*August 2019 check in*

[caribbeandream]

@lauritagoddess - I am definitely a planner. Even when it's not a Disney vacation I'm the person that orders brochures and pores over them for months before we leave on a trip. Now, packing more than two days before I leave on a trip? THAT I still can't get on board with. LOL

 

[lauritagoddess]

@lauritagoddess - I am definitely a planner. Even when it's not a Disney vacation I'm the person that orders brochures and pores over them for months before we leave on a trip. Now, packing more than two days before I leave on a trip? THAT I still can't get on board with. LOL

I have so many packing lists from all of our trips, plus my work trips, that I can be packed the day before with no issue. I don't know how people pack though without making packing lists.

 

[Pamela M]

Is anyone else in August doing the Walking in Walt's footsteps tour?

I'm not but I've done the Tour. You'll enjoy it. I recommend doing the am tour if you can especially with the August heat.

 

[billyjobobb]

We have tickets for Walk in Walt's Footsteps August 10th at 11:30

 

[Aladora]

I have so many packing lists from all of our trips, plus my work trips, that I can be packed the day before with no issue. I don't know how people pack though without making packing lists.

I never use a packing list but I do have a packing routine.

1. Get DH to pull out everything he needs me to pack. (I am a master at fitting things into suitcases so I handle the actual packing)
2. Grab everything I can think that DS needs.
3. Go through my clothes and pull out everything I want to bring.
4. Look at DH's pile, count the days we are going to be gone and put back 1/2 the underwear he grabbed. Also, double the number of shirts.
5. Look at DH's pile again and realize that he has packed half a dozen pairs of black dress socks and only 2 pairs of sports socks. Fix this.
6. Remind DH that he may want to grab running shoes and sandals.
7. Look at DS's pile, count days we are gone and pat myself on the back for only over packing by a bit.
8. Look at my pile.
9. Remove 1/2 of the clothes from my pile.
10. Remove at least 2 of the pairs of shoes and a few of the purses.
11. Grab the toiletry bags that I always have packed for each of us.
12. Pack everything.
13. Go back through the piles and remove more unneeded stuff after I can't fit everything.
14. Repack at least once more.
15. Tell DH and DS to pack their own bloody carry on bags.
16. Remind them to pack all of their assorted cables.

Hmm, maybe a packing list might not be the worst idea...

 

[lauritagoddess]

15. Tell DH and DS to pack their own bloody carry on bags.
16. Remind them to pack all of their assorted cables.

Hmm, maybe a packing list might not be the worst idea...

LOL! I also do the actual packing, but the packing lists are also really helpful for my son in taking what he needs. After two separate trips where he forgot major items, I make him check stuff off on the packing list before he brings it to the luggage. He forgot to pack pajamas once, not that big a deal since he could just sleep in regular clothes. But after he forgot to pack any underwear when we went on a cruise, I made him start sticking to the packing list. Luckily our first stop on that cruise was St. Thomas where there's a K Mart not that far away and we were able to get some underwear there.

 

[Aladora]

LOL! I also do the actual packing, but the packing lists are also really helpful for my son in taking what he needs. After two separate trips where he forgot major items, I make him check stuff off on the packing list before he brings it to the luggage. He forgot to pack pajamas once, not that big a deal since he could just sleep in regular clothes. But after he forgot to pack any underwear when we went on a cruise, I made him start sticking to the packing list. Luckily our first stop on that cruise was St. Thomas where there's a K Mart not that far away and we were able to get some underwear there.

I could 100% see my son doing this!

Every summer I fly to Ottawa to spend a long weekend with my sister, every other year we do a 2 week trip with all 3 of us back to Ontario to see all both sides of our families. A few years ago I flew in a few days early to see my sister and DH & DS met me at a cottage that my father in law booked.

I left instructions that they needed to pack for themselves including a broad list of things not to forget such as pjs and swim stuff.

I should take a moment to mention that this was in Ontario in July, where temps can get above 35C.

I opened DS's case when he arrived and found 2 1/2 pairs of long sleeved, long pants flannel winter pjs along with a swim suit that DS had outgrown the year before and that I had put away to donate. Also, no fewer than 20 pairs of underwear, 3 stuffed animals one single pair of shorts and a lined raincoat. In their (small) defense, we live in Victoria where we often experience June-uary when our temps are more like January than June.

I now double check their stuff.

 

[iMadHatter]

4. Look at DH's pile, count the days we are going to be gone and put back 1/2 the underwear he grabbed. Also, double the number of shirts.
5. Look at DH's pile again and realize that he has packed half a dozen pairs of black dress socks and only 2 pairs of sports socks. Fix this.
6. Remind DH that he may want to grab running shoes and sandals.

HAHAHAHA! This is totally how I pack, too!! Glad I'm not alone!

 

[redleader74]

Hey, our first day at the park is also 8/15! I'm not there specifically for GE and will "swing by" when we get to it. But it's definitely not the priority. So if that's where the crowds are headed, I guess that will benefit us?

 

[swimchick1984]

Got this email had a slight oh no they canceled!! Then read it and said well that’s not I bad

 

[CherylGonz]

View attachment 419548
Got this email had a slight oh no they canceled!! Then read it and said well that’s not I bad

Did DCA used to close at 10? I noticed the hours are 9pm. Wondering if this is a recent change.

 

[CherylGonz]

So I see MSEP is finally on the schedule for when we are there. Yay! However, Mickey and the Magical Map is only operating on the 18th and 19th (or at least there are no times posted). Changing plans to maybe do SWGE (and hoping to book a reservation for Oga's while we are on the plane) and Magical Map on our first day.

The way our days work out we will have to go to DCA on EMH which we won't have (although crossing my fingers they extend the current Disney Visa discount) so we would need to go on a Mon or Wed. Is there a "slower" day at DCA when there is EMH? I'm also not sure if we might be able to do what we want to do if we park hopped later in the day and still fit in what we want. I'm thinking it's IC, TSMM, Soarin', Guardians, Cars, Monsters, Ariel, Animation studios, Jessie, Luigi's, Redwood Creek (for DD12). Our touring style is early park entrance with a break but DCA also closes at 9. Our party will also split up for some stuff as DD12 is not into any of the big rides and actually neither am I. I also really want to be at Carsland when the lights come on. We want to ride the rides but this time we don't want to miss all those little Disney touches.

Planning, more planning, rethinking planning, revision of planning.

 

[caribbeandream]

View attachment 419548
Got this email had a slight oh no they canceled!! Then read it and said well that’s not I bad

I panicked when I saw your post! My August 3rd reservation still says 9:30 pm. From the calendar it looks like DCA will start closing one hour earlier on the 12th.

 

[B-rad]

4. Look at DH's pile, count the days we are going to be gone and put back 1/2 the underwear he grabbed. Also, double the number of shirts.

In your husband's defense, sometimes it's better to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I can't defend his shirt strategy though.

 

[Aladora]

In your husband's defense, sometimes it's better to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I can't defend his shirt strategy though.

Totally agree but how likely is it that someone will need 15 pairs of underwear for a 5 night trip? Pretty sure he just reaches into the drawer and grabs a stack.

 

[Aladora]

View attachment 419548
Got this email had a slight oh no they canceled!! Then read it and said well that’s not I bad

We have reservations for this on the 19th and when I check the DL website WOC is showing at 9:00 so even though I have not got this email yet I assume it is coming shortly.

I'm not 100% upset about the change, 9:30 for desserts was going to be a bit late for us. We are typically early to bed and early to rise.

I'm going to confirm this with DL and then likely move our LLL reservation from 4:50 to 3:30ish.

 

[cinnaminny]

Just a heads up, there was a discount to some Disney owned hotel rooms. I upgraded my 6 nights this morning for an extra 40 bucks.


I haven't received my confirmation email yet after my call, but I assume everything went through. Makes me nervous when I don't get an email right away.

 

[iMadHatter]

Planning, more planning, rethinking planning, revision of planning.

My husband thought I had gone mad because I have been planning, replanning, revising. But I'm so glad I am over-planning this trip- I already discovered Mickey and the Magical Map is only playing on the Sunday we'll be there, when I had planned to do it later in the week. I want to ride all the little Main Street vehicles and river boats, but if I hadn't been planning out ahead, we would probably miss those, too (I tend to lose track of time easily!) DCA closing early on the 15th, Space Mountain being closed on Aug 12 and 14 would have all totally caught me off-guard. Plus I'm also making lists of all the "little things" that I want to find. I'm honestly having a lot of fun getting ready for this trip. Plus I found the disboards- this is seriously a gold mine!

I've never planned so much for a trip EVER. But I'm hoping it will all pay off- soon! 17 days until we go!!

 

[iMadHatter]

Just a heads up, there was a discount to some Disney owned hotel rooms. I upgraded my 6 nights this morning for an extra 40 bucks.

How do you get the discount applied? Do you just call the Disney reservation number? What if you already paid- can they still upgrade?

 

[cinnaminny]

How do you get the discount applied? Do you just call the Disney reservation number? What if you already paid- can they still upgrade?

My reservations was for 6 nights at the Disneyland hotel in a standard room hotel. I upgraded to the premium view at the same hotel for an extra 40 some dollars. I had already paid for most of my stay and she was able to upgrade me. She had difficulty giving me a discount on a standard room. I think she could have probably done that also, but she was unable to figure it out. Not a huge concern for me as I would have probably still chose to go with the premium view for a discounted price. I called them to get this applied.