Months of planning = finally book a trip! A March PTR. - 3/29 update - we're home!

[ksl5f123]

Using the same scheme as we used for Animal Kingdom, I had everyone rate the attractions at Magic Kingdom. And the results are: (insert drum roll here!)


Peter Pan – 9 points
its a small world – 10 points
Winnie the Pooh and Aladdin's Magic Carpets – 11 pts
Buzz Lightyear and Dumbo – 12 pts
meeting Rapunzel, MSEP, and Wishes fireworks – 13 pts
Cinderella's Carousel (doesn't it have a new name?), Snow White, Splash Mountain – 14 pts
Big Thunder Mountain and Monsters, Inc. - 15 pts
Tomorrowland Transit Authority, Carousel of Progress, Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Tom Sawyer Island, Swiss Family Treehouse, Dream Along with Mickey, and the Afternoon Parade – 16 pts
Hall of Presidents and Country Bear Jamboree – 17 pts
Stitch and the Riverboat – 18 pts
Haunted Mansion and the Tiki Room – 19 pts
Astro Orbiter and the Tomorrowland Speedway – 20 points
Teacups – 21 points
Space Mountain – 22 points

Again, I found these results really interesting. We will certainly do everything that has less than 16 points and not do anything that has over 16 points (with one possible exception). We will fit in the 16 point attractions where we can. I am relieved to be able to cross the Speedway off of the to-do list. I wasn't sure how the kids felt about that one and the line is often absurd.

In addition to rating the attractions on a scale of 1-5, I also ask everyone for their top 2 attractions. DH and DD7 both chose Splash and Big Thunder Mountain. DD5 chose its a small world and meeting Rapunzel. DS2 chose Winnie the Pooh and Aladdin's carpets. I chose Carousel of Progress and Hall of Presidents (the possible exception to the <16 point rule ). We missed the Carousel of Progress on our last trips and it is one of my favorite attractions. I have always loved Disney animatronics and this is such a classic! I feel similarly about Hall of Presidents and we haven't seen that in years!

ETA: We will be there 10 weeks from today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[pinkxray]

I love your rating system! It is such a great way to make sure that everyone gets to do their favorites.

I love the Disney box. I would love for DH to give me a box like that for x-mas one year.

 

[TinksThree]

About AK and a late Safari, we rode it around 5:15pm that day and it was in March. There were several animals not out but we also still saw a lot. We also got a great view of the lion since the sun was not directly on him. And the driver stopped longer since there were so few jeeps behind us. This made the whole trip worth while! The giraffes are my fave and they were nowhere to be seen so the lion made up for it!!

MK looks good! It is so hard to fit things in within a day's time. I have to totally agree with you on the Carousel of Progress!

And good job raising that boy! That is too cute how he spotted Mickey!!

 

[ksl5f123]

I love your rating system! It is such a great way to make sure that everyone gets to do their favorites.

Thanks! It gave us something to do and it really has helped me out. The girls surprised me a little with what was important to them.

I love the Disney box. I would love for DH to give me a box like that for x-mas one year.

Big boxes with Mickey wrapping paper - what could be better?

 

[ksl5f123]

I have to totally agree with you on the Carousel of Progress!

I figure at the very least, it is something I can do with the little ones while DH rides bigger stuff with DD7.

And good job raising that boy! That is too cute how he spotted Mickey!!

I was impressed. We only found a few hidden Mickeys on our last trip. I guess maybe we will have to try harder this time.

 

[ksl5f123]

Now, to turn the Magic Kingdom survey into a plan:

- send MIL to get 2 fastpasses for Big Thunder Mountain and 4 for Splash Mountain
- Dumbo
- Peter Pan
- Pooh
- Snow White
- carousel
- send DH to get fastpasses for Buzz Lightyear while everyone else lines up to meet Rapunzel - I want to be in this line by 9:30. If that means skipping the carousel or even Snow White, so be it. I may even send FIL there at rope drop. Don't you love how I make my inlaws useful?
- DH and DD7 to Big Thunder mountain with fastpasses while everyone else goes to Aladdin
- meet up for Pirates
- grab fastpasses for the Jungle cruise on our way to our 11:30 ADR at Crystal Palace
- lunch
- DH, MIL, DD7, and (maybe) me to Splash with fastpasses while FIL takes DD5 and DS2 to get another set of Buzz fastpasses
- leave for a break
- return at 5 PM
- supper at Columbia Harbour House
- ride the Jungle cruise with our fastpasses
- its a small world
- Buzz x2 w/FP
- Monsters Inc Laugh Floor
- Carousel of Progress
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority - this is expendable if it is getting too late
- 9 PM Main street Electrical parade
- 10 PM Wishes

 

[ksl5f123]

Day 3 will be our Epcot Day. Here are our survey results for Epcot:

Spaceship Earth - 9 pts - No suprise here, this is DD5's fav ride!

Soarin' and Nemo - 10 pts

Imagination, Gran Fiesta Tour, and Miyuki - 12 points - I was a little surprised by these, I was planning to skip the 1st two just because I am getting bored with them - the kids disagreed. Miyuki was my 1st choice, so I am happy she is on the list.

Living with the Land, Innoventions, Maelstrom, and the Fife and Drum Corp - 13 points. Land is a great ride for the group not on Soarin' since DS2 isn't tall enough. I am not surprised that the girls want to go back to Innoventions, but it is really hard to work into a touring plan! Maelstrom is DH's favorite so I knew that would be there. How they chose the Fife and Drum corp? I have no idea.

Club Cool, American Adventure, IllumiNations, and Kim Possible - 14 points - Of these, IllumiNations is the only thing the kids have done before and they really didn't pay attention last time. I am not sure why they want to do it again. Club Cool and Kim Possible are new to all of us and I think we will really enjoy them. I like American Adventure and I think that the kids are getting old enough now to enjoy it too. [I need a "fingers crossed" emoticon]

Voices of Liberty and the China movie - 15 points

Turtle Talk, Mission: Space, Circle of Life, O Canada!, Impressions de France, and the Japanese drummers - 17 points

Ellen's Energy Adventure - 18 points

Sergio, Off Kilter, British Invasion, Mo' Rockin - 19 points

Test Track and the mime in France - 20 points

In all honesty, I was so surprised by their answers here that I may or may not follow them. The "proposed" touring plan will follow!

 

[ksl5f123]

We will have watched Wishes the night before, so we are considering a 10 AM arrival at Epcot. In June, the kids just couldn't get up and moving the next morning after we saw Wishes, so I don't want to assume that we will make rope drop.

- I will go get fastpasses for Soarin' and Kim Possible while everyone else heads to Imagination
- The Seas with Nemo
- Club Cool
- Maelstrom
- Gran Fiesta Tour
- wander WS with goals of seeing Miyuki, American Adventure, and the Fife and Drum Corp and doing a Kim Possible Mission or 2
- 2:45 PM ADR at Akershus
- finish wandering WS
- ride Soarin with fastpass - this will be done in 2 groups while the others take DS2 on Living with the Land
- Spaceship earth
- back to WL
- next day will be RD at DHS

This gives us all of our "13 point" attractions except Innoventions. Does anyone see where it might fit? It also gives us all of the "14 point" attractions except Illuminations, but I just don't think the kids can stay up for it and make rope drop at DHS on Friday.

Also, the rumors all indicate that the Fairies will be here. I have no idea how I am going to work them in. I am open for all suggestions!!!!

 

[pinkxray]

I wish I could give you some helpful info, but honestly I am just jealous that you have plans. Also that your family actually knows the names of attractions.

So far for my plans..
Wake up, eat breakfast and head to a park
You're doing a lot better than me!

 

[Colleen27]

Fitting in the fairies is one of my big question marks too, since if the rumor mill is accurate they won't be there until the start of Flower & Garden. We'll be flying down to MCO on the first day of the festival, so I probably won't have time to get the scoop from the DIS before our first Epcot day on the 4th. I've left our Epcot day pretty unstructured, though, so I'm sure we'll be able to fit them in somewhere.

 

[TinksThree]

I heard the Fairies will be at Epcot as well. At MK you may want to fit in Snow White since it will soon be saying farewell...you heard the new Fantasy land announcement? I don't know how important that really is to you guys!

Club Cool is fun and we usually combine Innovations and Club Cool but with my crew both of those are usually only 45 minutes or so.

 

[ksl5f123]

I wish I could give you some helpful info, but honestly I am just jealous that you have plans. Also that your family actually knows the names of attractions.

So far for my plans..
Wake up, eat breakfast and head to a park
You're doing a lot better than me!

That sounds like an awesome plan! I did have to describe the attractions to the girls so they would remember them.

I am hoping that one day we will get to the point where we have been to Disney often enough that we won't feel the need to try to do as much as possible and we will just wander around without a plan....but I'm not there yet! Maybe after another 10 or 15 trips.

 

[ksl5f123]

Fitting in the fairies is one of my big question marks too, since if the rumor mill is accurate they won't be there until the start of Flower & Garden. We'll be flying down to MCO on the first day of the festival, so I probably won't have time to get the scoop from the DIS before our first Epcot day on the 4th. I've left our Epcot day pretty unstructured, though, so I'm sure we'll be able to fit them in somewhere.

Uncertainty bothers me. I wonder if the lines will be as long as when they were in Toontown. Part of me thinks they might be a little shorter since Tink may or may not be with them and Epcot attracts an older crowd than Magic Kingdom. I wonder if the meet & greet will open later like Toontown did. I wonder how many fairies will be available. My girls have an intense desire to meet Rosetta and Silvermist. Lots of wondering going on!

I will be studying your trip report since you will be 3 weeks before us!

 

[ksl5f123]

I heard the Fairies will be at Epcot as well. At MK you may want to fit in Snow White since it will soon be saying farewell...you heard the new Fantasy land announcement? I don't know how important that really is to you guys!

Club Cool is fun and we usually combine Innovations and Club Cool but with my crew both of those are usually only 45 minutes or so.

We are going to try to fit Snow White in this time. We have never done it before because the girls were intimidated by the word "Scary" in the name. I think they are old enough to handle it now (and the little fellow doesn't care).

I am looking forward to trying stuff at Club Cool. I am a Diet Coke addict (it is my coffee) so I look forward to seeing what kinds of flavors Coke markets around the world. What I already know is that Diet Coke tastes different in every other country where I have tried it: Japan, Mexico, and Italy. They must cater to the local tastes.

We spent an hour in Innovations last June. We probably could do it quicker because I really let the girls set the pace. If I moved them along a little, we might make it in 35-45 minutes.

 

[lexmas]

oh thank goodness for chapter updates! I have been so bad about keeping up with my DIS lately! I will try and do better! All your plans look great! I love how you voted on everything...so diplomatic of you! I am jealous of your organization. We go on Friday, and best I can tell, we're going to wing it (we are going with 5 other members of our family, so I feel like even if I did plan, nothing would happen the way I wanted!).

Anyway, great organization! It sounds like you have it under control! I can't wait to read more!

 

[ksl5f123]

oh thank goodness for chapter updates! I have been so bad about keeping up with my DIS lately! I will try and do better! All your plans look great! I love how you voted on everything...so diplomatic of you! I am jealous of your organization. We go on Friday, and best I can tell, we're going to wing it (we are going with 5 other members of our family, so I feel like even if I did plan, nothing would happen the way I wanted!).

Anyway, great organization! It sounds like you have it under control! I can't wait to read more!

Hope you are having a great time on your trip! I understand about planning for extended family = stressful! I like chapter updates too. It helps me to keep reading reports even when I only have a few minutes to DIS.

 

[ksl5f123]

OK, here is the last park survey. Remember that 5 points would mean that the whole family rated it a favorite and 25 points would mean the whole family wants to skip it. This is how it worked out for DHS:

- Toy Story Mania - 7 points - Who doesn't love this?

- drawing in the animation studio - 9 pts - This was a highlight of the trip in June - we might do it 2 or 3 times!!!

- Disney Junior (was PlayHouse Disney) - 11 pts - great fun for the little ones!

- Beauty and the Beast - 11 pts - never seen it and can't wait - everyone's pictures always look SO good

- Honey I shrunk the kids playground - 12 pts - never done this before either - with 4 adults we should be able to keep track of 3 kids.

- Backlot tour - 15 pts - can't figure out why the kids think they want to do this - I haven't done it for years, but unless we need a nap, I think I will over-rule them

- Great Movie ride - 15 pts - I haven't done this in years either, but if they want to try it, I am willing to give on this one

- Lights, Motor, Action! - 16 pts - we will probably skip everything below here unless we get through everything super quick.
- Parade - 16 pts
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid - 16 pts
- Muppets - 17 pts
- Indy - 17 pts
- HSM3 or whatever replaced it - 20 pts
- Rock n' Roller Coaster - 23 pts
- Tower of terror - 25 pts

Up next, the touring plan!

 

[ksl5f123]

Now, for the final touring plan:
- check out of WL
- DHS rope drop
- get a fastpass and ride Toy Story Mania - DH and I did the fastpass "run" in June. It will be interesting with 3 kids in tow!
- Disney Junior
- check and see if there are any Toy story fastpasses left
- animation studio for drawing
- Great Movie Ride
- lunch at Starring Rolls - I WILL have a cupcake!!!!!!!!!
- Beauty and the Beast
- ride Toy Story Mania with fastpass
- Honey, I shrunk the Kids playground

- 5 PM ADR at Il Mulino in the Swan

There are 2 other things we want to do - meet Woody and get pictures with Lightning McQueen. We will probably just work those in when convenient.

As you can see, we will have about 2 hours between the end of our current touring plan and our ADR. I originally intended to go check into the Best Western in DTD where we are staying this night (got a great online deal for $89!), but I am now thinking we will either hang around DHS a little longer or take the boat down and wander the Boardwalk (we have never been there!).

If we stay at DHS a little longer, we might see Voyage of the Little Mermaid or do the drawing again or just go shopping.

The next day will be day 1 of a 2 day drive home (about 10 hours each day).

 

[pinkxray]

I love your DHS plans. I have a hard time in DHS since Caitlin can't ride the roller coaster or TOT. Maybe I'll just copy your schedule and past it on my DHS day. Ooohhh, Il Mulino. I didn't realize you were eating here, it looks fantastic! I hope you enjoy it and take some good pictures for your trip report. Then, I will have another place to pick from and have to change my ADRs yet again.

 

[ksl5f123]

I love your DHS plans. I have a hard time in DHS since Caitlin can't ride the roller coaster or TOT. Maybe I'll just copy your schedule and past it on my DHS day. Ooohhh, Il Mulino. I didn't realize you were eating here, it looks fantastic! I hope you enjoy it and take some good pictures for your trip report. Then, I will have another place to pick from and have to change my ADRs yet again.

I am surprised Caitlin isn't tall enough for RnR or ToT. I guess since she rode some thrill rides last year I assumed she was taller.

I am looking forward to trying Il Mulino. We bought one of those restaurant.com coupons so we figured we would give it a try. I LOVE Italian food and this will be a nice way to end the trip for MIL and FIL who love fine dining.