One month to go, time for the pre-trip report

[mdguy429]

Hey all. One month! 4 and a half weeks!!! Thirty days!! 20 working days!! 720 hours!! Any other time increment people can think of? I guess it's time to write my pre-trip report.

A little background on the trip. Around last December DGF and I concocted a plan to have a post college graduation trip to Disney World. While we were scheming, my mother said that, rather than do gifts this Christmas, she would like to do a family vacation. After all, I'm just out of college, my brother is now in college, how many m ore chances do we have? So when DGF visited for New Year's, we brought the subject up. My parents loved the idea. DGF talked her parents into the trip, so now it's a joint family trip. We've been dating for 3 years and we're fairly certain it's going to end in marriage, so this is a great opportunity for the families to spend a lot of QT together.

Cast of characters:
Me, 23 years old, originally from Long Island, now living and working in DC area
DMom, 49
DDad, 49 at the time of the trip
DBro, 19, wasn't too excited for the trip at first, but is thawing out as it gets closer
DGF, 22, originally from CT, now living with me, going to grad school at Va. Tech
D future FIL
D future MIL


Flight plans, ADRs, itinerary (maybe) forthcoming

 

[TKDisneylover]

Sounds like mom had a great idea. What better way to get to better know your future wife and her family! Glad to hear that your brother is warming up to the idea of going to WDW, of course you know he will have a great time.

Looking forward to hearing more about your trip planning!

 

[mdguy429]

We are recently escaped mental patients, and are going during the crazy week of December 26-31. Luckily, the past 5 years of riding the Washington Metro during rush hour has prepared me for large, often slow-moving crowds. I find that you should expect people to be completely in their own world, and work around that.

Anyways, we are waking up before dawn to catch our 7 AM flight out of Long Island/Islip. We're flying on Southwest. I've been flying SW often since I came down to DC for school, and I'm really impressed with the new number system. You mean I don't have to camp out on line as if the Beatles were doing a reunion tour? Sweeeet! Our house is 5 mins from the airport, so we don't have to leave till 5:30. Our flight is direct from ISP to MCO, about a 3 hr flight. We're using ME, so I'm estimating arriving at POFQ, our resort of choice, around noon. Is this being too optimistic? I figured two hours would be more than enough time for them to get us to the resort.

DGF, however, has a different story. They are flying out of Hartford at around the same time on US Airways. But, they are connecting somewhere (Atlanta maybe?). They are not doing ME, so their ETA at the resort is somewhere around 3 PM. Suckers! I know, I'm a mean BF.

I'm not sure what the travel arrangements are when we leave. I'm not concerning myself with that. For all I care, we can stay in WDW for the rest of my life!

I'm totally confused on what to pack. I spoke to a friend from college who lives in Orlando, and she said it can get up to the 80s during the daytime, but pretty chilly (40s or 50s) at night. So should I plan on packing both summer and winter clothing? I know with ME, I should pack what I will need until my bags arrive. I think that will just be a change into warm weather clothes and my bathing suit. I would do suntan lotion, but with the stupid security rules against liquids, can't do that. Anything I missed?

 

[camelotcats]

Bring Pajamas in your carryon, if you wear them. Also, a windbreaker/rainjacket.

Sachem, by any chance?

Sounds like a great trip!

 

[mdguy429]

Do you really think I would need pjs if our flight gets in at 10 AM? I've never experienced ME, but I can't imagine it would take 12 hours (probably the time I'll get to bed, if not later) for them to get the bags delivered.

I actually went to Bay Shore HS. Go Marauders!

 

[flea1267]

Hi, we'll see you there, my family and I are going to be at the POFQ from December 25 through January 1!!! So we are at 29 days, finally!!! Where you thinking about proposing? How fun!!!

 

[mdguy429]

Ummm, I don't think the proposal's gonna happen. My career is kinda up in the air at this point, and I'd rather be more settled in life before I make a commitment like that. I should probably take that off my signature, huh?

I love POFQ. Haven't stayed there (or at WDW at all) since I was 8, so I don't know if anything has changed. I remember loving the pool slide though!!

 

[mdguy429]

ADRs were a pain to coordinate between the two families. DGF's father is often away on business, so it was hard to get him to talk about the reservations. So my parents went ahead and made reservations, and DGF ok'd them based on what she knows of her parents' taste in food. Her mother is pretty picky and doesn't like seafood, so it was interesting.

So after a good deal of planning, here are our ADRs (for dinner):
Dec 26th: Boatwright's Dining Hall (POFQ)
Dec 27th: Portobello Yacht Club (DTD)
Dec 28th: Spirit of Aloha Luau (Poly)
Dec 29th: Biergarten (EPCOT)
Dec 30th: Rose and Crown (EPCOT)

We're planning on doing breakfast at the food court at POFQ and then lunch at a counter service place in whatever park we happen to be in that day.

We're also doing the Dining Plan.