It's Our First Thanksgiving Trip (And I'll Start My PTR A Year Early if I Want To!)- COMPLETE 11/16

[Newsies]

This winter has dragged on and on. We're planning to head back this next Thanksgiving. This is a new plan and I'm okay with it!

That sounds great!!! Have you started thinking about dates/resorts?

 

[pigletgirl]

That sounds great!!! Have you started thinking about dates/resorts?

Well, we've had some extended family members in South Africa for the last like 5 years and they're coming home in October so we'll be having Thanksgiving in Gilbert (suburb of Phoenix). We will most likely stay with family, though we'll have a new baby then so maybe not.

We will stay through the weekend and then fly to Orlando from there to start our Disney portion of the vacation. It's a lot of travel, but we'll manage.

Have you picked where you're going to have Thanksgiving Dinner? California Grill would be fun.

 

[Newsies]

Well, we've had some extended family members in South Africa for the last like 5 years and they're coming home in October so we'll be having Thanksgiving in Gilbert (suburb of Phoenix). We will most likely stay with family, though we'll have a new baby then so maybe not.

We will stay through the weekend and then fly to Orlando from there to start our Disney portion of the vacation. It's a lot of travel, but we'll manage.

Have you picked where you're going to have Thanksgiving Dinner? California Grill would be fun.

I just had a brain fart for a moment... when you said "we're planning to head back," for a moment I forgot we were talking about Arizona and not WDW, hence asking about dates/resorts... my bad! I've had a looooong few days

Anyway! That sounds like a lovely Thanksgiving, reuniting with family in Arizona!

Sounds like the perfect vacation! Arizona and then Walt Disney World!

I have an idea of our plans. DVC has been offering a Thanksgiving dinner for members at the Contemporary for the past few years. The problem is that the reservations don't open up until mid-September, and it sells out quickly, so I think I'll book 'Ohana just to be safe and I can cancel if we get into the dinner!

 

[Newsies]

Back to the Trip! ... Kind Of.
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Welcome back to the Thanksgiving trip, ya'll. This week was spring break and it was... messy.

I actually went home last Tuesday night. My school announced that they'd be closed because of an incoming snow storm on Wednesday, so I thought I'd just go home that night after class and skip my Thursday class. "Two weeks of spring break, yay!" right?

Not exactly.

The power went out at my house Wednesday night and by Friday, it still wasn't restored, so my dad brought me back to the dorm. I spent Saturday and Sunday chilling in the Financial District, and then on Monday, I decided to pay a visit to the August Wilson. It was Mean Girls' first preview, so I went to wish my favorite actor a happy birthday. My friend Audrey and I tried online lotto, in-person lotto, and stood in the cancellation line, but ultimately did not see it. It's okay though, because I got some really cute photos.

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On Tuesday, we got power and internet back and my dad came to take me home. I've been chilling at home for three days but tomorrow I go back to the city. Some of my Twitter friends are in town to see Mean Girls and I am determined to see it tomorrow. Now I have a paper due Tuesday that I haven't started (it's an easy paper, though) and I still need to memorize some lines for my acting class but it's okay! We're all good!

Now back to the trip FOR REAL!

So for those of you who aren't following the hullabaloo on the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party thread, some UK-based ticket broker claimed to have "released the dates" for the parties this year. Of course, Disney has yet to actually announce what the dates are this year. When I looked at the dates that had been "released," there's a party the day before we check in and a party the day after we check out. So now I'm out here really hoping that this broker was pulling dates out of the air based on last year because I was really, really hoping that we would have at least one chance to see the MVMCP. My dad has always wanted to see snow on Main St.

I did a little further researching and it appears as though Thanksgiving Week has been traditionally blocked out for parties. So now I really have to hope that Disney puts one date in there. Please. Please.

We're also holding out on a wish and a prayer for the Candlelight Processional. According to history, the first CP happens on Black Friday so if we get REALLY lucky, we'll be able to end the trip by seeing the CP.

As some of you may know, this trip is even more exciting because it'll be our first vacation as DVC owners! We got a swifty little Membership Magic Guide and Disney Files Magazine in the mail this week. It was nice getting to read about the special perks we get as DVC members! Right now, there's nothing announced for November, but I'm sure that'll change as the year progresses.

My next step is getting dining reservations all sorted out. I have ideas of where I want to go, I just wish they would UPDATE THE PARK HOURS so that I know for sure when my family will be visiting each park. In the past we've gone Magic Kingdom - Epcot - DHS - Animal Kingdom every trip, but this trip, we need to be really conscious about EMH because of the Thanksgiving crowds.

Sighhhhhhh. 8 more months until we arrive.

-Kaitlyn

 

[PlutosRHM55]

I'm just here to say SHANGELA DESERVED BETTER. Your pics in front of the Mean Girls theater are hella cute. I hope you get to see it even if it is without your own personal Regina George (aka moi). Sorry that the power was out for most of your spring break (so done with these Nor'Easters UGH). Praying to the Disney gods for you that your fam gets to go to a MVMCP. Everyone deserves to see snow on Main Street.

P.S. Lowkey disappointed you haven't posted about a certain person of your TR life fame having joined the DIS...

 

[bellesBFF]

Totally late, but i'm following along! I started a pre-trip report for Feb 2020, lmao. I'm right there waiting with you! I also think I have seen your blog post floating around Pinterest?

 

[Newsies]

I'm just here to say SHANGELA DESERVED BETTER. Your pics in front of the Mean Girls theater are hella cute. I hope you get to see it even if it is without your own personal Regina George (aka moi). Sorry that the power was out for most of your spring break (so done with these Nor'Easters UGH). Praying to the Disney gods for you that your fam gets to go to a MVMCP. Everyone deserves to see snow on Main Street.

P.S. Lowkey disappointed you haven't posted about a certain person of your TR life fame having joined the DIS...

LOUDER. FOR. THE PEOPLE. IN. THE BACK! SHANGELA!!!!! DESERVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I saw it today and IT BLEW MY MIND. We need to see it together. Pick a date to fly out here. ASAP.

It's 'kay that the power was out because at the end of the day, I slept and wrote a lot this break and that's rly all that matters, I guess.

Thank you for the prayers, I hope they work because my dad REALLY wants to see snow on MSUSA.

finally HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA I'M WAITING FOR HIM TO MAKE HIS FIRST POST!!! He hasn't interacted with DIS since I built the account for him but I CAN'T WAIT for him to start posting. He'll be amazing.

Totally late, but i'm following along! I started a pre-trip report for Feb 2020, lmao. I'm right there waiting with you! I also think I have seen your blog post floating around Pinterest?

WOOOOO WELCOME ABOARD!!! It's so nice to meet you!

I'll follow your Feb 2020 report right now!

YOU'VE SEEN OUR PINS?!?!? That's AWESOME! Jodi coordinates all of that. She's really great with social media and graphic design, I'm glad she reached you!

 

[missangelalexis]

Cute pics!! I hope there's a MVMCP during your trip!!

 

[Newsies]

Cute pics!! I hope there's a MVMCP during your trip!!

Thank you so much!

Unfortunately, there are no dates that fall within our week. . It's 'kay. We'll have a lot of other things to do that week, so I'm not too depressed. I'm trying to cheer myself up by reminding myself of what a nightmare it'd be to try to get my family to wait over an hour in one spot for the parade to begin

 

[Newsies]

Welp.
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I've said it before, and I'll say it again:


Welp.


MVMCP dates were released this week and as I suspected, none of them are going to be happening during our trip. In fact, it was exactly as I suspected: There's a party the day before we arrive, and a party the day after we leave.

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I'm trying not to be too upset about it, because deep down, I was worried about touring a party with my family. For those of you who have never been to a MVMCP: there are a lot of long lines to do cool things and a lot of waiting involved to see a parade or the fireworks. Still, it would have been cool for dad to see the snow on Main Street USA...

Thankfully, I don't think dad is even remotely interested in the prospect of Disney snoap right now, considering the insane amount of real snow we have in NJ. We're in the middle of yet another nor'easter and spring started yesterday. It's crazy. He's going bonkers because he wants to be in in Disney World so bad right now. The snow in NYC is just as unreal. My campus is closed, so I don't have classes today. Part of me wishes we did? We had class cancelled on Wednesday 3/7, last week was spring break, and now today we don't have class which means next Wednesday will be exactly a full month since we last had my Wednesday night acting class. We need these in-class sessions to work on our scenes with our acting professors and make sure the scene is going smoothly. Our scene was assigned 2/28, so we haven't done it in class for the professor yet. Our FINAL performance of this scene was scheduled for next week.

Again I must say... welp. It takes a lot for a class to stress me out so bad I'd wish to actually be there for it.

On a MUCH more positive note, LOOK WHAT I GOT THIS WEEK!

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One of my sorority sisters brought me back a pair of rose gold ears from her trip to Disney over spring break and I'm literally in love! So grateful and happy and thankful and can't wait to be a rose gold princess this trip. Selfies courtesy of Composite Season.

Some more Disney related stuff:

• I don't even think we're going to be doing the Candlelight Processional if it screws up our tour plans. At this point I'm just out here trying to make sure our trip during Thanksgiving Week, one of the busiest times of the year, runs as smoothly as possible and if that means avoiding all Holiday Related Fun Time Shenanigans, so be it.
• My sorority sister is going to be in Thanksgiving while we'll be there! I'm planning on meeting up with her in Epcot at some point.
• I made an excel sheet for this trip, which is something I said I'd never do because I never thought I'd be the type of planner to utilize one. I'll share that once I update it sans-MVMCP planning things.
• We're literally already discussing our Summer 2019 plans. I really would ideally like to stay anywhere off the monorail, I'd love to see the Boardwalk, Beach Club, or Animal Kingdom Lodge. But they're really going to want to stay with the monorail, so we'll most likely end up at Bay Lake Tower (which is quickly becoming a favorite of mine)

More good news on a final note! I saw Mean Girls for real last Saturday!

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The show was incredible and I seriously cannot get over how cute the August Wilson is! I can't wait to hopefully see it about three million more times.

-Kaitlyn

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[PlutosRHM55]

Awww, I'm sorry that all the MVMCP dates just didn't line up for you. Like you said, it's probably for the best. Granted, considering you've already been and have done most things, you'd be a good post for parade waiting and such.

Omg I'm SOOOOOO done with all these snowstorms. It seems the weather got it out of its system prior to break, but I swear if the temps don't start going up soon and the snow doesn't officially say BYEEEE, I'm going to flip. I'm sorry to hear you're stressed about all of it. You know how to talk to me if you need it (even if our shady texts are more fun hahaha)

LOOK AT YOU STUNNAH IN THOSE ROSE GOLD EARS!!! Pray I get a pair this summer. PRAAAAYYYYY

Omg summer 2019, that's so far ahead into the future ACKKKK *crossing my fingers that magical things are in the cards for me for 2019 so we may reunite sooooooonnnnn*

I'm so jealous you finally got to see Mean Girls the musical! The August Wilson does look so adorable. If I wasn't broke af, I'd totally jump on a train and we'd go catch another performance. *sad sigh*

 

[missangelalexis]

I'm sorry about MVMCP But like you said, maybe it's for the best!

Hopefully this was the last snowstorm because I'm so over it!

Your rose gold ears look perfect on you!

Oh my gosh the theater looks so cute all decked out! I may need to consider trying to see it!

 

[Newsies]

Awww, I'm sorry that all the MVMCP dates just didn't line up for you. Like you said, it's probably for the best. Granted, considering you've already been and have done most things, you'd be a good post for parade waiting and such.

Omg I'm SOOOOOO done with all these snowstorms. It seems the weather got it out of its system prior to break, but I swear if the temps don't start going up soon and the snow doesn't officially say BYEEEE, I'm going to flip. I'm sorry to hear you're stressed about all of it. You know how to talk to me if you need it (even if our shady texts are more fun hahaha)

LOOK AT YOU STUNNAH IN THOSE ROSE GOLD EARS!!! Pray I get a pair this summer. PRAAAAYYYYY

Omg summer 2019, that's so far ahead into the future ACKKKK *crossing my fingers that magical things are in the cards for me for 2019 so we may reunite sooooooonnnnn*

I'm so jealous you finally got to see Mean Girls the musical! The August Wilson does look so adorable. If I wasn't broke af, I'd totally jump on a train and we'd go catch another performance. *sad sigh*

Thanks, honey. I was upset when the dates were posted last week, but I'm definitely not as upset anymore. Like you said, we've already done the parties, so if I had never done a MVMCP before I probably would be a lot more upset right now. They really want to do a fall trip at some point, so I hope that we can get that done in the future so they can see MNSSHP and F&W.

SAME. I have a VERY cute spring wardrobe going to absolute waste in my wardrobe because it's the third day of spring and 40 degrees outside. Also, love you & you know the same goes for you

SHHHHHHHHHHHH YOU'RE THE STUNNAH, DISNEY FASHION ICON! You will absolutely get a pair this summer, there were literal walls full of them in WDW last week, the hype is dying down. #PrayForTimmy

WE WILL SEE MEAN GIRLS THE MUSICAL TOGETHER. This I can promise you. Pick a date to come visit me. Austin and I will be dorming together next semester, it'll be so much fun.

I'm sorry about MVMCP But like you said, maybe it's for the best!

Hopefully this was the last snowstorm because I'm so over it!

Your rose gold ears look perfect on you!

Oh my gosh the theater looks so cute all decked out! I may need to consider trying to see it!

I'm mostly seeing the glass as half-full right now. I'm still a little sour that dad won't see the snow on Main Street, but other than that, we're going to have more park touring time and I can work around everything a little bit better knowing we won't have to deal with party planning on top of it.

It's now late March, so that had to have been the last big snowstorm of the season... right?.... RIGHT?

Thank you so much, you are the absolute sweetest!

Definitely see it if you have the chance! The show is so much fun, the music is amazing!

 

[bellesBFF]

Aw sorry to hear about MVMCP! It just means you'll have to go back

Yay for thinking of another trip, too! I wish I could go in the summer but I don't handle heat well to begin with so I can't imaging what I'd be like in WDW.

Also Mean Girls looked really cute! I'd looooove to go see any show on broadway but literally no one would go with me. My friends all stink! I made legit plans with basically a complete strange coworker to go eat at the cheesecake factory that just opened in Toronto because my boyfriends a bump on a log and won't go.

 

[Newsies]

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Aw sorry to hear about MVMCP! It just means you'll have to go back

Yay for thinking of another trip, too! I wish I could go in the summer but I don't handle heat well to begin with so I can't imaging what I'd be like in WDW.

Also Mean Girls looked really cute! I'd looooove to go see any show on broadway but literally no one would go with me. My friends all stink! I made legit plans with basically a complete strange coworker to go eat at the cheesecake factory that just opened in Toronto because my boyfriends a bump on a log and won't go.

That's EXACTLY what that means! Looks like we're coming back next year!

I hate the summer heat in Florida, but summer has traditionally been the only time we've been able to go. Grace still has at least a year left in school (five at most if she chooses to go to college!), so summer break has been our largest window of availability, and it looks like we'll be back to that next year. The only reason we didn't go this summer is because I have grand jury (that I was SUPPOSED to do last summer and then got deferred to this summer).

Girl, plan a weekend trip in NYC!!! We can do the ticket lottery at Mean Girls or another show together!!!

 

[bellesBFF]

That's EXACTLY what that means! Looks like we're coming back next year!

I hate the summer heat in Florida, but summer has traditionally been the only time we've been able to go. Grace still has at least a year left in school (five at most if she chooses to go to college!), so summer break has been our largest window of availability, and it looks like we'll be back to that next year. The only reason we didn't go this summer is because I have grand jury (that I was SUPPOSED to do last summer and then got deferred to this summer).

Girl, plan a weekend trip in NYC!!! We can do the ticket lottery at Mean Girls or another show together!!!

Yes I am so down!!!! I finally live close enough! I was talking to my boyfriend today about how I want to go into Buffalo, NY just so I can go look at a Target because we don't have them in Canada, lol! He looked at me like I was crazy, but I've heard so many things about the travel sized items there that I just NEED to go.

 

[Newsies]

Yes I am so down!!!! I finally live close enough! I was talking to my boyfriend today about how I want to go into Buffalo, NY just so I can go look at a Target because we don't have them in Canada, lol! He looked at me like I was crazy, but I've heard so many things about the travel sized items there that I just NEED to go.

I LOVE TARGET!!! My favorite place to shop!!!

 

[Newsies]

Potential ADRS!
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So I was sitting in my lecture hall thinking about this PTR today and I thought to myself... "I never do any cutesy planning updates."

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I feel like everything I post here is so heavy and logistics-based? Maybe it's just because my updates are so few and far in between that every time I have some trip-related news, it's a whole big thing with walls of text. I miss doing cutesy, list-type updates! I keep telling you guys, "Oh, I have an IDEA of what ADRs I want to do, but..." so today, I'm gonna SHUT UP and tell you what they are!

Here's what I'm hoping for this trip:

#1: Chef Art Smith's Homecomin'

This is the one, non-negotiable restaurant that we absolutely have to visit this trip. I love Art Smith and I am so thrilled with the reviews I've seen of this restaurant! While 50'sPTC has some great fried chicken, there really hasn't been a good, southern, home style fried chicken dinner in WDW up and until this point. I pretty much have this whole meal planned out: Art's Fried Chicken for dinner and Hummingbird Cake for dessert. The whole family seems to agree with me that this is a great spot for our first night at WDW!


#2: The Wave of American Flavors

We visited The Wave as a last-minute, last evening dinner reservation last year and we're smitten with it. Mom really wants to return, and I really want to go for breakfast. Everyone has been saying that the breakfast buffet at The Wave is the best on property. The sweet potato pancakes look to die for. I think this will be great for one of our Magic Kingdom days, we can eat here and then walk over for some park fun!


#3- La Hacienda de San Angel

Hacienda became another fan favorite on our last trip. We loved the queso, and my tacos were amazing (they're the same shrimp tacos from the F&W Festival!) This will definitely be our Epcot dinner! We're really hoping this will become a part of the Candlelight Processional dining package, that way we can be guaranteed a seat at the show and still enjoy an amazing meal.


#4- Yak & Yeti

Is everyone here familiar with the ongoing trials and tribulations between This Particular Restaurant and My Family Vacations at Walt Disney World Resort?

No? Okay, let me explain.

We have made a reservation to eat at this restaurant for every single WDW vacation my family has made since 2014. And every single time, we have ended up cancelling for some reason or another. In 2014, we made plans for a different restaurant a few weeks before the trip. In 2015, we cancelled day of because we were too tired to do dinner at DAK that day. And last year, we cancelled because dad got sick from the heat in the middle of the day. This year, I am determined to break this curse. I'm thinking we'll probably do DAK earlier in the trip, that way, we'll be fully charged as opposed to totally exhausted.

Pineapple Wontons, be prepared.


#5- Sci-Fi Dine-In

My family hasn't been here in a hot minute, and by a hot minute, I mean since 2010. We'll need a place to eat after we do Toy Story Land, and we've done the 50'sPTC more times than I can count. The menu isn't totally impressive, but it's cheap and it will fit the bill for lunch without us having to use a dining credit. We can grab some burgers and I'll grab a carrot cake cookie as we leave the park!


#6- 1900 Park Fare

I would feel weird if I didn't try to pencil in a character meal at some point and 1900 Park Fare is our family's favorite character breakfast.


#7- Thanksgiving Day...?

We haven't had the chance to sit down and discuss our Thanksgiving Day dinner, but I'm presenting my proposed options to them this weekend. Our intent is to book a nice back-up dinner when our ADR window opens up on May 22. In mid-September, they'll most likely announce the DVC Member Thanksgiving Meal at the Contemporary Resort. We'll reserve that and then throw away the back-up reservation.

The only problem with this plan is that A) what if Disney doesn't throw a Thanksgiving meal for members again this year, or B) what if they do throw a Thanksgiving meal and we can't reserve it (reservations filled up as soon as the phones opened at 9 AM last year). So we have to book a back-up that we'd be really happy with! My suggestions are...

- California Grill (I've always wanted to eat here, and we'd finally have an excuse to!)
- Le Cellier
- Monsieur Paul
- The BOATHOUSE
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These are all of my ideas so far! Open to constructive criticism, and these aren't in the correct order because we still need park hours to be updated before we can start really planning our days!

-Kaitlyn

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[missangelalexis]

Your ADR list sounds great! I really hope you finally get to Yak & Yeti

 

[Newsies]

Your ADR list sounds great! I really hope you finally get to Yak & Yeti

Thank you! I hope we do, too... I think we're ready!!