OFFICIAL April 2012 DISers! 2 months and counting!

[momtwoboys]

thanks pwdebbie! Wonder how I didn't think of going to ak on arrival day? We just don't want to be like salmon swimming upstream by the time we would arrive. We usually are RD people. Hmm, so if we did that, then which of our second days at AK should I drop? We would be ok with arrival day, and another full day. Oh decisions decisions! We are not getting hoppers they don't work well for our family and now that you have to pay for them no way. Too many transitions for a child with Asperger's is not good. We just stick with one park per day even with a break at the resort when needed. Just works for us. Thanks for the tips...sorry about having to cancel your trip. I wish you could find someone that you trust and that your dog loves to spend time with.

 

[Ikeifer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmOs...xt=C35aa0e7ADOEgsToPDskKG1MMISULnE2IGJDECdP38

And here is part 2 of telling the kids......not sure that anyone has even watched part 1.

 

[momtwoboys]

where is part 1? I liked part 2

 

[momtwoboys]

just to drive everyone a tab bit nuts....we are trying to follow Easywdw this year. Anyone else like that site? I am going with the 8 day base ticket, just need to figure out where I will use that 8th day? And if it should be AK on arrival day, or MK? Happy planning all and if I can help anyone with a question ask away

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

just to drive everyone a tab bit nuts....we are trying to follow Easywdw this year. Anyone else like that site? I am going with the 8 day base ticket, just need to figure out where I will use that 8th day? And if it should be AK on arrival day, or MK? Happy planning all and if I can help anyone with a question ask away

I LOVE easywdw. Not just for the crowd calendars, but the blogs entries where Josh walks through the parks detailing wait times and new updates are extremely helpful in planning. I also like the way he outlines the reasoning behind the crowd calendar ratings. I try to use it in conjunction with Touringplans, but if there are vastly conflicting opinions, I usually go with easywdw.

What time is your Boma ADR for your arrival day? If it's relatively early in the evening, it may not be worth going to MK which would probably only give you about 5-6 hours of touring time during peak crowd hours. Epcot might be the best option for your arrival day especially if you tour WS. You could also grab a nice lunch at one of the many QS they have there.

 

[Ikeifer]

where is part 1? I liked part 2

Thank you Part 1 is on page 51.

 

[momtwoboys]

thanks Dave! We are staying at AKL, and our dinner at Boma is for 5pm. We arrive at MCO at 9:14 am, which means we will have been up since 4:15 am. This is the main reason we were straying away from entering a park that day. Might stick to it. Having lunch by the pool and relaxing before our studio is ready might be the way to go. The next day we are planning on MK, and we are a RD family Thanks for the advice! We might use our day we were planning on a resort day to do 1/2 day at a park after all. Thought I had it all figured out

 

[Princesca]

So here's my plan... curious as to your thoughts! It's six of us, DM, DSis, DSisBoyfriend, DN (age 4), DH, and me.

We're leaving on a Friday, late afternoon/early evening, and driving straight through to arrive Saturday morning. Since I figured we'd all be toast after that, we're not doing anything that Saturday except planning to bum around Pop Century, check out the pool, maybe grab a nap (as soon as we can check in) and then we have a dinner at Chef Mickey's scheduled for 5:30 Sat. After that, we're:

Sun: AK
Mon: EPCOT (Akershus breakfast res @ 8 AM)
Tues: DHS (Dinner res Jiko for me and DH)
Wed: MK (Wishes dessert party res @ 9:10). Will strongly recommend naptimes for DN, especially on this day.
Thurs: EPCOT
Fri: MK
Sat: AK (until departure) or other park of our choice

We're getting the tix from UT that are 6 days plus 1 free, so we'll probably squeeze in some time on Sat. before we go to make use of that extra ticket. We picked Chef MIckeys and Akershus to guarantee that my niece will get to meet most of the characters she cares about without taking time in the parks.

I'm planning on loosely using the Touring Plans for the parks, more for just an order of attack, so to speak, than any rigid gameplan. My mom has bad knees so we're going to want to approach the parks in the most logical way possible to save on walking.

Does anything jump out at you guys as missing or a bad idea? I chose all the parks to get a best park or neutral, at worst, from TouringPlans.

Also, the night DH and I go to Jiko, any lower cost recommendations for something the rest of them can do? I was thinking maybe Beaches and Cream...

 

[angierae]

Since we're flying Spirit, and thus space is at a premium, I am looking into shipping a box of stuff to the Resort that will get used up there and won't have to come home with us. So far on the list:

Cheap toothbrushes so we don't have to take our expensive Sonicare
Toothpaste
Shampoo/conditioner
Travel sized deodorant
sunscreen
tampons/pads (HAVE)
disposable razors
batteries for the cameras
wet wipes (HAVE)
water bottles
drink mixes (for putting into bottles of water)
laundry soap (last time I did the Purex sheets, this worked out well.)
Oatmeal packets
granola bars
paper bowls (HAVE)
plastic spoons (HAVE)
hand santizer (HAVE)
ponchos (HAVE - bought these for the last trip and never needed them, so if they get tossed after this trip, they've served their purpose)
clothes pins for hanging up the swimsuits on the clothesline in the bathroom. (HAVE)


Any other suggestions?

 

[momtwoboys]

Princesca, looks good to me! I always struggle on if we need 2 full days at AK? We love that park so it is never a 1/2 day park like it is to some. But if you decide to only do 1 full day then you probably will want to head to Epcot or MK for that last day, right? Other option when you go to Jiko, depends on where the rest of the family is? In a park? At the resort? Sometimes just taking food from the food court over by the pool is fun relaxing and low cost

 

[Princesca]

Yeah, that last day is kinda up in the air. MK is supposed to be crowded that day, or I'd suggest just popping back there. We'll play it by ear, I guess. And my niece will only be four, so you're right - they might want to just take that night and have pizza by the pool.

I picked that day to do Jiko because I've always heard that it's not a "whole day" park (or comfortably doesn't have to be).

I'm starting to get so excited! I was super hyper about it for awhile, but then I hit that burnout phase where I lost all interest. Now that we're getting closer, and I'm starting to look at touring plans, I'm starting to get excited again.

 

[momtwoboys]

yes if she is 4, then nothing says fun like chicken strips and fries by the pool at Disney Plus if you are staying at Pop? There is a nice playground area, and the water jets are fun to play in too. We are getting excited too Just trying to plan out our park days, after I thought I had them all figured out

 

[momtwoboys]

Ikeifer, loved the video! Looks like you will be there around the same time as us, our tickers are close Do you have a plan yet? Or just going to go with the flow? I used Touringplans last year, and will continue to use the Lines app on my phone. But we are basing our days from Easywdw this year.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

thanks Dave! We are staying at AKL, and our dinner at Boma is for 5pm. We arrive at MCO at 9:14 am, which means we will have been up since 4:15 am. This is the main reason we were straying away from entering a park that day. Might stick to it. Having lunch by the pool and relaxing before our studio is ready might be the way to go. The next day we are planning on MK, and we are a RD family Thanks for the advice! We might use our day we were planning on a resort day to do 1/2 day at a park after all. Thought I had it all figured out

Definitely agree with your plan on staying at your resort especially if you're starting the day at 4:15am. Between your arrival time at MCO (which realistically puts you at a park around 11:30a-12:00pm after checking in to AKL) and your Boma at 5pm (which means you'll have to exit the park a little after 4pm), you really don't have that much time for touring. A nap by the poolside or exploring the resort grounds sounds like a nice relaxing afternoon. Whenever we head back to WDW after this trip, we're going to try AKL next. Looks like such a fun and relaxing resort!

A half day in the parks during your resort/pool day seems like the best way to go. Probably either Epcot or MK.

 

[grace&philipsmom]

We will be at Animal Kingdom Villas from April 10-19. We can't wait!

 

[momtwoboys]

I have loved all the resorts we have stayed at except CR. I am not the relaxing type, possibly where younger son gets the ADHD?? BUT AKL is by far the most relaxing places we have ever been too at WDW! I actually sit by the pool and stare at the foliage, and the music that is played OH MY! Try it, you will love it. The down day will now be a 1/2 resort day at AKL, and head to Epcot mid day. I also think Josh's comments, walk around the parks are HILARIOUS! So this is what we have come up with:

April 11th land MCO at 9:14 Lunch at Mara/Pool enjoy resort. Dinner Boma 5pm
April 12th MK L Pecos Bill. Dinner Ohana 5pm Wishes
April 13th AK L Tamu Tamu Dinner Yak n Yeti 5pm
April 14th Epcot L World Showcase. Dinner Teppan Edo4:50 (going to brave it again) Illumin. 9pm
April 15th DHS L ? Dinner Cape May 5pm Fantasmic 8:30
April 16th relax at resort/swim. L Mara. Epcot late afternoon Dinner??????
April 17th MK with Lunch at LTT?? OR AK with dinner at Tusker??
April 18th MK L columbia HH. Dinner Crystal Palace 5pm
April 19th Epcot L Le Cellier. D World Showcase
April 20th DME 8:00 for 11:00 flight home!

Looks good? Any advice on Dinner for the 16th? OR which park for the 17th?

We are on school vacation this week so I am finalizing our plans, ordering our tickets, making sure we are all set with our ADR's.

 

[momtwoboys]

graceandphilipsmom we will be at AKV too, Jambo house! Are you ready for April or what

 

[Robinh]

please excuse my ignorance but can you tell me what SS is?

SS stands for stepson.

 

[Ikeifer]

Ikeifer, loved the video! Looks like you will be there around the same time as us, our tickers are close Do you have a plan yet? Or just going to go with the flow? I used Touringplans last year, and will continue to use the Lines app on my phone. But we are basing our days from Easywdw this year.

We are using touring plans and EasyWDW too.

12th Arrive
13th AK
14th Epcot
15th Free Day
16th Universal Studios
17th Islands of Adventure
18th MK
19th Free Day
20th HS
21rst Free Day
22nd Home

 

[momtwoboys]

it kinda scares me that touringplans and easywdw do not match up?! Yikes. Oh well, I see some of our days cross, be sure to wave hello if you see us