A very merry unbirthday to you! It's my unbirthday trip! It's Mom's unbirthday too!

[GenGen22]

Yes Gen, according to the boards here they are heated. Here is the info:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2793105

Thanks! I read up on ASMU but didn't really read up on POP.. I guess I should have...lol

 

[Cin]

I found some wonderful park by park touring plans on easywdw.com and decided we are going to follow a park touring plan and not wing it once we pass the ticket gates, after all. This makes my type A side very very very happy!!! So now, not only do I have which park which day and a few dining reservations but now I have plans for rides and shows and an exact itinerary for us hour by hour to follow, and I feel happier with a more organized plan.

Now the next hurdle is getting Mom to agree to ECV use so we can make some time and actually follow it. She walks but at a s.l.o.w. pace and I was resigned to just touring at her pace, but I think we would both be happier if Mom had more mobility. I have already approached the subject with her twice and both times she shot me down.

I have tried to convey to her the sheer size of WDW and the amount of walking just from our room to the bus stop and more, but she insists her cane and her exercise (she has been out walking) is going to be enough. I am taking the phone number to Apple scooters with us.

I don't know anything about scooters, but the kind folks here on the boards have assured me they are easy to operate and assemble and how much better our touring can be with it.

Now to convince Mom. That is the hard part. I'd really like to have it from the start so she can practice with it and get comfortable with it for a day before we go into crowded parks.

The last time Mom was on motorized wheels (that wasn't a car or truck) was Daddy's motorcycle and she freaked out and wouldn't let go of the throttle and crashed into the fence. I don't want a repeat of that or an ECV in hourglass lake at Pop Century so... I wonder if AAA covers ECV roadside assistance?

Two months from today we'll be in WDW!!!!

 

[GenGen22]

I found some wonderful park by park touring plans on easywdw.com and decided we are going to follow a park touring plan and not wing it once we pass the ticket gates, after all. This makes my type A side very very very happy!!! So now, not only do I have which park which day and a few dining reservations but now I have plans for rides and shows and an exact itinerary for us hour by hour to follow, and I feel happier with a more organized plan.

Now the next hurdle is getting Mom to agree to ECV use so we can make some time and actually follow it. She walks but at a s.l.o.w. pace and I was resigned to just touring at her pace, but I think we would both be happier if Mom had more mobility. I have already approached the subject with her twice and both times she shot me down.

I have tried to convey to her the sheer size of WDW and the amount of walking just from our room to the bus stop and more, but she insists her cane and her exercise (she has been out walking) is going to be enough. I am taking the phone number to Apple scooters with us.

I don't know anything about scooters, but the kind folks here on the boards have assured me they are easy to operate and assemble and how much better our touring can be with it.

Now to convince Mom. That is the hard part. I'd really like to have it from the start so she can practice with it and get comfortable with it for a day before we go into crowded parks.

The last time Mom was on motorized wheels (that wasn't a car or truck) was Daddy's motorcycle and she freaked out and wouldn't let go of the throttle and crashed into the fence. I don't want a repeat of that or an ECV in hourglass lake at Pop Century so... I wonder if AAA covers ECV roadside assistance?

Two months from today we'll be in WDW!!!!

You know I would just tell her that renting an ECV is a popular thing to do at WDW because that is the truth. I have a friend and her & her hushand rented them and they raved about them and said how it made the quality of their trip so much better and face it as we get older our bodies just don't move like they did when we were in our 20's you know? My friends we're both in their early 60's so they weren't old or anything. But they loved them and they didn't have to be in pain from all the walking and were still able to enjoy WDW.

 

[oopsiDAISY]

I found some wonderful park by park touring plans on easywdw.com and decided we are going to follow a park touring plan and not wing it once we pass the ticket gates, after all. This makes my type A side very very very happy!!! So now, not only do I have which park which day and a few dining reservations but now I have plans for rides and shows and an exact itinerary for us hour by hour to follow, and I feel happier with a more organized plan.

Can you tell me where on that web site you found the park by park touring plans? It just looked like a blog to me. I would love to do this, just don't want to pay for the subscription touring plan service...too cheap!


NEVER MIND...FOUND THEM!

 

[Cin]

Oh the best news ever came in an email earlier from my wonderful daughter in law, She is planning on joining us on our arrival night and my son too! Well, my stepson really if you want to be technical, but son in my heart, so from here on out referred to as such.

For our arrival day now I am going to have them meet us at the resort and tour with us and we'll go from there. We'll go over to Downtown Disney for some shopping and touring and then take the boat over to Riverside resort and see Yee Haw Bob. Now this should prove to be quite interesting as my son is quite a character himself and most personable and outgoing. My daughter in law is a perfect match for him and not camera shy either.

We had Raglan Road scheduled and this is getting cancelled so we can see Yee Haw Bob instead. So Weds night as originally scheduled will probably not be Bob's show, unless we decide to see him twice.

I think they will only be with us for the 1 afternoon/evening. I am hoping someday to do a whole week with them at WDW but that is in our future. They have never been in the parks and I would love to take them someday. I am trying to convince DH we need a family vacay to spend 'Christmas 2012' together. Maybe I can find a way to fund that next winter given I have year to do it in. And the hardest part, convincing the hubster as it is a lot of hard earned money and he runs a tight budget. Any ideas? He hesitates with the cost of just two of us and now I am talking about paying for more? I want to take 2 sons and 1 daughter in law.

 

[GenGen22]

Oh the best news ever came in an email earlier from my wonderful daughter in law, She is planning on joining us on our arrival night and my son too! Well, my stepson really if you want to be technical, but son in my heart, so from here on out referred to as such.

For our arrival day now I am going to have them meet us at the resort and tour with us and we'll go from there. We'll go over to Downtown Disney for some shopping and touring and then take the boat over to Riverside resort and see Yee Haw Bob. Now this should prove to be quite interesting as my son is quite a character himself and most personable and outgoing. My daughter in law is a perfect match for him and not camera shy either.

We had Raglan Road scheduled and this is getting cancelled so we can see Yee Haw Bob instead. So Weds night as originally scheduled will probably not be Bob's show, unless we decide to see him twice.

I think they will only be with us for the 1 afternoon/evening. I am hoping someday to do a whole week with them at WDW but that is in our future. They have never been in the parks and I would love to take them someday. I am trying to convince DH we need a family vacay to spend 'Christmas 2012' together. Maybe I can find a way to fund that next winter given I have year to do it in. And the hardest part, convincing the hubster as it is a lot of hard earned money and he runs a tight budget. Any ideas? He hesitates with the cost of just two of us and now I am talking about paying for more? I want to take 2 sons and 1 daughter in law.

That's awesome. I'm sure you will all have a wonderful time As far as saving money to go I would check the budget board. They have a lot of ideas. You could recycle and save that money for your trip also, I read somewhere that when someone bought something on sale they would put the savings into the Disney trip fund instead of spending it on something else. They also have some sort of coupon swap just to name a few ideas. I also do most of my shopping for the holidays the day after Thanksgiving (black Friday). I saved $2000 in just 1 day. I save every year and have a xmas budget and take one lump some and spend it on xmas gifts. I only buy on sale. It's a huge money saver. Hope this helps. I love the idea od spending the holidays at Disney. I would like to do it sometime as well.

Who is Yee Haw Bob??

 

[Cin]

That's awesome. I'm sure you will all have a wonderful time As far as saving money to go I would check the budget board. They have a lot of ideas. You could recycle and save that money for your trip also, I read somewhere that when someone bought something on sale they would put the savings into the Disney trip fund instead of spending it on something else. They also have some sort of coupon swap just to name a few ideas. I also do most of my shopping for the holidays the day after Thanksgiving (black Friday). I saved $2000 in just 1 day. I save every year and have a xmas budget and take one lump some and spend it on xmas gifts. I only buy on sale. It's a huge money saver. Hope this helps. I love the idea od spending the holidays at Disney. I would like to do it sometime as well.

Who is Yee Haw Bob??

This is YeeHaw Bob. http://yehaabob.com
And this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCA8uZEWpPg&feature=related

I am going to find a way to save up for the trip and I did sort of mention to DH about going back next year, and his reply was, "Okay but I want to play golf and drive Nascar this time." Great! He's agreed to a return trip, and I told him the driving was around $200 per exotic car and double that for the 8 lap run in the stock car. He also wants to stay at AKL, so I have to fund at least 1 night there.

 

[GenGen22]

This is YeeHaw Bob. http://yehaabob.com
And this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCA8uZEWpPg&feature=related

I am going to find a way to save up for the trip and I did sort of mention to DH about going back next year, and his reply was, "Okay but I want to play golf and drive Nascar this time." Great! He's agreed to a return trip, and I told him the driving was around $200 per exotic car and double that for the 8 lap run in the stock car. He also wants to stay at AKL, so I have to fund at least 1 night there.

I heard about that Nascar experience. My bf loves Nascar he's a huge Jeff Gordon fan. We have been to the Sonoma track and I took him to the Fontana track in So. CA for his valentines present. We want to go to of course The Daytona track and the Vegas track... & if we go to the Daytona track we would definately have to go to the Nascar experience you spoke of. They also have a Nascar Sports Grill restaurant in Universal City walk that I want to take him to as well. I'm gonna look at this Yee Haw Bob that you spoke of. Thanks for the info.

 

[Cin]

I heard about that Nascar experience. My bf loves Nascar he's a huge Jeff Gordon fan. We have been to the Sonoma track and I took him to the Fontana track in So. CA for his valentines present. We want to go to of course The Daytona track and the Vegas track... & if we go to the Daytona track we would definately have to go to the Nascar experience you spoke of. They also have a Nascar Sports Grill restaurant in Universal City walk that I want to take him to as well. I'm gonna look at this Yee Haw Bob that you spoke of. Thanks for the info.

Another #24 fan! That's my hubs' favorite too. Funny you mention the Daytona track as I was looking at the schedule yesterday trying to figure out how to plan a Disney trip and catch the race too. It won't be this year because I am going with Mom in Jan. but you can betcha that the next year, I will have him at the race and get my WDW vacay too. It also works out well that it happens to be our anniversary in Feb. So it's looking like I'll be planning my next trip to WDW for Feb 2013. LOL, so this pre trip report is starting to turn into a pre pre trip report. It's never too early to start planning, right? And in coming up Feb. 2012, I have a son graduating college, really want to take him on a Mom-Son trip, so I somehow have to get that one in there too... I feel I owe him one, sort of. I promised him his junior year of high school that we'd take him to Disneyworld for his graduation present. Well, senior year came and things were looking bleak but I was determined to find a way to fund his trip and keep my promise, and then my prayers were answered. The band announced the plans for the Spring band trip, for the first time ever, the band was going to WDW and going to be performing in the parade too! And it was affordable. I paid less than $400 for his entire trip and that included the charter bus, 5 nights hotel room at Holiday Inn Maingate, park tickets, and meal vouchers from WDW. So now I would like to take him and do it the way I wanted to then. Money isn't an issue now, but convincing DH that this is the best use of it is. But that is yet another pre pre trip report.

 

[Cin]

Hmmm. I'm puzzled.

I got a two letters a couple weeks back stating there had been changes with my travel plans and flight changes. I was a bit annoyed as this wasn't the first time and I had already straightened out the mess the airline created the last time only a couple of weeks priour.

So today I finally get around to seeing what they have done now and go to the website typing in my reservation #'s. First mine. Hmmm no changes there, okay so they must have rescheduled Mom's flight. A few clicks later, and hmmm... no changes there either. Did I miss something? So I checked again, nope, no changes. Now I'm puzzled. Why did I get that mail from WDW Travel Co? Not one letter, but two.

So Yay for nothing changed after all, but now I don't feel like we are all on the same page and I sure don't want to show up at the airport and not have a seat on the desired flight.

 

[Cin]

One more month!!!! We leave in January. Mom is really getting excited about our trip. She cracks me up with questions I would expect from a kid, but not my Mom! So again yesterday she asked me if we were going to stay and watch the evening parade and fireworks at MK. She asks me that every time. And I always answer yes. This is soooo cool! I say that because my DH didn't want to stay and watch the parades and he didn't want to fight the crowds to see the fireworks either and Mom is the total opposite. Yay MOM!!!! I have the coolest mom ever. She loves Disney too.

So once again I ask Mom how her walking and endurance is going and she's like huh? What? Your walking Mom, how are you doing on your daily walks?
Oh those, she says, I haven't been going. But Mom, do you realize how big WDW is and how much walking is involved? And what about the airport, you know how much is there from one concourse to the other... blah blah blah yakity smackity.
Her reply? I have my cane.

DH is taking bets that she gives in and rents one just from walking from the bus stop to the front gate of the park. I'm thinking the airport at Orlando ought to be enough for her as it's a long long walk from our landing gate to the ME station on the first floor. I can't wait to see the signs for Magical Express with the old fashioned Mickey Mouse and the first cast members welcoming us waving "Hello" with the giant Mickey hands! As soon as I see that our trip at WDW is officially started!!! I am glad our arrival day is just hanging out and a little touring DD as Mom will have opportunity to evaluate her stamina and kind of get her toes wet without being thrown right in. Maybe by the end of the evening she will be ready to call Apple Scooters and have one delivered. (I think they are the provider that is located on property).

I should quit stressing over the ECV, but I am a planner after all and a type A, and I cannot stand not having all the details set in place. Even though it isn't my money I still feel responsible somehow for the budget and rental of her ECV. DH says not to worry, just give her the phone number when she asks and he is sure she will.

 

[Colleen27]

Another #24 fan! That's my hubs' favorite too. Funny you mention the Daytona track as I was looking at the schedule yesterday trying to figure out how to plan a Disney trip and catch the race too. It won't be this year because I am going with Mom in Jan. but you can betcha that the next year, I will have him at the race and get my WDW vacay too. It also works out well that it happens to be our anniversary in Feb.

My DH is a big #24 fan too. I used to be more of a NASCAR fan myself but have sort of lost interest over the years... I was an Earnhardt fan and it just isn't the same without him.

Combining Disney and Daytona is a toughie because both races at Daytona are at super-busy times of year for Disney - Presidents Day week for the 500 and 4th of July for the summer race. It would be great the way you're thinking of doing it - adults only! - but since we're still traveling with little ones the crowds have been enough to scare me off the idea for now.

 

[Cin]

My DH is a big #24 fan too. I used to be more of a NASCAR fan myself but have sort of lost interest over the years... I was an Earnhardt fan and it just isn't the same without him.

Combining Disney and Daytona is a toughie because both races at Daytona are at super-busy times of year for Disney - Presidents Day week for the 500 and 4th of July for the summer race. It would be great the way you're thinking of doing it - adults only! - but since we're still traveling with little ones the crowds have been enough to scare me off the idea for now.

Um yeah, the crowds kind of scare me off a little. I can choose Nov/Dec crowds for Osborne lights and Christmas crowds, or I can choose Feb for our anniversary and the race at Daytona. I know DH would prefer the Nascar experience much more. The price kind of scares me off too, as he wants AKL and that is triple the cost per night what we are used to paying when staying in a motel/hotel anywhere else we travel. I couldn't afford it either if there were more than just the two of us. Which is why this is only my 4th trip ever. But I hope to take many many more

 

[Cin]

Aaaack! I just realized that after planning all these wonderful meals and fun experiences for our upcoming trip, that even though I "know" where these restaurants are, I really don't know where these restaurants are. Do you know what I mean?

I don't want a repeat of our Coronado Springs disaster where we got off at the first bus stop, not knowing there was more than one. Then we had to walk f.o.r.e.v.e.r to get to the main building and the restaurants. It was September and very hot out and I was hot and DH was hot and Florida was hot. The resort was very beautiful but it was so hot and miserable that I was seeing mirages of desert oasis and palm trees and huge ponds of water, just like Bugs Bunny when he got stranded in the desert. Did I mention it was hot? Oh wait, no that isn't a mirage after all, it is the Casitas and a fountain and the 3 caballeros in shrubbery. I had to stop for a quick pose with and then finally, ~Air Conditioning!~
Okay, so I don't want a repeat of that with Mom.

I just realized that I don't really know exactly where these places are so I had better be checking out the maps and figuring out just how to get from point A to point B and most importantly~ which bus stop I need to get off at. And then how to navigate from the bus stop to the actual restaurant. I was just thinking that by getting off at the main entrance of the resorts and that the restaurant would be off the lobby and check in desk area or very close nearby. But that may or may not be the case and Mom is counting on me to know and save her steps.

So it appears that I am not quite as "travel ready" as I thought and my planning is not yet finished. My original plan was simply to ask the concierge at my resort how to travel from A to B and the timing thereof, but upon further analysis, I am thinking I could save a wait in line and more time by doing the research now and making a plan of travel ahead of time.

 

[DisneyDaze928]

I'm here to follow....we are going are on our way in 10 days....but I don't have any ADR's...ugh...

I'm hoping we can get something...but checking out your plans is inspiring me...

 

[oopsiDAISY]

Wow~ I would not have thought of that either! I need to do the same since we have three resort ADR's this trip as well! Thanks for the idea!!!

 

[Colleen27]

Aaaack! I just realized that after planning all these wonderful meals and fun experiences for our upcoming trip, that even though I "know" where these restaurants are, I really don't know where these restaurants are. Do you know what I mean?

I don't want a repeat of our Coronado Springs disaster where we got off at the first bus stop, not knowing there was more than one. Then we had to walk f.o.r.e.v.e.r to get to the main building and the restaurants. It was September and very hot out and I was hot and DH was hot and Florida was hot. The resort was very beautiful but it was so hot and miserable that I was seeing mirages of desert oasis and palm trees and huge ponds of water, just like Bugs Bunny when he got stranded in the desert. Did I mention it was hot? Oh wait, no that isn't a mirage after all, it is the Casitas and a fountain and the 3 caballeros in shrubbery. I had to stop for a quick pose with and then finally, ~Air Conditioning!~
Okay, so I don't want a repeat of that with Mom.

I just realized that I don't really know exactly where these places are so I had better be checking out the maps and figuring out just how to get from point A to point B and most importantly~ which bus stop I need to get off at.

I totally know what you mean. On our second trip I actually felt lost walking around the Grand Floridian looking for the Grand Floridian Cafe.

Looking over your list there's only a couple where you'll have to remember which stop -

Raglan Road, if you aren't taking the boat. And I can't help you with which stop is closest because we so seldom go to DTD and always get off at the stop by the Christmas shop.

Boatwrights, again if you aren't taking the boat from POFQ. It is the first bus stop/main building. You'll know it when you see it because the other stops there are out in parking areas.

The other resort meals you have planned are at resorts with only one stop -

For Boma, just make sure you get off at Animal Kingdom Lodge, not Kidani Villas, and you'll be fine.

California Grill is easiest from the monorail. Elevator down to the 2nd floor to check in, then the express up to the restaurant on the 15th.

Kona is easiest from the monorail too. It is just to the left as you walk in from the monorail platform at the Poly, and Ohana is just past Kona. I've never taken a bus to the Poly so I'm not sure where the stop is, but you'll want to avoid the boat because that means walking all the way across the resort to get to the restaurant.

The Grand Floridian Tea Room is another where you won't want to take the boat, for the same reason. Bus or monorail over, because those drop off at the main building where the tea room is.

Captain's Grill is on the water side of the Yacht Club building, so the distance from bus and boat is roughly the same. If you take the boat just walk straight into the building from the dock and the restaurant will be just to the right when you enter.

 

[Cin]

I'm here to follow....we are going are on our way in 10 days....but I don't have any ADR's...ugh...

I'm hoping we can get something...but checking out your plans is inspiring me...

Welcome!
It's still not too late to get ADR's, you can check on line for any given date and it will show you all the options available for the date and time you'd like. People do still cancel and rearrange their schedules even up to the last day, so do keep checking. You may also be able to get a walk up table, another Dis'er MickeyNicki (I'm not sure that is the right spelling) did an entire trip and report on a recent trip with her hubby and had no ADR's at all and still got onto nearly every restaurant they chose so there is a chance. I don't think that was in Dec., but still no matter where you get in, I'm sure it will have fun Disney atmosphere because food is just food, at WDW you go more for the atmosphere and the overall experience.

 

[Cin]

I totally know what you mean. On our second trip I actually felt lost walking around the Grand Floridian looking for the Grand Floridian Cafe.

Looking over your list there's only a couple where you'll have to remember which stop -

Raglan Road, if you aren't taking the boat. And I can't help you with which stop is closest because we so seldom go to DTD and always get off at the stop by the Christmas shop.

Boatwrights, again if you aren't taking the boat from POFQ. It is the first bus stop/main building. You'll know it when you see it because the other stops there are out in parking areas.

The other resort meals you have planned are at resorts with only one stop -

For Boma, just make sure you get off at Animal Kingdom Lodge, not Kidani Villas, and you'll be fine.

California Grill is easiest from the monorail. Elevator down to the 2nd floor to check in, then the express up to the restaurant on the 15th.

Kona is easiest from the monorail too. It is just to the left as you walk in from the monorail platform at the Poly, and Ohana is just past Kona. I've never taken a bus to the Poly so I'm not sure where the stop is, but you'll want to avoid the boat because that means walking all the way across the resort to get to the restaurant.

The Grand Floridian Tea Room is another where you won't want to take the boat, for the same reason. Bus or monorail over, because those drop off at the main building where the tea room is.

Captain's Grill is on the water side of the Yacht Club building, so the distance from bus and boat is roughly the same. If you take the boat just walk straight into the building from the dock and the restaurant will be just to the right when you enter.

Thank you for the help!

Boma at AKL was a toughie, as I almost got off at Kidani Village the last time because it was the first stop at AKL. Thank goodness I asked the bus driver, and he was able to let me know which stop I wanted to get off on. I'm still not sure I would recognize the building as it was very dark and pouring down rain the night we were there.

As far as from Pop to DD we will either be taking the bus and getting off near the Christmas store or son and daughter in law will be driving us. We will be dining at Raglan Road and rather than cancel, I'll just add them on to our ADR and then we'll all take the boat over to Riverside to see YeeHaw Bob since he is there all evening so we can still join in even if he has already started his show. On Weds, since we are staying at POFQ, we can either catch the resort bus or walk or take the boat over whatever Mom feels like doing.

We'll be having lunch at WL too, Roaring Forks, it's the counter service place, and I plan on taking the bus from the MK and then afterward we'll return to the MK by boat. That should give us a nice relaxing break from the park. I really think Mom will enjoy the resort since she grew up in the Pacific Northwest and it has that kind of feel to it. I want to get one of those miniature Disney character totem poles like the one in the lobby. Not that it goes with a single thing in my entire house, unless you count other "Disney" stuff, but it's just cute and says "Wilderness Lodge" to me. That is the souvenir I want from this trip.

 

[FosterA]

I finally made my way over to your report

Such great photos of All Star Music. I stayed there one time when I went on my girls weekend to Disney and loved it! I actually thought it was fresher and cleaner and more sparkly than the Poly.

Your trip is right around the corner! Man, I wanted a scooter by day 5 or our trip. Soooooo much walking. I hope you can keep your mom convinced that's the way to go!

keep it up!