Movies & DREAMs 1/13 (Recent 11/18) Castaway Cay & MK

[Summerl30]

We've never been to Disney! I'd love to follow your report until we leave!

 

[Marshay]

We've never been to Disney! I'd love to follow your report until we leave!

So excited for you guys to see Disney!! Welcome!

 

[Marshay]

Our plans:

We leave in 2 days!!! So very excited.

On 1/12 we will board the Autotrain in Lorton, VA for the 17 hour ride to Sanford, FL.

Now that may seem like a long time, but here is how we spend that time. I'm just going to rewrite what I just wrote in the Autotrain thread to save time.

********************************************
We love the train -- we do like flying, too, though but not since they added all the extra fees, raised prices, overbooked flights and grope you in the airport

The best part for us is that we are not confined to a car or airline seat. In fact on the train, it is encouraged to get up and walk around, unlike on a plane where you can get the evil eye for doing so.

The train is for people who can sit down and relax, like to get up and walk around, meet new people and enjoy the scenery along the way. It is not for people who can't sit and relax and would rather just drive the whole way without stopping b/c they'd rather "just get there", whether exhausted or not.

Here is our schedule. We always get a room now, although we did do coach one time too.

Board 3-3:30pm and go to dining car shortly afterwards. Have a glass of wine or 6 (they are small glasses and FREE!). Relax and chat with others in the booths. Eat crackers and veggies and fruit. Relax. Stretch out. Play a game of Disney Yahtzee with the kids. Did I say relax?

4pm Train departs but we are still in the lounge car. Watch scenery, esp when going over rivers -- so pretty to see all the boats, piers, etc.

4:30pm Go back to room. Relax and spread out. Girls play with toys or watch a movie. DH and I read books, play games, sleep, talk.

5:30pm Go to dining car with real tablecloth, placeware. Have carafe of wine, salad, roll, entree and dessert. Delicious! We always get the beef and it is juicy and good and meal is included in your ticket price.

6:30pm Go back to room. Organize everything for bed.

7pm Go to lounge car and watch a movie. Eat cookies and hot chocolate.

9pm Go back to room and steward has converted it over to beds. Go to sleep.

Midnight Awake when train stops to change out crews and refill. (The movement of the train rocks me to sleep but when it stops here I do always wake up)

6:30am Wake up to get continental breakfast in dining car (cereal, banana, muffins)

7:30am Go back to room (steward changed over to seats) and play games until we can disembark.

9am(ish) Arrive Sanford. Unload and wait for vehicle.

10am(ish) Drive to WDW

10:45am(ish) Stop at Wal-Mart for groceries and cheap souvenirs

11:30am Go to resort and/or theme park.

(All times on the next morning are TBD...we've gotten in as early as 8am and as late as 10:30am. If your car is the first one, you can be on the road quickly. If your car is the last ones, it can take 45 min-hour to get your car. All in the luck of the draw. However, there is a nice playground in Sanford and my kids enjoy playing on that.)

 

[Marshay]

We arrive 1/13 in Sanford and make our way to AoA resort, seeing if our room is ready or not.

We will call our friends Mike and Debby who will be staying at All Stars the night before and meet up with them at DHS.

While at DHS, we hope to see the parade, go to Disney Jr. Live on Stage for one of the very last shows until the refurb.

Dinner will be at Sci Fi Dine In. This is a first time for us!

Park closes at 7pm and if we are up to it, we'll head over to MK for PM-EMH and pick up some SOTMK cards.

 

[Marshay]

1/14 - Monday

In the morning we will sleep in, explore the resort, go swimming, etc.

We go back to DHS for a 3:45pm dinner at Mama Melrose (1st time for DH and DD3). Rachel and I ate here in July on our Mommy-Daughter trip and loved it.

Then we wander DHS until we see F! at 6:30pm or 8pm.


1/15 - Tuesday

Up early for Epcot EMH to ride Soarin' and Test Track. We have to get our traditional family photo in front of the Upside Down Water Fountains. Then probably an early lunch at The Land.

Back to room for nap and/or swimming.

4:45pm DISMeet for Girl Scouts. Girls will trade patches.

5:30pm Biergarten for dinner, another first time for us. We hope to see the 5:55pm Oktoberfest Musikanten and maybe the 7pm one too, depending how long it takes for us to get seated and eat.

9pm Illuminations if we are up for it.

 

[Marshay]

1/16 - Wednesday

Go to AK for EMH-AM. Early lunch at Flame Tree BBQ and then back to room for nap/swim/pack.

5:35pm Dinner at Be Our Guest restaurant and parade. Not sure we will stay for fireworks and get caught in the closing park crowds, but we'll see.

 

[Marshay]

I just checked the weather for next week again, and the warm spell is holding!!

This is AWESOME news!! 80 degrees for the high and upper 50s for the low.

When we went last year one week later than this year, we also had similar weather -- what a surprise!! We had to go out and buy short sleeved shirts.

However, the week before folks were very cold in hats and gloves.

So I've been preparing myself for that cold weather again ... but blessings from God -- it looks like we'll have wonderfully, warm weather for our trip!!

 

[Trentmom]

Your plans look great!!

I can't believe you leave tomorrow!!!

Hope you have a wonderful time and can't wait to hear and see all about the cruise and AOA

Have a Magical Trip

 

[hotveggy]

I just checked the weather for next week again, and the warm spell is holding!!

This is AWESOME news!! 80 degrees for the high and upper 50s for the low.
!

We just got back yesterday. It was much warmer than we expected. I didn't pack any shorts since the forecast before we left was only calling for low 70s. It hit 80 at least two days.

My advice is make sure you have rain cover if you are bringing a stroller for your younger one. We did hit a few showers.

Btw, the pool at AoA was awesome! Kids really enjoyed it. DH and I really enjoyed the different options at the food court. There were also many activities at the pool for the kids including crafts.

Hope you have a great time!

 

[Marshay]

Your plans look great!!

I can't believe you leave tomorrow!!!

Hope you have a wonderful time and can't wait to hear and see all about the cruise and AOA

Have a Magical Trip

Thanks! We are so excited...kids were wound up tonight and didn't want to go to bed!

We just got back yesterday. It was much warmer than we expected. I didn't pack any shorts since the forecast before we left was only calling for low 70s. It hit 80 at least two days.

My advice is make sure you have rain cover if you are bringing a stroller for your younger one. We did hit a few showers.

Btw, the pool at AoA was awesome! Kids really enjoyed it. DH and I really enjoyed the different options at the food court. There were also many activities at the pool for the kids including crafts.

Hope you have a great time!

Welcome back! What was the highlight(s) of the trip for you?

yes, we are packing shorts and swimsuits and can't wait to take advantage of that warm weather!! I can't wait to do the FN pool and also check out Cars and LM, too!

Thanks for the reminder on the rain cover, too!

 

[kaoden39]

Your plans look wonderful. I hope you have a great time and I can hardly wait to hear all about it!!

 

[DisneyStitch626]

We arrive 1/13 in Sanford and make our way to AoA resort, seeing if our room is ready or not.

We will call our friends Mike and Debby who will be staying at All Stars the night before and meet up with them at DHS.

While at DHS, we hope to see the parade, go to Disney Jr. Live on Stage for one of the very last shows until the refurb.

Dinner will be at Sci Fi Dine In. This is a first time for us!

Park closes at 7pm and if we are up to it, we'll head over to MK for PM-EMH and pick up some SOTMK cards.

You will love Sci Fi Dine In, we thought it was really cool! I recommend the oreo milk shake. So good!

The Autotrain sounds like a really fun way to travel. Too bad they don't come up here!

I hope you guys have an amazing time and that the weather holds out for you! Can't wait to hear about the cruise!

 

[TruBlu]

Sci-Fi has always been a must-do for us!!!! Great burgers!!!!!

We were planning to skip it this trip, but I just can't!!!! Just booked a lunch ADR.

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Marshay]

Your plans look wonderful. I hope you have a great time and I can hardly wait to hear all about it!!

Thanks! I will definitely share them with you!!

You will love Sci Fi Dine In, we thought it was really cool! I recommend the oreo milk shake. So good!

The Autotrain sounds like a really fun way to travel. Too bad they don't come up here!

I hope you guys have an amazing time and that the weather holds out for you! Can't wait to hear about the cruise!

Thanks! Oreo Milkshake it is!!

Sci-Fi has always been a must-do for us!!!! Great burgers!!!!!

We were planning to skip it this trip, but I just can't!!!! Just booked a lunch ADR.

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

Too funny! I heard it gets such bad ratings, I was hesitant to try ... but thought it was time to do so. Jerry LOVES, LOVES all those old movies and I figure a burger and shake can't be bad. Although I am hoping to try something else besides a burger...

 

[TruBlu]

Too funny! I heard it gets such bad ratings, I was hesitant to try ... but thought it was time to do so. Jerry LOVES, LOVES all those old movies and I figure a burger and shake can't be bad. Although I am hoping to try something else besides a burger...

Be careful what you order... I tried something different once... Only once!
It wasn't very good...

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Marshay]

Be careful what you order... I tried something different once... Only once!
It wasn't very good...

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

Ok, maybe we will stick to burgers then!

 

[TruBlu]

Ok, maybe we will stick to burgers then!

After once venturing away from burgers, we learned our lesson! Now we just pay OOP and use our dining credit for a different meal.

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

 

[ButterflyJen]

Hope your travel day went well!!

 

[TruBlu]

Having fun on the train?

 

[Marshay]

Hope your travel day went well!!

Thanks! It did. We started out rough but all ended on time!