Celebrating my Un-Birthday Disney Style-April 2010-New 5/3 - The TR has started!

[jenniferkeala808]

HEY AMY!! Sorry I've been a little MIA. I didn't even know they extended park hours and added shows until I read it here on the DIS!! I'm really excited that they added another F! Show on 5/1...which is when we were going to do the Fantasmic! Dining Package. So I think we are going to cancel our Dining Package and go to the later show which is at 10:30pm I believe?!?! I'm hoping for smaller crowds also!! Does it mean that it'll be busy if they extend hours and add shows?! I hope not! We're almost there!!!

 

[carissanboys]

Glad the changes are good ones!

Even if it's because of increased crowds, I'm sure you'll be fine.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Yay for adding Spectro!!

And what a sweet gift from Tracey and Bill! You can see the excitement on your boys' faces!

The boys were so excited!!

The added Spectro was a nice surprise! I thought we were out of luck this year.

You have your hopper built in and can always take an extra break if needed back at the resort...or if you don't want to go that far...I'd sneak over to the beach at GF, Poly or CR and just chill there...if you are not using the pools I'd think it would be OK to escape for an hour or too...convienent for the MK/CM day or if need a break while at Epcot just use monorail....JAT

it's always a mixed blessing w/ the added entertainment and hours....I wouldn't worry too much...not like your going over Thanksgiving break like some people...Oh that would be me


J~

Thanks for the break suggestions! I think we'll be OK crowd-wise... I'm just glad we have the option to see Spectro now.

I just checked in to your report - looks like you will be there as we are finishing up our trip. What a nice family. I just skimmed your report - I love the links! Sweet family!

They have that Wishes at 9 and Spectro at 10 on my MK night - I hope it really is that way since I chose that night for Wishes since it was earlier. Do you think it is a mistake? I am worried all the new spectros (almost every night I am there except grad night) means that crowds will be brutal. Oh well!

Welcome!

I was looking forward to the early Wishes too... I'm not sure if it will stay that way or not... you use TGM too, right? On our night, the WDW website shows Wishes then Spectro, but TGM shows Spectro then Wishes so I'm not sure if he knows something we don't... Hopefully the added Spectros will just mean there are more shows for everyone so the crowds won't be so bad. Wishful thinking??

Wow, you got a lot knocked off of your to-do list. What nice gifts your boys received. Hopefully the hours don't mean much larger crowds. I love TGM's advice!!

Don't you just love crossing things off a list? There's just something about it... Thanks! The boys loved the gifts!

Thanks for this post Amy!!! I need to go through and start planning more now! I hadn't yet decided night time show nights and such but now I can and it seems I have much more to choose from!! Glad there are more Spectro shows too!!!

Happy Planning!!

 

[DisMomAmy]

for adding SpectoMagic!!! Hope you get to see it!!

Seeing that they added an extra showing of Fantasmic prompted me to check our week also and YAY! They added another showing on the night we are going!! I was hoping they would do this so we would have a little extra time in the park!!

Zachary loves the "light parade" so hopefully we'll make it work along with Wishes. I was excited about the extra Fantasmics too... still not sure if we'll be seeing it, but the later park hours will help out. I'd suggest trying to see the later Fantasmic if you can.

All these changes work in your favor!

Second showings of parades and shows means that you will only be dealing with half the crowds you would have on a single showing night!

Disney always does this before Jersey Week, too, and the last two Jersey Weeks were comfortable crowd-wise.

I think you'll be fine... of course TGM advice always helps!


Kathy

It's funny... I kept seeing things on TGM about updated park hours & updated Least Crowded Park Charts but assumed they were only for the first couple weeks of April due to Easter. I was very surprised to find the changes effected our week. But hopefully your theory is true - the added shows will thin the crowds. The changes actually didn't really changed Mike's ratings so we'll be fine.

Great news! I'm so jealous....waiting to see about show times STILL for DCA...It makes me crazy how late they release hours for CA.

I can only imagine how crazy that must be making you! Ugghhh!! Here's hoping they release the times soon.

HEY AMY!! Sorry I've been a little MIA. I didn't even know they extended park hours and added shows until I read it here on the DIS!! I'm really excited that they added another F! Show on 5/1...which is when we were going to do the Fantasmic! Dining Package. So I think we are going to cancel our Dining Package and go to the later show which is at 10:30pm I believe?!?! I'm hoping for smaller crowds also!! Does it mean that it'll be busy if they extend hours and add shows?! I hope not! We're almost there!!!

The added Fantasmics are perfect for you - I read that you did decide to cancel your FDP and are hitting the late show. Good plan!

Glad the changes are good ones!

Even if it's because of increased crowds, I'm sure you'll be fine.

Thanks Carissa! Tour Guide Mike has always worked well for us so I still feel good about our plans. I'm only worried about DHS on our second-to-last night. We've never been to DHS on a Fantasmic night (not since the reduced schedule) so I guess it can't hurt to try it out once to know for sure about the crowds.

 

[DisMomAmy]

So it looks like Jeff, Karen, J & K will be coming to Disney after all... This really doesn't change our plans at all, but they decided not to go to Universal. Partially because they wanted to see Harry Potter and it isn't opening in time and partially because they want to see us. I think it was ultimately up to the kids whether they still went to Universal without Harry or if they came to Disney with us. I'm glad they'll be getting to spend more time with us. The kids will be THRILLED!! And I'm sure DMIL is pretty happy too.

I didn't get to talk to Karen when she called so I have since sent her an email to confirm. The one day they are planning to come to Disney with us is our Magic Kingdom long day. We have a Chef Mickey's ADR, which we will go to without them, so that's not an issue. I'm just hoping the kids (J & K) will be OK with Magic Kingdom being their one park day. If they would prefer to go to DHS (or wherever) and they don't have park hoppers, we may go with them to the DHS (or wherever) in the morning, then park hop for our MK night with Chef Mickey's, Spectro & Wishes. We'll just have to move something around for our MK morning. Not quite sure what that will be, but...

Hopefully they are OK with Magic Kingdom & everything will stay the way it is.

 

[eandesmom]

I am glad that you guys get to see J&K! I hope it doesn't change and that it all works out

 

[Angies1274]

I hope everything works out and you can keep your Magic Kingdom day as planned!!

 

[DisMomAmy]

I am glad that you guys get to see J&K! I hope it doesn't change and that it all works out

Let's hope so...

 

[DisMomAmy]

I hope everything works out and you can keep your Magic Kingdom day as planned!!

Thanks! I'll let you all know when I hear back from Karen. She'll probably say that they want to do what we want to do. The question is whether they'll feel the same way when they get there...

 

[KathyRN137]

Oh, Alex and Zach will be thrilled!

Kathy

 

[mommytothreeboys]

Yay! I know the boys missed seeing J & K last spring! I'm sure they are so excited!

Here's hoping the itinerary doesn't change, but, if it does, I'm sure you'll roll with it!!

 

[mousescrapper]

sounds great now the kids will be w/ your boys and DMIL

you are great to keep rolling w/ the changes...and glad you are not bending over backwards to adjust.

here's hoping MK will be just fine...

and why not?

Space Mt.

BTMRR

Splash

HM

PoC

Buzz

Laugh Factory

tea cups

even TSI can be fun I'd think for the teen set.

 

[DisneyCrafter]

Amy,

I have a question for you. I have noticed that you mention about sharing a photopass card with other vacationers. How does this work? How much of a savings is it? I would love to take advantage of this if it is possible. Any information you could give would be great!

 

[jordanyosh]

I am only too familiar with having to make accommodations for others joining you for a portion of the trip. It seems like you have a great attitude about it. Like you said the kids will be thrilled for sure.

I know I'd just be a little antzy to get things nailed down quickly though.....

 

[lauren_elizabeth]

Hey Amy! So, Jordan pimped you out on his trip report & I just had to come join along!

Your boys are absolutely adorable!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Oh, Alex and Zach will be thrilled!

Kathy

We were talking with then on the phone this weekend & it seems as though Alex is most looking forward to playing basketball with his 6+ foot cousin!

Yay! I know the boys missed seeing J & K last spring! I'm sure they are so excited!

Here's hoping the itinerary doesn't change, but, if it does, I'm sure you'll roll with it!!

Yes - we'll just roll with it... I haven't told the boys that Jeff & all have decided to go to Disney one day... I don't want them to be disappointed again. We'll wait and see...

sounds great now the kids will be w/ your boys and DMIL

you are great to keep rolling w/ the changes...and glad you are not bending over backwards to adjust.

here's hoping MK will be just fine...

and why not?

Space Mt.

BTMRR

Splash

HM

PoC

Buzz

Laugh Factory

tea cups

even TSI can be fun I'd think for the teen set.

I completely agree! But we'll see if they do...

Amy,

I have a question for you. I have noticed that you mention about sharing a photopass card with other vacationers. How does this work? How much of a savings is it? I would love to take advantage of this if it is possible. Any information you could give would be great!

You can't organize PhotoPass shares here on the DIS, because they involve exchanging money & that's a no-no here... but I started a share group through Tour Guide Mike's website. Stitchkingdom also allows you to organize shares, but I'm more comfortable doing it through Tour Guide Mike (which is a paid site) because you see the same people hanging around there or joining your vacation club. If you know any people who are going at the same time as you, you could contact them to see if they would want to share. If you join Tour Guide Mike, you join your month's vacation club & there will usually be plenty of opportunities to join a group that's being organized by someone else.

Basically one person orders & pays for the CD and everyone shares the same photopass account to upload and edit their photos. When you get the CD back, you either upload all of the pictures to an website like Picasa or burn everyone a copy of their pictures. Everyone share the cost of the CD.

PM me if you want more info...

 

[DisMomAmy]

I am only too familiar with having to make accommodations for others joining you for a portion of the trip. It seems like you have a great attitude about it. Like you said the kids will be thrilled for sure.

I know I'd just be a little antzy to get things nailed down quickly though.....

I'm always antsy to get things nailed down! But I'm happy to spend whatever time we can with family. I just wish they "got it"...

Thanks for bringing me a new reader!

Hey Amy! So, Jordan pimped you out on his trip report & I just had to come join along!

Your boys are absolutely adorable!

Thanks for reading! Jordan's great!!

 

[carissanboys]

Here's hoping they do make it and things stay as planned.

 

[lauren_elizabeth]

Thanks for reading! Jordan's great!!

That's such a cute smiley!

And yes, he really is!

 

[Cory's Gal]

You are the queen of changes Amy, it's so awesome you are able to "roll with it all"!! I like the sound of a totally Magic Kingdom filled day!!!