My first attempt at a pre-trip report...

[longing2Batdisney]

Someone is always there...24/7

 

[NOLAdisneymom]

Someone is always there...24/7

Excellent! Thanks! I'll try to post our Day 1 Itinerary this afternoon!

 

[TaylorsLoveDisney]

Oh, what a sweet dream if my 4Runner would get 21mpg! LOL - Thanks for the info, I'll just have to make sure everyone uses the bathroom before we leave! SIX DAYS??? Im soooooooo jealous! We are at 59 today!~

HAAA!!! yea.. i use my Gas info!! got a lil Suzuki!

59 days is gonna FLY!!!>. but i have to say it.. 5 days!!! now

 

[NOLAdisneymom]

HAAA!!! yea.. i use my Gas info!! got a lil Suzuki!

59 days is gonna FLY!!!>. but i have to say it.. 5 days!!! now

I am sooooo jealous. Why don't they have a jealous icon???
If it wasn't so hot, I might try to stow away and go with you guys!!!

 

[TaylorsLoveDisney]

I am sooooo jealous. Why don't they have a jealous icon???
If it wasn't so hot, I might try to stow away and go with you guys!!!

HA! yea,, they need a jealous smiley.., this one sorta looks jealous LOL!!

 

[vamassey1]

We drive from Baton Rouge. Without stops it's a little over 10 hours. Since you'll do most your driving while people are sleeping I would think you would make good time. Stopping for meals is what eats up the time.

I've only done the overnight drive once back in 1999.

What school does your stepson go to in Ascension? I have a niece who's a sr at EA.

 

[NOLAdisneymom]

We drive from Baton Rouge. Without stops it's a little over 10 hours. Since you'll do most your driving while people are sleeping I would think you would make good time. Stopping for meals is what eats up the time.

I've only done the overnight drive once back in 1999.

What school does your stepson go to in Ascension? I have a niece who's a sr at EA.

10 hours sounds good to me!
Jacob's a SR at St. Amant! He knows alot of people at EA tho, they may know eachother!

 

[NOLAdisneymom]

HA! yea,, they need a jealous smiley.., this one sorta looks jealous LOL!!

How about green with envy?

 

[NOLAdisneymom]

Very first thing, call my BFF of 24 years, its her birthday!

Anyway.. According to my helpful new DISer friends, we should arrive somewhere between 6 and 7, counting for the time change, and gas stops. I plan on doing online check-in, so that should go pretty fast.
(Is it ok to stop and take pics of the Welcome Gates if its 6am and there's no one around?)

The plan is, if the room is ready *fingers crossed for a miracle* go in and unpack and everyone grab a nap, then freshen up for breakfast at Chef Mickey's at 10:50. As this is a long shot, and the room is NOT ready, the kids will go exploring the resort, and DH will grab a nap in a hammock on the beach. Even though we will have our KTTW, DH wants to be there the first time Jacob goes into a park, since its his first time at DW EVER.

I'm thinking we will take a bus to MK, and then the monorail over to the Contemporary. If there's a quicker way, I'm open to suggestions!

After breakfast we will take the monorail back to MK, for our first park of the trip! I want to take Jacob on all the "thrill" rides first, Space Mtn, Splash Mtn, Big Thunder RR, etc. He's worked at this waterpark in Baton Rouge the last three summers, and there's an amusement park type thing attached to it, and he has it in his head that DW is just like that, but bigger!! Teenagers think they know everything.. But he has no idea. I can't WAIT for him to walk down Main Street, and see the details and the.... GLORY THAT IS MAGIC KINGDOM!

We have ressies at Rainforest at 5:15, (DH is addicted to the Lava Nachos) and will skip lunch, bc of the late breakfast. So, we will leave MK at some point and go over to AK for dinner! Can you take a bus from MK to AK? Or do we have to go back to the resort, and then catch an AK bus? Decisions.. Decisions...

After dinner... If we aren't too tired, we will go where ever there are EMH that night!

 

[mickeystoontown]

If I were you, I'd take a bus to the Magic Kingdom and then just walk over to the Contemporary. There's a walkway beside the bus stop that you can take to the Contemporary. It will take less time than waiting on the monorail. But, I'd take the monorail back just so you can ride the monorail and see the sights.

As far as getting to the Animal Kingdom from the Magic Kingdom, you can hop on any resort bus from the Magic Kingdom. I'd pick a resort that I always wanted to see (even though you'll just be transferring to another bus) or the first resort bus that you see comes along. Then, from that resort, wait on a bus to the Animal Kingdom.

 

[TaylorsLoveDisney]

That sounds like a great first day! The magic you feel seeing that castle for the first time amazing!!!

 

[20thingamabobs]

Your first day plans sound awesome! I agree with just walking to the Contemporary for your reservation and then taking the monorail back to MK after. That way you'll get to see the Poly and GF too. As far as getting to AK I think I would take a bus to AKL then the bus to AK, it'll make for the shortest trip because you're already so close to the park. Or, you could walk to Contemporary again and take a bus from there, that could be pretty quick too. There are two Rainforest Cafes, so make sure you confirm which one your reservation is at. I made that mistake once and had to go back and change it (at least I caught it BEFORE the trip)

 

[NOLAdisneymom]

Thanks guys for all the travel tips... I don't even think I knew there was a walkway to the Contemporary!

 

[longing2Batdisney]

Never did the walk! yet...sounds like a relaxing path from the pictures and post I have read...

sounds like a great day one!!! you have planned...

when you are leaving to go over to AK check to see if a bus is running from MK...when we were there in April there were busses running to each of the parks from each of the parks (but, I don't think they run always ) if not I would do just what the others suggested just go over to a resort (one you want to see or the closest one/the contemporary) and catch the bus from there

here was what Dayne said to me when I asked him what he would suggest to someone his age going to WDW for the first time...
sounds a good bit like your plan for DS
on our first day the two nuts went to three parks! --we had gotten to WDW around 1:30 PM

Dayne brought Luke to Epcot first and hit
Test track, Mission Space, left there to go to MK for the three MTN's and DHS for ToT and RnC...

now, I know in NO way that you guys will attack it that way...but, Dayne said to just do it all that you can!!! Luke loved everything!!
and make sure to cover all the classics (this is coming from Dayne), he told me no matter how old you are and even if you do not say it...it all brings home the magic, and Joe agreed with him...be sure to do it all in Fantasyland! Dayne said THAT is Disney

I agree with Dayne!
here are their favs (some may surprise you)
MK: SlM, TMRR, SpM, Haunted M, Peter Pan, Philharmagic, Buzz, PoC,
EP: MS, TT, Soarin', Mexico (Dayne loves this and Norway I think from when he was a kid ), Innovations
DHS: ToT, Aerosmith RnR, FANTASMIC, Light Motor Action...
AK: EE, Kali River rapids
Oh! and if you guys have time and the park option they all said Disney Quest! I have not been there since 1996 but they went a number of times this last trip.
I'm sure none of those are surprises!

Happy Planning! Connie

 

[NOLAdisneymom]

Never did the walk! yet...sounds like a relaxing path from the pictures and post I have read...

sounds like a great day one!!! you have planned...

when you are leaving to go over to AK check to see if a bus is running from MK...when we were there in April there were busses running to each of the parks from each of the parks (but, I don't think they run always ) if not I would do just what the others suggested just go over to a resort (one you want to see or the closest one/the contemporary) and catch the bus from there

here was what Dayne said to me when I asked him what he would suggest to someone his age going to WDW for the first time...
sounds a good bit like your plan for DS
on our first day the two nuts went to three parks! --we had gotten to WDW around 1:30 PM

Dayne brought Luke to Epcot first and hit
Test track, Mission Space, left there to go to MK for the three MTN's and DHS for ToT and RnC...

now, I know in NO way that you guys will attack it that way...but, Dayne said to just do it all that you can!!! Luke loved everything!!
and make sure to cover all the classics (this is coming from Dayne), he told me no matter how old you are and even if you do not say it...it all brings home the magic, and Joe agreed with him...be sure to do it all in Fantasyland! Dayne said THAT is Disney

I agree with Dayne!
here are their favs (some may surprise you)
MK: SlM, TMRR, SpM, Haunted M, Peter Pan, Philharmagic, Buzz, PoC,
EP: MS, TT, Soarin', Mexico (Dayne loves this and Norway I think from when he was a kid ), Innovations
DHS: ToT, Aerosmith RnR, FANTASMIC, Light Motor Action...
AK: EE, Kali River rapids
Oh! and if you guys have time and the park option they all said Disney Quest! I have not been there since 1996 but they went a number of times this last trip.
I'm sure none of those are surprises!

Happy Planning! Connie

I forgot all about Haunted Mansion while I was day planning! I'm cutting and pasting all these suggestions to my notes!

Tell Dayne thanks for all the tips - but I don't know if I can convince Jacob to get on the teacups or Dumbo! I will try though!

 

[brookelizabeth]

I agree with the others on the walking path to the CR from MK. It's fun to take the monorail-just to ride it-if you have time, but it's probably quicker to just walk. It's a simple sidewalk that goes along the road, you have to cross through the parking lot at the CR - so it's not a necessarily pretty walk, but it's not bad either.

There is not a bus from MK to AK. You could nab the bus to AKL, then a very short (5 minutes) bus ride over to AK. I think AK is the only park that has buses to other parks because they close so much earlier.

 

[NOLAdisneymom]

I agree with the others on the walking path to the CR from MK. It's fun to take the monorail-just to ride it-if you have time, but it's probably quicker to just walk. It's a simple sidewalk that goes along the road, you have to cross through the parking lot at the CR - so it's not a necessarily pretty walk, but it's not bad either.

There is not a bus from MK to AK. You could nab the bus to AKL, then a very short (5 minutes) bus ride over to AK. I think AK is the only park that has buses to other parks because they close so much earlier.

That might work, taking the AKL bus, then getting on the AK bus.. Bc I've always wanted to go see AKL, and since I'll never be able to stay there..... !

 

[longing2Batdisney]

Anglea,
here is a great link I had found before our last trip
loved just reading it to know!
http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/wdw/planning/wdwtransport.html

 

[jenseib]

I haven't read all replies yet (I need to get to bed) but while fresh in my mind I wanted to say that all parks have transportaion from park to park. I beleive from MK you have to go to the Ticket and transportaion center to catch the AK bus. If you ask it on the transportation board you'll most likely get an answer fast. But then you won't have to make a transfer at a resort.

 

[BelleTinkMom]

OMG! How will you be able to have a full day in the parks on no sleep!! I would be wiped out by noon.

I have never seen a bus from park to park, we've always had to go to a resort then to a park or to the ticket and transportation center from MK.