Oh me, oh my! Are we really going to WDW in.....JULY!?! UPDATES TODAY 07/19 pg 30!!

[KristEn87]

Had to share some excitement! We got Mickey Mail today! Magical Express booklet came today! 38 days!!

 

[MegansMom]

Well, I had EVERY intention of posting an official update on my day off on the 17th, but there has been so much going on around here lately that it got delayed.....QUITE a bit! Luckily, the chaos and busyness have ONLY been good!!! I feel like there is so much to share, I have NO idea where to begin! I will JUST say this, there is going to be LOTS of HAPPY DANCING!!!

To start off, I found out the week of my day off that I GOT THE JOB AT MEGAN'S SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!

I am SO excited and so happy to have that matter simplified in my life! Megan can not wait for Mommy to be working literally right down the hall! I will be teaching 8th grade Language Arts and we will be on the SAME schedule....I am literally in H-E-A-V-E-N!!! We live only 10 minutes away---no more 45-minute car drives for me!!! YAHOO! There seriously is nothing I can complain about this position--I think it was just a match made for us!

Next bit of good news.........

We added MORE days to our trip!!!

We are now checking into a studio at Animal Kingdom Lodge--Jambo House on the morning of the 21st!!! We will actually be leaving our home on the 20th and driving through the day, but won't check into WDW until the 21st. We are going to spend those first two days together--just the three of us--exploring all our favorites at MAGIC KINGDOM!! We asked if she wanted to go to another park on one of the days, and Megs said,"Nope! I want to go to MK both days because I love it so much!" So you know what we did, we said "OKAY!" right away! Once we check in and get settled at AKL, we will head over to spend the rest of the day at MK on Thursday. We will also spend the entire day there on Friday too! LOTS of time on Friday.....do you want to know why?????

Well, first of all, it is an evening EMH night there that night. I know we won't make 2 or 3am, but since we are going to sleep in on Saturday and hang out at the resort until Allen and Nicole get there, we have already promised Megs we will stay there as late as she can stay awake. Do you want to start taking bets on how late that ends up being?!?!?!?

BUT, we ALSO are getting in to the park EARLY....BEFORE the park opens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY?!??!?!?!?!?!?!

BECAUSE I NABBED AN 8:05am breakfast ressie at CINDERELLA'S ROYAL TABLE....that's WHY!!!!!

You can NOT believe my utter disbelief when I realized I had just secured that reservation! I would have NEVER believed I could have secured that type of reservation this late in the game! We are all BEYOND excited!!!!!

And the OTHER reason we are doing HAPPY DANCING today is that we are now only 50 DAYS TO DISNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Megan and I are both out of school for the summer, so the next 50 days will surely pass quickly as we prepare for the trip. Thankfully, now I have NO other entanglements to get in my way--like school work, house work, preparing for my sister-in-law's shower that I hosted on Sunday, grades, closing out my classroom, meeting with the new school for next year, etc., etc., etc.!!!! SO now we can REALLY start the planning!!!!!

Speaking of which, I need to add to and organize my ADRs...that is my to-do for tonight. SO, how about an updated itinerary/ADR update tomorrow?!?!?!?!?!??!

Sound good to anyone????????

Stay tuned!

 

[Trentmom]

Hey. Glad to see you are back

Congrats on the job. That is going to be so great when you are planning vacations

Yay for more time at Disney and an awesome adr

Looking forward to your updated itinerary

 

[kschafer]

Jen, what wonderful news about the new job I know it's been a tough year for you and I'm sure this will releave a lot of stress in your life!! So happy for you!!!!!!

And also great trip news You have had a lot of excitement

 

[KristEn87]

Yey an update! Sounds like great plans! 50 days will FLY BY! We're at 30 days today and I want to start pulling out the suitcases. 3 more day of school for me then graduation next week and I am FULL on DISNEY MODE!! Can't wait to hear more!


P.S Congrats on the job...I'm still hoping to get an interview anywhere!

 

[jeremysdisneymom]

Yay Jen! You did have some great news!!

First, that is teriffic about your job. I am sure Megan will be so happy having you there. So glad it all worked out for you!

You added more days!!! Yipppeee! There is nothing like adding Disney days to a vacation. Oh you guys will have so much fun.

And a whole lot of dancing for the prime ressie you snagged. Megan will it! Jeremy was little when we went at about the same time. It was wonderful walking into an empty MK and eating in the castle. Plus, we snagged a table overlooking Fantasyland....awww ! Sure wish my BOY hadn't growed up on me and thought it was no longer fun to eat in the castle.

Yay for 50 days! The time will fly by. We hit 25 days today and I am super excited. Jeremy only has 3 more days of school and then summer vacation can officially begin at our house.

 

[IluvXU]

Congrats on the new job... same schedule and no commute sound wonderful to me!

Adding days to trips are always a bonus too!

Can't wait to hear about your days at AKL.... enjoy your summer- Friday is summertime here!

 

[micandminforever]

Your first two days sound wonderful. Congratulations on the breakfast at the Castle, I know Megan will love it.

Great news about the new school, being with Megan and close to home.

 

[moparop]

Oh Jen!! I am so excited to hear about your new job! What a wonderful set-up for both of you!

50 days is so close!! Time is going to FLY!!

 

[MegansMom]

Hey. Glad to see you are back

Congrats on the job. That is going to be so great when you are planning vacations

Yay for more time at Disney and an awesome adr

Looking forward to your updated itinerary

Thanks for having me back! I hate when LIFE gets in the way of DISing!!! I almost thought no one would still be sticking around here--so glad you guys were waiting! Now that summer is here, the shower is over, and my life is clear except for DISNEY, I have all the time in the world to plan this glorious trip!!! YAYAYAYAYAY!!!

Jen, what wonderful news about the new job I know it's been a tough year for you and I'm sure this will releave a lot of stress in your life!! So happy for you!!!!!!

And also great trip news You have had a lot of excitement

Thanks Katie!! I am so thrilled about the new position! My students at the school I am leaving made my last few days very tearful...they were all so sweet and sad about me leaving! It made the end very bittersweet, but I know it will all be for the best in the long run!

I was SO thrilled the day Tom came home and said we would be in the clear to leave on the 20th! It gives us just a little bit of family time at our favorite place before joining up with Allen and Nicole on the 23rd. I think it will help Megan so she doesn't miss that time with just us!

Yey an update! Sounds like great plans! 50 days will FLY BY! We're at 30 days today and I want to start pulling out the suitcases. 3 more day of school for me then graduation next week and I am FULL on DISNEY MODE!! Can't wait to hear more!


P.S Congrats on the job...I'm still hoping to get an interview anywhere!

Hey sweetie!!! Your next 30 days will fly by, and you know in my world, those suitcases are coming out right about now!! SO GO AHEAD!!! This is when it gets all too exciting!!! Congratulations on your graduation! I will be keeping all fingers crossed that you get an interview AND a job SOON!

Yay Jen! You did have some great news!!

First, that is teriffic about your job. I am sure Megan will be so happy having you there. So glad it all worked out for you!

You added more days!!! Yipppeee! There is nothing like adding Disney days to a vacation. Oh you guys will have so much fun.

And a whole lot of dancing for the prime ressie you snagged. Megan will it! Jeremy was little when we went at about the same time. It was wonderful walking into an empty MK and eating in the castle. Plus, we snagged a table overlooking Fantasyland....awww ! Sure wish my BOY hadn't growed up on me and thought it was no longer fun to eat in the castle.

Yay for 50 days! The time will fly by. We hit 25 days today and I am super excited. Jeremy only has 3 more days of school and then summer vacation can officially begin at our house.

Thank you for all the celebrations!!! May was SUCH a ridiculously busy/crazy month, but as you can see, busy with WONDERFUL changes going on all over!!! Megan could not possibly be MORE thrilled about the job---we almost can't wait until school starts again! (But don't worry, we would NEVER wish away the summer!!! SO glad to be on vacation, sitting here in my PJs, DISing while Megan sleeps in!!! Ahhhhhhh.....I needed this! So excited for you that your summer is RIGHT around the corner...and your trip is too!!

Congrats on the new job... same schedule and no commute sound wonderful to me!

Adding days to trips are always a bonus too!

Can't wait to hear about your days at AKL.... enjoy your summer- Friday is summertime here!

Hey sweetie!!! I have MISSED you!!! So good to hear from you! When I heard about the new Disney store opening at some point at Kenwood, I thought you, me, and Lesley should plan to go crazy at the grand opening together! I can't WAIT for that place to open!!!!!

I am SO excited about the new job...you now how much that is going to help me out in the long run!!! Megs is SO excited!

I have some good plans cooked up for our extra days!! Stay tuned for all those details! Hoping Friday comes quickly for you all so you can be on SUMMER VACATION TOO!!!!!

Your first two days sound wonderful. Congratulations on the breakfast at the Castle, I know Megan will love it.

Great news about the new school, being with Megan and close to home.

Thank you SO much!!! We are so excited about the extra days....I just could NOT get over the fact that I was actually able to still get that time!!! CAN'T WAIT!!!

Oh Jen!! I am so excited to hear about your new job! What a wonderful set-up for both of you!

50 days is so close!! Time is going to FLY!!

Thanks so much sweetie!!! This is the perfect set-up for our family. High school is my specialty (and I will miss that age group just a bit), but I do have experience teaching 8th grade, and will gladly teach them again in order to be in the same building with Megan. We actually will be RIGHT DOWN THE HALL from each other!!! EEEK!!!! SO excited!!!

You and I both know how quickly those 50 days are going to go...in a weird way, I want them to slow down just a bit so I can catch my breath and feel settled with this trip! SO much planning to do.....which will mean LOTS of updates!!! Stay tuned!

 

[MegansMom]

So I spent some time yesterday doing some ADR clean up. I had made so many along the way--some which I canceled, others we didn't need but never did cancel, and realized others that still need to be made. So let's review....shall we???

Wednesday, July 20: We leave our home to travel SOUTH baby!!! We will drive all throughout the day, but will stay outside of Orlando that night. NO ADRs needed/NO parks visited!

Thursday, July 21: We OFFICIALLY check in to the WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT when we check into our Standard Studio at Animal Kingdom Lodge--Jambo House. YES, we FINALLY made an official decision to just STAY at the Jambo House. Once we discussed it with Allen and Nicole, we knew there would be no better place for us. I am not going to worry too much about the busing...we have early reservations a couple days, and the rest of the time we will be heading out early too for rope drop, so hopefully the buses will work in our favor. We all wanted to stay at Jambo in the end for the fact that it is the heart of the resort--plus I think the boys liked the idea that it is connected to the CS and TS restaurants there...yes, they always go with their "guts!!!" Pardon my pun! Now I just need to figure out the best located standard view rooms, and put my request in for that! I am hoping that since we are staying in a studio before they get there, that we can just keep the same studio and get the one-bedroom unit attached to it when we check into our 2-bedroom on Saturday. Does that make sense?!?!?!

Okay, so after check-in, we are headed to our FAVORITE place....MAGIC KINGDOM!!! (Open 8am-11pm) It was so funny talking to Megan about where she would want to go on the two days we are there alone--at first she was very diplomatic...thinking she SHOULD go somewhere else on one of the days. But as soon as we let her know it was okay for her to want to do MK BOTH days, she didn't hesitate on begging for both days to be spent at MK!!! Of course we obliged! We don't have many expectations on this day...primarily because it is an EMH AM (which we will miss), so it might be a little SCARY crowded. I have forewarned them both, but we have decided just to enjoy whatever it is that we get to see or do. She has started asking to do BBB again, and we might actually do it this day in order to get away from the heat and the sun in the busiest time of the day. BUT, no reservations have been made yet, so we will just have to see!

Speaking of no reservations, I need to make an ADR for this day. We are going to do the dining plan for these two days too, but not sure where we want to eat yet. I feel like I have made reservations at almost every TS close or in MK so far for the remainder of our trip, so I need to review what we haven't hit yet--especially if it is something we have never tried yet!

Friday, July 22: This might be one of the days we are MOST looking forward to on the entire trip! We start our morning at MK (Open 9am-2am!) at Cinderella's Royal Table for breakfast at 8:05!!!! I still can't believe I snagged that time! We paid OOP for this already, so we are just considering it a bonus! Tom was asking me how long it might take us to eat there in the morning, and when I said I wasn't sure since they bring everything out "family-style," he responded, "Well, if we are still there at 9am, I will just run down and grab a FP for Peter Pan and come back up!" The man is a FP Master Possessed!!! He means SERIOUS business if he is willing to walk away from a plate of bacon to go grab a FP!

I need to make another additional ADR for later in the day/evening for dinner--still under review!

We told Megan since it is an EMH PM here this night, we would stay with her as long as she could stay awake. (We are sleeping in the next morning to wait for Allen's arrival). Since we will be up so early, I have a feeling, we still won't see the EMH!! Who knows though, she could prove me wrong!!!

Saturday, July 24: Allen and Nicole arrive this day, and hopefully we won't have to move around too much when we are moved to our 2-bedroom unit! We are SLEEPING IN--something I don't think we have EVER done at Disney--because we are just going to stay at the resort this day until Allen and Nicole arrive. We will probably be pool bums, until we get the call they are on their way via the Magical Express. Their plan lands around 11am, so my ME experts out there, what time SHOULD they get to AKL??? Just wondering--help me out if you know!

Once we get all checked in and taken care of, we are heading to MK (Open 9am-11pm)--the park requested by ALL of us to spend our first day together. We have a dinner reservation at Liberty Tree Tavern at 5:45pm. YUMMMMMMMMM!!!

Sunday, July 24: OUR ANNIVERSARY!! We will be spending it at DHS (Open 9am-9pm). We currently have two ADRs here, but I am pretty sure we will just be using the Mama Melrose's Fantasmic Dinner Package for seats into the show that night. Our first ADR is at Sci-Fi Dine In Theater at 11am, and our Mama Melrose's ADR is at 4:55pm. I think inevitably we will all decide NOT to pay OOP or use another TS credit for Sci-Fi, but I don't want to drop it just yet!

Monday, July 25: We are heading to EPCOT today!!! (Open 9am-9pm) We have two reservations here today, but they are both at the same place, just different times to give us an option to do a nice sit-down lunch to get out of the heat. Allen and Nicole REALLY wanted to try Nine Dragons, so we have a 12:30 lunch ADR and a 5:00pm dinner ADR here. I know they get a bad rap here, but I wanted to try to include what everyone wanted in the ADRs. If you have been there, I would LOVE some feedback about what it is like! TIA!!!

Tuesday, July 26: We are headed right next door to AK!!! (Open 9am-8pm) We start our morning out early though, because we have a breakfast ADR at Tusker House at 8:00am! The girls wanted to see Mickey, so I am sure they will be SO excited!!! I can TOTALLY see Tom heading out at 9am (if we aren't finished yet) to snag a FP to the Safari though!! We have two other ADRs for this evening for dinner...not sure if we will actually end up using either one though. We wanted some options, so we have a ressie at Boatwright's at 6:05pm, and also one at Boma's at 6:25pm. I chose Boatwright's because Allen and Nicole were interested in the cajun food on the menu, but we all thought Boma would be a good choice too since it was right at the hotel. We would have to either pay OOP for this meal, or steal another TS credit from another day, so I could see these being tanked in favor of swimming at AKL and ordering pizza that night! We shall see!!!

Wednesday, July 27: We are heading back for a full day at MK today! (Open 9am-11pm) We currently have two available ADRs--both for dinner: Kona Cafe at 5:00pm and O'hanas at 5:30pm. I am thinking about changing the Kona one to a lunch ADR though to give us some flexibility in case we want an option to get out of the heat. It will be SO hard though, because we LOVE O'hana SO much!

Thursday, July 28: This is our FLEX day. We have not designated it to any one specific park--we are going to let the girls decide where they want to go back to see. It should be interesting to see what we end up doing! So far, I have a ressie made at a MK restaurant and an EP restaurant, but I also need to add an ADR for a DHS restaurant. I doubt they will want to go back to AK...Megan's LEAST favorite park, so I think I will be safe with those three! Our ressies so far: Tony's Town Square 5:00pm and Tutto Italia at 5:20pm! Yes, a very Italian night!

Friday, July 29: Our last full day will be spent at MK (Open 9am-2am). We currently have two dinner reservations, but I need to probably change one to a lunch time to give us the options and flexibility of that break. Our ADRs are: Grand Floridian Cafe at 5:00pm and Whispering Canyon Cafe at 5:00pm.

Saturday, July 30: We will all be departing at some point this day. Allen's flight doesn't leave until 4pm, so I am sure MK will pick them up around 1pm--does this sound right?!?!?! We will probably just stay at the resort and enjoy our final day together...no ADRs needed!

Phew....review finished!! Okay gang, now tell me what you think!!!!

 

[MeMom]

So much good eating!

I'm almost willing to pay to stand at the top of the stairs and sniff the wonderful 'Boma aroma'. It smells soooo good over there!!!

Taking those lunch times to sit down and get a break from the heat will help the mood of the entire group.

I hope Megan decides she likes Animal Kingdom a little more with each visit. Magic Kingdom over and over with little ones is the way to go, though. When my friend and I take our granddaughters in October, we're only staying 5 days, and I think 3 of them will be spent at Magic Kingdom, as this is her granddaughter's first trip.

Keep up the fun planning! We're getting more excited at my house, too, as July 1 gets nearer and nearer.

 

[jeremysdisneymom]

Those plans look great! You have some good options for dinner. We did a lot of lunch ADRs last year and it really does help with the heat.

 

[KristEn87]

Sounds like I want to stick around and join you on your trip!

 

[teachermommy78]

Awesome plans!!!!! I'm hungry reading about them!

 

[MegansMom]

So much good eating!

I'm almost willing to pay to stand at the top of the stairs and sniff the wonderful 'Boma aroma'. It smells soooo good over there!!!

Taking those lunch times to sit down and get a break from the heat will help the mood of the entire group.

I hope Megan decides she likes Animal Kingdom a little more with each visit. Magic Kingdom over and over with little ones is the way to go, though. When my friend and I take our granddaughters in October, we're only staying 5 days, and I think 3 of them will be spent at Magic Kingdom, as this is her granddaughter's first trip.

Keep up the fun planning! We're getting more excited at my house, too, as July 1 gets nearer and nearer.

I know it is so much yummy food to choose from....I wonder if we are going to have some hard choices to make! But seriously, how could we go wrong?!?!?!

I think Megan's issue with AK is that we have such a good zoo nearby that the animal treks don't WOW her because we have similar things so close. She does like the shows, but misses having more rides to enjoy. The overwhelming heat just KILLS her, so she really just struggles there.

Your October trip sounds like fun, and JULY will be here before we both know it!!! Are you ready yet?!?!

Those plans look great! You have some good options for dinner. We did a lot of lunch ADRs last year and it really does help with the heat.

I think we are DEFINITELY going to need those breaks from the heat, so I have a feeling those will be used more frequently then the dinner times. I like the idea of touring during dinner time when some of the crowds have lessened because they are so busy eating!

Sounds like I want to stick around and join you on your trip!

Sound yummy??? I am SO looking forward to the trip....I know you must be getting equally excited!!!

Awesome plans!!!!! I'm hungry reading about them!

ME too!!! Good thing I typed this up this morning....reading through them now makes my mouth water!!!

 

[IluvXU]

Hey sweetie!!! I have MISSED you!!! So good to hear from you! When I heard about the new Disney store opening at some point at Kenwood, I thought you, me, and Lesley should plan to go crazy at the grand opening together! I can't WAIT for that place to open!!!!!

WHAT NEW DISNEY STORE?????? I had not seen this before!

 

[Trentmom]

Your plans look great

i think lunch adrs are the way go too, will really help with the heat

I am not a fan of AK either. It really feels like the hottest park and really hard to navigate too.

 

[MegansMom]

WHAT NEW DISNEY STORE?????? I had not seen this before!

Laura, I will go find the article I read the other day...it is going to be one of their new concept stores. I think it is going somewhere in or near the Kenwood Towne Centre. I will post it here when I find it!!! Up for some SHOPPING!!?!?!?!?!?

Your plans look great

i think lunch adrs are the way go too, will really help with the heat

I am not a fan of AK either. It really feels like the hottest park and really hard to navigate too.

I am reshuffling some of the ADRs tonight to 1. put in more lunch ADRs and 2. spread out some of the restaurants around MK to have some options available for the first two days of our trip. Will let you know how they change!!!

AK is DEFINITELY the hottest park there....H O T HOT!!!!!

 

[KristEn87]

Laura, I will go find the article I read the other day...it is going to be one of their new concept stores. I think it is going somewhere in or near the Kenwood Towne Centre. I will post it here when I find it!!! Up for some SHOPPING!!?!?!?!?!?


I heard it was going to be IN Kenwood and one of their new interactive type stores...Certainly can't wait!!