Imagining How Much Cooler We'll Be . . . IN SUMMER! August PTR

[Emilyswish]

Our first trip to WDW was for our daughter Emily's MAW trip in December of 2010. You can read our Trip Report for that trip, just follow the link below!

I have been wanting to come back since the day we came home! After saving and dreaming, and some major convincing on DH's part , we are finally headed back to WDW at the end of August 2014!!!

I really can't actually imagine being any cooler than we are here in NJ this Winter. We've had enough snow and freezing temps here for two winters. I blame Elsa! But we do love Frozen, so I'll Let it GO!


We had major support from the DISboards in planning our last trip and were blessed by being recipients of the Big Give. All of the love and support for Emily and our family is something I'll never forget. I know many of you were loyal followers of our journey last time and came to love Emily and all of our kiddos. She is doing okay. For those of you who don't know her, you can read more about her and her rare condition on our blog or in our PTR (links below).

We've made the very difficult decision to have Emily stay at home with nurses and family this time. While her MAW trip was amazing, it was not easy on her. She was very sick for most of the trip. She was able to handle the Florida weather in December especially since it was chilly that year. The August weather will not be so easy for her to deal with.

For those reasons, and several others, the travelers for this trip will be:

Me - Aimee
DH - Gee-off (it's Geoffrey, but he's always had that nickname since I've known him.)
Drew (age 10)
Carter (age 7 Birthday is 8/18 - right before we get to WDW)
Brenna (age 7 Birthday is 8/18 - right before we get to WDW)

*Carter, Brenna, and Emily are TRIPLETS*


We are booked at the Beach Club from 8/25-8/30 so we have 5 months to go!!! We'll be celebrating the triplets' birthdays and DH and I will just have celebrated our 15th Anniversary on 8/21 as well!

I'm so excited to stay on property as I have NEVER stayed on property before!! (We stayed at GKTW for the Wish Trip)

Our family then:


Our family now:


I have a few things scheduled and planned and will share soon, and I'm super excited for all that we'll be able to do now that the kids are older!!

Only 5 months to GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

[greenjellybean]

How very exciting! I think I remember reading about Emily MAW trip when I wad still 'lurking'. Sounded like a wonderful trip and I'm so glad you can return! I'm glad you included the pictures. I LOVE pictures! Your family is beautiful!

I'm sure deciding whether to take Emily or keep her home was a difficult decision, but I suspect the right one. Touring WDW is hard on everyone, I think. I can imagine how much harder it is for someone with special health issues. Can't wait to hear all about your plans!

 

[Emilyswish]

Thanks green jellybean! I love taking pictures so I'm sure I'll be posting more soon.

 

[Emilyswish]

We have passed the 180 day mark and I've made a few plans for activities and meals.

We got an amazing deal through a local travel agancy, but with the package we booked we can not add on a dining plan. Now that we have 3 Disney adults (Drew is 10) in our party, we are limiting our table service meals to save money.

Here's where we went in 2010 (also no dining plan on MAW trips):

Breakfast at Akershus
Lunch at Crystal Palace

We ate the majority of our meals at GKTW and a few CS locations. It worked out fine for us then so I know we can make it work this time too!

Here are my plans so far:



Arrival day

Monday, August 25: (early morning flight)

Check in at Beach Club

Magic Kingdom

4:00 pm - Appointment for Brenna at BBB
(I'm so excited to do this for Brenna, we did not do this on Emily's MAW trip!)


7:15 pm - Cinderella's Royal Table




Tuesday, August 26:

Hollywood Studios

First Priority - Get the kids signed up for Jedi Training!!

This is an absolute MUST DO! We went to DHS in the evening after going to Epcot during the day last trip and only got to watch the Jedi Training. Drew was so understanding about it, so I can't wait for them to be able to experience it this time!!

See Fantasmic!



Wednesday, August 27:


Animal Kingdom

We did not make it to Animal Kingdom on our last trip at all so this is another MUST DO.

EMH in the am at AK this day

9:40 am: Tusker House




Thursday, August 28:

Magic Kingdom

Lunch at Be Our Guest - Crossing fingers we can get FP+ for this!



Friday, August 29:

Epcot

2 EMH in the pm

Very excited to be so close to Epcot, and be able to walk balk to BC and take a break so we can stay there late that night!

No meals planned this day.




Saturday, August 30: Departure Day

8:00 am: Cape May Cafe

We're leaving this day open right now so we can go back to any park we want or spend some time at Downtown Disney.

Typhoon Lagoon? Our package includes tickets for one waterpark, I'm not sure if we'll be able to fit this in or not. ???

We have a very late flight home!




By the way, we have not told the kids we are going yet! They only know that we are saving for Disney and will go when we have saved enough. They have been very cute for almost 2 years now adding chore money and tooth fairy money to the "Disney Bucket" all along. Love these kids. We can NOT wait to surprise them and we'll be sure to take a video. It's going to be BIG!! We'll probably wait until July to tell them. Shhhhhhhhhhh.

 

[greenjellybean]

I'm so impressed that you have everything already planned out as well as you do! Looks like you are prepared!

I didn't realize that you have to sign up for the Jedi Training. I thought that was a deal similar to Captain Jack's show in MK and participants are randomly chosen. Shows what I know.

I DID know reservations are required for BBB and Sophie wanted to do it the first time we went and we didn't make them. We were limited in our budget and spent our money on a few TS and MNSSHP. She has mentioned doing it this time around, but she's gained so much weight on the prednisone, I'm concerned they will not have a dress to fit her.

I LOVE BC and would enjoy the opportunity to stay there! It looks beautiful to me!

You are going to surprise the kids?!? AWESOME! We did that on the way to Florida and it was great! You have to record that!

 

[Emilyswish]

Posting to remind myself to add lunch at Be Our Guest to our plans the next time I'm on the computer.

 

[greenjellybean]

Excellent idea. I'm hoping to arrange for a meal there as well! Since we asked for September or October we MAY be there during free dining, so that could be an issue.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Your trip report title caught my eye - and then it looks like you will be there the same time we will be!

Very nice family photo on the beach in your first post

Very impressed how your kids have contributed to the Disney Bucket. My kids are a little younger than yours (oldest is 5) but maybe if I somehow connected it to Disney they would be more willing to do some chores

Your plans sound very nice - and cool that you are doing a number of "firsts"

oh, and early Happy 15th Anniversary!

 

[Mousemommy1]

Just wanted to say that I love your title!! I did lurk on your old trip report. You have an amazing family!

Looks like our trips will overlap and we are at BC as well!! (16th-26th)

 

[Emilyswish]

Your trip report title caught my eye - and then it looks like you will be there the same time we will be!

Very nice family photo on the beach in your first post

Very impressed how your kids have contributed to the Disney Bucket. My kids are a little younger than yours (oldest is 5) but maybe if I somehow connected it to Disney they would be more willing to do some chores

Your plans sound very nice - and cool that you are doing a number of "firsts"

oh, and early Happy 15th Anniversary!

Thank you! What they have contributed might just pay for a Mickey bar!!! But, every little bit helps right? And the fact that they want to is sweet. They are really anxious to go!

Just wanted to say that I love your title!! I did lurk on your old trip report. You have an amazing family!

Looks like our trips will overlap and we are at BC as well!! (16th-26th)

Thanks so much!
Maybe we'll see you there before you go!

 

[Emilyswish]

We're almost at the 4 month mark!!

The weather is warming up a bit here in NJ and it's making me more and more anxious to feel that FL heat!!

I went to check out availablility for the Fantasmic Dining Package today because I'd really like to see it. But, I'm not sure if the reserved seating is worth the cost of a TS meal. We are paying OOP pocket for meals and so we'd have to cancel our Tusker House ADR to do the FDP. Any thoughts?

 

[Emilyswish]

Any suggestions for a special thing to do for our anniversary?

Dinner at Coral Reef maybe? We're celebrating 15 years. We'll have the kids and it doesn't even have to be a meal. I was just thinking of something special that we can say we did on our anniversary in WDW.
Thanks!

 

[Emilyswish]

Ooooops, posted twice!

 

[greenjellybean]

I honestly have no idea of where you could/should go for your special dinner. I just wanted to say Congratulations on 15 years of marriage! That is wonderful and should be celebrated!

 

[Emilyswish]

Thanks!!

 

[archdandy]

Following along. DH and I are going in August as well. In my opinion I don't think the Fantasmic meal is worth it. If you show up early enough you will get good seats without having to pay for a table service meal.

Hmmm, something special to do on your anniversary...Have you thought about doing the fireworks dessert party in MK?

 

[Emilyswish]

Thanks for your thoughts on the anniversary "date". DH thought we should take a quick anniversary trip right before this trip, so that solves that!

I'm starting to get nervous about my plans for our first day.

We are taking an early flight and should arrive in FL just before 10am. I figure we'll get to the resort (we are using the Magical Express) between 11-12.

Does that sound reasonable?

I'm hoping we'll be able to check-in early but maybe not until 3pm.

Then I made DDs appointment at BBB for 4pm, made some FP reservations and we have a dinner ADR at the castle for 7:15. Do you think we'll make it to MK by 4?

If our room is not ready can we check in, go to MK early, and then not go to our room until late that night, like 11pm or later?

56 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

 

[archdandy]

Thanks for your thoughts on the anniversary "date". DH thought we should take a quick anniversary trip right before this trip, so that solves that!

I'm starting to get nervous about my plans for our first day.

We are taking an early flight and should arrive in FL just before 10am. I figure we'll get to the resort (we are using the Magical Express) between 11-12.

Does that sound reasonable?

I'm hoping we'll be able to check-in early but maybe not until 3pm.

Then I made DDs appointment at BBB for 4pm, made some FP reservations and we have a dinner ADR at the castle for 7:15. Do you think we'll make it to MK by 4?

If our room is not ready can we check in, go to MK early, and then not go to our room until late that night, like 11pm or later?

56 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!​

We usually take the first flight out at 6:30am and arrive around 10am as well. It should take about 1.5-2 hours to get from the airport to your resort using the DME. If you do online check in I would say your chances of a room being ready when you arrive are fairly good. I've always done online check in before arriving and my room has always been ready. But if its not ready, yes you can go to MK and they will text you when it is ready. And then when your ready to leave MK you can just go to your room. You shouldn't have any problems making it MK by 4pm unless your flight is delayed or something else like that.

 

[Emilyswish]

Okay great! Hopefully our room will be ready early but even if it's not I'm just excited to get to MK ASAP!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

We're almost at the 4 month mark!!

The weather is warming up a bit here in NJ and it's making me more and more anxious to feel that FL heat!!

I went to check out availablility for the Fantasmic Dining Package today because I'd really like to see it. But, I'm not sure if the reserved seating is worth the cost of a TS meal. We are paying OOP pocket for meals and so we'd have to cancel our Tusker House ADR to do the FDP. Any thoughts?

Any suggestions for a special thing to do for our anniversary?

Dinner at Coral Reef maybe? We're celebrating 15 years. We'll have the kids and it doesn't even have to be a meal. I was just thinking of something special that we can say we did on our anniversary in WDW.
Thanks!

Been kinda absent, but saw your thread this morning and wanted to catch up

We are doing the Fantasmic! Dining package for the first time this trip. As we will have a very little one with us my wife wanted to be sure we had good seats without having to wait that long, so that is the main reason we are doing it. We are doing it with diner at the Hollywood Brown Derby which is also a new restaurant for us and will represent one of our "nice" meals for the trip. So can't say if it is worth the money or not but my wife seems really into doing it so if it makes her happy it is definitely worth the money to me.

Though I almost thought about canceling the whole thing and doing the Special Frozen package thing instead ... ultimately decided against it just as being there the whole day for all the events isn't going to work for us.


For celebratory things we tend to go with dinner at the California grill and watching the fireworks from the observation deck.

Another thing we like to do is watch the Fireworks from the Poly beach (though haven't been there since the major construction started). Getting a drink from the pool bar and sitting with our feet in the sand and watching the show is always nice as well

There are also things like a mini-photo shoot to book, or an Illuminations cruise. Or you could get some sort of memorable souvenir - like everyone picks a pearl and put them on a necklace or something like that. Or maybe take pictures with the characters holding up a "Happy Anniversary" sign and make a photo collage out of it or something.

Just some random thoughts for a Monday morning