Desperate For More Disney Magic

[saintstickets]

I started making dining reservations at 6:15 this morning. I got everything I wanted at pretty much the times I was looking for

Sun Jan 25th: Tony's Town Square 8:45pm (We'll watch the MSEP at 8:00)
Mon Jan 26th: Coral Reef 11:30am (We'll sleep late and go straight to lunch)
Tues Jan 27th: Tusker House 8:05am (AK opens at 9:00)
Wed Jan 28th: Grand Floridian Café 5:30pm (We'll watch Wishes at 8:00)
Thurs Jan 29th: Mama Melrose 12:00pm (Fantasmic Package)
Fri Jan 30th: Garden Grove Seafood Buffet (Off park/ DTD day)
Sat Jan 31st Akershus 8:05am (I'll book the latest flight home possible)

Those look great!! We did the Mama Melrose/Fantasmic Package years ago and it was great!!

 

[JAMIESMITH]

Those look great!! We did the Mama Melrose/Fantasmic Package years ago and it was great!!

That's really good to hear! I wanted to try Mama Melrose on our first trip, but my cousin and my husband wanted to try 50s Prime Time instead. I got outvoted!

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I booked our flights with Southwest Rewards points. We are leaving Birmingham, AL at 6:10 AM to land in Orlando at 9:25 AM on January 25th. We are leaving Orlando at 6:10 PM to land in Birmingham at 6:45 PM on January 31st. I was glad to get an early arrival and late departure time so we can have more time in the parks. I still have enough points left for one or two more flights

None of my family has ever flown before, if you can believe that! I'm trying to decide if I should purchase early bird boarding or just do online check in right at the twenty-four hour mark so that we get three seats together.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I thought I'd share a few photos from Maddy's sixth birthday party

Her Frozen Cake turned out really cute!

"Sword" fighting with fairy wands.

My princess and her best friend.

 

[TillyMarigold]

Happy birthday, Maddy! I think we're going to do a Disney birthday party this year, too--probably Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. (How did my baby get to be almost 2?)

 

[JAMIESMITH]

Happy birthday, Maddy! I think we're going to do a Disney birthday party this year, too--probably Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. (How did my baby get to be almost 2?)

That will be cute! Toy Story and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse have always made me wish for a boy, but my girlie-girl always wants a more feminine themed birthday party.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

Nothing new to add except that I am officially five months from being in Disney

 

[JAMIESMITH]

Today two years ago we were in Disney World. I can't wait to be back!

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I called Disney today to make one last reservation. I promised my husband we would take Madilyn to the Sandcastle Club at The Beach Club after we leave Animal Kingdom so we can have a few hours to ourselves. I wasn't able to make the reservation when I made my dining reservations (I'm not sure why ) so I called to try again today and she is in! I'm hoping we can pick up an ice cream cone from the window at Beaches N Cream when we pick her up from the childcare center. Does anyone know what time that to go window stops serving?

Now I have nothing to do but twiddle my thumbs until the end of November when I can start making Fast Pass reservations

My cousin, my best friend, and I are doing our Color Run in a little over three weeks. I've never run a 5K before, but I'm on week six of Couch 2 5K and I think I will be ready

 

[saintstickets]

I'm hoping we can pick up an ice cream cone from the window at Beaches N Cream when we pick her up from the childcare center. Does anyone know what time that to go window stops serving?

B&C is typically open from 11am until 11pm.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

B&C is typically open from 11am until 11pm.

Awesome! Thanks

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I started Couch 2 5K in June with my cousin Marie (the cousin who joined us on our 2012 trip to Disney World). We met up with one of my friends from junior high and high school in Mobile, Alabama this weekend for our very first 5K run. I've never run a mile in under ten minutes, but I did it Saturday

Here is a picture of all of us after the race:

We had such a great girls' weekend. I'm eyeing another 5K in Demopolis, Alabama in December. They have Christmas on the River on the same day which is sort of like the Electric Water Parade at Disney World. Hopefully Marie and I will be able to do that race, too. The worst part about winter is that it gets dark so much earlier and I will have to run on my treadmill during the week. Running outside is so much better!

There is another 5K in June that I am planning to do, but my long term goal is to be able to run in the half Marathon in Meridian, Mississippi next November. If I can do that, I will sign up for one of the half marathons at Disney!

And speaking of Disney, my ticker says that I am three months, one week, and five days from checking into Boardwalk Villas

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I am disappointed that the lobster pasta was removed from Coral Reef's menu and that the lemon cheesecake domes are gone from Grand Floridian Cafe's menu. I suppose we will keep our plans as is...

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I decided to move our reservation at Tony's to an earlier time so that we might get to see both the MSEP and Wishes on our arrival night. This would allow us to call it a night a little earlier on our second day in MK. I'm impatiently waiting for Thanksgiving, not because I'm excited about turkey, but because I'm ready to make our FP reservations

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I know that I can't be alone in getting a little discouraged with all the changes Disney is making. I knew when we started planning a January trip that Splash Mountain and Kali River Rapids would probably be closed during our trip. We found out a few months into planning that Cinderella's Table would also be closed. Then Maelstrom and The Studio Backlot Tour also closed. We're also going to see walls up in Magic Kingdom with the Hub expansion and in Hollywood Studios with the removal of the Sorcerer's Hat. It seems like more and more of the reviews of Fastpass + are negative as are a lot of the reviews I've read about many table service meals. I'm going to go with a good attitude and a good plan, but I think if I had known all these changes were coming, I would have put this trip off until things at Disney settle down a little.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I've made another change to our dining plans. We had a great experience at The Grand Floridian Café on our first trip, but the dessert that my husband and I were so looking forward to having again was taken off the menu. I've read several great reviews of Kona Café and I am dying to try their steak! I found a reservation there on the night that we were supposed to go back the The Grand Floridian Café so I snatched it up

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I'm super excited to make Fast Pass + reservations tonight! I think I've figured out what we want, I'm just crossing my fingers that it is all available!

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I am mostly pleased with the Fast Passes that I was able to get last night, but there was no availability for Anna and Elsa on the 25th or the 28th (our only two MK days). Thankfully, I haven't told my daughter about meeting them and there is still the show in HS and the parade in MK. There was also no availability for MSEP or Wishes, but I believe those are released later on. I wish they would release everything at once so that I don't have to constantly check back! The only other thing I need to keep checking back for is the lunch Fast Pass for Be Our Guest. Sixty days!!!!

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I'm so excited that my ticker is showing weeks and not months until our trip!

I still haven't gotten fastpasses to meet Anna and Elsa (despite checking every single day!), but we are planning to watch the Festival of Fantasy Parade on our arrival day and attend the Sing Along in Hollywood Studios later in the week.

I'm going to try to get a FP+ lunch reservation for Be Our Guest on the 28th tomorrow

I made another reservation today, one for Madilyn at Bibbiti Bobbidi Boutique on the 30th at 12:15. I ordered her the deluxe Anna dress and shoes from disneystore.com I think it will be a surprise!

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I got a BOG lunch FP+ for 11:00-11:30 on the 28th, which is perfect for us. Still no A&E FP+