Glamping with Grandparents an Oct 16 PTR * 10/4 update

[absolutmey]

We are! I'm going as either Boo or Lilo and DH is going as Sheldon Cooper.

I meant to ask. Do you Disneybound your costumes?

I DB'd Snow White last year and DH told me I looked silly. I thought I looked cute! Yellow pants, blue top, red shoes & bow in my hair. on you DH! I guess I have to step up my costume game this year as Disgust. I'm looking at a dress on Etsy (I'm not crafty enough to make one myself), a wig, etc.

 

[IowaTater]

I meant to ask. Do you Disneybound your costumes?

Well, we didn't last year and it was such a pain. This year, we are. Basically because we planned on spending the day at Epcot and then heading straight to MK for our 4:00 ADR at LTT. We'll basically only have to change shirts, which we can do in the restrooms.

 

[absolutmey]

So I updated (again). When we get there, we've decided to add a day! I booked a pirate room at CBR and when we get there, I'll add a day to our tickets! Planning looks like this:

Sat 10/22 (arrival day)
- 6:40pm Whispering Canyon (DH's only request)

Sun 10/23 (AK)
- 5:20pm Sanaa (new to us)

Mon 10/24 (EP)
- 5:40pm Via Napoli (new to us)

Tues 10/25 (MNSSHP)
- 12pm Afternoon Tea @ GF (new to us) (just me and MIL )
- 2:35pm Kona Café (new to us)

Wed 10/26 (EP)
- 2:30pm Biergarten (new to us)
- 7:45pm La Hacienda de San Angel (new to us) - hoping to get a window seat for Illuminations!
- 10pm Beaches & Cream (cancelled!)

Thurs 10/27 (HS) (changed this day around to accommodate SW light show)
- 1:10pm Mama Melrose F! package (new to us)
- 5:30pm 50's Prime Time (new to us)

Fri 10/28 (MK)
- 6:50pm O'hana (DS's only request and favorite place)

Sat 10/29 (departure day for grandparents) (HS)
- 9:35am Trails End brunch
- Check in to CBR!
- 1:55pm Sci-Fi (new to us)
- 9pm Beaches & Cream (new to us)

Sun 10/30 (departure day for us)
- probably just do QS breakfast at Old Port Royale

 

[absolutmey]

And in real life update news, Q and I went on a mom-son vacation last week and had a great time. We had a little cabin up in the Great Smoky Mountains, went water tubing (where I burned my knees - ouch), saw a magic show, and basically just had fun. Here is how most of the conversations after, say, 8pm went:

 

[absolutmey]

In PTR news, MIL told me that she is forcing FIL to walk with her every night after they eat dinner to prepare him for WDW walking. I didn't suggest this to her but think it's a fabulous idea! He's a grump when he's tired, hungry, trying to hear something, sweaty, hurting, looking at DH, or awake.


I now must deal with the fact that he will (most likely) bail out on some activities when we're there.





There. The feelings are dealt with. Anywho.


No trip news to report. I've managed to keep all my ADRs and plans the same for almost a month. It's amazing and I'm proud of myself.

 

[ariane37]

I shouldn't admit this because it probably makes me look old since your FIL is doing it lol, but before our first summer Disney trip I started walking in the worst head of the day, just to get used to being out in the unbearable sun Not sure if helped or not but I wasn't as miserable on that August trip as I thought I'd be; hope the walking helps your FIL!

Congrats on keeping all your ADR's and plans the same (so far). I haven't changed anything yet either for our Nov. trip, but I also haven't seriously sat down to plan the days out. I'm sure my changes will be coming..................

 

[FoxC63]

I'm sure you already know these things,

10/24 - Starring Rolls Breakfast : Get in line asap for Jedi Training. Your entire party does NOT have to tag along. All that’s required is 1 adult and the kids to sign-up.

10/25 – MNSSHP: Be at the gate by 3:15/3:30 at the latest to enter park.
Don’t forget to pick up your FREE limited edition MNSSHP Sorcerers cards at the Fire Station on Main Street. Everyone who has a MNSSHP ticket is entitled. Lines form at 4pm and in the past they were distributed quite early. If you wait to pick them up later you’ll lose out.

10/26 – PM Visa M&G is with a Star Wars Character NOT Mickey. You’ll receive a voucher for EVERY card you own AND they change characters. Hold on to the other voucher and come back later to get another free picture with a different Star Wars character.
Also Chase Lounge at the Festival is located on the third floor of the American Pavilion. Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages will be served and electronic charging stations will be available. The lounge will be open daily from 11:00am - park closing. Just present your Disney Visa Card to gain access to the Lounge.

You should feel VERY proud of yourself absolutmey, you put a lot of thought and effort into your itinerary - great job!

 

[absolutmey]

I shouldn't admit this because it probably makes me look old since your FIL is doing it lol, but before our first summer Disney trip I started walking in the worst head of the day, just to get used to being out in the unbearable sun Not sure if helped or not but I wasn't as miserable on that August trip as I thought I'd be; hope the walking helps your FIL!

Congrats on keeping all your ADR's and plans the same (so far). I haven't changed anything yet either for our Nov. trip, but I also haven't seriously sat down to plan the days out. I'm sure my changes will be coming..................

You're not old - he is! Plus stubborn on top of it!

I'm a bit ashamed to say that after I boasted about NO changes... I made a change. LOL Posting later.

 

[absolutmey]

I'm sure you already know these things,

10/24 - Starring Rolls Breakfast : Get in line asap for Jedi Training. Your entire party does NOT have to tag along. All that’s required is 1 adult and the kids to sign-up.

10/25 – MNSSHP: Be at the gate by 3:15/3:30 at the latest to enter park.
Don’t forget to pick up your FREE limited edition MNSSHP Sorcerers cards at the Fire Station on Main Street. Everyone who has a MNSSHP ticket is entitled. Lines form at 4pm and in the past they were distributed quite early. If you wait to pick them up later you’ll lose out.

10/26 – PM Visa M&G is with a Star Wars Character NOT Mickey. You’ll receive a voucher for EVERY card you own AND they change characters. Hold on to the other voucher and come back later to get another free picture with a different Star Wars character.
Also Chase Lounge at the Festival is located on the third floor of the American Pavilion. Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages will be served and electronic charging stations will be available. The lounge will be open daily from 11:00am - park closing. Just present your Disney Visa Card to gain access to the Lounge.

You should feel VERY proud of yourself absolutmey, you put a lot of thought and effort into your itinerary - great job!

Hi @FoxC63! Thank you for the info!

DS did JTA in 2014 and that was enough for him. While he LOUVRES everything SW, he DISPISES being up in front of a crowd or on stage. SO, no more JTA. Oh well - I thought it was really cute and I wish he'd do it. Maybe he'll come around!

Thank you for the reminder about Sorcerers cards! that was something DS was too young for last time that I think he'd really like this time.

 

[absolutmey]

UPDATE!

We decided to do a surprise revealing scavenger hunt for Q on Friday 10/21 (day before we leave). I'm going to have a hard time keeping this secret until then, but making up the clues might keep me occupied (for at least a few days).

**********************************************

ADR UPDATE (because I can't leave well enough alone)

Sat 10/22 (arrival day)
- 6:40pm Whispering Canyon

Sun 10/23 (AK)
- 5:20pm Sanaa

Mon 10/24 (EP)
- 5:40pm Via Napoli

Tues 10/25 (MNSSHP)
- 12pm Afternoon Tea @ GF (just me and MIL )
- 2:35pm Kona Café - may cancel this and just have a leisurely lunch at the cabin.

- 7:15PM Crystal Palace - I know this is prime party time but after talking to the GPs and DH, they want to have a meal before staying so late in the park. We're not huge character meet people. Plus, they don't care about parades, which I agree on. I told them that CP is fine by me, but afterward we'll need to head left to either see the start of the first parade or at least avoid the route and ride some rides/do some things 'on the left' while everybody else is parade-watching, make our way around and grab a spot for HalloWishes to the right of the hub so we can avoid the mass exit afterward. We'll see how all of this goes.

It all might go waaaay south...

Wed 10/26 (EP)
- 2:30pm Biergarten
- 7:45pm La Hacienda de San Angel - hoping to get a window seat for Illuminations!

Thurs 10/27 (HS)
- 1:10pm Mama Melrose F! package
- 5:30pm 50's Prime Time (expecting to share a meal w/ DS here)

Fri 10/28 (MK)
- 6:50pm O'hana (DS's only request and favorite place)

Sat 10/29 - departure day
- 9am - Trail's End brunch

 

[absolutmey]

109 days to go!
**********************************************
When I first booked this trip, I thought my SW-loving guys would need two days at HS. But then I read up and saw the construction and planned one day. Now that I've been reading some not-so-magical reports of HS recently, I've rearranged our HS day and we're not even going to stay all day. I think we'll be walking around aimlessly, killing time in between ADRs, having seen all we want see.

Instead of F! package and Mama's, I swapped 50's for lunch and we'll leave HS in the afternoon and head to Raglan Road for dinner. I don't know about these other people, but I'm pretty excited to try this.

ALSO, I decided to try out the Touring Plans reservation finder to *SEE* if they could find me a BOG lunch res for our MK Friday and *BOOM* on Sunday, I got a text and snatched it up! Super excited to share the experience with the ILs. I told DH about it and he said, "Oh, I get to have the steak again". No dear, the steak is only for dinner. He was all . But he'll have to make do with their offerings.

 

[ariane37]

109 days to go!
**********************************************
ALSO, I decided to try out the Touring Plans reservation finder to *SEE* if they could find me a BOG lunch res for our MK Friday and *BOOM* on Sunday, I got a text and snatched it up! Super excited to share the experience with the ILs. I told DH about it and he said, "Oh, I get to have the steak again". No dear, the steak is only for dinner. He was all . But he'll have to make do with their offerings.

That's funny! BOG dinner is one of our favorites, especially DS10, and it's because he LOVES the (adult) steak. When we did lunch a couple years ago he was very disappointed he couldn't get it. I can't even remember what he had but he survived!
I've used TP reservation finder and it's always found me what I was looking for; glad it worked for you!

 

[absolutmey]

So I'm seriously getting annoyed with the lack of info surrounding evening activities and park hours. Our MK and EP days are just fine but HS and AK are up in the air. #firstworldproblems

Days to go: 79 - Days to FP: 19

*********************************

ADR UPDATE

Sat 10/22
- 6:40pm Whispering Canyon

Sun 10/23 (AK)
- 5:10 Boma - I thought this would be a more friendly option than Sanaa. I really wanted to try and go to Raglan Road during this trip and this is potentially the day we'll do that - BUT - I will keep this until I find out JB is extended or ROL is announced.

Mon 10/24 (EP)
- 5:40pm Via Napoli

Tues 10/25 (MNSSHP)
- 2:35pm Kona Café - may cancel this and just have a leisurely lunch at the cabin, depending on how we're feeling.
- 7:15PM Crystal Palace

Wed 10/26 (EP)
- 1:45pm Biergarten
- 7:15pm La Hacienda de San Angel

Thurs 10/27 (HS)
- 1:40 Sci-Fi - scored this res TODAY after weeks of checking (so if any of you dropped it - thank you!) And thank you Touring plans res finder!
- 5:10pm Cape May Café - new to us but only a boat ride away. I don't really care for the QS options at HS and I'm not sure if DS can wait until 9pm to eat dinner even if I loaded him with snacks. AND we're getting up early on Friday b/c there's EMH at MK which I'm actually planning to attend.

I dropped the F! package at MM b/c I just couldn't get over some of the reviews I've read. And I don't care enough about F! to spend HBD package price. SO, I made a res at CMC b/c it's just a boat ride there and back - we should be able to get there, eat and be back by 7:30-7:45 for SWaGS, right?? that is the priority.
I have a hoarded 50's res for the afternoon too, but will probably drop it unless a later time (5-6pm) opens up.

Fri 10/28 (MK)
- 1:40pm BOG - scored this thanks to Touring Plans
- 6:50pm O'hana

Sat 10/29
- 9am - Trail's End brunch
- 11am - Raglan Road brunch (booked as an option)

Note: I feel really bad about reservation hoarding.

 

[mindylee847]

Found your report and following! I am also going to MNSSHP on Tuesday! And I love that you call the People Mover the People Watcher. It's so true!

 

[ariane37]

Don't feel bad about reservation "hoarding"! You're not doing anything wrong. Personally I don't care what people do as far as making more ADR's than they'll use, making double at the same restaurant or for the same night at the same place, etc. But sometimes it's what works best for us and you aren't even coming close to what lots of people do that others complain about I have 2 dinner ADR's for Thanksgiving - different places but we just aren't sure yet where we want to eat.

Isn't TP ressie finder cool? It helped me on our trip last Nov. and if I have to I'll use it again this year. I got everything I wanted for our Thanksgiving trip, and even for our pretty last minute Aug. trip that we booked about 7 weeks out but at least I know it's there if needed. We're doing CMC dinner for the first time in Nov. but also doing lunch at MM. It's been a few years since we've eaten there but we liked it back then; willing to give it another try

 

[IowaTater]

I can't wait for MNSSHP!! I really need to get on my costume.

Don't feel bad about the hoarding. You gotta do what you gotta do, especially since so many things are up in the air right now. I feel your pain. I'm also waiting to see if they extend the Star Wars Dessert Party because that will affect a couple of our ADRs.

 

[absolutmey]

LOL! Thanks ladies. Hoarding is complete. I snagged a Sci-Fi res for lunch and a 50's for dinner. So, we're good to go (I think).

 

[absolutmey]

*Update*

DH and I went over to the IL's house on Monday night for dinner and Disney discussions. DS is at sleep away camp this week so it was a perfect opportunity and good timing b/c I'm booking FP on 8/23. They are 100% WDW newbies - know nothing. DH is pretty much in the same boat other than he went with me in 2014 and knows just enough to be dangerous... i.e. he says incorrect things like "oh, you can get that good steak at BOG when we're there for lunch" or "yeah, you can go on EE while I'm riding People Mover".

Anyway.

We went over the whole plan. Each day with ADRs and proposed FP. They were asking questions and I was explaining why I'd planned the way I have. If you've read the other posts here, you know that DFiL has the potential to be grouchy so his questions were more on the lines of "why are we going to MK and EP twice?" Well, dear dear FIL, you told me 3 months ago you love EP, so I planned two days there so you would be happy . At least MiL was taking notes while we were talking. She wrote some funny stuff like "don't lose or even take off Magic Bands - they are everything" and "food will be expensive". She also has plans to go get them both some new tennis shoes and start breaking them in NOW instead of later. I think she wrote that down too, because I told her to. I really appreciated that she is keeping a running tally of what each of us has spent so far so that it's fair; half and half. I showed her how much the room (with discount) was and she said, "oh, I thought it'd be much more than that!". seriously? Maybe I should have booked a 2BR at AKL or something.



ADRs have been tweaked - again. After hearing that DMiL loves Chip & Dale (who knew?), I booked us into Garden Grill on one of the EP days instead of Via Napoli. We can get pizza anytime.

 

[ariane37]

LMAO about the things your DH says! My DH has been many times so he's a bit more knowledgeable than yours, but still comes out with some doozies sometimes and I'm like, "really?! Are you new??" And I'm glad your MiL seems on board with all your planning-I'm sure FiL will be fine once you're there!

So what state are you in that DS isn't back at school yet? Here in NY our kids don't go back until after Labor Day but I feel like we're in the minority and so many people here on the Dis have mentioned that their kids started school already. I know my nephews in Ga. started Monday.

Good idea booking GG! We LOVED our breakfast there last Nov. (except for a little snafu with 2 characters) and it was DS10's one request for our Nov. trip this year.

 

[absolutmey]

LMAO about the things your DH says! My DH has been many times so he's a bit more knowledgeable than yours, but still comes out with some doozies sometimes and I'm like, "really?! Are you new??" And I'm glad your MiL seems on board with all your planning-I'm sure FiL will be fine once you're there!

So what state are you in that DS isn't back at school yet? Here in NY our kids don't go back until after Labor Day but I feel like we're in the minority and so many people here on the Dis have mentioned that their kids started school already. I know my nephews in Ga. started Monday.

Good idea booking GG! We LOVED our breakfast there last Nov. (except for a little snafu with 2 characters) and it was DS10's one request for our Nov. trip this year.

Ah yes. DH. Sweet, handsome DH. LOL! He's too much.

We're in NC. Kids go back to school here 8/29. I feel like it's a little late this year too. Maybe it's just me!