Let's watch the Disney Seasons Change - A Oct/Nov 2016 PTR

[lilpixiebabe101]

Welcome along with me on our first ever vacation as a family!

I had previously started a PTR, but with so many things having changed in the last 6 months, I decided to just scrap it at move on.

So a bit about our trip before the introductions. (I hate getting lots of posts into a PTR till I even seen what time of year the vacation is happening.)

We will be going down Friday October 28th through November 7th, 2016. The DF wants to meet Jack Skellington, and my best friend is running Wine and Dine. Seemed a perfect week to plan a vacation. He gets Jack, she and I get to see each other since we live across the country from each other. It's even more perfect that the castle was lit for Christmas that week in 2015. My favorite castle is the Christmas castle! So one happy Disney addict right here!

Next up: Introductions (and a Table of contents post of course)

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Table of Contents:

(SAVED)

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Introductions:

(Attempt number 2: On the computer in Word this time, so I can copy and paste!)



There is me, Ashley, a 27 year old Disney addict that by her 18th birthday had been 26 times. I have since only been on two trips. Once at Christmas 2010 with my mother, brother, and youngest daughter for her first trip, and the other in 2013 for an amazing ladies only F&W with my mother and my best friend that I actually met on the boards! I am an avid reader and video gamer when I have time. (The life of a working mommy.) I am currently an administrative assistant for a project group in a petrochemical/lubricants plant. I’m also a part time TA! I just started that and am hoping it can fuel our family to be able to get to Disney every other year or so. My favorites include, but are not limited to: Tinkerbell, Peter Pan, Ariel, It’s a Small World, Carousel of Progress, turkey legs, and the steaks at The Wave. Also anything with rum in it!


Along for the trip is that handsome fellow next to me, Buddy. That would be the DF who I have been with on and off again high school sweethearts for 3 years, and my Prince Charming for the last 9 years. He is 12 days away from 27. He’s an avid video gamer and nerd, also a beer lover, whose obsession is only feed by being a beer merchandiser. He’s always coming home with weird or rare things to try. By the time this trip gets here next year, he will be my DH not just my DF. We will be getting married by a justice of the peace 8/27/16, and Disney will for us be our honeymoon and first family vacation. (It shall be interesting to say the least. He and I have never even been on a weekend away.) Some of his favorites include: Robin Hood, Peter Pan, Alice, and Disney Quest though he’s never been and unless Disney is very slow on this one, never will get to go to.



This little diva is DD6, Alexa who is also 12 days away from a birthday. She will be turning 7 which will make her almost 8 for this trip. This will be her… let’s see… 7th Disney trip I believe. She will be going with my dad during Spring Break 2016 and just got back from going a few days before school started. She’s in the first grade and does well most of the time… when she remembers talking is not allowed unless when appropriate! Her favorites include: Dumbo, Anna, Elsa, and Cinderella.



This little monkey is DD1, Artemis, who will be 2.25 when we head off on this trip. It will be her first trip as well, and I’m so excited to see that moment she first sees the castle and meets her first character! She’s very laid back and as long as you feed her or let her sleep whenever/wherever she wants she really doesn’t care. Buddy’s joke for her and trip…
Artemis: Can I touch it?
Daddy: No.
Artemis: Can I eat it?
Daddy: Artemis, if you couldn’t touch it, why can you eat it?
HAHA! That right there about sums up our youngest. She can have just eaten dinner, and she will go try to find food, either scavenging, looking in drawers and cabinets, or by going around to those still eating and wanting bites from your plate!


Up next – Trip plans!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Soooo plans.
Taking two Disney noobs on their first trip to Disney and a Disneymoon for us grown-ups! One day we will take a trip just the adults!
So F&W, Halloween, MNSSHP, Wine and Dine, and Christmas all in one week… that’s the plan anyway!
Actual plans.
Friday October 28th – Room only night
Saturday October 29th – November 7th – MYW package (hopefully free dining) with 10 day park hoppers. (DD7 may have an AP for her Spring Break trip if my mom also decides she’s going and wants to take her sometime next year as well. We would split it 3 ways. The cost of that plus the magic maker being included would save around 350$ so even paying her food that would have been covered under free dining, we would be coming out ahead!)
Friday, October 28th – Looking at flights out of New Orleans or Baton Rouge… Preferably out of Baton Rouge… but we will have to see on those prices. Trying to get around 200$ round trip pp. Right now looking at rental cars and gas for the time we will be going that’s around the price I’m looking at anyway, so why not fly and have more Disney time for around the same price? Yep seems like a plan to me! So we will fly out of BTR or MSY around 7ish is what the tentative schedule looks like for most of the carriers going to MCO. That will put us landing around 9:30. DME to AOA or POP for the night by around maybe 10:30. So tell me if I’m crazy… ( I mean about this.. I know I’m crazy in general.) I’m thinking we tell bell services/front desk to hold our luggage at the desk when it gets there from DME. We will be checking out in the morning to go to Pop from AoA or another room at Pop. I don’t really want people banging on our door at 1am to bring luggage that will need to be hauled down a couple of hours later. I’ll just pack sleeping clothes and the next day’s clothes in one of our carry-ons.
Side note here: I am weird about how I do Disney. It is not Disney to me till I step foot into Magic Kingdom… but Magic Kingdom has to be first thing in the morning rope drop or empty streets pre-park open ADR at Crystal Palace. With us not getting in till possibly very late the night before… latish for us… very late for the girls bed times, I don’t want to Crystal Palace us and then set up to be tired all week to start out. Also considered was hopping in an Uber and doing our Universal day. Again didn’t want everyone to be exhausted for Harry. So my alternate plan is below for our first day.
Saturday, October 29th – Sleep in for us. Be up for around 8 or so and head out to the TTC or Epcot or Magic Kingdom. Whatever bus happens to roll up first will be the one we get on, then head to said destination and get on the monorail loop heading for… Kona Café! A place none of us has been. I have had Tonga Toast at Cook’s and don’t get me wrong, but I wasn’t thrilled. The inside was fantastic, but the outside just was too sweet for me. Buddy LOVES macadamia nut cookies. So I’m thinking we will split a Big Kahuna and a Macadamia Pancake platter. Or Big Kahuna and the Steak and Eggs platter since the Kahuna has the pancakes with it. Just a nice good breakfast to split between the 4 of us but not get too full. After eating, we will head off to Epcot for our first park experience as a family of 4! I will not book any fast passes for here. None of the big tickets sound appealing to Buddy, so I figure we will head to Figment and Living with the Land. Do those and then head to WS which should be open by then. See what seems interesting. Taste anything that appeals. Buddy is very excited about all the beer choices!
Get a CS somewhere for lunch or just split some snacks. After we tire of Epcot, we will head over to HS either on foot or by boat. The plan is to do Minnie’s Holiday Dine F! package. Unless WDW’s site has a glitch they won’t be in Christmas clothes till our last night there on the 6th. If that is the case, we may switch it up I think and do Sci-Fi for dinner this night. We will have people joining us from hopefully Thursday night of our trip through Monday. If they have interest in joining us for H&V we will switch, if not we may just stay with the Halloween theme. So I will book a few FP+ for late afternoon like TSM and not sure what else yet. Then we shall eat and go enjoy F! which basing off 2015 park times/hours will be at 7:30 and then an early night back to the hotel to collect our luggage from bell service and unpack!

 

[wellesleyprincess]

Joining in! I'm doing Wine and Dine this year too! But your trip is one of my Disney Bucket list things (attending both Mvmcp and Mnsshp in the same trip). Also anyone who names there daughter Artemis is clearly a cool person!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Thanks for joining in! We sadly won't be doing both parties... I say sadly it made me happy when they lit the castle in Thursday night of that week in 2015. Never could see the reason behind spending the money on the Christmas party. That's a lot of hot chocolate and cookies to get your money's worth haha!

But yea I love the idea that we will watch the parks morph from Halloween and fall to Christmas!

And as for her name... ALL of our family hates it. They call her Grace/Gracie (her middle name) or Missy. We actually thought we were having twins at first, and we're going to go Artemis and Apollo. (Greek mythos nuts over here.) But they think I had a very early miscarriage of one before even the first ultrasound to confirm twins. By that point we were stuck on Artemis.

 

[grrrlennyl]

So fun! I'm not sure if I'll hit up either party, but may splurge on the Christmas party if the timing works out and I'm there on my own.

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

How did I miss you starting a PTR?!!! Joining in for all the fun (and to plan our crossover trips )

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

So fun! I'm not sure if I'll hit up either party, but may splurge on the Christmas party if the timing works out and I'm there on my own.

I will say if you have the choice between them and will stretch into the Christmas decorations, I would go with MNSSHP. You get the castle lit up and the characters in their festive outfits with the rest of the Christmas season. The Halloween is just so neat and different! Parade is super different. Lots of extra characters out. People all dressed in costumes. It was just a very fun night. My mom loved it. Said she felt she got her monies worth which she had not felt the last few MVMCP

How did I miss you starting a PTR?!!! Joining in for all the fun (and to plan our crossover trips )

Welcome over! I actually had already started on about 6 months ago. There had just been sooo many changes and I didn't want people to have to wade through all that, so I started fresh! I need to go check yours! I'm sure I've missed an update and more cupcakes! Yes we need to try to plan a meet while all the planning is still happening! Maybe a meal with all of us if one of the places you want and we want line up?

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Sigh…
I’m sure you all knew this would happen…
So changes already… but it is okay. I think I have finalized our restaurants. I was waiting on Skipper’s Canteen, but from the looks of what is trickling in, it will be similar to Sanaa and that just isn’t up the DF or DD7’s alley.
And… I may have screwed up but in a good way. When I tracked the last few years of Free Dining, the date I kept going back to with my planning was the 29th of October. I don’t know why in my head I was thinking we needed a room only for Friday and to check into our package Saturday when the “trended” special would start… I’m a bit crazy at times. The trend has it ENDING that day not starting… So that means we can check into our package at arrival Friday night! No room moving AND we will each have an extra set of credits!
So without further ado the list of ADR’s… unless something big changes… like a new restaurant comes out somewhere we HAVE to try… or Free Dining isn’t released. Listing them for what meals if anyone has any comments, complaints or suggestions.
~1900 Park Fare – Breakfast – DDP
~Sci-Fi Dine-In – Dinner – DDP
~Crystal Palace – Breakfast Pre-park opening – DDP
~BOG – Dinner – DDP
~Rainforest Café – Dinner or Lunch – Will be signing up for the Landry’s Select club since my birthday is in November. Will get the 25$ back as credit I pay back for signing up plus a 25$ credit in my birthday month. So it with tip with what I think we will eat will be about 16$ OOP. DD7 will be a TS credit.
~Minnie’s Holiday Dine Fantasmic Package – Dinner – DDP - This one may get moved to a different time in the week. On Disney’s website it shows a 3 day overlap in the Halloween and Christmas dress, so when they get that worked out, we will have to decide on which we would rather see. The package is only the 12$ish tip difference in cost, so I figured may as well do the package.
~Ohana – Dinner – DDP
~Kona Café – Breakfast – OOP – about 45$ from my estimating and with Rainforest it matches my 63$ gift card I already have! DD7 will use a TS credit.
~The Wave – Dinner – DDP – MMMM this steak!!
~BOG – Breakfast – DDP – Girls and I will split a breakfast
~Cali Grill – Dinner – DDP - Just DF and I – Super excited! We will use our 4 credits from where Alexa’s other 2 were used at Kona and Rainforest. Yes, I did the math. We come out wayyyy better this way!
~Beaches and Cream – Sundaes – OOP
~Whispering Canyon Café – Dinner – DDP
Up next: How things have already changed! Haha

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

Your dining list looks good. I'm one of those people who really didn't enjoy BOG dinner but maybe it's better value if you've got the DDP (and if you get a better server than I had!). BOG for breakfast was much better and if you can get a pre-RD one it's great for getting a few 7DMT rides in before the crowds!

And yay for Beaches and Cream - I highly recommend the No Way Jose Sundae - I still dream about that thing

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Your dining list looks good. I'm one of those people who really didn't enjoy BOG dinner but maybe it's better value if you've got the DDP (and if you get a better server than I had!). BOG for breakfast was much better and if you can get a pre-RD one it's great for getting a few 7DMT rides in before the crowds!

And yay for Beaches and Cream - I highly recommend the No Way Jose Sundae - I still dream about that thing

We did BOG in 2013 for lunch... I was not impressed. But the steak looks good so we shall attempt it if I can get a reservation. The girls and I are going to split a breakfast at BOG the morning DF goes on the Behind the Steam tour. So should be a nice fantasyland morning for us waiting on him before our Bibbity Bobbity Boutique appointment!

 

[Madilynsmommy]

Jumping in to follow along!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Jumping in to follow along!

Welcome welcome! I should have an update later today. I'm honestly terrified about bringing the 2 year old. She LOVES to touch and look at everything. This will be my first trip ever without one of my parents. Will just be a diffent trip all around!

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Just looked at flight prices... right now round trip out of BTR we are looking at around 325pp and out of MSY (New Orleans) we are looking at 263pp. Guess I will be flight stalking. Car rental for the time we need it is about 550$ not counting gas and travel stops – thinking around 800 all-together, though the car price should continue to get lower the closer it gets. We shall just have to see.

So not huge changes, but in discussing with Ann when she and her family would arrive, I moved around a few places. She and I also discussed in more depth where we would for sure like to eat together and not eat together of the choices we were both looking at.
I assumed with would want to do 1900 with us. Apparently they would rather do Kona café.

So breakfast the morning of the 29th will now be at 1900 Park Fare. Which will be nice I think. Artemis can get her first character interaction without it having to be a force one on one, and we can see how she will fare.

Then late afternoon we will also do Sci-Fi for dinner instead of H&V. Split the buffets up a bit.

So Saturday night after Fantasmic, we will head back to Pop. Probably make an early night of it. We may run through and grab a CS meal to split. Or we may head back via AOA and get something in the food court and walk back.

On to Sunday October 30th!!!

I am so very excited about this day… Magic Kingdom and that castle have always held a special place to me. On Alexa’s first trip, we did a preopening breakfast at CP and walked into an empty Main Street. It was such a beautiful experience to share that with my daughter for the first time without having to hang onto her and hold her up over crowds.

So for Artemis and Buddy’s first I plan to do the same. Book a pre-park opening at CP, so they can walk up an empty Main Street the same way. We shall eat and then hit Fantasyland or maybe even just go away from the flow, FP what we want in Fantasyland for later, and hit Adventureland as soon as it opens after we eat. Do Jungle Cruise and work our way around!

The plan is to devote this whole day to MK. Who knows we may end up hoping around a bit or going back to the room for a break. The plan is to be back for Wishes! Wishes makes me cry every…single…time. It just takes me back to our family vacations as we were growing up - when dad would stop working for most of the week, pre my parent’s divorce, and just so many, many good memories.

I am not planning out any CS meals. Yes, I have done research or have previous knowledge to go back on. Buddy doesn’t want the trip to be “overplanned” and wants some of it to be “go with the flow”… So I shall try to be accommodating!

List of MK “MUST do’s”
Jungle Cruise
Dole Whip
Country Bears
It’s a Small World (yes @pkondz – I said MUST DO)
Peter Pan
Little Mermaid
Enchanted Tales with Bell
7DMT
Carousel
Dumbo
Teacups
Winnie the Pooh
Indy SpeedWay
People Mover
Carousel of Progress
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

List of “Hope to Do’s” – Being realistic with a 2 year old
Tom Sawyers Island/Riverboat
Monster Laugh Floor
POTC
Haunted Mansion
Up Next – Our MNSSHP day!

 

[pkondz]

Thanks for the heads up on the new PTR.

I had previously started a PTR, but with so many things having changed in the last 6 months, I decided to just scrap it at move on.

Well, that explains it.

(I hate getting lots of posts into a PTR till I even seen what time of year the vacation is happening.)

I could see how that would be good to know.

The DF wants to meet Jack Skellington

Smart guy, that DF.

she and I get to see each other since we live across the country from each other.

Nice!

Pretty! Actually, you both are. Not just him.

by her 18th birthday had been 26 times.

It shall be interesting to say the least. He and I have never even been on a weekend away

Really!?!? Wow!
Then it's about time!

This little diva is DD6, Alexa who is also 12 days away from a birthday.

Cute-patootie.

This little monkey is DD1, Artemis, who will be 2.25 when we head off on this trip.

Another cutie pie.

She’s very laid back

I can see that. One shoe on, one shoe off. No worries.

So tell me if I’m crazy…

All right! Well, to start with...

I mean about this.. I know I’m crazy in general.

...oh. Nevermind then.

Sigh…
I’m sure you all knew this would happen…
So changes already…

What a surprise!

It’s a Small World (yes @pkondz – I said MUST DO)

With earphones firmly in place, correct?

Plans look good.
It'll be interesting to see if they bear any resemblance to what you're actually going to do.

Plus, on your Hope to do list... HM.
Don't be surprised if one or both DDs balk at it.
My advice? Let it go.
(then when they're asleep. Sneak back to the park during EMH and ride it like crazy!)

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

Yes restarted it and figured an IASW tag worked for you haha!

Pretty! Actually, you both are. Not just him.

That's why I keep him around

Really!?!? Wow!
Then it's about time!

I know right? That whole pay check to pay check living does not like vacation savings haha

th earphones firmly in place, correct?

Nooooooo

Plans look good.
It'll be interesting to see if they bear any resemblance to what you're actually going to do.

Plus, on your Hope to do list... HM.
Don't be surprised if one or both DDs balk at it.
My advice? Let it go.
(then when they're asleep. Sneak back to the park during EMH and ride it like crazy!)

That's why it's on the second list. I know neither girl will want to ride so this will either be a rider switch or we may hold it till Ann and her family are there and could hang onto them for a few minutes for us to catch it.

I'm firmly set on my restaurants. The order may change a bit. Like they have H&V overlapping costumes that week listed in 2016. So we may decide we want Christmas over Halloween outfits on the Mickey crew or vice versa.

 

[pkondz]

Nooooooo

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

Just looked at flight prices... right now round trip out of BTR we are looking at around 325pp and out of MSY (New Orleans) we are looking at 263pp. Guess I will be flight stalking. Car rental for the time we need it is about 550$ not counting gas and travel stops – thinking around 800 all-together, though the car price should continue to get lower the closer it gets. We shall just have to see.

I'm seriously considering locking in the flights I've found from LAX as they're sitting at $129 each way which is way cheaper than I paid last trip. But I know if I book them some super special price will come out in a few weeks time!

I am so very excited about this day… Magic Kingdom and that castle have always held a special place to me. On Alexa’s first trip, we did a preopening breakfast at CP and walked into an empty Main Street. It was such a beautiful experience to share that with my daughter for the first time without having to hang onto her and hold her up over crowds.

Pre-RD breakfasts are the best!

I am not planning out any CS meals. Yes, I have done research or have previous knowledge to go back on. Buddy doesn’t want the trip to be “overplanned” and wants some of it to be “go with the flow”… So I shall try to be accommodating!

Sounds like a really reasonable idea - as long as you know which wants you want to avoid, leaving the picking til the day seems fine.

List of MK “MUST do’s”
Jungle Cruise
Dole Whip
Country Bears
It’s a Small World (yes @pkondz – I said MUST DO)
Peter Pan
Little Mermaid
Enchanted Tales with Bell
7DMT
Carousel
Dumbo
Teacups
Winnie the Pooh
Indy SpeedWay
People Mover
Carousel of Progress
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

Country Bears? I didn't know this was on anyone's must do list

List of “Hope to Do’s” – Being realistic with a 2 year old
Tom Sawyers Island/Riverboat
Monster Laugh Floor
POTC
Haunted Mansion
Up Next – Our MNSSHP day!

The Laugh Floor was on my if I have time list but it actually ended up being one of my favourite non-ride attractions.

 

[lilpixiebabe101]

I'm seriously considering locking in the flights I've found from LAX as they're sitting at $129 each way which is way cheaper than I paid last trip. But I know if I book them some super special price will come out in a few weeks time!

That's a really good price from what I'm seeing so far. I priced out car for next month to get a feel for if I waited last minute on fight prices.. the same rental for our week this far out versus the same amount of time next month is a 375$ difference. 10 months out I'm looking at 575 to fly. If I'm looking at next month it's around 205 for a bigger vehicle! My friend from Washington who is meeting us down there says if she was an 11 hour drive she would just drive.. so unless we get stupid lucky on a price drop I think we will drive.

Country Bears? I didn't know this was on anyone's must do list

Yes!! I love country bears. Does it need a refurbished? Yes. But it's still classic disney for me and a MUST do!