October is here!!! A Semi-live TR!!! Our Oct 7-14 trip to the world!

[KathyM2]

So yeah...I know I've said this before but...I have to stop looking at my plans and second guessing everything. I think my plans so far are good...but then I keep reading all these TR's...which I love doing...but then I start to wonder about the other ideas that I didn't think of...and how I could change things up etc....it's kinda fun but I just have to keep reminding myself that it's all good..it's Disney no matter what we do!

There isn't much I can do towards planning at this point...until FP+ day. But I want to make sure I know when that is....we check into our Disney hotel on October 7th...though we won't actually hit a park until October 8th. So what day and time is FP+ day exactly? I'm worried because I'm going on a little road trip with a friend from August 6-8...and I'm not gonna want to be up in the middle of the night to do my FP+...and I wasn't even planning on bringing my laptop and not sure if I will have wifi...but if need be...I will...

I definitely want to get Anna/Elsa for DD and MK this time...as well as TSMM at HS...so....since there is only one day that we are even going to HS....do I have a chance if I can't get to it right AT the 60 day mark?? I think even though Anna/Elsa is super popular, I have a bit more hope of getting that one since we will be spending more days at MK so a few opportunities and times will work...but at DHS, we only have the one day, and also, I have an ADR booked already for lunch so it can't interfere with that. I guess that HS day should be the one I try to book first. But that isn't on our first day at the parks...so...not sure when I can book those? It's all so confusing!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

So yeah...I know I've said this before but...I have to stop looking at my plans and second guessing everything. I think my plans so far are good...but then I keep reading all these TR's...which I love doing...but then I start to wonder about the other ideas that I didn't think of...and how I could change things up etc.

Its such a tempting thing to do!

There isn't much I can do towards planning at this point...until FP+ day. But I want to make sure I know when that is....we check into our Disney hotel on October 7th

According to the http://pscalculator.net/pscalc.php (which I have always known to be accurate) You want to be on the computer at midnight the night of the 8/6 rolling into the 8th.

 

[SarahDisney]

If I'm calculating correctly, it should be 12:00 AM on 8/8 ... so you'd be staying up until midnight Friday night 8/7 into Saturday morning. Unless MK closes at 1 am that day, in which case it's delayed an hour.
It's always 60 days from the day you check in, even if you don't go to the parks on your first day. Anna & Elsa you may need to get right at midnight, but if you don't get it, keep checking - because it's just the two of you, it may be easier to get if someone cancels.
In terms of TSMM - I think it depends a lot on how busy it is. We've been able to change our times up to a month or so before the trip during lower crowd times, but when it's busier, you do have to get on early. There should still be options available if you're not on exactly at midnight, but your time options may be limited.

 

[KathyM2]

Its such a tempting thing to do!

According to the http://pscalculator.net/pscalc.php (which I have always known to be accurate) You want to be on the computer at midnight the night of the 8/6 rolling into the 8th.

Thanks!! I will check that out...sigh...I guess that means I'm bringing my laptop on my road trip...oh well! If I'm still up at midnight...I will do it...otherwise I will do it first thing in the AM on the 7th and hope for the best....I will be sad if only a few hours after the 60 day mark there is nothing available...that is pretty darn ridiculous.

The thing is...on our last trip...we only booked the whole trip about 45 days out...but I didn't even try for Anna/Elsa because it was a surprise and I didn't think DD would care...but I think this time she will want to see them if possible. Same with TSMM since we didn't even do DHS last time...so...definitely hope to get that in this time. I will be really torn about whether to even go to DHS if we don't get a FP+ for TSMM...sigh. Well I guess I will cross that bridge if/when it happens.

 

[Elevationist]

I definitely want to get Anna/Elsa for DD and MK this time...as well as TSMM at HS...so....since there is only one day that we are even going to HS....do I have a chance if I can't get to it right AT the 60 day mark??

Those A&E FPs go FAST, girl. Better bring that laptop with you!

 

[KatMark]

We didn't book our FP+ for our July trip until a reasonable hour in the morning -- 7 or 8 a.m. and we got everything we wanted -- Toy Story, Parade, Wishes, Mine Ride. We did NOT attempt Anna and Elsa as we've done tose twice and we are done with them.

 

[KathyM2]

Those A&E FPs go FAST, girl. Better bring that laptop with you!

I had a feeling someone would say that....sigh...I guess I'm doomed to a late night...or wake up call at midnight...in addition to paying for wifi if it isn't free where we are staying...I will have to look into that...But good to know anyway...

We didn't book our FP+ for our July trip until a reasonable hour in the morning -- 7 or 8 a.m. and we got everything we wanted -- Toy Story, Parade, Wishes, Mine Ride. We did NOT attempt Anna and Elsa as we've done tose twice and we are done with them.

Well that's good to hear...at least I should be able to get TSMM without too much trouble...but...for Anna/Elsa...well...I better be on time it seems!! If I can't get them...I'm not sure what we'll do...that's really not what I had in mind for our one RD morning at MK...but sigh...it may have to be if she really wants to see them and I can't get a FP+...maybe she won't care as much as I think...since I do plan to do the Frozen Sing along at HS....

 

[cstorm65]

So yeah...I know I've said this before but...I have to stop looking at my plans and second guessing everything. I think my plans so far are good...but then I keep reading all these TR's...which I love doing...but then I start to wonder about the other ideas that I didn't think of...and how I could change things up etc....it's kinda fun but I just have to keep reminding myself that it's all good..it's Disney no matter what we do!

I most certainly do all of these things!

So what day and time is FP+ day exactly?

I was going to tell you to check MK closing time on the day you are up late to do your FP+, but I think someone else already did that if I'm reading right. If MK closes after 12 AM on the day you are up making your reservations FP+ won't roll over and allow you to book them until all theme parks are closed for the day.

 

[irene_dsc]

I can't remember which days you are going to which parks, but if you are going to MK later in your stay, you might have a better chance getting A&E for the last day you expect to be in MK - and start with that day as your first to book FP+. Then, the day you want TSMM. Because unless I'm totally confused, you get 60 days plus the rest of your stay...

 

[KathyM2]

I can't remember which days you are going to which parks, but if you are going to MK later in your stay, you might have a better chance getting A&E for the last day you expect to be in MK - and start with that day as your first to book FP+. Then, the day you want TSMM. Because unless I'm totally confused, you get 60 days plus the rest of your stay...

Good points...OK so we have an MK day on our very last day so I will try to get Anna/Elsa first. Our HS day is a few days into our trip but...not the very end...so I will just have to cross fingers and if we don't get it then it will have to be the RD dash to TSMM...with all the other hoardes of people!

 

[KathyM2]

I most certainly do all of these things!

Glad I'm not the only one!!!

I was going to tell you to check MK closing time on the day you are up late to do your FP+, but I think someone else already did that if I'm reading right. If MK closes after 12 AM on the day you are up making your reservations FP+ won't roll over and allow you to book them until all theme parks are closed for the day.

Good to know....I will look into that...I really hope it insn't that late that day!!

 

[kastoney]

Yep, we were up at midnight for our trip last year to get Anna and Elsa. Thankfully we did, but start looking later in your trip first and not at the beginning. We booked our last trip less than 60 days out so it became a watch and wait game. Thankfully my iPhone obsessed hubby was able to get one after trying god knows how many times a day. Even then he could only get it for 2 of the 3 of us. So bottom-line, midnight and late in the trip.

And I'll be right with ya up at midnight in July our September trip. Though ours is when we'll be on vacation at the beach, so I envision us not having to wake up but likely being a little tipsy during the process ; )

On TSSM you won't have a problem. We've booked it closer to the 30 day mark and had no issues getting a time.

 

[Narnia_girl]

Hi! I'm following along.
I am also taking our daughter (she'll be 15 then) on a girls' trip in late October. This is only our second time in the parks, so I'd love any tips--and I'm especially interested in the spreadsheet that you mentioned at the beginning of the thread. What is it--and how is it used?

 

[KathyM2]

Yep, we were up at midnight for our trip last year to get Anna and Elsa. Thankfully we did, but start looking later in your trip first and not at the beginning. We booked our last trip less than 60 days out so it became a watch and wait game. Thankfully my iPhone obsessed hubby was able to get one after trying god knows how many times a day. Even then he could only get it for 2 of the 3 of us. So bottom-line, midnight and late in the trip.

And I'll be right with ya up at midnight in July our September trip. Though ours is when we'll be on vacation at the beach, so I envision us not having to wake up but likely being a little tipsy during the process ; )

On TSSM you won't have a problem. We've booked it closer to the 30 day mark and had no issues getting a time.

Ha...Tipsy FP+ booking...hilarious...I may be in the same boat booking ours because I will be on a girls no-kids road trip lol...who knows what I will book lol!! But at least we have an MK day planned for our last day in the parks ...but our trip is only 6 days long...so I hope that won't be an issue as all the people with 10 day trips will be able to start booking before us ...sigh...well I can only hope. DD I think would be thrilled to see Anna/Elsa...but hopefully she won't be heartbroken if it doesn't happen. We will see tons of characters at the MNSSHP so maybe she will get her fill that way...and maybe Cindy/Rapunzel won't be as hard to get so I will try for that as a backup....I'm glad to hear you had no problem getting TSMM though because we only have one DHS day and it's on a busy Saturday...so hopefully we'll still get that!

Hi! I'm following along.
I am also taking our daughter (she'll be 15 then) on a girls' trip in late October. This is only our second time in the parks, so I'd love any tips--and I'm especially interested in the spreadsheet that you mentioned at the beginning of the thread. What is it--and how is it used?

Hey...Welcome!! Thanks for following! Yah for a girls' trip!! I would be happy to email you my spreadsheet if you PM me your email address. Though I did steal mine from @Elevationist Billie and "made it my own". So far it has all my booked ADR's and all the FP+ rides I hope to get plus some random notes....but your choices of FP+ with a 15 year old may be a lot different than ours...but the spreadsheet is a good start ) At first when I started hanging out on these DIS boards...I thought the whole spreadsheet idea was a bit insane...for a vacation??? My DH still thinks it's nuts. But I find it an easy way to organize everything and figure out how to fit in all the things you want to do.

 

[Elevationist]

At first when I started hanging out on these DIS boards...I thought the whole spreadsheet idea was a bit insane...for a vacation??? My DH still thinks it's nuts. But I find it an easy way to organize everything and figure out how to fit in all the things you want to do.

 

[kadrachb]

Just catching up! As for A&E, like others have said, if you have an MK day later in your visit, try getting the FP for that day not your first MK day.

t. And my DS didn't have his meds...thing is...his behaviour actually wasn't all that different yesterday...so that's something to think about...as I'm always questionning how much the meds are doing for him anymore.

Since I have ADD, I just thought I'd put in my input. I don't normally take my meds on weekends and I'm fine, however, if I go 4 days without them I get cranky and my brain is all over the place. If you really want to ween him off the medication, talk to your doctor about him not taking it during the weekends.

 

[KathyM2]

You are my Disney planning inspiration Billie ) Along with a lot of other folks here lol

Just catching up! As for A&E, like others have said, if you have an MK day later in your visit, try getting the FP for that day not your first MK day.

Since I have ADD, I just thought I'd put in my input. I don't normally take my meds on weekends and I'm fine, however, if I go 4 days without them I get cranky and my brain is all over the place. If you really want to ween him off the medication, talk to your doctor about him not taking it during the weekends.

I've rearranged my "FP+ wish list" for each day so that I will aim to get Anna/Elsa on our last day at MK...and hope for the best. Thanks for the advice re: the ADD meds. Yeah, I may talk to the doctor about getting him off it just for weekends...or summer or something and see how he does. The doctor did say that it's pretty much out of his system at the end of each day though. I just find for school it helps him focus...but also helps a lot with behaviour because he can control himself a lot better and think a bit more before reacting.

 

[Gracefulskinny]

By the way, in discussing the Midnight wake up its important to remember that the midnight being discussed is EAST COAST time, not Midnight in your time zone. (At least that is my understanding of it. I live in east coast time zone so I never had to test that.)

 

[KathyM2]

By the way, in discussing the Midnight wake up its important to remember that the midnight being discussed is EAST COAST time, not Midnight in your time zone. (At least that is my understanding of it. I live in east coast time zone so I never had to test that.)

Definitely good to know...assuming that when you say "East Coast time Zone" you mean...the same time zone as Orlando? Because we are the same time zone as Orlando in Toronto....so I think we are good on that front...sigh...but I just hope I've got the date right as it being midnight on August 6th...because I would hate to stay up/wake up at midnight only to not have it be the right day...sigh!!

We "check in" to our Disney hotel on the 7th...but we don't start any park days until Oct 8th...but that doesn't matter, right? Day 1 can still be Oct 7 as far as booking our FP+?? Why does this have to be so confusing lol. As I said...the ONLY one I'm really worried about is Anna/Elsa...

If I wasn't keeping it a surprise...I might be able to gauge if she cares enough even about that before I go to all this trouble...but I suppose that's what happens when you want to surprise your kids. And the thing is...even if I didn't want to totally surprise her...I STILL wouldn't want to tell her about the trip 60 days out...it's just too long for her to have to wait!!

 

[ariane37]

Hey Kathy, I know others have already given their feedback but just want to say again that YES, you definitely have to try at midnight for A&E, but you'll be fine for TSMM (although if you're up booking at midnight you may as well do that one, too!). DH and I have AP's and I often go in and "pretend" to make FP's for myself - like in case a plane suddenly landed in my backyard to fly me down for a couple hours - and TSMM is always available next day and, with a few exceptions, day of. So even if you couldn't make your FP's until 58 or 59 days out I think you'd get a decent time.

A&E on the other hand NEVER comes up as available, even at 30 days out. That's not to say people don't ever get A&E at 30 days, but it ain't easy Go fast at 60 days, too, so yeah, bring that laptop on your girls trip!