Need help with planning my late August 27- sep 5 2010 trip.

[wasiris1]

Hello my fello Disers,

My name is Wasiris and I am currently planning my 2010 WDW family vacation .... Now I have to say, I have been reading the boards for the past 2+ years, but not too long ago I decided to join, and not until today I decided to finally post my HELP post. Let me fill you in a little that way you can help me out!!! Me, DH, DS 7, & DD #, had planned out first WDW trip August of last year, everything was paid off by May 2009, and we were all excited, my flight were purchased early to assure best pricing, well last in June, we get the terrible news that even though everything is already PAID for, and we me and DH had advised our jobs in January of our vacation, my husband gets a sudden "Hamlet, I am so sorry, but we ask that you cancel your vacation for this year and stay with us, as we will be working with a new contract on mid August and we need atleast 2 of our best and top contractor to be involved with this job, since we will be employing new workers," mind you My husband is 1 of 5 contract managers, and they only need 2, why does he have to cancel his vacation when you have another 4 which to pick from, so to make this story short, I called the airline and paid a cancellation fee and canceled his flight ticket, called up disney and removed him from our reservation, my kids were too excited and we agreed on that it would be hard enough for them already to find out daddy will not be able to go on vacation with us. Good thing my 16 yr brother decided to come with me and help me with the kids.

So now back to 2010, again in January we started all the planning for our WDW August first WDW FULL FAMILY TRIP, .... did I mention I went last year had a blast, but had no whatso ever structure to my trip, no planning at all, it was basically just go with the flow!!!

This year, I need your help, in helpiing me making this trip memorable for my whole family, I need help with the planning and all, we will be staying on points @ the Boardwalk Villas, I've heard great things about this villa, and wanted to give it a try, I have made my dining reservation, which do not consist of much, we will be doing Chef Mickey on the 29th, Cape May on the 30th, Garden Grill on the 1st of sep (me and DH will celebrate our 6 yr wedding anniversary) we are gettin a sitter from kid nite out and enjoy our night, and I'm going to be making ressies for Cinderellas castle for breakfast, now I need help with how to spent my days there and what to do, my family enjoys all types of rides, but my DS and DH most enjoy thrill rides, my stay at the world begins on 8/29, the first two days we will be staying at Hard Rock universal studio hotel. we aew getting a 7 day hopper water park n more tix from undercover tourist.com, I have algo heard great things about the WDW vacation planning spreadsheet,

PLEASE HELPPPP!!!!

P.S> My husband is not a WDW fan, but he will do anything to please his wife and kids, but then again, he's never been there, not even as a child, please help me with making this speacial for all of us!!! this really means alot,

if for any reason you wish to e-mail me, my email address is
wasiris1 @ hotmail.com (no space in between)

 

[wasiris1]

bump

 

[imthatgirl]

I would love to help you, if you ahve specific questions. If you are just looking for touring plans I would suggest the unofficial guides or tour guide mike.

 

[wasiris1]

Thanks for your reply!

Questions #1,

What would you recommend for my husband and I to do after Garden Grills? My ressies at the grill are at 7:45pm, I am hoping we can catch wishes as I hear it's a very beatiful and romantic view, I was thinking maybe downtown Disney, but I dont want to do any shopping @ night! It's our anniversary and I would like something speacial

Question #2

Last year we did not do the dining plan, I was wondering if it's something I should try! I was thinking about cordinating atleast one sit down meal atleast 5 of those days we will be there

Question #3

Should we avoid the extra magic hour park? or head tours it? I have heard mixed reviews based on this, last year we did the EMH after closing, never in the AM, as park for some reason seem to be over crowded, (went early august)

Question #4

What are the epcot passport?

Question #5

Should I rent a stroller for my 3 yr from orlando stroller rental? or bring my own? (My daughter feels to be too grown to be on a stroller, but last yr @ wdw she spent most of the time crying because of the heat, she was in stroller)

Question #6

Can someone please feel me in with Boardwalk Villas, I hear that the hallways are long, where should I request my room, we are staying @ a Deluxe Studio, are they spacious enough?

Thanks so much in advance,

P.S. I am also looking into touring mike, i read something about A.V.P, from my understanding this seems to be something like a planner? does this come with the purchase of the book?

 

[wasiris1]

I also wanted to throw out there!!! DS 7 & DD 3, know that we will be going to WDW, Last year September we decided that we will start a savings piggie bank meant for this future trip!! my kids have saved up over 1000. from b-day, x-mas, easter, and allowance, and everytime they visit their grandparents they get $$$, Now my son Is always asking me, "Mom, when are we going? We are going right? etc), I have been carefull not to throw the day out there, because of 2 reason, I dont want them to be hurt incase of an unexpected cancellation (hope none, got my southwest tix last week) and because I though it would be extra speacial to surprise them!!!

But would it really be surprising since they all ready know we will be visiting this year?, Please let me know if you have been in a situation like this, and what you' did? did they get surprised? how did u pull it off? I really like the "SURPRISE! YOU'RE GOING TO WDW" shirt idea!!

 

[wasiris1]

bump

 

[sharonabe]

Q1: Do you mean the California Grill or the Garden Grill? Garden Grill is a character dining experience in The Land Pavillion in Epcot. California Grill is the romantic restaurant at the top of the Contemporary Resort near Magic Kingdom. What you do afterwards really depends on which of these you have an ADR.

Q2: WDW is offering free dining for 5-night stays during the time you will be there. I'm not sure if you can do this and use points for the Boardwalk. I advise calling WDW and asking them. If you can't do the free dining, it is $40/day per adult and $11/day per child. If you're going to do a sit-down mean each day, it will probably be worth it as your sit down meals usually pay for the plan, making your counter service and snack "free."

Q3: You're right, everyone has their own opinion. If you can make rope drop at an early EMH, it's usually worth it, but you may want to have the hopper option so you can go to a different park that evening to get away from the crowds. Evening EMH seems to be a crap shoot. Sometimes you get lucky and it's not crowded and sometimes you can barely walk.

Q4: Epcot passports are a little passport type book you can buy for your children to get stamped at the Kidcot stations at each country. It's a fun activity and gets you into each country to look around instead of just walking by.

Q5: It will be HOT! I advise a stroller. Rent or take your own is really your call. Will it help or hinder to have the stroller at the airport?