Birthday, Bestie, and Boos(ze)!.....aka Turning 40 in the World of Mouse- an October 2018 PTR

[richkaryn]

Intro:
I am Karyn (richkaryn) and I am the birthday in the report title. My birthday is in October and always falls around the week of our school district's (I'm a teacher) Fall Break. This year I will be turning 40, and I turned 38 at WDW, and since 40 is way bigger than 38, and you can't top a WDW b-day bash in my opinion, I just had to say hello to 40 in the same fashion. I have often intended to write a trip report (especially for our Alaskan cruise pictured below) but it always seems to slip through the cracks. I have been planning this trip for so long and seems like even though I've been to WDW several times (and am now even a TA) I seem to look for things to plan toward my trip every day still, so I figured this would help me satisfy that need this time around, and give me my trip-related fix in the mean time.

Joining me on this trip will be my DH, Justin, and (if I don't ban him for his attitude beforehand) our DS, who is 10. (DH was on the fence until a month or so ago when he txt me from work and said "I put in vacation for October 8-12 and was approved." Ok, so that's a "yes". )



Joining us on this trip will be my sister, my niece (5), and my dad. My sister has been to MK for 1 day in her late 20s ( I went for the first time when I was 26). My niece has never been, and neither has my dad. They will be staying at a different resort than us, a value resort (My sister is a single mom, gets no child support from the dad --he is a great "escape artist" and manages to move from state to state and stay under the radar.) I suggested (before my dad was brought in on trip) that we might add my sister and niece to our reservation to save them some $, but DH quickly reminded me that I was almost ready to strangle her in her sleep after a weekend trip last year, so that was quickly dismissed.
Dad keeps grumbling about how he isn't thrilled to be going, but I remind him that this will be a chance to experience the magic of my niece's first visit too, (and DS's 7th visit), and that he never experiences things with the kids (not for not being invited-- and DH's parents don't really do much with DS either, so I feel he is owed some grandparent magic somewhere/somehow). I also keep reminding him that he had every opportunity to say no, but he said yes, and has paid $ toward this trip. I love my dad but he's getting crotchety in his old age (might be due to the fact that my sister and niece live with him). My sister grumbled a little about taking him along too....again, the around each other all the time thing I'm sure... but I told her we'd just split custody of dad during the trip so everyone gets a break.

Also, hopefully making cameos on this trip, will be one of my closest friends (she and her 2 kids were also planning a trip for fall break- her kids', 2 and 4 at the time of trip, first visit -along with her mom and aunt). When I told her I finally convinced DH, she immediately said not to let him convince her DH to go, because he'd probably become the party pooper on this trip. (But hey, he and my dad could hang out and have their own "I don't want to be here" pity party )

 

[richkaryn]

How it all began:

I started planning (well, convincing DH, really) this trip roughly a year ago. Sometime this past summer/early fall we were in the car talking about how I had figured we could rent points at BWV for as cheap or cheaper than CBR. And something in him must've snapped at that moment, because he finally said "then just do it." Of course he later added that he wasn't sure if he wanted to go, but even if he didn't DS and I could still go without him. (We'd just be flying instead of driving.)
Of course, we weren't at the 11 month window yet, so I was really just getting hopes up that there would be availability at the 11 month mark. I had chosen BC as 2nd choice and BLT as 3rd (DH had hinted before he would like to stay there/Contemporary one day.) Standard Studio for all. I went ahead and put in my request a little ahead of the 11 month mark so I would be on the list when the day arrived.
When the 11 month mark hit, I received an email that there were no standard studios at BWV available, but they had garden/pool view, which was about $500 more than the standard, and there were Standard at BC (same price as garden/pool BWV). It was still a great deal for a deluxe resort, so I said just book the BWV garden/pool view.
When my sister got her tax return she was going to try to rent points for a value or standard studio at AKL, bc was just going to be a couple hundred more than a value resort room. Well, all that was available was savannah view and it was out of her comfort level price-wise, so she just decided to book a package at a value resort. So they will be staying in a preferred room at All Star Movies. She also decided to go ahead an add the dining plan for their stay, as when calculating meals, she was even calculating shared meals between her and my niece, and it came to within a few dollars of the cost of dining plan....so it made sense to add it, pay for it ahead of trip, and this even allowed for her to not have to share, get dessert, and specialty beverages. We will be paying out of pocket for ours, as DS is now a "disney adult" and while he is a big and adventurous eater most of the time, I still don't feel that it would be the best value for us. I am getting APs for myself and DS this trip (and hoping to fly down in December, and maybe another trip or 2 in next year) and I plan to purchase TIW card as well.

 

[richkaryn]

The Details:
October 6-13, 2018. My 3 at BWV garden/pool view studio, my sister, dad, and niece at All Star Movies preferred room.
We will be driving down, all in one vehicle (we have a Yukon XL that seats 8). We will leave after school/work on Friday October 5th. I have reserved a suite at a hotel in GA that we usually stay at on the way down. I like to leave the night before, drive about 6 hours, and get up the next morning and drive the remaining 3-3.5. This is for a few reasons:
1. I can't sleep in the car (unless I am dead tired and then I start lightly dozing in spurts, but no real sleep)
2. I prefer not to (drive through the night, and doze in car) because DH can sleep pretty much anywhere, and if he gets too still I am always afraid he will fall asleep driving and I need to be awake to keep him awake.
3. I like to get there early enough in day on arrival day that I feel like I am getting a close to full day of vacation in.
4. I feel like if we did drive through night, everyone would be so tired, and if room not ready until late afternoon, it really wouldn't be a good use of the day because DS would be awake since he had slept a lot in car and DH and I would be exhausted, sleep deprived, but need to be awake to supervise DS. Not an ideal way to start out vacation in my opinion, though I know there are plenty of people who do it.

On arrival day, our tradition is to first stop at Character Warehouse- stock up on some cheap pins for trading, convince DS it's better to shop there for souvenirs, etc.
From there we usually go to Disney Springs and eat lunch at WPE. Then we head to check in at resort (and unload car if lucky and room ready) and head off to a park.

This time I think we will stop at All Star Movies first for my sister, niece, and dad, so they can check in and leave their stuff at bell services if room not ready, then ride over to Disney Springs with us, since we will later be taking our car on to Boardwalk with us. They decided to only get 5 day PHs (though talked about maybe adding on a day or 2 after getting down there and seeing what they feel like), while my husband will have a 7 day PH, and DS and I will be upgrading our 7 day PHs to APs at Disney Springs. So this way, once we get over there, they will be free to do their own thing and hop a bus back to their resort, etc at their leisure if we head on to a park.
We usually do 'Ohana on arrival night, but DH wants to try the seafood buffet at Garden Grove. I do not like seafood/fish of any kind, and will not be joining that meal. My dad and DS are going to go with him, so dad will probably be heading to meet them when he leaves Disney Springs.

Anxiously awaiting ADR date in a couple weeks. This one is going to be nerve racking as there are 6 of us and not everyone is eating every meal together.
This is what we have figured so far, but not set on days (Except for ones that have to be certain days due to only offered then)

Garden Grove Seafood Buffet: DH, DS, dad on arrival night
'Ohana: for everyone, probably on Sunday night (this is when my friend arrives and is staying at Poly, so hoping to maybe get to see her for a little bit then too)
California Grill Brunch at the Top: Me, DH, DS on Sunday
Akershus breakfast: Sister, niece
Sci-Fi: sister, niece, dad (we have done this nearly every trip and while it is a favorite, we have rotated it out to make room for some new things this time)
Whispering Canyon Cafe: sister, niece, dad
Yachtsman: me, DH (DS-??) DS is wanting to do the new Pixar kids thing (kind of like a replacement to the childcare centers) and I am thinking maybe we will go to Yachtsman without him...not sure yet
Il Mulino: me, DH, DS (I am going to book through Open Table-- we always think we want to eat at Trattoria al Forno or here, but then if we get down there and it is like 90 degrees all week, I don't think we will go through with it.)
1900 Park Fare breakfast:everyone, likely Tuesday morning, on my actual b-day. This is our one "must do" breakfast each trip and I can't wait to share it with my family. Dad probably not crazy about getting up for a character meal, so if I schedule on my b-day he really doesn't have much choice. This is as of right now going to be a non-park day for sister, niece, dad and plan is likely do MNSSHP that night for my b-day.
Yak & Yeti: me, DH, DS for sure, possibly the other 3 (my sister is still up in the air on a few restaurants)
Via Napoli: (likely everyone, but dad can be fussy about Italian food/pizza in the heat, so I am not sure yet)

Others that are being tossed around but no decisions made yet:
Tiffins (me, DH, DS), Coral Reef (sister and niece- maybe dad), Mickey's Backyard BBQ (sister and niece), The Edison (me, DH, DS, maybe dad)
Planet Hollywood Observatory (me. possibly sister and niece if they don't do Mickey's Backyard BBQ on arrival night while the rest of crew is at Garden Grove-- or possibly me, DH, DS- this one is an up in the air all around as far as who and when)
Paddlefish (sister considering paying OOP bc she wants the crab cake BLT- she and niece may go arrival night if not BBQ...or I told her I can take niece with me to Observatory-- she hasn't decided)

Knowing not everyone would want to eat at same places and that we would be "splitting custody" of dad, and there would be some meals I know he'd flat out refuse (Akershus-I know he wouldn't want to do a princess breakfast), I printed out menus off all ears for restaurants I knew we, or my sister would be eating at or were considering, as well as menus to restaurants I thought he might like. I punched holes and put them all in a huge binder separated into tabs of parks/resorts, Springs, as well as QS/TS. I thought this would help him decide if there was anywhere he really wanted to eat as well as help him budget for meals (before my sister decided to add meal plan to their package). Well every time I asked him if he had looked at it he would just say "I'll just eat wherever everyone else is eating. I'm not picky." And I kept trying to explain we all weren't eating at same place so he at least needed to talk with my sister and decide which restaurants she was eating at that he did not want to, so we could arrange for him to eat with us during those, etc. Well, all I have gotten a response out of him for was when I told him about Garden Grove and how DH wanted to go, and would he want to go along. He did agree to that.

I am also wanting to do the Pirates and Pals fireworks cruise at some point this trip if offered. This would be me, DH, DS. There is just so much to fit in, I am not sure where, when- but also why I am trying to leave a couple nights dinners freed up.

 

[richkaryn]

Tentative break down of plans:
I am sure this will change as we finalize ADRs, add FP+, and such, but this is a loose version of how I feel things will go.

Sat. Oct 6th:

• Arrive hopefully around 9:30 at ASMo to check in my family/drop their luggage
• Drive over to Character Warehouse, then on to DS, where I will upgrade DS and myself to AP and get TIW card
• Lunch at WPE (or everyone go eat whatever their heart desires)
• Me, DH, DS on to Boardwalk to check in (instruct dad how to meet up with DH and DS for dinner)
• My 3 head over to Epcot or HS for a little while.
• The boys go to dinner at Garden Grove, not sure if I will meet up with the girls or go solo, but likely head back to Disney Springs
• Possibly head over to MK (myself, or me and my 2) to catch HEA since we haven't seen it yet, or maybe fit in Pirates and Pals depending on how early they eat at Garden Grove

Sun Oct 7th:

• Sister and niece Akershus breakfast
• My 3 may head over to Epcot and have dad come over with them so we can show him where to get a QS breakfast, maybe ride a ride or 2 before we head to California Grill brunch (depends on time of our brunch ADR)
• Dad meet up with sister and niece after their breakfast/us leaving
• We have brunch at CG, head back over to Epcot, or HS if my family has left Epcot for HS
• Dinner at 'Ohana for everyone (I would like to maybe hit up Trader Sam's first depending on ADR time) and maybe get some time in with my friend
• Head over to MK if we didn't get to see HEA night before and our ADR is early enough, or Pirates and Pals (again dependent on ADR time) or just wing it from there lol

Monday Oct 8th:

• Probably head to MK in morning. Sister was contemplating BOG breakfast for her and niece, we will meet up with dad if she does that (unless he wants to go too)
• Grab a LeFou's Brew and cinnamon roll, or fruit and nutella waffle, or some other form of breakfast yumminess
• Meet back up with sister/niece after their breakfast (if they do it) and take in MK for at least half the day
• Me and my 2 will likely hit Epcot around lunch time to take in some F&W, not sure what everyone else will do- either Yachtsman/Pixar thing for DS this night, or dinner at Disney Springs (The Edison) and may head back to park depending on ADR/park closing times
• Either WCC or or Sci-Fi for dinner for sister, niece, dad,

Tuesday Oct 9th: It's My Birthday!

• 1900 Park Fare Breakfast-everyone
• Non-park day likely for sister, niece, dad (sister talked about meeting up with my niece's great gma on her dad's side- the only one of his family members that they have anything to do with- as she has moved and lives about 45 mins from Orlando. She may need my dad to take them in our car) and then grab a QS for dinner and MNSSHP that night
• I have not planned much for this day, because it's my birthday and I'll do whatever I feel like when I wake up
• MNSSHP (and likely QS dinner or a late lunch and some snacking during party)
• I am not sure if dad (haven't really asked yet) or DH want to do MNSSHP (we did it in 2016, and while DH did enjoy it, he's not sure he's feeling $100 worth of wanting to do it again). So they may not go and they can go find some place to eat on their own if that is the case

Wednesday October 10th:

• I am thinking start at AK for me and my 2, not sure about the others. (Really park decisions are going to be fully dependent upon not being locked in until FP+ window because it will all revolve around when we can snag a FOP and by that time also anything for Toy Story Land)
• Lunch at Yak & Yeti (we are Landry's Select members so I don't worry about ADRs here) or maybe Tiffin's
• If the other 3 do AK they may also do Yak & Yeti, or may go to HS and do Sci-Fi for lunch or dinner. (Niece is wanting to try to do Jedi Training Academy, so they may try for this here, or possibly back on Monday instead of MK)
• Dinner for me and my 2- Il Mulino maybe? Maybe fit in Pirates and Pals if haven't already? Who knows?

Thursday October 11th:

• I am thinking Epcot or MK - and maybe everyone at Via Napoli for lunch
• Dinner for me and my 2 can be The Edison or Il Mulino if we haven't yet, or possibly Tiffins or Yak & Yeti if have
• Not sure about everyone else

Friday October 12th:

• At this point it will be whatever everyone hasn't fit in yet as it is our last day
• May even do EOS for dinner if wanting to get something quick and do a little more shopping. Or try out one of the various other QS places at DS that we haven't yet

Somewhere in all the scheduling I want to make time for: Pool time at resort (DS loves the Keister Coaster- we spent one night at BW last summer before we came home from the beach and did not do any parks, only resort and Disney Springs, with dinner at 'Ohana)
I'd also like to take DS (and my niece) over to AKL to see the animals and maybe participate in a cultural activity (we did a split Poly/AKL stay in 2016 and that was first trip we really spent down time mid afternoon and DS loved the resort and activities there and was begging to not go to parks so he wouldn't miss activities by the end of stay)
Try to fit in Pirates and Pals (if I don't maybe DS and I can when we come back on our APs)

If I can't get CG Brunch (I did a "trial run" looking the other day and selecting the most recent Sunday available and there were no times left for it so I am hopeful but know it is possible I won't get since it is only offered one day a week and people within their 180 + 10 before me could have snagged them all before I get a chance) , I may move 1900 Park Fare to Sunday morning and move my sister's Akershus. This would free up her Tuesday morning to give my niece a little more time with her great gma too.

 

[richkaryn]

So, already changing plans here....
I noticed that the Yachtsman menu on allears does not match the one on the WDW website. It appears they no longer have the 18oz Kansas City strip, which was DH's idea for us to share (though this is the guy who ate an entire 28oz Porterhouse, appetizer, half a truffle mac and cheese, and dessert back in 2013 when it was still on the menu and we had the DDxP) because he is trying to be "cheap", although I have been doing other teachers' bus duty for pay all year and putting it back to pay for this trip. (We also waited in a 5 hour line at Target to get new phones Black Friday to get $550 in free giftcards which we used to buy Disney gcards, plus doing swagbucks. And he is worrying about what this is costing? It's costing mostly free money! Not to mention the primary reason I work anyway is for our "fun" money.) Then I found out Shula's has a birthday club and you can get a free entree' the month of your birthday. Since it will be my birthday, and we can utilize that to each get our own steak for the same price as sharing a larger one at Yachtsman, and we have heard Shula's is as good or better than Yachtsman, we are likely going that route now.

 

[richkaryn]

DINING UPDATES- 180 Mark

So, the lovely 180 day mark came today, and of course I had a hard time sleeping last night since I knew I was having to get up earlier than usual. I was also texting my sister at 9:00pm last night since she never got with me on "final choices" or preferences on park days that she was going to try for Jedi Training Academy, despite my multiple reminders all weekend long. So, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I discovered she also hadn't gone in and put a CC on her account to secure reservations with. (I had to go back and scrounge for my purse in the dark in the bedroom this morning to get mine to use.) I had also spent all my free evening/night hours both Saturday and last night running various trip quotes for clients on top of sending my sister multiple reminders, and I had seen Stitch eat the page 500 times both nights, and my brain was fried. I usually get up around 5:25am when I have bus duty (which I did today). I was up at 4:55am firing up 2 laptops this morning. Had a few early encounters with Stitch as soon as 5am central hit. I sadly was unable to get 'Ohana dinner for 6 people on Sunday like I wanted (well, I could have at 9:45pm but that was not the best idea). So, here is what we have set in stone (at least feel the uncontrollable urge to change it).

Saturday October 6th: 5:30pm Mickey's Backyard BBQ for sister and niece
DH, DS, and dad at Garden Grove (will make reservation on Open Table closer to date- like probably that day or Friday in car on way down). I will likely go eat something at Disney Springs alone.

Sunday October 7th: 10:40am California Grill for me, DH, DS 2:15pm Sci-Fi for sister, niece, dad. I am thinking I am going to squeeze in Pirates and Pals here, and maybe grab late QS at Disney Springs after if hungry

Monday October 8th: 8:30am Akershus PPO breakfast for sister and niece, 7:30pm WCC for sister, niece, dad This may either be our Il Mulino, The Edison, or night DS goes to Pixar Pals Kid Zone and we do Shula's

Tuesday October 9th: 8:10am 1900 Park Fare breakfast for all 6 of us for my birthday Dinner will be QS as this will be MNSSHP night, and a non-park day likely for sister, niece, and dad

Wednesday October 10th: 5:10pm 'Ohana for all 6 of us --will do Pirates and Pals here if we don't get to Sunday (though I can't imagine going to it right after stuffing ourselves at 'Ohana)

Thursday October 11th: 1:35pm Via Napoli for all 6 of us

Friday October 12th: 8:30am PPO BOG sister and niece. Then likely lunch or dinner at Yak & Yeti for all, but no ADR as we are Landry's Select Members, and I will have a birthday reward to use

 

[richkaryn]

Chhhh...Chhhh....Chhhh....Chhhh....Changes (already)

So, after seeing a more recent (like in last few weeks) review of CG brunch, and seeing how some (most of the ones I will eat) self-serve area options have changed/been tweaked, and they don't appeal to me as much, I don't feel like I can go and make it worth my $80. I am a semi-picky eater. I do not eat any seafood, so the sushi is out already. The one salad that had appealed to me has been changed to include ingredients I do not like. DH was already thinking it was more $ than he wanted to spend (knowing my food preferences--- he and DS would have no issues getting their money's worth). DS was really looking forward to it though. (Luckily I had not told him I had gotten an ADR). When I started talking about the changes DH said "Cancel it". I said he and DS could still go, since DS was looking forward to it. He said he did not really care to go, and DS could get sushi at another restaurant or QS and that money could be better spent elsewhere. (Like to not make me feel as bad about doing brunch, Pirates and Pals, Pixar Kids Zone for DS, and MNSSHP all in one trip).

 

[richkaryn]

Back up....a little backstory:

As I mentioned in my intro, this trip is to celebrate my 40th birthday. I also said that I turned 38 in WDW, and that 40 is way bigger than 38.....
Which, is true for most. However, 38 for me was actually much bigger and more significant than 40. You see, my mother passed away from cancer a month and a half before she turned 38. I got married at the same age my mother was when she married my dad. My mother had her first child (me) a month after her 29th birthday. I had my first (and turned out only) child 2 months after I turned 29. Do you see the pattern here? And there are a few more things that aligned that I won't go in to detail about. I also had a cancer scare in my early-mid twenties. (And it was for same type of cancer my mother had. Which mostly could have been avoided had the dr. called and told me that further testing had been done before my specialist appt and it wasn't what they thought, but wanted to do another check, and not the biopsy I thought I was going in for. But that's a story for another day.) My life was so closely following hers, that I was terrified I'd never make it to see 38. It might seem silly or superstitious to some, and even I knew on some level I was likely being ridiculous, but I still could not shake that fear. It haunted me most of my life......so turning 38 was something I felt would never happen. So as it got closer, spending it in my favorite place seemed the perfect way to celebrate. (And boy was DH a trooper, bc we had just spent an ungodly amount of $$ on a DCL Alaskan cruise earlier that year. -- and he did try to convince me it might be better to cancel, though I don't think he thought he would really get me to do that, nor do I think he would have suggested if he thought I really would have done it. He knew the reason it was so important. And I tweaked and sacrificed some things in that trip to make it still possible while saving some money.) And it truly was a magical trip....like several times pixie dust out of nowhere, (some we still can't figure out what was behind it), kind of like the Disney gods knew exactly why I was there and why it was so important to me. I really don't think that trip could ever be topped.
So while I am super excited I get to turn 40 in WDW too, I will not be making this trip all about me like 38 was. I will definitely have fun, but I am glad to be sharing it with my niece as her first visit, and I would go as far as to consider it my sister's first visit too since she has only been to MK and that was for 1 day, and with my cousin who has epilepsy, so she really did not get to ride everything. And of course it is my dad's first trip too....though as previously mentioned, he isn't as enthused as the rest of us. I am hopeful that will change once he gets there . And of course, I am also extremely excited for my dear friend and the first visit of her kids too. And if we happen to do a little celebrating of my birthday along the way, that will be awesome.

 

[richkaryn]

Outfit Planning

A little early I know, but I have already been working on a huge shirt order for my friend and her family for the trip, so I have been trying to think about mine. I've ordered some blanks. Part of me wants to go ahead and get it done because we are putting our house up for sale in a couple months and I will likely pack up my cricut, heat press, embroidery machine, etc indefinitely. The other part of me doesn't want the extra stuff to have to pack up in addition to those things. I have, however, ordered a few shirts off Tee Public I just couldn't live without.

For DH: I figure this can "double" as a "costume" for MNSSHP -- which by the way when I asked him the other day he said he DOES want to go to again. When/why he changed his mind is beyond me... (we did full on costumes in 2016 and decided would likely just wear halloween shirts or disneybound or something in future)



For DS (also a costume double possibly):



And for myself- arrival day:


and for sometime during the week, because I just love this one that matches my "no dancing" pin:

 

[kastoney]

Hi Karyn! Sounds like your plans are shaping up nicely. Though you definitely have a lot to coordinate with everyones likes/dislikes and of course 2 hotels. We're staying at Boardwalk to in August (split stay with Beach Club) and if its still there we'll definitely be putting our daughter in the pixar thing at the Contemporary so I'll be able to report back.

I did 40 in WDW too and it was definitely a trip to remember!

 

[richkaryn]

Hi Karyn! Sounds like your plans are shaping up nicely. Though you definitely have a lot to coordinate with everyones likes/dislikes and of course 2 hotels. We're staying at Boardwalk to in August (split stay with Beach Club) and if its still there we'll definitely be putting our daughter in the pixar thing at the Contemporary so I'll be able to report back.

I did 40 in WDW too and it was definitely a trip to remember!

I will definitely be watching for your opinion on the Pixar thing. Love reading all your dining reports! We go to do Disney as much (or more) for the food as we do the rides.

 

[richkaryn]

Fun update:
A couple of weeks ago I used our SW points and booked my flights for myself and my son to fly down for a few nights in December. I originally planned Dec. 18-21, but it was actually cheaper to fly home on the 22 than the 21 (by like 5,000 points total). I still had to buy 2,000 points since the return flights were not as cheap as flights had been averaging. So an extra day at WDW for us! (I am paying the flight difference out in hotel cost, obviously, but if I have to spend the extra, I'd rather spend it on an extra disney day.) It actually would have been cheapest flight-wise to fly home on Christmas Eve, but that would have meant 3 extra hotel days, plus the stress of flying home on Christmas Eve. Not worth the extra hassle and stress, as much as I love Disney. Now I just have to decide where to stay, whether I want to rent points (OKW still has availability) or just do an all-star resort.

 

[richkaryn]

Update of sorts:
So, we are now less than 3 months out!!! (But still just under a month from FP+ selection, so not much going on in the planning aspect). Last week I finally booked hotel for my son and I for our December trip. I waited too long and OKW did not have full availability in a DVC studio for our dates. I ended up booking us a preferred room at AS Movies. I figure he probably doesn't remember much of his first (and only) stay there so he might like it, and I hopefully won't mind "slumming it" too much, though I have gotten kind of spoiled. CP dining packages release this week, but so far it is Pat Sajak for our dates (except for Friday the 21st, which is still TBD). Not sure if I should go ahead and book one for Pat Sajak (I originally figured we'd do the 19th) or hold out to see about the 21st, or even just book a package for the 21st. So sad we are missing Gary Sinese by 1 day, and looking at past schedules, NPH seemed to usually fall around our dates, but he is early December this year. Oh, and I did not book any other ADRs for our December trip....I am beginning to enjoy the winging it mentality....which is so far from my norm. I just figure I won't really know where I want to eat bc we will have just been in October and I have a few "wing its" then too, and want to see if I feel like repeating any of my "new" ones from October trip.

 

[richkaryn]

Fastpass + Update

So, after being up well before the fp+ window opened (insomnia caused by some major life change that was going on-- more on that further down) , and 2 hours of seeing Olaf 4 out of every 5 times I tried to confirm a fp+ selection, we are finally set. Is it exactly what I wanted when I wanted...no, but let's face it, the Disney gods never align it all just right. But we have park hoppers and it's doable. It was more complicated for my sister, dad, and niece's selections because we can take a different pace than them having been a million times before. (They are also only doing 5 park days and we are doing 7).
So here it is:
Saturday: (myself and DH, DS only) Hollywood Studios, late afternoon: Star Tours, RNR, Alien Swirling Saucers
Sunday: my crew Epcot: Soarin', Spaceship Earth and I did not make a 3rd- will just grab what is available there for a throwaway most likely
Sister's crew: Hollywood Studios (niece trying for Jedi Training time): Star Tours, BatB show, Alien Swirling Saucers
Monday: Everyone Epcot- sister and niece have PPO Akershus reservation and will try to hop right on Frozen Ever After from there, while we rope drop Soarin'. Then FP+ for Test Track for all 6 of us, Nemo and Spaceship Earth for them, Living with the Land (throw away) and no 3rd choice for us. FP+ is kind of a hassle at Epcot.
Tuesday: NO FP+ For sister& Crew as it is a non-park day for them. We are MK, trying to catch the bestie. BTMR, PP, and Space Mtn. MNSSHP for all this night most likely, unless I bump that to Thursday so we can go with Bestie. Have not bought tix yet.
Wednesday: HS for all, scored sister/niece the only Disney Jr bfast ADR left for our entire trip after them announcing Vampirina joining in. ToT for all, RNR for my 3, voyage of LM for the others, and SDD for all.
Thursday: MK for my 3: Space, SDMT, and Splash, AK for the others: KS, NRJ, and EE (Which I am not sure they will end up riding)
Friday: AK for my 3: FoP, EE, and KS MK for others: PP, SDMT, Splash Mountain

So, on to major life changes causing insomnia: We finally got our house on the market, just a few days before school (work for me) started back, after being delayed all summer due to husband having a bulged disc in his back. We had been eyeing a house being built since December or so. We listed our house (FSBO) late Thursday night and I put the signs in yard/end of road Friday. We were going to make a contingency offer on the house we were eyeing, but had a question or 2 for the builder about our concern for driveway placement with the big ditch/water running through the property line. He put us off and told us call back the following week. Saturday was guys night out, and bestie and I and another of the wives took our kids to Chuck E Cheese. When we all got home that night and DH and I were laying down, I scrolled through FB and found a house posted FSBO and it was someone we go to church with. This house had it all-- everything we wanted including what we would have to add to house being built. I txt her Sunday morning on way and she said was house next to them, and they had bought and flipped. We went and looked after church, and made an offer. Bestie's DH is our attorney and also the in house attorney for the bank the seller works at as a loan officer.....he did not handle this loan, but he helped expedite it, as well as bestie's DH expediting, and we closed on Friday! Who does that??? Who makes an offer on a house on Sunday and closes the same Friday?? So, I was a ball of nerves all week, and also now we need to get our house sold so we aren't paying double of everything for too long. And now we are trying to get moved out of old house and in to new before we go to WDW--- and MIL is having major surgery this week, and a few other stressful, crazy things happening between now and then. But it's all good, because I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!