMM and RnR coaster ones as well. All the others, we didn't run into any lines last year because the parks were so nice and empty. We barely used FPs, and I think that was mostly habit from DLR. (Though we did use switchpasses heavily) It makes a difference if all the kids are over 40", too. We had one at 38" last year, and mine is currently at 47.5". Really hoping that last half inch comes in the next month so he can do RnR and several of the Universal rides.

Exactly. That's why we didn't use them last year, we barely had to wait for any rides.

Same here with the height issue, 2 are over 40" and 2 are not.

 

[kayemgi]

Joining in from the Facebook group! (Kristen)

I love your camera bag, that looks so nice! And your binder is amazing! Your kids are adorable. Can't wait to read more!