A Grand way to Graduate! May 2016 PTR - Updated 5/14

[kadrachb]

Day 3: Thursday, May 19th​

Park: Hollywood Studios
Hours: 9:00am – 8:30pm
FP+: Star Tours, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror
ADR: Minnie’s Seasonal Dine at Hollywood and Vine

Here we are last year!​

Thankfully today we’ll get to sleep in, though knowing me I’ll probably still be up by 8:30am. We’ll grab breakfast, and just hang around the resort in the morning, probably heading to the pool. Today is a pretty relaxed day for us, and I’m hopping to be on the bus to DHS by 11:30am/12pm.

Once we get to the park, our first stop will be Star Tours to use our FP+. Afterwards, we’ll just hang out for awhile, and head towards Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster around 1:15, to use our second FP+. I’m hoping to then catch the 2pm showing of Beauty and Beast, which will be followed by our final FP+ of Tower of Terror.

Now, we’ve never ridden ToT, so I’m hoping I don’t chicken out, because that could easily be something I’d do. I’m hoping to have all this done by 3pm, so we have some free time before dinner. Maybe making a new FP+ for the Great Movie Ride? Can you make a 4th FP reservation for a Group A ride? If not, we may just get another one for Star Tours.

Our ADR is for 4:15pm at Hollywood and Vine, and I am so excited about these characters in their springtime outfits! I wish I could find some reviews on the food, but I haven’t. I’m thinking it will probably take us an hour to eat, so we’ll be out by 5:15pm, and

After dinner we will either ride the Great Movie ride if we haven’t done so yet, or then head over to Launch Bay, or just head straight there. We will most definitely meet Chewbacca, love him! If we have time we’ll also see Kylo Ren. I think we will, since we’ll spend almost 3 hours there (I just budgeted this time so we can stand in line), but if we get done by 7:05pm, we’ll see the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show.

I’d like to head over to the Fantasmic! Area by 8:30pm, and we’ll have a voucher from our dinner since I booked the package. Is this early enough? I’m think we may sit closer to the back so we can get out to see the Star Wars fireworks too, rumor has it that they’ll still be going on.

Anything you guys think I’m missing? I know we don't really have a lunch planned, but we will most likely grab popcorn or a soft pretzel midday. Any snacks that you guys recommend? I know about the carrot cake cookie and the butterfingers cupcake at Starring Roles, which we may get.

I can’t believe how close my trip is ! And how much school work I still have to do beforehand!


I’m also committing to a graduate school tonight – the decision has been stressful and very tough, but I’m confident in my choice!

 

[Saphire5742]

Sounds like a great DHS day planned

Can you make a 4th FP reservation for a Group A ride?

from what I've read, 4th FP doesn't take into account tiers

Our ADR is for 4:15pm at Hollywood and Vine, and I am so excited about these characters in their springtime outfits! I wish I could find some reviews on the food, but I haven’t. I’m thinking it will probably take us an hour to eat, so we’ll be out by 5:15pm, and

Kennythepirate had a review a while back. There are also pics of the characters in their spring outfits so if you want it to be a surprise, I wouldn't click through. I did not have such willpower. He had a favorable overall impression.
http://www.kennythepirate.com/2016/...e-at-hollywood-and-vine-in-hollywood-studios/

 

[kadrachb]

from what I've read, 4th FP doesn't take into account tiers

Good to know!

Kennythepirate had a review a while back. There are also pics of the characters in their spring outfits so if you want it to be a surprise, I wouldn't click through. I did not have such willpower. He had a favorable overall impression.
http://www.kennythepirate.com/2016/...e-at-hollywood-and-vine-in-hollywood-studios/

Thank you!!!

 

[Sarahh1027]

Here we are last year!

I love that picture of you guys! I love the idea of meeting Sorcerer Mickey. Especially since we will be seeing Fantasmic! that night, it'll feel like our own personal back stage meet and greet passes

Thankfully today we’ll get to sleep in, though knowing me I’ll probably still be up by 8:30am. We’ll grab breakfast, and just hang around the resort in the morning, probably heading to the pool. Today is a pretty relaxed day for us, and I’m hopping to be on the bus to DHS by 11:30am/12pm.

I'm the same way, 8:30 is sleeping in at Disney!

Now, we’ve never ridden ToT, so I’m hoping I don’t chicken out, because that could easily be something I’d do. I’m hoping to have all this done by 3pm, so we have some free time before dinner. Maybe making a new FP+ for the Great Movie Ride? Can you make a 4th FP reservation for a Group A ride? If not, we may just get another one for Star Tours.

You're going to love Tower of Terror! I always hated rides that drop you like that, 2 amusement parks near me have up & down rides like that called "Starblaster" and "Scream". I always hated them, but trust me when I say ToT is so immersive, it doesn't have the same stomach-dropping effects that those other rides do! I didn't think I'd really like it, because although I love roller coasters, up & down rides like that aren't my thing! I enjoy them now that I'm older, but I still scream like crazy! I'm fairly sure if there's any available fastpasses for Great Movie Ride, you'll be able to book it! Is Rock n Roller Coaster Group A? Last year we got a second fastpass for it later in the day after using our other 3!

Our ADR is for 4:15pm at Hollywood and Vine, and I am so excited about these characters in their springtime outfits!

I can't wait to see pictures! Sounds adorable! And like a tasty dinner!

I’d like to head over to the Fantasmic! Area by 8:30pm, and we’ll have a voucher from our dinner since I booked the package. Is this early enough? I’m think we may sit closer to the back so we can get out to see the Star Wars fireworks too, rumor has it that they’ll still be going on.

Ahh I love Fantasmic! I've never had a voucher but I'm sure 8:30 would be good for a 9pm show! I always arrive an hour early, but never with a voucher so I know you'll be fine! Especially if you're aiming for the back. That'd be awesome if the Star Wars fireworks will still be going on through May! I never expected that but that'd be wonderful!

Anything you guys think I’m missing? I know we don't really have a lunch planned, but we will most likely grab popcorn or a soft pretzel midday. Any snacks that you guys recommend? I know about the carrot cake cookie and the butterfingers cupcake at Starring Roles, which we may get.

I think you got it all! Sounds like a wonderful day at Hollywood Studios!
James and I plan on just snacking for dinner, like you guys are for lunch. We have lunch reservations at Sci-Fi planned, and definitely will snack a few hours later. If you like lemonade, the frozen lemonade at the Anaheim Produce stand on Sunset Boulevard is really yummy and refreshing! They also have really good fruit choices which will be good to have along with the yummy Starring Roles goodies that I will be trying for the first time this trip!!

I can’t believe how close my trip is ! And how much school work I still have to do beforehand!


I’m also committing to a graduate school tonight – the decision has been stressful and very tough, but I’m confident in my choice!

Congratulations on choosing a grad school!!! Keep up the hard work! Vacation is right around the corner!

 

[kadrachb]

Day 4: Friday, May 20th.​

Park: Epcot
Park Hours: 9:00am – 9:00pm
ADRs: Biergarten
FP+: Meet Disney Pals, Spaceship Earth, Illuminations

Meeting Minnie last year at the Character Spot​

Like every other day so far, we’ll to the usual break at club level and such, and I’m hoping to be at the park before rope drop. Our first plan is to head straight to the Seas with Nemo and Friends – I love this ride! The aquarium afterwards is great too. I could easily spend like 2 hours in there watching all the fish.

After The Seas, we’ll use our Meet Disney Pals FP+ around 9:30am, and then head over to the other side to meet at least Joy and Sadness, and probably Baymax too! I'm hoping to have this done in an hour, but some reports have seen anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour to meet Joy and Sadness... If one just gets too long, we can come back later before Illuminations. Our next stop will be Spaceship Earth, since we have a FP+ for it, around 10:30am. Once we get off – it’s off to the World Showcase!

We’ll be doing Mexico – America today. I’m hoping to meet Mulan at her 12:00pm meet, and Snow White at her 12:30pm meet. We have an ADR at Biergarten for 1:00pm, which I’m really excited about! We’ve never eaten here before, and I do love German food. Once we’ve finished eating we’ll do whatever pavilions we have schedule for that day we didn’t get to then take a break back at the resort, which will probably last about 3 hours.

We’ll hop back on the monorail around 6/6:30pm, shop, and for dinner we’ll eat at some of the F&G booths! Everything was so good last year – we can’t wait to try new things this year! Ending the night, we have a FP+ for Illuminations. Normally, I wouldn’t use a FP for fireworks, but, since Soarin’ is down and Kenny said he’d get back to me if he wants to ride TT twice (which – he still hasn’t), I figured that Illuminations was our other choice!

 

[Sarahh1027]

Our trips are SOOO close!!! I don't even know what to do with myself in the meantime! Like..I'm so busy. Work, babysitting, my online course, buying things for the trip, saving up actual pennies!, trying not to abandon my friends who don't understand that by not going out for dinner I can buy like 2 extra Disney souvenirs
But for real, I'm in that mode where I feel like every moment is just another lead up to Disney!!
I need a vacation so bad!!!!

Your Epcot day plans look magical! I can't wait to see what you think of Biergarten, I want to see this restaurant so bad. The outside sky looks amazing. I get to see something similar at Sci-Fi which I'm excited for! But I like to keep a list of restaurants I want to try but can't this upcoming trip. Biergarten is on that list! I've just heard a lot of great reviews!

I wonder how the Illuminations FP will be?! I'm sure it'll be a wonderful view!!! Can't wait to hear about that also!

I just wanted to add, I LOVE your tank top in that picture of you and Kenny with Minnie! That's my color of choice right now!

 

[kadrachb]

Our trips are SOOO close!!!

I know. I can't wait. Disney is all I ever think about. Earlier today I was just making solutions for a lab and I think I stood there watching the stuff get mixed in and my mind drifted off to Disney...

I need a vacation so bad!!!!

ME TOO! End of the semester stress is really getting to me this year!

Your Epcot day plans look magical! I can't wait to see what you think of Biergarten, I want to see this restaurant so bad. The outside sky looks amazing. I get to see something similar at Sci-Fi which I'm excited for! But I like to keep a list of restaurants I want to try but can't this upcoming trip. Biergarten is on that list! I've just heard a lot of great reviews!

We love Epcot! Actually... theres been a small change in our trip, were Thursday we go to Epcot instead of Friday (so we can see the Star Wars fireworks on Friday night at HS). Thankfully, we kept out Biergarten ADR, but had to drop our H&V one for one at Beaches and Cream.

I just wanted to add, I LOVE your tank top in that picture of you and Kenny with Minnie! That's my color of choice right now!

Thank you! I got this at disney two years ago. It is also my favorite color, pretty much everything was that color when I lived in a dorm room, and most of the accent colors of my room at my apartment are this color!

 

[kadrachb]

Changes! ​

Hey guys! One really big change has now happened to our trip – we ended up switching our Epcot and HS days! One reason is because the Star Wars fireworks ended up being shown only on select nights – none of which is the Thursday we would be there. So we decided to switch to that Friday. Sadly, we lost our Minnie’s Seasonal Dine ADR and went with an late lunch/early dinner at Beaches and Cream.
Until about 10 minutes ago when I just decided to see if they had any Fantasmic! Packages for H&V on that Friday – AND THEY DID!

I am beyond excited that we get to keep it. We’ll end up getting to the park a little bit earlier now though do to the timing of our new FPs, but that's okay!

 

[kadrachb]

After our little switch-a-roo days, we’re on to our next!

Day 5: Saturday, May 21st​

Park: Break (Day), MK (evening)
Park Hours: 9:00am – 12:00am
ADR: Sanaa
FP+: Meet A & E, Peter Pan’s Flight, 7DMT

This is our “break” day. The only reason its in quotes is because we’re still going to a park – I mean, how can we be THAT close to MK and not go to it???

Anyways, we’ll sleep in a little bit today, then head to the pool for a while. We have a noon ADR at Sanaa which I’m super excited about! (Okay, I’m excited about all our ADRs I think…) But, they have this amazing humus, which was also at club level last year, that you can get with the bread service. Score! I’ll also ask for a seat by the windows.

After Sanaa, we’ll head over to AKL to look at the animals and their gift shop. My mom's FAVORITE animal is a giraffe – so I’m sure I can find a good souvenir for her here (even though I already know one or two F&G items she’ll be getting this year too…). Then we’ll head to Disney Springs for the rest of the afternoon – hopefully a lot of the town center will be open with stores.

It’ll be back to the Poly where we’ll either do more pool time or nap or both until around 7pm. We’ll head to MK around then. Our first FP+ is meeting A & E at 7:30pm.

Between our meet and greet and our next FP at 8:30pm we’ll grab some dinner. I’m trying to decide on dinner then – Village Haus or Peco Bills? I think we may be too full from our Sanaa lunch and snacking at Disney Springs to try and eat at Skippers. We liked Village Haus last year, and Peco Bills sounds good too, any suggestions?

After dinner we have an 8:30pm FP+ for Peter Pan’s Flight, and then a FP+ for 7DMT around 9:30pm. After all of this – we may just wait for crowds from the fireworks to die down, do some shopping and head out! We’ll have an early morning tomorrow at AK.

Some big news!

First off, OUR MAGIC BANDS SHIPPED! And Kenny got the DME paperwork in the mail yesterday.

Secondly, remember how I said I picked a graduate school? Well, twoish weeks ago I committed to American University in DC! I’m mostly registered for my needed classes.

Thirdly, I got a summer job! While not directly pertaining to what I want to do (which is business side of biotech), I’ll be a teaching assistance for fast-paced high school biology for the Center for Talented Youth hosted by Johns Hopkins in Lancaster!

 

[LinderInWonderland]

Congratulations on your school decision and your summer gig! That's exciting news! (Also about your magic bands - we got ours earlier this week and it feels SO REAL now!!)

 

[Saphire5742]

Congrats on grad school and your summer job. Wishing you much success in both.

Your break/MK day sounds great.

 

[kadrachb]

Congratulations on your school decision and your summer gig! That's exciting news!

Thank you!

(Also about your magic bands - we got ours earlier this week and it feels SO REAL now!!)

When I came home this weekend I opened up the box and there they were! It does make it seem real - like, I can't believe we're going back to disney so soon!

Congrats on grad school and your summer job. Wishing you much success in both.

Thank you!

Your break/MK day sounds great.

I'm really excited about our break day and to take things a little slower.

 

[kadrachb]

Day 6 – Sunday, May 22nd​

Park: Animal Kingdom
Hours: 9:00am – 6:30pm
ADR: Tusker House
FP+: DINOSAUR, Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids


An early morning for us today! We have a pre-park ADR at Tusker House for 8:05am. Seeing as last year we were done by 9:00am and we were seated around 8:20am, we’ll hopefully be done before rope drop. But, this is one of our favorite breakfasts. Kenny doesn’t have many “to-dos” at Disney, but Tusker House breakfast is one of them. Also, I don’t mind all the cute Safari outfits!

After breakfast we’ll head over to Kilimanjaro Safaris, and after riding make our way over to Dinosaur (I’m thinking this will be around 9:30am by this time). I’m hoping to stop to get pictures with Tarzan. Maybe also Flik if we see him before we see Tarzan. And if we really have enough time – maybe see Pocahontas too! This would all be before 10:15am (hopefully? I don’t really think we can get all this done, but I don’t mind cutting Flik out).

We have a FP+ for DINOSAUR starting at 10:05am, and will hopefully use it by 10:15am. If there’s enough time, we may go back to Pocahontas if we haven’t seen her yet. If its around 10:30am, we’ll head over to Finding Nemo – The Musical to get in line for the 11:00am show. After the show, we’ll head back to Dinoland USA to ride Primeval Whirl. Then we’ll head the whole way up to Maharajah Jungle Trek to hopefully spot some Tigers! We then have a FP+ for Expedition Everest starting at 12:35pm – hoping to use it around this time. If we don’t get to it until 1pm though – that’s fine! We can find a bunch of other things to do. Around 1:40pm we’ll head over to catch the Festival of the Lion King show (maybe doing Pangani Forest Trail beforehand).

Our Kali FP+ is the last thing we’ll use for the day. Its end time is 3:20pm – which if there is still something we may want to do after that I’ll pack a pair of new clothes. If there isn’t, after we ride we’ll just head back to the resort!

Our nighttime plans are still up in the air – I’m thinking maybe heading over to Disney Springs for QS for dinner around 6pm – Maybe the Smokehouse or Cookes of Dublin? And then catching a bus to the Boardwalk resort to actually get to see the boardwalk and get some ice cream at Ample Hills if it’s open!

Any ideas or recommendations for QS at Disney Springs is welcome! Or even QS at the Boardwalk (I was considering the Pizza window - but, if we were going to get pizza for dinner I'd much rather go to Via Napoli). We know we like Cookes of Dublin, and the Smokehouse looks great. We've been to Earl of Sandwich before too, and we did like it.

16 more days! ​

 

[NJlauren]

Congrats on grad school!!!

15 days!!!!

 

[kadrachb]

After a long week of packing, and then a weekend of graduating, and now this week of semi-unpacking (how did I ever get this many clothes???), I’m here to update my trip report!

But first, a picture of my best friend and I (she was also my roommate at my apartment, and we’ve known each other since 5th grade):

Day 7 – Monday, May 23rd​

Park: Epcot
Park Hours: 9:00am – 9:00pm
ADRs: Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Harvest Feast Breakfast at Garden Grill, California Grill
FP+: Test Track. Journey into Imagination, Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival

To start off our day we have a pre-park ADR at 8:15am at Garden Grill. After this, it depends on what we’ll do next. Since I changed our plans around slightly for earlier in our trip – we may go straight to Joy and Sadness on our first Epcot day, and today go to the Seas with Nemo and Friends, then use our Test Track FP+ which is between 9 and 10. Then trek back over for Journey into Imagination. I want to be done with everything a little before 11am – so we can head to France to meet Belle! Being my favorite princess, I feel like it’s a must to meet her – and normally we would at Akershus, but we aren’t eating there this year!

After the France pavilion, we’ll head to Morocco to see Aladdin and Jasmine for this 12pm meet. Followed by Japan, and then back tracking to Canada and UK. Maybe we’ll also meet Mary Poppins! She’s one character we haven’t met before. Then we have a FP+ for the Short Film Festival between 2:20pm – 3:20pm, and depending on how we’re feeling we may or may not use it. I’m thinking we’ll be heading back to the resort by 3pm. We’ll take a break and swim – but around 7:30pm I’ll start getting ready for dinner at the California Grill! Our reservation is at 8:45pm, so we'll get to see the fireworks before we leave!

We love the California Grill. Last year, we were actually seated next to a couple that was from Columbia, MD (right by where Kenny lives) but the man was working in Mechanicsburg PA (right by where my parents live), they just got married. The couple on our other side was from Hershey, PA (About an hour from Millersville for me, and 45 minutes from my parents) and the husband was a biochemist. I guess it is a small world after all!


I’ve finally started to pack! I mean, it’s a combination of a pile of clothes that I want for Disney, and a pile of clothes that I’m unpacking and putting in a pile because I realized I need to pack again before June 23rd because I’m moving back to Lancaster for my job for six weeks. Hahaha.


Only 5 more days, I can’t believe it!

 

[NJlauren]

Congrats on the graduation!!!

Almost Disney time!!!!

 

[kadrachb]

Congrats on the graduation!!!

Almost Disney time!!!!

Thank you!

Disney time cannot come soon enough!!

 

[kadrachb]

Trying to get this trip report wrapped up!

Day 8 – Tuesday, May 24th​

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Hours: 9:00am to 11:00pm
ADRs: None!
FP+: BTMRR, Splash Mountain, Meet Mickey at Town Square Theater

Our last park day! We’ll try to make it to rope drop, but if we don’t that’s okay! In the morning before our BTMRR FP+ starting at 10:40am we’ll do mostly Adventureland and Frontierland. Maybe meet Tiana afterwards, and then we have Splash Mountain at 12:05pm. It will be a pretty relaxed day – our last FP+ is for Mickey at 1:40pm. If we didn’t see the parade earlier in the week, we’ll catch it this afternoon. If we stay in the park we’ll eat at Peco Bills or Village Haus, if we leave I think we’ll eat at Contempo Café.

For dinner, I’m debating between either an early room service of the Twilight Feast, which is almost everything at ‘Ohana, or a QS. Any thoughts? We’ll head back to the park for the night after we eat. And then I guess come back and pack!

 

[PrincessAshlee]

Congratulations on graduating!

Your trip is so soon! I remember reading through your PTR last month and thinking you still had a ways to go and now its here already.

I hope that you have a fantastic time!!

 

[kadrachb]

Congratulations on graduating!

Your trip is so soon! I remember reading through your PTR last month and thinking you still had a ways to go and now its here already.

I hope that you have a fantastic time!!

Thank you! Months fly by when planning for Disney!