Jan - Feb 2020 - Can we please watch Youtube videos mom?!

[amberdc1987]

Welcome everyone to our Pre-Trip Report! We are so excited to have you join us on this adventure. We are super excited to be able to go back to Disney World and can't wait to share all the details! So let's get started.

First off......all the details!

We are going January 31 - February 8, 2020! We have never been during this time of year and i'm really excited/hoping for smaller crowds. We will be celebrating my parents anniversary, my 33rd birthday and my youngest daughters 9th Birthday! (That doesn't seem possible)

We are staying offsite in a rental villa in Windsor Palms. This is a first for us also. We normally stay on site, but it came on out cheaper to get a house for the 6 of us....plus the girls are excited about their own pool. (Side note, that i'll also come back to, the house has free pool heating! Score! Girls can't wait to swim whenever they want!)

I guess that leaves the who! There is 6 of us going! Let's get to introductions!

First off there is me! I'm your Trip Advisor and planner! I absolutely love to plan! My name is Amber! I work as a Receptionist in a mental health office. This will be my 7th trip to Disney World. I was a late bloomer of a sort, with my first trip not being until I was in high school! That started a love that has grown into somewhat of an obsession! I think y'all get it.

Favorite Park - Epcot
Favorite Character - Sorcerer Mickey (but i've never actually met him! Hope to change that)
Favorite Ride - Splash Mountain
Favorite Snack - Mickey Bars
Favorite Movie - Toy Story (all of them LOL)


Second is my DH, Danny! He works in the air conditioning business! We have been together for over 16 years. He cannot stand Disney! But he loves me, so he tolerates it. In reality he doesn't do crowds. He would rather go to TN to the mountains. That is where the other half of our vacations are. He does like Star Wars and Superheros, so maybe there is a chance for him yet.

Favorite Park - HS
Favorite Character - Chewbacca
Favorite Ride - According to him...nothing he has to stand in line an hour for
Favorite Snack - Brownies
Favorite Movie - the old Star Wars



Next is our oldest DD10. She is a smart cookie. She loves to read and loves Harry Potter! She could spend all day reading and playing with legos. She does so well in school and has the most tender heart of anyone! She would do anything for you in a heartbeat.

Favorite Park - Animal Kingdom
Favorite Character - Harry Potter
Favorite Ride - Kali River Rapids
Favorite Snack - Mickey Pretzels
Favorite Movie - Harry Potter movies



Next is our youngest DD8! She has more spunk that anyone I have ever met. She is the cause of most of my gray hairs and drives me crazy! But she is also the sweetest, most loving person I have ever had the honor of knowing! She loves Haunted Mansion so much and once decorated a pumpkin to look like Madam Leota. She loves popcorn so very much! She can put away some popcorn! Don't let her tiny stature fool you. She will out eat anyone when it comes to popcorn. The title of the Pre-Trip report came from her. She is constantly wanting to watch youtube ride videos and TimTracker!

Favorite Park - Magic Kingdom
Favorite Character - Elsa/Madam Leota
Favorite Ride - The Haunted Mansion
Favorite Snack - Popcorn
Favorite Movie - Toy Story 4 (but I predict this will change to Frozen II)



Lastly, are my parents! We will refer to them as L and B. They went to the World a few times when they were young, but their love of Disney really took off when we went on my high school trip with our band. They love everything about it! They even had a brief moment where they moved down there to be closer to the world....but after a year they moved back home to AL. I call it the Prodigal Parents returned home.

Hers
Favorite Park - MK
Favorite Character - Dopey
Favorite Ride - Haunted Mansion
Favorite Snack - Rice Krispy Treats
Favorite Movie - Lady and the Tramp

His
Favorite Park - MK
Favorite Character - Goofy
Favorite Ride - Haunted Mansion
Favorite Snack - Dole Whip
Favorite Movie - Star Wars





Well that is all for introductions...next we will climb into how this trip came to be and where we are staying! We cannot wait!

 

[amberdc1987]

So this trip has been over a year planning. Initially it was supposed to be this big grand trip with our entire family, with my siblings. But things happened and people backed out. And in the end it ended with the 6 of us. At times it didn't seem possible that this trip would actually happen. Beginning of this year, my husband and I both lost our jobs, right after we bought a house. We both wound up finding better jobs than we could hope for. There have been a few other bumps along the way but this remained constant. I am so looking forward to doing this again.

Our last trip, the girls first trip, was not the best it could have been by any means! The week before we left my husband fells backwards at work into a fork lift. His back was pretty screwed up. He rested most of the trip and was in a great amount of pain. He was unable to ride alot of the rides and was fairly miserable. In addition to this, a month before we left I got in my first auto accident and rear ended someone. Fast forward to when we got to Disney World.....I cannot park to save my life! I wound up scratching the side of this SUV when i was trying to park. People got sick toward the end of that trip. It just wasn't great. The girls had fun, and in the end that's all that really matters I guess. But I was so focused on the other things, that It was hard to focus on their fun....and I feel like well missed things. That trip was a surprise, they did not find out we were leaving until hours before we left. We setup a scavenger hunt around the house that ended with a box full of goodies with First Trip to Disney shirts. They know we are going this time and are super excited! They are super bummed that Splash Mountain and Test Track will be closed....as am I. They have had so much fun helping us plan this trip and they are counting down the days until.

 

[amberdc1987]

We are staying offsite in a house in Windsor Palms. This will be the first time for something like this. We normally stay on site, but with the rising cost of staying on site, plus the need for more than one room...we decided it would be more economical to stay offsite in a house. We will have a ton more room plus a kitchen. Also, we have our own pool and hot tub. We are so excited about that. Her pricing was great and her price includes all taxes, plus heating for the pool (which will definitely be needed in February). The house looks amazing and has many other little things included (such as welcome pack and drinks). It also includes beds for each girl....no one complaining at night that the other is touching them! Plus they have a list of bedding the girls can pick from to make their beds their own. Plus an awesome game room and dress up clothes. I think we might have a hard time getting them out of the house. Good thing I scheduled an off day. We cannot wait to see it in person.

 

[Isabelle12345]

We are staying offsite in a house in Windsor Palms. This will be the first time for something like this. We normally stay on site, but with the rising cost of staying on site, plus the need for more than one room...we decided it would be more economical to stay offsite in a house. We will have a ton more room plus a kitchen. Also, we have our own pool and hot tub. We are so excited about that. Her pricing was great and her price includes all taxes, plus heating for the pool (which will definitely be needed in February). The house looks amazing and has many other little things included (such as welcome pack and drinks). It also includes beds for each girl....no one complaining at night that the other is touching them! Plus they have a list of bedding the girls can pick from to make their beds their own. Plus an awesome game room and dress up clothes. I think we might have a hard time getting them out of the house. Good thing I scheduled an off day. We cannot wait to see it in person.

View attachment 450012View attachment 450013View attachment 450014View attachment 450015View attachment 450016View attachment 450017

Following!
WoW that house looks amazing!
We are considering renting a house like that for a future trip...
What website or agency did you use for booking?

 

[amberdc1987]

Following!
WoW that house looks amazing!
We are considering renting a house like that for a future trip...
What website or agency did you use for booking?

She is on VRBO. But she does also have her own website. I actually did it through there so I didn't have to pay VRBO fees.

 

[amberdc1987]

Following!
WoW that house looks amazing!
We are considering renting a house like that for a future trip...
What website or agency did you use for booking?

I'll PM you the link since I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post it.

 

[Isabelle12345]

Thanks for the info!!!

 

[DisneySweetTooth]

Following along. Hopefully there will be less pre-trip bumps this time round! Sounds like you made a great choice with the accomodation.

 

[sheri18]

Joining in

 

[amberdc1987]

Okay...so yes I know I started this almost 2 months ago now. I'm so sorry for just leaving you hanging. But we are now 25 days out and we are super excited! We have finalized (i think) our schedule for the trip and i'm in the process of making fast passes. Stinks staying offsite and only able to book one day at a time. That's okay...I need to get up at 5:45 every morning anyway.We also made our final payment on the house we are renting.

I guess with this trip I kept waiting on the other shoe to drop. Waiting on something to happen that would inhibit us going. I wasn't excited for the longest time, because I didn't want to get my hopes up. But it's actually happening!

We did have a bit of a hiccup on Christmas Eve. Our DD10 decided to, what I thought was break her toe on the corner of my couch, but what really turned out to be a fractured toe and the top of her foot (I think they said the growth plate).




So 2 hours later we left with her in a walking boot....which she has to wear for 8 weeks.



So yes...this kinda of put a kink into our Disney plans. So the weeks after this I was researching high and low for a pediatric wheelchair to rent....looking at all the different companies. Still haven't decided which one yet, but will do that this weekend. So yeah Christmas was eventful. But that's okay we got through it and here we are now....with only 25 days....no wait.....24 days remaining!

Our New Years day was spent watching youtube videos of everything Disney we could get our hands on. DD8 loved to watch all ride videos, while my DD10 loves all the videos about the secrets and tips and tricks. To say they are excited is an understatement!

 

[amberdc1987]

So here is our schedule.....of course with any Disney trip, this is subject to change, and more than likely probably will.

January 31

We will leave Sweet Home Alabama around 4 am CST. Stop for lunch on the way down. Once we get to where we are staying. Have to stop and get a few groceries (breakfast items, snacks, drinks, anything we forgot etc.) We cannot check into our house until 4 pm EST. We are hoping for an early check in, but we shall see on that. We will have dinner in Disney Springs, more than like Earl of Sandwich. My mom and dad will need to activate their annual passes and we might do a little shopping. The girls have asked if we can have an early night, so that they can go swimming. So hopefully we will do that.

February 1

Magic Kingdom

Breakfast - at the House
Lunch - Be Our Guest - 12:50 pm
Dinner - The Plaza - 6:45 pm

Fast Passes: 1) Buzz Lightyear 9:25 am 2) BTMRR 1:45 pm 3) Peter Pan 3:05 pm

The girls also have BBB at MK scheduled for 4:50 pm.

February 2

Epcot

Breakfast - Garden Grill 9:25 am
Lunch - Via Napoli 2:30 pm (We decided on a late lunch since breakfast will be so big)
Dinner - Counter Service somewhere

Fast Passes: 1) Living w/ the Land 10:30 am 2) Spaceship Earth 11:40 am 3) Frozen Ever After 4:30 pm


February 3

HS/MK (After Hours)

We have no dining reservations at all today. Breakfast will be at the house. Lunch and dinner will be counter service in the parks.

When I went to go make fast pass reservations all of the morning ones for HS were already gone. So we have place holder FP for the evening of HS just in case something happens with After Hours (fingers crossed that doesn't happen). When it gets closer to time. Once we get closer to time for After Hours I will probably change those fast passes to something in MK since we can get in early before After Hours starts.

February 4

This is our rest day. We will sleep in a little, especially since it will be very late the night before.
We do have a lunch reservation at Homecomin' at 11:45. We will do some shopping again and hang around the house. The girls are looking forward to playing in the house and the pool.

February 5

Animal Kingdom

Breakfast - at the house
Lunch and Dinner - Counter Service

Fastpasses - 1) Everest 9:40 am 2) Festival of the Lion King 11:30 am 3) Na'vi River 1:30 pm

February 6

Hollywood Studios

Breakfast - at the house
Lunch/Dinner - Counter Service

Fastpasses - I can make these tomorrow....almost there....

Build Droid appt at 3:25 pm. And my dad has an appt to build a light saber at 5:45 pm.

February 7

Magic Kingdom

Breakfast - at house
Lunch/Dinner - Counter Service

Fastpasses - I can make these Wednesday.


So there is our schedule as it stands right now.