FINALLY Chillaxin' with the Mouse! August 2010 PTR! UPDATE 5/16

[dawnbu40]

I'm so glad your first visit was so magical! I totally understand how visiting WDW can become an addiction

The pics are all cute! I really like the one with Launchpad! In all our visits we've never seen him

Thanks for sharing your memories

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

So here it is, September, I've just turned 19 and I find out I'm going to Disneyland Resort in California for 4 days to attend the D23 Expo.

We (my mother, aunt and I) stayed at Disneyland Hotel. Now let me say...I won't know for sure until I've stayed at every Disney hotel....but this will probably end up being my favorite Disney Resort. It's the perfect mix between Deluxe Luxury and 100% Disney theming. Every INCH of this place is crawling with Walt Disney memorabilia or inspiration, which is HEAVEN for a Disney nut like myself. But at the same time, you're staying in a luxurious settings. The Quick Service was good, the pool is beautiful, the gift shop is fun, everyone is so friendly, you step outside your room and you're basically IN Downtown Disney, you get great views out of your AWESOME Disney themed bedroom... I loved it. And Goofy's Kitchen was great too.

The technology has advanced a bit! Here's some Disneyland Hotel Goodness...

Aunt Sheila and I in front of one of the many awesome Disney Murals in the hotel.

Goofy's Kitchen!

Cont'd In Next Post...

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

Downtown Disney in CA is fun, but I think I like the one in Walt Disney World better. The whole waterfront thing makes for better ambiance, I think.

Disneyland...every bit as magical as Magic Kingdom in WDW. The matterhorn was AWESOME and the castle is cute. Pirates of the Caribbean is WAAAAY better, so is the Fantasmic! show, but the seating arrangements are kind of messy. If you go to DLR and want to see F!, I suggest looking into their Dessert party package. I wish I had done it, it seemed a lot more convenient for those who had.

Toontown is WAY better in DL!

New Orleans Square!

Cont'd Next Post

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

And DEFINITELY hit up the Magical Mornings(equivalent to Extra Magic Hours) if you ever go to DLR. Makes all the difference:

Empty Frontierland!

Nearly Empty Park taken from Tarzan's Treehouse!

Disney's California Adventure Park deserves more props than it gets. It's a really beautiful and well-themed park. I loved it. You can get through it a lot faster than some, but definitely worth a visit. Their boardwalk carnival area, I think is very tastefully done and feels very nostalgic. I liked it.

Anywho, just a picture review of Disneyland Resort. I like how compact it is. You could spend 5 days at DLR and never use any transportation but your feet. The theming is beautiful and there's something special about Walt's original park, and some of the rides are better. But WDW has more to offer, more parks and, while I like the compactness of DLR, I also like the vastness of WDW. WDW is like entering a different planet entirely, which I also like. I had the time of my life this past September. And it only made me want to relive WDW again, so I began pushing anybody I could get my hands on to go to Disney with me. Dad finally caved. So here I am now! At some point later I'll share some pictures from the D23 Expo...talk. about. awesome.

For now, I leave you with this:

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

Yay, D23!

I'll make sure to put some pics up from that, later.

I'm so glad your first visit was so magical! I totally understand how visiting WDW can become an addiction

The pics are all cute! I really like the one with Launchpad! In all our visits we've never seen him

Thanks for sharing your memories

Haha, I figured the folks here would understand the Disney addiction I'm talking about.

Yeah, I didn't know it at the time but apparently he's not too common. I was excited to meet him though because that was one of my favorite shows growing up.

 

[MK2010]

I just started reading. I loved your brief review of your trip when you were sixteen and this past summer. I had been to WDW twice. Once with my family when I was 8- There was only MK and Epcot was brand new. only 3 of the countries were open and Figment ruled Epcot. then I went again at 16 with the band. By then Epcot and MK were fully developed, DHS had just opened and there wasn't yet much to do there- the Great Movie Ride and the honey I Shrunk the Kids playground is all I remember. There was no AK, water parks, and if there was a Downtown Disney we didn't visit it. It was a blast to get to take my kids (9,7,7,5 at the time of the trip) and their father for their first ever trip this past December. Enjoy every moment you get to spend in the magic that is Disney. Its a gift and a privilege enjoyed by fewer than we realize.

 

[YukiPhnx]

Haha, love the sign on the Mickey statue "DO NOT CLIMB ON MICKEY"

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

I just started reading. I loved your brief review of your trip when you were sixteen and this past summer. I had been to WDW twice. Once with my family when I was 8- There was only MK and Epcot was brand new. only 3 of the countries were open and Figment ruled Epcot. then I went again at 16 with the band. By then Epcot and MK were fully developed, DHS had just opened and there wasn't yet much to do there- the Great Movie Ride and the honey I Shrunk the Kids playground is all I remember. There was no AK, water parks, and if there was a Downtown Disney we didn't visit it. It was a blast to get to take my kids (9,7,7,5 at the time of the trip) and their father for their first ever trip this past December. Enjoy every moment you get to spend in the magic that is Disney. Its a gift and a privilege enjoyed by fewer than we realize.

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it! It was an amazing trip, obviously, since it got me so hooked on the Parks! And I agree 100% . I feel quite fortunate to have been able to go at all, though admittedly I sometimes get frustrated that I can't go more. It helps to just look back at the photos and be happy that I went at all. I'm so glad you got to bring your kids! I hope you'll get to create more of those great memories with them in the near future!

Thanks for tunin' in! Don't go far!

Haha, love the sign on the Mickey statue "DO NOT CLIMB ON MICKEY"

Hahahahha that's actually an ongoing joke between me and my Aunt. We love that sign!

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

Hey guys! Just a quick update tonight.

I went with some friends to the mall...which NATURALLY means a trip to the Disney Store!

I found this little gem on clearance and just had to have it:

Why? Because I've been looking for a journal to keep leading up to and on the Disney trip. I'll be able to include my itinerary, confirmation numbers, ressies, tip amounts, Wish lists, lists of CMs worth mentioning to higher ups, and of course Trip Report notes! I've been scribbling little reminders to myself all day! I love it, it's cute on the inside as well. Just had to share with y'all.

Thought I'd get your opinions on something as well. I've made some ADRs which I'm not prepared to entirely share yet. However, I do want to ask about one thing...

We have a Chef Mickey's ADR for 5:30 one evening. I'm a little concerned since that's like, the peak of Dinner time, and it'll already be the busiest dining season of the year...We have one evening where I don't really have anything planned...we're doing Typhoon Lagoon that morning, but I sort of left the rest of the day open (again, you'll get more deets on the itinerary when I feel it's ready to be shared). I was thinking maybe I should move Chef Mickey's to late that evening, like the latest ressie we can get? This works for us because growing up my family and I always ate dinner between 9 and 10pm, so it's not like it'd be an abnormal time for us. Also, I thought maybe it would be a lot less busy then?

And IF we did that, do you think I should try and get an ADR for 1900 Park Fare that night instead? Or would that be overdoing it and I should leave that part of my ADR the way it is? Now of course, this is all assuming I CAN still get ADRs, which might be a little iffy now that Free Dining is in full swing. Let me know what you guys think.

OH.

...........

............

.................

And one more thing..........

...........


..................................


I MADE MY FIRST DEPOSIT ON THE TRIP TODAY!

It's not much, but it's a step! But it just feels so certain now, that in a little over 3 months I'll be at Mickey's doorstep.

Stay Tuned, Folks!

 

[YukiPhnx]

CONGRATS ON YOUR DEPOSIT!!

Oooh, I saw that notebook on sale too! I really liked the Tink one as well. I didn't have money at the time, and I already have a notebook for my trip.....but these are so hard to resist!

 

[dawnbu40]

Cute journal!

for making your deposit!

As for Park Fare...we ate there last Mother's Day and thought the food was awful DH,Caitlin and myself all left there hungry. We just did not enjoy the dinner selections and the desserts just didn't seem fresh. We had an early seating so it wasn't as if the food had been sitting out a long time. IMO the only reason to go to PF is the character interaction. The stepsisters are so fun and we enjoyed seeing Cinderella and the Prince dance but the food...

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

Happy Mother's Day, Everyone!

To all you Moms out there, I hope your day is magical and relaxing.


Also, some little tidbits...

First and foremost....

DOUBLE DIGIT DANCE!!!! I am 99 days from Chillaxing with my bud, Mickey!!


Not like I had to wait very long for a double digit dance...we booked "last minute" compared to a lot of folks around here!

Another bit of news...geez, this trip is changing so much since we first booked!

With the 40% off summer deal...

We're probably...

Upgrading to the Contemporary Resort!!!!!

I'M SO EXCITED...STAYING DELUXE!

The Contemporary was the cheapest upgrade besides WL...and for us, the slightly higher cost of Contemporary was worth it because....I'd be realizing my dream of staying on the monorail!

We considered my OTHER dream...of staying at the Boardwalk, but CR is much more convenient considering our touring plans and Boardwalk DID cost more. So I'll have to wait to stay in my ultimate dream resort....but still, I'm PSYCHED about CR! I know it's not for everyone, but I think there's something magical about being a skip and a hop from MK AND having the monorail whisk me away whenever I feel like it.

I'll let you know when we've officially booked. AH!

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

CONGRATS ON YOUR DEPOSIT!!

Oooh, I saw that notebook on sale too! I really liked the Tink one as well. I didn't have money at the time, and I already have a notebook for my trip.....but these are so hard to resist!

Thank you!
I'm not a big Tink fan, but that one was cute! But Minnie was hands down the winner for me.

Cute journal!

for making your deposit!

As for Park Fare...we ate there last Mother's Day and thought the food was awful DH,Caitlin and myself all left there hungry. We just did not enjoy the dinner selections and the desserts just didn't seem fresh. We had an early seating so it wasn't as if the food had been sitting out a long time. IMO the only reason to go to PF is the character interaction. The stepsisters are so fun and we enjoyed seeing Cinderella and the Prince dance but the food...

Wow, really? Hm. Maybe I should reconsider? I REEEALLY want to meet the stepsisters, but I feel like I'm already taking a bit of a risk with Chef Mickey's food...hm. Tough decision. Thanks for the input though!

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Hooray for double digits!!!

AND congrats on the upgrade! That sounds so exciting!

 

[dawnbu40]

for double digits!

The Contemporary?! How exciting! When I was kid (back in the day when the only onsites were Poly and CR) we always stayed at Poly and I always wished we'd stay at CR! I have always loved the mural and that the monorail went right through the resort I'm sure you guys will love it! Congrats!

You can try looking for the stepsisters in Fantasyland. We seem to run into them near the castle every year

 

[YukiPhnx]

Wow, the CR! That sounds fantastic! I'll still be sticking with the POP, even with the discounts. Just means more money for souvenirs!

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

Hooray for double digits!!!

AND congrats on the upgrade! That sounds so exciting!

Thanks!

for double digits!

The Contemporary?! How exciting! When I was kid (back in the day when the only onsites were Poly and CR) we always stayed at Poly and I always wished we'd stay at CR! I have always loved the mural and that the monorail went right through the resort I'm sure you guys will love it! Congrats!

You can try looking for the stepsisters in Fantasyland. We seem to run into them near the castle every year

I'm really excited about staying at one of the most iconic resorts, definitely. Thanks! And I'll keep an eye out for the step sisters!

Wow, the CR! That sounds fantastic! I'll still be sticking with the POP, even with the discounts. Just means more money for souvenirs!

Hey, no shame in staying at POP! I LOVED it there, I'm just into trying new things. Honestly, if POP were in as good of a location as some of the deluxes, the deluxes would have serious competition in my book. I hope to pay POP a visit during my trip!

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

Wow, sorry for the lack of updates, guys! I think I mentioned it earlier, but I'm a florist, and Prom season is CRAZY for florists! But let's get back on track, shall we?


I've been working on ADRs and day-to-day touring plans, and things are starting to come together. But I was hoping you guys could help me fill in any blank spaces, critique anything that doesn't seem quite right to you, and so on.

I didn't want to go too overboard with ADRs, and right now I have 4. We may end up with 5. So here's the schedule for the week! :

Sunday, August 15th: Our flight isn't scheduled to land until 10:22pm...meaning we'll get to the Contemporary Resort pretty late. Off to bed with us!

Monday, August 16th: Yes, I'm taking the risk and going to Magic Kingdom on a Monday! We'll go for 9:00am rope drop. Luckily for my father and I we're both naturally early risers and run on less sleep than most. This won't be a hassle for us at all. I have a 1:25pm lunch reservation at Tony's, which I LOVED back in 2007. After lunch we'll probably take a breather back at CR then head to AK for evening EMH until 9:00pm! After that we'll head back to the hotel for the night.

Tuesday, August 17th: We'll make our way over to Epcot for 9:00am rope drop. We'll explore Epcot until 1 or 2pm. We'll then hop over to Hollywood Studios for a 3:40pm ADR at Sci-Fi Dine-In! After that we'll probably poke around until it will be time for us to head over to Fantasmic! This is one of my favorite shows and for me is a must do. Then we shall retire to the Contemporary for the remainder of the evening.

Wednesday, August 18th: Morning EMH at Typhoon Lagoon!

Now, here's an area where I'm a little stuck. The only other thing I have planned for this day is a late ADR....I have us booked for Chef Mickey's at 9:20pm. This is the normal time my family has always eaten anyway, and I purposely chose a later time in hopes that it may have quieted down a bit by then...with Free Dining being at this time I know it will always be busy but...I don't know, wishful thinking? Let me know what you guys think.

Also, since we'll be getting to Typhoon Lagoon around 8am I doubt we'll be there much later than 12 or so. And I'll need to go back to CR to shower after being at a water park all morning. But then how should we occupy our evening after that until our ADR? None of the parks have EMH that evening, so crowds wouldn't be an issue for any of them in that regard. Should I just leave it open and see how we feel that day, or do you guys have a suggestion as to how we could spend a Wednesday afternoon/evening?

Thursday, August 19th: Hollywood Studios rope drop at 9:00am. I originally planned to do the mad dash to TSM to see what all the fuss is about with that, but there's a rumor going around that it will be closed in August! We'll see! I was then thinking we could scoot over to the Pop Century Resort, the first resort I ever stayed at. We could have lunch at the food court and I could reminisce about my first ever Disney vacation. POP has a special place in my heart for this reason, so I want to try and visit. After that we may head back to CR for a bit to relax, then head over to Epcot for EMH until midnight!

Friday, August 20th: 9:00am rope drop at Animal Kingdom! We'll hang around there for a bit, and either have CS lunch at AK or at CR when we head back for our midday break. We'll really take it easy until we walk/monorail over to MK for a 4:30pm ADR at Crystal Palace! After that we'll prepare for an all-nighter at MK, because it's EMH until 2:00am! I was thinking that we would set up camp soon after dinner for the parade then the fireworks, but right now I don't know if there will be a nighttime parade or when it would be. That's sort of up in the air, but surely they'll have fireworks that night, right? ...right?! I intend to stay right up until 2am, and then we'll make the (thankfully short!) trek back to CR.

Saturday, August 21st: We are catching up on our sleep this morning! No official plans for the morning, maybe we'll grab breakfast at Contempo Cafe or do room service...who knows? We'll probably head into Downtown Disney around noontime so we can get our shop on! I figure this is pretty relaxing after pulling a late night.

Again, another gap where I'm not sure what we should do! I was thinking maybe we could try for a ressie at T-Rex? Dad thinks it looks fun. Should we try it out? And then what should we do the rest of the evening? Again, no evening EMH at any of the parks. Any ideas for activities? Should I maybe try out parasailing at CR in any of these gaps??

Sunday, August 22nd: Departure day. I was originally thinking hitting Epcot for morning EMH from 8 - 9, then we would head over to MK...is that too much travel time? I DEFINITELY want to end the vacation at Magic Kingdom, and I am determined to have breakfast at the Main Street Bakery! Should we just stay at MK all morning or would we be good to do both Epcot and MK? Our flight is at 7:23pm so I guess we'd have to wrap up around mid afternoon.

Anyway, that's the tentative plan...anything sound off and do you have suggestions where I'm stuck? Do you think I should squeeze an ADR in anywhere else? Have any suggestions for something I MUST try out? Let me know what you guys think!

 

[YukiPhnx]

Sweet! EMH MK for Aug 20! Looks like the miniDismeet has turned into a much bigger Dismeet with so many of us being there on that night!

Maybe we'll catch each other the day before when you come visit Pop! I'll be waking up late and doing some resort hopping that day

On the 19th, I've planned to go to Epcot. but it looks like you're already planned for two days there.

 

[dawnbu40]

Your schedule looks great! During your DTD visit you could try the Characters in Flight hot air balloon. Caitlin and her dad did it last year and they loved it!