My Summer Trip... Take Two!

[Dsnygrl1205]

Welcome to my pre trip report! I am still new to the DIS boards so thanks to everyone who reads along! Please post some responses… I do apologize for not being the most creative of writers but I will try my hardest top keep this from getting too boring! I have definitely waited until the last minute to start this but as I only planned this trip a couple of weeks ago I do have a teeny excuse. I had actually just returned from a long weekend at Disney with my brother’s family. They had never been so I tagged along hoping to be of some help in making their trip wonderful by sharing my expertise in touring plans to make the most of the 4 short days we had there during one of the busiest seasons. But alas my advice was not headed (my SIL is extremely controlling and refused to deviate from “her” plans) and I left my happy place feeling frustrated and less than fulfilled, to say the least. That evening I was on the phone making a new resort reservation for 3 nights at Pop for myself and my DBF, Scott. The cast member I was talking to got quite a kick when my answer for “When was your last visit to Disney World?” was “Today!” I was even a little embarrassed to tell my folks I needed them to watch my DS because I was returning to WDW so soon and I’m not telling a soul from my office! Nobody I work with gets why I keep going back to the same place and I’m sick of trying to explain it, you know? So it’s kind of a secret trip… my DS is also unaware because he would be furious if he knew I was going without him. He’ll be visiting cousins that have a pool that weekend so he will be having a great time too. Just not as great as me! So here we go!

The cast for this trip is me, Cara (32), a Disney freak who loves planning trips to WDW almost as much as going.
My DBF, Scott (40), who likes WDW a lot and has been twice with me already. Both of those times were with our kids (my DS and his 4) so this is a completely different kind of trip than either of those. Actually I have never been sans children either so I am really looking forward to this new dynamic.
We’re going from the 23rd to the 26th of July and have 4 day park hoppers and a pretty relaxed touring schedule. We’re only doing our favorite attractions and have a few nice dinners planned for all 3 evenings.

The first of them being `Ohana on Friday night at 9:10. I am hoping to have a view of MK so we can catch the fireworks while we’re eating otherwise I know I’ll be rushing through dinner to try to make it to MK by 10:00 and even if we made it through the turnstiles by then we would have a pretty lousy spot to watch them. I may actually have to change my plan a bit and squeeze them in someplace else… MK has EMHs that night until 3am so we’ll probably go over after dinner for w little while either way. I saw the MSEP when I was there over 4th of July weekend so I don’t mind missing it but the SIL didn’t care too much about the fireworks so we ended watching them from frontierland and had a horrible view. I was pretty bummed.

Saturday Night we have an ADR at Le Cellier for 6:50 and I was planning to stay for Illuminations after but if we may be at MK for summer nightastic.. We’ll have to play it by ear. BTW, how lucky am I to have gotten this ADR two weeks out?! I was pretty stoked.  There are EMHs at DHS from 8-11 but I doubt we’ll get over there for it. I tried them out with my brother’s family and it stayed packed the whole time. The wait time at TSM was 90 minutes at 10:45pm!

Sunday evening we’ll be dining at Artist Point for the first time ever and are both really excited about it. Scott thought the buffalo sounded great and I am planning on the beef tenderloin… We’ll see what happens once we’re there, though! AK has EMHs from 8pm-11pm this night so depending on how we’re feeling we may end up over there for a few rides on EE, something I have never done at night and I think it would be pretty cool in the dark.
No ADRs for Monday because we’re departing but we will spend the morning at Epcot before we get on the ME around 3:30 that afternoon. I am still debating trying to book a breakfast somewhere… we’ll see.
Please feel free to follow along and post suggestions or post just to say “Hey!” I don’t know anybody here yet but would love to hear from all of you!

 

[Dsnygrl1205]

\Now that I'm at my own computer I can post a few picture from our trip last fall. This was Scott's first trip to WDW since 1977!

I noticed that a few people are looking at my PTR but I would love if somebody, anybody would just say hi!! It would really make my day!

 

[hstrickland]

Hi!!! Am I the first?? Looking forward to reading along and looking at lots of pics!

 

[Dsnygrl1205]

Thanks for following along! I have some lurkers but you are the first to post a reply so for that here is some pixie dust!

 

[hstrickland]

The first of them being `Ohana on Friday night at 9:10. I am hoping to have a view of MK so we can catch the fireworks while we’re eating otherwise I know I’ll be rushing through dinner to try to make it to MK by 10:00 and even if we made it through the turnstiles by then we would have a pretty lousy spot to watch them. I may actually have to change my plan a bit and squeeze them in someplace else… MK has EMHs that night until 3am so we’ll probably go over after dinner for w

This is just my experience....Ohana was an excellent meal, but it will take more than say 30 minutes to eat. If your ressie is at 9:10 and you need to be at MK by 10, you probably won't make it. Are the fireworks at 10pm that evening? On our trip in May, we watched the fireworks almost each night at the Poly....a wonderful location to view them. Maybe you can check in at Ohana early, then watch the fireworks from the Poly beach....just a thought.

 

[Dsnygrl1205]

Maybe you can check in at Ohana early, then watch the fireworks from the Poly beach....just a thought.

I was actually thinking that too... I'll get to the Poly by 8:30 and pray that they seat us right away. I'm going to try my hardest to take things as they come and just enjoy being there so rushing through dinner and then scrambling over to MK won't work. We've never watched them from the beach but I have always heard it's a great vantage point. If we don't catch them that night we'll go another night. See? I can go with flow really, I can...

 

[Dsnygrl1205]

So I just went ahead and booked us a late breakfast at Akershus for Monday morning. I think we'll be at Epcot anyway so why not? I think Scott will get a kick out of dining with the princesses. Did I mention he LOVES Ariel? I think I'll keep it a surprise... Akershus will be a first for me too. A pretty decent perk to not traveling with an 11 year old boy He's not a big fan of any of the Princesses. Go figure!

 

[Dsnygrl1205]

I’m not feeling the love people! I would really love any advice anybody has about making the most of the insane heat we’ll be facing next weekend. Accuweather is saying the ‘real feel’ for the days we’re in the park is going to near 110 degrees! I’m actually open to advice on anything really. As much as I think of myself as an expert there are always things other people consider that I don’t so post away!

 

[Dsnygrl1205]

I have made my very own list of our must do’s at each park and also a short list of things I’ve never done and feel like maybe I should give a try at least once. Does anyone else have a list like that? Stuff that you always say you’ll get to on the next trip but then never do it? Mine are as follows:

1.The Liberty Square Riverboat. I think I may have gone on this as a child but I don’t have any memory of it.

2.Barnstormer. I know it’s a kiddy coaster but I’m going on it anyway!!

3.WDW Railroad. Can you believe I have never once ridden this? Crazy, I know!

4.Most of Innoventions. We have walked through a handful of times and DS did a few things when he was little but we haven’t come close to seeing all that’s there.

5.The Voyage of the Little Mermaid. I travel with a little boy. Enough said.

6. For the same reason I have never seen VotLM I haven’t seen Beauty and the Beast either.

Those are all I can think of but I’m pretty sure that’s all of them. I realize We won’t have time to do all of those things along with my favorites so If anything on my list of haven’t done is on your list must do let me know!
My faves are probably similar to a lot of yours..

1. ToT
2. Splash Mountain
3. EE
4.RnRC
5.Space Mtn.
6.PoC
and last but not least
7.Soarin'
I also make a point to make it MK for the opening show at least once during each visit. I just love it. Even though the countdown chokes me up everytime!

 

[Disneymama1]

I don't have any advice, but your plans sound good. My daughter and I are going in Oct and besides having ADR's we sort of play it by "ear" when we are there. We have a general idea of what park we'll be in each day, but we like to take things more spur of the moment. I'll look forward to your trip report. I have never been creative enough to attempt a PTR or trip report.

 

[Dsnygrl1205]

I'll look forward to your trip report. I have never been creative enough to attempt a PTR or trip report.

Thanks for reading along AND posting something! I'm not the most creative person either so hopefully my ptr and tr won't be terrible! I'm really glad you've enjoyed it so far!

 

[Dsnygrl1205]

I had been worried that my Magical Express packet wouldn't get here in time due to the lateness in booking this trip but guess what was in the mailbox waiting for me when I got home from work? Yay!! Now I can move our stuff from the two carry ons we had packed to our big suitcase to be checked. What a relief...We're going to travel ready to hit the parks so that all we have to do is pick up our keys to the world then jump on the Epcot bus. Only 7 days to wait!!

 

[Dsnygrl1205]

Just wanted to share some pictures from some past trips with you. Enjoy!

That last one is probably my favorite picture of DS and me of all time.

 

[flafan]

HI,

I am loving your report so far. Your plans sound great. I have always wanted to eat at O'Hana but never seem to make same with LeCellier. Please take lots of photo's. I noticed you are from New Hampshire that is where we are vacationing this August in Jefferson.

 

[Dsnygrl1205]

HI,

I am loving your report so far. Your plans sound great. I have always wanted to eat at O'Hana but never seem to make same with LeCellier. Please take lots of photo's. I noticed you are from New Hampshire that is where we are vacationing this August in Jefferson.

I can't believe how lucky I got with my ADRs! Ohana Is my favorite of all time so that's the one I am most excited about. I haven't eaten there in almost a year! The last two trips we did the quick service dining plan which was better considering the amount of people in our parties both times. I'm definitely looking forward to a more relaxed pace this time.
Hope you have a good time visiting my lovely home state! Jefferson is about 3 hours north of me. It is beautiful up there!