*** Official OCTOBER 2021 Countdown Group - HAPPY 50th ANNIVERSARY WDW! ***

[Rick195275]

The CR rooms look so freakin cheap and cheesy to me and not in a fun way. Like Disneyfied IKEA or those themed kid bedrooms they used to do on Extreme Makeover Home Edition. We both loved the old Poly rooms but I absolutely fell in love with the new look. It admittedly helps that Moana is my favorite Disney movie in years and I’m like those little kids obsessed with Frozen about it. We don’t mind paying ugly rack rates for once at Poly if we have to given the circumstances, but no way for CR and not for those rooms. And especially not knowing what CL lounges will look like.

So we were talking about it and I was like ok why not and went on the Bonvoy app and lo and behold there was availability. That’s a lot of money we’re saving.

Such an accurate description of the look of those rooms! It looks so cheap and cheesy! And for CR? I just don’t get it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Like I said I don’t dislike the Moana refurb at all, just preferred the dark Lilo and stitch rooms doesn’t hurt that my daughter adores Lilo and stitch! I loved the dark feel of the room and resort though. If they try to go light and bright with AKL next refurb I’ll be really sad. Again I think I’m in the minority here lol.

 

[twinklebug]

Just realized I never updated my resort and dates here!
9/29-10/3 rick195275 BCV first night, BLT the rest

Updated!

Sept. 29 - Oct. 3 - Rick195275 - BCV & BLT

 

[twinklebug]

My ADRs open in the morning and I'm agonizing over what to try for... they've changed up some of our favorites so we don't want to go there (BOG as the main one) and others are just hum drum... I can get at home type stuff.

 

[Farro]

Help!!! We arrive on 10/20, what's my ADR date? Is it 8/21?

 

[Eeyore daily]

Help!!! We arrive on 10/20, what's my ADR date? Is it 8/21?

Yup!

 

[sapphirerose915]

Updating because gf and I had a long talk tonight and honestly neither of us feel like paying the crazy rack rate for CR CL without knowing what the lounges are gonna be like and we both hate the Incredibles refurb so our split stay is getting changed to Dolphin/Poly. It will royally suck getting home on 10/1 but I’d bet dollars to donuts MK will be the evening EMH that night and Dolphin is included so that’ll take some of the sting out at least. And a couple extra thousand buys a lot of Lyfts.

I haven’t stayed at the Dolphin since our last big family trip when I was 14 so it’ll be really special introducing my gf to it. And since Yachtsman will be opening back up I’m hoping Crews Cup will too so I can get my burger!!

we stayed at the swan last year and absolutely loved it! Beds were so comfy and rooms so bright and clean.. and the pool was reallypretty!! I know you are atdolphin but I’m pretty sure they are very similar!! You feel out of the bubble a little bit but you are making up for it staying at poly for second half of your trip!!! Plus with the bonvoy points it adds in you get like 3 cheap rooms in other places!! Yay!!!

 

[sapphirerose915]

My ADRs open in the morning and I'm agonizing over what to try for... they've changed up some of our favorites so we don't want to go there (BOG as the main one) and others are just hum drum... I can get at home type stuff.

feeling the same way!! Scared to make any ADRS for the 50th because I don’t want to miss anything during the day- then atEpcot I’d rather snack around the world... thenwe hope to do a 4-in-1 day so no time for ADRS that day! Really just for arrival and/or departure day... almost thinking of going full quick service unless we see something when we are there! Sounds crazy even reading what I just wrote!! I’m usually a dining plan girl that books at least one TS a day!! Yikes!!!

 

[Rick195275]

feeling the same way!! Scared to make any ADRS for the 50th because I don’t want to miss anything during the day- then atEpcot I’d rather snack around the world... thenwe hope to do a 4-in-1 day so no time for ADRS that day! Really just for arrival and/or departure day... almost thinking of going full quick service unless we see something when we are there! Sounds crazy even reading what I just wrote!! I’m usually a dining plan girl that books at least one TS a day!! Yikes!!!

I’m thinking the same about ADRs but I also want a table service to sit and get out of the crowds for a while. Do we think there will be schedule of events for the day beforehand? I have a couple different reservations booked waiting anxiously for some details.

 

[kylenne]

I’m thinking the same about ADRs but I also want a table service to sit and get out of the crowds for a while. Do we think there will be schedule of events for the day beforehand? I have a couple different reservations booked waiting anxiously for some details.

I plan to book Skipper Canteen for lunch that day, it’s kind of a tradition for us and we love it there.

 

[crazymomof4]

feeling the same way!! Scared to make any ADRS for the 50th because I don’t want to miss anything during the day- then atEpcot I’d rather snack around the world... thenwe hope to do a 4-in-1 day so no time for ADRS that day! Really just for arrival and/or departure day... almost thinking of going full quick service unless we see something when we are there! Sounds crazy even reading what I just wrote!! I’m usually a dining plan girl that books at least one TS a day!! Yikes!!!

We feel the same for our Oct trip. We usually have 6-8 park days and do a TS meal each day. But this upcoming trip is "parks light" for us- just 2 park days (MK and EP). So we decided to not use up too much of the day at a sit down. We're excited to snack around Epcot during F&W and carrying that over to our MK day. We have a list of snack-type foods we want to try/share that we've never had bc we usually don't want to "fill up" on those due to having a TS meal each day.
I love that we know WDW well enough to feel comfortable changing up the type of trip we will experience based on how we want to DO Disney on that particular trip! Never the same trip twice!

 

[kylenne]

We feel the same for our Oct trip. We usually have 6-8 park days and do a TS meal each day. But this upcoming trip is "parks light" for us- just 2 park days (MK and EP). So we decided to not use up too much of the day at a sit down. We're excited to snack around Epcot during F&W and carrying that over to our MK day. We have a list of snack-type foods we want to try/share that we've never had bc we usually don't want to "fill up" on those due to having a TS meal each day.
I love that we know WDW well enough to feel comfortable changing up the type of trip we will experience based on how we want to DO Disney on that particular trip! Never the same trip twice!

MK is really a “snacking” kind of park to me, though I was pleasantly surprised by how good LTT was when I ate there in July on walk up. I just hope snack places will be a little more regular with the hours by October.

I agree with you a lot about doing Disney differently too! This is going to be a very laid back trip for us, the weekend of the 50th notwithstanding lol. Not just because I’ve been so dang much this year, but because this trip more than anything is really about enjoying each other after so much forced time apart. We have so much time that we really don’t feel pressed to plan to the Nth degree like we usually do.

The walk up waitlist is such a game changer too. It’s the one way covid era disney is actually better IMO and I hope it never goes away. It allows for so much more spontaneity in a trip. I never thought I would eat at LTT before but I snagged it on July 4th on walk up and really loved it. I actually don’t see myself making many ADRs for this trip, just for our few “must do’s”. I did call Jaleo the other day to book dinner for 10/3 because they are participating in Orlando Magical Dining Month. We are big fans of Chef Jose Andres and have been dying to try it so we couldn’t turn down such a great deal.

 

[crazymomof4]

MK is really a “snacking” kind of park to me, though I was pleasantly surprised by how good LTT was when I ate there in July on walk up. I just hope snack places will be a little more regular with the hours by October.
I never thought I would eat at LTT before but I snagged it on July 4th on walk up and really loved it.

LTT used to be our go-to sit down for MK day but then Skipper Canteen opened plus we discovered The Wave (would take the monorail over at end of a MK day). So its been a while since we've eaten at LTT.
Can you believe I've never had a chicken waffle sandwich from Sleepy Hollow? That's on my list for Oct!

 

[crazymomof4]

To all my fellow Oct Trip Peeps!
What is currently closed but you are hoping to see reopened by Oct?

My list is:

~The DS boats to OKW/SSR
~Crews Cup Lounge
~Typhoon Lagoon (We prefer the theming over that of BB)

 

[kylenne]

LTT used to be our go-to sit down for MK day but then Skipper Canteen opened plus we discovered The Wave (would take the monorail over at end of a MK day). So its been a while since we've eaten at LTT.
Can you believe I've never had a chicken waffle sandwich from Sleepy Hollow? That's on my list for Oct!

Funny enough I was trying to get Skipper Canteen for dinner on the walk up but the app was bugging out on me every time I went to confirm it so I gave up and clicked on LTT instead. They sat me in Diamond Horseshoe which was a real treat, I was right next to the Wurlitzer! I actually plan to book it for our dinner on 10/4 since that’s Canucksgiving and it we won’t be spending it with her family like we usually do, I wanted to troll gf

I finally had that spicy chicken waffle sandwich at Sleepy Hollow that weekend too!! I will just say, it’s delicious but gets VERY messy and seating over there is rough because there’s not much of it. I would definitely have it again but try to take it elsewhere.

 

[crazy4wdw]

My ADRs open in the morning and I'm agonizing over what to try for... they've changed up some of our favorites so we don't want to go there (BOG as the main one) and others are just hum drum... I can get at home type stuff.

So, how did it go? Any issues? I can make mine this coming Sunday

 

[twinklebug]

So, how did it go? Any issues? I can make mine this coming Sunday

No issues, but I'm bopping about in the system looking at decent availability for a week out. I get the feeling I may be dining alone for the first few nights until DS and GF arrive (DD is saying she wants to take her vacation in August instead... but that is a wish riding on the wind), in which case I don't really want to have table service.

 

[Eeyore daily]

We make ours Sunday and I'm debating between booking a dinner reservation at LTT since that opened on opening day or just going with something else. Or just winging it since I'm sure the hub is going to be a pain to find a spot to watch the new show in so we might want to be there early for that.

 

[crazy4wdw]

No issues, but I'm bopping about in the system looking at decent availability for a week out. I get the feeling I may be dining alone for the first few nights until DS and GF arrive (DD is saying she wants to take her vacation in August instead... but that is a wish riding on the wind), in which case I don't really want to have table service.

Was hoping for an ADR for California Grill but it's closing temporarily on October 2 for 50th anniversary enhancements. So that only gives me two days to try for a reservation: Sept 30 and Oct 1. So I'm guessing that ADR is not going to happen.

 

[Rick195275]

Was hoping for an ADR for California Grill but it's closing temporarily on October 2 for 50th anniversary enhancements. So that only gives me two days to try for a reservation: Sept 30 and Oct 1. So I'm guessing that ADR is not going to happen.

What time and how many are you looking for?

 

[kylenne]

Was hoping for an ADR for California Grill but it's closing temporarily on October 2 for 50th anniversary enhancements. So that only gives me two days to try for a reservation: Sept 30 and Oct 1. So I'm guessing that ADR is not going to happen.

Oof, me too. I hope the closure is a short one but I doubt it. If Touring Plans doesn’t come through then we may go to Yachtsman instead since it’ll be much more convenient that weekend.