Even Miracles Take a Little Time -A March 2017 PTR-

[jmccoy18]

Thanks, I am happy with our new plan!

I think you said you plan to start at MK too, right? We can pass the time talking about each of the other park days one at a time.

I would love to start our first day in the park at MK, but I usually wait until I can at least look at a crowd calendar to see reccommended parks for each day. So, no promises our first day in the parks will be MK, or that our 2 MK days will be back to back, but I love planning them anyway!!!

I've already made a tentative touring plan for both days. Last time we were there it was just DD1, so we didn't do a lot of the big rides. We rode Winnie the Pooh for our first ride and it scared her, so it took her a while to warm up to other rides after that and we stuck to rides you could see from the outside like dumbo, tea cups, etc. So after considering all we went through with DD1, I think our first ride with DD2 will be one you can see from the outside. Our first day we are going to stick to Fantasyland and Tomorrowland and then on our second day we will do the other side of the park.

Tentative day 1: We will be there at RD
Dumbo
PP with FP+
Winnie the Pooh
Little Mermaid
Meet Ariel
Enchanted Tales with FP+
Barnstormer
SDMT with FP+
Carrousel
Lunch at CRT
Leave park for naps
Cosmic Rays for QS dinner, but could be someting else if we want
IASW
Tea Cups
People Mover
Buzz
MSEP
Space Mt
Wishes

I am hoping to get a 4th FP+ for Buzz or Space Mt at the end of the day before Wishes.

Tenative Day 2: Be there at RD
BTMR with FP+
Magic Carpets
Swiss Treehouse
POTC
Jungle Cruise with FP+
Tom Sawyer Island
Splash Mt with FP+
Haunted Mansion
Lunch at CHH or BOG
Carrousel
Leave for naps
Dinner at either Ohana or LTT or BOG.... still not sure about this one
head over to Tomorrowland or Fantasyland and ride whatever has a short line

 

[mdsouth]

I totally understand about planning the actual order of days once the crowd calendar comes out.
Great idea to start with the rides that your kids can see from the outside to avoid any issues. I also like how you plan to go to Tom Sawyer Island. It is a great place to just let the kids run around a little bit and burn off some energy.
Aladdin's Magic Carpets was a hit with my kids. They liked the added fun of possibility getting squirted by the camel!

 

[jmccoy18]

I totally understand about planning the actual order of days once the crowd calendar comes out.
Great idea to start with the rides that your kids can see from the outside to avoid any issues. I also like how you plan to go to Tom Sawyer Island. It is a great place to just let the kids run around a little bit and burn off some energy.
Aladdin's Magic Carpets was a hit with my kids. They liked the added fun of possibility getting squirted by the camel!

I'm excited about being able to go to Tom Sawyer Island, normally it is something that we skip because we don't have time.

I think your plan of getting FP+ for PP, SDMT, and BTMR is a good one, and hopefully you can get another one for later in the day. PP's line always fills up quickly.

 

[jmccoy18]

Planning Update
These past few days, have been really... well

The girls have been sick, DH is deployed, and one of my great aunts is in the ICU. So, planning for our upcoming trip is my little escape for a few minutes every day.

Anyone else a crazy planner like me and makes a notebook? I have been working on mine and getting some of the basic sheets updated for our trip. So far I have my to do list, a basic itenerary, a list of important numbers (basically a list of all my confirmation numbers,) and a cover sheet. There really isn't much more that I can do at this point. I take our notebook into the park with us, so just in case there is a mix up with the MDE system I have the what we need to prove we have reservations, etc. It also keeps our maps and touring plans. It is just nice to have everything in one place.

I have also been trying to narrow down what places we want to get ADRs.
Here is my list:
Chef Mickey's
CRT
Akershus
O'hana or somewhere in MK, possibly BOG or Liberty Tree Tavern*
Hollywood and Vine
Tusker House or somewhere in Epcot, possibly Via Napoli or Beirgarten**

* The plan for the night we would eat at O'hana we would be going back to the MK, so we can either eat at O'hana and hop on the monorail to MK or eat in MK. I am just going to see what everyone else in our group wants to do.

** The plan for Tusker House really just depends on the new Rivers Of Light at AK. We would do AK in the morning and normally we would head over to Epcot that night so we would eat at somewhere in the WS for dinner, but I am waiting to hear about how ROL is and if it is worth going back to AK in the evening. So, if we decide to go back for ROL, we will do dinner at Tusker House. Luckily we have some time to figure this our before need to start making ADRs.

 

[mdsouth]

Hi!

I am sorry to here about your great aunt. May the doctors and nurses take special care of her. It is hard when a special family member is hospitalized and then you are dealing with your emotions on that along with taking care of your child and home without your hubby.

I am happy to spend some time on happier thoughts.

I hadn't even wrapped my thoughts on planning for dinner around River of Lights new show at AK until you mentioned it. Tusker House would be a good option. I bet it will make it a hard ADR to get though since there isn't too many other options that are actually in AK.

As a family, we really loved our dinner at Ohana. It also gave us the chance to ride the monorail. I bet your little girl will love the monorail! It is just amazing zipping along so quietly over the grounds and through the Contemporary!

I, too, have a Disney notebook where I store my spreadsheet with ADR and reservation times and numbers.
As well as a printed schedule of our Fastpasses and maps. I even had copies of menus from the different restaurants.
Like you I took it along on our trip. Since I wasn't carrying a big bag and we did not have a stroller, I just took a few of the key pages into the parks with me. I made sure to have a couple of copies of the reservation numbers, one to keep in the book and one to take into the parks in case I lost it or it got wet or something.
I just have a hard time relying solely on technology.

 

[jmccoy18]

I hadn't even wrapped my thoughts on planning for dinner around River of Lights new show at AK until you mentioned it. Tusker House would be a good option. I bet it will make it a hard ADR to get though since there isn't too many other options that are actually in AK.

As a family, we really loved our dinner at Ohana. It also gave us the chance to ride the monorail. I bet your little girl will love the monorail! It is just amazing zipping along so quietly over the grounds and through the Contemporary!
.

I am anxious to hear what people say about ROL when it opens. I know there is a new signature restaurant opening at AK (Tippen's, I think) so that should help a little with spreading people out for dinner. I wonder if they will do a dinner package like they do with Fantasmic.

I really would like to eat at O'hana, because we have never eaten there before and I am dying to try the bread pudding

 

[mdsouth]

I am anxious to hear what people say about ROL when it opens. I know there is a new signature restaurant opening at AK (Tippen's, I think) so that should help a little with spreading people out for dinner. I wonder if they will do a dinner package like they do with Fantasmic.

I really would like to eat at O'hana, because we have never eaten there before and I am dying to try the bread pudding

Glad to hear about a possible new restaurant at AK. If it is going to be classified a signature restaurant than I am guessing it might be a bit pricey or count as two table service credits. Still, it will be an option and may open up more tables at Tusker House.

AKL is close by so that is an option too. However, I ate at Boma's on my last trip and was not impressed. I tried to try a sampling of the buffet choices but nothing really appealed to me. It actually tasted pretty bland to me which is in direct opposition to most of all the reviews I read about it.

I am sure you will also love O'hana for the fun activities that they get the kids involved in. They have a little hula line for kids and parents. I joined in the fun with my daughter and we had a ton of fun. Then the kids have a coconut race around the restaurant. They push coconuts around with brooms. Another fun thing to watch.

The food is outstanding! My hubby and I really loved the different meats and chicken that were cooked on skewers.

 

[mdsouth]

I just noticed the sweet photo of your daughter with Minnie as your profile photo! It is just adorable!
What a great interaction they must have had and you caught it on camera!

Minnie is my favorite character too.

 

[jmccoy18]

I just noticed the sweet photo of your daughter with Minnie as your profile photo! It is just adorable!
What a great interaction they must have had and you caught it on camera!

Minnie is my favorite character too.

Thanks! That picture was worth every penny we spent on our last trip. We were at CM for her birthday breakfast. She was a little shy around the characters at first, but when Minnie came over, she let her get close and gave her a kiss on the nose. It really was the sweetest moment.

 

[mdsouth]

What a great memory! It sounds like your daughter is a Minnie girl! Do you watch Mickey's Clubhouse? We used to when my daughter was little. I still remember the Hot Diggity Dog song!

Are you going to go to Chef Mickey's again for breakfast or do you think you will do lunch or dinner instead?
I have only had it for dinner.

 

[jmccoy18]

What a great memory! It sounds like your daughter is a Minnie girl! Do you watch Mickey's Clubhouse? We used to when my daughter was little. I still remember the Hot Diggity Dog song!

Are you going to go to Chef Mickey's again for breakfast or do you think you will do lunch or dinner instead?
I have only had it for dinner.

Oh, yes MMC is on pretty much all day at our house. DD1 and DD2 both love it.

I really enjoyed going to CM for breakfast, we have done breakfast there 2x, but I think we are going to do dinner this upcoming trip. How was the dinner buffet?

 

[mdsouth]

CM dinner buffet was good. I liked that there were plenty of choices for all the members of my family. I remember that there was an adult buffet and then one geared for kids. You were not limited in which you selected from - they were just separate from each other. I remember the kids buffet had pizza and macaroni and cheese which was perfect for my daughter. I don't remember what else. I like to look over the menus on AllEarsnet.com
They list all the food choices.

Our character interaction was great!

 

[mdsouth]

Will your girls be dressing up as princesses while there? I know my daughter loved it when she dressed as Cinderella one day. My mom made her dress. She wore it over some shorts and then later, we changed her out of it. I just did her hair myself, which is quite the accomplishment for me. I am a big klutz with hair. I can't do anything myself.
But I had found this cool butterfly comb at Walgreen's and It was super easy. I think it turned out really well and a super cheap alternative to BBB. And I was able to get her ready in about 30 minutes in our own hotel room.

Here is one of the back of her hair. I will have to load one of her from the front later when I can access my photos at home.

 

[mdsouth]

Today has been a hectic day at work. I teach 8th grade and the kids are wound up because it is Friday and the weather is in the low 60's which is crazy for us. Usually here in Central Illinois the temperature is in the 30's or 40's this time of the year.

So, I came on the DIS today during my free period because I needed to destress. It is so nice to just take a break from the real world and talk Disney planning with you and others.

Hopefully, you are having a nice day today!

 

[jmccoy18]

You are a middle school teacher, bless your heart! It takes a very special person to teach middle schoolers. Give me the kinders anyday!

I know my girls will dress up in their princess dresses (We have them all, in a variety of sizes) while we are there and we are not doing BBB. In fact, DD1 told me today that she wanted to wear her Cinderella dress when we eat in Cinderella's castle. I will need to see what dresses fit by the time we go to see if they will be wearing dresses every day we do parks or maybe just MK and HS days. Last time DD1 wore a dress for every park in the morning (Cinderella, Ariel, Minnie, and Aurora) and then changed into some sort of Minnie or Mickey shirt and jeans for the evening.

 

[mdsouth]

You are a middle school teacher, bless your heart! It takes a very special person to teach middle schoolers. Give me the kinders anyday!

I know my girls will dress up in their princess dresses (We have them all, in a variety of sizes) while we are there and we are not doing BBB. In fact, DD1 told me today that she wanted to wear her Cinderella dress when we eat in Cinderella's castle. I will need to see what dresses fit by the time we go to see if they will be wearing dresses every day we do parks or maybe just MK and HS days. Last time DD1 wore a dress for every park in the morning (Cinderella, Ariel, Minnie, and Aurora) and then changed into some sort of Minnie or Mickey shirt and jeans for the evening.

I, too, love the little ones. In the summer, I help out with my church's Vacation Bible School and I always request to work with the pre-schoolers or K-2 just so that have the chance to interact with them. So, sweet and fun at this age. I love the time I spend with them but I don't think I could keep up with a room of 30 of them all year long at my age if I was their school teacher.

 

[mdsouth]

I like your idea of having the girls wear their dresses for part of the day and then change into a princess/character themed t-shirt outfit for later in the day.

Even I at my age enjoy wearing my Disney shirts while on vacation at Disney. I think that is something else that sets WDW and DL apart from other amusement parks and other forms of family vacations, most people you see in the parks are sporting something Disney to show off their interests. It also helps build that sense of fun and adventure when you realize that so many people are getting into the Disney vacation vibe mode.

Even my hubby who is not a big Disney fan will wear his Grumpy or Eeyore t-shirt while we are there and even on occasion at home.

 

[cbeeindisney]

Here! I LOVE your movie night! So cute! It must be the kindergarten teacher in you somewhere!

So fun to be planning a 2nd birthday for your DD2! You will have so much fun! What a great tradition.

Can't wait to read more plans!

 

[Corrine 1973]

Just found your PTR and had to say hey as a fellow DISer already planning out 2017 trip. We are going in June so it will be a little after yours. I really sorry about your Grandfather.

I love the idea of taking the kids for their second birthday. I wish I would have thought of that but all my kids are past 2 now. My 8 year old son was 2 when he went. He honestly doesn't remember much but loves to look at all the pictures and can't wait to go again for his 10th birthday.

I hope your AFS discounts come through.

Oh, and I love you Dumbo movie night. Might have to start those up for my family after we move.

 

[jmccoy18]

@cbeeindisney
I'm glad you found me! Not that we need an excuse to go to WDW, but going for 2nd birthdays is a great one!