Cautiously Optimistic Nov 2020 WDW PTR from a DLR "regular"

[heybets30]

Hello! So, this is my first DISboards pre-trip report! (Actually, I may or may not have done one for Aulani in 2015, and I may or may not have done one for DLR at some point)!. I've been pretty active on the Tokyo Disneyland forum earlier in the year, but alas, that changed.

I'm Betsy, 49 ... well, will be 5-0 on November 27th of this fine year (shout out to all the 1970 DIS'ers turning 50 in 2020! Sounds like there are a bunch!). Hubby is 57 (I call myself his trophy wife - to which he laughs, and laughs, and laughs!). Together, we have been married 15 years as of Oct 1 and have 2 kids - Allison (13 - will be 14 in December), and Andrew, 11-1/2. We live in Palatine, IL, which is about 30 miles northwest of downtown Chicago.

This WDW trip came about because we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary on October 1, and my upcoming 50th fall within Oct/Nov. We had booked 10 days to Japan for Nov 4-15 back in January, but alas, had to cancel everything. We're calling it a change in plans - Japan WILL happen, just not when we had hoped it would. About 3 weeks ago, we started thinking - WDW - why not? FL was off IL's "do not travel" list, hadn't heard about any mass cases coming out of the FL resorts, AND, it really sounds like Disney is being 'Careful'.

I really wanted Tokyo Disney/DisneySea to be sort of my "gift" to myself for having a pretty awesome first 50 years. We go 2-3 times per year to SoCal, as hubby's father & wife live about 30 miles outside Anaheim - super easy to double dip - see dad, see Mickey. BUT, given stupid virus, we would NEVER get on a plane & then see his 83 yr old dad & stepmom. They would NEVER understand no hugging the grandkids. No SoCal for us for 2020. This is the first year since 2006 we have not had a single trip California, nor will we get to visit hubby's dad - which is sad in and of itself, given his age - you just never know, and we will never regret the money we spend to go visit him several times each year (he cannot fly, has an inoperable inner ear disorder). We already had the time off of work, and had held onto it, so we opted to still take the week off. For kicks & giggles, I checked American flights from ORD - MCO. $81 per person. We normally see $360 RT when we've looked in the past for MCO. We held the AA tix. We called Get Away Today to see about packages. Still expensive, but feasible since we had taken zero vacations all year (we held off on an annual Cancun trip too - we were saving vaca time & $$ for Japan). We talked, talked to the kids & thought WDW would be somewhat perfect for us, we will enjoy leaving the cold (it will be November in the midwest), kids have NEVER been to FL, and Hubby has NEVER been to FL either!

I have been to WDW a few times. Late 70s, early 80s, and last time was in 1995 - when I did 1 day in Epcot, 1 day in MK, and 1 day in MGM Studios. I joke - I bet it's changed a tad in the last 25 years!

So, we booked! Here's our itinerary:
Nov 7-14 staying at Pop Century (we chose the cheapest since we're not stay-in-the-room people while at parks, AND, since fully refundable package it was a win-win).
Sat Nov 7th arrive ~1pm, take ME to Pop
Sun Nov 8th - explore DS, pool time, figure out transportation - my brother & fam live in Venice, FL, they may join us for some time too
Mon Nov 9th - Epcot
Tue Nov 10th - MK
Wed Nov 11th - DHS ... we decided only 1 day - if we don't get RoTR BG, we'll be ok. We WILL be back to DLR at some point soon & can try there.
Thu Nov 12 - AK
Fri Nov 13 - MK
Sat Nov 14 - leave ~1pm for MCO (our flight was originally at 7pm, but AA combined like 3 flights that afternoon, we now leave MCO at 4pm).

IL keeps putting states on the "do not travel list", so we are a tad nervous about FL going back on it before we travel. The kids JUST started school back in-person, Andrew is full-time 6th grade at his elementary school, and Allison's jr. high did a hybrid where kids go M/W or T/TH by last name and then everyone is virtual on Fridays. It's not perfect, but they JUST started back last week, so even they are weighing going to FL as it could jeopardize them from being in person the 2 weeks after we return - should FL hit the IL travel ban. As parents, it is tough. Balancing their needs/wants to ours - and me more than any of them am being 10000% totally selfish ... I literally have had ZERO break (like so many of you being the one to hold it all together the past 7 months) since the kids were home in March. I'm working from home & we had to put Andrew at a desk right next to me during virtual to keep him on task. Allison is extremely mature for her age, but has started with "needing" my attention so much - and at her age, going through not seeing friends as much as she wants & deserves to, I of course spend a lot of my time with her. Thirdly, hubby needs attention too - even just sitting & watching a Cubs or Bears game with him (which I normally LOVE doing), but still just want to do something that I'm excited about & I get to plan. My "me" time usually comes around 11:30pm - if I'm lucky I can read 5 pages of a book before I literally fall asleep with the book open. Long-winded way of saying - I'm exhausted, I need a break from cooking, cleaning, homework, work, laundry, being stuck in our house. I need to get away & do something FUN. I've read & watched a hundred or so articles/videos, and all of us are comfortable that Disney is being very responsible with keeping their guests safe.

With all of that, we are CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC that we will be going on Nov 7th to Florida! I'm really excited, but also know literally we could have to pull the plug on Friday, November 6th. We've come to terms with that.

But - my favorite part ... packing planning. Not park planning, packing planning. I like being prepared, and we've done DLR about 20-ish times with the kids, so I know what we need as a family & now the kids are older, THEY GET THEIR OWN BAGS TO CARRY!!! YAHOOO!!!!

I'm going to update more later - It's been so long since I've uploaded a photo to DISboards, I need to refresh how to do that before I continue!!

 

[DLo]

Following along. Looking forward to reading more.

 

[kclark9830]

Fingers crossed it all goes swell! Can't wait to hear more.

 

[DeeBee3]

I'm in a similar situation but coming from NY. We have a rescheduled trip coming up in November. Kids are much younger though. We do have a 2-week quarantine required in NY. Already figured that part out, but with cases seemingly on the rise, we have resigned ourselves to the fact that we can't make a decision until the week before if not a few days before.

 

[heybets30]

This is US - by the way - recap - me, Betsy (49 - until Nov 27th, then the BIG 5-0!, hubby JohnnyG 57, Andrew 11-1/2, Allison, 13 - turns 14 Dec 2).
​

<<<SIGH>>> It's always something - my 11-1/2 year old broke 2 bones in his left wrist on Wednesday at school (he's right-handed, PHEW). The kids just started back on October 13th- it took all of 7 days back at school to break it during gym. They were playing Steal the Bacon (not real bacon, he assured me!), and they were using Cones instead of balls (because too many kids touching balls are icky these days, then he BUST A GUT laughing because he said "balls"). Did he break it running to grab the cone to help his team win? NOPE. He broke it trying to sit down on the ground after his turn. He just turned & flopped, used his hand to brace his descent - SNAP. 2 bones. I'm a "suck it up" kinda mom, so when the nurse called (on one of my few days off work, natch), I said - oh, can you ice it & I'll just pick him up after school and toss him some motrin? She goes - "Betsy, you need to get him now. This can't wait, and I suggest you take him to an immediate care facility of your choice." Oops! An hour later, we were sitting in our hospital's orthopaedic walk-in clinic, xrays showed the 2 breaks. Luckily - our "regular" ortho doc was managing walkins! He had seen my daughter last year for a broken elbow, and 2 years ago for a broken foot after a trampoline park accident. Hard brace until Wednesday - then he gets a cast. Many Disboard'ers have recommended a waterproof cast. He can't try the Aerosmith coaster with a broken wrist, but should be ok on most other rides. Bummer, but we'll manage. Shot for sympathy - in the brace until Wednesday's hard cast:

That said, we're still cautiously optimistic. Less than 2 weeks now - I upgraded my iphone 8 to an iphone 11 Pro Max, hubby got the iphone 12 Pro and traded in his iphone 8 also (he got the very LAST 12 pro at the Apple store by our house yesterday!). We were planning on upgrading them for Japan, but now we wanted to upgrade for WDW!! So that gives me something to play with before the trip - camera!!!

DeeBee3 - It's so hard. Every day, Illinois keeps adding states IL residents are required to quarantine from. FL miraculously has not been added back on. Realistically, hubby and I are still working at home - no quarantining an issue. Our 8th grade would miss 2 days in-person if she has to quarantine after vaca (the 2nd week she'd have off for Thanksgiving break), and my 6th grade would miss a full week of in-person school.

On a semi-positive note, we were able to successfully cancel our non-refundable hotels in Tokyo and Kyoto for tNov 4-15!! WOO-HOO!! We used ALL credit card reward points & hotels.com certificates to pay for 10 nights of hotel. That is a HUGE relief. We weren't out any money, per se - but would've lost the opportunity to use "earned" credits, and we got those credits all returned. American put the 210,000 miles back into our accounts for 3 of the tix, and my son's that we paid for - is the only outstanding no update yet on a refund. Literally, that flight is the ONE flight JAL is flying Chicago-Tokyo that week still that hasn't been cancelled. He is a minor, so he wouldn't be able to fly anyway!

Since it is snowing right now in Chicagoland, I definitely NEED A WARM BREAK!! I miss the sun already I picked up sunscreen this weekend, some paper plates & bowls & utensils for the room, lots of hand wipes (Wet Ones) 20-packs - so everyone has them handy. Someone on the Tips page recommended Epsom Bath Salts - soak the tootsies at the end of a park day. I LOVE that tip! Bought a big bag of Dr. Teal's - which is really heavy - so I'll partition some out. Since just for foot soaking, I don't need a lot. We've got plenty of hand sanitizer, good on masks - disposable and cloth. Grabbed books for the plane & evenings back at the hotel (Devil in the White City & the 5th book in a cozy mystery series I enjoy, "Read and Buried" by Eva Gates - if anyone cares, HA!). We ordered son new Nike slides for going to/from pool; got daughter new sneakers so she can alternate pairs. Hubby got a pair of Sketchers gowalk slipons from Costco ($20!), he's all set footwear-wise too! I'm the only one who wears open-toe sandals to parks every day, I recently found 2 pairs of my discontinued, beloved, beloved Merrell Siena Sandals that all of a sudden popped up on Amazon - bought 2 pairs. Most comfy sandals EVER! Son also requested a new Chicago Bears hoodie for the trip - done, ordered & arrived Saturday. I put some plastic bags in my "to pack bin" so I'd remember that housekeeping isn't coming every day, and we might need some extra trash bags (we generate a LOT of trash on vaca!). Making sure I have little umbrellas for all of us too - I get heat stroke SUPER easily, had a basal cell carcinoma at age 34, so I really have to avoid the sun as much as possible. Reading trip reports, seeing photos of people standing in sun - I will not be embarrassed & will use my umbrella!

Most importantly - replenished my Excedrin Migraine, Extra Strength Tylenol, Advil, Nexium (I get horrible acid reflux & if I eat too late, I'm MISERABLE), immodium, Tums so all my travel/park bag meds are stocked! If anyone has any needs, I am prepared!!! I had a reward to use at Bath & Body works, so I stocked up on small hand sanitizers too in prep. To be blunt, son has issues with chafing on the thighs, so I also bought a tube of "Fresh Balls" for him. Anything for a laugh! He's 11, may as well make anti-chafing "funny" - HA! We have a tiny "anti-monkey-butt powder" container for him to discretely take into the toilet when needed, and he had been using the ladies' Monistat anti-chafing powder cream on past DLR trips (which was also a long-ago tip on DisBoards for Chub Rub, and it is AMAZING!!!!!). I know other folks swear by Body Glide, but the Monistat is great too for both Men/Women - a cream that turns immediately into a silky powder. Works wonders. We thought we'd try a small tube of the Fresh Balls, as it looks a bit more "manly". I'm worried about the heat & his cast, but we've got the battery-operated fans we can use to blow some air into the cast - and if waterproof, I guess we could let some water get in to cool him down too. I figured I'd be blunt & honest about what we bring into the Parks in case someone else has the same issue(s)!!! We've been at DLR when it's been 98 degrees, so we've done parks in heat & I like to be prepared! Kids have travel 3 oz spray bottles for misting water on face. Sometimes they like the full Disney Mister Fans, sometimes not - they can be bulky to carry around day in -day out at the parks.

 

[heybets30]

FL was just added to the Chicago quarantine list. We do not live in the city of Chicago, but ....

My cautiously optimistic may be getting less & less optimistic about actually going Nov 7th.

 

[DeeBee3]

FL was just added to the Chicago quarantine list. We do not live in the city of Chicago, but ....

My cautiously optimistic may be getting less & less optimistic about actually going Nov 7th.

Well from the looks of the numbers, Florida seems better off than Illinois. I don't know what to think anymore!!!

 

[kclark9830]

Oh no! Hate to hear about the broken bones. Fingers crossed all goes well!

 

[heybets30]

We are setting up to go!! Arranged for my brother to come to our house Early Sat morning, drive us in my Sequoia to O’Hare, then return my Sequoia to the house for me. We’re only a 22-ish minute drive to O’Hare, so getting to the airport is never an issue.

we decided that since we haven’t heard of any cases sprouting from WDW, we have the week off, we should go.The thing holding us back is the kid’s schools. They may have to quarantine after - but, that’d be 2 days in person my jr-higher would miss, other days are remote already, and my son would be remote 5 days, then it is Thanksgiving break! Our schools could literally announce that we are going fully virtual again on any given day.

we decided to seize the moment,and GO!!!

 

[heybets30]

Oops! Dupe.

 

[heybets30]

I'm going to recap the last week & a half:
1. Son breaks 2 bones in wrist
2. Son gets full, old-fashioned, can't-get-wet cast
3. Called emergency plumber Tuesday as I watched water cascading into basement while daughter showered 1 flight up (turned out to be water getting behind cracks in tile grout!).
4. Had to recaulk tub/tiles to stop said water from cascading into basement
5. Husband was sent to dermatologist ASAP for possible squamous cell carcinoma (NEGATIVE - PHEW!), also on Tuesday
6. And on Tuesday night, same day/night as #3-5, I left to go to Target & shortly after, a dumptruck hit an overhead electrical wire in front of our house where my car had just been - brought down a live wire & I couldn't get back into our drive for a few hours or even onto our street. Several neighbors without power because of it. Miraculously - we had power.
7. Forecast for FL next week? Possible hurricane.
8. Election day. 'Nuff said.

That said, we're all-in! We are GOING TO WDW SATURDAY!! I figure I either need to update my will OR buy a lottery ticket. Sorry - I know that will sound morbid to some, but that's about the kind of week we're having here. And, if I EVER needed a vacation, it is NOW!!

Arrived today via the magical Amazon delivery person: 10 heavier rain ponchos - spent maybe $17 for 10 clear ones ... I bought the Hagon brand from Amazon - they look like they are a tad longer than the cheapie Dollar Tree ones. Also arrived today: Rust-Oleum NeverWet Boot & Shoe spray - not a plug for them, just if you need to waterproof shoes, I've found this is AMAZING. Worth the extra $$ than the Kwik brand from Target/Walmart. Smells horrible though. Luckily, today is almost 70 degrees here in Chicagoland! GORGEOUS DAY!! I'm going to go spray every sneaker in the house. We'll buy daughter new Old Navy flip flops (flippies as we call them here), so she's got something to change into to keep shoes dry. We'll all carry backpacks with a small umbrella, ponchos, flippies, AND for son with cast, I'll need to carry extra bags to put over his arm, some tape too to hold it in place.

Started my daughter on decongestants (she has a bad right eardrum that after 3 surgeries causes some discomfort if there's even a drop of fluid behind her ear!). Need to go pick out some hard candy for her to suck on during the flight AND gum! We'll buy drinks at O'Hare for the flight so she can also add swallowing beverage to help with the pressure. Son loves "pick out travel treat" night - though he'll just get gum. With all the Halloween candy, we don't need any chocolates for sure!

I picked up paper plates/bowls/plastic ware so we have some for the room for snacks we'll bring. Have a Paper Towel roll that's about 1/4 done - if I rinse off something, I'm not using the room towels. I LOVED the tip about bringing a hand soap liquid pump ... ready to pack a Bath & Body Works "Beautiful Day" foaming hand soap! For a week, I definitely want that over bar soap! Since we get AA bags free, we'll pack many snacks for the room in a hard bag - chips, dip, finger foods. I'll order from Amazon - milk, pop (Diet Pepsi!!! 16.9 oz bottles!!!!!), waters, and an OJ.

My mom used to say all the time ... "this too shall pass". We're all staying positive. I emailed all my daughter's Jr. High teachers - all were VERY supportive - told us to have a blast, said they'd have some work to give her for next week (they had no school yesterday or today & she only has M & W in-person, so any opportunity to get physical packets is tomorrow). Son's teacher did same - if you bring his chromebook you can see what we're working on, otherwise don't worry about it. AWESOME. I think all the teachers know that these are CRAZY times & no one knows what tomorrow holds - literally - we are one of the few districts that hasn't reverted to 100% virtual.

STAYING POSITIVE!!! WOO-HOO!!!! I won't melt in the rain!!

 

[heybets30]

We got an message at 7:30 this morning - call/text/email that my son's elementary school had to go on emergency adaptive pause for in-person learning for 2 weeks. SO - on a positive note, I was feeling guilty that Andrew would miss 5 days of in-person learning - he LOVES being back in person. But, he won't miss it anyway now!

My daughter's Jr. High - same district - is still open. If school stays open/hybrid, she'll miss just 2 in-person days next week.

Sad that school had to close, but they are being proactively safe and I'm grateful that they are careful with our kids.

 

[heybets30]

Trip completed. About to start the actual Trip Report!!