Our biggest WDW vacation yet (but with the littlest guests)- A May PTR! TR LINK 5/20!

[missjackiemcg]

All the characters are hitting me so hard in the feels! I used to always make Jimmy his own autograph books for our trips, and I would painstakingly make sure I had a page for every character we may even possibly run into for every park and meal we were doing. Such a labor of love, and those are my favorite keepsakes from him being so little.

The only time I've ever gone in May was for our EPIC trip, and it is one of my favorite trips ever, too! Spending my birthday at my favorite place (and celebrating at Hoop De Doo!) (and everyone singing HBD to me and @Steppesister at 'Ohana), my ears are teary remembering how incredibly magical that all was!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Hi Molly
I just found this and read all your posts! Wow your trip sounds exciting and very different for you! I know you always did mom and daughter trips. You will have a big party this trip!
Your niece and 2 nephews are absolutely adorable
You are staying at a couple of my favorite resorts! I love Gran Destino and POFQ.
Did you check to make sure the pool is open at POFQ. We were just there and the pool was a gigantic work zone. We were fine with this since we usually never swim!
You and Jake have to check out Dahlia! It is amazing. A beautiful lounge with wonderful views.
i love all the pictures from the Dis trip! I loved touring the parks with you! Like my adopted Disney daughter
I’m so happy to se you on the boards again and I love your reports!
Get that AP and travel with Susan and I lol
Have a wonderful weekend!

Hi Caroline!!! Thank you so much for joining along

So excited to stay at CSR and POFQ- I've read all about them in your TRs and I'm pumped to try out some new resorts this time Jake and I can't wait to try out Dahlia Lounge for a little date night I'm hoping the pool is open at POFQ- it says it will be closed through April so fingers crossed it re-opens on time!!

I hope our trips align soon so we can tour together again!!

That was my daughter last time, 5 years old and sobbing in the stretching room! But she said she'll try it this time because we've been watching POV ride videos. I hope she sticks to that! I'm also flabbergasted that there was a Doug show at MGM, I had no idea and would have loved that!

I was SO excited to see the menus posted! It was so hard to concentrate at work when I wanted to pour over those menus... I'm also excited to see the reviews come out but won't have too long before the start of the festival and our trip!

Ooooh, we loved that one in 2022!

Also loved this one, the pink sushi is so fun.


September! I've only traveled to WDW in January, June, September and November so far and September was by far my favorite, for similar reasons to why you like May. The weather was great, warm enough to swim but not too hot like June, and the crowds were so low. We didn't think the crowds were low at the time but after going in November, we saw a huge difference and suddenly appreciated the September crowds. We went in September when the girls were little but now we would have to pull them out of school to go in September, and we're not likely to do that (especially so early in the school year).

You'll have to let me know what your F&G faves are!!! I don't want to make a post yet until I see pictures- sometimes those make or break things for me! I'll think that something sounds amazing, then in the picture it looks gross, or vice-versa!!

September is such a love-hate relationship for me... I LOVE the lack of crowds, Halloween season, and the heat of the weather. But I think I'm sufficiently traumatized from hurricane season; we've had to experience two separate trips having parks closed/plans affected because of storms Looking back, it was a funny memory, but in the moment I remember being very stressed and upset, even in the weeks leading up to the trip because I was worried another hurricane was going to pop up just before our trip!!

Obsessed with this update! This will actually be my first time visiting WDW in May and this made me so excited. I think May will be closer to our summer trips which I'm lowkey excited for -- warmer temps and slightly lower crowds. We've been traveling in March only for the past few years, and while I love the weather in March most of the time, it can still be too cold to swim if it's cloudy and it can get chilly at night.



This is TOO real... you want me to wait 60 minutes for Pooh, that's fine. You want me to stand in a 20 minute line to check out at Emporium while there's a CM doing literal guest flow in there??? I'm going back to the resort to hide in my room.

I'm right there with you on the Flower & Garden love!!!! Totally agree on your assessment on the booth offerings -- I think the fact that soooo much fresh produce is a heavy focus of these menus is what makes everything seem a bit sweeter and lighter. I love Food & Wine a lot too but Flower & Garden just has a special place in my heart!

As always, you have the BEST photos. Love going down memory lane with you! That 2019 trip was literally epic!

YES that's why I love May!! March weather is absolutely perfect during the day, but I love doing night swims after a long day at the parks and it just gets to chilly during other months!

I read about your F&G must-eats on your TR! The cantaloupe liqueur soft-serve float also greatly intrigues me; I love everything melon-flavored!! I love how your dad has his list all typed out, that is amazing and totally something that my dad would have done too I have never really tried a lot of plant-based meat (although I do love frozen Boca Burgers when I want something quick for dinner), but I'm really going to try to branch out and taste some plant-based things as well. The plant-based biscuits and gravy from BrunchCot sound great!!

Just read through your whole PTR so far! I will be in there at the same time, also from WI!

My husband and I went last May but rushed through everything with my brother in law. I am so excited to spend more time checking out everything at Flower and Garden festival this year!!

Hi fellow Wisconsinite!! So happy to have you here Going to check out your PTR now!! That's awesome that we'll be in WDW at the same time I love long trips for that reason; you can tour at a slower pace, get all of your "must-do's" done, and also have time to stop and smell the roses and try new things too!

All the characters are hitting me so hard in the feels! I used to always make Jimmy his own autograph books for our trips, and I would painstakingly make sure I had a page for every character we may even possibly run into for every park and meal we were doing. Such a labor of love, and those are my favorite keepsakes from him being so little.

The only time I've ever gone in May was for our EPIC trip, and it is one of my favorite trips ever, too! Spending my birthday at my favorite place (and celebrating at Hoop De Doo!) (and everyone singing HBD to me and @Steppesister at 'Ohana), my ears are teary remembering how incredibly magical that all was!

Awwwwwww I love that!!! Mom of the year award!!! We still have our old autographs books stored away in my mom's linen closet They are fun to look back on and reminisce! There are some pretty obscure characters in ours, the early 2000s was a strange time for Disney movies

UGH I love the Hoop Dee Doo so much, I have been wanting to return back ever since 2019 and even briefly thought about it for my bachelorette as well as this trip!! We definitely want to go back but I think we are saving it for when the kids are a little bit older.

 

[Mollydolly334]

Booking Updates!


We’ve finally made some progress on some bookings- hooray!!

1. We made our first ADR!

One thing that I love about some of the Disney Springs restaurants is that they use OpenTable instead of the traditional Disney ADR system to book! This has really helped me in the past with getting large reservations. With OpenTable, you can book a restaurant 3 months out instead of 60 days like with MDE!

For May 11th, Jake and I decided to book an 11:00 AM brunch reservation for…


Summer House on the Lake! We figured that this would be the perfect time to try this new place out, since we’ll be waiting on Haley/Ryan/Evie/Ollie/Ethan/Nana to arrive! We’ll spend the morning at Disney Springs and have a leisurely brunch here before spending some pool time with the family at Art of Animation! This restaurant gives me more “adult” vibes and I think it’ll be great for a little brunch date just the two of us

The menu looks similar to Summer House Santa Monica in Chicago, and I’ve always really enjoyed the food there. The food has a healthier vibe with smaller portions, which I feel like is always welcome when you’re surrounded by greasy theme park food! I also LOVE their butterscotch oatmeal cookies, so I’ll probably grab one of those of course

That all being said, I’m not 100% sure if we’re keeping this reservation or not. As silly as it sounds, it will all depend on…



The Gideon’s Bakehouse cake slice menu Do you expect anything less from my major sweet tooth?? Back in July on my birthday/bachelorette trip, @paradesintherain so graciously bought me this beauty to have as my birthday cake…



A slice of Gideon’s peanut butter and jelly cake It was LOVE at first bite. This has sparked an obsession with Gideon’s cake; their cookies are pretty good and I always grab a couple of those as well, but they are not even in the same LEAGUE as their cake slices. I’ve only had the PB&J so far, but I want to try more flavors!
Now, I can be quite picky when it comes to cake. I don’t especially like chocolate or red velvet cake (team vanilla all the way), and I MAJORLY dislike cream cheese frosting. So, that eliminates a good amount of options. That being said, there are a few that I have been eyeing up that I really want to try…



Cookie Butter Cake- “Mega-soft vanilla cake covered in cookie butter buttercream and coated in Biscoff cookie crumbs”



Golden Oreo Cake- “3-layer vanilla cake that is smothered in loads of our special Golden Oreo buttercream”



Rainbow Cake- “Fluffy 3-layer vanilla confetti cake covered in our extraordinary multi-colored marshmallow buttercream and laced with our mega-crunch rainbow crumbs”

Have any of you guys had these three cakes before?? I need details!!

Historically, Gideon’s has 3 cake slices available for purchase per day (2 chocolate and 1 vanilla). So, in a perfect world, I’d be at Disney Springs all 3 days that these vanilla cake slices are available . If one of these cake slices are available on Saturdays in May, we’ll keep this brunch reservation at Summer House on the Lake and get to Disney Springs right at opening to put our names in the virtual queue.

However, if one of these cake slices isn’t on the Saturday menu (they release the menu at the beginning of each month), we might cancel this ADR. On our ADR date, I’m going to book a back-up breakfast reservation at…



Kona Cafe! Jake and I both adore the Polynesian and would really like to visit this resort again (I try to visit at least once per trip). If we’re craving some traditional breakfast food on this day, we’ll end up here instead. I’ve only tried Tonga Toast once back in 2018, but it wasn’t my favorite. I feel like I need to give it another shot!!



We also love that they serve Spam as an option on the side, and Jake can get one of his favorite Hawaiian dishes- a Loco Moco!

So! Long story short, we booked an ADR . One down, so many more to go!

2. We booked our flights!



We had been eyeing up these flights for awhile, but it feels so great to actually have these booked and ready to go!! Since we are all coming and going on different dates and from different locations, our flights are kind of convoluted. I’m super happy to say that we found lots of direct flight options, so no connections needed! That’s always a big stress relief for travel days.

Jake and I will be flying out to Orlando on Thursday, May 9th. I’m planning on taking the day off, but Jake will work from 9-11 AM. I will drive him to work in the morning, probably just grab breakfast/get my nails done to kill some time, and then drive to the airport to park the car/check my bag/go through security. Then, Jake will grab an Uber to the airport right at 11:00 (his work is about 25 minutes from the airport), quickly go through security since he’s just bringing a carry-on, and meet me at the gate!

Our flight leaves Milwaukee at 12:45 PM and arrives in Orlando at 4:30 PM. I’m hoping that we can grab our luggage and an Uber super quickly so we can be on Disney property as soon as possible, since we have places to be this evening! These flights will feel SO quick; the last time I flew, Jake and I were headed to Hawaii for our honeymoon which is a LONG travel day!! Nana, Haley, Ryan, Evie, Ollie, and Ethan will fly from Chicago O’hare to Orlando on Saturday, May 11th. They are looking at some early-morning flight options so they can get on Disney property as early as possible! They will also grab Haley and Ryan’s rental car when they land in Orlando.

Jake has a flight out of Orlando at 8:20 PM on Monday, May 13th. Then, when he arrives back in Milwaukee, he’ll pick up my car from the airport and drive back home. He was happy that he could book a later flight back so that he could soak up all of the Disney time on his last day! Myself, Nana, Haley, Ryan, Evie, Ollie, and Ethan will fly back on Sunday, May 19th. Our flight leaves Orlando at 6:50 PM and arrives in Chicago at 8:55 PM. It will be really nice that we’ll have lots of adults as helping hands for all of the little ones! Then, Nana and I will drive back to Milwaukee that night and she’ll drop me off at home. I’ll be SO excited to see Jake after our long 6 days apart!!!

3. We bought tickets!

Once again, something we had been eyeing up for awhile, but it’s such a relief to have these in-hand! Buying these tickets was also kind of a big deal because my mom actually paid for these as our belated Christmas presents Thanks, Nana!!! Haley, Ryan, and Nana went with 5-day park hoppers. The kids are free, so no tickets needed for them, woohoo!!! Jake went with a 3-day park hopper since he’s only joining us Thursday-Monday.

As for me, you guys have heard about my park-hopper vs. annual pass debacle. After much debating, I decided to go with…

A 6-day park hopper. I just could not justify the price difference between the two, plus, I don’t see myself going back to WDW within the year! Jake and I also just booked our hotel for DLR in October of 2024 (I’ll do a whole post on that trip soon!), so I don’t anticipate that we’ll do three different Disney park vacations within 12 months!! We LOVE Disney, but also want to see other parts of the world too

Just wait- after this trip is over, I bet I’m going to impulse-book another trip and hate myself for not buying the annual pass



I’m actually excited about having a little less park time than I’m used to. When I first started going to Disney as an adult, I used to hit the parks SO HARD, and now I feel like I’m in need of a change of scenery. On my most recent trip in July, I found myself craving more resort and pool time and really enjoying the time we spent away from the parks. This will kind of force us to step outside our comfort zone, do some resort touring, and try out some new places that aren’t in the parks!

I’m super pumped that we have these booked and reserved. Makes things seem SO much more real!! 77 days and counting until the memories begin

​

 

[jrmint427]

That’s so exciting to have flights, tickets and even an ADR booked!!

You'll have to let me know what your F&G faves are!!! I don't want to make a post yet until I see pictures- sometimes those make or break things for me! I'll think that something sounds amazing, then in the picture it looks gross, or vice-versa!!

I’m waiting for pictures too! And the reviews! Those help me narrow down my highest priority items. I made my family go though and pick favorites already haha. Except one family member who said the fun is walking around live to see what there is… not everyone is obsessive as me haha!

September is such a love-hate relationship for me... I LOVE the lack of crowds, Halloween season, and the heat of the weather. But I think I'm sufficiently traumatized from hurricane season; we've had to experience two separate trips having parks closed/plans affected because of storms Looking back, it was a funny memory, but in the moment I remember being very stressed and upset, even in the weeks leading up to the trip because I was worried another hurricane was going to pop up just before our trip!!

I forgot the Halloween party as another favorite part of Sept! But I hear you on the hurricanes especially after having lived in TX for so long. We had to start one of our road trips to Disney early because of an incoming storm and that was scary. It’s definitely a risk of traveling that time of year.

1. We made our first ADR!

One thing that I love about some of the Disney Springs restaurants is that they use OpenTable instead of the traditional Disney ADR system to book!

Woohoo! I love that too, I booked Jaleo super early and was glad I did because the time we wanted wasn’t available on my ADR day.

A slice of Gideon’s peanut butter and jelly cake It was LOVE at first bite. This has sparked an obsession with Gideon’s cake; their cookies are pretty good and I always grab a couple of those as well, but they are not even in the same LEAGUE as their cake slices.

Oh yum!! Okay I definitely have to try a cake slice this time around.

We LOVE Disney, but also want to see other parts of the world too

It’s a struggle! We want to travel to other places too but have also justified more Disney while our girls are young.

 

[alohamom]

One thing that I love about some of the Disney Springs restaurants is that they use OpenTable instead of the traditional Disney ADR system to book!

Oh my goodness, I didn't know this!
I have not been to Disney Springs for quite a while and it's been years since I needed to make a restaurant ressie there.
Thanks for this little gem of knowledge!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

A slice of Gideon’s peanut butter and jelly cake It was LOVE at first bite. This has sparked an obsession with Gideon’s cake;

Have any of you guys had these three cakes before?? I need details!!

We got the Key Lime Pie Cake last July when we were there. It was AMAZING!!! The cakes are so good!!! And honestly way better than the cookies! We can't wait to try another one this coming trip. I'll let you know what we end up getting but the PBJ Cake sounds right up our alley.

 

[ambula603]

That rainbow cake slice sounds amazing (marshmallow is my favorite flavor!) so I hope you get to try them!!

I didn't LOVE the cookies at Gideons but I am a sucker for cake, so changing reservations based on slice options is something I can totally get behind!

Yay for buying flights and tickets! Makes it all feel so close. My fam makes fun of me because I "print the internet" but I just love to compile all the confirmations into a folder and check them off. SOOO satisfying!

 

[Woth2982]

ow, I can be quite picky when it comes to cake. I don’t especially like chocolate or red velvet cake (team vanilla all the way), and I MAJORLY dislike cream cheese frosting.

Ok I am so glad to hear this confession, because I also cannot stand cream cheese frosting and I swear I get death looks for it! Solidarity sister! I am a very picky cake person too as I am a baker by hobby and make buttercream frosting from scratch, so I am super picky!

Jake has a flight out of Orlando at 8:20 PM on Monday, May 13th. Then, when he arrives back in Milwaukee, he’ll pick up my car from the airport and drive back home.

This is perfect! He will get a full day with you all on Monday and not have to rush around and stress on his last day. Having the car right at the airport is nice too. We did that one trip where Andrew came home and I went to New Orleans from Disney.

A 6-day park hopper.

Yay! This will be perfect I think.

I’m super happy to say that we found lots of direct flight options, so no connections needed!

I speak from experience, connections with babies is NOT FUN! I will do all I can to avoid it!

 

[missjackiemcg]

Yay for checking things off the to do list!!!!!! I am not a cake person, but I am fully intrigued by PBJ cake!!! I love that your dining reservation will depend on the cake slice menu. Guess you weren't kidding when you said you live for the sweets! LOL

 

[suse66]

i love all the pictures from the Dis trip! I loved touring the parks with you! Like my adopted Disney daughter
I’m so happy to se you on the boards again and I love your reports!
Get that AP and travel with Susan and I lol

Yes! One day you and your mom should come with Caroline and I. We would have so much fun!

Summer House on the Lake! We figured that this would be the perfect time to try this new place out, since we’ll be waiting on Haley/Ryan/Evie/Ollie/Ethan/Nana to arrive! We’ll spend the morning at Disney Springs and have a leisurely brunch here before spending some pool time with the family at Art of Animation! This restaurant gives me more “adult” vibes and I think it’ll be great for a little brunch date just the two of us

Sounds perfect!

The Gideon’s Bakehouse cake slice menu Do you expect anything less from my major sweet tooth?? Back in July on my birthday/bachelorette trip, @paradesintherain so graciously bought me this beauty to have as my birthday cake…

Those cakes look divine!

Jake has a flight out of Orlando at 8:20 PM on Monday, May 13th. Then, when he arrives back in Milwaukee, he’ll pick up my car from the airport and drive back home. He was happy that he could book a later flight back so that he could soak up all of the Disney time on his last day! Myself, Nana, Haley, Ryan, Evie, Ollie, and Ethan will fly back on Sunday, May 19th. Our flight leaves Orlando at 6:50 PM and arrives in Chicago at 8:55 PM. It will be really nice that we’ll have lots of adults as helping hands for all of the little ones! Then, Nana and I will drive back to Milwaukee that night and she’ll drop me off at home. I’ll be SO excited to see Jake after our long 6 days apart!!!

Spoken like a true newlywed...you two are the cutest!

A 6-day park hopper. I just could not justify the price difference between the two, plus, I don’t see myself going back to WDW within the year! Jake and I also just booked our hotel for DLR in October of 2024 (I’ll do a whole post on that trip soon!), so I don’t anticipate that we’ll do three different Disney park vacations within 12 months!! We LOVE Disney, but also want to see other parts of the world too

The Incredipass is SO expensive!!! Although I should have ponied up for one in August but at the time I really didn't think I would be doing three trips this year. Here's what I spent on tickets (UK ticket for August ~ $679 (included memory maker), 3 day hopper at Christmas ~ $551 and 5 day Canadian discount hopper for March ~ $615 for a total of $1848). An Incredipass with memory maker would have been $1648. Live and learn!

I’m actually excited about having a little less park time than I’m used to. When I first started going to Disney as an adult, I used to hit the parks SO HARD, and now I feel like I’m in need of a change of scenery. On my most recent trip in July, I found myself craving more resort and pool time and really enjoying the time we spent away from the parks. This will kind of force us to step outside our comfort zone, do some resort touring, and try out some new places that aren’t in the parks!

I really enjoy a balance of rest and park time. I can't take the open to close days.

 

[Mollydolly334]

That’s so exciting to have flights, tickets and even an ADR booked!!


I’m waiting for pictures too! And the reviews! Those help me narrow down my highest priority items. I made my family go though and pick favorites already haha. Except one family member who said the fun is walking around live to see what there is… not everyone is obsessive as me haha!

I forgot the Halloween party as another favorite part of Sept! But I hear you on the hurricanes especially after having lived in TX for so long. We had to start one of our road trips to Disney early because of an incoming storm and that was scary. It’s definitely a risk of traveling that time of year.

Woohoo! I love that too, I booked Jaleo super early and was glad I did because the time we wanted wasn’t available on my ADR day.

Oh yum!! Okay I definitely have to try a cake slice this time around.

It’s a struggle! We want to travel to other places too but have also justified more Disney while our girls are young.

Hahah I wish I could be that spontaneous on vacation I'm a planner through and through!!

It's always hard to find a balance between traveling to new places vs. the familiar! I find that I always get more excited BEFORE the trip for familiar places (like Disney), because I know exactly what to expect and get excited for!! But, with new places, I often feel more "blues" coming home!! It's like, "If only I knew what to be excited for, I would have been so much more excited before the trip!!" I especially felt that way about our first trip to DLR back in April. Before the trip, I was "cautiously excited" because I knew it wouldn't be exactly like WDW. But, it was amazing and exceeded every expectation we had, and I was SO bummed to go home and was in a funk for the next couple weeks about it!!!

Oh my goodness, I didn't know this!
I have not been to Disney Springs for quite a while and it's been years since I needed to make a restaurant ressie there.
Thanks for this little gem of knowledge!

Of course!! So happy I could help I was so excited when I learned this tip as well, it's been a lifesaver!

We got the Key Lime Pie Cake last July when we were there. It was AMAZING!!! The cakes are so good!!! And honestly way better than the cookies! We can't wait to try another one this coming trip. I'll let you know what we end up getting but the PBJ Cake sounds right up our alley.

Yes, definitely let me know!! I tried the Key Lime Chocolate Chip Cookie the last time I was in WDW and it was AMAZING- the perfect balance of sweet and tart. It was my favorite cookie I've ever tried there! (I've also had the classic chocolate chip, coffee cake, and pistachio toffee cookies).

That rainbow cake slice sounds amazing (marshmallow is my favorite flavor!) so I hope you get to try them!!

I didn't LOVE the cookies at Gideons but I am a sucker for cake, so changing reservations based on slice options is something I can totally get behind!

Yay for buying flights and tickets! Makes it all feel so close. My fam makes fun of me because I "print the internet" but I just love to compile all the confirmations into a folder and check them off. SOOO satisfying!

I'm a sucker for marshmallow too... the sweeter the better! I'm a little freaked out by the colors in that cake though- I don't want to walk around with a rainbow tongue all day!!

I've definitely leaned into my "Type A" as I've gotten older... lists are my lifelines; especially when it comes to work and travel!!

Ok I am so glad to hear this confession, because I also cannot stand cream cheese frosting and I swear I get death looks for it! Solidarity sister! I am a very picky cake person too as I am a baker by hobby and make buttercream frosting from scratch, so I am super picky!

This is perfect! He will get a full day with you all on Monday and not have to rush around and stress on his last day. Having the car right at the airport is nice too. We did that one trip where Andrew came home and I went to New Orleans from Disney.

Yay! This will be perfect I think.

I speak from experience, connections with babies is NOT FUN! I will do all I can to avoid it!

YES!! Soul sisters!! Buttercream frosting is one of my very favorite foods... I'm not even kidding, I can demolish a whole can with a spoon if I'm hungry, sad, PMSing... Jake and I have very different cake tastes, so we had to make some compromises for the wedding. He loves cream cheese frosting, but I hate it, so NO cream cheese! I love lemon cake, but Jake hates all lemon-flavored things, so NO lemon! We settled on 3 flavors: vanilla buttercream frosting over top with white cake and strawberry french cream, chocolate cake and chocolate chip french cream, and marble cake with chocolate ganache It made for the perfect morning-after breakfast!!

Our local bakery has the best buttercream, but the store-bought Duncan Hines Dolly Parton buttercream icing is also great in a pinch!! I'm very envious that you can bake so well- I'm too nervous to try what I see on TV and I'm worried I would mess it up!!

Yay for checking things off the to do list!!!!!! I am not a cake person, but I am fully intrigued by PBJ cake!!! I love that your dining reservation will depend on the cake slice menu. Guess you weren't kidding when you said you live for the sweets! LOL

Hahaha I have a major sweet tooth; it's kind of ridiculous!! Sugar is my vice... I don't really drink alcohol, don't smoke, don't partake in any illicit substances... but I love a good cookie, ice cream sundae, or slice of cake

Yes! One day you and your mom should come with Caroline and I. We would have so much fun!

Sounds perfect!

Those cakes look divine!

Spoken like a true newlywed...you two are the cutest!

The Incredipass is SO expensive!!! Although I should have ponied up for one in August but at the time I really didn't think I would be doing three trips this year. Here's what I spent on tickets (UK ticket for August ~ $679 (included memory maker), 3 day hopper at Christmas ~ $551 and 5 day Canadian discount hopper for March ~ $615 for a total of $1848). An Incredipass with memory maker would have been $1648. Live and learn!

I really enjoy a balance of rest and park time. I can't take the open to close days.

While I'm so excited that Jake is able to join for some of the trip (originally, we were thinking he wouldn't be able to come for any of it (), I know I'll be SO sad and he'll have major FOMO when he has to leave It's funny, sometimes I crave alone time and I enjoy having a day to myself when Jake is off doing other things. But then, like 3 hours into the day, I'm texting him like "Ok, I'm bored, you can come back now" Luckily, he feels the same way!!

Ahhhh shoot!! I'm worried about making that same mistake with the AP debacle. One thing that always makes me pause is the great benefits associated with an AP; I've gotten some AMAZING hotel discounts with it before. I remember back in 2019-2020 I was able to get CR Garden wing for $350/night, Riviera Standard Studio for $320 a night... those were the days!!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Smells That Remind Me of Disney World!


Hi everyone! Since you seemed to like my post about “Songs that remind me of Disney World,” I thought I’d do a spin-off on SMELLS!

If you read my Aulani TR, you’ll know that I am a sucker for good smells. I am a certified candle addict! Much like music, I have a huge emotional connection to scents. Oftentimes, just briefly smelling a certain scent will catapult me back to a place or feeling! These are my fave “Disney smells.”

Lavender Oil



Random one to start off the list! Back when I first started going to WDW as an adult, I did NOT wear the correct footwear and would end up with blisters a lot. Luckily, I have cracked the code on Disney shoes and don’t have that problem anymore- it was torturous!

One of my favorite remedies for blisters is lavender essential oil, since it is a soothing anti-inflammatory oil that actually encourages production of new skin cells! I discovered this on our 2016 trip, and would rub it on my feet every night. Every time I smell lavender oil, I’m immediately taken back to our beautiful Alice in Wonderland room at the Grand Floridian



Fresh Dew on a Sunny Morning



There are certain summer mornings where I walk outside… and I’m back in WDW The streaming sunlight at dusk, warm weather/humidity, and sweet smell of dew remind me of early morning park days!! I’m instantly taken back to those mornings where we are waiting for Disney transportation and SO excited to start another fun day on vacation And then… I get sad, because instead of hopping on a Disney bus and going to a park, I’m just getting in my car and driving to work

Cotton Candy and Popcorn



This sweet and salty combination reminds me exactly of Main Street USA and the Main Street Confectionary (one of my favorite places in all of WDW)! I have the taste palate of a child and am a sucker for cotton candy and anything cotton-candy flavored. I’m not a big popcorn person (movie theater-style buttered popcorn triggers my IBS), but at Disney, I always need to grab a handful at least once because it smells divine!

Disney Resort Lobby Smells (Riviera, Grand Floridian, Polynesian)



I love all Disney resort lobby smells, but these three are definitely my top scents!! Luckily, I have found dupes of ⅔ of these lobby scents!



This candle is a perfect representation of the flowery smell of the Grand Floridian!



And this candle smells exactly like the sea salt/spa-like scent at the Riviera!!

However, I’m still looking for an accurate representation of the vanilla/tropical/hibiscus smell at the Polynesian resort!! Has anybody found a good candle or soap for this??

Karamell Kuche



This store in the Germany pavilion at Epcot has always been an OASIS for my mom and I because 1. It is always gloriously air-conditioned 2. It has some of our favorite treats in WDW and 3. It smells AMAZING! On our September trips, we would always go in here to enjoy the AC and smells, and walk out with a couple snacks. My mom always gets the caramel popcorn, but I like to switch it up and try a new treat every trip! In July 2023, I tried the snickerdoodle cookie sandwich with salted caramel buttercream filling, and it was SCRUMPTIOUS!



Disney Water



This is such a distinct scent, but when it hits me, I’m immediately in my happy place. The slightly-chlorinated smell of fresh running water always reminds me of my favorite Disney ride- Splash Mountain (RIP )! There used to be a fountain at my local mall that smelled EXACTLY like Disney water, and I would pass by it repeatedly and breathe deeply on our shopping trips People were probably wondering what the heck I was doing

Orange Groves



Had to include this scent, of course! Oranges just remind me of Florida in general, so this is definitely a Disney scent for me! When Jake and I were at Disneyland back in April of 2023, we got to ride the old version of Soarin’ (it was temporarily available due to the Food and Wine Festival)! I teared up when this scene came on the screen; it’s so nostalgic! In my opinion, Soarin’ Over California is the superior version. I’m so sad that it will be leaving Epcot before our trip!

Breakfast Food



This is another random one! I’m not a huge breakfast person at home; I usually just grab some cereal/oatmeal, a bar, or yogurt and call it a day. Really, the only time I eat pancakes/bacon/hash browns/the works is on vacation!!! So, the smell of maple syrup and a big breakfast cooking always reminds me of WDW!

What are the smells that take you back to Disney???



​

 

[ambula603]

Ooh girl I love some Disney smells!! (Also, we have the same palate because I adore cotton candy!)

You haven't mentioned this one but we love Disney cruises. I tracked down the exact chemical they use in their cabins for smell and ordered it on Amazon. I am sure I found it on these boards. So when I spray it at home, it immediately takes me there.

As for WDW, I love all the resorts. But I also love the water smell in Pirates and Splash.

Honestly, the park could smell like garbage and I would probably still love the smell because it would connect me to my favorite place!

 

[Woth2982]

I love lemon cake, but Jake hates all lemon-flavored things, so NO lemon! We settled on 3 flavors: vanilla buttercream frosting over top with white cake and strawberry french cream, chocolate cake and chocolate chip french cream, and marble cake with chocolate ganache It made for the perfect morning-after breakfast!!

Ok we really are soul sisters because I also love lemon cake! My grandma loved it too, we would always make her a lemon cake for her birthday.

I got lucky, my husband eats basically anything. He didnt even come cake testing with us for the wedding. You did settle on some pretty good flavors though. The chocolate chip french cream is very intriguing to me!

Fresh Dew on a Sunny Morning

Totally agree with this. I love an early morning walk at a Disney resort taking in the coolness of it, plus the dewy smell.

snickerdoodle cookie sandwich with salted caramel buttercream filling, and it was SCRUMPTIOUS!

Adding this to my list of things I must buy come april!

Disney Water

THIS! It has such a distinct, awful smell, and I love it!

Adding in the smell of the MCO airport. I don't even know if it is intended to be scented, but I find it has its own scent and it lets me know I am instantly on vacation!

 

[suse66]

One of my favorite remedies for blisters is lavender essential oil, since it is a soothing anti-inflammatory oil that actually encourages production of new skin cells! I discovered this on our 2016 trip, and would rub it on my feet every night. Every time I smell lavender oil, I’m immediately taken back to our beautiful Alice in Wonderland room at the Grand Floridian

This is great advice! Will pack some for my trip!

This sweet and salty combination reminds me exactly of Main Street USA and the Main Street Confectionary (one of my favorite places in all of WDW)! I have the taste palate of a child and am a sucker for cotton candy and anything cotton-candy flavored. I’m not a big popcorn person (movie theater-style buttered popcorn triggers my IBSike the Poly lobby to me.), but at Disney, I always need to grab a handful at least once because it smells divine!

It is such a yummy smell.

However, I’m still looking for an accurate representation of the vanilla/tropical/hibiscus smell at the Polynesian resort!! Has anybody found a good candle or soap for this??

Magic Candle company has a Polynesian candle that smells exactly like the Poly lobby to me.

This store in the Germany pavilion at Epcot has always been an OASIS for my mom and I because 1. It is always gloriously air-conditioned 2. It has some of our favorite treats in WDW and 3. It smells AMAZING! On our September trips, we would always go in here to enjoy the AC and smells, and walk out with a couple snacks. My mom always gets the caramel popcorn, but I like to switch it up and try a new treat every trip! In July 2023, I tried the snickerdoodle cookie sandwich with salted caramel buttercream filling, and it was SCRUMPTIOUS!

That sounds delicious!!!

This is such a distinct scent, but when it hits me, I’m immediately in my happy place. The slightly-chlorinated smell of fresh running water always reminds me of my favorite Disney ride- Splash Mountain (RIP )! There used to be a fountain at my local mall that smelled EXACTLY like Disney water, and I would pass by it repeatedly and breathe deeply on our shopping trips People were probably wondering what the heck I was doing

Ok, the Pirates candle from MCC smells just like that! In fact, I was burning it and one of my sons (without knowing what candle it was) said Mom why does it smell like the Pirate ride at Disney?

Had to include this scent, of course! Oranges just remind me of Florida in general, so this is definitely a Disney scent for me! When Jake and I were at Disneyland back in April of 2023, we got to ride the old version of Soarin’ (it was temporarily available due to the Food and Wine Festival)! I teared up when this scene came on the screen; it’s so nostalgic! In my opinion, Soarin’ Over California is the superior version. I’m so sad that it will be leaving Epcot before our trip!

Ok I sound like a commercial now but I have the Flying Over Orange Groves candle that I just love.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Hi Molly! I love reading all of your trip plans as they sound so similar to ours - it will be different to travel to Disney World with young kids!

I absolutely understand your sister’s dreams of staying at the Poly for her kids’ first trip… that’s why I chose it! But yes, the rack rates are RIDICULOUS and renting points is the way to go. I think trying to rent points for so many rooms may have been tough, so I love your alternative plan of a tour of the mods (plus AoA!). I’m a big fan of split-stays and had no problem with switching between four different resorts on our 2015 trip. I’ve yet to stay at Caribbean Beach or POFQ, but both resorts look lovely. I think you’ll love your resorts!

I think we might be related - Disney food is one of my favorite things, too! We’re also planning on many character meals (almost all of them! ) so I’ll offer my two cents…

• Tusker House - I’ve been here for PPO breakfast several times and it’s excellent. I think we’re aiming for lunch this time around (although this one may hit the chopping block come trip time if we choose Boma dinner instead).
• Crystal Palace - I 100% agree - my favorite park breakfast! A must do!
• Chef Mickey’s - It’s not fine dining, but the characters can’t be beat. We’re doing this as our arrival night dinner for that reason - plus there are so many food options that surely we’ll find something that’s good!
• Garden Grill - I’m ridiculously excited for this meal, as the food is always well regarded and the characters are awesome (Chip and Dale!). I think we’re going to get breakfast to leave lunch open for F&G booths, but I don’t think you can go wrong either way here. I ate here way back in 2007 so I’m overdue for a return trip!
• Topolino’s. - I’m crossing all my fingers I can nab us an ADR - this is the downside of split-stays (as our best spot for this is our second day at our second resort). I think if you can get an ADR you should take it - I’ve read nothing but great things about the whole experience.
• Cape May Cafe - I’m least excited about this one, but it’s a solid choice for a final character meal on our departure day as we’ll be at BCV. (Although if by some miracle they bring back the Bon Voyage breakfast at Trattoria al Forno, I’ll drop this in a second!) I think CPC is fine but the characters can be found elsewhere and perhaps with cooler settings/better food.
• CRT or Akershus - I’ve been to Akershus for breakfast several times and loved it, but feel it may not be the same without the cold bar (which disappeared after COVID). We’re choosing CRT (which I’ve never been!) as eating the castle should be magical for my five-year-old.
• Artist Point - I loved their regular signature menu, but I’m pretty excited about this dinner. It seems to get rave reviews everywhere!
• ‘Ohana - Okay, we’re cheating, as we’re eating breakfast and dinner - but my daughter is VERY excited about breakfast with Lilo and Stitch. I hear about it frequently.
• Roundup Rodeo BBQ - I’ve debated adding this one to our plans, but have left it off (for now!). The food seems to be rated “okay” but the theming looks amazing. My main hesitation is the pictures make it so dark (although it’s apparently not as dark as it looks) and I’m worried it may be a bit noisy.

Overall, you have so many great choices… and ADR day is just around the corner! I don’t envy your need to make ADRs for such a big group but I’ll cross my fingers that it goes well for you!

I love your song and smell summaries! I listen to a lot of Disney Hits in the car (thanks, five-year-old!) so classic movie songs are my favorite… but when they play the Main Street Electrical Parade theme I get a big smile and start dancing in my seat immediately. It takes me right back to Main Street - I miss that parade! Also, I must get a candle (or five) from the company Susan mentioned…

 

[amazingact21]

Disney smells are such a strong trigger! I feel like all Disney adults are like, "The water. We miss the water smell!"
Your description of the morning dew definitely took me back to Disney mornings. I had actually never thought about that before, but you're completely right. There is a distinct smell in the air in the early mornings, especially in the warmer months.

My son swears the Magic candle Company Polynesian smells like the resort. But it's more like the resort pre-refurb. When the waterfall was still in the lobby. I do think their Banshee Flight one smells identical to the attraction.

 

[Mollydolly334]

Ooh girl I love some Disney smells!! (Also, we have the same palate because I adore cotton candy!)

You haven't mentioned this one but we love Disney cruises. I tracked down the exact chemical they use in their cabins for smell and ordered it on Amazon. I am sure I found it on these boards. So when I spray it at home, it immediately takes me there.

As for WDW, I love all the resorts. But I also love the water smell in Pirates and Splash.

Honestly, the park could smell like garbage and I would probably still love the smell because it would connect me to my favorite place!

Hahaha- I love your last statement because I literally thought the same thing!! Even somewhat bad smells, like hot blacktop/concrete, bring a positive response because they remind me of Disney

I didn't know that they also pumped in smells on Disney cruises!! Jake and I are always going back and forth on trying one out- we ALMOST pulled the trigger for October but chickened out last minute. I'm so worried that I'll feel motion sickness! I'm sure we will be brave and try one out at some point!!

Ok we really are soul sisters because I also love lemon cake! My grandma loved it too, we would always make her a lemon cake for her birthday.

I got lucky, my husband eats basically anything. He didnt even come cake testing with us for the wedding. You did settle on some pretty good flavors though. The chocolate chip french cream is very intriguing to me!

Totally agree with this. I love an early morning walk at a Disney resort taking in the coolness of it, plus the dewy smell.

Adding this to my list of things I must buy come april!

THIS! It has such a distinct, awful smell, and I love it!

Adding in the smell of the MCO airport. I don't even know if it is intended to be scented, but I find it has its own scent and it lets me know I am instantly on vacation!

Haha it's funny- Jake is pretty much only picky about cake He'll eat pretty much everything I make for dinner! But we clearly both have strong opinions about our cake

Oooo I'll have to see if I can find a distinct smell at the MCO airport!! That place just brings me happiness in general- I love the mosaic flooring, the fake-o-rail, and all the souvenir shops!!

This is great advice! Will pack some for my trip!

It is such a yummy smell.

Magic Candle company has a Polynesian candle that smells exactly like the Poly lobby to me.

That sounds delicious!!!

Ok, the Pirates candle from MCC smells just like that! In fact, I was burning it and one of my sons (without knowing what candle it was) said Mom why does it smell like the Pirate ride at Disney?

Ok I sound like a commercial now but I have the Flying Over Orange Groves candle that I just love.

Hmmm I'll have to check out MCC's candles!! I did buy a few of their air fresheners for Haley and my mom for Christmas this year. I gave them Dole Whip, Main Street Ice Cream, Caribbean Beach, and Port Orleans, and they loved them all! But I've never tried their candles before!!

Hi Molly! I love reading all of your trip plans as they sound so similar to ours - it will be different to travel to Disney World with young kids!

I absolutely understand your sister’s dreams of staying at the Poly for her kids’ first trip… that’s why I chose it! But yes, the rack rates are RIDICULOUS and renting points is the way to go. I think trying to rent points for so many rooms may have been tough, so I love your alternative plan of a tour of the mods (plus AoA!). I’m a big fan of split-stays and had no problem with switching between four different resorts on our 2015 trip. I’ve yet to stay at Caribbean Beach or POFQ, but both resorts look lovely. I think you’ll love your resorts!

I think we might be related - Disney food is one of my favorite things, too! We’re also planning on many character meals (almost all of them! ) so I’ll offer my two cents…

• Tusker House - I’ve been here for PPO breakfast several times and it’s excellent. I think we’re aiming for lunch this time around (although this one may hit the chopping block come trip time if we choose Boma dinner instead).
• Crystal Palace - I 100% agree - my favorite park breakfast! A must do!
• Chef Mickey’s - It’s not fine dining, but the characters can’t be beat. We’re doing this as our arrival night dinner for that reason - plus there are so many food options that surely we’ll find something that’s good!
• Garden Grill - I’m ridiculously excited for this meal, as the food is always well regarded and the characters are awesome (Chip and Dale!). I think we’re going to get breakfast to leave lunch open for F&G booths, but I don’t think you can go wrong either way here. I ate here way back in 2007 so I’m overdue for a return trip!
• Topolino’s. - I’m crossing all my fingers I can nab us an ADR - this is the downside of split-stays (as our best spot for this is our second day at our second resort). I think if you can get an ADR you should take it - I’ve read nothing but great things about the whole experience.
• Cape May Cafe - I’m least excited about this one, but it’s a solid choice for a final character meal on our departure day as we’ll be at BCV. (Although if by some miracle they bring back the Bon Voyage breakfast at Trattoria al Forno, I’ll drop this in a second!) I think CPC is fine but the characters can be found elsewhere and perhaps with cooler settings/better food.
• CRT or Akershus - I’ve been to Akershus for breakfast several times and loved it, but feel it may not be the same without the cold bar (which disappeared after COVID). We’re choosing CRT (which I’ve never been!) as eating the castle should be magical for my five-year-old.
• Artist Point - I loved their regular signature menu, but I’m pretty excited about this dinner. It seems to get rave reviews everywhere!
• ‘Ohana - Okay, we’re cheating, as we’re eating breakfast and dinner - but my daughter is VERY excited about breakfast with Lilo and Stitch. I hear about it frequently.
• Roundup Rodeo BBQ - I’ve debated adding this one to our plans, but have left it off (for now!). The food seems to be rated “okay” but the theming looks amazing. My main hesitation is the pictures make it so dark (although it’s apparently not as dark as it looks) and I’m worried it may be a bit noisy.

Overall, you have so many great choices… and ADR day is just around the corner! I don’t envy your need to make ADRs for such a big group but I’ll cross my fingers that it goes well for you!

I love your song and smell summaries! I listen to a lot of Disney Hits in the car (thanks, five-year-old!) so classic movie songs are my favorite… but when they play the Main Street Electrical Parade theme I get a big smile and start dancing in my seat immediately. It takes me right back to Main Street - I miss that parade! Also, I must get a candle (or five) from the company Susan mentioned…

THANK YOU so much for your opinions on dining!!!! I think we've pretty much decided on our list but have a few back-ups just in case we can't get those hard-to-get ADRs. If we can't get CRT- we're planning on 1900 Park Fare! The character list is very intriguing and the twins would love seeing all of those characters! We also have Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey's, Roundup Rodeo BBQ, and Storybook Dining on for-sure list Hoping it goes smoothly, but it's not the end of the world if we have to switch some things around! Disney with the littles will be interesting for sure!!

Disney smells are such a strong trigger! I feel like all Disney adults are like, "The water. We miss the water smell!"
Your description of the morning dew definitely took me back to Disney mornings. I had actually never thought about that before, but you're completely right. There is a distinct smell in the air in the early mornings, especially in the warmer months.

My son swears the Magic candle Company Polynesian smells like the resort. But it's more like the resort pre-refurb. When the waterfall was still in the lobby. I do think their Banshee Flight one smells identical to the attraction.

YES! There is definitely a "Disney morning" smell!! I get so sad when I smell it in Wisconsin- such a tease!!!

Both you and Susan recommended MCC so I'll for sure check that candle out!!

 

[Mollydolly334]

Real-Life Update- Florida Fun!


Hi friends! I thought I’d post a real-life update since I was up to some pretty entertaining stuff this past weekend. From February 29- March 3rd, I was on a fun little vacation to FLORIDA!!

??? No, not THAT side of Florida One of my best friends, Gabi, had her bachelorette party in Cape Coral, Florida (just outside of Naples)! This was a perfect getaway and SUCH a welcome change from winter-time in Wisconsin! Gabi and I have basically been sisters since 2006- that is 18 WHOLE YEARS!!



A fun throwback picture of the two of us at 12-years old during our middle school musical. @StarWarsMomofGirls! - the musical was Once On This Island!! I remember that your girls did this show too a couple years back??



We’ve sure changed a lot, right? This was a very special trip; Gabi was a bridesmaid in my wedding and joined along on my WDW bachelorette trip, so it was so cool to see the tables turn! Her wedding is on April 13th, and I can’t wait to play the “supportive bridesmaid” to her “beautiful bride” .

It was a whirlwind of a weekend!! Our group of 11 ladies was so much fun and more on the wild side- I am definitely feeling the residual exhaustion today .

We flew out of Milwaukee on Thursday 2/29 at 11:00 AM, and landed in Fort Myers at 3:00!





I got to sit next to Gabi’s older sister, Dani, on the flight there. She’s always so fun to chat with!

Once we landed, we picked up the rental car, drove to the house, and just spent the rest of the evening exploring the place. We brought some fun decorations and drink cups for the ladies filled with little goodies like chapstick, face masks, Advil, Liquid IV, etc. Gabi had her own white cup with a little starfish veil hair clip and a sash too





The house was the perfect size for us and had a fun pool with hammocks and a fire pit in the backyard! We made tacos for dinner, hung out by the pool, and also did a Publix run for the essentials (alcohol and chips)

The next day, we spent the whole day just hanging in the backyard by the pool. We had perfect weather and definitely got some sun! We played games, swam for a bit, and snacked on some fruit and charcuterie!





The lovely bride in her ring floatie!





Then, for dinner, we went to a fun tiki bar in Cape Coral called The Boathouse!









Our food/drinks were delicious. There was a fun band playing some live music and it felt so good to sit with our feet in the sand while looking out at the water. Afterwards, we hit up a couple bars in Cape Coral before calling it a night!



Gabi tried on all of our wedding rings, haha!



Me with Gabi’s mom, Gina- this wonderful lady has been a second mother to me for most of my life!!!

On Saturday 3/2 (our last full day), we headed to Naples for the day! Jake and I went to Naples back in May 2023 and loved it, plus Ryan’s parents live in Naples, so I was able to help with planning a lot on this day.

We had a brunch reservation at a restaurant called The 239 at 10:30 AM. Once again, the food here was AWESOME! I had Nutella-stuffed brioche French toast, and I’m not joking when I say that I’ll have dreams about this French toast for the rest of my life. It was THAT GOOD. They also had super fun mimosa flights here!!







We did a little shopping on 5th Ave South in Naples, then headed to the beach for about an hour. The weather was perfect again today; although it was overcast, the beach was nice and breezy and I took a great nap on my towel, haha!! We also saw two dolphins playing in the water



We got back to the house at about 5:30 PM, and spent the rest of the night just hanging out in the backyard. We ordered pizza for dinner and played some fun drinking games!! We stayed up way too late; this was a night with lots of laughs and silliness

We had an early flight back yesterday (Sunday 3/3) at 8:00 AM. There was a little snafu with our flight- this was our first time flying with Sun Country airlines. This is considered a budget airline, and we got great deals on our flights (I think they were like $70 each way, but it was also $40 each way for a carry-on bag). Our flight out to Fort Myers was great with no problems. But, on this flight home, we lost power on the plane about halfway through the safety spiel We ended up hanging out on the plane for an extra hour and a half (which did not have AC and was about 90 degrees), then deplaning for 40 minutes, then re-boarding and spending another hour back on the plane before finally taking off at 11:00 AM.

So, we were delayed about 3 hours. Honestly the worst part was the heat on the plane- we were all MISERABLE and people were starting to riot!! It could have been way worse; we landed at about 12:30 PM which is not bad at all. But, it still makes me pause about flying with Sun Country again. I promptly went home, locked myself in the bedroom, and took a 2 hour nap. I was exhausted and NEEDED to sleep off my extroversion-hangover

Overall, it was a perfect little vacation and just what I needed to tide me over before our WDW trip I had such a great time celebrating my best friend and the bride-to-be!


​

 

[suse66]

We’ve sure changed a lot, right? This was a very special trip; Gabi was a bridesmaid in my wedding and joined along on my WDW bachelorette trip, so it was so cool to see the tables turn! Her wedding is on April 13th, and I can’t wait to play the “supportive bridesmaid” to her “beautiful bride” .

Awww, so nice to have a lifelong friend by your side as you start a new chapter in your life.

The house was the perfect size for us and had a fun pool with hammocks and a fire pit in the backyard! We made tacos for dinner, hung out by the pool, and also did a Publix run for the essentials (alcohol and chips)

Sounds like the perfect essentials!

Our food/drinks were delicious. There was a fun band playing some live music and it felt so good to sit with our feet in the sand while looking out at the water. Afterwards, we hit up a couple bars in Cape Coral before calling it a night!

So fun!

Overall, it was a perfect little vacation and just what I needed to tide me over before our WDW trip I had such a great time celebrating my best friend and the bride-to-be!

Glad you had such a sweet little getaway with your friends!