Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggity Dog! LINK TO TRIP REPORT!!!

[KatMark]

ADRS are all done!!! More details to follow...

Anxious to hear what they are.

 

[tinacaplan]

Much as I had predicted, I am going crazy at work, setting up for the new school year. The kids finally start coming on Monday.

In the meantime, I did manage to sneak on and make my ADRs. And I got everything I wanted, at the times I wanted!

Arrival Day: Sunday
Because we are getting in so late (6:30 p.m.), I felt bad that Max won't get to do much other than sleep (AT THE CONTEMPORARY!!!), so I made a very late ADR for Chef Mickey's. I know the food will probably be horrible, but I want Max to get to see something. This will make feel much less guilty about sneaking off to evening EMH's at MK later that night!

Monday
EPCOT day
11: 30 Lunch at Via Napoli -- Can't wait to try this and Max love his Italian.

6:10 Dinner at 'Ohana -- We'll see where we end up after this.

Tuesday
Animal Kingdom Day
8:00 Breakfast at Tusker House
6:30 Dinner at Biergarten
Hopefully, we will stick around for Illuminations after this.

Wednesday
Magic Kingdom Day
8:05 Breakfast at Crystal Palace
5:45 Dinner at California Grill
Perhaps we'll head back to MK aftewards!

Thursday
Hollywood Studios Day
11:35 Lunch at Sci-Fi
6:55 Dinner at Chef Mickey's....this in case we don't make it the first night and because Mark thought it made sense because Max will like it and we're staying there. We can always cancel it or change it if we want to, or even have CS that night.

Friday
Magic Kingdom Day
11:20 Lunch at the Plaza
6:30 Dinner at the Garden Grill
We will absolutely stay for Illuminations!

Saturday
Departure Day
We will probably go to MK during the day, as we have an evening flight home. I didn't make an ADR for this day so we have some flexibility.

I can't wait!

 

[KatMark]

Tina, they sound great. You are doing several that we love -- Crystal Palace, Biergarten, Sci-Fi and The Plaza. I think you did a good job and Max is going to love it.

 

[annmarieda]

Glad you got the ADR's you wanted!!! I have only been to a few myself. Specifically, I have never been to Chef Mickey. I am curious to hear how it goes! Pictures...remember the pictures

 

[tinacaplan]

Tina, they sound great. You are doing several that we love -- Crystal Palace, Biergarten, Sci-Fi and The Plaza. I think you did a good job and Max is going to love it.

Thanks, Kathy. I know how much you love those places, particularly the Crystal Palace and the Plaza! I can't wait to try them and you are a big part of the reason I'm so excited. Mark and I loved Sci-Fi when we were there and I think Max will, too. And the Biergarten is just so much fun!

Glad you got the ADR's you wanted!!! I have only been to a few myself. Specifically, I have never been to Chef Mickey. I am curious to hear how it goes! Pictures...remember the pictures

Believe me, I will be taking plenty of pictures. Now, when I get around to posting them is another story... : I am hoping that Chef Mickey's is fun, even if the food isn't that great.

I'm really excited, though. When I first started planning this trip, it seemed like it would be forever until my ADR window opened and now here we are. And the next six months are going to be jam packed. We'll be leaving before I know it.

 

[eandesmom]

I"m not caught up but love the ADR list, especially Via Napoli, I can't wait to hear a review!

 

[tinacaplan]

I"m not caught up but love the ADR list, especially Via Napoli, I can't wait to hear a review!

Thanks!

 

[chunkymonkey]

Much as I had predicted, I am going crazy at work, setting up for the new school year. The kids finally start coming on Monday.

In the meantime, I did manage to sneak on and make my ADRs. And I got everything I wanted, at the times I wanted!

Arrival Day: Sunday
Because we are getting in so late (6:30 p.m.), I felt bad that Max won't get to do much other than sleep (AT THE CONTEMPORARY!!!), so I made a very late ADR for Chef Mickey's. I know the food will probably be horrible, but I want Max to get to see something. This will make feel much less guilty about sneaking off to evening EMH's at MK later that night!

Monday
EPCOT day
11: 30 Lunch at Via Napoli -- Can't wait to try this and Max love his Italian.

6:10 Dinner at 'Ohana -- We'll see where we end up after this.

Tuesday
Animal Kingdom Day
8:00 Breakfast at Tusker House
6:30 Dinner at Biergarten
Hopefully, we will stick around for Illuminations after this.

Wednesday
Magic Kingdom Day
8:05 Breakfast at Crystal Palace
5:45 Dinner at California Grill
Perhaps we'll head back to MK aftewards!

Thursday
Hollywood Studios Day
11:35 Lunch at Sci-Fi
6:55 Dinner at Chef Mickey's....this in case we don't make it the first night and because Mark thought it made sense because Max will like it and we're staying there. We can always cancel it or change it if we want to, or even have CS that night.

Friday
Magic Kingdom Day
11:20 Lunch at the Plaza
6:30 Dinner at the Garden Grill
We will absolutely stay for Illuminations!

Saturday
Departure Day
We will probably go to MK during the day, as we have an evening flight home. I didn't make an ADR for this day so we have some flexibility.

I can't wait!

Yum your ADRs look great!! We have a lot of the same ones...'Ohana, Sci-Fi, Biergarten and Chef Mickeys. Can't wait to try them!

 

[annmarieda]

I'm really excited, though. When I first started planning this trip, it seemed like it would be forever until my ADR window opened and now here we are. And the next six months are going to be jam packed. We'll be leaving before I know it.

It certainly will! I know when I booked ours, I thought "it is a quarter of a year away" Now, the summer has flown by and we are just a couple days away from leaving. I can't believe how fast time has gone by!

 

[tinacaplan]

Oh, yes, I did. I am such a sucker, I swear. After much (probably too much) deliberation, I finally booked flights on Southwest; seven hundred dollars less than Jetblue and Delta wasn't even touchable. And those are pretty much all the options for flying out of Bradley, in CT. I know I could have looked at flying out of NY, but... well, in my mind, paying a slight premium is worth how convenient flying out of Bradley is for us.

Our official dates are now February 20-26, 2011!!

We ARE flying into MCO at about six thirty that evening, thus the late ADR at Chef Mickey's. Now, it is quite possible we will cancel that in favor of going to the MK itself, but, if we don't, at least Max will see some serious Disney action before he goes to bed that night. Over the summer, he has seen a few late nights and been fine, which encourages me. I at least want to make sure that we see Illuminations at least once. Wishes is actually at eight that time of year...

...so because of our new flight times, which have us flying home on Saturday morning, rather than Friday evening, I had to call Disney this morning to add a night to our reservation. And well... I added something else, as well...

TOWER, MAGIC KINGDOM VIEW!!!!

The CM on the phone asked if I wanted to add any other celebrations to my package, I said no, but I did tell her that I've dreamed of staying at CR since I was a little girl, long before nearly all of the other hotels on property had been built.

Needless to say, I am so unbelievably excited. Fuzzy Disney math is so much fun...everything just sort of snowballed and I figured if I was spending that much, I might as well have a balcony that overlooks the castle!
Plus, we just cleared another hurdle in our on-going house dilemma and it just seemed like a good time to take advantage of having extra savings!

Super busy at school..worked three fourteen hour days this week, but its so worth it. I truly love my job...almost as much as I love Max, Mark and DISNEY!

 

[KatMark]

Tina, congrats on adding a night and BIGGER CONGRATULATIONS FOR:


TOWER, MAGIC KINGDOM VIEW

 

[tinacaplan]

Tina, congrats on adding a night and BIGGER CONGRATULATIONS FOR:


TOWER, MAGIC KINGDOM VIEW

Thanks, Kathy! I'd rather give my vacation money to Disney than Southwest Airlines!

 

[tinacaplan]

....in no particular order.

1. I have wanted to stay at the Contemporary ever since my first trip to Disneyworld. I think I was maybe seven or eight. This was back before Disney built all the other resorts, so staying on-site seemed totally exotic to me. I thought you had to be super rich to stay there!

2. I love the architecture. I love that style of architecture no matter where I am.

3. I appreciate the history of the CR, as it is one of the original resorts.

4. We will be able to walk to the Magic Kingdom.

5. We will get to swim in that super cool little circular pool that juts into Bay Lake. God willing that we don't experience another coldest winter ever while we're in Florida! Seriously, we FROZE last February.

6. We will get to watch the water pageant on Bay Lake every night.

7. We will be able to watch Wishes from our balcony.

8. My favorite Disney restaurant is right upstairs! California Grill, in case you were wondering.

9. I know that Max is going to think the monorail coming into the middle of the resort is just about the coolest thing ever...plus, he loves escalators.

10. We can keep an eye on the castle!

 

[pinkxray]

I am joining in. I read the beginning few pages of your trip report but since I hear the family waking up I fear my Dis time this morning is coming to an end

We are thinking about going back at the end of Feb. too. We'll see. DH isn't convinced.


CR magic kingdom view
I would love to stay there some day, but will most likely wait to see if we have more kids and stay there when they are younger (DD is almost 6 so we don't use a stroller or head back for a nap)
Can't to see what else is in store. Hard to beat that update though.

 

[tinacaplan]

I am joining in. I read the beginning few pages of your trip report but since I hear the family waking up I fear my Dis time this morning is coming to an end

We are thinking about going back at the end of Feb. too. We'll see. DH isn't convinced.


CR magic kingdom view
I would love to stay there some day, but will most likely wait to see if we have more kids and stay there when they are younger (DD is almost 6 so we don't use a stroller or head back for a nap)
Can't to see what else is in store. Hard to beat that update though.

Thank you! And hello to a fellow CT'er. The trip has changed so much since I started this PTR that I fear there is little point to reading most of the beginning. The fact that Max will only be three and a half (I keep forgetting about those important six months) when we go was a big factor for me. Yes, the monorail will make life somewhat easier, but what really sold it is the fact that we can walk to/from the MK if we choose and the larger rooms with balconies. I am hoping that Max will nap in the afternoons and it will be nice to have someplace to go, especially since I can't count on being in the pool at that time of year. Although, being from CT, I will probably at least get into that hot tub!

 

[eandesmom]

Those are exactly the reason's I'd like to stay at the contemporary one day!

 

[KatMark]

Tina, your Top Ten reasons for staying at CR are great.

 

[tinacaplan]

Those are exactly the reason's I'd like to stay at the contemporary one day!

Tina, your Top Ten reasons for staying at CR are great.

OK...now to be honest. Something is going on with my car and I am fearing a big repair job, which would necessitate my moving our reservation to a moderate...specifically to CSR, as there isn't anyplace I'd rather stay. The amount of money we would save is truly staggering.

What to do??? I think my husband might leave me if I make any more changes.

 

[tinacaplan]

So...yeah, when I mentioned the price difference to Mark this evening he decided for us that we need to stay at the Coronado. I am perfectly happy with this, as I LOVED the Coronado when we stayed there last February. And, well, the price tag is one that I can live with a bit more comfortably.

My top ten reasons why I'm so excited to stay at CSR:

1. The lake is beautiful, especially at night.
2. I actually prefer outside hallways.
3. I cannot wait to hear the little automated voice on the bus say, "This is Disney's Coronado Springs" I can hear it my head now and it makes me smile.
4. Less than ten minute bus ride to both EPCOT and DHS.
5. Super cool looking playground that Max will LOVE, as he is still hesitant around pools and water. Plus, I can guarantee the weather will be nice enough for Max to enjoy it!
6. The rooms are decorated beautifully.
7. I know my way around now.
8. GIANT hot tub.
9. Excellent bus service.
10. Um...hello? Who doesn't want to save a couple thousand dollars?

Someday I will stay in the big, concrete tower...perhaps for my twenty-fifth wedding anniversary?

Thanks for putting up with me and all my changes. If it weren't for the Dis, what would my poor husband do?

 

[KatMark]

So...yeah, when I mentioned the price difference to Mark this evening he decided for us that we need to stay at the Coronado. I am perfectly happy with this, as I LOVED the Coronado when we stayed there last February. And, well, the price tag is one that I can live with a bit more comfortably.

My top ten reasons why I'm so excited to stay at CSR:

1. The lake is beautiful, especially at night.
2. I actually prefer outside hallways.
3. I cannot wait to hear the little automated voice on the bus say, "This is Disney's Coronado Springs" I can hear it my head now and it makes me smile.
4. Less than ten minute bus ride to both EPCOT and DHS.
5. Super cool looking playground that Max will LOVE, as he is still hesitant around pools and water. Plus, I can guarantee the weather will be nice enough for Max to enjoy it!
6. The rooms are decorated beautifully.
7. I know my way around now.
8. GIANT hot tub.
9. Excellent bus service.
10. Um...hello? Who doesn't want to save a couple thousand dollars?

Someday I will stay in the big, concrete tower...perhaps for my twenty-fifth wedding anniversary?

Thanks for putting up with me and all my changes. If it weren't for the Dis, what would my poor husband do?

Tina, I'm truly sorry that car expenses have altered your plans. I know how much you were looking forward to staying at the CR. Mark and I really want to do AKL, so we are putting some money away each week ($20) in a special place so we can hopefully do it next time. The good news is that you are still going and the CR isn't going anywhere.

And I, of course, LOVE your top ten list for the CSR.