"I"m Only Going Because My Teacher Told Me To" Nov. 2016 PTR * update 12/2 TRIP REPORT STARTED! *

[kittylady1972]

That looks so cool! I wish we lived closer to it.

Me too!!! That looks so awesome...but my boys would probably have similar reactions to yours.

 

[Jfsag123]

Wow, that pumpkin place looks amazing. We don't have anything like that around here, otherwise it would probably be a yearly tradition.

I'm amazed at your ability to come up with and then juggle plans for two possible trip scenarios less than a month before your trip. They both look great!

 

[ArielSRL]

Happy Birthday to Chris!! And I love the pumpkin place! Fall is probably my favorite season. It's just so colorful with such fun activities (plus my birthday and AJ's, as well). And college football....lol. I have been to Disney in the fall several times but its been years now. I really, really want to go back for my birthday, MNSSHP, and F&W but it is sounding like its getting busier and busier. May have to do a long September weekend trip instead one year.

I saw that Club Villain was extended and wondered if you would add it. I knew you added JBJB so I wasn't sure what you would do about CV. Initially I planned to book it in June, if available for DH and I and put the boys in a kids' club or get a babysitter, but then I thought we should do something with them, so I decided on the SW dessert party (if available). It would be nice if they made CV permanent then I could just plan it for that couples trip I am planning to book one of these days.

 

[ariane37]

I'm contemplating upgrading my AP on the first night to catch the JJJB because I may be dissapointed if I LOVE it and only get to see it once.

I know for sure we are doing EMH at MK on 19th and the 20th is what we haven't got decided just yet. All of our ADRs are at Mk area for that night. But I'm trying to get us over to DHS! I'm hoping to finalize plans after I work off this week! And stmyself my first art packing!!!

P.S. talk me into riding TOT. I haven't rode it since 2001 and was scared out of my mind. It is my goal for this trip. Not sure if I can get the other girls on it with me or not.

YOU HAVE TO RIDE TOT!!!! YOU CANNOT LEAVE DISNEY UNTIL YOU DO!! Lol You've grown up alot since 2001; you're a big girl now, you can do it! Remember I've ridden it countless times and, I'm still alive .
I actually rode it by myself my first few times because the boys were younger, wouldn't ride, so Steve had to wait with them. That freaked me out a little but I still fell in love with it! I hope at least one of your friends rides with you, although I'd love to ride with you! You'll have to keep me posted on what you decide for the 20th (or simply update your TR why don't you??) because if we all go down at the same time, we'll be at HS at least until early afternoon.

Wow...how did planning a Disney trip get so complicated lol. But it's great that you have plans now for either contingency...and they are all great!!! You will have fun no matter what happens. But I know...with all the planning involved it is always so hard not to second guess yourself!! Love those pumpkins and decorations!

LOL it complicated when my nice little boy morphed into a high-schooler! Yes I do always 2nd-guess my plans regardless of time of year, and even when Steve and I are just doing an adults-only trip. And all our trips end up fine Even last year when I got sick on Thanksgiving and we had sewage seeping up through our resort room floor we managed to have a good time. Although I rather not relive either of those scenarios
It was neat seeing the pumpkin blaze even if my children weren't enthused. At least I could make my future daughter in law happy. So nice to have another female around!

25 basketballs????????????? Do you have a designated closet for them or something or are they all just thrown about?


That really does sound cool! Love the pics you shared

Yup, just about 20-25 basketballs! We're a basketball family We have all different colors and sizes, glow in the dark ones, ones they've gotten at camps, ones only used indoors and ones only used outdoors. Ones that friends are allowed to use and ones friends are NOT allowed to use. They are supposed to be in one of 3 rubbermaid containers in the garage or up on the hill inside our semi-closed in basketball half-court Steve made for them, but they end up in every corner of our yard. As soon as the writing gets worn off of one they won't use it anymore And if it's low on air and doesn't blow back up to their satisfaction - again, garbage.

Glad you enjoyed the pictures! I'm glad we went because it's one of those things I've been wanting to check out for a few years so I wouldn't have been satisfied until I saw it lol. Kind of like any new experience at WDW whether it sounds interesting to me or not

That looks so cool! I wish we lived closer to it.

Yeah this one is pretty far for you. And truthfully not as exciting as any of the haunted houses/hayrides you guys do. Certainly nothing like the Headless Horseman Hayride!

 

[ariane37]

Me too!!! That looks so awesome...but my boys would probably have similar reactions to yours.

LOL! I'd say I would've had a better time if we'd left the kids home, but Steve and my 28 year old stepson were just as bad because of the crowds. Amazing since Steve does pretty well when we're in Disney with crowds!

Wow, that pumpkin place looks amazing. We don't have anything like that around here, otherwise it would probably be a yearly tradition.

I'm amazed at your ability to come up with and then juggle plans for two possible trip scenarios less than a month before your trip. They both look great!

Well thank you! It'd be harder if I was doing a minute by minute plan but I'm not that precise. I do have to make some note cards this time to keep it all straight though!
You may not have the pumpkin blaze but you have that awesome Texas Gaylord Palms by you with the ice displays We have NOTHING like that!

Happy Birthday to Chris!! And I love the pumpkin place! Fall is probably my favorite season. It's just so colorful with such fun activities (plus my birthday and AJ's, as well). And college football....lol. I have been to Disney in the fall several times but its been years now. I really, really want to go back for my birthday, MNSSHP, and F&W but it is sounding like its getting busier and busier. May have to do a long September weekend trip instead one year.

I saw that Club Villain was extended and wondered if you would add it. I knew you added JBJB so I wasn't sure what you would do about CV. Initially I planned to book it in June, if available for DH and I and put the boys in a kids' club or get a babysitter, but then I thought we should do something with them, so I decided on the SW dessert party (if available). It would be nice if they made CV permanent then I could just plan it for that couples trip I am planning to book one of these days.

Fall is also my favorite season Around here it gets so pretty with all the trees changing color. Do the trees change in Ga. since your weather barely does lol? And Oct/Nov. are also my favorite times to go to WDW. When we first went in the fall, specifically Oct. in 2006, 2010, 2011, it wasn't crowded at all, it was wonderful. The last few years though have gotten overly crowded so if we're going to do fall it might as well be Thanksgiving!

I was so excited when I heard Club Villain was on for Nov! I haven't even looked at what nights though because it's just too much with all the uncertainty. I don't want to cancel Jingle Jam because it's something I've never seen and I think that week will be WAY crowded so the dessert party is the best way to go. That leaves 2 nights all 4 of us will be there IF Ricky makes the team, and we'll want to spend it in the parks. Hurts me not to do it but I think chances are good it'll continue. Maybe not every month but at least a good portion of the year.

You'll get that couples trip, I know you will!!

 

[ArielSRL]

We do get the leaves changing color. It's weird, even though it's been really hot halfway into October, the leaves started changing in September! But now that we are really starting to get fall temps (for here anyway) we have started losing the leaves. It definitely gets winter dreary here, but maybe even more so bc we don't get any pretty snow to look at!

 

[ariane37]

​

We do get the leaves changing color. It's weird, even though it's been really hot halfway into October, the leaves started changing in September! But now that we are really starting to get fall temps (for here anyway) we have started losing the leaves. It definitely gets winter dreary here, but maybe even more so bc we don't get any pretty snow to look at!

Well we happen to be getting some "pretty snow" right this minute! First snow of the season Just light flurries so nothing that will stick, but I love it!

 

[ArielSRL]

Well we happen to be getting some "pretty snow" right this minute! First snow of the season Just light flurries so nothing that will stick, but I love it!

Wow! We are in the 70's here this week!

 

[ariane37]

Wow! We are in the 70's here this week!

That's what my sister just told me!

 

[cinderkelly]

Very, very, very late to the party but I'm joining in! It may take me a couple of days to catch up, bit I'm gonna do it! You've only got 3 weeks to go! So awesome!

 

[ariane37]

All Together Now!
​

First I want to thank all of you who said you are impressed with my ability to fix my plans to accommodate our possible split-party situation Second, I want to let you all know that I am completely lost and confused as far as what I'm doing lol. So forgive me if I'm repeating my plans or making no sense: I seriously need to get day by day stuff written down on index cards or something! I never do that either but between the basketball nonsense and the new stuff they seem to be announcing for Nov. each week, I have to do it now to keep my thoughts straight!

In my last post I said only days 1-4 would be affected by change if Ricky and Steve don't come down with Chris and I on the 19th, but this morning I remembered day 5 would change, too So here's my best attempt to outline plan "A" and "B" once again!

Day 5, 11/23, All of Us
MK/AK
FP:
Space (Steve and I) 11:45
Tomorrowland Speedway (boys) 11:30
Splash 12:50
BTMRR 1:50

If we've all been down since the 19th, this will be our MK RD day and our 2nd MK day. The first thing we'll head to is Astro Orbiter as weird as that may sound. I think I mentioned this somewhere but as I've ridden it once Steve never has, and wants to. However he won't wait on line more than 10-15 minutes since it's kind of slow-loading due to the elevator an all, so either RD or late at night are our best bets. I'd rather ride at night because of the views, so unless we managed to get on the night before (again if we are all down there) this will be our first stop of the morning.
We'll most likely also try to do at least one of the following if we didn't get to do them on our first day since most likely none will have been running by the time we got to the park the night before: the new Muppets show in Liberty Square, Mickey's Royal Friendship Fare, or the Move It! Shake It! parade.

Oh and how could I forget! Rather than eating something in the room we'll stop at Gastons at some point early on for one of these babies:

Yes, I'll be getting my own and asking for extra icing this time and NO, I won't share

My plan is to eat lunch after our Space/Speedway FP's and use our Splash FP at the end of the window so we can do Big Thunder right after. We may not even need the speedway FP but the boys don't ride Space and I figured this would keep them in the area. I've been meaning to ask them if they want me to change it for Buzz or Pirates, should ask them later.

For lunch we will most likely go to Columbia Harbor House or possibly Pinocchio's. We may also see bigger crowds this day which would be a good time for they boys to do something they love that doesn't involve a long line



They can do this forever! Even though it costs $$ we let them do it because they enjoy it and if either of them is complaining about anything it generally stops that nonsense which works in all our favor! It's kind of fun for Steve and I too although I suck

I guess we'll leave sometime between using our BTMRR FP and having enough time to get to our 2nd park, AK. We won't have any time with this plan to go back to Beach Club in between which is fine.

This is the night I set aside in case ROL debuts and even if it doesn't, to ride EE at night, see the Tree of Life awakenings, and see some of the street entertainment that doesn't start until late afternoon/early evening. We have a dinner ADR at Yak & Yeti for 5:30 and if we have time, we'll try to do anything we missed yesterday morning-again, IF all 4 of us were here and that's the plan we went with. OMG this is beginning to give me a headache! I'm very excited to ride EE with Ricky at night; he loves the ride anyway and it's just so much more incredible at night.

Sounds like a really good day right? It's one of the days I was/am most looking forward to! I guess I have a 50/50 shot of it happening this way........I'll continue with today's alternate plan in the next post.

 

[ariane37]

Day 5,11/23 All 4 of Us, Plan "B"
AK

Alright, the above is the plan if all of us go down from the get-go. However if 2 of us come down late I want them to have time at all 4 parks, and with 4 days and a couple other things planned the best way to do that is to change day 5 in this case and spend the whole day at Animal Kingdom.
-Steve and Ricky won't get in until 11:30 which means probably 1am-ish to the resort and I know I'll be waiting up for them, which means no RD or anything resembling early morning in a park; AK is a good place to go if you're not starting early. I'd try to aim for about 11:00 arrival at the park.
Of course I'll have to switch our FP's from MK but of all the parks AK should be the easiest to still get decent attractions close to last minute. I'd try for EE for Ricky, Safari, and Character Outpost. Since we'd be spending all day here the times won't really matter.
-I'll be able to get the boys' picture taken with the characters there dressed in their holiday outfits
-we can keep our Yak & Yeti ADR and still be there in the evening for all the late afternoon/evening stuff I want to do.
-Even if Chris and I spend time here before they come down, the 4 of us won't have to rush through the park if we have all day. I do love AK and feel like we never give it enough time, even when Steve and I do our adult trips.

I feel a little better now having it all written out! The next 3 days will stay the same regardless so, whew I have a feeling changing FP's if I need to is going to be a big pain.
You know what else is kind of a pain, although it doesn't bother me the way it bothers some? All the stuff Disney adds so close to my trip lol! Club Villain, Jingle Jam Jingle BAM! (I have to write it that way guys, sorry! Can't help myself), now the cancellation of Celebrate the Magic for the new show. CtM was never a favorite of mine and I didn't go out of my way to see it, but both boys actually really like it and I think they'll enjoy the new one, too. Plus I like to check out anything new, so now I have to try to fit this in! We can try watching it on 11/22 after our BOG dinner, before we move behind the castle for Wishes but there's that possibility Ricky won't see it. I have to think now about another night later in the trip but as you'll see soon, our final couple nights are sort of busy

One final thing: we got our first snow showers here today!!! Fall is my favorite season followed by winter so I'm lovin' it!

 

[ariane37]

Very, very, very late to the party but I'm joining in! It may take me a couple of days to catch up, bit I'm gonna do it! You've only got 3 weeks to go! So awesome!

Kelly and thanks for coming over! Yes, come Saturday we're down to 3 weeks, I'm getting so excited! Steve and I have been twice this year but the boys haven't been since last Nov., and this is kind of a do-over trip of sorts since we had a couple "incidents" on our Thanksgiving trip last year including the stomach bug and......some sewage backup in our resort room So take your time reading, hope you enjoy!

 

[KathyM2]

asking for extra icing this time

That is just brilliant...I always wish there was more icing...but never even thought about asking for more lol

 

[kastoney]

I most certainly will pick one up for you if you want! I don't think I've ever seen a picture of you wearing a Disney shirt though What's up with that??
I said this before, come down when we're there! Just you and Casey if Ricky and Steve end up staying back!!! Hell, why don't the 3 of you just plan a last minute Thanksgiving trip for 4 weeks from now

\]
Don't I wish!!!! Pretty sure I'm drawing the I have to work the day after thanksgiving short straw this year. We're going to Key West in early January and then of course Disney in Feb, so that means holiday work for me.

Here he is in his NY Knicks hat from my mom holding his new basketball from my sister that he needed, even though we already have like, 25 basketballs.

Happy Birthday Ricky!!!!!

On Sunday night we went, along with my oldest stepson Jason and his fiance Candace, to the Great Pumpkin Blaze about 45 minutes from here. They hold it on the estate grounds of an old NY family prominent in the 1700's which is now a National Historic Site called Van Cortlandt Manor. It's something like 10 gazillion pumpkins made into different statues and shapes with different themes........ here are some pictures, some were pretty cool!

This sounds (and looks awesome). Were there drinks????? Yes I have a one track mind!

Mummy-his body is a huge carved pumpkin as well as his head

This is amazing!!!!! I still can't manage to do even a normal looking pumpkin face. I'm on permanent seed duty in our house.

This is the night I set aside in case ROL debuts and even if it doesn't, to ride EE at night, see the Tree of Life awakenings, and see some of the street entertainment that doesn't start until late afternoon/early evening.

What's the latest on ROL? I haven't been able to keep up with anything lately.

One final thing: we got our first snow showers here today!!! Fall is my favorite season followed by winter so I'm lovin' it!

Seriously????? I love winter and snow too, but October is just sacrilege

 

[Whit64130]

YOU HAVE TO RIDE TOT!!!! YOU CANNOT LEAVE DISNEY UNTIL YOU DO!! Lol You've grown up alot since 2001; you're a big girl now, you can do it! Remember I've ridden it countless times and, I'm still alive .
I actually rode it by myself my first few times because the boys were younger, wouldn't ride, so Steve had to wait with them. That freaked me out a little but I still fell in love with it! I hope at least one of your friends rides with you, although I'd love to ride with you! You'll have to keep me posted on what you decide for the 20th (or simply update your TR why don't you??) because if we all go down at the same time, we'll be at HS at least until early afternoon.

Bahahaha! I'm pretty sure the last time I rode it I was buried in my uncles arms. I think the anticipation scares me the most. You know the whole going through the twilight zone is totally Unnecessary for my nerves haha. I'm pretty sure Miranda is up for it! She loves rides and I've been showing her some YouTube videos to let her get a feel of some of them. I hope to get to update my PTR tomorrow if it is slow at work. The no wifi at home thing is killing me. Near impossible to do on my phone.

-I'll be able to get the boys' picture taken with the characters there dressed in their holiday outfits

Is this in AK? I am trying to research stuff like this so we can try to hit up stuff we normally would get to see/do any other time of the year.

QUOTE="ariane37, post: 56678217, member: 445750"]You know what else is kind of a pain, although it doesn't bother me the way it bothers some? All the stuff Disney adds so close to my trip lol! Club Villain, Jingle Jam Jingle BAM! [/QUOTE]
This is driving me INSANE! Plus I read a possibly start date of ROL of 11/18. I take it with a grain of salt but... if that happens I will have to rearrange even more since I had us at AK on 11/17 at night But whatever it takes and I tell myself if I don't get to see it this trip there is always Jan!

One final thing: we got our first snow showers here today!!! Fall is my favorite season followed by winter so I'm lovin' it!

We had about 3 days of fall like weather and back to summer. Still have my AC going


I am impressed at the planning going into the 2 possible scenarios!! I couldn't even keep up. I'm struggling to figure out what I'm going to wear for 8 days

 

[Whit64130]

A Birthday Weekend, Pumpkin Style​

Before I continue with my daily plans, I want to share what we did over the weekend with you guys My baby turned 11 on Saturday but the festivities started Friday night when he had some friends sleep over. SO fun for me!! Chris enjoyed himself though, and then after they left on Saturday he opened his presents from my mom who was visiting my sister in Ga., and my sister as well as various other family members who live elsewhere. Here he is in his NY Knicks hat from my mom holding his new basketball from my sister that he needed, even though we already have like, 25 basketballs.

Not sure how I missed the Birthday/pumpkin update! Happy Late Birthday to Chris! I am very intrigued by this Great Pumpkin Blaze! We don't have anything like that around this area but I'm sure It would totally be fun! October/Halloween/Fall is my favorites! Maybe it's the whole October baby thing

 

[buzzrelly]

Sounds like you have it all under control, though I don't know how! I do believe that somehow it will all work out and you will all have a great time, no matter if you use Plan A or Plan B, so no worries! Remind me again…when, exactly, will you KNOW which plan you're using??

My DS LOVES the Frontierland Shootin' Gallery, as well! We made the mistake of buying him one of those big wooden rifles one year and it was a nightmare getting it home on the plane...duh! But we definitely stop there a few times on each trip

 

[ArielSRL]

That's what my sister just told me!

80's today and for the next week! Craziness. That is why we are all sick down here....

 

[ArielSRL]

Sounds like you have the plans down...just waiting to see what plan to put into place. I forgot when you said you would find out? And yes, my goodness, Disney is just horrible at planning stuff (or maybe just announcing stuff) these days. It is nice that they are adding all the holiday stuff, makes me want to plan a holiday trip again, but geez, give a little notice.

I only saw CtM twice but absolutely LOVED it, so I'm a little disappointed that I won't get to see it anymore except on YouTube. Even if the new show is great (I watched the Toyko version and it seemed good), it doesn't mean I won't miss CtM.

Did you see the rumor about Nick and Judy meeting during the Christmas party? But I don't think I recall whether or not you guys were going to one?

Oh and did you see the ToT rumors? Ugh, so disappointing.