A May 2014 Pre-Trip Report~I really need to think of a better title!

DJorJD88

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
33
Hello!
Welcome to my First Pre-Trip Report!


Hello, I am Jessica. I am a regular Dis lurker but I thought would finally get more involved in this fun community. I have wanted to make a trip report for the last 3 trips but I never got around to it. So, here are my plans:
Where: Walt Disney World – Pop Century Resort

Who: Me, my Sister Cheryl, my Mom Joanne and my Dad Peter

What: An 8th trip for me and my sister and a 9th trip for my parents

When: Sometime in May (I can’t give more details because my mom is worried that all of you guys will come rob us of all our diamond brooches and Faberge eggs ;))

Why: Do I really need a reason to go to Walt Disney World? But for those that don’t get it, I tell them that this really is the only fun vacation spot that has something for everyone in my family. My mom can’t cruise or fly for longer than a few hours (Nausea), my dad doesn’t like the beach (Sunburn) and my sister needs a lot to keep her attention (Boredom).​

Let me first introduce you to me and my family:




Me-Jessica-DJorJD88



Disney Favorites:

Favorite Park: Magic Kingdom followed closely by EPCOT
Favorite Ride: Splash Mountain or Expedition Everest
Favorite Character: Ariel and Tink but I’m really starting to love Elsa and Anna
Favorite Snack: Caramel Apples at Karmell Kuche

I am the main planner for our family vacations. I do like to micromanage our days but I leave gaps in my schedules for spontaneity and rest. I try really hard to make my plans invisible and make my family feel like they have some control over what we do. That being said, planning a Disney vacation these days can feel like a second job.
I start Grad school this fall so this might be the last vacation I go on for a couple of years. I have been going to Disney since I was 7 and as I got older I have grown to love it even more. This will be our 4th trip in 4 years because every trip seems to be even more magical then the last.

My Sister-Cheryl-Cherbear



Disney Favorites:

Favorite Park: Magic Kingdom followed closely by Animal Kingdom
Favorite Ride: The Teacups or Kali River Rapids
Favorite Character: Minnie Mouse
Favorite Snack: Ice Cream and Cotton Candy

My sister has been going to Disney World since she was 5. She loves most of the rides but prefers the tame ones. She enjoys meeting all the characters and giving them big bear hugs that almost topple them over. She is not too big on stopping and watching the parades and shows but can be bribed with snacks to watch a few. She really loves the dig site in DinoLand for some reason and she insists on digging for dinos every trip. She is a real trooper on our vacations and won’t let anything, including massive amounts of blisters; get in her way of having a good time. She can be really outgoing and she always raises her hand high when they ask for volunteers. I’m not sure that this even needs mentioning but Cheryl is Autistic and a real life Peter Pan. She never wants to grow up and is really sensitive about her age. We do not use a Guest Assistance Card because Cheryl has no trouble waiting in line for rides or characters. We figure that waiting in line teaches her patience.

My Mom-Joanne



Disney Favorites:

Favorite Park: Magic Kingdom
Favorite Ride: Splash Mountain
Favorite Character: Rapunzel
Favorite Snack: She picks at all of our snacks

My mom first went to Magic Kingdom on her and my dad’s honeymoon. She waited nearly 20 years to go back with us in 1997. She likes to watch the parades and see the shows. She is the main photographer so it’s hard to find many pictures of her. She is the nervous trip planner. She is the one who has to plan the boring aspects of our trip. She calls the kennel, books the flights and nervously worries that all of our plans will become horribly messed up. She doesn’t start relaxing until we are at the parks.

My Dad-Pete



Disney Favorites:

Favorite Park: EPCOT
Favorite Ride: Pirates of the Carribean
Favorite Character: Simba
Favorite Snack: Dole Whips

My dad is the easiest going person on our vacations. I doubt he would ever set foot in a Disney Park without us but he values the family time and is willing to follow us around the parks all day. He still makes the most of our vacations and loved learning the history behind Magic Kingdom on the Keys to the Kingdom tour we took last year. He sits out some of the rides but enjoys taking it slow and relaxing in the parks. Sometimes I think his favorite part of Disney is eating. :rotfl2:

Coming up Next
A little history on our trip planning.
 
Trip History

I started planning this trip around May 2013. I knew I wanted to go back, within a year, after our trip in August 2013. The August trip was going to be hectic and I wanted a relaxing trip before I went back to school full time. I bought APs for me and my sister because I was either going to have a sisters trip with her or see if my boyfriend and his brother would want to go to Walt Disney World too. We had plans to drive down from NY and see some other sites in Orlando for the first time. I decided it would be best to go in May because crowds are low and it would fit everyone’s schedule.

After our family reunion, wedding and new baby trip to the World in August; my parents wanted to go back too. They had planned on flying down and were just going to do their own thing and meet up with us throughout the trip. Well, my boyfriend dropped out due to low funds so it turned into a family vacation. I’m going to fly down because my sister does not drive and it would be stressful to be the only driver for an 18 hour trip.

After a lot of back and forth we settled on our days and found good discounts at Pop Century. Pop Century is new to us and we are excited to check it out. We mostly stay at values because we are hardly ever in the room and would never use all the amenities of a more expensive resort. My sister and I are staying for 7 days 6 nights and my parent are flying down with us but are only staying for 5 days 4 nights.

Next
Our Plans
 
Our Plans


Tuesday: Magic Kingdom Day
Leave for the Airport at 4am
Plane takes off at 7am
Arrive at MCO around 9:30am
Get to Pop Century around 10:30am
Check in and Grab Lunch at Everything Pop
Head to Magic Kingdom and stay until close or as late as we can stay awake :woohoo:

Wednesday: Animal Kingdom Day
Get to AK by 8:15am
Backstage Safari Tour at 8:30am
Tour the park from 11:30am until late afternoon
Maybe head to EPCOT to get a head start on the World Showcase

Thursday: EPCOT Day
Get to EPCOT for rope drop and head over for a ride on Soarin
Finish Future World by Lunch
Head to the World Showcase
Leave the park before Dinner
Maybe head for a late night at MK

Friday: Hollywood Studios and DownTown Disney
Get to HS at rope drop and check out some of the Star Wars weekend stuff
Tour the park until early evening and head to DTD

Saturday: Magic Kingdom, Parents Leave, EPCOT

Get to MK at rope drop
Tour the park until my parents need to catch the Magical Express at 4pm:wave2:
Head to EPCOT
Check out the BoardWalk and maybe call it an early night

Sunday: Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom
Get to HS at rope drop and ride TSM a few times
Head to the resort to pack and rest
Spend the evening at MK and end the night with Fireworks

Monday: Animal Kingdom

Sleep in a little
Check out
Head to Animal Kingdom to ride some favorites one last time
Magical Express at 4pm :eek: :sad:

Next:
ADRs
 
ADRs

*All Restaurants are new to us except BOG*

Tuesday:
Be Our Guest – 9:10pm (trying to get an earlier one)

Wednesday:
Yak & Yeti – 1:30pm

Thursday:
Ohana – 6:40pm

Friday:
Raglan Road – 6:45pm

Saturday:
Beaches and Cream – 7:40pm

Sunday:
Cinderella’s Royal Table – 6:40pm (it’s a surprise for my sister!:tink:)

Next
Making Cheryl's Autograph Book​
 

I'm looking forward to reading this one! I enjoy TRs and PTRs without young children. I find them much more interesting and relateable (probably since I don't have any kids myself).
 
I'm looking forward to reading this one! I enjoy TRs and PTRs without young children. I find them much more interesting and relateable (probably since I don't have any kids myself).

I completely agree. I like reading trip reports with teens and above because I like to find new things my family can do next trip. However, all of the pictures of little kids reacting to characters can be really adorable.
 














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