ajf1007
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 22, 2009
- Messages
- 599
Hi! Thanks for checking out my Pretrip Trip Report! While I've been a commenter on other's trip reports, I've never done one myself so I'm hoping as I continue, I can refine my skills!
This trip is a long time coming as we've always brought friends and/or family on our trips. Well not this one! This trip will be just me and my husband Ed. I started laying out the trip and the things we want to do and decided that this will be a trip of firsts! First time restaurants, first time tours, and lots of things that we've never done together before. We have been to WDW many times and just did our very first Disney Cruise but some of the things on the itinerary are firsts for either DH or for both of us. This is really what DVC does for us, you know you're going back so there is no rush to get it all in.
Side note - We loved the Disney Cruise and can't wait to go again! The Wish was amazing and we had a blast but three nights just isn't enough! We met some great people and made a few friends that we still keep in touch with! I'm ready to book my next one though....so stay tuned for that.
Before I go further, let me introduce ourselves! This is me, Amy-Jo and my DH Ed at Olivia's at OKW. Our home resort is Riviera, which we bought sight unseen during Covid. I was originally trying to convince him to buy a shore house and because he knows I love WDW (during my prior marriage, I owned at AKV - but that contract was sold during the divorce) and he does too, he finally relented and sent me to "look into it and get the numbers." So, several spreadsheets and power point presentations later (yep done by me), he relented and hasn't looked back. I have to tell you though - he thought DVC would be cheaper than a shore house, but I'm not even going to put that spreadsheet together to prove him wrong
. I'll let him live in the dream a little while longer. Anway, I've now created a WDW and Riviera monster and every time we travel, he compares everything to the Riviera. It's actually kind of cute!
Anyway - here we are:
Amy-Jo (DW) - 53
Ed (DH) - 55
We live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania currently but are planning a move in the next one-two years, to the Gulf side of Florida, most likely the Punta Gorda area. You'll understand why I mention this on here, when you take a look at our itinerary.
So, here's what I've put together so far.... this is pretty close to my final itinerary, but we all know how quickly things can shift and change.
Our trip is scheduled for 9/7 to 9/14
9/7 - Saturday - Arrival Day and Hoop Dee Doo!
We are taking the first flight out of PHL and arrive at 9:30 am. Our plan is to grab the rental car and head to the Riviera. I have absolutely no expectation of our room being ready, so we will change into our bathing suits and head to the pool for some relaxing and napping. Hopefully our room will be ready by 4pm so we can get changed and head over to the Hoop Dee Doo! Now, my DH has never been to this show, and I love it so I'm excited for this and to see what he thinks!
9/8 - Sunday - This is an exciting day for us as we're going to drive over to Punta Gorda (Gulf side) and meet with a realtor to check out a few places and developments. It's still early in our process but if we find the right one, we'll have lots to talk about! At first, I didn't want to take a day away from our trip, but the timing is perfect so we're doing it!
9/9 - Monday - It's a MK kind of day...but in a different way! I booked the Keys to the Kingdom tour! It's a five-hour tour and I am imagining that once that's over, we'll head back to the Riviera and rest (it's alot of walking for someone with Rheumatoid Arthritis). Once we are rejuvenated, a little shopping at DS is in order and DS shopping will include dinner at Paddlefish!
9/10 - Tuesday - EPCOT - FOOD and WINE! Need I say more? I booked us dinner at the Biergarten (neither one of us have eaten here before) at 5:30 so we'll just hang out here most of the day, have dinner and see how we feel. It may be a great night to head back to the Riviera, sit in the hot tub and relax after a long day at Epcot.
9/11 - Wednesday - MK round two! Because we'll be in the MK on Monday but doing that tour, I thought that I needed a proper MK day AND that night is extra magic hours until midnight! DH hasn't ever done that before and at home we're early to bed kind of people so I am hoping we can rally (we better rally!) and enjoy being at the park that late! I did book breakfast at Boma at 9am (this is a must do for us on any trip) and Whispering Canyon at 6pm so after breakfast at Boma, we'll head back to the Riviera and hang out by the pool and then head to MK later in the afternoon -then dinner - then back to MK for the extra magic hours. I'm so excited for this!
9/12 - Thursday - HS - I was able to book Oga's Cantina at 12:15, then dinner at the Brown Derby as part of the Fantasmic! show. DH has never been to either the Brown Derby or the Fantasmic show! This show makes me tear up - I love it so much and can't wait to hear what he thinks! I just remember watching my young nieces faces when I took them, the awe and amazement.....it was beautiful to watch them. I probably watched them more than the show!
9/13 - Friday - AK - I always like to do this park on the last day as it closes early, and I feel like I can get in and get out and still have time to pack and get ready to go home. We'll most likely rope drop and then spend the rest of the day at the Riviera relaxing and getting packed up. Our flight is at 9:15 on Saturday so that will be an early exit for us.
So what do ya'll think of the itinerary?
We really are looking forward to this trip....Just the Two of Us! It will be so nice to go at our own pace, relax and not have to entertain or worry about anyone else on this one. We did just have two brand new grandbabies in March though so in a couple of years, look out...that will be a trip to remember! Though DH says they won't even remember it - but I sure will!
This trip is a long time coming as we've always brought friends and/or family on our trips. Well not this one! This trip will be just me and my husband Ed. I started laying out the trip and the things we want to do and decided that this will be a trip of firsts! First time restaurants, first time tours, and lots of things that we've never done together before. We have been to WDW many times and just did our very first Disney Cruise but some of the things on the itinerary are firsts for either DH or for both of us. This is really what DVC does for us, you know you're going back so there is no rush to get it all in.
Side note - We loved the Disney Cruise and can't wait to go again! The Wish was amazing and we had a blast but three nights just isn't enough! We met some great people and made a few friends that we still keep in touch with! I'm ready to book my next one though....so stay tuned for that.
Before I go further, let me introduce ourselves! This is me, Amy-Jo and my DH Ed at Olivia's at OKW. Our home resort is Riviera, which we bought sight unseen during Covid. I was originally trying to convince him to buy a shore house and because he knows I love WDW (during my prior marriage, I owned at AKV - but that contract was sold during the divorce) and he does too, he finally relented and sent me to "look into it and get the numbers." So, several spreadsheets and power point presentations later (yep done by me), he relented and hasn't looked back. I have to tell you though - he thought DVC would be cheaper than a shore house, but I'm not even going to put that spreadsheet together to prove him wrong
. I'll let him live in the dream a little while longer. Anway, I've now created a WDW and Riviera monster and every time we travel, he compares everything to the Riviera. It's actually kind of cute! Anyway - here we are:
Amy-Jo (DW) - 53
Ed (DH) - 55
We live in Bucks County, Pennsylvania currently but are planning a move in the next one-two years, to the Gulf side of Florida, most likely the Punta Gorda area. You'll understand why I mention this on here, when you take a look at our itinerary.
So, here's what I've put together so far.... this is pretty close to my final itinerary, but we all know how quickly things can shift and change.
Our trip is scheduled for 9/7 to 9/14
9/7 - Saturday - Arrival Day and Hoop Dee Doo!
We are taking the first flight out of PHL and arrive at 9:30 am. Our plan is to grab the rental car and head to the Riviera. I have absolutely no expectation of our room being ready, so we will change into our bathing suits and head to the pool for some relaxing and napping. Hopefully our room will be ready by 4pm so we can get changed and head over to the Hoop Dee Doo! Now, my DH has never been to this show, and I love it so I'm excited for this and to see what he thinks!
9/8 - Sunday - This is an exciting day for us as we're going to drive over to Punta Gorda (Gulf side) and meet with a realtor to check out a few places and developments. It's still early in our process but if we find the right one, we'll have lots to talk about! At first, I didn't want to take a day away from our trip, but the timing is perfect so we're doing it!
9/9 - Monday - It's a MK kind of day...but in a different way! I booked the Keys to the Kingdom tour! It's a five-hour tour and I am imagining that once that's over, we'll head back to the Riviera and rest (it's alot of walking for someone with Rheumatoid Arthritis). Once we are rejuvenated, a little shopping at DS is in order and DS shopping will include dinner at Paddlefish!
9/10 - Tuesday - EPCOT - FOOD and WINE! Need I say more? I booked us dinner at the Biergarten (neither one of us have eaten here before) at 5:30 so we'll just hang out here most of the day, have dinner and see how we feel. It may be a great night to head back to the Riviera, sit in the hot tub and relax after a long day at Epcot.
9/11 - Wednesday - MK round two! Because we'll be in the MK on Monday but doing that tour, I thought that I needed a proper MK day AND that night is extra magic hours until midnight! DH hasn't ever done that before and at home we're early to bed kind of people so I am hoping we can rally (we better rally!) and enjoy being at the park that late! I did book breakfast at Boma at 9am (this is a must do for us on any trip) and Whispering Canyon at 6pm so after breakfast at Boma, we'll head back to the Riviera and hang out by the pool and then head to MK later in the afternoon -then dinner - then back to MK for the extra magic hours. I'm so excited for this!
9/12 - Thursday - HS - I was able to book Oga's Cantina at 12:15, then dinner at the Brown Derby as part of the Fantasmic! show. DH has never been to either the Brown Derby or the Fantasmic show! This show makes me tear up - I love it so much and can't wait to hear what he thinks! I just remember watching my young nieces faces when I took them, the awe and amazement.....it was beautiful to watch them. I probably watched them more than the show!
9/13 - Friday - AK - I always like to do this park on the last day as it closes early, and I feel like I can get in and get out and still have time to pack and get ready to go home. We'll most likely rope drop and then spend the rest of the day at the Riviera relaxing and getting packed up. Our flight is at 9:15 on Saturday so that will be an early exit for us.
So what do ya'll think of the itinerary?
We really are looking forward to this trip....Just the Two of Us! It will be so nice to go at our own pace, relax and not have to entertain or worry about anyone else on this one. We did just have two brand new grandbabies in March though so in a couple of years, look out...that will be a trip to remember! Though DH says they won't even remember it - but I sure will!
