Clairebear & Tomouse PTR with possibility of magicbands?!

[Claire Bear]

Ok, so I don't think I'll bother looking at my weather app again! Haha

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

I'm a non-teaching Head of Year and lead professional for child protection. Going back to Head of a Year 7 in September so I've been doing all the transition. I usually spend school holidays trying to avoid children! How about you?

Haha! I teach Performing Arts and co-ordinate the BTECs within our department. In September I also start a new role as a 'Leading Practitioner'. This is almost a cross between the old descriptions of AST and Excellent Teacher roles, with a focus on improving teaching across the school. Quite excited by it but also daunted as I get scared by change and had become quite comfortable in my old role

I'm enjoying seeing your screen shots from the iPad. Think it will be the first app I add when I get one from school in September!

 

[wifey]

Hi Claire guess we will see you at the hotel as we too are going to the Yachtsman steakhouse at 7:15pm on Monday 26th as it our 20th wedding anniversary.See you there

 

[Claire Bear]

Oh wow!! That's funny. Well my picture is on the front page, if you see me say hi! Think that's a lovely way to spend your anniversary

 

[Claire Bear]

Haha! I teach Performing Arts and co-ordinate the BTECs within our department. In September I also start a new role as a 'Leading Practitioner'. This is almost a cross between the old descriptions of AST and Excellent Teacher roles, with a focus on improving teaching across the school. Quite excited by it but also daunted as I get scared by change and had become quite comfortable in my old role

I'm enjoying seeing your screen shots from the iPad. Think it will be the first app I add when I get one from school in September!

My school is a specialist school in performing arts! I know what you mean about change, I'm the same! I bet you'll really settle in and make the most of the role when you start.
I bought my iPad a few weeks ago then on the last day of them found out we were getting them next term! Oh well, sure I can use two! I know a lot of people are having problems with the app but I love it! It's great to play around on and explore the possibilities.

 

[Claire Bear]

Wednesday 21st - MK Day


Really hope to be at MK for rope drop which is 9am.
We have fastpasses for Buzz Lightyear, Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain

I should probably also admit at this point that I'm really pleased Main Street bakery has changed to incorporate Starbucks as I'm a Starbucks addict, I've spent most of this months spends there without realising, oops! So it'll be lovely being able to get a Venti Frappacino with a snack credit! Woohoo! I do need to restrain myself though as I want to try all the snacks I've been reading about on the snack thread! Oh and I need to buy a waffle with fruit and Nutella from Sleepy Hollow, sounds yummy!

After Splash Mountain we'll head back to the YC and if we have enough time we'll have a quick swim (weather permitting!).

We have an ADR at Planet Hollywood at 6pm. I know it's not a popular choice but I liked the atmosphere when I went before and Tom likes TGIF Fridays so figured he might like PH. While we're at DTD (Probably before we eat) I can also go to the World of Disney to collect our $200 gift card that I got with our WDW package. I am a little worried about shopping in there though as last time I went in 2005 I spent $400! Yikes.

It'll be fun to have a wonder round the shops with Tom and then I think we might head back to MK via the boat to POFQ depending on what time it is. Wishes is at 10pm.

 

[Claire Bear]

We've started packing today, it's harder than I thought! I'm trying to narrow down the 8 pairs of shoes I'm wanting to take!! And I have a huge pile of ironing to do, yuck! I don't normally bother ironing but I'll make this exception lol.
Really think I'm taking too many clothes but I don't want to do any washing while we're there if I can avoid. Hope my master packing skills mean I can fit it all in with space to buy just a few bits

 

[Claire Bear]

Thursday 22nd


Now, I'm keeping this day fairly open in terms of planning.
We have breakfast booked at Cape May Cafe at the resort.

Really not sure what we'll make of the character interaction but I figured everyone has got to try it once! Tom does a great Donald Duck impression so I hope Tom talks to Donald in his daft voice! Haha (Tom will love me for writing that!!) don't think he is looking forward to this ADR but I'm sure he'll enjoy the buffet!

I'm not sure if we'll want a rest day and just stay at YC or if we'll want to go to a waterpark or go shopping.

At 6:30pm we have a reservation at Teppan Edo, I'm really looking forward to this one, I think it will be a fun experience watching the chef.

I've made a FP res for Soarin at 4:45pm-5:55pm so we can go on a ride before we head to Teppan Edo. The other selections the app came up with for FP's were while we'll be eating but the app says no other times available :/ We already have FP's for the rides we want to do at Epcot other days so I didn't spend too much time trying to sort it. Just hoping it doesn't matter if you miss FP's? I also thought before we eat we could try get a paper FP for later in the evening if the system is still letting people use both, I've read some people have been.

Illuminations are at 9pm so we'll probably watch those and maybe get a couple of drinks from around the world, I keep seeing people mention alcoholic slushies so might have to try one of those

 

[Claire Bear]

Friday 23rd -HS

I know a lot of people say HS is their least favourite park but I loved it last time I went and there's something magical about seeing Mickey's sorcerer's hat which makes you feel all excited! (Or maybe that's just me!).

I've scheduled an ADR at Sci-Fi for 2pm. I figured if we're feeling tired from all our park trips we can have a lie in then stroll over to HS or more likely get the boat! Or if we want to go to a waterpark or hang by SAB we can.

I think Sci-Fi looks like a fun experience and reviews seem to say the burgers are ok, I'd like to try one of their milk shakes too. Hopefully if its not too unbearably hot or pouring with rain we'll stay at HS for the afternoon.

In the evening I've booked a FP viewing for Fantasmic at 7:55pm so I made FP reservations for ToT and RnRC before I loved these rides in 2005. I literally did no research before that trip and when I walked on RnRC I didn't know it was a super fast roller coaster and got a bit of a shock! I went in May on that trip and the parks were soooo quiet we could just walk on almost all the rides, think I'll find August a tad bit different!

 

[Claire Bear]

Ooh just read all the fridges have been replaced at YC/BC, I'm so glad we'll have a working fridge. I want to walk over to the HESS station near BWI and grab a few bits to keep in the room

 

[Tony Bush]

Hi Claire , great to see all your MDE app pics. DD is going in May and we're hoping to go in October 2014. I'm new to all this magicbands and FP + stuff, so I'm trying to get up to speed with it all .

My only worry is that with all these people making FP+ reservations I have visions of turning up at a ride at 9.00 to find that the first FP availability will be about 16.00 as everyone has pre booked them ! -


Tony

 

[Claire Bear]

Hi Claire , great to see all your MDE app pics. DD is going in May and we're hoping to go in October 2014. I'm new to all this magicbands and FP + stuff, so I'm trying to get up to speed with it all .

My only worry is that with all these people making FP+ reservations I have visions of turning up at a ride at 9.00 to find that the first FP availability will be about 16.00 as everyone has pre booked them ! -

Tony

Hi Tony. I guess they will have limited the amount to avoid that happening. I did try change a couple of my FP+ times or change the ride once I'd made them and it said there was no other availability. By next year I guess everyone will be using FP+ though.
If you would like me to post any more pictures from the MDE app about anything you specifically were wondering about let me know and I'll post them for you

 

[Tony Bush]

Thanks Claire,

I have signed up to MDE on laptop and Iphone. Playing around with it a bit but can't do too much as we've not booked our trip yet. As long as there are plenty of FP times left. I may want to pre book a few of the big rides but I quite like to be spontaneous too.

Tony

 

[wifey]

Claire I think you and Tom will both love Teppan Edo it's fun and friendly and if you are unsure about chop sticks they can rig a set for you with rubber bands and some origami paper to make it so much easier to eat with, even our boy got on fine with these, on our last visit the chef we had was outstanding with great communication skills to everyone at the table including a small child eating from her mum's plate and she asked everyone how they wanted their steak cooked and did it all brilliantly with a pleasant smile the entire time, chicken and shell fish were cooked separately the rice and vegetables were cooked to perfection too. She genuinely loved to cook, had a happy friendly disposition and was courteous too. I loved the fact that all the staff there were to some degree Japanese in origin too they greet you at the front in such splendid clothing it's a treat to see all the embroidered silks and colour palettes they wear, made me want one of my own. This was one restaurant we all agreed we wanted to dine at again, even Ethan scoffed all the rice and veggies on his plate which amazed us and our chef gave him a black origami frog (which we still have ) for being a great diner and leaving his plate empty which amazed us he was a very picky eater then.
Ethan has texture issues even now but he is improving with age, he lived pretty much on chicken and fries or hotdogs or steak and vegetables no mac and cheese for him no way was he gonna entertain that. For this trip he has agreed to try more new foods and with help from his teachers over the last three years he does try more stuff from time to time, residential trips have really made him appreciate his food at home. I can't wait to see his face when we go to the Biergarten Festival in Epcot's Germany pavilion and seeing what he tries there and remembering where we are seated with others on the long bench tables it should be good fun.

 

[1946fromjriteon]

My Name is Claire.......Have a great time

 

[Claire Bear]

Thanks Claire,

I have signed up to MDE on laptop and Iphone. Playing around with it a bit but can't do too much as we've not booked our trip yet. As long as there are plenty of FP times left. I may want to pre book a few of the big rides but I quite like to be spontaneous too.

Tony

When you want to select FP's it lists all the options at that park and you tick the 3 you want, then it comes up with 4 options for ride times (A-D) and you pick the schedule that suits you best. You can then alter the times after if you wish. I just did a pretend selection to show you:

I know what you mean about being spontaneous, last time went to Disney, some days we'd just go to the bus stop and get on the first bus that came! I've booked FP's for all the rides we wanted to do but hopefully left enough time to just see how we feel and go with flow. I'd like to spend quite a bit of time at the resort too, so if we feel like abandoning the plan at any point we will

 

[Claire Bear]

Wifey- Teppan Edo was definitely one of the 'must do's' when I was looking at all the menus and choosing, glad you had such a good experience. I'm been doing so much planning I think I won't know what to o with myself when I'm back, hopefully I won't be too sad! Hope Ethan likes Biergarten!!
I still think it's amusing that we'll be at the Yachtsman at the same time!

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

Lol about the double iPad!

Your other plans look great. We enjoyed Teppan Edo when it was still Teppanyaki Diner

Also, if you like milkshakes, pop into the Tune Up Lounge (the bar attached to 50s Prime Time Cafe) and get one of the Peanut Butter and Helly shakes - it is our 'must-do' item!

At Epcot the Grey Goose slushie in France is delicious, and they do loads of unusual margaritas in the tequila bar in Mexico. Jalapeño is lovely

 

[Claire Bear]

Not sure about peanut butter milkshake but I will definitely try a grey goose slushie! I have read about loads of snacks that sound yummy at Epcot particularly from the caramel place. Do you have any favourites??

 

[Claire Bear]

Saturday 24th - Discovery Cove


I'm so excited about going to DC, I originally thought we had already spent too much money and wouldn't have time to go but then the more I read about it the more I wanted to go. Plus if its another 8 years till I come back to Florida I figured I wanted to do everything this trip! I chose the Saturday because I originally had this planned as a shopping day so this choice wouldn't impact on my park time but also because the park limit the number of guests, so a Saturday will not be any busier unlike the other parks.

We're not doing the dolphin swim, I'll happily look at dolphins (I'm looking forward to going to the dolphin feeding at SW but Tom can feed them my fish!) but I don't want to pay all that money to swim with them.
I think it looks so relaxing and I like the idea of all food and drinks being included. I think the freshwater oasis will be my favourite section.

Plans are to get a taxi in the morning to get there for about 8am to have breakfast and pick a spot to sit and relax then explore. I've read about bringing photo ID, I presume a UK driving licence will suffice? Would prefer to leave passports in the safe, but think I read some places only accept passports?

I'm also really excited about our evening plans. When we leave DC we are going to get the no.50 lynx bus from SW to DTD for $2. I'd like to try WPE for dinner, I like the menu and it seems to be a really good CS option. Then we'll head to MK, maybe get the boat to POFQ then bus to MK or get the bus to CR then walk.
At MK I've made FP's for Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and then the parade and Wishes!! Woohoo! Not sure where the reserved viewing area is for Wishes as the app marker shows the water around the castle?!