****Official August 2015 Check-In Thread****

[amyg1975]

I think for once we are not going to make any reservations this trip. Since it will be the two of us, and because we were just there in March, I feel we can fly by the seat of our pants for once.

On most trips I book character meals and Cafe Orleans. I think we might try to break from our norm this time around, since we wont have our daughter.

I think I am going to wait until we are going through the turnstiles to tell my husband we have annual passes now.

 

[heidica]

While I am very much excited about Paint the Night, the stories I am reading to get a spot are craziness. Waiting for several hours?!?! No thank you.

I'm starting to stress about this too! I think seeing Paint the Night by IASW will be our plan as well. Although, I'd like to see the Fireworks on Main Street. I may split it up over 2 nights. I'm just hoping that going towards the end of August things will be a tiny bit better. I also figure that Cast Members and higher up, will have worked out kinks over the next 2 months when it comes to crowd management. I just need to keep reminding myself that we are at Disney regardless of the crowds.

 

[Disneyanajc]

DISNEY....NO!...why did you change the FANTASMIC Premium Viewing (with dessert) package again??
We use to do the Fantasmic balcony seating and was so sad to see it go...now this!
Oh well...upward and onward...going to do the WOC package this time around

Also...if you are staying onsite you can use vacation planning to make you dinning reservations.

 

[czmom]

DISNEY....NO!...why did you change the FANTASMIC Premium Viewing (with dessert) package again??
We use to do the Fantasmic balcony seating and was so sad to see it go...now this!
Oh well...upward and onward...going to do the WOC package this time around

Also...if you are staying onsite you can use vacation planning to make you dinning reservations.

What changed???

 

[Rubygoose]

I just had my last class for my Special Ed diploma today, so I've officially finished my coursework and can focus all of my attention on our upcoming Disney trip! I had GCH booked for a while, but they didn't offer any AP discounts for August and I kept looking and waiting and looking! I ended up booking through Orbitz and getting 15% off, which worked out to $150 less than my original reservation. The exchange rate changed, though, so when Disney refunded my deposit, I ended up losing $10, but no big deal. Also, DH won 2 tickets to Legoland in a sweepstakes, so we'll have to add that onto our trip. (Not much of a prize, though, since we went last year and weren't thrilled and we'll need to buy 2 kids passes. At least this time, we'll go in with lower expectations, and the kids are excited about it.)

Last year we skipped WOC, since we saw it in 2013, but I really want to see the new show this year. Trying to figure out if we should do the CC WOC lunch package with all 4 of us, or if just DH and I should see WOC with FPs and put the kids in Pinocchio's Workshop for 2 hours. (DS was too young last year, but he's 5 now, so he'll be allowed in.)

Also trying to figure out any other dining reservations. We always do Minnie and Friends on our first day at around 9:30 or 10am, so we'll stick with that. I think we'll skip Goofy's and BB this year. Might try the storyteller's breakfast, since it's the only character meal we haven't done. Cafe Orleans is a must do, and so I'll fit that in somewhere.

I'm so excited to finally get into "Disney Planning Mode" since all of my schoolwork is done!

 

[Disneyanajc]

What changed???

The last time we did the FANTASMIC package you sat in chairs, watched Fantasmic and had a dessert box.
Now you get a fastpass to the show, and my understanding is you can get a fastpass through a dinner
package at the Blue Bayou, and a few other resturants?

 

[czmom]

The last time we did the FANTASMIC package you sat in chairs, watched Fantasmic and had a dessert box.
Now you get a fastpass to the show, and my understanding is you can get a fastpass through a dinner
package at the Blue Bayou, and a few other resturants?

Ah, yes! It's been like this since December you scared me! I thought they switched it up again.

 

[Aladora]

The last time we did the FANTASMIC package you sat in chairs, watched Fantasmic and had a dessert box.
Now you get a fastpass to the show, and my understanding is you can get a fastpass through a dinner
package at the Blue Bayou, and a few other resturants?

While I miss the seats that you got with the dessert box, none of us enjoyed the actual desserts and the fact that you had to wait so long to pick your seats always annoyed me.

We did the BB F! Dinner in February and we all enjoyed our meal. The cushion made sitting on the ground a lot more enjoyable and we only showed up half an hour before the show. The BB viewing area was front and centre.

 

[gerilyne]

Well, that's it. All our ADR's are booked for the trip. Granted we are only doing three but at least they are reserved and I don't have to worry about anything except waiting, and waiting, and waiting. I think I'm worse than a little kid!

 

[Pygmypuff07]

Just booked a trip to Disneyland in August! We are going the 14-21 and decided to go to the d23 convention too since it ended up being on the same weekend we were going to arrive. Hopefully it is not to packed after it ends! I am so excited to be there while it is the diamond celebration! We will be staying at the Disneyland Hotel.

 

[Aladora]

Monday morning update!

August 1
amyg1975 Aug 1-2
cgh Aug 1-6 DLH

August 2
momof4fans Aug 2-8 Park Vue Inn
gerilyne Aug 2-8

August 3
Pixie Dust x3 Aug 3-4 Candy Cane Inn
beachdreamr1229 Aug 3-5 HOJO
Disneyanajc Aug 3-7 PPH

August 4

August 5
Limace Aug 5-11 Camelot

August 6

August 7

August 8

August 9
Elk Grove Chris Aug 9-11 Carousel Inn
czmom Aug 9-14 VGC
jkolkemo Aug 9-16
PatMcDuck Aug 9-16 GCH/PP split

August 10
coloredimage Aug 10-13
Luv_Tink Aug 10-14
Sjwillia Aug 10-14 Best Western Park Place Inn
jlyanks85 Aug 10-15 DLH
DLSean22 - Aug 10-15 PVI
sc426 Aug 10-17 GCH (Leader of the Band)
Halloweenqueen Aug 10-17 Desert Inn

August 11
jhoannam Aug 11-13 Castle Inn
Rubygoose Aug 11-19 HOJO/GCH

August 12

August 13
audrey2580 Aug 13-15 GCH
PlutoJenn Aug 13-16 PVI

August 14
Pygmypuff07 Aug 14-21
tiffjoy Aug 14-23 CCI

August 15
Golf4food Aug 15-21 HOJO/GCH

August 16
dorchrislen Aug 16-17 Hotel Menage

August 17

August 18
Girlie1 Aug 18-22 VGC

August 19

August 20

August 21
heidica Aug 21-26 BWPPI

August 22
Tinker1972 Aug 22-29 Tropicana
Imdboss Aug 22-28 Embassy Suites S
Rjmdds Aug 22-30 GCH

August 23
Cameo818 Aug 23-27 PPH
Aladora Aug 23-28 DI&S
pinky Aug 23-28 GCH
DnA2010 Aug 23-29 Desert Inn and Suites
wildflower329 Aug 23 or 24-29 Park Vue Inn

August 24

August 25

August 26
DaveNinja Aug 26-31
pattyduke34 Aug 26-31
Ckmommy72 Aug 26-Sep 2

August 27
buttercup14 Aug 27-31

August 28
DWillowBay Aug 28-Sep 4

August 29

August 30

August 31

Unknown dates:
ndpeirce
scubamouse
ixmnrs

 

[Luv_Tink]

For our trip we are staying offsite at the Anaheim RV Resort, it's on the ART route so we plan to use that as our transportation to DLR each day. Does anyone know the approximate time it takes to get to the parks via ART? I'm just trying to figure out how feasible is it for us to take a mid-day break for 2-3 hours back at our RV for lunch, swimming, etc.

 

[Imdboss]

For our trip we are staying offsite at the Anaheim RV Resort, it's on the ART route so we plan to use that as our transportation to DLR each day. Does anyone know the approximate time it takes to get to the parks via ART? I'm just trying to figure out how feasible is it for us to take a mid-day break for 2-3 hours back at our RV for lunch, swimming, etc.

It just depends on how far away it is and how many stops there are before/after you. The two different ART routes we've been on were appx a 20 min loop, so if we just missed the bus it would take that long for it to make it's entire loop back to us. I'm guessing some routes might be more like 30 minutes.

 

[Luv_Tink]

We were successful in booking a Blue Bayou Fantasmic package for our party of 12 for 8/11! Hubby was able to do it online early this morning, but the only time available was 4:00 pm. He grabbed it and then called Disney Dining when he got to work and they confirmed that was the only time available for our large group. So, it looks like an early dinner for us that day. What's even better, is that my FIL said he's paying for this meal! We were prepared to do so for the five of us, but when he said that it was an awesome surprise.

We also booked a late breakfast for 8/10 at Carnation Café since my girls love their Mickey waffles and FIL loves eggs benedict. This one is just for 7 of us though since the rest of the group doesn't arrive until Monday evening. Monday is strictly for doing what my girls want to do at the parks since we don't have to worry about extended family this day. FIL and his girlfriend will be with us but they have expressed they are just there to enjoy the grandkids. I'm thinking if we do rope drop on Monday, we can accomplish some must do rides before our 10:30 breakfast.

Tomorrow we'll book our Princess lunch and that will do it for our meal reservations. I love it when plans start to materialize. Now, I just wish I had park hours.

 

[czmom]

Is the F! Package a popular one to book? As in I need to book it early right at 60 days? We are only a party of four, but want to do BB.

 

[Aladora]

Is the F! Package a popular one to book? As in I need to book it early right at 60 days? We are only a party of four, but want to do BB.

Since it's the 60th this year, I would guess that F! BB will book fairly quickly. If it was me, I would book at 60 days if you can.

 

[Luv_Tink]

Since it's the 60th this year, I would guess that F! BB will book fairly quickly. If it was me, I would book at 60 days if you can.

I agree, I would book it as soon as you're able to. We knew it would be tough with our large party. Hubby actually stayed up last night and tried to book it online at 12:01 am but they hadn't opened it up for 8/11 at that point. I think it was 5:30 am when he finally booked it online.

 

[czmom]

I can definitely book tomorrow at 60 days. Just wasn't sure if I need to set an alarm to book at a certain time.

 

[czmom]

I agree, I would book it as soon as you're able to. We knew it would be tough with our large party. Hubby actually stayed up last night and tried to book it online at 12:01 am but they hadn't opened it up for 8/11 at that point. I think it was 5:30 am when he finally booked it online.

5:30 AM what time zone? I am in Texas so CST.

 

[Luv_Tink]

5:30 AM what time zone? I am in Texas so CST.

We are in Washington, so pacific time, same as Disneyland. DH was told the online system should be available at 12:01 am (midnight) PST but it was not. The phone lines open at either 7:00 or 8:00 am PST I think. For what it's worth, I just checked online for a table for 4 on 8/11 and was given several times. So I really don't think you have to do it as soon as it's available if you have a normal size party.