Friends, Food, and Fall - An October 2016 PTR

[jamieann]

Introduction​

Hellooooo humans! (Insert scream)



Planning is underway for our spectacular October trip to WDW! Has it only been 2 months since my husband Joe and I set foot inside a Disney park? Yes. Is that 2 months too long? YES YES. Thank goodness we have another trip booked to ease the sting! (This, my friends, is the definition of a first world problem.) This will be my second attempt at a pre-trip and trip report. I plan on keeping this one up much better than my first one! What you can expect from this PTR and TR: lots of GIFs, lots of food, and lots of OCD pre-planning.

But first, a little bit about our trip!



The Particulars

Who? Joe, Jamie (me), Nathan, and Sarah. 2 married couples, 4 great friends.
When? October 1-8, 2016
Where? Boardwalk Villas

Joe and I bid on this trip at an auction fundraiser for my college alma mater. We got a great deal on a studio villa at the Boardwalk and Nathan and Sarah were thrilled to jump in on it with us. I know some people will think we’re crazy spending a week with 4 adults in a studio, but we get along great and the incredible cost is totally worth it to us. We’ve all agreed that we can spend some time doing our own thing if we want to, so I know it’ll work it out perfectly.

None of us have ever stayed in a deluxe resort before and this is Nathan and Sarah’s first long trip to WDW together, so we’re all PUMPED!


Next up: Get to know us!

 

[jamieann]

Reserved for index

 

[jamieann]

Who Are We?​

We’re Joe and Jamie from south-central Kentucky! In June we will celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary. Our Disney trips so far:

· 1 week honeymoon at WDW in June 2012 – Coronado Springs
· 4 night cruise on the Magic + 2 days at WDW in January 2014 – All Star Sports
· 1 week at WDW in January 2015 – Pop Century
· 7 night cruise on the Fantasy in September 2015
· 2 days at Disneyland Resort in January 2016 – Off property (as part of a longer California trip)

Beyond our trips together, Joe grew up going to Disneyland and I visited WDW multiple times while in college in Tampa. I’ve also taken a couple girls only trips without him since we’ve been married. He’s a keeper, y’all.



Joe works from home as a mobile designer. He was blessed to score his dream job at the ripe old age of 23. I’m not sure how he manages to work from home without being endlessly distracted (Netflix > productivity. Amiright?) but he absolutely loves it. Joe is very go-with-the-flow and is happy to just do whatever I have planned for us. He loves good food, is a music junkie, and can quote more lines from The Office and Parks and Rec. than anyone you’ll ever meet.



Joe’s Favorites

Park: Magic Kingdom
Attraction: Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
Restaurant: ‘Ohana
Movie: Monsters Inc.
Character: Art from Monsters University





I’m currently wasting...I mean using my bachelor’s degree in theatre to work at an independent Christian bookstore (big dreams, small town). I also stay busy running a photography business, Oak & Pine Photography, that I started last year. Weddings are my favorite thing to photograph and I’m excited to have 4 weddings booked this year! Even though I love photography, I hate lugging a big camera on vacation, so I stick with a point and shoot and my iPhone. I’m there to relax, not work! I’m the planner of the family, constantly planning our next vacation, next house project, 5 year plan, or something else. Thankfully Joe doesn’t mind and listens patiently to all my big plans and dreams.

Jamie’s Favorites

Park: Magic Kingdom
Attractions: Tower of Terror
Restaurant: ‘Ohana
Movie: Beauty and the Beast
Character: Kronk





Nathan and Sarah are good friends of ours. We go to church together and share a mutual love for board games, good TV, and Harry Potter (among other things). Nathan and I have been friends since high school and I got to know Sarah in college. I’m super glad we all ended up in the same town and at the same church. Joe and I love vacationing with friends and this will be our first trip with Nathan and Sarah!

So, there you have it - that's us! Planning is just getting started for this trip. We make ADRs in about 4 weeks and I can't wait!

Next Up: Pre-planning thoughts and ideas

 

[jamieann]

Our ADR Wish List
​

Since we’re still more than 6 months out from our trip, there isn’t much we can do on paper as far as planning goes. The mad ADR rush will start in early April and that’s when the real fun begins! Sarah and I spent an evening last week looking over restaurant locations, menus, and prices to try and line up exactly where we want to eat (if you haven’t picked up on this already, food is a MAJOR part of our vacations!). Joe and I always like to eat dinner at a table service restaurant. Since we’ve spent more time at WDW than Nathan and Sarah, we’ll be taking them to some of our favorite places. But we also like to try new places every time we go. Without further ado, here are the restaurants we have chosen:

· ‘Ohana – this is Joe’s and my favorite restaurant on property! It just wouldn’t be a complete trip without dinner at ‘Ohana. Last year before our September cruise, Nathan and Sarah happened to be at Disney World with her family, so we met up with them at ‘Ohana for a pre-cruise dinner. They were big fans as well so this was a no-brainer.
· Trail’s End – a new one for all of us! I’ve heard lots of praise for this dinner buffet and the price is reasonable. Plus I’ve never been to the Ft. Wilderness area so I’m excited to see it for the first time.
· Morimoto Asia – SUPER excited to try this new addition to Disney Springs. All four of us love Asian cuisine and the interior looks beautiful. I’m also glad that this gives us an excuse to visit Disney Springs.
· Via Napoli – Joe and I have been here a couple of times and we like it. Sarah specifically mentioned this place as one they’d like to try so that works for us! This place really doesn’t seem to be a great deal if you’re on the dining plan (no sharing, right?), but with us paying out of pocket the idea of sharing and trying different pizzas is definitely appealing!
· Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater – Joe and I went to Sci-Fi on our honeymoon and the atmosphere is just so fun! The food is pretty good but it’s the atmosphere here that really makes it a memorable spot. This one will be a first for Nathan and Sarah

In addition to dinner ADRs, we’ll also be trying to score a lunch ADR for Be Our Guest and a dessert ADR for Beaches and Cream. The No Way Jose, y’all.



We’re also planning on making a trip to Tampa and visiting Bern’s Steakhouse one evening. Bern’s was a favorite among students at the college Sarah, Nathan, and I all attended. If you wanted a fancy night out, you got dressed up and went to their famous dessert room. Dinner at Bern’s was wayyyyy out of our college student budgets, but dessert was always a fun splurge! So now we’re going back and getting dinner this time.

It was a really bad idea to write this post around lunch time. I could REALLY go for some ‘Ohana noodles right about now. Only 204 days. Only.

 

[pepperandchips]

I'm here following along! Looks like a great time you have planned! Can't wait to hear more of all the gory details

In case ADRs don't go as you want them to in a few weeks, I just wanted to offer some comfort since the last few times I've been at WDW, there were same day ADRs available at BOG, and the spots for Beaches and Cream seemed to open up and be more flexible within the few days immediately prior to when we were trying to grab a reservation. Plus there's always the take away window at Beaches and Cream - who wouldn't want to enjoy that No Way Jose out on the beach by Crescent Lake?!

Happy planning!

 

[jamieann]

I'm here following along! Looks like a great time you have planned! Can't wait to hear more of all the gory details

In case ADRs don't go as you want them to in a few weeks, I just wanted to offer some comfort since the last few times I've been at WDW, there were same day ADRs available at BOG, and the spots for Beaches and Cream seemed to open up and be more flexible within the few days immediately prior to when we were trying to grab a reservation. Plus there's always the take away window at Beaches and Cream - who wouldn't want to enjoy that No Way Jose out on the beach by Crescent Lake?!

Happy planning!

Hey there! Thanks for reading along and for the great ADR advice! Thankfully we've never had too much trouble getting what we want, even if sometimes the reservation times are a little wonky. The No Way Jose on the beach idea sounds BRILLIANT! Definitely putting that on my list

 

[jamieann]

Travel Plans
​

When traveling with friends, getting there can be a huge part of the fun! Our travel plans for this trip are just a bit complicated, but that's no match for an OCD planner extraordinaire such as myself.


Our original plan was to all drive down on Saturday, October 1st. The trip is about 12 hours, give or take, depending on how many stops we make. But shortly after we booked our trip I booked a wedding for the 1st which will tie me up all day. So while I'm running around capturing fairy tale "I do" magic, Joe, Nathan, and Sarah will be on the road. I'll fly in Sunday morning and arrive in Orlando at 11:35. It's a bit disappointing to have to miss a night and half a day of the trip, but I don't mind cutting a 12 hour car trip to 1.5 hours on Southwest with in-flight HGTV

The REAL win in this situation is that I can send my luggage ahead with the group and be baggage free at the airport. This is especially convenient since I'll be taking Magical Express to the resort. No waiting for bags! Also, since I've read that storage is limited in the studio villas, I'll be packing in a plastic drawer set which would be difficult or impossible to work out if I was flying with my luggage. So all in all it's a pretty good trade-off. The other 3 get an extra night and half day of vacation, and I get someone unloading and setting up all my baggage for me

We'll load up the Pathfinder and head back to Kentucky on the 8th. A sad, sad trip. Let's NOT think about that, shall we?

 

[pepperandchips]

We did October 2-11 this past year and I don't think you could pick a more glorious time to visit Disney World! I didn't have an entourage to tote my belongings down for me, so I had to suffer the pain of the car ride... at least it's only about 6-7 hours for us, coming from Atlanta. I've actually never flown to Orlando, but my sister flew down and met me last time and it was easy as pie getting her from the airport. Well, okay maybe slightly less easy than pie because the airport has multiple levels and she got a bit confused about where I'd be waiting, but everyone came out unscathed. Suffice it to say I think you're better of riding Magical Express and getting started with the Disney experience right away rather than trying to coach your poor husband through the airport arrivals area!

 

[jamieann]

We did October 2-11 this past year and I don't think you could pick a more glorious time to visit Disney World! I didn't have an entourage to tote my belongings down for me, so I had to suffer the pain of the car ride... at least it's only about 6-7 hours for us, coming from Atlanta. I've actually never flown to Orlando, but my sister flew down and met me last time and it was easy as pie getting her from the airport. Well, okay maybe slightly less easy than pie because the airport has multiple levels and she got a bit confused about where I'd be waiting, but everyone came out unscathed. Suffice it to say I think you're better of riding Magical Express and getting started with the Disney experience right away rather than trying to coach your poor husband through the airport arrivals area!

I am SO excited about the timing of this trip! We don't drink alcohol, but the FOOD part of Food and Wine has me drooling!

I think if I lived in Atlanta I would HAVE to have an annual pass. Last time we were in Atlanta for a Giants/Braves game (my husband is a huge Giants fan), I joked that we were halfway to Disney and might as well go. He didn't go for it. But I did manage to get an IKEA trip out of it

If you ever do fly in again, Magical Express really is wonderful! It's not usually the quickest way to go, but there's just something about having Disney magic start almost as soon as you get off the plane. I've never done it by myself and I'm actually looking forward to nerding out about the intro video solo!

 

[pepperandchips]

Oh goodness... you are a special soul if Ikea was a highlight. There are always so many people in there headed in every direction that it drives me batty! Meanwhile I can totally handle tens of thousands of people in theme parks... but there's no Disney magic in Ikea, that's for sure!

No joke about the annual passes. But my advice is NEVER GET THEM! Once you have them you can always justify "one more quick trip" down to Orlando. I initially bought the APs to save money since I knew I was taking a 5 day trip (May) and a 6 day trip (October) in 2014, so the APs cost less than two longer park hoppers. Then I squeezed in "just one more" visit in August, then one more in December, then one more in March, then one "last one" since our passes were expiring in May... yeah... then we got new ones in October 2015. It's a disease! Who needs drinking when you have a Disney addiction?

I would love to fly down to Orlando and take Magical Express and have the whole experience. Hartsfield is such a busy airport in Atlanta though and I am such a nervous traveler that by the time you figure in how early I'd want to get to the airport, the flight time, the bus ride... I may as well drive. You're definitely getting the best of both worlds having your husband already in Orlando with the car and your luggage - you can just sit back and relax and feel the stress melt away after the wedding you shot!

 

[jamieann]

Oh goodness... you are a special soul if Ikea was a highlight. There are always so many people in there headed in every direction that it drives me batty! Meanwhile I can totally handle tens of thousands of people in theme parks... but there's no Disney magic in Ikea, that's for sure!

No joke about the annual passes. But my advice is NEVER GET THEM! Once you have them you can always justify "one more quick trip" down to Orlando. I initially bought the APs to save money since I knew I was taking a 5 day trip (May) and a 6 day trip (October) in 2014, so the APs cost less than two longer park hoppers. Then I squeezed in "just one more" visit in August, then one more in December, then one more in March, then one "last one" since our passes were expiring in May... yeah... then we got new ones in October 2015. It's a disease! Who needs drinking when you have a Disney addiction?

I would love to fly down to Orlando and take Magical Express and have the whole experience. Hartsfield is such a busy airport in Atlanta though and I am such a nervous traveler that by the time you figure in how early I'd want to get to the airport, the flight time, the bus ride... I may as well drive. You're definitely getting the best of both worlds having your husband already in Orlando with the car and your luggage - you can just sit back and relax and feel the stress melt away after the wedding you shot!

Oh I could spend all day in IKEA. And all my money

I can only imagine how dangerous an annual pass would be in my hands! I'd be planning 5 or 6 trips a year instead of 1 or 2.

Atlanta's airport is CRAZY. Atlanta in general is crazy! We're tentatively headed down to Stone Mountain for Memorial Day and the thought of the traffic makes me squirmy already.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

We have often gone the first week of October (although not this year) Its a great time to go for F&W!

 

[jamieann]

We have often gone the first week of October (although not this year) Its a great time to go for F&W!

So glad to hear that! We've been in January, March, June, July, and September, so this is a first for us! We're very much looking forward to it.

 

[jamieann]

Dining Reservations
​

The only downside to planning a Disney (or any) vacation so far in advance is the waiting! The nice thing, though, is that with Disney you have a few special dates that break the waiting up and keep you excited about your trip. Last week we hit our 180 day mark which meant BOOKING ADRS!


Dining is our faaavorite part of vacations so I spend lots of time meticulously planning our ADRs before Disney trips. This trip was a bit different because we weren't just planning based on our preferences, we were taking Nathan and Sarah's wants into account as well. I listed our ADR wish list in a previous post, and I'm happy to say we got EVERYTHING on our wish list EXACTLY when we wanted it! Whaaaaat?! So much pixie dust. So here we go:

Sunday, October 2nd @ 1:20 - Beaches and Cream
Sunday, October 2nd (TBD) - Dinner at Bern's in Tampa
Monday, October 3rd @ 8:00 - Morimoto Asia
Tuesday, October 4th @ 11:50 - Be Our Guest (quick service)
Tuesday, October 4th @ 5:15 - Via Napoli
Wednesday, October 5th @ 5:15 - Trail's End
Thursday, October 6th @ 5:20 - Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater
Friday, October 7 @ 4:50 - 'Ohana

I'm SO excited to hit some old favorites and try some new gems too! Does anyone have a favorite menu item at any of these places that we should definitely try?

 

[pepperandchips]

So glad you got what you wanted! The choices look fabulous. My only suggestions are the obvious... Save room for ice cream at beaches & cream, make sure to order pizza at via Napoli (it's okay, I can hear you saying "duh" all the way in Atlanta)

Please do a TR! I have been wanting to try Morimoto, Trail's End, and Ohana dinner. Only a few months til FP+ time