I Cant Believe I Got Him to Fall for this Again...Our 5 Year Ann. Trip! UPDATE 7/20

[snookie5605]

So I cant believe it happened. i had secretly been planning a trip or hoping to plan a trip for my DH and I. In September it will be 5 years that we have been married. We got engaged at Cinderella castle, had a Disney themed wedding, honeymooned there, then had our 1 year anniversary trip there, along with many others.

So here is a picture of us....we are a bit heavier now but that comes with being in a happy marriage, getting older, and having a baby!

September 23, 2007

After we got engaged July 2006

We now have a new addition to the family. Our daughter Ariella (yes that is a combo of Ariel and Cinderella) Lucia was born on March 25, 2011. This is her when she just turned 10 Months old on January 25th.....and yes that shirt she is wearing says "Shoes do Matter, just ask Cinderella!"

So when I got a pin-code in the mail for the month of September i knew it was meant to be. My husband checked about work and he is good to go, so he actually gave me the approval to book it! I was shocked, he has even approved the upgrades i just made! see he likes it there but he isn't a big fan. he thinks disney is a rip off, so he only goes for me. i also told him a while ago that he messed up when he proposed there cuz we are only destined to go all the time!

so we decided to go without ariella because we are planning on taking her for her 3rd birthday and my 30th (ugh!) in march of 2014. i think she is just way too young to take now, i certainly dont want to have to deal with it as this age. plus it is our anniversary AND this is probably going to be our last trip alone for a while.

well we booked the trip on friday 1/27.we are staying at ASMu, not my first choice but POP was booked. with the pin code, we got the quick service dining free, but we dont want that one, so we upgraded to Deluxe. so blackthidot, looks like you're going to get another food trip report in here! i was only going to do the basic but we wanted to try a few different table services that we never did and our romantic dinner is always at narcoosee's so thats a 2, so we were gonna have to pay OOP for alot of meals anyways.

i booked through AAA which now offers you preferred fireworks seating which you have to book 180 days in advance. i am sooo excited about that. my total for the room, 6 tickets a piece, and the deluxe dining is $2200. now i just have to find airfare and we'll be good.

plan wise.....i already have a rough copy of where i want to eat but i just have to wait to see when the MNSSHP nights are because that is probably our favorite special event they have. the parade is AWESOME!

i have to get going for now, but i will be back on thursday to post our rough schedule! hope you all will join me in my planning and ill try to finish that other TR from 2009!

 

[OrangeJuice]

Hey!
Sounds like a great trip. I agree that by proposing in WDW he set it up so that you need to return regularly. I'm looking forward to hearing more of your plans.

 

[snookie5605]

Hey!
Sounds like a great trip. I agree that by proposing in WDW he set it up so that you need to return regularly. I'm looking forward to hearing more of your plans.

thanks!

 

[snookie5605]

ok so this is what i came up with for our plans, again this is only temporary until i see what reservations i can get on march 25th.

Friday 9/21

-planning on leaving on an early flight, so far what ive been looking at is leaving Philly airport around 7 or 8 am, so that should get us in Orlando by 10 or 11am.
-go check in at ASMu
-Lunch= ASMu food court (1 dining credit)
-relax a little bit, maybe go to the pool
-im thinking tonight is MNSSHP, so head on over to MK by 4pm
-Dinner= Cosmic Rays (1 dining credit)

Saturday 9/22 Hollywood Studios

-EMH from 8-9am
-Breakfast= Starring Rolls Cafe (1 dining credit)
-Lunch= Sci-Fi (1 dining credit)
-Dinner= Mama Melrose (1 dining credit)
-Fantasmic at 8pm!

Sunday 9/23 Our 5 year anniversary and Magic Kingdom

-EMH from 9-12am
-Breakfast= Kona Cafe (1 dining credit)
-Lunch= Columbia Harbor House (1 dining credit) *1st time eating here
-leave sometime after lunch or so and head back to the room to relax and get ready for dinner
-Dinner=Narcoossee's (2 dining credits)
-head back to MK for Wishes at 9pm and EMH

Monday 9/24 Animal Kingdom

-EMH 8-9am
-Breakfast= ASMu (1 dining credit)
-Lunch= Flame Tree BBQ (1 dining credit) *1st time eating here
-go back to the room and relax and go to pool
-head to Downtown Disney
-Dinner= Earl of Sandwich (1 dining credit)

Tuesday 9/25 EPCOT

-EMH 8-9am
-Breakfast= ASMu (1 dining credit)
-Lunch= Biergarten (1 dining credit) *1st time eating here
-Dinner= Le Cellier (2 dining credits)

Wednesday 9/26 EPCOT

-EMH 9-12am
-Breakfast=Kona Cafe (1 dining credit)
-Lunch= Via Napoli (1 dining credit) *1st time eating here
-Dinner= eat around the world (use snack credits or cash)

Thursday 9/27 Magic Kingdom

-EMH 8-9am
-Breakfast= Crystal Palace (1 dining credit)
-Lunch= Liberty Tree (1 dining credit)
-Dinner= Ohana (1 dining credit) *1st time eating here
-back to MK for MSEP at 8pm and WISHES at 9pm

Friday 9/28 RELAX AND DD

-Breakfast= Boma (1 dining credit)
-stay at ASMu and relax and go to the pool
-Lunch=ASMu (1 dining credit)
-head to DD to shop for the night
-Dinner= T-REX (1 dining credit)

Saturday 9/29 Leave!

 

[snookie5605]

just posting a quick update. so i cant believe this sunday is not only my little girls 1 st birthday but it is also my 180 days out so i can book dining reservations and our referred seating for fireworks through AAA. i also cant believe tomorrow ill be 28! im getting way too old! and has anyone been looking into airfare?! its RIDICULOUS! and only supposed to be getting worse. i dont know what we're gonna do. i did read that the best rates are put out 4 months ahead of when you are going, so im gonna check back in may but its just crazy. we dont want to make that long 16 hour drive down but it the airfare keeps going up, it may be cheaper! anyone have any other tips for finding cheaper airfare? if so let me know! ok well happy spring everybody! ill post another update when i get all of my reservations.

 

[earthfaries]

What a wonderful anniversary trip you have planned (and your baby is so adorable!). You guys are going to have so much fun and I can't wait to read all about it

 

[snookie5605]

aww thank you! and how awesome is your life that you live 10 miles from WDW! that is me and my DH's plans for when we retire, haha!

 

[snookie5605]

so i made my reservations yesterday! woohoo! i didnt do the preferred fireworks viewing with AAA, just wasnt in the mood to get on the phone! so here they are and i am soooo happy with them!

Friday 9/21

-depending on whatever time we get there, we will just have lunch at ASMu
-MNSSHP, with dinner at Cosmic Rays

Saturday 9/22

-Sci-Fi at 12:20pm
-Mama Melrose at 5:15pm

Sunday 9/23 Our Anniversary!

-Kona at 7:30
-Narcoossee's at 7:45

Tuesday 9/25

-Le Chefs at 12pm
-Le Cellier at 6:50pm

Wednesday 9/26

-Kona at 7:30am
-Via Napoli at 12:45pm

Thursday 9/27

-Crystal Palace at 8:20am
-Liberty Tree at 12:20pm
-Ohana at 6:25pm

Friday 9/28

-Boma at 8am
-T-REX at 5pm

so thats everything! im so excited and cant wait to go. i know we're gonna regret doing the deluxe dining again cuz its so much food but i think after our 2009 trip, we have learned to just not eat everything and you can make it through! so thats it for now! 179 days to go!!!

 

[teekathepony]

Joining in!
Sounds like such a great anniversary trip! And some very nice restaurants too.

 

[Disneychix]

Happy Birthday!!

How fun you get to eat at all those places!! That's a lot of ADRs.

I know you said you wanted to eat around EPCOT, they will probably have a 'preview' day of Food and Wine on Friday 9/28 if you wanted to wait until this day to get more choices.

 

[boettj]

Airfare is out of control these days in my opinion. We've driven our last two trips from RI. First drive was crazy on the way down. Tried to do it non-stop. That turned out to be a major mistake. On the way home, we split the drive into 12 hours segments. Much more relaxing trip breaking it up. I was able to use my Marriott points to get a hotel going down and back. For our second trip down, we did the same thing.


This April we are taking a Disney Cruise, and airfare would have been another $3000 for all five of us. The decision to drive came easy. However; I decided to take a look at what it would cost to take Amtrak. Amazingly the train only cost $990 round trip for the five of us. Driving for us usually takes 22-24 hours. The train down is 27 hours and coming back it's 23 hours. By taking the train, we will do it in one shot, and just try to sleep in our seats. We'll be able to get up and move around, use the bathroom, dinning car and plug in electronics. This is only our first go at such a long trip on the train. For all I know, we might end up getting a sleeping car coming home.


Hope that helps you out.


Jason

 

[snookie5605]

Joining in!
Sounds like such a great anniversary trip! And some very nice restaurants too.

yay! welcome!

 

[snookie5605]

Happy Birthday!!

How fun you get to eat at all those places!! That's a lot of ADRs.

I know you said you wanted to eat around EPCOT, they will probably have a 'preview' day of Food and Wine on Friday 9/28 if you wanted to wait until this day to get more choices.

thank you!! i know it is a lot of ADRS, our disney trips always seem to involve alot of food! haha! and i would love to see that preview cuz ive never been for the food and wine but unfortunately that last day is our down time day especially because my DH wants to relax a little while we are there!

 

[snookie5605]

Airfare is out of control these days in my opinion. We've driven our last two trips from RI. First drive was crazy on the way down. Tried to do it non-stop. That turned out to be a major mistake. On the way home, we split the drive into 12 hours segments. Much more relaxing trip breaking it up. I was able to use my Marriott points to get a hotel going down and back. For our second trip down, we did the same thing.


This April we are taking a Disney Cruise, and airfare would have been another $3000 for all five of us. The decision to drive came easy. However; I decided to take a look at what it would cost to take Amtrak. Amazingly the train only cost $990 round trip for the five of us. Driving for us usually takes 22-24 hours. The train down is 27 hours and coming back it's 23 hours. By taking the train, we will do it in one shot, and just try to sleep in our seats. We'll be able to get up and move around, use the bathroom, dinning car and plug in electronics. This is only our first go at such a long trip on the train. For all I know, we might end up getting a sleeping car coming home.


Hope that helps you out.


Jason

hey thanks alot for the info. its a tough decision because unfortunately neither one of us can really take off more days of work plus find a babysitter for a longer time period if we drive. i know we dont want to go straight through cuz we dont want to be exhausted the whole time. and with the train, my family and i took the train down once before when i was little and it was a nightmare. it was just insane, way too long, way too uncomfortable, smelly, lol it was just horrible! i know my sister and her fam had a similar experience a couple years ago but i hope yours is better. i really just think im gonna have to shell the money out for the airfare

 

[snookie5605]

just a quick update. i changed our Mama Melrose reservations for 9/22 from 5:15 to 6:15pm because i completely forgot i wanted to hit the animation building for the characters and i read that they all come out around 4:45pm. i know im gonna be cutting it really close too for Fantasmic at 8pm but i have read that sometimes it's pointless to wait in that long line when you can just walk in when they let people in and find great seats. so here's hopin that happens!

we have also really been considering taking the train down now, not the auto train just the train. it is a 19 hour ride on the regular train which would have us leaving Philly around 4:55pm and getting to Orlando around 1pm in the afternoon on 9/21. then we would have to take a cab to the hotel but for the both of us with our AAA discount, the train would only cost $453 roundtrip! i know you have to figure in the cab fare but still. we also weighed the driving down thing, which would only be a 16 hour drive but we didnt want to go straight through and exhaust ourselves and with the gas prices only increasing and then staying over once going down and once coming back, it would be the same as flying almost.

the only thing with the train is that it would kinda mess up my plans for the MNSSHP for the night we arrive. i had planned on going to the party that night but i was thinking we would have a little time to relax at the hotel before. if we arent getting in Orlando til 1 and then getting a cab ride over, we wont have much time cuz i like to take advantage of the fact that they let you in at 4pm for the parties! so if we take the train im considering getting tickets for the party on 9/28 which is the day before we leave but whatever.

so thats my update, not very exciting, i know, but just wanted to let you know what we are thinking!

 

[teekathepony]

i know im gonna be cutting it really close too for Fantasmic at 8pm but i have read that sometimes it's pointless to wait in that long line when you can just walk in when they let people in and find great seats. so here's hopin that happens!

I know when we've gone we got in super early, sat there forever and noticed that 5 minutes before the show people were coming in. Of course they were seated at the back, but I'd say it would still be a great view!
Train sounds like a fun experience too.

 

[snookie5605]

I know when we've gone we got in super early, sat there forever and noticed that 5 minutes before the show people were coming in. Of course they were seated at the back, but I'd say it would still be a great view!
Train sounds like a fun experience too.

hey looks like you are going in september too! hope you have a great time. i just started reading your trip report! loving it!

 

[snookie5605]

so i dont know if all of you are as obsessed with any kind of disney music as i am but i found this guy on youtube, mrthemeparkaudios. when i tell you he has EVERYTHING in music you can imagine, he has everything, from the magical express music loop to parades and fireworks. he is amazing. go check this guys youtube site out. hes amazing!

 

[snookie5605]

so i changed some dining reservations around AGAIN! i know i know, but oh well. since we still have no idea if we are flying or taking the train, we arent quite sure which MNSSHP we are doing, 9/21 or 9/28. so just in case, i made a reservation for Wolfgang Puck Cafe for the first night we arrive, 9/21 at 7pm. this is in case we take the train and arrive later and just want to relax that first night. if we fly and go to the MNSSHP, then ill cancel that one and we are just eating at Cosmic Rays like planned. i also decided to make our Narcoossee's reservation for our anniversary, 9/23, for earlier so we dont miss any of the EMH at MK that night. so that is now for 5:40pm instead of 7:45pm. i also decided on our first day at EPCOT, 9/25, i made two reservations for lunch. i already have the one for Les Chefs de France at 12pm, but i want my DH to look at the menu and see if hes going to like it. So i also made one for Biergarten at 1:25pm, in case he would rather eat there. dont worry i will cancel out whichever one we dont use!

for updates on our schedule....i am also changing our park tickets to park hoppers so i can guarantee we dont miss MSEP, or whatever show will be playing at that time. with my dinner reservations we might be cutting it close some nights but i havent seen it in a while so i want to make sure we do. so the day we are going to AK, 9/24, i have us going back to the room and relaxing which is still the plan but that night heading back to MK to see the parade and stuff. i really dont want to put out the extra money but i think it comes to like $100 difference so whatever. SSSSHHHH, dont tell the DH though! so thats it. ill type up an updated dining schedule and everything else and post it! everyone have a magical day!

 

[snookie5605]

ok here is the updated schedule, dining and everything else. i just went and changed so much stuff, lol. but i promise im done, so here it is!

Itinerary for Disney Trip 9/21-9/29

*24 dining credits to use PP
*16 snacks PP
*6 day Park Hoppers PP



Friday, September 21st

Lunch: ASMu

*if going to MNSSHP, then head over to MK around 4pm, eat dinner at Cosmic Rays
*if not, then go to DD

Dinner: Cosmic Rays
Wolfgang Puck Café at 7pm


Saturday, September 22nd Hollywood Studios, EMH 8-9am, hours 9-8pm, Fantasmic 8pm

Breakfast: Starring Rolls

Lunch: Sci-Fi at 12:20pm

*around 4:45pm is the characters at the animation building

Dinner: counter service somewhere (Backlot Express, Fairfax Fare, Rosie’s, Pizza Planet, Studio Catering Company)

*Fantasmic at 8pm


Sunday, September 23rd Magic Kingdom, hours 9-9pm, EMH 9-12am, Wishes at 9pm

Breakfast: Kona Café at 7:30am

Lunch: Columbia Harbor House around 11:30

*leave sometime in the afternoon to go back to the room to relax

Dinner: Narcoossee’s at 7:25pm

*head back to MK for EMH 9-12am, Wishes at 9pm

Monday, September 24th, Animal Kingdom, EMH 8-9am, hours 9-6pm

Breakfast: ASMu

Lunch: Flame Tree BBQ

*either go to DD or back to room to relax
*head back to MK for parade at 8pm!

Dinner: Ohana at 9:30pm


Tuesday, September 25th, EPCOT, EMH 8-9am, hours 9-9pm, Illuminations at 9pm

Breakfast: ASMu

Lunch: Les Chefs de France at 12pm
Biergarten at 1:25pm

Dinner: Le Cellier at 6:50pm

*Illuminations at 9pm


Wednesday, September 26th, EPCOT, hours 9-9pm, EMH 9-12am, Illuminations at 9pm

Breakfast: Kona Café at 7:30am

Lunch: Via Napoli at 12:45pm

Dinner: eat around the world with snacks

*Illuminations at 9pm, EMH 9-12am

Thursday, September 27th, Magic Kingdom, EMH 8-9am, hours 9-9pm, MSEP at 8pm, Wishes at 9pm

Breakfast: Crystal Palace at 8:20am

Lunch: Liberty Tree Tavern at 12:20pm

Dinner: Kona Café at 5:05pm

*go back to MK after dinner
Friday, September 28th, Relax and DD

Breakfast: Boma at 9:05am

*go back to the room, pool, relax

Lunch: ASMu

*go to DD

Dinner: Earl of Sandwich