Escape From the Cold! Disney + Universal PTR

[Kbmas0n]

My first PTR! I'm sure it won't compare to the many I've read over the last few years, but i'll give it a shot. Please throw any advice or (kind) opinions my way.

My name is Keri - hi! I'm the director of a satellite campus at a local community college in the (cold) Midwest.This will be my third trip to Disney...ever. We went for the first time over my 30th birthday. My daughter, Hallie, was four, and I was 27-weeks pregnant with our now 6-year-old Henry. We had an incredible time, and it was one of my husband, Dave's, favorite vacations ever. I absolutely loved the planning process with this first trip. I didn't know about DISboards or anything else at this point. I went to Disney's website, paid rack rate and never knew any better. It was still fun planning the restaurants and coming up with a touring plan.



These pictures make me want to CRY! We had such an amazing time.

We back last year (March 2017 ), and yet another incredible experience. They didn't have FP+ the first time we went, so getting to make those ahead of time was interesting. I also found DISboards and other websites that fed my disney-planning obsession. I spent hours and hours and days and days adjusting and re-adjusting my plans. I LIVED for planning. We also decided to add in a day and night at Universal to experience Harry Potter World, and it was worth every penny. My daughter (then 10) had read most of the books and watched the movies and experiencing it together was amazing. Anyway, the planning paid off. We had another incredible trip. My husband makes fun of how much I obsess over the trip - but he appreciates it when we are there.

So...we thought that would be our last trip. Except that I had alllll sorts of credit card reward points and airline points burning a hole in my virtual pocket. So, I used points to book 5 nights at POP, one night at the Royal Pacific at Universal, and our plane tickets down there. Yay me! That's how I justified the trip to Dave, who is a total tightwad and would rather any extra funds to our mutual funds. BORING. But i'm sure I will appreciate that tight-wadness (?) when during our retirement years. I digress...

OKAY!

So here's the crew!



(my favorite family picture EVER! middle car, duh)

Keri (me!) 36
Favorite Park: Magic Kingdom
Favorite Ride: 7DMT or Everest
Favorite TS: Y&Y
Favorite QS: CHH
Biggest wish for this trip: some time to explore EPCOT! We always seem to make this our half day/travel day park, and no one (but me) wants to explore the WS. This is MY year. I will send the rest back to the resort to rest mid-afternoon and mama is staying to check things out! We are always GO GO GO for the rides and food, and I want to actually drink in the details this year.

Dave (husband): 36
Favorite Park: Animal Kingdom
Favorite Ride: Everest, Mission Space or RNR (he is a roller coaster guy)
Favorite TS: Tusker House
Favorite QS: Flame Tree BBQ
Biggest wish for this trip: not to spend too much money.

Hallie: 11
Favorite Park: Magic Kingdom
Favorite Ride: Everest
Favorite TS: Crystal Palace
Favorite QS: BOG
Biggest wish for this trip: to ride Everest as many times as possible. They rode it 14 times in one day last year. The park was nearly empty and they just kept going and going and going and going.



Henry: 6
Favorite Park: Magic Kingdom
Favorite Ride: Carousel
Favorite TS: Tusker House
Favorite QS: BOG
Biggest wish for this trip: To make sure he doesn't have to ride the TOT. and to play in the arcade at the resort.



Anyway, we have five days at Disney planned and two at Universal. Wish me luck as I begin the PTR! (i'm going to go back and add pictures as soon as I hit "create thread" and make sure this works!)

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Sounds like a fabulous trip!

I hear you on the needing to save for retirement but also wanting to have fun struggle.

 

[Kbmas0n]

Okay!

So, now that you know a little about the crew, let's talk mouse! WOOHOO! (can you tell i'm a little excited?). Anyway. We leave February 27th, home March 5th. I arranged flights so that we arrive at MCO around noon on the 27th, and leave March 5th at 6:50pm. Just to give us a little more time in the parks. I purchased a four-day base (+an extra free day) for Disney and a 1 day PTP (+1 extra day free) at Universal. Both from Undercover Tourist. So that gives me five days at Disney, two at Universal.

Here's the travel plan:
Feb 27th - land at MCO at 11:50am, arrive at POP around 2pm. A quick lunch at the resort and then head to DHS.
Feb 28th - Magic Kingdom
Mar 1 - Animal Kingdom
Mar 2 - Epcot
Mar 3 - Magic Kingdom
Mar 4 - checkout of POP and uber to the Royal Pacific at universal. Check in and head to the parks!
Mar 5 - IOA and US until we check out and fly home. Sad face.

I'm pretty committed to those parks on those days, despite higher crowd predictions at MK on the 28th. I've made all of my ADR, but continue to change them around, and am still hoping for a FOP fastpass!

Will update next post with Fast Pass and touring plan info!

 

[Kbmas0n]

FAST PASSES and touring plan! Day #1!

I got super distracted somehow, and almost missed our 60-day mark to make fastpasses. I think it was actually the day after Christmas or the next, so I was still in holiday-hangover mode.

I had a flash of panic, ran to the computer, and realized I had left all of my planning documents at WORK. I was freaking out, but had spent enough time on the touring plan that I had a good idea of what I needed. But I missed out on FOP fastpasses .

So here's what I booked (and have since tweaked). I try to follow a pretty strict touring plan, lol. My husband likes to maximize rides (as do I), so this will hit up our favorites in the morning. We typically go back to the resort after lunch to swim/rest/arcade, and then head back for dinner.

Day 1 - DHS - we won't arrive to the park until around three-ish (is that optimistic if we land at 11:50am MCO? ).

• I created an early FP for Star Tours (1:55-2:55pm). If we make it, okay. If not, it will burn our third FP so we can roll for one we really want. (ST makes me barf)
• RNR 2:55-3:55pm
• TOT 3:55-4:55pm

I would love to see Fantasmic again, but my DH isn't sure he needs to see it yet again. Maybe i'll take Henry while he and Hallie go on some rides.

Another option would be to try to a last-minute ADR at 50's PT or Sci-Fi, but that kind of defeats the point of not getting the dining plan. At this point I am planning on ABC or BackLot, but we haven't eaten anywhere except for HW&V before (last year for Fantastic dining package), and I have always wanted to try 50's PT.

Day #2 is a doozy, stay tuned!

 

[Kbmas0n]

Day #2 - Magic Kingdom

We have 8am BOG reservations, so will be able to ride 7DMT early (hopefully!). Our general touring plan is:

• 7DMT as many times as possible before the crowds. Last year we rode four times before there was a wait. So awesome.
  
• Winnie the Pooh
• Tea Party
• Dumbo
  
• Barnstormer
• Little Mermaid FP 9:15-10:15am. This is just to keep us on schedule, LOL.
  
• Popcorn/LaFrou Brew/Bathroom Break
• Dumbo again! Barnstormer again! (depending on lines)
• Take path behind Barnstormer, holding our breath against the smokers
• Go to SM - have FP for Hallie/Dave 10:35-11:35am, get a rider switch for me to ride later
• Take Henry to Speedway - have FP for me/Henry 10:40-11:40am - get a DAS return time for all of us (Henry has autism)

LUNCH

• Buzz FP 12:55-1:55pm
• Will get a DAS pass for 7DMT before leaving

BACK TO RESORT!

After we rest, we will head back to MK. We'll use our DAS return time for 7DMT and get another for whichever ride catches our fancy, all the while checking for additional FP.

Day #3 - Animal Kingdom - Coming up!

 

[Kbmas0n]

Day #3 - Animal Kingdom

This is my whomp, whomp, sad face day. I wanted SO BADLY to ride FOP, but good grief I'm not waiting in a 2, 3,4 or 5 hour line! We have never waited more than 20-30 minutes in any line at Disney...EVER. So as I said before, I totally missed my FP opportunity for FOP, but managed to get one for Nav'i. Yay. Dave and Hallie are obsessed with Everest, so my plan is to maximize their time at EE, while still giving Henry a fun day. He's not tall enough to ride EE. He is barely 44"...actually, i'm not totally convinced that he is that tall yet...hmm. This might change my plan for FOP. But anyway.

We will get there at RD and head straight to EE! While the rest of the crowds are going to Pandora, we will take advantage and ride EE as many times as possible, using rider switch because...henry. Poor buddy. Another option is to have Dave/Hallie go to EE and ride while I take Henry to Pandora and get a DAS return time for FOP. I wouldn't fight with the crowd, so by the time I get there it will be over an hour wait, which would be fine for us.

After they ride EE:

• Nav'i FP 9:35-10:35pm
• Early lunch or TTBB
• Safari FP 11:55-12:55pm
• EE FP 1:05-2:05pm
• Dinoland

My plan this day is much looser than MK, obviously. But I hate the break between Nav'i and Safari. I'm hoping that if I can get a DAS return time for approximately 10:30-ish, we will be able to ride FOP before safaris and then grab lunch. But who knows how crazy the line will already be by the time I am able to get the DAS return time??

we'll head back to the resort after EE or dinoland, depending on how we all feel. We might cancel the 1:05pm FP for EE if they feel like they want to use it on DINOSAUR or primeval whirl (they LOVE PW - i don't).

So again...flexible! I really want to catch the Tree of Life Awakening, so we'll come back and do whatever that night. I would love to get an ADR for Tusker. Still trying! Wondering about trying BOMA? I dunno. Have some work to do for this day. Suggestions welcome!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

that's too bad that you couldn't get the FOP FP. I hear that it is very challenging to get one.