All It Takes Is Faith, Trust, Pixie Dust... and planning! First-timers' PTR

[NLD]

Welcome to my pre-trip report! This report will cover the best-laid plans of a family of three going on their first ever WDW family vacation! Sprinkled in the plans there'll be some info about us, a smattering of pictures, and hopefully lots of pixie dust!

Let's get started!



Table of Contents

Prelude

The Basics

The Planning: What's Done, What's Left

Maybe Itinerary?

About Us (with pictures)

In Which I Get an Idea for a Souvenir (with a pic of an Ariel portrait)

Contemplations on Dining

Lens Lust

ADR Frenzy!

Ch-ch-ch-changes! Resort, ADRs

Strategy: A First-Timer's Guide to Planning an Itinerary

In Need of Pixie Dust!

We're Still Going!

 

[NLD]

Prelude

Once upon a time there was a little girl who grew up in sunny Southern California. The little girl went to Disneyland every year.

One day, she and her family moved to the East Coast... all the way to Pennsylvania.... far, far away from that Magical Kingdom of her childhood.

And so the little girl entered adulthood far away from Disney. She graduated high school, then college. Then she got married. Still, her Disney childhood memories stayed in her heart.

And then the girl--now a woman--had a child of her own. From the moment her daughter was born, she started talking to her husband about taking their daughter to Disney World. Her husband wasn't much for pixie dust and castles, but she had faith he'd come around.

And then one day her darling husband uttered the magical words, "Okay. When she's five, we can go to Disney World."

And so the story begins....

 

[NLD]

The Basics

Okay, so now that you know the backstory, here are the basics!

The cast of characters, as you can probably already tell, include me (Hi! My name is Nicole), my husband (Matt), and our daughter (known as Little Miss Sunshine).

Our trip is taking place in September of 2009. Matt and I will have been married nearly 7 years by that point, and Sunshine is already--and will be at the time of our trip--five years old.

We have already booked our package and our flights. We'll be staying at the Wilderness Lodge with free dining.

Now, before I get into our specific dates, I have to explain something about my husband. He's the love of my life and a wonderful man, but he's never been to any Disney park. (Neither, so far, has Sunshine.) He can also be something of a work-a-holic. As a result, he was having heart palpitations at the idea of taking a week-long vacation. Ha!

Meanwhile, having lurked for literally YEARS on the Disboards, I knew I wouldn't be happy with a long-weekend type of trip. And so, after much discussion, we came to a compromise:

Matt will be flying with us to Orlando on September 19th. However, he will leave and fly home on the 23rd. Sunshine and I will stay alone for two more nights, departing on the 25th.

That will give Matt three full days in Disney. Sunshine and I will have five full days. He gets to miss less work, and Sunshine and I get some mommy-daughter time to play longer at Mickey Mouse's House! We're all happy.

 

[NLD]

The Planning: What's Done, What's Left

Here's the timeline of planning activities:

Trip booked: October 2008, through Disney: WL, base park tickets, DDP (UPDATE as of July 2009: resort changed to POR)
Free dining discount applied: April 2009
Flights booked: May 2009, Southwest (GREAT deal! $98 ROUND TRIP each from BWI to MCO)

Started driving myself nuts plotting out possible itineraries: May 2009 (Oh who am I kidding, I was doing this long before May!)

There's plenty left to do, though....

1. Call Disney and adjust our package (We'd originally booked Sept 19-26 with 8-day base tickets. For various reasons, we're obvioulsy now checking out early and adjustments are needed.)

2. Give Disney our flight info for Magical Express.

3. Obsess over the release of September park hours, toss my tentative itinerary out the window, and make a FIRM one!

4. Make our ADRs. Our ADR date: June 21. Thankfully this is a Sunday, so work won't get in the way of making those all-important ADRs! Ha.

5. Pay off the package. We've made payments already, so we're on our way!

Then of course there's the matter of packing and GOING! Woohoo!

 

[mdsouth]

Hi,

Just wanted to encourage you on your Pre-Trip Report.
If you are like me, you have been planning this trip for a long time, having fun with the planning aspect. Now that you have your pre-trip report started, your trip is actually getting to be much more of a reality than just a dream.

I know exactly what you mean about obsessing about the park hours.

These last few months will fly by. I am now down to less than 30 days from my trip.

 

[reyasmommy]

How FUN that you get to spend some alone time with your little girl! I wish my daughter and I could have a little weekend trip together at disney!

Can't wait to hear more.

 

[NLD]

Readers! Hi!

Hi,

Just wanted to encourage you on your Pre-Trip Report.
If you are like me, you have been planning this trip for a long time, having fun with the planning aspect. Now that you have your pre-trip report started, your trip is actually getting to be much more of a reality than just a dream.

I know exactly what you mean about obsessing about the park hours.

These last few months will fly by. I am now down to less than 30 days from my trip.

Hi mdsouth,

30 days.... so close! Is it hard to concentrate on other things? You must be so excited! What are your plans for the trip?

How FUN that you get to spend some alone time with your little girl! I wish my daughter and I could have a little weekend trip together at disney!

Can't wait to hear more.

Hi reyasmommy,

Yes, it should be lots of fun. I suppose I could be sad that dh couldn't be talked into staying the whole week, but you know... instead I'm just choosing to be thrilled about the mommy-daughter time. Hoping to get a CRT reservation for the two of us--she's so excited about maybe eating with the princesses!

How old is your little girl? Is that her name--Reya? It's a pretty name!

 

[reyasmommy]

Readers! Hi!



Hi mdsouth,

30 days.... so close! Is it hard to concentrate on other things? You must be so excited! What are your plans for the trip?



Hi reyasmommy,

Yes, it should be lots of fun. I suppose I could be sad that dh couldn't be talked into staying the whole week, but you know... instead I'm just choosing to be thrilled about the mommy-daughter time. Hoping to get a CRT reservation for the two of us--she's so excited about maybe eating with the princesses!

How old is your little girl? Is that her name--Reya? It's a pretty name!

My DD is just now getting into the princess thing. I LOVE it. We just converted her nursery into a tinkerbell room a few months ago.

She turned 3 on March 25th. And she's going to be a big sister in December.

Yes, her name is Reya. Sometimes I wish I would have spelled it differently because most people mispronouce it. RHEA would have been a better idea. OH WELL.

**Funny as I'm typing this she's tapping me on the shoulder because she wants to dress up in her princess dress.

She's going to have so much fun on our trip next year.

~~ I hope you and your DD have a fabulous time. Take lots and lots of pictures.

 

[NLD]

My DD is just now getting into the princess thing. I LOVE it. We just converted her nursery into a tinkerbell room a few months ago.

She turned 3 on March 25th. And she's going to be a big sister in December.

Yes, her name is Reya. Sometimes I wish I would have spelled it differently because most people mispronouce it. RHEA would have been a better idea. OH WELL.

**Funny as I'm typing this she's tapping me on the shoulder because she wants to dress up in her princess dress.

She's going to have so much fun on our trip next year.

~~ I hope you and your DD have a fabulous time. Take lots and lots of pictures.

Oooh, I bet the nursery is beautiful--love that "Tinkerbell green."

Congrats on the new baby-on-the-way! So exciting!

Sunshine LOVES the princesses and has for a few years. She's cycled through most of them in terms of her "favorite," but Ariel was the most consistent fave. I painted an Ariel portrait for her for her fifth birthday.

Of course now she's getting into Hannah Montana and I know someday soon the Princesses will all be left behind... she's growing up too fast! (Sigh.)

 

[NLD]

Maybe Itinerary?

June 3rd. Official park hours for September are still not posted on WDW's site.

But... hours were posted on the travel agents site. Assuming those hours are correct--I think I've worked out our itinerary!


Sat 9/19: arrive MCO 4:15 PM; check in to WL; MK for Spectro & Wishes
Sun 9/20: AK morning, MK EMH night
Mon 9/21: Epcot morning, open night (possibly DHS EMH)
Tues 9/22: DHS morning, Epcot night
Wed 9/23: open morning, open night (Note: Matt flying home this day)
Thurs 9/24: MK EMH morning, open night
Fri 9/25: depart 8:30 AM on Magical Express, go home


That should work. Matt will get to experience all four parks before he leaves. It's not much scheduled MK time, but Sunshine and I can fill up the last two days with more MK--or whatever else she wants!

 

[crocko]

Sat 9/19: arrive MCO 4:15 PM; check in to WL; MK for Spectro & Wishes
Sun 9/20: AK morning, MK EMH night
Mon 9/21: Epcot morning, open night (possibly DHS EMH)
Tues 9/22: DHS morning, Epcot night
Wed 9/23: open morning, open night (Note: Matt flying home this day)
Thurs 9/24: MK EMH morning, open night
Fri 9/25: depart 8:30 AM on Magical Express, go home

Fun!

Based on our "current" itinerary, we may be out at MK for Spectro/Wishes at the same time. Also, looks like we'll be at Epcot the same night (Tues, 22nd...gonna try to hit Illuminations)....also doing the 9/24 MK EMH.

wish these next 100 or so days could go a wee bit faster.

 

[NLD]

Crocko,

Oh fun! Well on the 19th if you see a family of three who looks worn out from traveling yet is bursting with excitement at seeing the castle for the first time, that'll be us. LOL. Maybe we'll see you!

 

[Malibelle]

Your trip sounds great. I am glad you are able to spend it with your husband and some extra time with your little girl. Its so exciting to take people to Disney who have never been.

You plane tickets were a great deal. We are gong a few days after you leave. Are you flying out of Philly? The best deal I found was on Spirit so we are going to fly out from Atlantic City....226 rt for both of us!

 

[NLD]

About Us (with pictures)

Meet Sunshine.

Age: 5 years old.

Likes: princesses, dress-ups, glitter, playing outside, watching movies, drawing, Scooby Doo, and cheesecake. Dislikes: blood and bugs.

Sunshine is an articulate five-year-old, able to express her emotions well, and she's very tuned in to others' emotions also. She can be shy, especially around adults, but she is well-liked by her peers at pre-K. Recently had her first kiss.

This is Sunshine's first trip to any Disney park.

Meet Matt.

Age: 32 years old.

Likes: music (80's, industrial, techno), computers, sushi, international cuisine, tennis, conspiracy theories, indie and art movies. Dislikes: blockbuster movies lacking in creativity, classical music.

Matt is a software developer. He too can be shy, but he's got a wild streak. He will sometimes say wildly inappropriate things in social settings but somehow always gets away with it. He's smart. He's also great at giving gifts and pretty romantic. Appreciates and values originality. A couple of his favorite bands are Depeche Mode and Skinny Puppy. He's a good dad, spends lots of time playing with Sunshine.

Matt and I met 10 years ago and have been married 6 1/2 years.

This is Matt's first trip to any Disney park.

(Pic added 6/6/09)

Meet me (Nicole).

Age: 29 (for two more weeks!)

Likes: books, indie and art movies, writing, learning my camera, art, Mexican and Indian food, ice cream, the beach, summer. Dislikes: winter, snow, freezing temps.

I work for a mental health nonprofit as coordinator of a program. Like Sunshine and Matt, I'm naturally a bit shy. Love hot weather. I am a procrastinator and do my best work under pressure. My favorite books are Lolita (Nabokov) and When Things Fall Apart (Pema Chodron), also love Harry Potter. Would eat ice cream at every meal if permitted. Can be stubborn and idealistic. A perfectionist.

This is actually my second trip to Disney World (first trip was fifteen years ago in 1994). I have been to Disney Land more times than I can count, but the last was in 1999. So it's been a while since I've been to Disney, and I'm ready to go!



We also have two cats--Zoe and Sparks--and a guinea pig (officially named Cinderella, but invariably called "Skinny Pig"). Here are the cats:

Sparks

Zoe

 

[NLD]

Your trip sounds great. I am glad you are able to spend it with your husband and some extra time with your little girl. Its so exciting to take people to Disney who have never been.

You plane tickets were a great deal. We are gong a few days after you leave. Are you flying out of Philly? The best deal I found was on Spirit so we are going to fly out from Atlantic City....226 rt for both of us!

Hi Malibelle,

We're flying out of BWI (closer than Philly for us). Yeah that SW fare was AWESOME. Sacrificed on flight times though... we're coming in kinda late and leaving early, so our travel days are kinda washouts. But it was worth it for us... and we shoudl still have time to see Spectro and Wishes the first night!

So excited about the trip! When are you going and where are you staying?

 

[Malibelle]

Oh BWI, my BIL does that too because he is close to Baltimore, they live on the border of PA close to Hagerstown, MD.

I started my PTR last night, check it out http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2194506. We are staying at POP for the first time. We are arriving Sept 27th early in the AM.

 

[NLD]

In Which I Get an Idea for a Souvenir (and a pic of the Ariel portrait)

So in an earlier post I mentioned Ariel is Sunshine's favorite princess. This is the painting I did for her fifth birthday:

Anyway, this got me thinking.... wouldn't it be nice to do a small painting of the princesses for Sunshine, bring it with us, and have the characters sign it? It'd have to be a tiny one,easily portable, with some exposed canvas for them to sign--but it'd make a nice souvenir!

Maybe....

 

[crocko]

Wow -- very impressive

AND that sounds like a GREAT idea!

 

[Malibelle]

Great job on the painting. Its so nice. Thats a great idea. I know too that you can take a mat and give it to guest services and ask if certain characters will sign it and you can pick it up later. Lynn who has posted a TR did that. She had a group photo of all the characters from her wedding last year. She brought the picture and the mat and dropped it off at guest services. That way you don't have to carry it around the parks. I would be afraid it would get bent. Maybe do that and have an autograph book or you can make a book where she can get the autographs with the characters.

Here is Lynns TR, its on pg 65: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2079446&page=65

 

[NLD]

Ohhh I like the matte idea, thank you Malibelle. That would work well for a watercolor! Haven't done watercolors in forever. Hmmmmm, now the wheels are turning....