I'm Gonna Find the Magic in These Magic Bands!! - A Nov 13 PTR - Just Back!

:scared1: Holy Hannah! That's quite an upgrade! pixiedust: I may be a Pop Century lover, but BW is at the tippy top of my "some day" list. Awesome news! Now I really can't wait to hear all about it!
 
:scared1: Holy Hannah! That's quite an upgrade! pixiedust: I may be a Pop Century lover, but BW is at the tippy top of my "some day" list. Awesome news! Now I really can't wait to hear all about it!

I was in shock myself - still am. When we stayed at YC, I told my Mom I'd look into seeing if we could rent points to stay at BWI on our 2014 trip because we wanted to try someplace new but also wanted to be back in that exact area. We were always checking out the BW when we were on the boat! My ex and I had done some late night exploring of the Boardwalk one very cold night in early December 2010, and I thought it was just amazingly themed and seemed like a lot of fun. So this is a great, great upgrade for me and I'm just so grateful and thankful that this has come about!

As an aside, one of the reasons that this breakup has been so prolonged (and that I will talk about my ex somewhat regularly) is because we are still in each other's lives. He actually was here last night to watch my Cardinals cinch the division and head on to the fall classic! So we still talk all the time and see each other; he's very excited for me as well. :laughing: But I do think it's very important to be making memories for myself also, as we do have a difficult relationship sometimes and it reminds me to be independent.

Back to planning!
 
So, I am a born-and-bred, bonafide PARK HOPPER.

Park hopping is one of my favorite things to do!

I honestly couldn't care less if hopping takes up an hour of my day, or more; I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it on vacation.

As such, I thought that I'd be spending a lot more times on the bus this trip, but now that I will be at BWV I will be an even BIGGER park hopping fool.

I'll be arriving around lunchtime, and my plans were to check in, hopefully head to my room to do my bedbug check and change from the flight, and then jump a bus to HS.

NOW my plans are to "check in" (I know my room won't be ready since it's DVC - they don't check in until 4, I think, and I've never gotten in a room early staying on DVC points!), change from my flight and store my bags at bell services, and then hotfoot it over to HS! I might take the boat, but more likely I'll be sick of sitting still from being on the plane and then the ME bus all morning and ready to stretch those legs!

It IS a nice boat ride though:







Currently I have FP+ for TSMM and ToT, plus a Fantasmic FP+ (never seen it; this would be my first time). My plan was to wander around HS, catch F!, then walk or boat to Epcot to ride my beloved Mexico ride and SE, then see Illuminations! F! is at 6:30, so I figured if it was over by 7 and I got to Epcot by 7:45, I'd have plenty of time to ride in Mexico, possibly Norway, and also SE (maybe a TT ride in the single rider line?). Illuminations is at 9; I don't think this schedule is pushing it too much, right ?

Now, those plans may be out the window. See, I don't know how it's going to work with switching my reservations. Will I still have the same MB? Do I need new ones? Will I need to make totally new FP+ reservations? Will they be the same times as the others? I am not sure how this will work.

If my FP+ reservations transfer over, it will be:



Then:



And a walk over to see this:



And this:



And of course this:



But if I don't end up getting FP+ or being able to get the times I want for HS, I may scrap that plan and go to either MK or Epcot (probably MK) after arriving and then Epcot at night. I want to get in bed at a decent hour, as I would like to make EMH the next morning for AK! This EMH is really the only time I'm planning on AK. I would skip it, but I love D! too too much. And I have to take a few runs through the EE single rider line.

So that's my day 1!
 
Love hearing all about your plans. Depending on the crowds at F! though, your run over to Epcot may take a little longer than that.

I couldn't believe that you haven't seen F! and while it isn't my favorite (Wishes is) it is a good show that I think you will enjoy!
 

Love hearing all about your plans. Depending on the crowds at F! though, your run over to Epcot may take a little longer than that.

I couldn't believe that you haven't seen F! and while it isn't my favorite (Wishes is) it is a good show that I think you will enjoy!

Good to know I might not make it when I thought. I was figuring 10-15 minutes to get out of Fantasmic/HS, 30-40 minutes to get to the Mexico pavilion. Never done the walk, so I was just guessing - I will be fresh, I won't have been walking all week, that should make a difference right?? :scratchin

I think I'll like it; I'm a big fan of Disney shows!
 
I have a no-fee changeable airfare - not common in this day and time, right? I bought it specifically so I could change flights if I wanted.

For the last 24 hours, I have been SERIOUSLY considering staying longer and adding on a value resort at the end of my stay.

Why? Well, after getting this unbelievable pixie dust at BWV, I started to feel like maybe 5 days is not enough! I picked 4 nights/5 days because the last time I went solo I did 3 nights/4 days - and my first "day" I didn't even arrive until like, 9:30 or 10 p.m.

I thought, while on that trip, that I would be so happy if I'd have gotten 4 nights. And now, I have four nights and almost 5 full days (I'll be at WDW around noonish on that Tuesday and I won't be flying back until after 7 p.m. on Friday).

But oh, I keep thinking I should extend until Tuesday! Costs me nothing airfare-wise! Stay three more nights? Stay at a value on an AP? Then I think "but I'd be adding on over the weekend; it would be busy for the weekend and then next thing you know you'd be heading home." Then I also think that the week I'd be returning is close week for me, and I'd have to go back to work IMMEDIATELY after being at WDW for a week - no down time between coming home and going back to work, and I'd be walking into a very busy time for my job.

So I'm still debating for now. I have time.

Pros:
1) Three more nights!
2) AP discount would be fairly inexpensive.
3) Some hours have been extended!
4) 100% no cost to change my flight! (although, I would get a different seat further back in the plane)

Cons:
1) Eh, I'm spending MORE money when I'll be back for like 10 nights next fall. I wanted this to be a budget trip!
2) Close week is really busy and I'd have absolutely no relaxation time before jumping into the storm. PLUS I'll be gone the next weekend for Thanksgiving.
3) I'd have to take a cab from O'Hare on Tuesday since everyone I know would be working and unable to pick me up - so that would mean I'd have to park my car in my (secured) work lot when I left for my trip (instead of with a friend) and leave it for a week, then be dropped off in the PM when my plane arrives and drive home from there. That's extra money too.
4) I'd have to secure someone to check on my cat. He's ok for 5 days, but I would never ever leave him alone for longer than that.

My neighbors are fairly nosy about who is coming in and out of our building and some of them are home all day long, so I know my apartment is secure (they're the type to call the cops if someone they don't recognize is in our hallway or even at the secured door - I actually love that) but I would want the cat to be checked on if it's for a longer amount of time (to be fair, my friend who LOVES him may actually come and see him regardless of whether or not I think he's ok alone for that amount of time).

I don't know, I'm just thinking out loud right now!
 
Good to know I might not make it when I thought. I was figuring 10-15 minutes to get out of Fantasmic/HS, 30-40 minutes to get to the Mexico pavilion. Never done the walk, so I was just guessing - I will be fresh, I won't have been walking all week, that should make a difference right?? :scratchin

I think I'll like it; I'm a big fan of Disney shows!

I think 10 - 15 minutes is a good guess on the time it takes to get out of Fantasmic but on the boat to Epcot you will have to stop at Swan/Dolphin, Boardwalk, Beach/Yacht Club, and then Epcot. You will also have to go through bag check and the turnstiles at Epcot before you can head to Mexico. I'm not saying it's impossible. It just depends on a lot of little things.

Having fresh legs will definitely help!
 
I think 10 - 15 minutes is a good guess on the time it takes to get out of Fantasmic but on the boat to Epcot you will have to stop at Swan/Dolphin, Boardwalk, Beach/Yacht Club, and then Epcot. You will also have to go through bag check and the turnstiles at Epcot before you can head to Mexico. I'm not saying it's impossible. It just depends on a lot of little things.

Having fresh legs will definitely help!

So the better idea is to hoof it! Maybe I'll just take a jog from HS to Epcot; I WILL be wearing my old running shoes.
 
I would price out cabs form O'hare and LIMOS...It may sound crazy but sometimes especially mid week you can get a limo/car service for cheaper than a cab form O'hare. Than if the price is right...STAY they extra days and totally enjoy it all.

Love it.

We are in the Burbs of the city. farther out but love it an love the city as well.
Magic Band colors - red for DH, Pink for DD, and green like you for me!!!
 
I love to park hop too. DH and I have done it so many times, just hop parks on a whim. Love the plans, hope you get to keep your FP+ and MB without having to switch everything up!
As for extending the trip, I'm almost all in favour. The only thing that would make me hesitate would be that I like to have a day after my vacation to come back to reality before going to work, but depending on what time your flight would get it, it could still work! Especially if say. Since you're extending it, you take it easy and make it a relaxing vacation. That's my two cents!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards
 
Nice name - I read the Game of Thrones series but BOY was it VIOLENT! I tried to watch the show and had to stop after episode 6, but I did manage to make it through the books! Though they weren't much less violent! ;) I can read it, I just can't watch it.

It took me a good ten months to read all the books. Now I'm sitting here like every once else wishing George RR Martin would stop globe-trotting and start writing! LOL. The fantasy elements of the story make it so I'm able to watch the violence on the show. If it was completely realistic I wouldn't be able to do it. I do have to cover my eyes when it's animals that are getting bloody though. *shudder*

Thanks for the kitty compliments; he's definitely my pal. He's a big cat, too; he likes to act like a dog. If I don't talk to him right away when I get home from work (he waits for me at the door), he follows me around until I pet him.



I'm going to go check out your PTR! :yay:

Hehe. Mine is the same way and he's a total snuggler.

Tonight, I'm watching my team (hopefully) head to the World Series!

Congrats on that. I'm not-so-patiently waiting for someone to be able to say that to me... for ANY sport! LOL.


Yay for pixie dust!!! That's awesome :cheer2: If you can afford the extra cash and can find someone to check in on kitty, I say do it! The other stuff can be figured out.
 
I would price out cabs form O'hare and LIMOS...It may sound crazy but sometimes especially mid week you can get a limo/car service for cheaper than a cab form O'hare. Than if the price is right...STAY they extra days and totally enjoy it all.

Love it.

We are in the Burbs of the city. farther out but love it an love the city as well.
Magic Band colors - red for DH, Pink for DD, and green like you for me!!!

There's currently an Amazon "deal" for a $35 limo transfer from O'Hare, but I'm still thinking about it. I just think I'm going Disney crazy - I really, really don't want to spend the extra money. And I keep forgetting that Christmas is literally JUST around the corner, and that's one of the major reasons I was going budget! But, I still have time to drive myself crazy considering it....

I really did put some thought into the MB; I really wanted that red one, it looks like such a nice red! But the green really made me think of my dad (who is a WDW fan as well) and I wanted to have what I thought of as the "cheerier" color. Then again, I did also consider pink for the first time in my life - I am pretty anti-pink (I don't even think I own a pink sock, much less anything else pink!) but that is a nice pink too and I looked at it a couple of times! I am terrible with choices sometimes! :rotfl:

Did you know about this?: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3187268

It's the Walt Disney Archives at the Museum of Science and Industry! Worth a trip to the city I think!

Edited to add: never mind, I see that you already commented on that thread! :laughing:
 
Can't wait to hear all about your upcoming trip!! :goodvibes

Well hello there! And many, many :welcome: to you!!

Looks like you have a surprise trip coming up!! And for Christmas! I think if my parents would have surprised me with a trip when I was young, I would have just fainted right on the spot (ESPECIALLY Christmas, we only ever went in the summer). Do you have a "surprise plan" in place already!? That's so exciting.
 
I love to park hop too. DH and I have done it so many times, just hop parks on a whim. Love the plans, hope you get to keep your FP+ and MB without having to switch everything up!
As for extending the trip, I'm almost all in favour. The only thing that would make me hesitate would be that I like to have a day after my vacation to come back to reality before going to work, but depending on what time your flight would get it, it could still work! Especially if say. Since you're extending it, you take it easy and make it a relaxing vacation. That's my two cents!

I'm merely interested in whether or not I keep the MB and FP+. Switching to BWV was 100% worth losing those, so whatever happens is fine by me. I was excited to try them out, but I'd take BWV any day!

My biggest hesitations are money (budget trip, budget trip, what part of that don't I understand??) and coming into the busy week halfway through. Someone at work will have to cover for me on those two days (Mon/Tues) due to volume, so I'd also be putting work on someone else (we all do it all the time at my job, but still, you try to be there for close week unless something crazy is going on).

After thinking more about it, I probably won't extend it (as much as I'd like to) but I know that no matter what it will still be a short trip compared to what I want to do next year.

It took me a good ten months to read all the books. Now I'm sitting here like every once else wishing George RR Martin would stop globe-trotting and start writing! LOL. The fantasy elements of the story make it so I'm able to watch the violence on the show. If it was completely realistic I wouldn't be able to do it. I do have to cover my eyes when it's animals that are getting bloody though. *shudder*

Hehe. Mine is the same way and he's a total snuggler.

Congrats on that. I'm not-so-patiently waiting for someone to be able to say that to me... for ANY sport! LOL.

Yay for pixie dust!!! That's awesome :cheer2: If you can afford the extra cash and can find someone to check in on kitty, I say do it! The other stuff can be figured out.

Ha, I read the books pretty quickly once I got them (I read on my tablet at work at lunch, so I add more reading time in!). That is definitely the problem once someone gets a popular series going - it doesn't belong to them anymore, it belongs to the fans, and they can be demanding! I remember being ANGRY at Jean Auel waiting for another Earth's Children book to come out! Actually angry at her!

I feel like those authors have more of a responsibility to write faster a bit more than others - or face the wrath of their fan-dom!! Once something takes on a life of its own like that series does, not keeping up with it is a mistake - especially with a tv series behind it. Wonder if there will ever be a game...

We DID make the World Series, so I'm super happy about that! I'm also a Steelers fan, so my fingers are crossed for the Steelers in the Super Bowl. A girl can dream, right? :rolleyes:
 
Ok, so I called to cancel my Pop reservation today and see what would happen with the MBs.

I called the 407-W-DISNEY line and basically told them exactly what happened - I needed to cancel Pop, connect my new reservation at BWV, and hopefully transfer over my FP+. Is this possible?

The definitive answer? They didn't know.

They didn't know if I could link my new reservation to my MB; I might just have to use a room key.

They didn't know if I should bring my MB; it wouldn't hurt.

They didn't know if I'd be able to do FP+ anymore; maybe, but they thought they would cancel as soon as I cancelled my reservation.

And they couldn't link my new reservation to my MB, or even to the mydisneyexperience website. Well. Ok then.

:eek:

Oh well! Like I've thought from the very beginning: I'd rather stay at BWV than get MB and FP+! I got a much better deal staying at BWV than the worth of ANY MB or FP could give me! So I took their advice, and after they cancelled my Pop reservation, I logged onto MDE and linked my reservation to BWV right away.

It showed up; I then went to check my FP+, sure that they'd be gone. But they were still there! I'll give it 24 hours and check again, but I'm hopeful! And if they disappear (and I can't get anymore), I'll call back and torment them until they make it possible again. :idea: I'm hoping that they will stay put because my tickets are on the MB and as long as a reservation is attached, the FP+ will stay put!

Fingers crossed!
 
Well I'm not a Disney CM but I don't see why they would not stay right where they are. You still have a room that is available for MB and you still have park tickets attached to your MB so you should still be able to have your FP+.


Sometimes I just want to holler at the CM's, "People, it is not rocket science!!!" However, I think it is unfair because I am sure that they are following a script and are told EXACTLY what to say.
 
Enjoyed your PTR so far. I did a rush trip in September (long backstory) but all went well and I enjoyed the magic bands. I didn't use the FP+ but friends did and said it worked well, and I didn't link the Photopass to the band because we were doing a share, but hopefully they will have most of the kinks out by the time you arriove. I've heard conflicting stories about the regular FP kiosks being closed out the end of October, so let us know, okay? And emjoy your trip. I'll be watching, always watching...
 












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