Our "first" not-so-grown-up trip together... a September PTR >> Updated 3/23!

[Raecheal]

Thanks for the congrats! We're really excited about all the meals...now to wait for dining to be announced *fingers crossed*

They are: Trust me! I'm also waiting.

 

[lildamo]

Hi everyone!

My apologies for being MIA the past few days, not that there's much to tell! I've been spending my days clicking 'refresh' on the Orlando United Harry Potter thread, watching all the action that's been going on over the past few days and anxiously awaiting the announcement of an opening date next Thursday.

It's a big couple weeks for waiting...on Tuesday the Southwest flights come out for the fall, on Thursday Universal makes their Harry Potter announcement, and sometime the week after free dining or whatever other promo Disney offers should be announced. YIKES!

With all the Harry Potter action going on, it looks like there's the high potential of a mini Universal Studios trip at the beginning of May (pending everything is fully open or at least in very frequent soft openings by then), hopefully for my birthday. Plans for that little trip will get thrown in here too, not that there's a whole lot to figure out other than dates and pricing flights/hotel. I just don't think I'd be able to wait until September to experience the WWoHP!

 

[swwake]

Since we have 2 days at US, I have been watching those threads as well!

How exciting that you may make a May trip!

I can't believe all the waiting we have to do in the next 2 weeks. I can't wait for some of the answers! I didn't realize we'd have the Southwest fares this Tuesday! Hooray!

 

[lildamo]

I woke up excited today because Southwest was announcing their fall flights, and what have we but the flight I was anticipating taking in September NO LONGER EXISTING.

Which left me with the dilemma...do I leave later in the day and have to cancel my ADR at 'Ohana during Wishes, or do I leave crazy early in the morning (6:30, so I have to drive from Toronto at like 2:30, YIKES!) and have another pretty well full day in Disney?

Chatted with DBF at lunch and morning it is! The fact that it's only $3 per person to add another park day didn't hurt either, so even if we only go for a few hours it ends up being more than worth it. I'll just need to go to bed SUPER early the night before so I can "wake up" at 1:30 and hit the road!

This change of plans, of course, changed ALL our plans, and I have now rearranged pretty well our entire schedule, ADRs, etc. based on this additional park day. Let's hope next week's dining announcement (or lack thereof ) doesn't make me have to re-do this all again!

Our new itinerary and ADRs are as follows:

Thursday
Leave Toronto around 2am (or figure out a better way to do this that doesn't involve paying for a hotel!) for our 6:25am flight. Arrive at MCO at 9am.
Take ME to POP, be there around 10:30ish. Check in, leave our stuff with bell services.
Go to Downtown Disney - CS lunch at Earl of Sandwich or WPE.
Head to MK for the afternoon, then to 'Ohana for our 8:05 ADR to watch Wishes.
Have a REALLY big sleep.

Friday
Hollywood Studios in the AM and afternoon, CS lunch (probably Starring Rolls).
Dinner ADR at Teppan Edo at Epcot at 6:10pm.
Spend evening at Epcot (open until midnight with EMH)

Saturday
Animal Kingdom in morning and afternoon, CS lunch.
Dinner reservation at 6:45 at Boma.
Downtown Disney for the evening.

Sunday
Epcot in AM and afternoon - lunch ADR at noon at Chefs de France.
Dinner ADR at Le Cellier at 4:00 (lots of food very close together, we'll have to make it a light lunch!!).
Head over to HS before Fantasmic at 8:00.
After Fantasmic, go to MK for evening EMH until midnight.

Monday
Go wherever wed like in the morning/afternoon. CS lunch wherever we are.
Dinner ADR at Whispering Canyon Cafe at 5pm.
Go to Magic Kingdom for the evening and to watch Wishes.
Find something fun to do after (MK closes at 9!) - maybe Beaches & Cream dessert?

Tuesday
Breakfast ADR at Kona Cafe so I can try Tonga Toast (might cancel and go to Captain Cook's instead, we'll see!).
Go to whatever park we want.
Head back to POP in early afternoon, grab our stuff and bus to DTD.
Late lunch at Earl of Sandwich or WPE in DTD, take cab to Universal.
...and the rest of the vacation continues as planned.

I'm still not 100% sold on a few things, so I'm anticipating some changes. I didn't even plan on doing Le Cellier, but I checked availability for fun and it just so perfectly fit on our Sunday.

Is a lunch ADR at 12 and dinner ADR at 4 really pushing it? We will have done Epcot already so I'm not worried about taking time away from the park. I think we'll do Chefs out-of-pocket so we won't be having as much food as we would on the DDP. I'd move my Chefs ADR to Monday but that's a lot of Epcot and I feel like we'll want to go back to HS or AK for a bit that day.

Everything else is slowly coming together!

 

[Raecheal]

Zebra Dome Recipe

Thank you for this, I"m going to try to make them at home!!

Changes happen all the time, now i need to plan a 50th surprise bday for my mom the weekend before my departure date Are you flying out of Toronto or the US? I'm a lil confused...sorry..

 

[lildamo]

Are you flying out of Toronto or the US? I'm a lil confused...sorry..

We're planning on flying out of Buffalo - prices are just so much cheaper! The original plan was to head down and stay overnight and leave our car at the hotel, then we ended up leaving a day early because staying at POP and paying for airport parking was the same price as the Buffalo hotel, and now we've added the extra day but are back to an early flight -- yeesh!

It will get sorted I'm sure!

 

[swwake]

Arriving at 9am in Orlando - that is fun! Allows for almost a full day in the World. Have you thought about hiring a car service to take you to the airport and back, maybe to save the parking money? Or if you had a car take you to a hotel for the first night, maybe the cost of the hotel vs the cost savings of several days parking would break even?

Are you dead set on Chefs de France? I was thinking maybe you could do CS lunch in Epcot at one or even two or three countries (little snacks) for lunch that day before LeCellier. Just a thought.

We are also taking a very early flight to Orlando (5:45am!). But I'm sure that night before, we'll be really excited about leaving, so maybe we'll get some sleep on the plane.

 

[lildamo]

Arriving at 9am in Orlando - that is fun! Allows for almost a full day in the World. Have you thought about hiring a car service to take you to the airport and back, maybe to save the parking money? Or if you had a car take you to a hotel for the first night, maybe the cost of the hotel vs the cost savings of several days parking would break even?

Are you dead set on Chefs de France? I was thinking maybe you could do CS lunch in Epcot at one or even two or three countries (little snacks) for lunch that day before LeCellier. Just a thought.

We are also taking a very early flight to Orlando (5:45am!). But I'm sure that night before, we'll be really excited about leaving, so maybe we'll get some sleep on the plane.

I'm actually pricing out hotels right now, I've found one that will let us keep the car there so the extra money will probably end up being worth it for my sanity and sleep. Not something we have to decide for a while yet, but something to keep in mind.

I do quite want to try Chefs, though the idea of eating around the world also excites me. I think we'll keep our ADR and decide closer to. Though, between the quiche and the crepes with apple on the menu I don't know how I'll turn it down

 

[irishdancer86]

an extra day in disney can only be a good thing but hopefully you will be able to minimise the stress by staying overnight at the airport?

it worked out cheaper for us to fly to london, stay two nights at the airport and have a full day sightseeing in London than to fly out of Belfast! don't mind the hassle when it's just the two of us...

are you still thinking oa may trip to Harry Potter? i've read that the vacation packages booked from 28th may(not sure baout this date) will be honoured...think they include breakfast at the three broomsticks...AMAZING!

 

[lildamo]

an extra day in disney can only be a good thing but hopefully you will be able to minimise the stress by staying overnight at the airport?

it worked out cheaper for us to fly to london, stay two nights at the airport and have a full day sightseeing in London than to fly out of Belfast! don't mind the hassle when it's just the two of us...

are you still thinking oa may trip to Harry Potter? i've read that the vacation packages booked from 28th may(not sure baout this date) will be honoured...think they include breakfast at the three broomsticks...AMAZING!

A May HP trip is still up in the air - we're thinking June now instead pre-grand opening if it's unofficially open, so we'll have to wait and see! It's also going to depend on flight prices. If they're under $200 I'll probably go but anything higher I'd rather save for our September trip. So many unknowns still - not helping the planner in me!

A sightseeing day in London sounds lovely! We may stay overnight beforehand depending on how much "extra" money we have before the trip. That would be my ideal plan, especially because we can then just leave the car at the hotel for the 10 days. If not, I'm not opposed to a middle of the night roadtrip with DBF, so long as he doesn't fall asleep and leave me alone to entertain myself!