A Pre Thanksgiving/Christmas Vacation, Our First Split Stay & Our 5th Trip to Disney!

[LoraJ]

I hope you guys have an amazing time! Looking forward to your reviews for POR and OKW!

 

[JoBird]

Just thought I'd remind everyone what Shelly's doing right now so we can be very very envious......

DAY 1 - Saturday November 7th:

The original plan - Up super early and to the airport by 5:30am for a 7:00am flight. Arrive on Orlando around 9-9:30. Take ME to POR and be there around 10:30. Unpack our carry-ons (if our room is ready), have lunch at the POR food court, explore the resort, and maybe even go for a swim if it is warm enough. Then later head to DHS for dinner at Sci-Fi Dine In and maybe a few rides. DHS is listed as the park to NOT visit on the 7th, so we really aren't expecting to do or see much that day, but we will be back a few days later for the whole day! The 7th is also the end to Jersey Week, another reason we are expecting crowds that day. After dinner head back to POR and unpack the rest of our luggage, which should have arrived by now and go to bed.

The new plan - Not sure! If we end up with a 1:50pm flight we won't get to Orlando until about 4:00 or so. . . Which means we won't get to POR until about 5:30. Therefore missing our Sci-Fi ADR at DHS. I did check online and it looks like Sci-Fi does have some later openings, so hopefully we won't have a problem rebooking it later if need be. So we would check in at POR and head to DHS right away. Have a later dinner and do whatever. It's not like we will have gotten up for an early flight or anything!!

An alternate plan I have been thinking about today (if we end up with a 1:50 flight) is to skip DHS completely arrival day and go to the Boardwalk that evening instead. . . Not make any dinner ADR's and maybe go to Big River Grille (since they don't take ADR's) whenever. And try to reschedule Sci-Fi later in the week. The only problem with this plan is that DS10 really really wants to go to DHS on arrival day - it's his favorite!

So we'll see. . .

Actually in a later post she said that since they got the 2 pm flight, and not get to POR until around 5:30, that they'd eat at the resort and possibly go into Epcot tonight.

 

[drakes]

I like that JoBird is keeping this alive, makes me feel like we are right there with them

They should be landing soon! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Jealous!!!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Sorry I missed you Shelly! I've barely had my computer on for the last two days.

I hope you guys had a good flight and arrived safely. Have a great week!!

 

[JoBird]

Let's find out!

Day 2 - Sunday November 8th:

This day we will sleep in and get up whenever and just have a relaxing morning at the resort. Probably have a light breakfast in the room. Around 10:30-11:00 we will head to AK. We will have lunch at Pizzafari. Things I'd like to do include - EE, Dinosaur, FOTLK, the Safari, and possibly the Nemo Musical. We are definitely staying for Mickey's Jammin Jungle Parade since we haven't seen it since 2005. After the parade we will take a bus to the WL for our WCC dinner ADR. Hopefully we will enjoy WCC and not think it is stupid!! It seems that some people love it and others think it is pretty dumb! After dinner we will explore the WL and see if we might want to stay there someday. And hopefully they will have some pretty Christmas decorations. After that we will do a monorail resort tour to see what they have for decorations! Then it will be head to POR for the rest of the evening. Maybe some swimming if it is warm out!

Hoping the crowds are light and WCC is fun!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

AAWWW I hope the boys can swim this evening!! I am thinking it must be pretty warm over there...it got pretty warm here yesterday, today is gonna be around 75...so it should be swimming weather over there for sure!! Especially since it was in the 40s for them last week!!!!!

 

[pamouselover]

Hope you are having a magical time Shelly!

 

[FairyGodmotherJen]

Oh, I hope the weather is wonderful, and that you got to do everything you wanted today!!!!

Have a wonderful vacation - can't wait to hear all about it when you get back!

 

[rusafee1183]

Jo - I love that you're keeping us up to date! LOL. I just went back through all the posts that I missed (which was *a lot* - I am a bad friend ) to see where she'll be the next week! I want to follow along - because I'm jealous that I won't be in Disney.... I'll be in Pittsburgh AT WORK...

I can't wait to see what she says about HM! I can't believe she's never done it! That's been tied with Splash for my fav since I was a kid!!!

I hope you guys are having an amazing time Shelly! Can't wait to hear all about it!

 

[JoBird]

Looks like another great day planned----

Day 3 - Monday November 9th:

We will sleep in and then head to DTD around 10:30-11. Do some shopping and enjoy the very fun atmosphere of DTD! We will have lunch at WPE. Yummy! After we are done at DTD we will head back to POR for the afternoon. Spend some time at the resort, probably do some more shopping and some swimming.

Fun times at DTD~

In the evening we will head to the Boardwalk. We have an ADR at San Angel Inn in Epcot, so if we decide to go there we will walk over to Epcot. If not (at the moment I am leaning towards not) we will have dinner at either Big River Grille (which we know we love) or we will give Beaches & Cream a try. We'll just see what we are in the mood for! If we happen to end up at Epcot we will probably take a spin on TT and/or a flight on Soarin. And we may or may not stay for IllumiNations.

My meal at BRG last time~

DH's meal~

After that it will be back to POR to get a good night sleep so we can make it to DHS for rope drop the next day!!

 

[trixiequilts]

In the evening we will head to the Boardwalk. We have an ADR at San Angel Inn in Epcot, so if we decide to go there we will walk over to Epcot. If not (at the moment I am leaning towards not) we will have dinner at either Big River Grille (which we know we love) or we will give Beaches & Cream a try. We'll just see what we are in the mood for! If we happen to end up at Epcot we will probably take a spin on TT and/or a flight on Soarin. And we may or may not stay for IllumiNations.

So many unknowns for us today! Where will dinner be? San Angel? BRG? B & C? Will they get to take a spin on TT and a flight on Soarin'??? And what about IllumiNations?????? Oh my!!!

 

[JoBird]

LOL--- I am especially jealous of them going to Epcot. I love it so much there.

I am still amazed at the laid back approach to vacationing in WDW. In theory I love the idea. I just don't know if I could actually do it.

We never spend more than an hour in DTD. I'd rather sit in World Showcase and eat a Kaki Gori.

Look Ma, no fat grams!!!!!!!!!!!!


I saw a thread over the weekend that says the crowds Sat were non existant. 20 minutes stand-by for Soarin'.

Crazy.

Trix-- looks like you MAY have a good time planned for 2010!




I was bemoaning the fact last night that I don't have a trip planned and DH said "Well you know I'll take you whenever you want, all you have to do is plan it."

I just can't find a spot in our schedules where we can go.

sigh--------

Therefore--- until such time--- I shall live (for the moment ) vicariously through Shelly.

Have a great day, Shelly!

 

[Monny2AE]

Jo- How awesome that you're posting Shelly's day by day at Disney! I love it! Helps me picture them there now shopping for some souvies at DTD. I hope they try Beaches and Cream tonight!

 

[rusafee1183]

I looked up the menu for BRG - it looks really good there! We've never been, but I know Shelly and Jo both like it!

Which never happens.

I am dying to know what they're doing right now.... So many choices!

 

[JoBird]

You're right RF!

for those of you who don't know-- Shelly and I have been known to have differing opinions on on most things in the World. Restaurants, hotels, touring plans.... LOL- that's our friendship.

But I convinced her to try BRG for her trip last time... and well, we had a winner.
And she convinced me to try CBR for my trip last October-- and .... we had another winner.

When we ate at BRG I had the salmon, mashed potatoes and veg of the day- which was sugar snap peas- and omgosh- it was all soooo good.


So --- even though we have different opinions on lots... ....we're still buds.





Which leads me to say--- I'm worried about their weather. There's a hurricane that might land and give them rain tomorrow and Wednesday.

I really hoope it isn't bad --- but a little birdie told me it's been very overcast there today- not sunshiney at all.



Not good.


Jo

 

[JoBird]

Now THIS is my kind of day!! Rope Drop.... here they come!!!

Day 4 ~ Tuesday November 10th:


This is our DHS day! I can't wait, this will be my absolute favorite day. I love DHS!! And this day does not begin with "sleep in"!! Nope, we will get up bright and early and get the first bus to DHS and be there before rope drop. We will probably head for TSMM first. In January there was a stampede to get there first thing and it was our one and only ride on it since the lines were so huge all day. After that DS10 and I will probably head for RNRC while DS7 and DH find something else to do. Then I will see if I can talk anyone into riding TOT with me and after that I'm sure we will head to Star Tours. Maybe stop and do some Jedi Training. We are still undecided on a CS lunch. I guess it will either be ABC Commissary, Backlot Express, or Studio Catering Co, or anything else we can find. We will see Lights Motors Action and/or Indy. We usually just do one since they are both pretty time consuming, but the boys want to see both this time. So we'll see. I'm sure we will see Muppet Vision 3D and the Magic of Disney Animation. And the boys want to do the Great Movie Ride, we haven't done it since 2005 and they didn't like it then, I think they will now. I would like to do One Man's Dream. We have pretty much outgrown Playhouse Disney. We all love the Backlot Tour and it was closed for refurbishment last time we were there so we are looking forward to it. DH was chosen to be in the show the trip before last! Never seen Beauty & the Beast or the Little Mermaid. I'd like to try to talk the boys into seeing at least one of them! For dinner we had planned on taking the boat to the Boardwalk. We have an ADR at Captain's Grille at the YC, but I'm not sure we are going to keep it. The time I got was later than what I wanted and we want to be back to DHS for the Osborne Lights at 6:00. So we'll see. We can always go to B&C or BRG at the Boardwalk since they don't take ADR's, but then you never know how long the wait will be. . . Another option is to try to get an ADR at Sci-Fi if we end up not going there on arrival night. Oh decisions decisions! After dinner we will be all ready for the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights!! I am so excited about this. When I originally booked our vacation the CM on the phone told me that some of the Christmas decorations would be up but we would be a few weeks too early for the Osborne Lights because they start the day after Thanksgiving. I had never really expected them to start in early November anyway, so I hadn't really even given it a though. Then when Disney finally released their November hours - there it was - they start on November 10th this year!!!! So that was a nice bonus!

 

[trixiequilts]

They are going to have a great day today!!! Shelly's favorite park... DS10 throwing out the rocker sign...TSMM...Jedi Training...Christmas lights....

 

[NewCrew42]

Shelly, I hope your having a great day @ DHS!!! May the force be with you!

 

[NewCrew42]

Jo - Thanks for posting Shelly's daily plan!

 

[lala3291]

Hope you have a magical day at DHS Shelly!