A Stringbean, a Wingnut, and a plan! (A January '12 PTR) TRIP REPORT STARTED!! 1/16!!

[MEK]

Your Top 7 Must Do's definitely sound great! Although, yes, you did assess Wingnut and I correctly in that we are not runners (pretty much the only thing we run regularly is the dishwasher ). But I wouldn't mind a lovely stroll!

I just read this. Too funny. I will post you some pix from my trip to the roof. But it has to wait because I am actually getting for a run now and then I have to take the two cats to the vet. Such fun!

 

[Nermel9]

Liberty Tree Tavern is awesome for lunch! We're trying it for dinner in October, and I'm excited, but I wish we were going for lunch instead! The pot roast is SO good! (I have some weird obsession with pot roast...if it's on a menu, I order it, I don't know why! )

I personally LOVE Le Cellier, I've never found it to be salty, but that's just me. I think people expect WAY too much from Le Cellier and get some weird enjoyment from bashing it after they eat there. They expect to have some religious experience there or something and when they don't, they get mad. I love it, I'm eating there twice in October, and I'm really excited! We're going for lunch, though, because they still have the cream cheese mashed potatoes and chocolate "moose" on the lunch menu, and I can't part with either of those things!

I'd like to try Sanaa someday, but I'm not sure if I'm brave enough!

 

[Disney9.9.10]

Just joining in now!

I have never stayed at POFQ or WL so I am really no help there lol If you get a good discount pin though, I would pick WL. I have been there a few times to eat and just to look around, and it really is beautiful!

You have some great ADR choices too - it makes me hungry just reading about them lol

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Sanaa I loved that meal and the customer service was absolutely superb. Plus the restaurant is so freakin cool inside. I vote for that.

I also love LTT for lunch. I just made a lunch ADR there for December.

Interestingly I could not make a R&C ADR because they must have it all blocked out for the candlelight processional packages. I plan to check back.

I think in January you might have a good chance of getting a nice package at WL. Do you book through Disney or use a TA. I know I really good AAA TA who will automatically rebook your package when a code is released. She is awesome.

Sanaa and LTT do look great, I'm really looking forward to going there! That is interesting about R&C - hopefully there are openings!

I'm hoping so too!!!! I generally book through Disney - that's great that the TA rebooks the package for you! She sounds great!

I just read this. Too funny. I will post you some pix from my trip to the roof. But it has to wait because I am actually getting for a run now and then I have to take the two cats to the vet. Such fun!

Thanks!!! I'm excited to see them!

Enjoy your run - I hope your cats are alright!

Liberty Tree Tavern is awesome for lunch! We're trying it for dinner in October, and I'm excited, but I wish we were going for lunch instead! The pot roast is SO good! (I have some weird obsession with pot roast...if it's on a menu, I order it, I don't know why! )

I personally LOVE Le Cellier, I've never found it to be salty, but that's just me. I think people expect WAY too much from Le Cellier and get some weird enjoyment from bashing it after they eat there. They expect to have some religious experience there or something and when they don't, they get mad. I love it, I'm eating there twice in October, and I'm really excited! We're going for lunch, though, because they still have the cream cheese mashed potatoes and chocolate "moose" on the lunch menu, and I can't part with either of those things!

I'd like to try Sanaa someday, but I'm not sure if I'm brave enough!

Hahaha well pot roast is a good thing to be obsessed with! That was one of the dishes I was looking at on the menus there, the pictures of it always look so good!

I must admit, the thought of a religious experience at Le Cellier definitely has me laughing. I've eaten there several times before (including back when it was cafeteria-style!), and do have an idea of what I'm getting into. I definitely think Le Cellier became grossly overrated, which was why I was intrigued when it turned to 2 credits, but I still remember really enjoying my meals there.

Do you know I've never ever had the chocolate moose?? I know, I feel like I can't even call myself a true Disney fan (that, and I have the "not seeing Wishes" thing working against me too ) . I'm usually too enchanted by the creme brulee.

Going back to the Le Cellier of yesteryear for one more moment, did you ever go there when they had the chocolate dessert in the form of the Spaceship Earth ball? I think it was for the Millennium. Here it is! Here it is! This was probably the coolest thing in my mind when my parents and I had that!

Oh, Wingnut is the brave eater of our dining duo! I probably wouldn't consider Sanaa on my own, but he's so interested in it, he's making me interested as well!

Just joining in now!

I have never stayed at POFQ or WL so I am really no help there lol If you get a good discount pin though, I would pick WL. I have been there a few times to eat and just to look around, and it really is beautiful!

You have some great ADR choices too - it makes me hungry just reading about them lol

Welcome!!!

Hahaha that's alright, I've never stayed at either too! I'll definitely be keeping my eyes open for a code, but POFQ doesn't seem like it will be a bad choice either!

Thanks! Hahaha I get hungry while Disney planning too!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

So this past winter, my parents went to Disney as well, a little before Wingnut and I went. Before they had left on their trip, my mom and I began to scheme.

(I had had plenty of time to sit around and scheme that year )

I had seen the numbers for the phone booths in the U.K. (World Showcase edition) posted on the Dis, and got the idea to call my dad while he just happened to be in or around the phone booth (my mom was in charge of plot setup).

According to plan, while my parents strolled around the World Showcase, my mom suggested she take a picture of my dad in one of the phone booths. He agreed, and posed by the phone booth while she stalled for time.

"Dad's in the middle phone booth!!!" the text message read.

Instantly I raced to make the call, hoping he wasn't on to our plot.

The phone rang.

"The phone's ringing..." my dad apparently said, a bit surprised.

"Answer it!!!"

"Hello?"

"HI DAD!!!!!!!!!!"

"Sara?!?!?!?!?" he was completely surprised (and happy too ), and my mom and I were entirely thrilled that our Disney plot worked.



Happy Father's day Dad!!!! I love you!

(And for anyone else that would like to give their friends or family or random strangers a call:

Left phone booth: 407-827-9862
Center phone booth: 407-827-9863
Right phone booth:407-827-9861 (Although I think this phone is part of the Kim Possible game and doesn't actually work) )

Happy Fathers day!!

 

[kmrein]

Oh my gosh, what a cool story (especially for Father's Day)! How sweet. There is something about a dad in Disney World....I am beyond excited that my Dad will be with us on our next trip.

Thanks for sharing, what a cute idea!

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

That is a GREAT story!! Thanks for those numbers, too! I love the UK pavilion. I spent three summers in London and miss it very much, and this is the closest I'll get for a while since I now have three little kids. Less than three months...

 

[Jennifer48]

Cute Father's Day story!

 

[glennbo123]

Way cool Stringbean! What a nice surprise for your father!

 

[MEK]

I love that you called your dad in Epcot! That is priceless!!!!! He looks so shocked to hear from you. Great timing!

 

[Nermel9]

LOL, great story, that's so funny that you actually called your Dad in Epcot!

 

[Disney9.9.10]

What a great story! I bet he was so surprised and happy to hear from you!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Oh my gosh, what a cool story (especially for Father's Day)! How sweet. There is something about a dad in Disney World....I am beyond excited that my Dad will be with us on our next trip.

Thanks for sharing, what a cute idea!

Thanks!!! How fun your dad will be going with you to Disney!!

That is a GREAT story!! Thanks for those numbers, too! I love the UK pavilion. I spent three summers in London and miss it very much, and this is the closest I'll get for a while since I now have three little kids. Less than three months...

Thanks!!! No problem, never know when they may come in handy .

The UK pavilion is wonderful, isn't it? They all are, really.

Cute Father's Day story!

Thanks!!!

Way cool Stringbean! What a nice surprise for your father!

Thanks!!! I was excited to see your family enjoying the phone booths around World Showcase too!

I love that you called your dad in Epcot! That is priceless!!!!! He looks so shocked to hear from you. Great timing!

Thanks!!! Hahaha he was definitely surprised!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

LOL, great story, that's so funny that you actually called your Dad in Epcot!

Thanks!!! Hahaha he thought it was the coolest thing that I called!

What a great story! I bet he was so surprised and happy to hear from you!

Thanks!!! He was definitely surprised!!

 

[tankgirl427]

Such a cute story of how you and your mom surprised your dad. January hours were released on the TA site, if it helps your planning!

 

[JessicaKnits]

Hi, sorry I am late to your party! I was a bit of a lurker on your dining report, so glad that I found your PTR! We are also planning to go in January and the lack of park schedule is really annoying my OCD nerve. Have you tried Touring Plans? I used them last time just to figure out what park we would go to on which day and then compared that to the historical park hours here. A bit too much work, but worked well for us! I do hope January is out soon though.

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Such a cute story of how you and your mom surprised your dad. January hours were released on the TA site, if it helps your planning!

Thanks!!!

I saw that yesterday, thank you!!! I was printing away the second I noticed that!! (I'd been checking that calendar several times a day )

Hi, sorry I am late to your party! I was a bit of a lurker on your dining report, so glad that I found your PTR! We are also planning to go in January and the lack of park schedule is really annoying my OCD nerve. Have you tried Touring Plans? I used them last time just to figure out what park we would go to on which day and then compared that to the historical park hours here. A bit too much work, but worked well for us! I do hope January is out soon though.

Welcome!! You're not late at all, we haven't even booked our trip yet!

The calendar was posted yesterday (the only thing that seems a bit funny are the Fantasmic schedulings, there aren't any until the end of the month), so you can start planning away!!

I've never used Touring Plans or any of the crowd predictor websites. We usually go to Disney at slower times of the year, so crowds aren't a huge issue. I just kind of go with what makes sense for us. Do their predictions work well?

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Yesterday, the January 2012 hours were posted, much to my happiness . I'm thinking that they may be revised slightly, if only to add more Fantasmics (currently, none are scheduled until 1/27 ...not that we were planning on seeing Fantasmic anyways...)

At this point, we are now just waiting for JetBlue to extend their schedule past 1/3, and then we will be in real planning business! [pause to check JetBlue site...nope..]

The Phineas and Ferb fans among us will appreciate the following story:

So last night, Wingnut and I were talking about things that are entirely random. (I pinky swear that this exact conversation took place, and that Wingnut definitely does not watch P&F with me )

Wingnut: "...the little plastic bits at the end of your shoelaces."
Stringbean: "Oh! Aglets!"
W: "Please don't tell me you seriously know the name of those"
SB: "A-G-L-E-T, they're called aglets"
W: "Why do you know this?"
SB: "On Phineas and Ferb they did an episode about how the aglet is one of the world's most useful, yet under-appreciated inventions. They did a benefit concert to raise awareness of the aglet. A-G-L-E-T, don't forget it!"
W: [sighs]
SB: "We're gonna tie the world together!"
W: [buries his head under his pillow]

 

[petals]

Luv your Epcot Fathers day story. My pic for fathers day on facebook was my daddy and me riding Cinderella's carousel together when I was ten!

 

[JessicaKnits]

Yesterday, the January 2012 hours were posted, much to my happiness . I'm thinking that they may be revised slightly, if only to add more Fantasmics (currently, none are scheduled until 1/27 ...not that we were planning on seeing Fantasmic anyways...)

At this point, we are now just waiting for JetBlue to extend their schedule past 1/3, and then we will be in real planning business! [pause to check JetBlue site...nope..]

The Phineas and Ferb fans among us will appreciate the following story:

So last night, Wingnut and I were talking about things that are entirely random. (I pinky swear that this exact conversation took place, and that Wingnut definitely does not watch P&F with me )

Wingnut: "...the little plastic bits at the end of your shoelaces."
Stringbean: "Oh! Aglets!"
W: "Please don't tell me you seriously know the name of those"
SB: "A-G-L-E-T, they're called aglets"
W: "Why do you know this?"
SB: "On Phineas and Ferb they did an episode about how the aglet is one of the world's most useful, yet under-appreciated inventions. They did a benefit concert to raise awareness of the aglet. A-G-L-E-T, don't forget it!"
W: [sighs]
SB: "We're gonna tie the world together!"
W: [buries his head under his pillow]

So, I swear on my Disney Vacation I checked for park hours last night on Disneyworld.com and they were most definitely not there! I am off to stalk them now!