The Redemption Reunion Tour - Mar 2025 (+2024 PTR) - (Updated 3/7 - Lightning Lanes)

[SimplyGoofy]

Where did our ADR go?!
a.k.a. Trip Updates and Frustrations

We’re getting so close… just 16 days to go!

The fact that we only have five characters left on the countdown chain after today blows my mind.

I thought I would include a general trip update to help unload my mental checklist.

Also, do I have a Disney dining story for you!

You may remember my update about finding a pre-party ADR for the Magic Kingdom fireworks after having to settle for the post-party back on my ADR booking day. I booked both of them online and then called Disney to adjust the ADR and get a refund for L’s seat.

Why Disney doesn’t have their dessert parties set up like Cinderella’s Royal Table where you can choose if your party members are adults, children, or infants is beyond me.

Anyhow, this process of booking and calling was annoying but worked just fine for the post-party ADR.

I’m sure you can see where this is going…

A week after booking the pre-party ADR I called Disney Dining and requested a refund for L's seat. The guy I spoke to seemed confused as she was listed on the ADR as a child, but I explained “infant” was not a choice when booking the ADR and I needed to include her*.

*This should have been a tip-off, folks.

He said he would refund the $59 for her seat and I should expect the refund in a few days.

Well.

I saw the refund for $59 come through.

And then the next day I saw another $59 refund as well as a $198 refund.

THEY REFUNDED THE ENTIRE DESSERT PARTY!

My heart rate went up by 50% and I immediately checked MDE. Sure enough, our dessert party reservation was GONE.



And no, I never received any sort of ADR cancellation notification.

I don’t know what that moron** did, but he sure didn’t process the refund correctly. Thank goodness I monitored my refund or I may not have noticed the issue right away!

**Okay, yes, this is unkind. I’m sure it was a training issue and the guy is not a moron. Nonetheless, if you don’t know how to do something then put me on hold, find out how to do it, and then do it CORRECTLY to save me loads of unexpected stress.

With our ADR gone and my stress level at an all-time high, I looked immediately to see if the dessert party still had availability. Thankfully for us (and for Disney, as I was HOT and would’ve called to complain) – there was!

I called immediately rather than dealing with an online booking mess again. And the lovely lady I spoke to easily booked us (again!) for the dessert pre-party.

What is it with this stinking ADR? Why is the dessert party being so difficult? Who knew I’d have to book it THREE TIMES to get this ADR?!



But, WHEW. Monitor your ADRs, folks, especially if you call to modify them!

In much more boring news, our other planning is going very well.

I’ve been an ordering fool and have SO many cute clothes for the girls. I’ve never been an outfit planner for myself (I do buy some new regular shirts and shorts for vacation, but that’s about it), but apparently all bets are off when it comes to my girls. I’ll be sure to include an update about their outfits once I receive the last few things!

I also did a Target run and an Amazon order to collect many of the last-minute things like sunscreen, hand wipes, and a new camera case. I also ordered a portable charger (which I’m already second-guessing – we’ll see if I order another one!)

I bought new sandals for M (she grew two sizes from last year!) and a new hat for L (which is adorable but she doesn’t seem to want to wear). I’m still debating buying a second pair of tennis shoes for me… nothing says “Happy Mother’s Day” like new Hokas, right?

I also submitted room requests, both through David’s Vacation Club rentals (where we rented points) and through Touring Plans. We’ll see how they pan out!

Finally, I’ve been getting L accustomed to the SlumberPod. I made the (horrible) mistake to try and rush her into it before our last vacation… BAD IDEA. Putting her in there and plunging her into darkness completely freaked her out. She wanted nothing to do with it and screamed anytime we went near the SlumberPod.

Don’t do what I did!

I took a step back and we started using the SlumberPod completely open for her naps. It took me twenty minutes and a few tears the first day, but it’s been getting better (with fewer tears) as the days go by. I don’t know if we’ll get to the point of fully zipping the SlumberPod, but I think the shading will still allow us to have a bit of light in the room during naps. She’s usually a great Pack N Play sleeper on vacation, so fingers crossed!

We only have a few tasks left to accomplish before I dive into packing…

• We need to pair our Magic Bands to our phones (and G needs to download MDE).
• I need to cancel our Orlando Stroller Rental reservation as we’re getting our rental stroller from Cast and Crew.
• I need to charge our devices and update the downloads on my iPad and M’s tablet.
• I need to create a grocery list and update the address for our Amazon Fresh order.

In other words… not much***! Yay!

***Except for packing. Oy.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Day 1 Plans
Thursday, May 23rd

Time to jump into the daily plans!

Today’s Plans
Travel to Orlando
Check-in to Polynesian Villas
Resort Time

ADR
Dinner – Chef Mickey’s

Our travel day will begin bright and early as we have a very early flight.

My husband and I will wake up before four o’clock to get showered and collect last-minute things. We’ll get the girls up before five, get them dressed, and throw them straight into the car.

We have a short 20-minute drive to the airport. Our airport is on the small side, but it is close!

G will drop us and the luggage off and then we’ll wait for him while he parks the car. We’ll check in and head through security (hooray for TSA pre-check!) and grab some quick breakfast. I’ll probably bring mini muffins and fruit bars for the girls in my carry-on as they’d prefer that to a breakfast sandwich. We’ll do one last bathroom stop before boarding around six.

We’re flying Southwest and I paid for Early Bird Check-In, so we should have no problem getting seats together on the plane. I realize we qualify for family boarding, but I’m used to EBCI and bought it anyway.

We have a brief layover before arriving in Orlando shortly after noon. I’m jealous of those of you who get direct flights to Orlando! (Now you see why we’re taking such a bonkers-early flight with small children! )

We’ll head off to baggage claim to collect our bags. This will be a new experience for me as I’ve bypassed MCO baggage claim for years thanks to Magical Express! R.I.P.

Around this time, we should hear from our town car driver. We hired Cast and Crew Transportation to take us from and to the airport and I’m ridiculously excited about it! I hope it won’t spoil me too much so I’m willing to take a shuttle or Uber in the future. Still, I’m very happy with our decision for this trip given our car seat needs. We’re also getting our rental stroller from them, which is very convenient.

With our noon-ish arrival and direct transportation, I’m hoping to be passing under this sign around 1:00:

We’ll check into the Poly (I still can’t believe we’re checking in at the Poly!) and leave our bags with bell services. I already did online check-in, but I’d love to confirm our room requests and get “First Visit” buttons for the girls. I also want to request they do our “room checks” in the morning so L’s nap is not interrupted. We won’t get room cleanings as we’re staying on DVC points, but I believe the room checks are still done daily.

I won’t lie – I also want the Hawaiian lei. Do they still give those out at the Poly?

Next we’ll want to grab lunch. I’d love to nab a last-minute ADR at Kona Café, but I think a meal at Capt. Cook’s makes the most sense for our family and stomachs. I haven’t ruled out ordering a bread pudding dessert to go, though!

I’m SUPER excited to eat at Capt. Cook’s for the first time after hearing such wonderful things.

I’m sure G will want the pulled pork sandwich, I have my eye on the Thai coconut meatballs, and M would love the kid’s chicken and pineapple skewers. I’ll also purchase one refillable mug – I’m the only coffee and soda drinker so a single mug makes the most sense. If M really wants a mug (she drinks water and milk and very occasional juice), we may cave and get her one thanks to that “we just arrived at Disney” excitement even if she can’t use it for any refill beverages. (She does drink lemonade sometimes, though, so maybe we could use it?)

Once our bellies are full, we’ll have time to kill.

I don’t anticipate getting into our room until after 4:00 as I know rooms are rarely ready early on the DVC side. We may need to find a quiet spot for L to nap (although she may nap on the plane or during our ride from the airport) and I would love to explore the resort. M may demand to swim once she catches sight of that Volcano pool - I plan to pack our swimsuits near the top of our suitcase, just in case.

This may also be an afternoon to try for Trader Sam’s! I know you can get drinks from the outdoor bar, but I’d love a chance to see the inside while we’re so close. We should be done with our lunch by 2:00 but I don’t know if G will be excited to stand in line for an hour on our first day. Perhaps I could stand there with L if she falls asleep in the stroller?

Perhaps we’ll also spot and say hi to @Newsies and her family as they’re enjoying a day of pool and resort time on our arrival day.

No matter how we fill our time (Trader Sam’s, exploring, swimming) I hope to get our room assignment around 4:00 so we can get settled before dinner. We’ll call bell services for our luggage and groceries if we’re not close to the lobby. It would be nice to set up L’s bed, unpack the toiletries, and set out our clothes for the next day before dinner.

Sometime in the 4 o’clock hour we’ll head for our first “ride” of the trip – M and L will get their first ride on the monorail to get to our first Disney table service meal!

M is VERY excited to ride the monorail.

Our destination is a new-to-me restaurant, Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort.

Although I love character meals, Chef Mickey’s has never been a draw for me. I don’t mind buffets (c’mon, my favorite park breakfast is Crystal Palace!), but the menu here never looked great. I will say more recent reviews look more promising and I think we’ll find plenty of good things to eat.

The main attraction, though, is the Fab Five. They are the perfect choice for our first character meet and greets!

They will be our very first autographs in the girls’ new autograph books:

Aren’t these adorable?! Looking for clothes took me down the Etsy rabbit hole and led me to purchasing custom autograph books. Of course, I had to buy the biggest ones available thanks to all the character meals we have planned. M chose the design for her book and I chose L's. I love them both!

M was pretty darn excited about hers:

(And no, that outfit was not staged for the picture! That's what she was wearing the day the autograph books arrived.)

I hope the girls (particularly M) are able to eat with the excitement of characters and finally being in Disney World. M is particularly excited to meet Minnie and I’m looking forward to seeing my main man, Goofy. Frankly, I hope I can eat!

Once we finish dinner, we’ll catch the monorail and head back to the Poly for an early bedtime. It will be a long travel day and we want to be well-rested for our first day in the parks.

Up Next: Day 2 Plans

 

[pkondz]

Sorry to hear about the pre-party snafu. Glad it got sorted.

 

[ambula603]

I love this detailed plan. A girl after my own heart! Deciding what you may eat and how you may cave and purchase things on day one...you are ready!

 

[vamassey1]

THEY REFUNDED THE ENTIRE DESSERT PARTY!

My heart just sunk too.

I called immediately rather than dealing with an online booking mess again. And the lovely lady I spoke to easily booked us (again!) for the dessert pre-party.

Now my heart feels better. That was scary.

We only have a few tasks left to accomplish before I dive into packing…

Not too bad, you're in the home stretch.

I won’t lie – I also want the Hawaiian lei. Do they still give those out at the Poly?

We ate at Kona's last month and I did see some leis outside where they check bags and inside on the 2nd floor as you entered. If they don't offer them, ask for them.

They will be our very first autographs in the girls’ new autograph books:

Super cute autograph books!

 

[kclark9830]

Day 1 Plans
Thursday, May 23rd

Time to jump into the daily plans!

Today’s Highlights
Travel to Orlando
Check-in to Polynesian Villas
Resort Time

ADR
Dinner – Chef Mickey’s

Our travel day will begin bright and early as we have a very early flight.

My husband and I will wake up before four o’clock to get showered and collect last-minute things. We’ll get the girls up before five, get them dressed, and throw them straight into the car.

We have a short 20-minute drive to the airport. Our airport is on the small side, but it is close!

G will drop us and the luggage off and then we’ll wait for him while he parks the car. We’ll check in and head through security (hooray for TSA pre-check!) and grab some quick breakfast. I’ll probably bring mini muffins and fruit bars for the girls in my carry-on as they’d prefer that to a breakfast sandwich. We’ll do one last bathroom stop before boarding around six.

We’re flying Southwest and I paid for Early Bird Check-In, so we should have no problem getting seats together on the plane. I realize we qualify for family boarding, but I’m used to EBCI and bought it anyway.

We have a brief layover before arriving in Orlando shortly after noon. I’m jealous of those of you who get direct flights to Orlando! (Now you see why we’re taking such a bonkers-early flight with small children! )

We’ll head off to baggage claim to collect our bags. This will be a new experience for me as I’ve bypassed MCO baggage claim for years thanks to Magical Express! R.I.P.

Around this time, we should hear from our town car driver. We hired Cast and Crew Transportation to take us from and to the airport and I’m ridiculously excited about it! I hope it won’t spoil me too much so I’m willing to take a shuttle or Uber in the future. Still, I’m very happy with our decision for this trip given our car seat needs. We’re also getting our rental stroller from them, which is very convenient.

With our noon-ish arrival and direct transportation, I’m hoping to be passing under this sign around 1:00:

We’ll check into the Poly (I still can’t believe we’re checking in at the Poly!) and leave our bags with bell services. I already did online check-in, but I’d love to confirm our room requests and get “First Visit” buttons for the girls. I also want to request they do our “room checks” in the morning so L’s nap is not interrupted. We won’t get room cleanings as we’re staying on DVC points, but I believe the room checks are still done daily.

I won’t lie – I also want the Hawaiian lei. Do they still give those out at the Poly?

Next we’ll want to grab lunch. I’d love to nab a last-minute ADR at Kona Café, but I think a meal at Capt. Cook’s makes the most sense for our family and stomachs. I haven’t ruled out ordering a bread pudding dessert to go, though!

I’m SUPER excited to eat at Capt. Cook’s for the first time after hearing such wonderful things.

I’m sure G will want the pulled pork sandwich, I have my eye on the Thai coconut meatballs, and M would love the kid’s chicken and pineapple skewers. I’ll also purchase one refillable mug – I’m the only coffee and soda drinker so a single mug makes the most sense. If M really wants a mug (she drinks water and milk and very occasional juice), we may cave and get her one thanks to that “we just arrived at Disney” excitement even if she can’t use it for any refill beverages. (She does drink lemonade sometimes, though, so maybe we could use it?)

Once our bellies are full, we’ll have time to kill.

I don’t anticipate getting into our room until after 4:00 as I know rooms are rarely ready early on the DVC side. We may need to find a quiet spot for L to nap (although she may nap on the plane or during our ride from the airport) and I would love to explore the resort. M may demand to swim once she catches sight of that Volcano pool - I plan to pack our swimsuits near the top of our suitcase, just in case.

This may also be an afternoon to try for Trader Sam’s! I know you can get drinks from the outdoor bar, but I’d love a chance to see the inside while we’re so close. We should be done with our lunch by 2:00 but I don’t know if G will be excited to stand in line for an hour on our first day. Perhaps I could stand there with L if she falls asleep in the stroller?

Perhaps we’ll also spot and say hi to @Newsies and her family as they’re enjoying a day of pool and resort time on our arrival day.

No matter how we fill our time (Trader Sam’s, exploring, swimming) I hope to get our room assignment around 4:00 so we can get settled before dinner. We’ll call bell services for our luggage and groceries if we’re not close to the lobby. It would be nice to set up L’s bed, unpack the toiletries, and set out our clothes for the next day before dinner.

Sometime in the 4 o’clock hour we’ll head for our first “ride” of the trip – M and L will get their first ride on the monorail to get to our first Disney table service meal!

M is VERY excited to ride the monorail.

Our destination is a new-to-me restaurant, Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort.

Although I love character meals, Chef Mickey’s has never been a draw for me. I don’t mind buffets (c’mon, my favorite park breakfast is Crystal Palace!), but the menu here never looked great. I will say more recent reviews look more promising and I think we’ll find plenty of good things to eat.

The main attraction, though, is the Fab Five. They are the perfect choice for our first character meet and greets!

They will be our very first autographs in the girls’ new autograph books:

Aren’t these adorable?! Looking for clothes took me down the Etsy rabbit hole and led me to purchasing custom autograph books. Of course, I had to buy the biggest ones available thanks to all the character meals we have planned. M chose the design for her book and I chose L's. I love them both!

M was pretty darn excited about hers:

(And no, that outfit was not staged for the picture! That's what she was wearing the day the autograph books arrived.)

I hope the girls (particularly M) are able to eat with the excitement of characters and finally being in Disney World. M is particularly excited to meet Minnie and I’m looking forward to seeing my main man, Goofy. Frankly, I hope I can eat!

Once we finish dinner, we’ll catch the monorail and head back to the Poly for an early bedtime. It will be a long travel day and we want to be well-rested for our first day in the parks.

Love the autograph books! Back about a million years ago (it feels that way) we made our autograph books with our girls. My mother-in-law had Stampin' Up products galore, and we went to town making the fanciest books . Good memories!

I hate that you had so much trouble with the dessert party rez! With any luck it'll be totally worth it. I hope to do the dessert party when we go next year. Fingers crossed!

 

[awrites]

I was debating it as so many people mention that it’s not necessary at AK… and then I read @awrites ’s trip report and her experience with long lines. No thanks! Considering we can skip the multi-park Genie+ and enjoy a lower cost, I think it will be well worth it to see all much as possible.

Yes, the lines got really bad! I think you’ll like having Genie+ at AK, especially with young kiddos! I hope you have a great time!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Sorry to hear about the pre-party snafu. Glad it got sorted.

Thank you. I never expected a simple request to become such a racket! Thank goodness there was still availability so a snafu didn’t become a disaster!

I love this detailed plan. A girl after my own heart! Deciding what you may eat and how you may cave and purchase things on day one...you are ready!

Thank you! I love hearing that other people also speculate about menus and plans before their trips - it’s nice that it’s not just me!

My heart just sunk too.

Now my heart feels better. That was scary.

Honestly, I about had a stroke. I had a hunch when I was on the phone that I needed to keep an eye on it - the guy I spoke with seemed hesitant and didn’t seem to understand my request (which was pretty straightforward!). I’m glad I watched for the refund(s) and thank goodness there was still availability! We could’ve made it work without the dessert party but I think it will make the fireworks that much better.

Not too bad, you're in the home stretch.

Thanks! I’m feeling pretty good with where we are! I’m glad I was on top of it and ordered all the clothes/autograph books/ears last month so I’m not frantically waiting for last-minute things.

We ate at Kona's last month and I did see some leis outside where they check bags and inside on the 2nd floor as you entered. If they don't offer them, ask for them.

Great! We don’t need the leis… but I think they’d be a great touch for our first stay at the Polynesian.

Super cute autograph books!

Thanks! I haven’t hassled with autograph books for years (not since my younger sister was eight - she’s 27 now!) but I thought they’d be a fun addition and souvenir for our trip. Plus, we have so many character meals planned that we’ll have no problem filling it!

Love the autograph books! Back about a million years ago (it feels that way) we made our autograph books with our girls. My mother-in-law had Stampin' Up products galore, and we went to town making the fanciest books . Good memories!

Thank you! Yes, it’s been almost 20 years since I helped my sister collect autographs. (Frankly, I was more excited about the autographs than she was - she’s never been a fan of interacting with characters! ) Your autograph books must have been amazing - what a labor of love for your girls!

I hate that you had so much trouble with the dessert party rez! With any luck it'll be totally worth it. I hope to do the dessert party when we go next year. Fingers crossed!

I’ve never had such trouble with an ADR! Honestly, you shouldn’t have much trouble as you don’t have to worry about the “free infant” for your dessert party. Booking the dessert party is very straightforward as long as you only have adults and children. The better news is the only one of the three that’s potentially tough to book is the Seats & Sweets - the post-party should be easily bookable on your ADR booking date and apparently the pre-party can have availability less than a month out.

Yes, the lines got really bad! I think you’ll like having Genie+ at AK, especially with young kiddos! I hope you have a great time!

I really appreciated your honest assessment of AK without Genie+! We’re planning to use Genie+ everywhere else… what’s another 50 bucks?!

I think Genie+ (and ILL) will allow us to see almost everything we want and eliminate the long waits and extra stress. And, thank you!

 

[amazingact21]

One thing's for sure, you'll always remember this dessert party. It has certainly left an impression on you all, and you haven't even experienced it yet.

I don't think the portable charger is a terrible idea. My phone is fairly new, and at home I don't need to charge it except maybe in the afternoon or after a long carride using the GPS. But at Disney, with constantly checking wait times or Genie reservations or taking pictures, my battery drains so quick! I always bring a portable charger to the park now.

Capt Cooks is a great first meal! And the perfect way to immerse yourself into the Poly.

If you do end up buying a second mug for M, she can always use it for other things back home. I mean, obviously a drink cup. But Landon used to use his to play Play-Doh, store colored pencils, LEGO minifigs, hairbands, etc. So even if it's just used for milk and water on the trip, I'm sure the cup will outlive its usefulness after the trip.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Day 2 Plans
Friday, May 24th

Today’s Plan
Magic Kingdom

1st Genie+/ILL
Jungle Cruise
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

ADRs
Breakfast – Crystal Palace
Dinner – Be Our Guest

Aaaah! Our first park day!

As hard as it will be to not go to Magic Kingdom after being so close the day we arrive, it will be downright magical to walk down Main Street again for our first full park day.

I’m running through these daily plans mostly for myself, but I’d love your feedback! If my plans seem crazy or completely unfeasible, please let me know. No guarantee I won’t try it anyway, but I’m sure some things and traffic patterns have changed since my last visit. Also let me know if there’s something I’ve missed!

Two other important things to know...

1. We will be daily rope droppers. My husband and I are early-risers (G is a bona-fide morning person and I’ve become one thanks to age and small children) and the kids should roll with this due to either excitement (M) or an easy-going nature (L). We also plan to take daily afternoon breaks to nap or recharge. The added bonus of the breaks is it will get us into air conditioning (or the pool) during the worst heat of the day.
2. We will be purchasing Genie+ for every park day. We also plan to purchase individual lightning lanes rather than mess with virtual queues.

Also, I need to give a shoutout to Touring Plans. I’ve adored the Unofficial Guide to WDW (it’s the best/only Disney World guide I recommend to others) and their companion site Touring Plans. I’ve used both for years and they’ve always been helpful. This is the first time I’ve used them for room requests (fingers crossed!), but my subscription helped me in another way… it gave me a heads-up about park hour changes!

I received an email last week that park hours changed for Magic Kingdom - MK was opening at 8:00 instead of 9:00 on our first park day.

Whoo-hoo! Extra park time!

We have an early breakfast ADR at Crystal Palace (my favorite park breakfast!) and our original plan was to head there first. After eating breakfast as quickly as possible (with two small children), we’d go back to Fantasyland and try to get on one ride before early entry was over and then “rope drop” Haunted Mansion.

With the park hour changes… new plan!

My Genie+ plan for the day is to churn and burn through lightning lanes in the morning but stack a few for our evening return. Our priority lands for the day will be Fantasyland, Liberty Square, and Adventureland. We will also try to explore Frontierland if our first roller coaster experience goes well.

With the early entry time change, now we’re going to leave extra early to catch the monorail for early entry. I’d love to grab a family picture on Main Street before heading toward Fantasyland. We’ll head straight to Peter Pan if we’re near the front of the crowd and to Winnie the Pooh if we’re further back. I’d also love to hit the Teacups if their wait remains low. Where’s the best spot to line up during early entry if your goal is Peter Pan? Or is there only one Fantasyland entry point and we’ll have to make our way through the crazy crowd charging toward 7DMT?

We’ll head to our breakfast at Crystal Palace as early entry finishes. We have one of the first breakfast slots which is usually my preference, but I’d love something closer to 8:15 or 8:30 so we could do one or two more things before lines get crazy. If I snag a later time we may line up to meet Tiana and Rapunzel at Princess Fairytale Hall as M will be wearing her Rapunzel dress.

We’ll enjoy breakfast with Pooh and the gang (character meal 2 of 8) and then head to Adventureland. With the park hours change I’m going to reserve our first lightning lane for Jungle Cruise instead of Peter Pan. We’ll ride Pirates first if the wait is short and then use our lightning lane for Jungle Cruise.

Our next lightning lane choice may be either Pirates (if not already done), Haunted Mansion, or a Fantasyland ride – whatever has a fairly close return time but a longer line than we’d like.

We’ll head back to Fantasyland to use our ILL for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - I’m going to try and book a return time in the 10:00 hour. This will be our “test” roller coaster for M – she can ride twice with our rider swap if she enjoys it. We're bypassing this first thing in the morning so M can ride things I know she’ll enjoy and therefore building confidence for the roller coaster.

Once we conquer 7DMT, we’ll make our way around Fantasyland and ride anything with a shorter wait or a lightning lane. We hope to eventually do everything in Fantasyland, but I know M is most looking forward to It’s a Small World, Journey of the Little Mermaid, and Dumbo. I’d love to see PhilharMagic.

During or after our run of Fantasyland, it will be time for lunch!

I’m a little stumped for lunch. I’ve always eaten lunch at a TS restaurant (or Be Our Guest when it was QS), but we’re doing breakfast and dinner table service meals instead. I’d love to try the cheeseburger egg rolls but that won’t fly for the rest of my family. I’m thinking perhaps Columbia Harbor House (G and M would love the salmon) or Sleepy Hollow (M lives for corn dogs and perhaps G would enjoy the chicken waffle?), but honestly, I’m stumped.

Do you have a favorite QS spot in MK? I know MK QS isn’t great, but surely there’s something that would work! We do not have any allergies or dietary restrictions, but G likes to steer clear of really greasy food and M can be a little picky (she loves hot dogs and French fries but dislikes other kid favorites like hamburgers and spaghetti).

I’d also love to catch the Adventure Friends Cavalcade on this or our other Magic Kingdom day as M would love to see all those characters.

After lunch, we’ll ride another attraction or two and then head out of the park for our break.

We’ll either catch the boat or the monorail back to Poly depending on what looks more fun. We could even ride the big boat across the lake (I haven’t done that for years!) and walk back to our Poly studio from the TTC.

We’ll get L down for a nap and the rest of us will either relax or explore. M may want to swim (that volcano pool and splash area look so cool!).

Once our rest is done, we’ll head back to Magic Kingdom.

If 7DMT went well and M is interested, I will get a lightning lane earlier in the day for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. If she’s still on the fence, I’ll collect a lightning lane (or two) for other attractions we missed that morning.

Around 5:30 we’ll head to the back of Fantasyland for a meal M is very excited about... we have a dinner ADR at Be Our Guest.

I LOVED Be Our Guest on my last few visits – I’d get the French Onion Soup and the mussels along with a dessert. It was the perfect amount of food and everything was delicious. I’m disappointed about the three-course menu (my mussels are gone! ) and the lack of meet and greet opportunity with Beast, but I’m glad M will get to see the inside of Beast’s castle. It is spectacular!

I’ve read dinner can take a long time but hopefully we’re done by 7:00. This will give us time for another ride or two before making our way out of the park. If we don’t have a lightning lane, we’ll pick something with a fast-moving or usually minimal line like PhilharMagic, the carousel, or the Peoplemover.

It will pain me to leave so early, but so goes the sacrifices involved with traveling with young children. We have another (very full!) park day the next day and I’d like to keep the crankiness to a minimum.

We’ll catch the monorail, head back to our room, and get everyone into bed for a good night’s sleep.

Up Next: Day 3 Plans

 

[SimplyGoofy]

One thing's for sure, you'll always remember this dessert party. It has certainly left an impression on you all, and you haven't even experienced it yet.

That's certainly true! Who knew booking an ADR could be such a rigamarole?!

I don't think the portable charger is a terrible idea. My phone is fairly new, and at home I don't need to charge it except maybe in the afternoon or after a long carride using the GPS. But at Disney, with constantly checking wait times or Genie reservations or taking pictures, my battery drains so quick! I always bring a portable charger to the park now.

Everything I've read indicates a portable charger is almost a must. I also hope to recharge our phones during our afternoon breaks, but an emergency charger should be helpful. Hopefully our Magic Bands also alleviate some phone battery drainage as we can use them for park entry, lightning lanes, and charging.

My charger arrived yesterday and I really like it! It's pretty small and plugs right into my phone.

Capt Cooks is a great first meal! And the perfect way to immerse yourself into the Poly.

I'm so excited to try Capt. Cook's! I can't believe I've never eaten there despite all my Disney trips.

If you do end up buying a second mug for M, she can always use it for other things back home. I mean, obviously a drink cup. But Landon used to use his to play Play-Doh, store colored pencils, LEGO minifigs, hairbands, etc. So even if it's just used for milk and water on the trip, I'm sure the cup will outlive its usefulness after the trip.

That's certainly true! I have two refillable mugs from prior trips and M has a kick drinking out of those. I just have a feeling the minute she sees me getting a mug that she'll want one, too!

 

[Newsies]

HI JENNY! I'm here! And I'm SOOOO EXCITED for you!

Just read this entire PTR and I really love it. I know this isn't your first rodeo or first time going to the Parks but the energy in this PTR is so much fun and it feels like I'm "discovering" a bunch of things alongside you as you navigate your first trip with the kiddos! Loving all of the commentary on how excited M is to stay at the Poly, go on different rides, and of course: the epic debate over whether she'll do 7DMT or SDD! LOVE that she's on the fence about those two coasters but wants to do Expedition Everest, that's my kind of girl!!!

All of your plans sound great so far, you are such a teriffic planner!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

HI JENNY! I'm here! And I'm SOOOO EXCITED for you!

Hi Kait - thanks so much for coming over and joining in!

Just read this entire PTR and I really love it. I know this isn't your first rodeo or first time going to the Parks but the energy in this PTR is so much fun and it feels like I'm "discovering" a bunch of things alongside you as you navigate your first trip with the kiddos! Loving all of the commentary on how excited M is to stay at the Poly, go on different rides, and of course: the epic debate over whether she'll do 7DMT or SDD! LOVE that she's on the fence about those two coasters but wants to do Expedition Everest, that's my kind of girl!!!

That’s so nice of you to say, thank you! You’re absolutely right that this journey is about discovering things - traveling with young kids to Disney World, not to mention all the changes over the past eight (!) years, will make this a very different trip for me! I am glad I’ve been previously and can rely on my knowledge (resorts, dining locations, older attractions) to make all the new stuff less overwhelming. My YouTube viewing and help from this forum have helped a ton, too!

M is definitely #2 in this house of “most excited to go to Disney World.” I think she will love both resorts but will be especially charmed by the Lilo and Stitch theming in our studio villa.

And yes, I’m not sure how the roller coasters will go! She loves to go fast (she flies on her scooter and I couldn’t spin her tire swing any faster!) but the roller coaster at our local amusement park completely freaked her out. She’s now quite cautious about roller coasters but quite excited about other “big” attractions like Soarin’ and Rise of the Resistance. We’ll start with 7DMT and then work our way up if she’s interested. I told her she does not have to go on any attractions, but once she’s in the queue she’s committed to try it.

Thankfully we’re visiting Animal Kingdom on our last park day so she’ll be able to build up her confidence before attempting Everest. She really wants to see that Yeti!

All of your plans sound great so far, you are such a teriffic planner!

Thank you so much! That means a lot coming from another terrific planner.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Day 3 Plans
Saturday, May 25th

First, I managed to move our Crystal Palace ADR… a whole five minutes. Apparently no one wants to give up their ADRs in the 8:15 to 8:30 time period! I’ll keep checking but even the extra five minutes helps.

Second, I wrapped up my travel gear acquisition! My last few things arrived including my portable charger (I’m a fan!), highchair covers (in case there’s a super grimy one that’s hard to clean with a wipe), and new primer to stop makeup from melting down my face in the Florida heat.

I also got a new-to-me product thanks to @jrmint427 's recommendation of Epsom salt – I found an Epsom salt foot rub that I can use instead of soaking my feet. Throwing on some lotion and socks in 30 seconds sounds more feasible given my children!

Onto our park plans!

Today’s Plans
Epcot
Magic Kingdom for Happily Ever After Fireworks

ADRs
Breakfast – Garden Grill
Dinner – Skipper Canteen
Other – Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Pre-Party

Genie+/ILL Priorities
Test Track
Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind (probably)
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (maybe)

Back when Disney surprised me by shortening the Flower and Garden Festival, Epcot was moved to our second park day instead of our fourth. I loved the Flower and Garden Festival during my last visit and was something I was looking forward to seeing again. My original plan was to go to Animal Kingdom, but Epcot won out due to F&G.

We’ll be up bright and early and grab a snack in the room before walking to the monorail. We’ll walk to the TTC and directly catch the Epcot monorail thanks to our prime location in the Polynesian Villas.

Somewhere in our morning rush I’ll book our first lightning lane and ILLs. Today’s priority is Test Track since we’re entering the front of the park. Depending on how the roller coasters go the day before (and M’s interest), I may book ILLs for M and I to try Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind. We’ll test it out for G so we can all do it on our second Epcot day. I may also book a last-hour slot for 7DMT at Magic Kingdom.

Our plan for early entry is to go the opposite direction of 95% of the crowd racing toward Test Track and Frozen Ever After – we’re heading to Soarin’. M is VERY excited about Soarin’ and I think it’s a great first choice for Epcot. We’ll use rider swap so M may ride twice.

The lines should be very short for Soarin’ that early in the morning so we shouldn’t have any problem riding twice before our breakfast ADR at Garden Grill. (This is the second reason I picked Soarin’ – it will be very convenient!)

I’m very excited about our meal at Garden Grill – I haven’t been there in more than 15 years! The breakfast fare should appeal to everyone (although I wish they still had the cinnamon roll skillet!) and M should be delighted by the character lineup. She has a pink Etsy shirt featuring Chip and Dale just for this breakfast.

After breakfast we’ll ride Living with the Land (we’re right there!) and then make our way over to Test Track. We’ll do a few more rides in Future World (err, or all those other names) such as the Seas with Nemo and Journey into Imagination before making our way into World Showcase.

The main goal of World Showcase is to explore and view the topiaries. We’ll grab lunch from various food booths as we work our way around. This is the only day we have to fully enjoy Flower and Garden – I’m sure some of the floral arrangements will stick around for a few days after the festival but I want my family to see as many of them as possible.

As for the food booths, there are so many good choices I’m not sure which to pick! The flatbread from Tangerine Café is most appealing to me, but I’ll have to look again at the booth menus to find options that will be most appealing to the rest of my family. I also don’t want to stand in too many long lines to gather food so consolidation may be key. I’m anticipating Epcot will be busy as it’s the final Saturday and the final weekend of Flower and Garden (plus, it’s Memorial Day weekend).

One thing I want for sure is the Violet Lemonade from the Pineapple Promenade booth. I missed this back in 2016 and I’m sure M and I would both enjoy it.

After taking in as much of the Flower and Garden Festival as we can (and giving our food a chance to digest), M and I will plan to ride Cosmic Rewind with our ILL while G and L play (perhaps in the Mission Space indoor playground by the exit?). If M is not interested in Cosmic Rewind I may save that for another day and concentrate only on family rides and flower and garden things.

We’ll take our afternoon break for naps/rest/swimming and then we’re going back to Magic Kingdom for the evening.

If we don’t need many lightning lanes after Test Track I may stack a few for our evening at Magic Kingdom. We may choose to re-ride favorites in Adventureland as it’s close to our dinner ADR at Skipper Canteen.

Skipper Canteen will be a new restaurant for me and I’m so excited to try it! I hope to order the “secret” cheese bread which most of my family should love. I may get an appetizer rather than a huge entrée (perhaps the cachapas?) and M will probably pick the steak. I’m not sure about G.

We’ll skip dessert as our next stop is the only ADR that’s given me heartburn – we’re headed to our fireworks dessert party!

I’ve done the dessert party on each of my last three trips and LOVED it. Back in “ye olden days” when I last visited there was only a single dessert party and it was about half the price. Although I loved being able to sit and eat desserts while enjoying the fireworks, I aimed for the pre-party so we could get a better full-on view of the castle.

My family are all huge dessert fans so I’m sure we’ll find plenty of fun things to eat. I know some don’t love the quality of the desserts at these parties given the price, but I’ve always found plenty to enjoy there. M will be pretty excited about the cupcakes and I bet L will eat loads of fruit. G will eat anything with chocolate.

After eating (likely more than) our fill of desserts and sweets we’ll make our way over to the hub for fireworks. We’ll park the stroller along the back fence and let the girls run around (as much as possible as I’m sure it will already be busy in there).

Once the fireworks begin we’ll hang toward the back and pick up the girls to improve their view. I don’t think our view will improve that much by rushing the front fence and I’m paying a ridiculous price for the dessert party so we don’t have be rightnextto dozens (or hundreds) of people.

Thanks to the recommendations here I have soundproof earmuffs for L and will bring M’s headphones along for a similar reason. I may even bring a pair of earplugs for my husband as he’s not a fan of fireworks booms either. I’ll bring them out only if needed.

I’m SO EXCITED to see Happily Ever After! I’ve watched it on YouTube several times to reduce my crying onsite, but I’m sure being there watching it with my family will be emotional anyway. I adored Wishes and was very sad to see it go, but I think I will love Happily Ever After.

Once the fireworks are done we may do one additional thing before leaving the park with thousands of our closest friends. M has mentioned her desire to ride 7DMT at night and this would be our best chance to do so. If she loves 7DMT and is still interested in a night ride, I’ll purchase a ILL early in the day for M and I to ride it at night.

Then it will be back to our resort for a well-deserved night of sleep!

Up Next: Day 4 Plans

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Day 4 Plans
Sunday, May 26th

Today’s Plans
Resort Day
Swimming at the Volcano Pool
Exploring Wilderness Lodge

ADRs
Breakfast – ‘Ohana
Dinner – Storybook Dining at Artist Point

When constructing our daily plans, I made sure any late night was followed by a lazy morning. (Well, lazy for us!)

My girls usually go to bed between 7:30-8:00 and that doesn’t work well with nighttime spectaculars. We’re going to brave them anyway as M (not to mention me!) is very excited to see both the Magic Kingdom fireworks and Fastasmic. Therefore, our schedule is two park days followed by a rest day for the whole trip. I hope this will help keep the kids (and the adults!) from getting too exhausted.

The rest days are important to give the girls a chance to sleep in (a bit) and give all of us a chance to enjoy the pool and explore our resorts. I booked them for their transportation ease, but I want to take advantage of their awesome amenities, too!

We’ll sleep in a bit this morning before our first scheduled activity of the day – breakfast with Lilo and Stitch at ‘Ohana.

I tried the ‘Ohana breakfast back in 2012. I thought it was good but prefer Kona as I think the food is better (and less pricey). But I’m all about the character meals this trip and this is our best (and only) chance for M to meet Lilo and Stitch. So, ‘Ohana it is!

I’m excited to eat the pineapple bread and drink the POG juice. I may also pay extra for the Kona coffee – it’s delicious! L will eat most of our eggs (she LOVES eggs) and M is looking forward to the Stitch waffles.

I hope we get a better Lilo and Stitch than I had last time – Mickey and Pluto were great but Lilo (and especially Stitch) were pretty lackluster. I know character interactions vary a ton but I’m hoping they’re above-average for M’s sake.

After breakfast, we plan to spend the whole morning and early afternoon at the pool. The pool looks spectacular and I think both girls will adore the splash area. I’d love to try the waterslide – we’ll see if M chooses to brave it with me.

Our plans for lunch are to grab QS from Capt. Cook’s – this is my best chance to try the semi-famous pulled pork nachos! A Dole whip may also be necessary.

L will nap in the afternoon and M may enjoy doing an activity or two around the resort. This is also our next-best chance to experience Trader Sam’s. I’d love to see the inside and experience all the effects!

After our low-key afternoon, we’ll either grab a Minnie Van (they look so fun!) or enjoy a boat ride or two to get to the Wilderness Lodge. My national park-loving husband should enjoy the ambiance of the Wilderness Lodge – I’d love to stay there again someday as I think my whole family will be fans.

Our dinner spot is the very popular Storybook Dining at Artist Point.

I adored the original Artist Point. It was quiet and charming, and the food was spectacular. I was pretty salty when they changed the concept from fine dining to a character meal.

Still, I do love to visit the Wilderness Lodge and the multitude of positive reviews won me over. The food still sounds very good and the chance to interact with two of the dwarfs (and the Evil Queen!) sounds too good to pass up.

I’m so torn on what to order here! I love beef stroganoff, but the pork shank also sounds delicious. I’m sure G will order either the pork shank or the prime rib. I’m also VERY excited to have the mushroom bisque – it was my favorite appetizer at the original Artist Point. I may get all the soup to myself as neither G nor M like mushrooms!

The other appetizers and desserts all look excellent. M will love the shrimp cocktail and everyone will like the panna cotta and chocolates.

M is pretty excited to meet Snow White (I found a cute Snow White sundress for her) and the dwarfs. I’m unsure if I’ll be the only one speaking to the Evil Queen, but I’m looking forward to it nonetheless!

We’ll do some additional wandering around the Wilderness Lodge before heading back to the Polynesian for bed. We have another big Magic Kingdom day ahead of us!

Up Next: Day 5 Plans

 

[pkondz]

My last few things arrived including my portable charger (I’m a fan!)

Jenny->

 

[MrsK53113]

Do you have a favorite QS spot in MK?

Hey there! Have you looked into or have any thoughts about Pecos Bill over in Frontierland? I really enjoyed it the last time I was there and they have a pretty decent selection of food, even for the littles. It's more of a Mexican type menu, but I like that it's got different offerings to the more fried food options elsewhere. They have rice bowls, tacos, fajitas, etc. If your daughter doesn't like the normal foods like mac and cheese or burgers, they do offer PB&J uncrustables. Plus, they currently have on their menu mini churros for dessert with chocolate dipping sauce!

 

[vamassey1]

Wow, you've been busy.

So many great plans. I can't wait to see how it all turns out. I know a lot depends on home M does with all the roller coasters. I think you'll have a blast no matter what.

When we stayed at WL in December, JP really enjoyed looking for Chip n Dale. I think all the resorts have a character find now. It would be a great activity for M. The activities staff hide the character everyday. You have to look during the time periods they are there at the resort. We missed it on our MK day due to leaving early and coming back too late. JP was very disappointed he missed it that day. He was awarded a prize at the end of our visit.

 

[diznynut]

I am loving your pre-trip report. We were just there back in March after a very long hiatus. Flower and Garden is one of my favorite times of the year to visit. Christmas is my top favorite and then of course fall. The topiaries are amazing as usual. If M likes Encanto, she will love that one. I really enjoy them all. The violet desert lemonade has been a favorite of mine since having it the last time we visited. I have since cut out a lot of sugar in my diet so did not get it this year. It looked amazing though. As for lunch at MK, we really enjoy CHH. Both the salmon and shrimp were good. I can't wait to hear about Skippers Canteen. I totally forgot about it when we visited. Hope this helps some.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Jenny->
View attachment 858324

Hey there! Have you looked into or have any thoughts about Pecos Bill over in Frontierland? I really enjoyed it the last time I was there and they have a pretty decent selection of food, even for the littles. It's more of a Mexican type menu, but I like that it's got different offerings to the more fried food options elsewhere. They have rice bowls, tacos, fajitas, etc. If your daughter doesn't like the normal foods like mac and cheese or burgers, they do offer PB&J uncrustables. Plus, they currently have on their menu mini churros for dessert with chocolate dipping sauce!

Hello (and welcome, I believe?)!

Pecos Bills is on my short list, even though I didn’t mention it here. My family always enjoys Mexican food (hence why we’re eating at La Hacienda instead of Le Cellier or Chefs de France at Epcot) and we should all be able to find something we’d like. Options other than fried food is a definite plus and an advantage over Columbia Harbor House (I miss the sandwiches they used to have!). And wow, I didn’t realize they had Uncrustables! That may be perfect as M eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich almost every day!

Thanks so much for your idea and clueing me in to the Uncrustable availability!

Wow, you've been busy.

So many great plans. I can't wait to see how it all turns out. I know a lot depends on home M does with all the roller coasters. I think you'll have a blast no matter what.

Yes, I have several things I want to add to this PTR and only TEN DAYS to go!

I’m sure several of my plans won’t shake out, but it makes me feel better to go in with a general idea of what we want to aim for each day. I also want to do some wandering and spontaneous things as many of my favorite trip moments come from the unplanned things.

When we stayed at WL in December, JP really enjoyed looking for Chip n Dale. I think all the resorts have a character find now. It would be a great activity for M. The activities staff hide the character everyday. You have to look during the time periods they are there at the resort. We missed it on our MK day due to leaving early and coming back too late. JP was very disappointed he missed it that day. He was awarded a prize at the end of our visit.

That’s great to know - thank you! I’ll have to ask about that as M would love a scavenger hunt! Just yesterday she had my mom trooping around outside on a scavenger hunt - Mom didn’t know what she was getting into when she agreed to watch the girls for the afternoon.

I am loving your pre-trip report. We were just there back in March after a very long hiatus. Flower and Garden is one of my favorite times of the year to visit. Christmas is my top favorite and then of course fall. The topiaries are amazing as usual. If M likes Encanto, she will love that one. I really enjoy them all. The violet desert lemonade has been a favorite of mine since having it the last time we visited. I have since cut out a lot of sugar in my diet so did not get it this year. It looked amazing though. As for lunch at MK, we really enjoy CHH. Both the salmon and shrimp were good. I can't wait to hear about Skippers Canteen. I totally forgot about it when we visited. Hope this helps some.

Thank you! And thank you for commenting - every bit of feedback always helps!

Flower and Garden is just lovely - I loved seeing all the topiaries and extras on my last trip. I’ve never been during the holidays or fall, but I’d love to someday! I’m sure M will love all the topiaries and I agree (from the pictures I’ve seen, at least) that the Encanto topiaries look extraordinary.

I appreciate the vote for the Violet Lemonade! It looks so tasty and I’m sure M and I will enjoy it.

I had a very tasty sandwich at CHH during my Keys to the Kingdom Tour (I wish they still had those sandwiches!) and I think it’s a great lunchtime option. I know it gets busy but hopefully not everyone and their uncle knows about the upstairs seating. I think we’ll see what we feel like after our breakfast but it’s nice to know there are a few good options. I appreciate the positive feedback on the salmon - I know that’s what my husband would choose!