My PTR for Port Orleans Riverside 2/13-2/19

[DisneyGriz]

Hi all,

I'm not really sure if posting something 3 weeks before your trip is really a PTR, but I thought I'd post it to see if anyone has some thoughts, ideas, suggestions.

I am new to the DISboard, and was drawn in by a group called DisDads here on disboards. It's a pretty fun group of like minded dads that are a little nuttier than most dads about Disney, so I fit right in!!

So a quick look at my Family. There is me, a Disney veteran going back to my childhood when we camped in fort wilderness in the SUMMER! Probably why I never go to Florida in July or August since then... In any event I am a big Disney fan, just not of summer camping. My DW went to Disney once as a college student before marrying me, and surprisingly was a big fan of DisneyWorld as well. My DD is 10 and has been to WDL once, WDW 9 times, and on a Disney cruise... I can say with confidence that she is now the biggest Disney fan I know My DS is 6 and has been to WDW 5 times and on the Fantasy. He loves Disney things, just isn't a huge fan of WDW. He is a bit shy and the huge crowds get him a bit nervous. That said, he always is the first one to say he doesn't want to leave...

Let's start at the beginning of our trip planning. This was not like our other trip where we had 10-12 months to plan. Basically, we didn't think we were going to be able to go this year, and early this month (Jan) we got a promotional flyer for the free Disney dining plan. Normally I look at these and say "well if we get a cheap flight we could pull it off", and then find out flights are way too expensive. For whatever reason, we found great flights and the race to book Disney was on!

The promotion for the Dining plan is quick service meals if you book a Value resort, and standard plan if you book a moderate or higher. When I researched the Disney Properties, three of the Moderate properties were actually LESS than the Value ones. So it was a no brainer to book a Value, just which one? We do not like the CSR, so that was out. We have stayed at POR before, and really liked it, but we were interested in the idea of a new experience at CBR. In looking at all the information and reviews of CBR, I kept coming back to the same big concern... It might be just like our experiences at CSR. We disliked CSR because of the sheer size of it, and how far a walk everything was. We putt in full days at the parks, and hated walking 10 min every time we wanted a soda refill. We also got frustrated with full buses passing us by at the bus stop near our room. I just didn't want to take the risk of that being the case at CBR, so we decided to go back to POR. I also payed the extra $$ for a preferred location room.

Okay, so now your booked at the POR and have about 6 weeks to get your meals and parks all planned out... As a DisneyWorld veteran, I knew that this could likely mean disaster for any chance at our families favorite dining places. To my surprise, I was actually able to snag all of the places we wanted to go with the exception of Cinderella's Royal Table (I knew we had no shot at it, but I still tried). All in all it was a nice whirlwind of planning. I'll post our schedule in a separate post, as I use a spreadsheet to figure it all out and will have to transcribe that.

What's next on the list? Oh yeah, do we tell the kids or just do the shock and awe of you are going to Disney the day we leave? My DW and I had opposing opinions about this, and it revolved around our DD love of planning and building anticipation, and our DS concern about going into the sea of people. In the end we decided to let them know. The shock and awe is awesome even if the trip was still a month away. Plus our DD can start her research on the new Fantasyland and all the things she wants to do. Our DS can get the idea in his head about the visit, and he actually is not as worried this time as he has been.

I'll post my schedule next, and would love to hear any ideas or changes you think would be wise. My fellow dads at DisDads have already helped me with a number of ideas...thanks guys!

 

[DisneyGriz]

Our Schedule

2/13 Pick up kids from school in CT and head to airport in New York. Arrive in WDW around midnight. (On the free Disney dining plan, flying in the night before is well worth it for all the extra meals)

2/14 Epcot
Quick snack at POR
At park by 8:45 (We always get there 15-20 minutes before the parks open)
Lunch at Beirgarten (Germany) 12pm
Dinner at Tutto Italis (Italy) 7:45pm. (probably miss Illuminations, but it's Valentines day and we had to take what we could get for this romantic location
9pm Illuminations

2/15 Magic Kingdom
Quick snack at POR
At park by 8:45
Disney Family Fun Tour 10am (we have been to Disney many times and I was looking for a new experience with this 2 hour tour)
Lunch at Be Our Guest (QS)
Dinner at Columbia Harbor House
Tomorrowland Dessert Party at 7pm (Our first time, and have heard great reviews)
8pm Wishes

2/16 Animal Kingdom
8am Tusker house-Donald's Safari Breakfast (this is a double win, a character meal and you get in the park an hour before it opens)
Lunch at Flame tree BBQ (for me there is only one choice for QS in Animal Kingdom)
Hoop Dee Doo Review Costs two meals on the meal plan, but it's worth it! Beer is included, so for Dads this place is even better

2/17 Epcot
8am Princess Storybook Dining Breakfast-Akershus (this is another double win, a character meal and you get in the park an hour before it opens).
Lunch Yorkshire County Fish Shop (This is the fish and chips I compare all others to)
Dinner 6pm Garden grill (Character meal at a rotating restaurant. Rood is good, characters are usually great, and the changing landscape keeps the kids occupied)
9pm Illuminations

2/18 Hollywood Studios (always be MGM for us)
Quick snack at POR
At park by 8:45
Lunch 12pm SciFi Diner
Dinner Usually it's Backlot Express or Pizza Planet, but the QS at MGM isn't really great anywhere so we usually eat where we fell like it that day.
Fantasmic 7pm (miss this one, and all family members will attack me!)

2/19 Hollywood studios
At park by 8:45
Leave for Ohana at 10am (Send DW early to register us) Res is for 10:30am.
SciFi Lunch again (We really like this place)
Flight home at 9pm.

That's the plan for now, and will update it as I change anything. Right now we are mostly happy with the plan, but are considering cutting the Princess breakfast at Epcot and the second SciFi diner due to not having enough credits on the meal plan.

 

[we3travellers]

Love your plan! I would def cut out one of the 2 Sci Fi, especially if you do not have enough credits. And please don't cut Askershus! You did not get CRT, so where else will DD get her princesses?! You really aren't eating a meal at POR and they have a great CS, so how about fitting that in somewhere instead of Sci Fi. Build your own pasta is well worth a CS credit IMO. And I will say you are the first family I have seen that does not to MK more than once in a 6 nt stay! To each his own. I think next trip we will skip HS. We just never enjoy enough to pass up another day at MK. Although on our last trip (Aug) DS really loved Jedi training and the Star Wars ride (forget the name), so I may never get out of that! Have fun!

 

[DisneyGriz]

Love your plan! I would def cut out one of the 2 Sci Fi, especially if you do not have enough credits. And please don't cut Askershus! You did not get CRT, so where else will DD get her princesses?! You really aren't eating a meal at POR and they have a great CS, so how about fitting that in somewhere instead of Sci Fi. Build your own pasta is well worth a CS credit IMO. And I will say you are the first family I have seen that does not to MK more than once in a 6 nt stay! To each his own. I think next trip we will skip HS. We just never enjoy enough to pass up another day at MK. Although on our last trip (Aug) DS really loved Jedi training and the Star Wars ride (forget the name), so I may never get out of that! Have fun!

I think you kinda hit it with the second SciFi, but the problem for us is the DDis a bit of tomboy, and isn't really into princesses. She'd rather go to SciFi 2x. I'm the only one pushing for Askershus...not even the DW is in We normally hit MK at least twice, but surprisingly Epcot and HS are the favorites. Our last day could be either HS or MK, and I really had planned for it to be MK since we are at Ohana in for breakfast. Problem is that the only day our schedule worked for HS is on a extra magical hours day, which I usually avoid like the plague. Usually that means extra long lines all day, so I am worried we won't get all the events in. Rockin Roller coaster is a family favorite, and with all the shows at HS it can wipe out a day in the blink of an eye. For now, I can keep our last day fluid since we are at a resort for late breakfast. It may be a game day decision We could never miss HS, since that would mean no Fantasmic and would be devastating to DD and DS.

BTW the kids do love the Jedi training. We have done it twice, and the second time they changed it from random selection (well not so random if you had star wars stuff on) to a sign up. It is essentially like a fast pass, but you had to have your kids with you or no sign up. This means that you have to sacrifice getting on the big rides first thing. We now have me and the kids sign up for Jedi, DW goes to get FP for Toy Story Mania, and we meet back at Rockin Roller Coaster. Kinda blows up that morning, but with the new FP rules, maybe things will be different...doubt it though.