Now that I know what PTR stands for, here's my PTR for May 2011 at POR

[BucsTex]

There's so much information on these boards that I didn't realize there was a whole forum for these things!!!

I'm a third generation Disney nut. My aunt Beverly raised me on annual or semi annual trips to Disneyland in the 70's and 80's, since we lived in West Texas. I went to WDW for the first time in 1990 in high school and LOVED it, especially the World Showcase. My wife and I spent half our honeymoon at WDW... the other half on Grand Bahama, and let me tell you: we should have stayed at WDW!

We had a son in 2004, and I waited as long as I could to take him at an age where I thought he would not only appreciate but be able to remember the trip. We went in Sept 2009, and it was amazing. My wife, however, is not a "Touring Plan" kind of vacationer.... she'd rather lay on a beach somewhere, so it's really not worth the cost for her to come with us, and she didn't really want to after just a year and a half, so Julian and I are taking a father-son trip in May. I can't remember the last time I looked forward to something so much. Oh wait, yes I can... the last trip!!!

Anyway, here's our family on our last trip:

Here's me and my son with our matching cobra tattoos that he picked out at AK:

And here's why my wife isn't coming with us this time!!!

 

[BucsTex]

SEE REVISED ITINERARY BELOW!!!!

I know some people will feel that this is too much sit down dining, but frankly that's a major part of what I like about WDW so it's worth it to me. I feel that we'll get done enough touring to keep both of us happy, and the sit down meals are a good transition between the hectic pace of touring and down times.

Enjoy!

 

[jm106]

Popping in to read about your plans since We are going the same time. I recall your posts and changes, sounds like you are really enjoying planning and anticipation!! I am contemplating a pretrip report myself.

 

[BucsTex]

Thanks! Are you staying at POR too? And yes, my planning and research is a heck of a lot more fun than my job... which I'm being paid for right now...

 

[BucsTex]

And since this is my thread (therefore not possible for me to hijack), I'm posting some better pictures of my son... he is way cuter than he looks in the pics above!

Waiting for the bus, singing the Epcot song we made up

Chillin' at AKL before dinner at Jiko

And my wife... being Jack Sparrow... or something

 

[jm106]

He is cute
We are staying at Caribbean Beach. I have a 5 yo son and yds will be almost 3.

 

[Chaitali]

Just popped over here from the May at POR thread you posted. Your son is adorable! I love the photo fo the two of you showing off the cobra tattoos And I agree, the sit down meals do sound like a nice break from running around, and a good way to enforce some rest! Hope you guys have a fun father/son trip.

 

[3Leafs]

A father son trip how wonderful! We are staying at POR the 27th to the 1st. I have a dd6, ds8, and ds13. I agree about the TS... I count that as our "down" time as well. Your son is adorable. Hopefully we run into you around the hotel.

 

[BucsTex]

A father son trip how wonderful! We are staying at POR the 27th to the 1st. I have a dd6, ds8, and ds13. I agree about the TS... I count that as our "down" time as well. Your son is adorable. Hopefully we run into you around the hotel.

T, I can't tell for sure, but it looks like we're both lunching at Tusker House on the 27th?

 

[KellyNTink]

Just read your contemplating of touring plans and frustration of touringplans.com site...I am the same way - I want a black and white plan that fits my family. I am WAY OCD about this stuff.

We booked very LAST minute our second trip to WDW in March (yep, we are nuts but we went before in June 2009 right after schools let out and crowds were crazy then plus heat and rain everyday, plus masses there for gay days [not that we cared, but made for more crowds and we had NO idea and I found it HILARIOUS my son AND husband both happened to wear red shirts on the day gays were to wear red to signify who they were]...so I figure we can handle the same crowds with better weather ). Anyway, I'm anxious to follow your PTR. I hope you'll post your park touring plans as you iron them out?

I subscribed to touring plans.com but not sure if I'm going to use a prescribed tour or take one and tweak it (and I worry I'll ruin it). We totally winged it last trip with ADRs made and just knowing what parks and a list of 'not to miss' attractions. This time I really want to have a daily touring plan and optimize efficiency so we can ride/enjoy attractions to the max.

Anyway, looking forward to following your PTR. HOW AWESOME you are taking a father/son trip! Have you told your son yet or are you surprising him? Are kids have NO idea they are going to WDW again this year!

 

[DisneyKira]

Subbing I love how your taking your son on a trip, just the two of you. That is so sweet. I am going to POR in May 2011, too. My fiance and I are going May 16-May 23rd for our honeymoon

 

[BucsTex]

Hey all, thanks for your responses. Yes, he does know about the trip, and I'm involving him in the planning process so he can share in the months of anticipation which I consider to be part of the experience!

Alrighty then. Julian decided that despite my reminding him that he didn't like Fantasmic that much last time and it was a royal pain in the butt to get in and out of, that he wants to see it. Well I figure if you're going to do something, do it right, so I switched our itinerary around to do the Fantasmic dining package... thought the times they offer are not conducive to a good afternoon break. Oh well, you can't have everything....

So here's our revised revised revised revised itinerary. I've added a couple of touring highlights in, for those who want to see them.

Just kidding... see further revision below!!!

 

[BucsTex]

Another revision, if anyone is still reading this...



THIS IS NOW OUT OF DATE BUT I'M LEAVING IT FOR COMPARISON

Sun 22
2:50 arrive MCO
ME to POR
7:10 Crystal Palace
MK (5.3) EMH until 2 AM (if we can make it!)
Electrical Parade from Frontierland, Wishes from Tomorrowland bridge
Touring goals: JCruise, Treehouse, POTC before parade, Mountains after!

Mon 23
Get up whenever we get up, QS breakfast at POR
Casual visit to EP (1.9), try for TT, Sum of All Thrills
1:20 Biergarten
Rest at POR
6:30 Citricos (by taxi)
DHS (1.9) EMH 7-10 PM (kind of a preview tour with only low wait rides, maybe RnR or Star Tours if possible)

Tues 24
8:00 Hollywood & Vine
RD, TSMM, RnR, Star Tours, Jedi Academy
12:00 Brown Derby
Stunt show, get FP for RnR on the way out
Rest at POR (assuming we have enough time!)
5:00 Hollywood & Vine for Fantasmic package
Hit Star Tours at least, along with other low lines
9:00 Fantasmic

Wed 25
7:45 Ohana (by taxi)
RD (or close to it) at MK (2.7), Tomorrowland then Fantasyland
12:00 Liberty Tree
Rest at POR
AK (6.6) 5-7PM
7:25 Boma (taxi back to POR)

Thu 26 -
QS breakfast
RD at EP (2.2), TT, Soarin', TT, TT, TT (we like TT)
12:25 Akershus
Rest at POR
Back to EP around 5 PM, Kim Possible
7:30 Le Cellier (After all the hoopla, I figured I needed to try it)
Illuminations

Fri 27
8:15 Tusker House
AK (6.8) RD - KS, then EE & Kali
12:15 Tusker House (I like Tusker House, can you tell?)
Rest at POR
5:30 Artist Point (by taxi)
MK (6.2) after dinner (rather than go to EP (9.1) and wait in a lot of lines)
Since we saw parade & fireworks already, we'll ride while others watch them this time. I moved dinner up so we can get to the park and through Main Street before bedlam begins.

Sat 28
Breakfast with a snack credit at POR, since I blew all my TS by adding Le Cellier
EP (7.9) Rope Drop
Lunch from Tangierine Cafe, since I sacrificed Marrakesh to try Le Cellier!
Back to POR by 12:45 for ME, 3:45 flight out

 

[KellyNTink]

Looks like a great plan to me! I never really critique anyone's 'hours' in terms of whether they go all day, go at rope drop, stay up late, etc. because only YOU know YOU and YOUR kid and what you guys can handle.

We plan to go right into MK the afternoon we arrive and we'll stay there until Wishes at 10 PM. Some people are big into making day one a rest day, but my kids (and frankly, me, too!!! ) can't handle not just bolting into MK after we're checked in.

I have gone back and forth as to whether I wanted to fit Fantasmic into our itinerary. I personally would love to see it, but my son is very sensory and I think the bottleneck crowds in and out of the auditorium would be really stressful for him. I don't know. My kids do great waiting in line for a great ride, but I think they would do a lot of complaining waiting in line for a show (and my husband would probably join in ) The show does look really cool, though. I know my kids would love it once they were in there and sitting down watching it.

I hope you LOVE Le Cellier!!!! We lucked out and ate there in 2009 before it went to 2 TS. We all really liked it! It was my favorite meal in all of WDW. My husband said the same. I haven't been able to score an ADR so far for our upcoming trip, but we're trying California Grill, which we wanted to try last time but couldn't get. I am a sushi lover and love the fare that's on the CG menu. My hubby and kids will probably order the same thing they'd order anywhere else sooooo I'm still kind of hoping to score a Le Cellier reservation instead. I'd give up CG for it I think...since I eat sushi all of the time at home.

What kinds of special loot are you packing for your little man Julian?

 

[BucsTex]

Looks like a great plan to me! I never really critique anyone's 'hours' in terms of whether they go all day, go at rope drop, stay up late, etc. because only YOU know YOU and YOUR kid and what you guys can handle.

We plan to go right into MK the afternoon we arrive and we'll stay there until Wishes at 10 PM. Some people are big into making day one a rest day, but my kids (and frankly, me, too!!! ) can't handle not just bolting into MK after we're checked in.

I have gone back and forth as to whether I wanted to fit Fantasmic into our itinerary. I personally would love to see it, but my son is very sensory and I think the bottleneck crowds in and out of the auditorium would be really stressful for him. I don't know. My kids do great waiting in line for a great ride, but I think they would do a lot of complaining waiting in line for a show (and my husband would probably join in ) The show does look really cool, though. I know my kids would love it once they were in there and sitting down watching it.

I hope you LOVE Le Cellier!!!! We lucked out and ate there in 2009 before it went to 2 TS. We all really liked it! It was my favorite meal in all of WDW. My husband said the same. I haven't been able to score an ADR so far for our upcoming trip, but we're trying California Grill, which we wanted to try last time but couldn't get. I am a sushi lover and love the fare that's on the CG menu. My hubby and kids will probably order the same thing they'd order anywhere else sooooo I'm still kind of hoping to score a Le Cellier reservation instead. I'd give up CG for it I think...since I eat sushi all of the time at home.

What kinds of special loot are you packing for your little man Julian?

I agree about going to MK first thing... it's just part of the Disney experience! Besides, the only time we'll possibly be able to hang for late night EMH is the night we get there, so it worked out pretty well.

We did Fantasmic last time and got there after there were no seats because we were not willing to wait in line either. It was incredible... from what I could see. The only way I'd do it again is with the dining package, so that's what I did.

 

[britt_ji]

Your father-son trip sounds great! I'm sure your son will love it!

We'll be arriving at POR right after you guys leave. Happy Planning...

 

[BucsTex]

Whilst doing my touring plan for DHS, I started to think that maybe we needed more than one day there... so since it only cost me $240, I extended our trip by a day!!! I dropped our park hoppers to save on cost. I realized we didn't really need it, but that extra day is totally worth it.

Sat 21
Arrive MCO 4:10, ME to POR
POR by 6:00, get dinner at food court and get on bus to MK
Hit some rides
MSEP 9:00
Tomorrowland Dessert Party 9:15
Wishes 10:00
Hit a couple more rides

Sun 22
MK Rope Drop
Late Breakfast @ 'Ohana 10:45
Monrail back to park for a couple hours
Nice long rest at POR in the afternoon...swim, nap, maybe fishin' hole
Dinner @ CP 8:20
EMH until 2:00 if we can make it!

Mon 23
Get up whenever we get up, QS breakfast at POR
Late arrival at DHS, focusing on shows more than rides
12:05 Lunch @ Prime Time
LMA early show
Rest at POR
6:30 Citricos (by taxi)
EMH until 10 PM

Tues 24
8:00 Hollywood & Vine
9:00 RD
2:15 Lunch @ Mama Melrose w/ Fantasmic package
Rest @ POR
7:35 Dinner @ Sci-Fi (yes, I know the food sucks )
9:00 Fantasmic

Wed 25
QS Breakfast, EP RD 9:00 rides rides rides
12:30 Lunch @ Biergarten
Rest at POR
Taxi to Artist Point for dinner @ 6:00
Back to EP for Illuminations and couple more rides. maybe one Kim Possible

Thu 26 -
QS breakfast
RD at EP, Rides only until WS opens, then start Kim Possible & other WS
12:25 Akershus
Rest at POR
Back to EP around 5 PM, Kim Possible
7:10 Marrakesh (I don't care, I'm not missing out on this for Le Cellier!!! ha!)
Illuminations or maybe more rides, up to Julian

Fri 27
8:15 Tusker House
AK (6.8) RD - KS, then EE & Kali
12:15 Tusker House (I like Tusker House, can you tell?)
Rest at AKL
Back to AK end of day (6:00 close)
6:30 Dinner @ BOMA
DTD if we're feeling like doing something after dinner, if not then taxi back to POR

Sat 28
QS Breakfast & Lunch, we'll decide which park
Back to POR by 12:45 for ME, 3:45 flight out

 

[KellyNTink]

An EXTRA DAY!!! WOOO HOOO!!! That's great!!!

I started a PTR...Even though I don't think anyone's reading it, it's helping me to have all my thoughts and plans in one thread and making my countdown much more fun.

Still reading yours and and SO excited for you and your son!

I've managed to keep our trip a SECRET from my kids so far. YAY!