I don’t know where we’re staying, but I know where we’re eating! May 2011 *NEW 5/10!

[Joyciemc]

I'm having a stupid problem:
Since everything is pretty much taken care of for this trip, (planning-wise, not packing-all-set-to-hop-on-a-plane-right-now-wise) I spend a lot of time trying to think of what I can change. I need to remind myself that these plans are all things I chose because they were what we wanted to do!
Also, with all the added days, I had to keep changing our plans. I just went through and neatened it all up so I could see at a glance what we've got going on. Here's the recap:
Sunday May 1:
4am: Leave our house to head to Ben's parents to drop off Penny Dog.
5am: Ben's dad drives us to Providence so we can catch our
6:30am flight.
9:20am: Land in MCO, take ME to Kidani Village
11am: Check in, head to DHS
Afternoon: Back to Kidani for a nap
5:50: Dinner at Jiko
Late night: EMH at MK (till 2 am!) On our last trip, we were way too tired to enjoy late night fun at EMH. I am hoping the earlier nap will help us this time!
Monday May 2: This is the day I kept messing with, trying to add a breakfast (I wanted Crystal Palace, but there was nothing available when I looked). But then I realized that we will be tired from the night before, so an early ADR would be a bad idea. See? I need to learn to leave things alone! So...
9am: Be at MK in time to see park opening.
1pm or so: Head to Epcot
2pm: lunch at Coral Reef
After lunch: back to resort for a break
Night: Another park or DtD for a CS dinner. We may try to visit Disney Quest, too.
Tuesday May 3:
7:3oam: Be at bus stop to catch a bus to Epcot. We can't be late for
8:45am: Meet at main entrance for Backstage Magic Tour. Lunch is included in the tour and will be at Whispering Canyon Cafe.
4pm (ish): After tour, head to resort for a rest
Dinner: Big River Grille at the Boardwalk, followed by fun at Jellyrolls!
Wednesday May 4:
10am: Blizzard Beach for opening.
Afternoon: resort for a break, fit a small lunch in somewhere
5:05: Dinner at 'Ohana, MK after dinner.
Thursday May 5:
7:30am: Catch bus to AK
8:15am: Meet at AK for the Backstage Safari Tour.
Afternoon: lunch at Flame Tree BBQ, visit AK attractions we want to see.
6:25pm: Dinner at Sanaa
Friday May 6:
Sleep in!!!!
Head to Epcot whenever we wake up.
1:10pm: Lunch at San Angel Inn.
Afternoon: Hang out in Epcot.
6:55pm: Dinner at Kona Cafe.
Saturday May 7:
10am: Typhoon Lagoon for opening.
After lunch: back to resort for a break
3pm: DISmeet in Epcot (France)
7:35pm: California Grill
Sunday May 8:
8am: Check out of Kidani Village, head to DHS
Noon: Check in at Old Key West
2pm: Lunch at Olivia's Cafe
Evening: DHS or MK
We need to eat somewhere... but I haven't made an ADR... what to do?
Monday May 9:
Check out of OKW
Go to a park... any park.
4:30pm: ME picks up.
7:40pm: My flight leaves, Ben will rent a car to drive to Jacksonville for his conference. He'll fly home Friday.

That's the plan in a nutshell. And I really do like it! I just want to change it for the sake of changing it. Which is dumb. Mostly I am just going crazy because I am in the super fun, but super annoying 'month before we go to Disney' mode. Sorry to drag you all along with me!

 

[annmarieda]

I know how hard it is to not tweak... I am definitely a tweaker I think your plans look awesome though... and an ADR for DHS... hmmm... I liked Mama Melrose... but Sci Fi is fun... or if you want to splurge (I have never been but..) Brown Derby. TS is MK... eh... I guess there is Tony's. I think if faced with having to go to a TS that night at MK... I would probably leave the park and eat at a hotel.

 

[Stefy]

Your plans look great, not to hectic or rushed which is perfect, no more tweaking

 

[JMat]

I think you're covered! Lots of time & fun stuff to look forward to. For my sake, you better not put that camera down!!

"not-packed-set-ready-to-jump-on-a-plane wise"

lovin' it.

 

[klacey1]

STAY AWAY FROM THE PLANS!! They look great, honestly. I think you have a good balance of ADR's, early mornings, etc.
Also-- for your night in DTD, go to WPE for your CS dinner. Huge, delicious portions. The options are much more "dinner like" than any other CS-- giant pizzas, pastas, chicken, etc. It's hands-down our fav CS!

 

[Moonies]

I think your plans look awesome! Lots to do without looking commando at all! Keep them as is!!!

 

[Joyciemc]

I know how hard it is to not tweak... I am definitely a tweaker I think your plans look awesome though... and an ADR for DHS... hmmm... I liked Mama Melrose... but Sci Fi is fun... or if you want to splurge (I have never been but..) Brown Derby. TS is MK... eh... I guess there is Tony's. I think if faced with having to go to a TS that night at MK... I would probably leave the park and eat at a hotel.

I tried last night for a Mama Melrose or Brown Derby ADR, and both only had super early availability. But then I came up with another plan, maybe...

Your plans look great, not to hectic or rushed which is perfect, no more tweaking

STAY AWAY FROM THE PLANS!! They look great, honestly. I think you have a good balance of ADR's, early mornings, etc.
Also-- for your night in DTD, go to WPE for your CS dinner. Huge, delicious portions. The options are much more "dinner like" than any other CS-- giant pizzas, pastas, chicken, etc. It's hands-down our fav CS!

I think your plans look awesome! Lots to do without looking commando at all! Keep them as is!!!

Thanks, everyone! I'm pretty good at following directions, so now that I have orders to leave 'em alone, my plans will stay as is. At least until we get there, and then I make no promises at all!

I think you're covered! Lots of time & fun stuff to look forward to. For my sake, you better not put that camera down!!

"not-packed-set-ready-to-jump-on-a-plane wise"

lovin' it.

I solemnly vow that I will always have a camera handy.

During the tours, I may have to use a pretend camera and my wicked good memory, though

 

[Nermel9]

Your plans look great, but I understand the need to mess with things! I always do the same thing...I've already planned out my days for my October trip, and already dislike the way I have things arranged!

 

[annmarieda]

I tried last night for a Mama Melrose or Brown Derby ADR, and both only had super early availability. But then I came up with another plan, maybe...

Another plan? Hey... planning is half the fun. The trip goes by so fast... if it were not for the planning up front... well, you know.. PTR and then TR... it keeps the magic going.

 

[Joyciemc]

Your plans look great, but I understand the need to mess with things! I always do the same thing...I've already planned out my days for my October trip, and already dislike the way I have things arranged!

Thanks! It is nice to hear from other people that the plans look good. I've been looking at them so long, I just can't tell anymore!

Isn't it hard to decide that you're done planning? But I guess that's part of the fun of booking a trip!

Another plan? Hey... planning is half the fun. The trip goes by so fast... if it were not for the planning up front... well, you know.. PTR and then TR... it keeps the magic going.

Well, we have to eat somewhere! I ended up making an ADR for Tony's Town Square, because I've never eaten there, and I am hoping we end up at MK on our last night. But I'm not 100% sold on it... we'll see!

 

[SOUTHERNtinkerBELLE]

I completely understand the need to keep changing the plans! I feel like if I'm not working on the itinerary, I'm not really planning! Sometimes it's hard to just step back from the plans.

 

[Joyciemc]

I completely understand the need to keep changing the plans! I feel like if I'm not working on the itinerary, I'm not really planning! Sometimes it's hard to just step back from the plans.

It's true! What else is supposed to help me pass the next 21 days?
My packing list isn't as fun as trip plans!

 

[Moonies]

It's true! What else is supposed to help me pass the next 21 days?
My packing list isn't as fun as trip plans!

I had a ton of fun packing my stuff last night (actually just going from my weekend suitcase to my knapsack and larger case. Thank goodness that the TSA now lets you have a carry on, a purse and a camera bag or I would never have survived!!!

 

[Joyciemc]

I had a ton of fun packing my stuff last night (actually just going from my weekend suitcase to my knapsack and larger case. Thank goodness that the TSA now lets you have a carry on, a purse and a camera bag or I would never have survived!!!

I'm looking forward to packing! But once it's done, then I'll have nothing else to do for the trip!

 

[Joyciemc]

Ok... I have no time to do an actual update (I really shouldn't be doing even this little one )
I'm stuck at work till FOREVER because of a meeting I have to attend after the normal workday. Blech!

But I can not let something as exciting as being in the teen's go by without a post to commemorate it!

So this is that post. 19 days. That's less than 3 weeks. I only have to work one more Sunday before we go. I can do online check in in 9 days. Pretty soon, the start of our trip will the have weather forcast on Accuweather!

This is the bestest time of the year!

 

[amandaluvsgoofy]

Yay for being in the teens!!!

 

[AKL LOVER]

SWEET--There isn't much out there that's better!

 

[Tracy161]

Woohoo!!! The single digit dance is right around the corner!!!

 

[Joyciemc]

Yay for being in the teens!!!

SWEET--There isn't much out there that's better!

Woohoo!!! The single digit dance is right around the corner!!!

Thanks for sharing the excitement, everyone! I know my work peoples are not excited... they are mostly worried about being without a staff member for over a week... and Ben is excited, but even he must be getting sick of my crazy banana-ness

 

[Joyciemc]

I'm finally home from work (and a very frustrating meeting- mostly due to a particular attendee who likes to make comments under his breath that are not productive and sometimes actually rude) and I should be going to bed to rest up for the verrrrrry long days I have coming up. But what fun is sleeping?

First things first, I wanted to share a little bit of our past weekend...

We took Penny Dog to visit the Easter Bunny at my shelter.

She kinda panicked and I had to get in the picture. There were a lot of people directing her and giving her commands, and she thought she was in trouble. Once she thinks that, it is hard to get her back to her normal happy self. But milk bones helped

While at the shelter, Ben and I decided that we could become crazy cat people and welcome in a fourth cat. In addition to Penny Dog and George the bunny. Did you all just turn away in disgust?
Well, she is blind and had been at the shelter for a month before finding a home. But they returned her after just a little while because they realized they couldn't accommodate a blind kitty. We couldn't just leave her there!

This is her when she was still at the shelter.

This is the best picture Ben could get of her at home. She is tough to photograph because you can't get her to look where you want her to!

So we now have two cats with two working eyes, one cat with one working eye, and one cat with one not-working eye. I guess our next cat will have no eyes at all!

Her name was Aurora (which is a nice Disney-esque name), but that is a very hard name to call (try it). So a friend suggested 'Borealis'. I misheard him and thought he said 'Boring Alice'. And that stuck. But we mostly just call her Alice.

Other than that, I've been very busy with work (did I already mention that. I may have. )
But I came home to this on our countdown board:

and....

Ben got me a 'Teen-day' present! How sweet is that? What was it?

A new phone!!!!!! A super fancy, cool phone! I have never-ever-ever had a fancy phone. I only just got text messaging a little over a year ago. Now I have a crazy phone.
Also, my toes are totally in that picture I only just noticed. I apologize!

So that was my crappy day that got better thanks to Ben and gadgets

Just 2 more days of work to go before I have a 3 day weekend. We're driving to Maryland on Friday for a wedding. We'll drive back up on Sunday. It's going to be kinda exhausting, but hopefully plenty of fun!