My Dream vacation is a Former Swamp: 1st Pre Trip Report

[mygreyglamour]

Well hello there! I don’t have very many posts under my belt, but have been planning this pre-trip report (as well as a trip report and a dining report) since about 2007. This is our first trip to WDW, but we have been to Disneyland about a gazillion times. I suppose first I should introduce our little cast of characters, or family as I like to call them.

I’m Jena-Lyn, the mom; I am 25 and a full time student from San Diego, but living in Colorado Springs.

*My favorite characters are anything Alice in Wonderland, Nightmare before Christmas, and Timon.
*I like all typical Disneyland and California Adventure rides with one exception; Twilight Tower of Terror.
*I am a fan of anything Nom, and I am allergic to pork, and spent hours going over restaurant menus, reviews, and pictures.
*I have never been to East Coast, and have only experienced crazy humidity once in Texas.
*I’m obsessed with pretty scenery, and worry about my poor cameras batteries holding up even on one day of the trip!

My husband Donovan, the dad; he is 24, a full time student as well as a sergeant in the Air Force.

*Favorite Characters: Mr. Boogedy, Goofy, Star Wars, Mo from Wall-E, and Pirates
*He also grew up in San Diego which means being raised at Disneyland.
*Favorite Rides: Space Mountain, TToT, Pirates, and Indiana Jones.
*Donovan is not so much into Nom, and usually likes his food very plain without sauces.
*He is a seasoned traveler and has even been to Tokyo Disney.
*An avid picture taker of our kids and most the pictures end up blurry.

My son Adam, 5, he is currently is pre-school and his summer vacation starts the day we get there.

*Favorite Characters: Mickey, Donald, Star Wars, and Cars.
*He has been to Disneyland at least once a year since he was born.
*Favorite Rides: Pirates, Autopia, TMRR, Splash Mountain, and Matterhorn.
*Eats kid fare and little else.
*He is obsessed with taking pictures.

My son Joe, 8 months, is currently a baby therefore very needy. 

*Favorite Characters: Anything fuzzy.
*Favorite Rides: He loved Pirates. He went when he was 4 months old.
*Eats bottle, and likes fruit and bread.
*He stole a stuffed Mickey from his stroller which I had to back and buy.
*He is obsessed with being in pictures.

Future Post Topics:
*Trip Itinerary
*Dining plan + ADR’s
*Some musings about the Land, and some ride rambles.
*A whole post on “you want to pack what?!”
*High expectations from a 5 year old
As well are more musings. Also we leave 10 days from this post!!!

 

[Plumeria]

Hi there! I am so excited for you! I grew up in California too, and moved to Florida three years ago. I've been to Disneyland a million times, and have now been to WDW twice. It is so awesome! You guys will have so much fun! You have a beautiful family, by the way.

Let me know if I can be of any help with WDW questions.

 

[thechesters420]

Very exciting. Can't wait

 

[mickeystoontown]

Signing on for more.

 

[mygreyglamour]

Rough Itinerary

I had always planned for the same hotel. At the beginning when I found out about the different hotels I fell in love with Port Orleans Riverside. The military offer, which was like 40% off the hotel allowed us to pick anywhere from Value to Deluxe, but I had always want to visit New Orleans and I figured this would be as close as I would get until it is completely rebuilt.
I made my reservations and requested Magnolia Bend, and I know we might not get it, but I love the idea of feeling a little like Scarlett O’Hara in the morning. Anyways, fiddle dee dee, but Port Orleans was it for me.

Originally we had planned to do the Deluxe Dining Plan, but luckily the military plan did not cover it. Of course at the time I was biting my nails wondering how I was going to cut back all my precious food plans, but recently realized it gives us more time to do stuff in the parks if we aren’t rushing from restaurant to restaurant.

When I went to make my ADRs, food talk will be in another post, I picked my schedule around that for our visit to the different parks. The first thing that was available was Cinderella Royal Table for Dinner on the 8th and La Cellier on the 9th and that is how the whole trip was planned.

Another thing is my Uncle Herb, who lives in Maitland, is coming to see us at Downtown Disney. I haven’t seen my Aunt since I was 9, and have never met my cousins who are 30 years older than I am. So I was really excited when I found out we were going to rendezvous the first night of our trip.

(Picture of us waiting for Dumbo in 2007)

May 7th
4am- Leave our house for Airport.
6am- Flight from *** to IAH
10:30 am-Flights from IAH to ORL
1:50pm- Arrive and take DME to POR.
I figure we will check in and either go swimming or head to Downtown Disney for a visit with my Uncle and grab counter service. Swim when we get back, and then go try to sleep through the time change.

May 8th Magic Kingdom Day
Breakfast-Crystal Palace
Rides/Shopping
Lunch- C/S
Rides/Shopping
Dinner- CRT

May 9th Epcot Day
May 9th is the day we got engaged 7 years ago.
Breakfast- Ohana
Try to knock out all the big rides in the morning so we can mosey around the lands after lunch.
Lunch- La Cellier
My goal is to take tons of pictures of every country, because I have only been to Mexico once and it was Tijuana so it really doesn’t count.
Dinner- Teppan Edo
I am really excited for Illuminations, and hope it is a nice end to the day.

May 10th DHS Day
Apparently this is also Mother’s Day which we had no idea. Hopefully everyone will be having big breakfasts and brunches so we can ride Rockin Rollercoaster without much of wait, I know keep dreaming right?
Breakfast- Chef Mickey’s
Shows, Rides
Lunch- Sci-Fi Dine In
Rides/Shows
Dinner- C/S with Fantasmic

May 11th AK Day
Breakfast- C/S
Lots of rides, hopefully knock them all out in the morning…I think it is morning EMH too.
Lunch- Yak and Yeti
After lunch a few more rides and then head back to MK.

May 12th leave VERY early for airport.

We are still hammering out plans on how to handle the Baby Swap.

We also decided it would be easier to do things we haven’t done before first. Like Magic Kingdom has very few things we haven’t done before, so that makes a usually hectic park slightly relaxing. I have been printing, marking, and making lists like crazy trying to bring some organization to the chaos. I am fighting a losing battle. I have also started the list of stuff to pack, including the fluffy adventures of a girl who is a size 20 around the hips, and has a hard time finding pants and shorts that do not make me look like Tweedle Dee or Tweedle Dum.

 

[mygreyglamour]

Hi there! I am so excited for you! I grew up in California too, and moved to Florida three years ago. I've been to Disneyland a million times, and have now been to WDW twice. It is so awesome! You guys will have so much fun! You have a beautiful family, by the way.

Let me know if I can be of any help with WDW questions.

Is it harder to visit WDW? In California you just kind of go to DL and there is no worries for ADRs or anything. Do locals rarely go because of how massive it is?

 

[Plumeria]

Is it harder to visit WDW? In California you just kind of go to DL and there is no worries for ADRs or anything. Do locals rarely go because of how massive it is?

I live three hours away, so it's not a bad drive at all. When we went for the first time, I thought I was going to be really intimidated, but it wasn't too bad. Definately make those ADRs! Stuff fills up really fast! Another thing I thought would be annoying was the buses. You get spoiled at Disneyland because you can walk everywhere! But the bus rides aren't too bad at all. I really fell in love with WDW and can't imagine going anywhere else now!

You will have to let me know how Ohana is. I am thinking about trying that place. Oh, and if you want, I have a Pre-Trip report link in my signature if you want to check it out. I can't seem to get anyone interested enough to post a reply!

 

[shordiebecka]

Hey! I'm excited that you are finally getting to go on your trip! I think you will have an amazing time Can't wait to hear more about your plans!

 

[mygreyglamour]

You know when you wait for something, and then it comes too soon and your left feeling a little unfulfilled. Yeah, no, that isn’t Disney. It is however this post concerning my dining plans. I probably should have waited until after I discussed packing, but I am just too excited. So today will be ADRs, and maybe tomorrow packing or rides.

My life was in tragedy when I realized I could not get the deluxe dining plan with my vacation. However, the clouds let the sun peek through a little when I managed to get all the ADRs we wanted after the cut back.

Now I of course want to do Narcooses and Citricos, and by far I want to do Yachtsman Steak House. But these are all in Hotels. We only have four days in the parks, and the one free day I am meeting my Uncle at Downtown Disney for some counter service. I am pushing toward the Earl of Sandwich or Wolfgang’s Express, but no one listens to my good, well researched, advice.

To reiterate, this is our first trip and we have a 5 year old who would probably find the repetitiveness of the children dining plan “awesome.” We also have an 8 month old who eats like a hummingbird and survives off the bottle for now. He does dig fruit. My husband is very basic. He is not a fan of sauces, and has this thing about food “touching.” I am easier, but I do have a pork allergy. I know weird right?

Our ADRs are:

Breakfast: Crystal Palace (OOP), Ohana (OOP), Chef Mickey’s (OOP)

Lunch: La Cellier (DDP), Sci-Fi Dine in (OOP), Yak and Yeti (DDP)

Dinner: CRT (DDP), Teppan Edo (DDP)

I chose these based on about 800 dining reviews on the boards. The character breakfasts we had to add. I had Boma on the breakfasts, but it didn’t have characters and we are doing those out of pocket.

Epcot was really hard. My husband had just been to Benihana so he declared Teppan Edo as a must. I wanted La Cellier or Coral Reef, but La Cellier was the one I got a reservation for. I think the Mushroom Filet was calling to me.

Crystal Palace, Ohana, and Chef Mickey’s are strictly for the characters.

La Cellier is for that mushroom filet. I have never had risotto, but I think I am ok with devouring it.

Sci-Fi looks so fun, and my husband likes burgers and I am always down for an alcoholic chocolate shake.

Yak and Yeti, honestly it is for the cream cheese wontons. Those pictures had me salivating. I probably will get the wasabi duck, but won tons!!!

CRT, every time we go to Disneyland my son wants to go into Sleeping Beauty Castle. We couldn’t because it was closed, and when we did he was disappointed to find a lame story walk through. So the chance to walk in the castle and have a meal is fantastic.

Teppan Edo, if someone has never done Benihana, or a similar style, they will not understand how awesome it is. Also it is the BEST food. I am really looking forward to the steak. And we will probably pay OOP for sushi.

I also plan on taking a gazillion pictures of the food so I can do a dining report and you know I will.

The snack credits and counter service will not go to waste either. There is too much planning when you start planning counter service. I figure we can have a list of the well reviewed ones and then when we get hungry gravitate to what sounds good.

If there is too much food, what does everyone do to try and not waste it? Do you keep it?

Also we leave in 8 Days!!!

Of course I have finals like crazy right now, so until those the vacation mind frame shall be on hold.

 

[shordiebecka]

Our ADRs are:

Breakfast: Crystal Palace (OOP), Ohana (OOP), Chef Mickey’s (OOP)

Lunch: La Cellier (DDP), Sci-Fi Dine in (OOP), Yak and Yeti (DDP)

Dinner: CRT (DDP), Teppan Edo (DDP)

Your ADR's look fun! I loved Teppan Edo..and Sci Fi is a fun fun atmosphere, but the food is mediocre. You will enjoy it though!

 

[mygreyglamour]

I have been hearing that a lot lately. But I figured if I stick to a basic burger, or even the Reuben, I should be fine. Oh my gosh I am just too excited for this!

 

[mygreyglamour]

Since we are exactly one week out I thought I might talk rides. One week from right now we should be in the sky heading towards Houston for our layover. So one week before our preceding first ride on a plane I figured ride talk. Ok I made that up; I want to talk rides because it is the first thing that came to my mind, and I still have no idea what to pack.

I just found out that our 8 month old can only “not” ride like 13 rides (this isn’t counting Animal Kingdom; I’m not there yet in planning). I took out a few he probably can ride I just do not feel comfortable. But at Disneyland he has been on Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Dumbo, and all the other anti seatbelt rides. I draw the line at teacups. I am not whirling my baby around like a rinse cycle.

Even at DHS and Epcot there are maybe 6 rides collectively he cannot ride. My oldest, Adam who is 5, is 45 inches tall she he can ride everything except primeval whirl and Rock n Rollercoaster. I will ride everything except TToT, and Donovan will ride everything except the Teacups and Star Tours.

We know we will not be able to “do” everything. But three big rides at DHS and three big rides at Epcot do not seem that bad. If we wipe it out in the morning with fast passes and baby swap we are free to wander around in the afternoon. I figure if DHS loses its appeal we will leave towards the evening and go back to MK. We have the same policy with AK. Epcot is different because we have ADRs at night.

I doubt these parks could lose their appeal, but I am very excited about it.
What are your favorite non-MK rides? How do you personally go about the baby swap?

I am done with my philosophy final, so it might be easier to add picture and stuff to these. My laptop did die yesterday after I wrote my last entry. I am using my husband’s new one. I have 3 finals left I am done and worry free and can concentrate on packing. What are things to pack you literally cannot live without? I know to bring a ton of gum and baby stuff, and I read on the boards about rain parkas, but the weather looks stellar. Ok I am so excited I feel like jumping up and down.

 

[shordiebecka]

your trip is so soon! I can't give you any advice regarding the baby swap, because I don't have a kid! I can tell you that my favorite ride period is the nemo ride at Epcot I also really like the Safari at AK. I am so excited for you! your trip is so close!

 

[mickeystoontown]

We've done baby swap many many times. It's super easy. Everybody (even the little one) gets in line. The first CM you see, tell them you are doing baby swap. They'll tell you to tell the next CM who'll tell you to tell the next CM and so forth until you reach the loading area. The first adult gets on with the oldest child while the other stands to the side with the little one. When the ride is over, the first adult tells the CM that they are doing baby swap. The CM will show them the way back to the second adult where the little one is passed to the first adult. The second adult tells the CM that the first adult is back and they are ready to ride/see the attraction. The second adult then gets on the ride with the oldest child who gets to ride a second time. If the oldest doesn't want to ride again, the second adult can ride alone.

All that being said, I have seen the first CM at the ride entrance give a Fastpass to the second adult who stays outside with the little one. This would allow them to hop in the Fastpass line after the first adult has seen the attraction. If this is what you encounter, make sure they give you two Fastpasses so the oldest child can ride again.

I hope I didn't make it sound too confusing.