Our 2nd Anniversary Disneymoon - Aug. 30 to Sept. 6! *We're home! 9/7*

[mommytothreeboys]

Congrats on FREE DINING!!! So exciting!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

I got it!!!

Ten minutes on the phone saved us almost $600!!! WAHOO!!!

It was really easy, I just kept losing cell phone signal (our building is terrible, had to go into someone else's office to do it!) but then it was done so quickly! I was just settling in to go on hold and I got a person! It was great!

I think maybe because I asked for "other" reservations? She was really nice, and even told me when I could book ADRs (June 1, which I knew, but it was nice to hear from her). I wonder if doing it at lunch was key...everyone is working so the lines are freer?

 

[Angela0917]

Yay for free dining!!!! That's great!!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

I am so much more excited about our Disney trip now. I think partially because I was thinking even after I booked the resort/tickets/meal plan that I would have to change it because of the free dining, but after the free dining came through...I know that things are set!!! It is so unbelievably exciting!

Anyway...although Passover is seriously coming right up (we have a big long list of things to do...) I am so excited that I wanted to start figuring out what I need to do next.

First, clearly, is book tickets to Orlando. I found flights from Chicago to Orlando for times we want pretty cheaply (one from Airtran and one from AA), but I'm not sure if I should wait until April 14 for Southwest's flights to come out. Anyone have any insight on flights from Chicago Midway to Orlando?

So...after that? I have to talk to DH about ADRs...where do we want to eat, and also, of course, the corresponding question about how much time in each park. I know it's probably one day each at DHS and AK, so that leaves three whole days and two half days (ish), since hopefully we'd arrive in the morning on Sunday and leave in the early evening on the next Sunday. And it is also attached to when we want to do the Keys to the Kingdom tour (which sounds amazing and I am very excited for!).

I also want to start getting a Disney binder together. I found a great list someone had posted yesterday, and I hope I bookmarked it. Otherwise, I will be spending some time just finding that list I think that will help me think about things.

I also keep thinking about special "disney wear" but I think I'm going to have to keep thinking about that one! Trying to think how to make it look "grown up" is kind of hard!

Anyway, anyone else have suggestions for things I am missing in my planning?

 

[stacikristine]

Congrats on free dining!!!!! That is so awesome! I wish I qualified...but we don't since we're renting points. But YAYAYAYAYAYYY for you!! That is great!

 

[HeatherBelle614]

Congrats on free dining! We got that PIN a while ago and that's what we used to book our trip. YAY!! It's a great feeling to get to start planning out all of your ADRs!

Make sure you call bright and early on June 1, though. I've been told it can be a bit difficult to get your top ADRs (especially, character meals) during FD because of the 90+10 thing. Many people over on the restaurant boards are having problems getting their ADRs set for the summer months, already. I hope it all works out! I'm going to be so stressed on June 4 when we can call!!

 

[disneygirlinnj]

Whew! Just read through your trippie! It sounds awesome already.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Magnolias! I live right outside NYC so whenever we're in that area we try to stop by and get some.

Glad to see you picked POR too. We're staying at POFQ and I'd love to hear about it when you get back.

I'll try to dig into my brain and come up with some good suggestions for TS meals that have great atmosphere!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

Congrats on free dining! We got that PIN a while ago and that's what we used to book our trip. YAY!! It's a great feeling to get to start planning out all of your ADRs!

Make sure you call bright and early on June 1, though. I've been told it can be a bit difficult to get your top ADRs (especially, character meals) during FD because of the 90+10 thing. Many people over on the restaurant boards are having problems getting their ADRs set for the summer months, already. I hope it all works out! I'm going to be so stressed on June 4 when we can call!!

:sigh: Yea, I have heard that too re: ADRs and Free Dining. We'll see what happens. We will have lots of backups, then! Maybe I will get DH to get up to do the bookings, since he so much more of a morning person than I am. Too bad it is a work day. I would get up early on a Sunday and book and then go back to sleep, you know? Oh well.

Whew! Just read through your trippie! It sounds awesome already.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Magnolias! I live right outside NYC so whenever we're in that area we try to stop by and get some.

Glad to see you picked POR too. We're staying at POFQ and I'd love to hear about it when you get back.

I'll try to dig into my brain and come up with some good suggestions for TS meals that have great atmosphere!

Magnolia's was awesome. I am also interested in trying Buttercup, since that is the "competition". I am so excited about POR. We talked about POFQ, but with the eating thing, POR made more sense for us. We will definitely tell all about it when we get back!

Thanks for the insights when you get them!

 

[Beka]

I found this website a while back on POR & liked it, maybe it'll be helpful
http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/dxl.html

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

More planning updates...

So, I decided to wait to book the tickets with Southwest if I can. I will do it from work on the 14th, so that's 8:30 central time and hopefully early enough to get a good deal on my dates. I just haven't heard great things about Airtran being reliable with keeping the same times, and I have never had any trouble with Southwest. So that's settled until the 14th. I also need to talk to hubby about timing. I.E. does he mind getting up early to get a good start on our vacation? Like, the 7:30 or 8:00 a.m. flight?

The thing that might make it okay is that we are also going to spring for a car service to bring us to and from the airport. It will most likely cost us about the same as the parking would at either airport, and I'd love to start this vacation out in a little bit of style.

Before we go, I want Mousekeeping envelopes and hopefully a few Disney shirts. I have a great line drawing Mickey one that needs an undershirt (holy see-thru Batman!) but I'm hoping to make more. I saved a few of the DISign threads here to look through, and maybe I will make a request or futz around with Photoshop. I'm hoping to do as much of this online as possible, unless I get to visit my parents since shopping for stuff is annoying with our schedule. Then again, I'll have a lot of the summer to plan as well! My schedule is SO much better during the summmer. But we are hoping to go to the beach (Lake Michigan) a bunch, so we'll see...

We are also planning on pre-buying the Photopass CD and getting that for the trip. We will plan the locations to use as well, so we can get as many of those pictures as we can. Since it's just the two of us on our honeymoon, it'd be great to get a lot of pictures with both of us in them! Especially the required castle pics and things.

Trying to think of anything else of the little details that has been decided. We still haven't looked at dining yet. It's just too time consuming with all the stupid things that have been going on.

Yesterday was monumental for making plans and God laughing...my husband's computer got a virus (and I spent all night helping him with it, but it now seems okay...) his work credit card got deactivated because someone STOLE the number from the company and we had to help our friend who was in town but got stranded by her hosts (unintentionally) and got her to her rightful place. Oy. Today, so far, seems to be going better.

 

[HeatherBelle614]

Our photopass CD was one of the best purchases we made on our honeymoon. We have some amazing pictures that we wouldn't have gotten if we didn't buy it; we pre-purchased everything and saved a little bit too. I'm not sure if they're still doing that deal. But, either way, it's a great thing to get!!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

Thanks Heather I'm looking forward to it

Argh, minor family crisis going on here. No details, but just keep us in your thoughts!

 

[mommytothreeboys]

I hope things are okay....thinking of you!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

We now have two family crises going on...one on my husband's side (his brother's girlfriend dumped him and he is taking it extremely badly and has a history) and today we got a call from my parents, and my dad has extremely early stage prostate cancer and he has to have surgery, but hopefully that will be all.

Thanks Missy for the thoughts!

I have been looking at menus for places, but there are just not enough hours in the day with everything that has been going on!

 

[DisneyFaeriePrincess]

Hey I just read your PTR I found off of mine! Sounds like you have a lot of stuff going on now. I will def. be keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. I hope everything turns out all right.

I've never stayed at POR but it looks nice so I hope you like it. As far as meals go, I'm not sure if California Grill has a kosher menu but if they do you absolutely have to go there. My family and I went there with for my mom's birthday last summer and it was by far the best meal we had. And seeing wishes was amazing!! I def. recommend it. Hope everything goes well with you and your family.

 

[stacikristine]

I'm sorry about your family crises going on. And I'll pray that everything goes well with your dad's surgery.

 

[WDWRocksMySocks]

I'm sorry to hear about the hard times your family is going through. You guys are definitely in my thoughts and prayers!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

Hey I just read your PTR I found off of mine! Sounds like you have a lot of stuff going on now. I will def. be keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. I hope everything turns out all right.

I've never stayed at POR but it looks nice so I hope you like it. As far as meals go, I'm not sure if California Grill has a kosher menu but if they do you absolutely have to go there. My family and I went there with for my mom's birthday last summer and it was by far the best meal we had. And seeing wishes was amazing!! I def. recommend it. Hope everything goes well with you and your family.

Thank you for the recommendation of California Grill! I think that will be a great option for us!

I'm sorry about your family crises going on. And I'll pray that everything goes well with your dad's surgery.

I'm sorry to hear about the hard times your family is going through. You guys are definitely in my thoughts and prayers!

Thank you to both of you! It's been a rough couple of days to say the least, but we are just sitting tight and hoping for the best!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

He's had his CT scan to check for spread now...still waiting for the results.

Apparently, BIL took visitors today, which was better than Friday. Still not going to work, but it is a step in the right direction.

I also took advantage of the bagsbuy sale yesterday and ordered a brown baggalini. Cost me $30 and I figured it would be worth the investment. Otherwise, I can return it if need be. It felt nice to do a little bit of planning!

 

[DisneymoonJess07]

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