In the Tiki Tiki Tiki Vroom: Our budget friendly Disney driving trip! PTR June 2015

[TeamofThree]

Here goes nothing! Join in on our fun as three WDW veterans add a few twists to our normal WDW vacation routine. We usually stay on property and add the dining plan, but I wanted a longer vacation for less money this time around.

Who: Since we are a team of 3, the cast of characters is rather small. We are:

Mimi – Me, aka Mom extraordinaire
About me: Mad kitchen skills are my strong suit and I can stretch a dollar without skimping. I've been told that I can make something amazing out of nothing at all (hint: RunDisney snack boxes become special treats in my presence). An added bonus is that my kids prefer my cooking to dining out.

Favorite MK ride: Haunted Mansion
Favorite EP ride: Test Track
Favorite DHS ride: Rock N Rollercoaster
Favorite AK ride: Expedition Everest

Gigi – Tween DD, full of sassy intellect
About Gigi: Until recently, Gigi was a simple eating girl. She is becoming a bit more adventurous and that makes me so happy. She loves most rides and attractions at WDW, but I am itching to get her to ride RnR with me. Perhaps this year?

Favorite MK ride: Tomorrowland Speedway
Favorite EP ride: Test Track
Favorite DHS ride: Star Tours
Favorite AK ride: Primeval Whirl

Fritz – Teen DS, thrower of a killer knuckle ball
About Fritz: My considerate and laid back young man! He loves exotic flavors. His favorite moment at WDW was when I told him that I trusted him enough to ride Space Mountain while Gigi and I rode Fantasyland attractions. He helps me perfect the art of cool touring (visiting attractions that offer icy cold AC during the heat of the day).

Favorite MK ride: Space Mountain
Favorite EP ride: Mission Space
Favorite DHS ride: The Great Movie Ride
Favorite AK: Kilimanjaro Safari

What: Who needs normal when we have Disney? This trip is going to be full of New Disney experiences (things that we don’t normally do, have never done, etc). We will be visiting our beloved Gatorland and we will have 6 day base tickets. Our extra days will include a visit to the outlet malls, taking in a movie at DTD, and hanging out around the pool.

Where: We have a condo at Liki Tiki Village, a Diamond Resort, from June 18-June 28. When deciding where to stay, we made a list of what really mattered to us. We wanted a kitchen (because my kids love my cooking), a laid back atmosphere, and something a bit off the beaten path. I’ve had great experiences with other Diamond Resorts in Orlando, so we will give it a try. I am not a timeshare owner. We will grab a one night room hopefully around Gainesville, FL. If I get too tired, then we will stop sooner.

When: We are leaving home by car the afternoon of June 17th and returning home the evening of June 28th. I can make it to WDW from my home in about 12 hours unless I hit bad traffic in Nashville & Atlanta. Really, it isn’t that bad! Just give me Sirius, cruise control, & a Diet Coke. I’m quite giddy that I will be able to see the mountains during the daylight this trip.

Big thanks to my friend for the title idea. I wanted something catchy, but couldn't get there. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you join in our adventure.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Following!

 

[TeamofThree]

Woo hoo! I'm hoping to update later today. Some of our experiences are set, but most of our planning is fluid.

 

[TeamofThree]

Now that I have given you a bit of background on the trip, let’s dive in to some of the details!

We leave on a Wednesday afternoon and I hope we are able to get within 2 hours of Orlando in an effort to have a super easy arrival. Anyway, the plan is to get a good night’s rest and head to Gatorland before check in. I bet you are wondering why we would spend time going to a cheesy ‘Old Florida’ attraction. The answer is very simple. We love this cheesy ‘Old Florida’ attraction. In fact, we try to visit every 2-3 years. I’ve been fascinated by this attraction since I was 7 and I have passed that on to my kids. We enjoy checking out the native wildlife and have so many laughs as a family. Yes, vacation is one of the few times where I am a cool mom to my kids. We especially enjoy the albino gator exhibit, but we always make sure that we walk around all of the grounds. This is a great break from the normal Disney trip. Beyond this, we will be able to have a relaxing morning/afternoon to begin our trip before we get down to business.

I have a secret! The espresso drinks at Gatorland’s coffee shop are very good. Take some time to check out the fudge stand too.

We will probably hang out at Gatorland until about 2:30ish. The snack bar actually has some yummy BBQ sandwiches, so we will probably have lunch there or at least a snack. After leaving Gatorland, we will head to the grocery store and Sam’s. By the time we are finished, we will be able to check in and unload the car.

Confession time! I’m one of those crazy fools who preps dinners in advance. Life is so much easier when I do this! My hope is that I will not be too tired to create our vacation meal packets (most are for my trusty crock pot). With the 3 of us working together, it should go quickly. I make simple, but satisfying meals.

My kids and I are movie buffs, so we really want to take in a movie at AMC. Specifically, we want to see Jurassic World if it becomes available for Fork & Screen. I would really like this to happen on our first night. Then again, we might take in a late afternoon showing. We are flexible here. Tune in to read what we decide!

 

[TeamofThree]

Tonight, we are kicking off our vacation countdown with a movie night. That's right! Tomorrowland is calling our name. Fritz doesn't have a game & he isn't umpiring, so it is going to be the 3 of us. I will be back with an update this weekend.

 

[TeamofThree]

Well, I didn't get to my weekend update for 2 weekends, but I will tonight. We only have 15 days until we leave! Happy dance!

 

[TeamofThree]

After having a good night's rest, we hit Magic Kingdom for our first park day. We will be up bright & early for breakfast at Be Our Guest. We've been to Disney twice since BOG opened, but never wanted to wait in line for lunch. I'm looking forward to the atmosphere & I am thrilled that we snagged a pre-opening ADR. Fritz & GiGi are checking out the menu. We do plan on ordering in advance.

Since we plan on being finished at 9, we are going to go straight to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train instead of getting a Fast Pass. Gigi & I will ride Fantasyland rides until our Peter Pan FP opens. Fritz will be riding Space Mountain standby until his FP opens. This is his favorite time (when I let him hang out on Space while we do girly stuff). It makes life easier!

We will meet up for the rest of Tomorrowland together and then circle back for the Speedway & Under the Sea (great AC!). We will then head towards HM, Splash, & BTM.

The plan is to have a lunch time snack with us & park tour until mid-afternoon. A Shower/Nap/Relax break will revive us for round 2! Dinner will be in our condo. I'm guessing we will head back to the parks around 6-7. My after dark must do is BTM. The backside of water is beautiful at night!

 

[TeamofThree]

Our 2nd day finds us in Animal Kingdom. I have to admit that I am not the biggest fan of this park, but it is growing on me. We have fast passes for Kilimanjaro, Kali, & Dinosaur (Rawr). The plan is to ride early & then watch shows later in the day. I will ride EE single rider since my kids don't care for it. Our pace is going to be laid back for this one. A nice stroll in the park. My DD was wanting ribs from Flametree BBQ, but they won't be reopened. We will try out Harambe Market to get her rib fix.

Off for some baseball & then back at it for another update.

 

[TeamofThree]

Another day, another round of baseball!

Our 3rd day in the parks brings us to DHS. Our fast passes are for midday with Toy Story Mania, Star Tours (favorite!!), & Lights, Motors, Action. Fritz, Gigi, & I are debating on our plan. I've been begging Fritz to try RnR with me for years, but he won't budge. Gigi thinks I am crazy to ride it at all. If I can con Fritz into riding RnR with me, then we will head directly there. If I can't, then I will ride it later in the day single rider (probably 2 or 3 times).

We don't visit DHS as often as MK & EP, so we are going to make the most of our time. The plan is that we rope drop and head straight for our first attraction. If I end up riding RnR single rider, then we will head to TSM for an extra trip through TSM. After our first move, we will head over to Star Tours & ride it over & over. I am a Star Wars geek, so this is one of my favorites. Luckily, my kids love it too. I will be thrilled as long as I get a snack at The Writer's Stop, a drink or 2 at High Octane, & lots of turns on Star Tours.

Back to the plan! Ok, so we have 2 attractions down. We also want to check out the Frozen Summer Fun festivities, Voyage, Indy Stunt Show, Muppets 3D, Great Movie Ride (both versions). At this time, we might take a break after our FP's. I depends on how tired we are (I am). If we take a break, we will have lunch in our room. If not, we will probably eat at ABC Commissary. It is our go to CS location at DHS.

No matter what, we will be in the park for a few evening attractions & then Fantasmic. I love Fantasmic & I have been able to see it for 3 or 4 years.

 

[TeamofThree]

We have one change to our plans! Instead of BOG breakfast, we now have lunch. This was exactly what we wanted anyway.

 

[TeamofThree]

Good morning! We leave in 4 days!

Gigi & I are getting our pre-trip pedis while Fritz sleeps. Our next day in the parks will be Monday & we are heading to Epcot.

Our plan is to ride Test Track in standby once or twice then work on walk on rides. We have fast passes for Soarin', Nemo, & Spaceship Earth. I think FP's at Epcot are somewhat unnecessary, except for TT & Soarin'. Just my opinion!

Anyway, we plan in knocking out Future World & then spending the rest of the day in World Showcase. That is our normal plan & we enjoy it quite a bit. We plan on snacking around the world. My DS is looking forward to sushi in Japan & my DD is looking forward to the ham croissant in France. I just like everything lol. I have to have caramel & school bread.

 

[TeamofThree]

Two & 1/2 days until we leave! Will be back for more planning details tonight.