A Whole New (Disney) World - January 2017 *Update 2/14 - COMPLETE - Link to Trip Report Added! *

[cosmicmommy]

Hi, I am Ginger and I'm a 32 year old single mom to three boys who will still be "Disney children" for our January 2017 trip. I would like to say I have been planning this trip since this January, but truth be told, I have been planning this trip from the moment I left Disney World in 1998, just before my Freshman year of high school. I have been throwing around ideas of a dream trip since 2008 when my oldest son was born and the desire to make the venture grew with the birth of each of my kids. Sadly, all my plans of grandeur and a "great big, beautiful tomorrow" trip crashed and burned with my divorce in January 2013. I suddenly found myself raising three kids on a stay-at-home-mom salary and we moved in with my parents. We were making it and swimming above water, but there was no room for extras - with a 9 month old, 2 year old and 4 year old, Disney would have to go to the back burner for an undetermined amount of time. Flash forward to three years later - my boys are old enough that two are in school and the youngest is potty-trained, so I am able to return to work and start dreaming of Disney again. Then I started to crunch numbers and realized that my dream could be a reality. I could now afford to take my boys to Disney and thus the planning began in earnest.

I am an over-planner by design. I make outlines of plans, then rough drafts of plans - then I revise the rough draft and then I completely switch things up and add in things I had never even considered prior. Then I continue to revise until the day of whatever I have been planning - and then I make changes on the fly if I find a better option. When I say that I plan, I mean that I jot down every imaginable detail that could possibly pertain to any aspect of the trip. I am the definition of an uber-planner. I am that crazy person who has Christmas presents purchased in June and Halloween costumes bought for NEXT year on November 10th. I have always been this way and have found it serves me well. My friends joke that I missed my calling in life as a travel agent and/or a teacher. I currently have a 20-page document for this trip that outlines every penny I may need to complete my touring plan and it is in its fourth incarnation at the moment. This will be the last edition of the touring plan, though it will likely still see many revisions before implementation. I am also braving a trip of me and the three - one adult with three rambunctious little boys, so it's going to be a strategically planned trip that is likely going to be executed seat-of-our-pants style.

 

[cosmicmommy]

Pre-Trip Report Index

Onward to the Trippers

Big Changes

It's Time To "Pour Some Concrete"

Hoping to Avoid Truancy Court

Let's Totally Rethink This... AGAIN

Can You Keep a Secret?!?

The Only Thing Constant is Change

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas... Not Really

It's Finally Real...

I'm Losing My Mind

Finally... Something Concrete...

Oh Crap...

 

[cosmicmommy]

Onward to the 'Trippers'! ​

This time around, it is going to be myself (32), Orion (8), Apollo (6) and Phoenix (4) who will be visiting the World. This is their first time ever and my first time in 18 years!! Just this year, we have traveled from the Gulf Coast to Chattanooga on one trip and then Nashville on the other and we were able to conquer the roads without losing our (my) sanity, so I now have confidence in my ability to drive us from Alabama to Orlando without losing my grip on reality. I have known for a while now that there is no point in setting off for the most "Magical Place on Earth' if the kids are going to turn me into Grumpy before we can make it there. And now that we have done two trips with multiple hotel nights with just the four of us, I know we got this.

ME:

I have been a Disney-lover from the start. My earliest Disney-theater memory is Oliver and Company and I can still picture Dodger jumping up on the cars with sausages. I grew up during the Disney Renaissance and can STILL recite The Lion King start-to-finish word-for-word. My 4th grade yearbook photo was taken with a Mickey phone. My cousin and I used to belt out Disney duets to the point of annoyance and I used to go to bed every night to a Disney soundtrack CD. My favorite video game growing up was The Lion King on Sega Genesis, even though I could only play it at my cousin's house. My 6th grade band concert featured 'Colors of the Wind' and Lilo & Stitch came out the year after I visited Hawaii on a Senior trip with school. In college, I even took a class called 'Dissecting Disney' which delved deeper into the history of each film. We watched one daily and my final paper was on Disney Economics. I have been to Disney 3 times - Thanksgiving 1993, Summer 1994 and Summer 1998. The first two trips were off-property and during the era of Ninja Turtles at Disney Parks, walk-on Thanksgiving crowds and when there were only three parks. My favorite Magic Kingdom rides were Space Mountain and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, but apparently we kids were too old to be interested much in Fantasyland because we never rode Dumbo, Snow White, Peter Pan, Tea Cups or Mr. Toad. I guess we just skipped Fantasyland all together, though I don't remember why. Even in later trips, we never did Fantasyland, but I distinctly remember Carousel of Progress, TTA, the 3 Mountains, the Sky Buckets and the Aladdin. Oh boy did I waste a whole disposable camera on that Aladdin parade (and Ninja Turtles). We did Epcot and I remember the World Showcase because we did passports and that was my favorite part, but I also remember Body Wars, World of Motion, Imagination and The Seas. The park I remember best from our earliest trips is MGM and it sticks with me to this day - Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground, Beauty and the Beast Stage Show, Star Tours, Indiana Jones, Great Movie Ride and Backlot Tour were my favorites. Our 1998 trip, I was much older and remember much more. At the time, I was 14, going on 15 and while we went to Magic Kingdom, we largely skipped over Fantasyland. We did Splash and Space and Big Thunder and then did them again and again, then we did Tom Sawyer Island, Haunted Mansion 5 times, Hall of Presidents, AstroOrbiter and Enchanted Tiki Room. The rest we either skipped or have blurred out of memory. So yes, I am a 3-time Disney veteran and I have NEVER done the Fantasyland classics so I will be experiencing them for the first time with my kids. Animal Kingdom sticks out the most for me on this trip – maybe because it was new, maybe because I am an animal lover. We did everything that was there – which was even before the Kali River Rapids were opened and there was still a parade. Dinosaur was Countdown to Extinction and we spent a LOT of time at Rafiki’s because there wasn’t much else to do once we’d ridden the safari twice. It was truly a half day park then and by 2 PM, my cousin and I hopped over to MGM (ALONE!) and rode Tower of Terror 27 times… yes, 27, literally. We counted. Our parents never let us forget it either. We had dedicated a full day to MGM already and had ridden TOT twice that day, along with all the favorites including doing Star Tours twice. I remember most eating at Sci-Fi and 50s Prime Time and was shocked because we NEVER ate in the parks and suddenly we ate there TWICE. There was no Rock N Rollercoaster, no Fantasmic and definitely no Disney Junior or Toy Story presence or if there was, we didn’t pay it any attention. There was also no hat, LOL. We did Epcot, but all I remember is the Gran Fiesta Boat Tour, Maelstrom and Spaceship Earth. I was a moody teenager and I was probably convinced I didn’t want to be there. My favorite though was Innoventions with the green screen technology and I spent hours there. I do remember doing Living with the Land and thinking it was an expansive pavilion, but there was no Soarin’ back then and we did Ellen’s Energy Adventure that time – I remember being thankful for the A/C because we went in August. I also remember enjoying Illuminations (but surprisingly, I don’t remember there being fireworks in Magic Kingdom). This was also our first experience with a Disney resort – we stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort in Aruba and I remember watching the Disney TV in the room and it was looped to where every 20 minutes, it played the music video for ‘True To Your Heart’ by 98 Degrees from Mulan. That trip decided my Disney future for eternity – never again will I do Disney without staying in a resort. Enough about me though, let's focus on the stars of this trip...

Orion:

Orion's favorite Disney movie is The Incredibles and he also loves The Lion King, Aladdin, Frozen and Brave. He has a soft spot for Rapunzel though and he watches Tangled any time it is on, even if he won't list it in his top favorites. He's 7.5 now (will be 8 for the trip), but he looks 12 and acts 30. He is very protective of his brothers, especially his youngest brother and oftentimes takes on a 'Daddy' role to him, always holding his hand to cross the street, helping him get dressed, playing with him, etc. He and his middle brother get along well enough, but they are polar opposites. He reads on a 4th grade level and will be starting 2nd grade this fall and he has never met a Lego set he couldn't finish (to be fair, he's only attempted 500 pieces or less.) He loves to"invent" and re-engineer things (his room is like a giant hazard zone and I should seriously just paint a warning sign on the wall because he's always "inventing" in there). If something involves science, he is right there. He also loves animals. His intense love of animals is a BIG reason we are including Animal Kingdom (far from the only reason, but what made it a definite) and he can't read enough about the different animals, including all types of dinosaurs. We are including the Incredibles Dance Party, Wildlife Express Train, and Boneyard for him.

Apollo:

Apollo is my special needs child. He is suspected to be on the autism spectrum and definitely has sensory processing disorder, so we are dancing around his eccentricities during this trip. He HATES sudden, loud noises and he doesn't do well with strangers, and especially doesn't do well with strangers touching him which makes it hard for him to stand in lines for more than 5 or so minutes. We will have some challenges with him, but plan on getting him a DAS pass and also a stroller to be used a wheelchair for when the DAS return isn't necessary to give him someplace to hide from the strangers. He is brilliant but often refuses to show his intelligence and tries to act ignorant, even though he taught himself how to add when he was 3, then turned around and taught his older brother. Though his reactions to stimuli can be volatile (sensory meltdowns), he does seem to enjoy thrill rides and I have yet to put him on a ride that he didn't finish. With some accommodations, even the potential triggers like darkness and sudden loudness can be handled. He loves PJ Masks, The Lion Guard, Monsters, Inc and Toy Story. We are doing Laugh Factory, Tomorrowland Transit Authority and Buzz LightYear Space Ranger Spin with him in mind and plan to eat during all fireworks shows if possible to avoid them. He will likely beg to ride Space Mountain multiple times.

PHOENIX:

Phoenix is my little troublemaker. He is a quintessential "baby brother" and tries to get away with all kinds of craziness. He is the only child of mine that has thus far avoided stitches, but I fear he is saving something extra-special for his first time. (We already had an ambulance ride with Apollo for 19 stitches, s I rue the day Phoenix goes for broke and gets his stitches). He is a very loving child, but he is sassy to the max and is not afraid to speak his mind. This is my child that blurts out whatever crosses his mind before he thinks about it. This child has caused lots of embarrassment already and has told more than one person, "Watch it" during grocery store near-collisions. He is absolutely fearless on his own terms - he has ridden a ceiling fan! But he can be a real crybaby if he convinces himself he's scared of something and will demand that he does not want to do it - until he does it and loves it. He is very enigmatic and there is never a dull moment with him. His favorites are PJ Masks, Mickey Mouse, Stitch and Lion Guard, but he also loves Olaf. We are doing Ohana breakfast, Frozen Ever After and Garden Grill dinner with him in mind.

 

[cosmicmommy]

Big Changes
​

Annnnnnd - we made changes and not just little swap-a-roos like I expected. We are now going an entire week later! Not my favorite option, but the crowds should actually be a little lower or at least the same. We're leaving on the 28th, so hoping to miss all the Pro-Bowl "fun." This was the only way I could feasibly add in Hollywood Studios, even if we're still only doing half a day, that's better than none at all.

Here's my tentative plan:
Arrival: Day 1 (Jan 23 - Mon)
Hollywood Studios - Arrive about 11 AM and stay until close (7 PM)
FastPasses: Toy Story Midway Mania, Tower of Terror and Star Tours
Other Attractions: MuppetVision 3D
Shows: Jedi Training Academy, For the First Time in Forever, Disney Junior Live On Stage, Fantasmic!
Food: Hollywood & Vine Lunch with Disney Junior Pals, Backlot Express for Dinner (and I get my Chicken/Waffles and Star Wars cupcake! Yay!)
Meet and Greets: Olaf, Launch Bay
Day 2 (Jan 24 - Tues)
Magic Kingdom - Arrive for Open Show (9 AM) and stay until close (8 PM)
FastPasses: Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion
Other Attractions: Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, Enchanted Tiki Room, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Walt Disney World Railroad, Dumbo
Shows/Parades: Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Tutorial, Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire, Festival of Fantasy Parade
Food: Breakfast at Sleepy Hollow, Late Lunch at Casey's Corner (Watch FoF), Dinner at Art of Animation Food Court
Meet and Greets: Agrabah Character Experience, Toy Story Friends at Frontierland, Pete's Silly Sideshow (Both Sides)
Day 3 (Jan 25 - Wed)
Animal Kingdom - PPO Breakfast, stay until 6 PM (Schedule says 5 PM, but thinking they'll extend for nighttime stuff, but we're only staying til 6); Campfire Sing a Long at Fort Wilderness
FastPasses: Festival of the Lion King, Expedition Everest, Finding Nemo: The Musical
Other Attractions: Kilimanjaro Safari, Wildlife Express/Conservation Station, Gorilla Falls Trails, Maharajah Jungle Trek, It's Tough To Be A Bug, The Boneyard, TriceraTop Spin, Dinosaur
Shows: Flights of Wonder
Food: Breakfast at Tusker House, Snack at Yak&Yeti Cafe, Early Dinner at Restaurantosaurus, Snack to go at Flame Tree BBQ (Take to Campfire)
Meet and Greets: Rafiki, Flik,Tarzan, Dug and Russel, Chip & Dale
Day 4 (Jan 26 - Thurs)
Magic Kingdom - PPO Breakfast and stay until close (8 PM)
FastPasses: Enchanted Tales with Belle, Peter Pan's Flight, Buzz LightYear's Space Ranger Spin
Other Attractions: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Under the Sea, it's A Small World, Mickey's PhilHarMagic, Mad Tea Party, Space Mountain, Carousel of Progress, Monsters, Inc Laugh Floor, Stitch's Great Escape, Tomorrowland Transit Authority, Astro Orbiter, Incredibles Dance Party
Shows: Wishes
Food: Breakfast at Be Our Guest, Snack at Aloha Isle, Snack at Lunching Pad, Dinner at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe
Meet and Greets: Ariel, Rapunzel (And Visiting Princess), Buzz Lightyear
Day 5 (Jan 27 - Fri)
Epcot - PPO Breakfast and stay until close (9 PM)
FastPasses: Test Track, Mission: Space, Spaceship Earth
Other Attractions: Frozen Ever After, Agent P's World Showcase Adventure, KidCot Stations, Club Cool, Journey Into Imagination with Figment, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Turtle Talk with Crush, Coral Reefs, Soarin' Around the World
Shows: Matsuriza
Food: Breakfast at Akershus, Snack at Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe, Snack at Refreshment Port, Dinner at Garden Grill
Meet and Greets: Mulan, Baymax, Joy/Sadness
Departure: Day 6 (Jan 28 - Sat)
Disney Springs - 10 AM - 2 PM
FastPasses: None
Other Attractions: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Silhouettes, Once Upon A Toy, PhotoPass Studios
Shows: None
Food: Breakfast at Ohana, Lunch at Cooke's of Dublin, Snacks to Go at Goofy's Candy Company
Meet an Greets: None

 

[mdsouth]

Hi, I am Ginger and I'm a 32 year old single mom to three boys who will still be "Disney children" for our January 2017 trip. I would like to say I have been planning this trip since this January, but truth be told, I have been planning this trip from the moment I left Disney World in 1998, just before my Freshman year of high school. I have been throwing around ideas of a dream trip since 2008 when my oldest son was born and the desire to make the venture grew with the birth of each of my kids. Sadly, all my plans of grandeur and a "great big, beautiful tomorrow" trip crashed and burned with my divorce in January 2013. I suddenly found myself raising three kids on a stay-at-home-mom salary and we moved in with my parents. We were making it and swimming above water, but there was no room for extras - with a 9 month old, 2 year old and 4 year old, Disney would have to go to the back burner for an undetermined amount of time. Flash forward to three years later - my boys are old enough that two are in school and the youngest is potty-trained, so I am able to return to work and start dreaming of Disney again. Then I started to crunch numbers and realized that my dream could be a reality. I could now afford to take my boys to Disney and thus the planning began in earnest.

I am an over-planner by design. I make outlines of plans, then rough drafts of plans - then I revise the rough draft and then I completely switch things up and add in things I had never even considered prior. Then I continue to revise until the day of whatever I have been planning - and then I make changes on the fly if I find a better option. When I say that I plan, I mean that I jot down every imaginable detail that could possibly pertain to any aspect of the trip. I am the definition of an uber-planner. I am that crazy person who has Christmas presents purchased in June and Halloween costumes bought for NEXT year on November 10th. I have always been this way and have found it serves me well. My friends joke that I missed my calling in life as a travel agent and/or a teacher. I currently have a 20-page document for this trip that outlines every penny I may need to complete my touring plan and it is in its fourth incarnation at the moment. This will be the last edition of the touring plan, though it will likely still see many revisions before implementation. I am also braving a trip of me and the three - one adult with three rambunctious little boys, so it's going to be a strategically planned trip that is likely going to be executed seat-of-our-pants style.

Hi!

It is great that you get to finally go back to WDW!!!!
It will be great to share it with your three boys. They look like child models! The photos of them are fantastic!


I am a uber planner just like you. And it has been awhile since I have been to WDW, but only 3 years since my last one. My first trip was with my parents when I was 13, and then I have been once with my hubby before kids, and three times with my kids. The last trip was in 2014 when my son's high school band marched in the Magic Kingdom, so I was able to convince my hubby that we needed a family trip. My son will be 20 this weekend. He has a mild form of autism called, Asperger's Syndrome. So, I definitely know about dealing with sensory issues, especially, loud noises, smells and crowds. My daughter is 13 and does not do well in heat. So, I am looking at January or June 2017.

Unfortunately, I do not have a lot of choices of the actual times we can go since I am a teacher (eighth grade) and my son is in college. This trip will just be me and the kids since my hubby does not care for Disney. But, I am obsessed with it and just feel the need.

I am constantly planning my next trip in my mind and am on the Dis and Disney sites a lot planning out fantasy trips. I am tentatively planning for 2017 but I might not realistically go until 2018.

So, I just wanted to share that I am here to listen and share ideas with you.

 

[cosmicmommy]

Hi!

It is great that you get to finally go back to WDW!!!!
It will be great to share it with your three boys. They look like child models! The photos of them are fantastic!


I am a uber planner just like you. And it has been awhile since I have been to WDW, but only 3 years since my last one. My first trip was with my parents when I was 13, and then I have been once with my hubby before kids, and three times with my kids. The last trip was in 2014 when my son's high school band marched in the Magic Kingdom, so I was able to convince my hubby that we needed a family trip. My son will be 20 this weekend. He has a mild form of autism called, Asperger's Syndrome. So, I definitely know about dealing with sensory issues, especially, loud noises, smells and crowds. My daughter is 13 and does not do well in heat. So, I am looking at January or June 2017.

Unfortunately, I do not have a lot of choices of the actual times we can go since I am a teacher (eighth grade) and my son is in college. This trip will just be me and the kids since my hubby does not care for Disney. But, I am obsessed with it and just feel the need.

I am constantly planning my next trip in my mind and am on the Dis and Disney sites a lot planning out fantasy trips. I am tentatively planning for 2017 but I might not realistically go until 2018.

So, I just wanted to share that I am here to listen and share ideas with you.

Thank you! Apollo likely has Asperger's too, but they refuse to diagnose him as such. They would rather diagnose him as ADHD Inattentive which I find to be ludicrous. I am around him all the time and I am an educated woman - I know Asperger's when I see it and I have been pushing for a diagnosis since he was two. Diagnosis or not though, I know how to handle him.

Thank you about the photos. Those were taken when we visited my ex-husband's family in Tennessee. Here's another one:

I know it is generally frowned upon for parents to pull their kids out of school for vacation, but this is the only time I can take off work to go. My older two will the only ones in school, but Orion will be in 2nd grade and is on a 4th grade level across the board now except in math and he is on-level in math. Apollo is probably about the same level as Orion except their math and reading skills are swapped. Apollo can read and enjoys reading Orion's books behind him, but doesn't have as broad a grasp of language. However, the kid taught himself how to add when he was 3. I figure they can afford to miss a week, especially since I am going to have them keep a journal and do their homework on the way down/back.

I make ADRs next week, so that's when I'll likely be updating next.

 

[cosmicmommy]

Hi!

It is great that you get to finally go back to WDW!!!!
It will be great to share it with your three boys. They look like child models! The photos of them are fantastic!


I am a uber planner just like you. And it has been awhile since I have been to WDW, but only 3 years since my last one. My first trip was with my parents when I was 13, and then I have been once with my hubby before kids, and three times with my kids. The last trip was in 2014 when my son's high school band marched in the Magic Kingdom, so I was able to convince my hubby that we needed a family trip. My son will be 20 this weekend. He has a mild form of autism called, Asperger's Syndrome. So, I definitely know about dealing with sensory issues, especially, loud noises, smells and crowds. My daughter is 13 and does not do well in heat. So, I am looking at January or June 2017.

Unfortunately, I do not have a lot of choices of the actual times we can go since I am a teacher (eighth grade) and my son is in college. This trip will just be me and the kids since my hubby does not care for Disney. But, I am obsessed with it and just feel the need.

I am constantly planning my next trip in my mind and am on the Dis and Disney sites a lot planning out fantasy trips. I am tentatively planning for 2017 but I might not realistically go until 2018.

So, I just wanted to share that I am here to listen and share ideas with you.

I also noticed from your signature that we will likely be in Disney at the same time in 2021! This trip is going to be a more condensed version, although it has quickly grown into a full-blown huge trip in itself. This trip started out as a 3 night, 3 day trip with no meal plan and is now a 5 night, 6 day trip with a meal planner and memory maker. But I keep telling myself - you only have ONE first trip, so since it's all of my boys' first trip, may as well make it big.

 

[fallonkendra]

I'm following along! You have a beautiful family, your boys must be so excited about going to Disney!

Good luck on your ADR day!

 

[cosmicmommy]

I'm following along! You have a beautiful family, your boys must be so excited about going to Disney!

Good luck on your ADR day!

Thanks - it's tomorrow! Ugh... early bedtime for this momma tonight because I have 6 reservations to make. I don't know why I like to torture myself like this...

Anyway - I know they'll be excited, but shhhhhh, they don't know yet! They're going to unwrap new suitcases and inside are going to be their shirts and under those a mini-stocking with either their MagicBand (if it arrives on time which I doubt) or a paper ticket inside... and we are leaving 3 weeks after Christmas to go. It has been SO hard keeping mum on it because I am so excited.

 

[cosmicmommy]

Tomorrow is ADR day! Eep! I know I am beyond ready for this, but I still feel so unprepared! I did some last minute switching around a couple weeks ago and we are now going to all 4 parks at some point or another, so I have had to swap around my ADR choices. Nothing like waiting until the "last minute" but still being 6 months out! Here is what I am going for:

Arrival Day/Hollywood Studios - Lunch at Play & Dine at Hollywood & Vine (12:30ish)
MK Day 1 (Frontierland/Liberty Square/Adventureland) - NONE!
AK - Tusker House Breakfast (PPO)
MK Day 2 (Fantasyland/Tomorrowland) - Be Our Guest Breakfast (PPO)
Epcot - Akershus Breakfast (PPO), Garden Grill Dinner (Latest possible to avoid Illuminations)
Departure/Disney Springs - Ohana Breakfast, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (Knights Package x 3)

 

[cosmicmommy]

It's Time To "Pour Some Concrete"​

In other words, I've made some concrete plans. It's ADR day! And I got *most* of what I wanted. However, I was goofing around checking and the window was already open 15 minutes before 7 EST... which I found odd and may explain why two of my reservations are at 8:20 versus 8 AM. I went for Akershus first, even though it's on our last day in parks, then worked my way back for most popular and impotance.

1/23 - Arrival - 12:30 PM Lunch at Hollywood & Vine (Disney Jr Lunch)
1/24 - All QS at MK/Resort
1/25 - 8:20 AM Breakfast at Tusker House
1/26 - 8:05 AM Breakfast at Be Our Guest
1/27 - 8:20 AM Breakfast at Akershus/ 8:20 PM Dinner at Garden Grill
1/28 - 8:00 AM Breakfast at Ohana

Hopefully we can get checked in early on the two 8:20 days or maybe someone will release a reservation for closer to 8 AM. If necessary I can give up my Test Track FastPass to go ahead and FP Frozen Ever After. Or I may check into Frozen Ever After on the way to Royal Sommerhaus, then come back.

And apparently my kids have fried my brain! I was supposed to be up at 5 AM, not 6 AM to do the dang reservations. :-( Oh well... I got mostly what I wanted, but the Akershus just means I will absolutely FP Frozen Ever After because there's no way I can rush 3 kids through a buffet AND meet the princesses in 40 minutes. I will likely FastPass it or utilize my son's DAS pass for it, then hop over to meet the girls first and come back to it. I planned in an hour to kill after Frozen Ever After to allow for some waiting.

EDITED TO ADD: Thanks to a suggestion from another poster, I was able to do some finagling and managed to switch both Akershus and Tusker House to 8 AM reservations! YAY! Kept my 8:05 Be Our Guest because that's fine and it was only a 5 minute difference. Plus, with no characters, we won't take as long there.

 

[cosmicmommy]

.

 

[cosmicmommy]

Dropping back by to say that I got Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique scheduled today too! I have been ON it today, LOL... Wanted 10:15 AM, got 10:30 AM which still puts us getting there at 10:15, so win-win, YAY! All 3 little princes are scheduled for a makeover, then we're gonna jump over to PhotoPass Studios and get portraits done - wheeee!

 

[mdsouth]

WOW! You did great with your ADRs. It certainly must make the trip more of a reality now and so much closer!

 

[mdsouth]

So, you are keeping the trip a secret until around Christmas? And you plan to surprise them with a gift of luggage with items inside? That will certainly make for one fun Christmas!

And it will give the boys plenty of time to get excited about the trip without it being so far away for them. Heck, three weeks will seem like FOREVER to them!

 

[cosmicmommy]

So, you are keeping the trip a secret until around Christmas? And you plan to surprise them with a gift of luggage with items inside? That will certainly make for one fun Christmas!

And it will give the boys plenty of time to get excited about the trip without it being so far away for them. Heck, three weeks will seem like FOREVER to them!

Trust me, I know. My parents/aunt made the mistake of telling us the first time 6 months in advance. They were so sick of us by the time we went. And yes, that is exactly how the surprise is going to go down. They always open my gift last (we live with my parents so they do grandparent gifts and sibling gifts first, then mine). They have old ratty rolling suitcases that they've had forever, so it's time for new luggage anyway - and I had some lovely DISers make some iron ons for t-shirts, so that is what's going to be inside the suitcase and down at the bottom will be mini stockings with a ticket inside that says, "Guess who's going to Disney World!" I got the stockings last year on clearance (90% off) so I guess I made it official over a full year before and now we're in the home stretch of 6 months to go! My *full* itinerary is actually done and now I'm working on saving/downloading journal pages for when we get back and making a rough draft template so I can ask them about their day each evening in the hotel - their favorites and what stuck out the most for them, what they rode, how many times, who they met etc. Meanwhile, I am waiting on school supplies to go on clearance so I can snag rolling backpacks for them and maybe a mini backpack too as their "luggage."

Our countdown is going to be pin related. They are going to draw a pin a day out of a stocking or bucket after they find out and put it on their lanyard (there's 3 of them and we have about 4 weeks, so we'll rotate who gets to put the pin on their lanyard) so that when we leave, they'll have lanyards full of pins, ready to trade.

 

[fallonkendra]

What a great idea to surprise them on Christmas with new luggage! You will have to videotape their reaction and post it on here!

I love the lanyard idea for a countdown too, so cute!

 

[cosmicmommy]

Just checking in! Haven't had much luck finding luggage that I like, but with school starting back this week, I know the "Back to School" section will be clearanced out soon enough and I am hoping to find some wheeled backpacks on the cheap there. I figure these will be big enough for most of the kids' stuff and easier to tote around - plus, if I can find coordinating regular backpacks to go with them, that'd be the perfect luggage set for the little dudes.

I had started piddling around with making name fills because I wanted Ride Name Fills for my scrapbook I plan to make afterwards, but it isn't going as well as I'd hoped. I've made some I am quite happy with, some that are "meh" and some that make me wanna throw my computer out the window because they just aren't working out. I am likely abandoning this project though - too frustrating. I will just use the ride logos. Here's a couple I am happier with:

No major updates outside of those two, except that I ordered the Disney planning DVD to let the kids watch once they know about the trip, but part of me wants to make edited videos of the rides and shows I have planned - except I have zero YouTube skills. Anyone good at that?

 

[cosmicmommy]

Hoping to Avoid Truancy Court​

I sent in the written letter today to the boys' principal, nicely begging for her to excuse the vacation! The good news? She excused a family last year for the exact same thing - a week at Disney. The bad news? It is totally up to her personal discretion. My kids aren't troublemakers and they're both in lower grades (1st and 2nd) and above grade-level, so here's hoping. If she doesn't approve it, we're going anyway - but I will get to pay a visit to truancy court afterwards. They just started school this week, so I am being super proactive here.

And just for funsies - here's some first day of school pictures, just because... and I haven't managed to edit in the information yet, so forgive me.

Apollo's 1st day of 1st Grade:

Orion's 1st day of 2nd Grade:

Both boys:

ETA: She said YES! Our school's principal graciously excused the ENTIRE week! This is a happy momma doing an incredibly horrible happy dance! In response to my nearly page-long letter outlining the basics of the trip and requesting the boys be excused from school (and fully expecting to be told no), the principal agreed to excuse all five days as "Principal's Discretion" which is as good as a doctor's note. Yay! It looks like my uber-over-planning was helpful this time as her main reason for saying yes was, "How could I not when she gave me so much notice and had such good points about the merits of this family vacation." Squeeee!

 

[cosmicmommy]

Let's Totally Rethink This... AGAIN​

So now we deal with the pitfalls of being an uber-planner. I am changing the itinerary - AGAIN. I will likely change it more in the future, especially once the boys know about the trip and can help me decide on our "must do's". Anyway, to the changes. At last update, my travel plans looked like this:

Jan 23 - Arrival/Half Day at DHS
Food: Fantasmic Package Lunch at Hollywood & Vine/Backlot Express
FP: Tower of Terror, Toy Story Midway Mania, Star Tours
RD: N/A

Jan 24 - MK
Food: Casey's Corner Lunch during Festival of Fantasy/Dinner at AoA
FP: Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion
RD: Big Thunder and Splash

Jan 25 - AK
Food: Tusker House Breakfast/ Dinner at Restaurantosaurus
FP: Festival of the Lion King, Expedition Everest, Finding Nemo
RD: Kilimanjaro
Also: Chip & Dale Campfire (Leave at 6)

Jan 26 - MK
Food: BOG Breakfast/ Dinner at Cosmic Ray's
FP: Enchanted Tales with Belle, Peter Pan's Flight, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
RD: 7 Dwarfs Mine Train and Winnie the Pooh

Jan 27 - EP
Food: Akershus Breakfast/ Garden Grill Dinner
FP: Test Track, Mission: Space Green, Spaceship Earth
RD: Frozen Ever After

Jan 28 - Departure/Disney Springs
Food: Ohana Best Friends Breakfast
Also: BBB, Once Upon A Toy, PhotoPass Studios, Goofy's Candy Company

Here is our current schedule. You'll notice nothing has changed (YET!) after January 24, except that the hours for AK have been extended 1 hour to exactly the time I was planning to leave anyway, so that's fine. I realize I probably shouldn't FP the two shows at AK, but they are very important to our family and we will have a DAS pass to virtually wait for the rides if their standbys are long. Plus, we have no interest in Kali, so no worries.

Jan 23 - Arrival/Half Day at MK
Food: Casey's Corner Lunch during Festival of Fantasy/Dinner at AoA
FP: Big Thunder, Splash Mountain, Jungle Cruise
RD: N/A
Note: This is a super early close day for MK, but we should have 7 hours there which should allow us time to complete Frontierland, Adventureland and Liberty Square, especially since we're skipping most of Liberty Square and can drop some things from Adventureland if we run out of time.
Must Do List: Big Thunder, Splash Mountain, Meet Woody/Jessie, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Tutorial, Haunted Mansion, Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire
Would Like To Do List: Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Meet Aladdin/Jasmine, Enchanted Tiki Room
Will Do If Time: Hall of Presidents, Liberty Square Riverboat
Skipping: Tom Sawyer's Island, Swiss Family Treehouse

Jan 24 - DHS
Food: Fantasmic Lunch Package at Hollywood & Vin/ Dinner at Backlot Express
FP: Tower of Terror, Toy Story Midway Mania, Star Tours
RD: Jedi Training Academy Signup (This is the whole reason I am swapping days around)
Note: I really want to do RnR, but don't have another adult to wait with the little. If I can find a way, we'll work it in. Will they let my 8 year old stand with my 4 year old while I ride with my 7 year old? Where would he stand? By a CM?
Must Do List: Tower of Terror, Star Wars Launch Bay, Disney Jr Live on Stage, Toy Story Midway Mania, MuppetVision 3D, Jedi Training Academy, Star Tours, Frozen Sing A Long, Meet Olaf, Fantasmic!
Would Like To Do List: Beauty and the Beast Live, Voyage of the Little Mermaid
Will Do If Time: Rock N Rollercoaster, Meet Woody and Buzz at Pixar Place
Skipping: Other Meet and Greets


Jan 25 - AK
Food: Tusker House Breakfast/ Dinner at Restaurantosaurus
FP: Festival of the Lion King, Expedition Everest, Finding Nemo
RD: Kilimanjaro
Note: Leave for Chip & Dale Campfire at 6.
Must Do List: Kilimanjaro Safari, Festival of the Lion King, Flights of Wonder, Expedition Everest, It's Tough to Be a Bug, Finding Nemo: The Musical, Dinosaur, The Boneyard, Maharajah Jungle Trek, Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
Would Like To Do List: TriceraTop Spin, Meet Flik, Tarzan and Dug/Russell, Wildlife Express/Rafiki's Planet Watch (Meet Rafiki)
Will Do If Time: Street Performers
Skipping: PrimEval Whirl, Kali River Rapids

Jan 26 - MK
Food: BOG Breakfast/ Dinner at Cosmic Ray's
FP: Enchanted Tales with Belle, Peter Pan's Flight, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
RD: 7 Dwarfs Mine Train and Winnie the Pooh
Note: Debating FastPass choice here. Belle is important, but so is meeting Rapunzel.
Must Do List: 7 Dwarfs Mine Train, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Ariel's Grotto, Under the Sea, Small World, Peter Pan's Flight, Princess Fairytale Hall (Rapunzel's Side), Mad Tea Party, Mickey's PhilHarMagic, Dumbo, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear's SPace Ranger Spin, Meet Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrowland, Incredibles Dance Party, Monsters Inc, Laugh Floor
Would Like To Do List: Tomorrowland Transit Authority, Pete's Silly Sideshow, Carousel of Progress, Astro Orbiter
Will Do If Time: Shake It, Move It Dance Party, Barnstormer, Prince Regal Carrousel
Skipping: Stitch's Great Escape, Princess Fairytale Hall (Snow White/Cinderella), Wishes (Sensory baby hates fireworks)

Jan 27 - EP
Food: Akershus Breakfast/ Garden Grill Dinner
FP: Test Track, Mission: Space Green, Spaceship Earth
RD: Frozen Ever After
Note: We will hit the KidCot in every country, regardless of where Agent P takes us, we just won't be spending a long time there.
Must Do List: Agent P's World Showcase Adventure (At least 2 missions), Frozen Ever After, Royal Sommerhaus, Soarin, Spaceship Earth, Mission: Space, Meet Baymax, Meet Joy/Sadness, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Turtle Talk with Crush
Would Like To Do List: Journey Into Imagination, Coral Reefs
Will Do If Time: Additional Agent P Missions, Innoventions (Since little is left at this point), Living With Land, Gran Fiesta Boat Tour
Skipping: Illuminations (Sensory baby hates fireworks)

Jan 28 - Departure/Disney Springs
Food: Ohana Best Friends Breakfast
Also: BBB, Once Upon A Toy, PhotoPass Studios, Goofy's Candy Company

ETA: THE PRINCIPAL APPROVED THEIR VACATION! THE WHOLE ENTIRE THING IS EXCUSED! YAAAAAY!