Dancing through the World

[phoebusII]

I've been playing around with the idea of writing a pre trip report and have finally decided to go for it. To give you a little background, let me introduce the main characters. I'm a bit paranoid about posting pictures of my kids, so there won't be many pictures at all, but hopefully, fingers crossed, it may still be enjoyable reading.

First, there is me. Call me Esmeralda. Mom, planner, over-planner, research and plan some more. My name and avi, comes from the fact that my daughter was in love with the Hunchback of Notre Dame movie when I first joined these boards.

DH - call him, um, Flynn. Easy-going, laid back. Just fine with me doing all the planning. Mostly. Until we get to the parks and he decides there is just one thing he wants to change. Every. Single. Time. lol What's an over-planner to do? I have learned to roll with it.

DD (15) - We'll name her Jasmine. A fantastic young lady. She's the reason for this trip. She has danced for years and this year has joined the elite group of dancers in her studio. This June they are taking a trip to Disney to participate in a dancing the world event.

DS (12) - Call him Eric (from Ariel). An awesome kid. Likes most of the rides, but is still unsure of going on some of the bigger roller coasters. Loves, loves, loves, Kali River Rapids.

I'll likely incorporate stories from some of our past trips into this pre-trip report, as they will serve to explain some of the decisions that are going into this year's plans.

The reason for this trip is daughter's dance group. We went to DW last August. Originally, we had planned to go at Christmas time to see the wonderful decorations, etc. Did that once before and it was wonderful, we really enjoyed that trip and wanted to repeat it. However, I started checking into planning and, of course, everything costs a great deal more during Christmas, including the astromomical air fare. Plus, no one except me wanted to leave until Dec. 26, which would have cut several days from our trip. Then Disney came out with free dining at the end of August, one week before the start of school. So we decided to change plans and go then. We had a absolutely wonderful time. Eight days, nine nights. Hot, humid, and fun! Surprisingly, I thought it was just the right length of time and was ready to head home by the end of the trip.

So........

We get home....

School starts...

Dance class starts....

There is a meeting for the dancers and, lo and behold, they are planning to go to Disney in June 2012. It is optional to go. We discussed it and decided to make a family vacation out of it. I think the discussion lasted all of 10 minutes before hubby and I decided YES.

When we told Eric we were going back, he got this slow, wide grin that just spread across his face and lit up his eyes.

We are going at the end of June. We'll be there for five days before the rest of the group gets there, not counting other families who decided to make it their vacation, too. Then four days of dancing, and two more days of us on our own again. I've got our pre-dancing plans pretty much mapped out, but am finding that the dancing portion and not really knowing how much time there will be for parks or which parks the girls want to go to is really throwing a wrench into my planning.

I was going to go right into day one here, but I think I'll make it a separate post. Also, if anyone knows how to make links to my various pre-trip posts, I would greatly appreciate the information for how to do that. Then I'll make a list here for quick reference.

 

[phoebusII]

Day One

We will be leaving very early in the morning. Our flight is at 7:15 a.m. We did the same thing last summer. The plane landed on time, ME was very quick. Checked into POFQ, grabbed a quick lunch at the resort and were in MK by 2:30 p.m. It worked very well, except for being so tired that I felt like a zombie all day.

We will do the same thing this trip. Only, we are staying at ASMu because the rest of the group is staying there and bus service to their various events is there. We stayed there once before, I like the well themed pools and the larger-than-life icons just make me feel like I'm really in DW. We've never stayed at a deluxe, though we've visited a few. We've stayed at three of the moderates and walked over to POR and had dinner there one evening. The deluxe and moderates are lovely and a bit laid back, but there is just something about the value resorts that says "I am really in DW".

For our first day, even half-day we always, always start in MK. Why? Well, because...

A number of years ago we had a partial first day and decided to start in HS. I made ADR's at 50's Prime Time. The kids were very young. Gosh, I can't even remember if Eric was born yet. This means a trip to the old photo albums. lol I do know we stayed off property because we drove. As we were walking in from the parking lot big, huge, black rain clouds were moving in. We didn't make it and got soaked. Sitting at 50's Prime Time wet and miserable, Jasmine says: "When are we going to see the real Disney World?"

So now we always visit the "REAL" DW first. There is just something about seeing the castle on the first day.

I took a chance and made ADR's for the Cinderella's Royal Table for dinner, 7:00 p.m. It's probably too early to stay and see Wishes from the castle, but that's fine. I just hope we aren't too tired.

Last year, we had no ADR's for the first day. That worked well, too. Jasmine had been asking if we could have supper at Pinnochio's because she wanted to sit at the window tables that look out over Small World. We said, yes, we could eat there, but chances were small that we would get the table she wanted. We walked in and a family was just getting up from a prime table right by the window. Right then, I knew it was the start of a great vacation!

I'll post more on days 2 and 3 later.

 

[phoebusII]

The next few days are pretty much mapped out.

Day 2 - Epcot. Lunch at Rose & Crown, because the kids have decided they are into Harry Potter this year and want to eat in England.
Dinner at Morrocco because this was high on our list last year, but we just couldn't fit it in.

Day 3 - HS. Fantasmic package lunch at Mama Melrose. We ate their last summer for the first time and had a wonderful waitress and good food. It took a bit long to eat there, but with the 95 degree heat and 97% humidity that was just fine. So we are repeating a favorite.

Day 4 - AK. Lunch at Tusker House. I tried for the Nemo lunch package, but they've discontinued it. It is now a character buffet.
Dinner at Boma at AKL. It should be a quick bus ride from AK. Getting back to ASMu, we'll take a bus to a park that's still open and transfer.

Day 5 - IoA to see Hogsmeade. We have never been to Universal, so it'll be an adventure. After checking out both the shuttle and taxi options, we have opted for a taxi. They seem comparable in price and a taxi doesn't tie us in to a return time.

Day 6 - The dancing adventure begins. The others are due to arrive "around noonish" I've been told. The girls will be bussed to Fastasmic Gardens around 4:30 for a rehearsal, returning to the resort around 8:30.

I think we'll need to make this a day to sleep in after going non-stop the first 5 days. I've made no ADR's that day. Not exactly sure what we'll be doing, or whether the DH or DS will go with us to rehearsal. I know I'll be a chaperone, so will need to go. Maybe we'll have a bit of time in a park in the morning, maybe we can take the girls to a park for EMH in the evening. I don't know.

My biggest fear is having to chaperone with a mom who has no clue what she is doing and insists on doing it her way. Because, well, there is that control issue. You know, the one where I have been researching/planning/anticipating for months and end up pairing up with someone who doesn't know a thing about FP's, line length or anything else. Keeping my fingers crossed that things go smoothly.

Day 7 - The dancers participate in the MK parade!!! Very cool! It's something they'll get to tell their grandchildren about. Again, transportation for the dancers to MK is provided. Disney will take care of getting their costumes back to the hotel after the parade. I anticipate that it'll be a total MK day. However, arrival and departure times are unknown. I'm planning for QS meals for the entire day.

Day 8 - There is a dance thing at HS. Each participating group puts on their dance. They get about 20 minutes each. I don't know if they will stay for the whole thing or only show up for their portion and have the rest of the day in the park.

That evening there is a gala dinner in Epcot with VIP seating for Illluminations. It will take place at a pavilion between and a bit behind Canada and UK. I saw it last summer when we entered through the back Epcot entrance after taking a boat from HS to Boardwalk and checking out that area for a bit. I wondered what that pavilion was.

Day 9 - The rest of the group departs. I've made no ADR's for that day yet. But I keep being tempted. I'm simply not sure what park we will want to go to. Will we have spent enough time at MK or HS? I'm interested in both the LTT and 50's PT for lunch. But keep hesitating. Flynn says "whatever you decide is fine with me, dear."

Day 10 - Dinner at O'hana

Day 11 - Lunch at Via Napoli. Not sure if we will park hop or stay at Epcot.

Day 12 - Go home.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

I'm a dance Mom too. DS13 and DD11 were in a competition.at CSR two years ago. The kids loved spending time with their teammates but it was difficult planning around the unknown competition times as well as working with dance parents and staff that had no idea about Disney. In fact it was so awful we could have been on the reality show "dance moms". We changed studios when we got home. Too many diva tantrums in what should be the happiest place on earth. Hoping your family manages better than we did.

 

[phoebusII]

Yay! A reply! I had started to think I was only talking to myself.

I'm so glad to hear from another dance mom!! The uncertainty is driving me crazy. Also, it's so hard to get specifics about the plans for those days, and for someone who tends to plan excessively, that is making me crazy.

I think there are a couple other families going, no idea when they are arriving and leaving. There are a number of dancers going without parents. DD wants to spend time with her friends, which is understandable. But I have had to make it clear that she gets the dance days only to spend with them, we won't be following around people who have no clue. Husband completely agrees. Luckily, we've been to DW enough times that he understands the importance of having some kind of plan.

My best case scenario is chaperoning well-behaved girls (there are no boys, by choice, the studio doesn't exclude them) who understand the importance of FP's and having enough time away from the dance activities to be able to take them on at least the rides they see as a priority.

Worst case scenario is complete disorganization and chaos, having to hang around all day waiting for something to get done and...what makes me cringe...parents who have no clue, won't listen, refuse to use FP's and insist on doing it all their way. I'm crossing my fingers.

Could you give me a rough idea of what your dance schedule was like? Are the dancers given enough time in the parks? Does Disney make sure the dancers have enough water and are fed if they have rehearsal during meal times?

I am hoping they have enough free time in MK and HS to be able to have an enjoyable experience.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

We went to a competition that was held at CSR. It wasn't run by Disney. Our studio was invited to dance at HS but it was after we left. Like you we went early to have our own family Disney trip before all the competition. Some families stayed on after so a very few actually performed at HS that day and honestly by then I had decided to break with the studio so I can't answer your questions about disney feeding them.

All the dancers came with their families although some families would just drop off their dancers and myself and some other parents were stuck looking after them so I wasn't an official chaperon. However, my kids were 9 and 11 at the time so most of the dancers were under 13.

I suspect you will run into some people who really don't understand the best way to tour Disney. They will slow you down but you will have had your time before to really "be" in the parks so try to just enjoy your dance days for what they are. An opportunity for your daughter to dance at Disney with her teammates. It'll be like a trial run for the college program (LOL).

 

[RHMBLindsay]

I was curious how your trip turned out. Our DD(9)'s dance studio is doing this July 2013. The group is only planning on staying one day before and one day after all the activities. We thought this would be a life experience she would never forget - being able to say that she danced down the main street of Disney and danced at HS. My concern is of her being young and going to the practices with just the team and not the parents. I am glad this is not our first trip to Disney, I assume the team is so busy that they don't really have a lot of time to see the parks.