A skeptical family of First-Timers take on WDW Nov 15-22** NOV 28 update

[sue_88]

Hello!
I will be enjoying a Disney trip in November too. So excited! I hope your family has a great time.
I just thought I would share a little penny smashing trivia. People who are serious smashed penny fans will NOT use the shiny new pennies. The reason is that since half way through 1983, pennies have not been made of copper! These pennies only have a thin copper coating. The pennies that are best for pressing are older ones! The ones that are 100% copper. I actually use some copper cleaner and shine up a few old pennies so that I have good ones to use. But I know that is a bit obsessive!

 

[FosterA]

Hello!
I will be enjoying a Disney trip in November too. So excited! I hope your family has a great time.
I just thought I would share a little penny smashing trivia. People who are serious smashed penny fans will NOT use the shiny new pennies. The reason is that since half way through 1983, pennies have not been made of copper! These pennies only have a thin copper coating. The pennies that are best for pressing are older ones! The ones that are 100% copper. I actually use some copper cleaner and shine up a few old pennies so that I have good ones to use. But I know that is a bit obsessive!

First of all,
Secondly....great pressed penny trivia! I had no idea, I figured all pennies were exactly the same. I think Ian is more interested in the "hunt" for the machines and watching the mechanics of it being pressed versus the actual collecting of them. He'll probably run all over getting them and putting them in his little book and then never look at them again
You have a great trip yourself!! It's almost here!!

 

[Chicago Mo]

3 weeks!!!!!!!!

 

[FosterA]

3 weeks!!!!!!!!

I KNOW!!! I'm about to blow a gasket I'm so pumped!
Are you freaking out about your trip right around the corner too?

 

[Chicago Mo]

I KNOW!!! I'm about to blow a gasket I'm so pumped!
Are you freaking out about your trip right around the corner too?

Yes i am!!!! HOW EXCITING!!! 3 weeks from today i will be in Animal Kingdom!!!!!
You???

 

[FosterA]

Well hello everybody

In exactly 3 weeks from today at this exact hour we SHOULD be at the Christmas party! Pretty exciting I gotta say!

So I got all my Mickey mail now and when David came home from work one day I started waving the luggage tags in his face all excited and he rolls his eyes and thinks I've lost it. I guess the excitement over Mickey Mail is purely a Disboards thing Either way...everything is falling into place and I'm trying to stay organized. I've printed out all my reservations and ADRs and such and am starting to pre-pack (pile stuff up).

I went online and ordered some stuff from Garden Grocer which is so nice and convenient. It bothered me a little that the prices were so much higher than I can get here at the local Walmart but I had to remind myself that this is for convenience not necessarily a money saving tactic. Mainly needed to order a couple 6-packs of Ian's Ensure and it's like 12 bucks a pack with Garden Grocer and probably only 8 dollars here at Walmart. I also ordered a bunch of water bottles and some fruit and Doritos too!

We've still been watching Disney movies around here to get the kids brushed up on their Disney Characters and "in the mood". I think we're going to watch Toy Story 3 this weekend. I just love Toy Story!!
Now, we did watch Tangled the other day and it was my first time seeing it and I LOVED IT! What a cute movie! And I normally don't "do" princesses.

Oh...I've only got 13 days of work left I cringe to think of all the frantic women that will be waiting on my door step when I get home demanding hair appts. but I'm going to try not to think about that.

 

[momabaarjo]

Since is Halloween...have you checked out the Disney movie Tower of Terror? We did it this past weekend and had so much fun with the food...this weekend we are doing Haunted Mansion..more fun food!

3 weeks...WOW how fast it is coming. I can only imagine you threw David's things out of the suitcase from his trip and are busy starting to fill them with stuff for the trip.

I keep thinking about ordering water from garden grocer and a few breakfast type things...I will have to check to see if they deliver to Royal Pacific at Universal...thanks for reminding me!

 

[FosterA]

Since is Halloween...have you checked out the Disney movie Tower of Terror? We did it this past weekend and had so much fun with the food...this weekend we are doing Haunted Mansion..more fun food!

3 weeks...WOW how fast it is coming. I can only imagine you threw David's things out of the suitcase from his trip and are busy starting to fill them with stuff for the trip.

I keep thinking about ordering water from garden grocer and a few breakfast type things...I will have to check to see if they deliver to Royal Pacific at Universal...thanks for reminding me!

HI! Glad to see you back, I read your report of course and saw how you had a bit of a yucky week. I'm sorry about everything and hope that you are getting back into the swing of things

WE saw Haunted Mansion awhile back and I do have Tower of Terror queued up with Netflix but my family always logs on and messes up the order of stuff! sheesh. Hopefully we can get it in before our trip! David informed me that the only Disney movie he really likes is Jungle Book (for the music) so I do want to watch that too although there isn't any matching attraction that I know of.

You know, David still has all his junk in his suitcases and I keep wanting him to empty them so I can start packing! He's taking his sweet time. I'd do it but I'm not sure what's dirty and what's clean. ugh

Yes, check into Garden Grocer. It was very easy and it's going to be so convenient! I ordered alot of water, probably too much but it wasn't very expensive so wont be a huge deal if we leave some behind. I love my water!

 

[shan23877]

Toy Story 3 is a really great movie. Your older kids might enjoy it too, it deals with Andy going away to college and having to do away with the toys.

Hooray for 3 weeks! Can't wait for the TR!

 

[FosterA]

Toy Story 3 is a really great movie. Your older kids might enjoy it too, it deals with Andy going away to college and having to do away with the toys.

Hooray for 3 weeks! Can't wait for the TR!

Yep, I'll for sure do a trip report. I'll try to take plenty of photos too though I don't like being in them personally. I prefer the other side of the camera!

anyhoo...We actually have seen Toy Story 3 when it first came out and loved it. David has never seen it though so I really want him to see it.

Thanks for reading along

 

[momabaarjo]

WOW...I can't believe you are down to 2 1/2 weeks! Which reminds me I need to get Thanksgiving plans going!

I loved Toy Story 3...although I have to admit I think I cried like a baby when the toys were put into the bag...WHY? I don't cry when I get rid of my children's stuff...of course I don't get rid of anything that has real meaning to them or me! Speaking of which I need to get in there and do a deep cleaning in the boys room and get rid of some of that junk!

 

[momabaarjo]

 

[FosterA]

Holy Cow!!! Only 15 days until our trip! Only 9 more days of work!
It feels surreal. I'm actually freaking out a little and getting some anxiety because I've been planning this shindig for 2 years and I still feel like I'm not ready Well of course I really am ready but at about this time, I start to second guess things and worry a little about things like weather, will my flights change times? will the kids all of a sudden get the flu before we go? yada yada yada But....I'm really working on my positive thinking and I try to brush off those nagging negative thoughts as soon as they crop up.

So during these next 2 weeks, I need to start to do some serious packing. I've got some piles started and have purchased lots of little things here and there that I learned on the Dis in the tip boards. Things like packing a pop-up hamper. Great idea! It's not so much packing that is a pain but rather making sure I stay on top of all the laundry every single day so that the clothes are AVAILABLE to be packed.

Now..I need some advice here. I've spent a TON of time scouring the planning websites and am very confident that I picked the best days for each park. As a matter of fact, Easy WDW, Touring Plans, and TGM are all in agreement for my days. That is a miracle. I was worried that I'd get overwhelmed and confused if they all recommended different days for different parks. So...I really like my itinerary and feel good about having enough time to everything we want to do. BUT.....I have not actually came up with a "touring plan" or strategy for each actual park, as in, first go to this ride, get FP for that, head to this, etc etc. I sort of freeze up when I think about those kind of details. I looked in my Passporter book and also the Touring Guide book and they have touring plans in them but they never look just right for our family. A lot of the rides they have you hitting first are things I'm not that interested in or things that I'll just do if we have time left over. Plus, it's hard to say until we get there because it might not be THAT crowded so we may not need a FP for something that you usually do. Know what I mean? So what do you all do? Do you have each attraction planned out? I sort of have a Top 10 or Top 5 of each park and more or less know to hit those early in the day but I'd really prefer to hit them in order you come to them versus zig zagging all over the place. I don't know...I really need to think this out this week and make a serious touring plan or just feel confident that hitting our top 5 or so early in the day and then just doing everything else in order that we come to it will be sufficient.

One last thing.....YOU GUYS WON'T BELIEVE THIS!!!!! Ok, you know how my friends decided to book a trip and "join" us on our trip right? Well, I'm not THRILLED by it but I've accepted it and I think it will be ok since we only overlap 3 days and they are staying at completely different off site hotel and they are not able to book all the ADRs we did and so forth. So....these overlapping 3 days will be the 16, 17, 18th right?
Well.....
MY OTHER FRIEND JULIE JUST BOOKED A TRIP TO DISNEY FROM THE 18TH-22ND!!! That's right, I will have a friend literally at Disney every single day that we are there! OK.....that sounds crazy I know but it's not as bad as you may think. Julie (second friend that is highjacking trip) is truly my best friend and if you remember, she's the one that took me on my preview trip to Disney. She is a Disney nut and usually goes at least twice a year. Well, she's a single mom and has been feeling guilty lately that she's been spending too much time with BF and not enough with her kiddo so she's taking her daughter to Disney for a mom-daughter bonding trip. WE DO NOT PLAN ON MEETING UP. whew! It's purely coincidence that we will be there at the same time. When she told me she booked it, I said "oh crap, if you see me I don't know you!" haha She laughed and said not to worry because she really wants to do a mom-daughter thing anyway. Plus....They only do MK when they go (crazy I know). WE will be doing our MK days before they even get there so by the time they arrive, we'll be on our Epcot, Animal kingdom days so the chances are very slim of hooking up. I just thought it was hilarious because I just can't get away!

On a final note....I will be posting my FINAL FINAL itinerary in the next couple of days so you all can follow along on our trip (virtually of course since I have enough friends following me literally!)

 

[fastergoofy]

I'm so excited for you! My trip is still months away.

My advice on touring: Take it easy. It's a first visit.* Have everyone pick one or two things they want to do that day (or pick something you know they'd love) and fit the rest in as you can. You already have ADRs and certain times that you want to be at certain parks. If your plans become even more inflexible, it's just going to make your family tired and annoyed and none of you will be having fun. Stop and take time to smell the Main Street Bakery, as it were. Anything you miss will be a great excuse for planning another vacation!

Also, if crowds are higher because of holidays, don't forget that you can use your phone to check approximate wait times for rides, etc.

*Don't forget to pick up your "First Visit" buttons!

 

[Desiree]

How awesome! I'm so excited for you! And yes, ditto on the First Visit buttons! Don't forget to wear those each day!

 

[skier_pete]

I wrote this big long post reply about touring, and then accidentally deleted it. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) I'm not going to write it again.

What it really boiled down to is there is no right or wrong way to tour the parks - you have to do what is right for YOU as a family. If running around like commandos makes you miserable, then don't do it! We took 4 or 5 trips to really determine how we best tour each park - and it works for us. I could tell you about it (and I almost did) but it doesn't mean it would suit you well.

When I'm not feeling overly wordy I usually provide 3 keys to park touring:
1) Arrive for rope drop.
2) Fastpass, Fastpass, Fastpass.
3) Have a plan but be flexible.

By a plan, I mean as simple as "We start in Frontierland and hit the mountains - go to Adventureland, hit Haunted Mansion, lunch at Columbia Harbor House, then Fantasyland and finally into Tomorrowland. Then go back and use FPs." (Don't forget FP can be used anytime the same day after the start time - at least for the time being.) If you have things you really, really want to do, make sure to work them in. If they are rides that involve long lines, do them early or use a FP. If they are shows with times, make sure to arrive at least 20 minutes early to ensure a good seat. (Another of our mantras - wait for shows, not for rides.)

Other than that..its Disney...the only thing that will stop you from having a good time is if you stress out too much about having a good time.

And you better schedule at least 5 minutes on Saturday the 19th @ MK so we can meet face-to-face. I don't want to wait til you get home to hear your families reactions.

SP

 

[shan23877]

My advise would be to only worry about grabbing FP right away for the rides you really need them for (TSM, EE, Soarin'). Otherwise, take it easy, let your family enjoy the sights and little touches. As you come to an attraction, make a decision as a family--wait in line, grab FP for later, or skip it. Them may go crazy if you have a numbered list of things for them to "accomplish" each morning.

 

[Chicago Mo]

Go left! that is what we follow when going into the parks! DH will go and get whatever FP we want for that park and meets back up.. and off we go!
This year we are doing pretty much the same with a more Slow and steady walk! I want tons and tons of pictures now that a friend of mine is teaching me all the cool tricks!!! can't wait for the MVMCP and the pictures i will be able to get now!!!
13 days!!! YIPPEE!

Good luck with the friends... you'll need it

 

[swwake]

It's so exciting that you're so close to your trip!

One more tip - over-door-shoe-holder. About $5.99 at Target. Holds all your make-up and toiletries for the family in one place where you can see through the holes and keep the counters less messy.

On touring: The bigger your group, the harder it is to stick to a touring plan. When I say bigger, I mean - 1 person - easiest, 4 people - very hard. And being the planner, I get upset and stressed and frustrated when MY plan doesn't work out or gets a glitch or someone decides to deviate. So I've decided not to make a full plan.

Here's how we do it:
1 - each person picks the 1 thing they want to make sure they do at WDW. (any park or resort) We make sure that happens.
2 - each person picks 3 things they want to do in each park, in priority order. We make sure #1 happens but then just hope for 2 and 3.
3 - at each park, we get a fastpass before riding the first ride. We may ride the same ride we FP, but we get the FP.
4 - My top priorities (your mileage may vary):
MK - all 3 mountains, Haunted Mansion, night parade and fireworks
EP - Soarin, Test Track, Illuminations
DHS - RNRC, ToT, Star Tours (this year) and Beauty and the Beast (this year)
AK - Safari, Everest, Conservation Station for the vet procedures

On priorities, we make sure those happen, in any order. Then we just fill in the (time) blanks, according to where we are in the park and what's close by. By following these "rules" (which are very minimal), we get to make sure we do everything we want and we all feel fulfilled at the end of the trip by seeing all the fill-in stuff.

 

[ariekannairb]

One last thing.....YOU GUYS WON'T BELIEVE THIS!!!!! Ok, you know how my friends decided to book a trip and "join" us on our trip right? Well, I'm not THRILLED by it but I've accepted it and I think it will be ok since we only overlap 3 days and they are staying at completely different off site hotel and they are not able to book all the ADRs we did and so forth. So....these overlapping 3 days will be the 16, 17, 18th right?
Well.....
MY OTHER FRIEND JULIE JUST BOOKED A TRIP TO DISNEY FROM THE 18TH-22ND!!! That's right, I will have a friend literally at Disney every single day that we are there! OK.....that sounds crazy I know but it's not as bad as you may think. Julie (second friend that is highjacking trip) is truly my best friend and if you remember, she's the one that took me on my preview trip to Disney. She is a Disney nut and usually goes at least twice a year. Well, she's a single mom and has been feeling guilty lately that she's been spending too much time with BF and not enough with her kiddo so she's taking her daughter to Disney for a mom-daughter bonding trip. WE DO NOT PLAN ON MEETING UP. whew! It's purely coincidence that we will be there at the same time. When she told me she booked it, I said "oh crap, if you see me I don't know you!" haha She laughed and said not to worry because she really wants to do a mom-daughter thing anyway. Plus....They only do MK when they go (crazy I know). WE will be doing our MK days before they even get there so by the time they arrive, we'll be on our Epcot, Animal kingdom days so the chances are very slim of hooking up. I just thought it was hilarious because I just can't get away!

On a final note....I will be posting my FINAL FINAL itinerary in the next couple of days so you all can follow along on our trip (virtually of course since I have enough friends following me literally!)

We had a trip that overlapped with friends. We purposely planned to spend 2 days with them. Between our ADR's and such we spent 2 hours with them and never saw them again the entire trip.