Is it a secret or a lie? August 2019 Bday trip - 7/29 Update

[jhoannam]

Hi Everyone!
Jhoanna here... this will be my first attempt at a Pre-trip Report - lets hope I don't fail miserably. From here on you can call me Jo. The rest of the crew is includes DH - call him D, oldest daughter C, and our little tower of terror is J.

This is us during our last trip in May

It was soooo rainy but we loved every minute, best trip yet. Love the afternoon downpour that would clear out the parks in the evening. Totally different than our last 2 October trips.
Let's take a trip down memory lane.
Here we are during our first trip to WDW in October 2014. This was supposed to be our one and done trip - or at least that's what I told DH, but we all know how that turned out.


DH's had a great time, he said we could go back in a few years, you know once our little one was tall enough to ride all the rides. But I had plans to return to Disney ASAP. We were back at Disney in less than a year, but this time it was the other coast. This was a trip to visit family, but I managed to sneak in a 3 day trip at Disneyland. Here we are in August 2015. This is when DH decided he loved Disney and we should go again. Okay dude, you don't have to tell me that twice.

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Our 3rd Disney trip we returned during Fall break 2016, we had an awesome time. The trips just keep getting better and better, but we decided that we wanted a different vacation the following year.

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Where did we vacation in 2017? Not Disney World or Disneyland... where did we go? The Bahamas of course. Wait... that's not the Bahamas, that's Volcano Bay - we made it to the dark side. But only for one night.

One night before we caught a ride to the Bahamas on the Disney Dream.


That brings us to our 2019 Trip. Did I mention I manage to make DH a Disney lover? Thanks to the DisBoards I've been able to plan some pretty amazing family trips, so amazing that that DH agreed to go on an adults only trip. DH and I will be making a quick 2 night trip in December, we'll be doing DAH. We are so excited. We are staying at CR, have dinner reservations at California Grill followed by a late night at the Magic Kingdom.

After that I will be back in January for Marathon Weekend with my girl friends, where I will be running my first full marathon.

Which brings us to our 2019 trip. My original plan was to go during the week of Thanksgiving, hoping that SWGE would be open. When Disney announced the 2019 Military discounts I quickly booked us for 6 nights at CBR without even consulting DH. When I told him about our new plans he wasn't excited about going during the extra crowded holiday week. He asked if we could go during his birthday...how could I say no, so I quickly called Disney and switched our dates to mid-August. I will be extremely hot, but the girls won't miss school and it's 3 months sooner.
After I changed our dates DH made another request, he wanted to stay at the Contemporary Resort. I called Disney again and they did have 6 night, lake view with military discount, but it was more than double the CBR reservation. I just couldn't bring myself to spend twice the money. I did however manager to add another day, oops.

That was the plan, we were set, for the first time ever we booked a vacation at more than 180 days in advance. Then I came upon a pre-trip report: Split-Stay-Pallooza - Are we Crazy?!?! - A Late Feb/March PTR
And it got me thinking, maybe we could do CR for DH's bday.

So I looked at the my spreadsheet and got to thinking. If I add another day at the beginning we could go to AK on Monday and take advantage of EMH - we could just stay at ASMo and be close to AK. Then we could switch to CBR and take the gondolas (keeping my fingers and toes crossed that they are running by late summer) to HS & Epcot. Then we could switch to CR, enjoy MNSSHP take a day off and end our trip with DH's bday at MK.

So there you have it, for now, until I freak out about spending 8 nights and change it back to 7 nights.
We are booked at ASMo preferred room for 2 nights, 3 nights at CBR standard room, and 3 nights at CR lake view.

So what's the big secret? DH has no idea about the resort hopping and I want to keep it a secret until we get there! Can I do it? Will I chicken out and change it back a 7 day at CBR? I'm always changing plans - so stay tuned.

 

[Newsies]

Hi Jo! I'm here!

What a beautiful family!

We'll also be in WDW during mid-August. Can't wait to read more about your plans!

 

[jhoannam]

Hi Jo! I'm here!

What a beautiful family!

We'll also be in WDW during mid-August. Can't wait to read more about your plans!

Welcome! Have you been to WDW in August? Any tips?

 

[jhoannam]

I already have an update... I failed at keeping it a secret...DH got to the mail before I did this weekend and the CR invoice came in the mail. He wasn't happy about it at first, since we had already agreed to stay at CBR. Until I explained the split stay.

This is my current plan:


And what's an update without a picture? This is my Facebook memory from 4 years ago today, our first character meet.

 

[jhoannam]

Update... DH found out about the resort hopping, some of the resort hopping. I guess Disney started sending out invoices, how dare they, but DH got the mail and saw 2 invoices. I tries to pass it off as invoices for our Dec & Jan trips, but he noticed I wasn't being honest. I put the invoice away but he found them. He knows we are staying at CBR and CR, he still doesn't know about the other 2 nights at ASMo. He already thinks 7 days is too much, I'm not sure how he's going to feel about 9 days.

I'm disappointed the gondolas won't be running during our stay.

 

[jhoannam]

DH and I are back from our quick getaway to Disney. We have an AMAZING time. We were only there for MK DAH, we stayed at the CR and loved it! Mostly because we booked Garden Wing but were upgraded to Theme Park view club level.
Nothing liked getting off the elevator and asking if we would like a mimosa. Seriously best day trip ever!

 

[jhoannam]

Time for another resort & date update!

After taking a closer look at our travels I realized that we would need to take 6 days of vacation, if I just shifted our trip on day back we would only need to take 5 days off. I really wanted DH to spend his entire birthday at Disney, but after talking to him he really didn't care and saving a vacation day was more important. He still gets to wake up in the most magical places, he just gets to spend the second half of his day traveling.

I shifted everything a day back. But when I shifted things to starting on Saturday night, our reservation went up for ASMo. Next was moving CBR, but when we changed dates Standard view wasn't available we had to move to Water view for an additional $60 for those 3 nights. Then we moved our final reservation, 3 nights TP View at CR, I asked the CSR to check for Lake View trying to save some money since our other 2 reservations had increased. She was able to find availability in the Garden view, they had both standard and water view, I had her book standard view since this was a splurge anyways. I was able to save $200, which is still $650 more than our original 6 night CBR reservation, but totally worth it specially now that we know the Skyliner won't be running until the fall.

2 nights at ASMo Standard View

3 nights water view CBR

3 night Garden Wing Standard view CR


8 magical nights. Next big day is February 7th when Southwest opens their booking window.

 

[jhoannam]

How long has it been since my last post 2 weeks? Well... in these last 2 weeks I've managed to change our reservation yet again! (Totally wish I knew how to insert GIFs, I would add the Brittany Spears "Oops I did it again" GIF)

Does anyone else change their reservations as much as I do? Seriously, is this normal?
I finally ask our girls for their opinion on where we should stay, our first born doesn't really care where we stay - she's just happy to be there. Our little one has an opinion on everything! She wants to stay at the resort with the sandy bottom pool. We stayed at the Yacht Club for one night last year and the Stormalong Bay pool is all she remembers from that trip.

Of course my goal was to stay right around $2K for the resort stay, I will be cashing out our Chase points and we only have 200,000 points. The only way to stay on budget was to change our 2 night value resort stay to a 3 night stay. All Star Movies standard room wasn't available for the 3 nights we needed, but I was able to secure Pop Century Standard room for the 3 night, which was less than 3 nights preferred at ASMo. Luckily a Beach Club Standard room was also available, anything higher than that would have put us over budget. The best part? We have 5 nights at Deluxe Resort and I was able to SAVE $67!
This trip just keeps getting better!

This is our new reservations:
Saturday-Tuesday: Pop Century Standard Room
Tuesday-Thursday: Beach Club Standard Room, I've planned on Wednesday being our rest day, hopefully it's not a rainy day.
Thursday-Sunday: Contemporary Resort, Gard Wing Standard Room

217 days to go! Happy New Year everyone!

No need to start taking bets, this is the last resort change I'll be making. I did take a peek at Free Dinning, if we stayed at CBR all week it would cost us the same - give or take a few - I thought about changing our reservation, but in the end staying deluxe won over free dining.

This is us last week at La Jolla, CA.

 

[jhoannam]

Is anyone there?
Anyone interest in a mini trip-report? I just spent 4 magical nights at All Star-Movies (in a renovated room) and ran my first marathon with my girl friends. I think I'm going to run the Dopey next year, DH is fully on-board and I think we might make it a family trip this time.Still need to decide if I want to train for the Dopey.

I haven't made any changes to our reservations since my last update, aren't you all proud of me?! I mean, not that I didn't try . I tried to upgrade our BC to Club Level, nothing available, I guess it wasn't meant to be.

I did just pay-off the Pop & BC reservations, so I think I'll be less likely to change those. I had $550 in gift cards that I manage to buy for $390, but technically for $0 because I used my Chase points to clear out those transactions.

 

[jhoannam]

I did, I upgraded our BC reservation to Club Level but I had to switch over to Yacht Club. We are all very excited to be staying CL.

I also booked our flights and made ADRs! We arrive at 2PM on Saturday, this will be the first time we arrive at Disney during daylight hours. I don't know what we should do on arrival day, should we just hang out at Pop Century or hit up Disney Springs for dinner? I know the girls are going to want to spend all day at the pool, but I'm not a fan of QS meals at the resorts. Does Pop have better options? ASMo didn't have anything that looked appetizing.

As far as ADR's:
Sunday: Cape May Breakfast, we always like to start our trip with a Character meal. We will spend the morning at HS, getting there at 7:15AM for EMH then a late breakfast.
Tuesday: 50s Prime Time Lunch I ate there for the first time during Marathon weekend and I love it.
Thursday: Storybook with Snow White Dinner we are all excited about dinning with the Dwarfs.
Friday: Ohana Breakfast, another late breakfast. Our oldest LOVES Stitch, we've done Ohana dinner a couple of time but this will be our first breakfast.
Saturday: The Plaza Breakfast, another late one since we'll be going MNSSHP the night before. We also have dinner reservations at Skipper Canteen.
Sunday: I was dumb and didn't book California Grill Brunch when our ADR 180 + 10 opened. We had a 10AM flight book but were able to save RRs and book a later flight home. Now I'm hoping something comes open for DH's birthday. Does anyone know if the CL concierge book this, since we won't be staying CL during this day? Will they keep searching for an opening?

Trying to decide of we should get TiW card, I will be getting an AP (YAY!!!) but everyone else will be using Military tickets. What does everyone think?

 

[JAMIESMITH]

Is anyone there?
Anyone interest in a mini trip-report? I just spent 4 magical nights at All Star-Movies (in a renovated room) and ran my first marathon with my girl friends. I think I'm going to run the Dopey next year, DH is fully on-board and I think we might make it a family trip this time.Still need to decide if I want to train for the Dopey.

I haven't made any changes to our reservations since my last update, aren't you all proud of me?! I mean, not that I didn't try . I tried to upgrade our BC to Club Level, nothing available, I guess it wasn't meant to be.

I did just pay-off the Pop & BC reservations, so I think I'll be less likely to change those. I had $550 in gift cards that I manage to buy for $390, but technically for $0 because I used my Chase points to clear out those transactions.

Hi

I change reservations just as obsessively as you do! I'm trying to do better.

I would love a mini trip report from your marathon weekend!

 

[elsbit]

Your reservation changing amused me. I may have also done some recent changes to my December plans. I can't help it. I am also doing a split stay. So hard not to tweak.
I was debating AP with TIW vs. no AP and dining plan. I still have not decided. I recently went in January with a friend and am kicking myself that I didn't realize I would be going again in 2019, as I could have saved and bought the AP and gotten the memory maker for free for our family trip. Ho hum.

Keep looking for your brunch reservation. If you have never been, it is fabulous!

 

[jhoannam]

Hi

I change reservations just as obsessively as you do! I'm trying to do better.

I would love a mini trip report from your marathon weekend!

I'm constantly checking Disney's website, I don't know why, I'm so happy with our plan. I'm really hopeful that the Skyliner will be running then. That would make our Pop stay so much more awesome.

The marathon was soo much fun! I can totally work on a mini trip report.

 

[jhoannam]

Your reservation changing amused me. I may have also done some recent changes to my December plans. I can't help it. I am also doing a split stay. So hard not to tweak.
I was debating AP with TIW vs. no AP and dining plan. I still have not decided. I recently went in January with a friend and am kicking myself that I didn't realize I would be going again in 2019, as I could have saved and bought the AP and gotten the memory maker for free for our family trip. Ho hum.

Keep looking for your brunch reservation. If you have never been, it is fabulous!

If I can get a brunch reservation I think the TIW card will definitely be worth it. I created a spreadsheet that helps me calculate the savings (no AP vs AP vs TIW), I don't see a savings until the 3rd trip, but with the TIW card we save an extra $100. I wish the dinning plan made sense for our family, but have an 11-year-old it just doesn't add make sense anymore, the TIW card is a better plan.

 

[missangelalexis]

Joining in! You have such a beautiful family! And I love that your one and done trip has turned into so much more! Your plans for your next trip sound great, you have some nice ADRs setup!

 

[jhoannam]

Joining in! You have such a beautiful family! And I love that your one and done trip has turned into so much more! Your plans for your next trip sound great, you have some nice ADRs setup!

Thanks you and

I can't believe how much we love Disney, it truly is our happy place. In fact, just last week DH asked why we haven't bought into DVC, it took me a year to convince him to go the first time. Now if August can just hurry up.

 

[Luvmepluto]

Hey there!! Following........I can't believe that it has been 5 years since I have been on the disboards. I am getting back in the swing of things.

 

[jhoannam]

Hey there!! Following........I can't believe that it has been 5 years since I have been on the disboards. I am getting back in the swing of things.

I can't believe I'm still here! Seriously, it was going to be a one and done trip and now DH is asking why we haven't bought into DVC?!

 

[kclark9830]

Your trip sounds great! Joining in!!!

 

[jhoannam]

Your trip sounds great! Joining in!!!

Thanks! We are all super excited. This is the first time we've included the girls in the planning process and they are so excited.