Drink up me hearties yo-ho! An Oct 6-13 2013 PTR

[lemonsours]

Drink up me hearties yo-ho! An Oct 6-13 2013 PTR



This will be our 3rd trip to the world, but my first attempt at a PTR/TR! I am so excited to give it a try--to chronicle our planning journey and eventually, our trip.



I suppose introductions are in order--I am a 38 year old mom to 2 and a full
time Radiologic Technologist. I have always been a Disney freak, loved all the movies, know all the songs. DH(46) is currently a SAHD after our recent move to be closer to my family. He hasn't found employment yet, but I can't really say I'm sorry since he takes such good care of the kids and house. He has grown to love Disney through our visits.

DD8 is growing out of the princess stage, but still loves them and Disney, and has even requested BBB (although it probably is not happening). DS4 is a Lightning McQueen fan, he used him for Pre-K show and tell for the letters C-Car, M-McQueen, R-Red and Racecar. DH is pirate crazy--he has watched all 4 POC movies many, *many* times, and has recently started collecting the Megablocks ship sets. Both kids have been infected with the pirate bug as well. Last trip we stayed at CBR and stayed in a Pirate room, at his request, which was awesome. The theming was great, although I will say the walk to the main pool and food court was a bit of a hike.

Here is a pic of our room in 10/11:


Last trip I had wanted to stay in POFQ, but got voted down for the Pirate room. This time DH said we could go there.

Until I made the mistake of showing him and the kids the Royal Rooms at POR. My fate was sealed.



Other things to know about us: we are mostly vegetarian (but truly pescetarian) and love to try new foods.
Looking forward to discussing our plans!

 

[lemonsours]

This is actually a bonus trip of sorts for us, as we really hadn't planned to return to Disney until after all the Fantasyland renovations were complete. However, my Dad decided that for this past Christmas, he was going to pay for a timeshare in Orlando for a week for my family, my brother and his wife, and he and my stepmom, as a reunion of sorts.

Knowing that a) we couldn't be in Orlando without going to Disney, and b) none of them would want to tour as much as we would, and c) I didn't want to split up with them the whole week when the whole point was to spend time together, we added an extra week!

So we will spend 10/6-10/13 at POR in a RR GV room, then rent a car and stay at Marriott Lakeshore Reserve from 10/13-10/19 with my family! I have managed to rope them into some Disney, though. We will all be attending a MNSSHP together, and a Disney waterpark as well, although I have yet to decide which one. This way we can Disney our hearts out before we meet up. We also opted to buy the 10 day tickets, just in case we can talk them into more.

Here is a pick from our MNSSHP in 10/11:

 

[lemonsours]

Even though our trip dates this year were dictated by my Dad's timeshare reservation, this really is the time of year we love to go. Between the Halloween decorations, MNSSHP, the Food and Wine festival, the weather, and the crowds, it really is perfect. The only drawback to October is that the kids are in school.

For our first trip, DD was 2 turning 3, and it didn't matter. Even in 2011 when DD was in 2nd grade and DS was 2 turning 3, it didn't really matter. DD's teacher was awesome and gave us work packets to do, which she completed the weekends before and after our trip. (It helped that she's a smart cookie and got excellent grades.) But this year, DD will be in 4th grade, and in a new school to boot. Hopefully, we will get full support from her teacher, but if not, I don't really know what we'll do. Given this little bit of uncertainty, I decided to book our flight on Southwest instead of our usual Jet Blue, due to the free changes they allow (you don't have to pay a fee, just the difference in the price of the flight.) This way, if our plans need to change we won't be out several hundred dollars in airline fees.

 

[happybelle]

Joining in!

 

[lemonsours]

Joining in!

Oh, my first reader! Welcome!!

 

[lemonsours]

Our flight on Southwest is scheduled to leave our airport at 6:35 am. I am hoping we can get a ride, but if not we will probably rent a car the day before, load up that night, and drop it at the airport in the am. In the past this has worked out considerably cheaper than leaving the car in long term parking.

The flight gets in to MCO at 9:25, so we should hopefully be on the ME and arriving at POR around 1130 or so. This is considerably earlier than the 3pm check in time. If our room is ready, we will unpack and rest a bit before heading out. If not, we will stow our carryons with bell services, grab some lunch at the food court, then head out.


Our arrival day plans have me a bit nervous, actually. I really like to check out hotel rooms for bugs before I bring the bags in, but if our room isn't ready when we arrive, I think ME delivers it to the room while we aren't there. Also, after waking up at probably 4 or so to get to the airport, I know we will be
tired. But travel day is also DD's b-day, and she wants to go to MK that day. So our plans are to head to MK (which closes at 7 for MNSSHP) to spend the afternoon. We have a 6:20 ADR at BOG (her b-day Dinner request) which means in all likelyhood we wouldn't get back to the resort until almost 9pm. It seems like a recipe for disaster.

 

[happybelle]

Oh, my first reader! Welcome!!

Thank you!

 

[Alysa]

What a cute bunch you have! We'll be arriving in Orlando the day you depart. Looking forward to reading more. PS - Love the Jack tshirt you are wearing in your Halloween party photo! What day will you do the party this year?

 

[lemonsours]

What a cute bunch you have! We'll be arriving in Orlando the day you depart. Looking forward to reading more. PS - Love the Jack tshirt you are wearing in your Halloween party photo! What day will you do the party this year?

Welcome! I've been sick as a dog for the past week or so.

Until I can get to another update, here are a few pictures from something we *won't* be doing this year...the Wishes Dessert Party. We had a good time and enjoyed the fireworks, but just can't fit it in this trip.

 

[happybelle]

I hope you feel better.

 

[lemonsours]

What a cute bunch you have! We'll be arriving in Orlando the day you depart. Looking forward to reading more. PS - Love the Jack tshirt you are wearing in your Halloween party photo! What day will you do the party this year?

Thanks! I do love that shirt, it is hard to find logo/merchandise tees that have V-necks and regular tees make me feel strangled! I'm not sure about the Party. Because we will be doing it the week after with my family (the week you are there!) it is kind of up in the air. The party is Monday, Thursday, and Friday that week (we leave Saturday, so that is out.) Monday is Columbus day, and I am presuming high crowds. Friday's I've heard are more crowded as well, which leaves Thurs. But the hotel we are staying at has free babysitting on Thursday night, and we were planning a nice adults only dinner that night. Sooo, we will probably wind up going on Monday as I don't want to be totally exhausted for the trip home on Sat. Unless of course, the hotel changes the night they hold the Kids Night In, which is possible, and in which case we will go Thursday. Phew. All that to say "I don't know!"

I hope you feel better.

Thanks! This has been hanging on for over a month, and I hit a bad patch last week, but am finally feeling better!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Joining in too. My last day at the parks is the day you check in. We're planning on being at MNSSHP on that night.

Looks like you have a great trip planned....family unit AND extended family group.

 

[lemonsours]

Joining in too. My last day at the parks is the day you check in. We're planning on being at MNSSHP on that night.

Looks like you have a great trip planned....family unit AND extended family group.

Maybe we will see you on our way out the parks that night!

 

[lemonsours]

Given our first day's schedule, I am anticipating we will sleep in a little bit this morning. We will probably eat a light breakfast in the room, then head over to Epcot. Food and Wine are in our future! Since we will have a late start, we will head directly to World Showcase. One of our favorite rides in Epcot is Maelstrom! After we ride, we will pose with this guy:

And then this one:


And enjoy some food and wine offerings Like:
A strawberry margarita


A fish taco


We have a 4:30 ADR for Via Napoli, so we probably won't eat toooo much. We will get as much done in WS as we can before our ADR, then maybe hit a ride or two in Future World on the way out. Spaceship Earth and Living With the Land are 2 more favorites that we could probably handle after stuffing ourselves silly.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Ooh! Sounds like a great day.

I was debating about booking ADRs on my Epcot day and would have done one for Via Napoli. But with all those Blissful Bites on offer, I decided against it. I'll be interested to see how you went with this in the TR.

 

[lemonsours]

Ooh! Sounds like a great day.

I was debating about booking ADRs on my Epcot day and would have done one for Via Napoli. But with all those Blissful Bites on offer, I decided against it. I'll be interested to see how you went with this in the TR.

Luckily, we will have 2 Epcot days in which to sample! Also, we usually share the offerings (unless it is something the other one doesn't like) so we can try twice as many things!

In the past, substituting F&W for a meal has worked great for us, we don't get stuffed because we are walking around world showcase.

 

[lemonsours]

Day 3, Tuesday October 8



This will be our AK day.
We will start the day with an 8:20 ADR for the Tusker House breakfast. We would have liked an 8am slot, but weren't able to get one. We will try to arrive early on the off chance we can get in. I am really looking forward to trying their juice and some different breakfast choices. RD will be at 9, so we hope to get right onto the Safari after breakfast, then head up to Rafiki's. We love the little train ride, and last time the kids got to see lots of different characters:




After that, DH will take DD on EE (I am a total wimp, DH marginally less so, so he winds up taking our little daredevil on most rides.) Or we will get fastpasses and then head to Dinoland if standby is too long. We are looking forward to doing something new this year, although we will probably wait until later in the day: Kali River Rapids!

We will probably have a late lunch at Restaurantosaurus before we leave the park, although I am sad to see they took the shrimp po' boy off the menu.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Sounds like a great start to your AK day. I think you'll be okay to head early. From memory, they do check the list against the ADRs and let you in anyway. Most people meander up to the vantage point of the tree and take pictures. In any event, I'm pretty sure that your table will be available....its not as if someone will have had breakfast and finished it in 20 minutes!