Pre-Trip Report -- WDW, Here We Come!!

[Terk-1]

Ok. Am already packed and I don't leave until the day after Thanksgiving!! Can you say "I'm Too Excited To Sleep"????

* Who is in your party -- Me (the Disney World obsessed one), then a few days later DSis is joining me for the remainder of the trip. This is the first time both of us have been to WDW together since 2001 (we did go to DL last year with other family members).

* Your travel dates -- November 24th through December 3rd

* Where are you staying -- Port Orleans French Quarter. We are both really excited to stay here again, as neither of us have been since it's been remodeled.

* What Advanced Dining Reservations you have made (if any)-- We have ADR's at Plaza Restaurant, 50's Primetime Cafe, Le Cellier, Crystal Palace (1st time here for breakfast), Rose & Crown, Spoodles, Sci-Fi (going to give it another try) & the Crystal Palace (Dinner).

* If you have a set itinerary --
Day 1 (Arrival Day):
*Arrive at MCO @ 10:30am (will be up at 3:30am to leave for the airport at 4am.)
*Hop on DME to my resort and am guessing will be there around noon.
Check-in. If room ready, will have water delivered and unpack. Grab some lunch at Sassagoula and maybe a dip in the pool.
*Head to EPCOT and tour Future World. View the Tree Lighting ceremony at 6pm, then head over to Beach & Cream for dinner. Wander through the Beach Club & Yacht Club to take photos of their holiday decorations, then stroll back over to Future World to view the Winter Lights for a little while. Grab a ride on Test Track & Spaceship Earth, then head back to the resort and to bed. Know it's EPCOT's evening EMH, but will be pretty tired after being since 3:30am and will be getting up early tomorrow for Disney Studios morning EMH.

Day 2:
*Up early, grab a Nutragrain Bar, fill up refill mug with hot chocolate and I'm off to Disney Studios for their morning EMH.
*Early lunch at Sci-Fi, then over to POR to view their decorations.
*Head back to DS to catch Hollywood Holly-Day parade @ 3pm.
*Dinner at Casey's, then it's off the Haunted Mansion, since my 999 friends will be waiting for me, and so is Captain Jack Sparrow!
*Video SpectroMagic at 9pm & Wishes at 10pm, back to the resort & to bed.

Day 3:
*Same breakfast as yesterday and it's back to EPCOT. Hit most of Future World.
*Lunch at Yorkshire Fish, then back to resort for a swim and a break.
*Tour Magic Kingdom resorts to view their holiday decorations.
*Dinner at Plaza Restaurant at the Magic Kingdom for their evening EMH.
*Photograph Spectro @ 8pm & Wishes @ 9pm. Take in some attractions, then head back to resort and to bed.

Day 4:
*Up early, same breakfast, then it's off to Animal Kingdom for their morning EMH.
*Lunch at Tusker House, then back to resort for break.
*Head to Disney Studios for the evening EMH.
*Dinner at 50's Primetime, then over to catch Fantasmic, and finish with a leisurely walk around the Osborne Lights. Take my time around DS to take in all that the park has to show at night, then it's back to the resort and to bed.

Day 5:
*Up early for EPCOT's morning EMH. Another round through Future World, then over to World Showcase to catch the Santa's from the different countries.
*Back to room for a break.
*Early dinner reservation at Le Cellier, followed by a viewing of the Candlelight Processional with guest narrator, John O'Hurley.
*Wander over to the Boardwalk to view their holiday decorations, then back to World Showcase to get a good spot to view Illuminations. Back to resort & to bed.

Day 6:
*Head to Magic Kingdom this morning for an early breakfast at the Crystal Palace. Have never had breakfast here before and am just too excited!!
*Back to resort for an afternoon break.
*Head over Animal Kingdom to catch their evening EMH.
*Late dinner at the Rose & Crown, view Illuminations from there, then back to room & to bed.

Day 7:
*Up early and off to Magic Kingdom for their morning EMH.
*Lunch either Cosmic Rays or Columbia Harbour House, then back to resort for a break.
*Early dinner reservation at DS, then view Osborne Lights (while everyone is at Fantasmic).
*Head over to Downtown Disney to do some shopping.
*Quick stop at Ghiradelli's for a sinful sundae.
*Back to room & to bed.

Day 8:
*Up early and off to EPCOT for our Segway Tour.
*Wander around Future World & World Showcase.
*Lunch at Sunshine Season
*Back to resort for a break.
*Dinner at Spoodles, then EPCOT for evening EMH.
*Back to room & to bed.

Day 9:
*Up early and off to Disney Studios for their morning EMH.
*Back to room for a break & start to pack.
*Over to the Magic Kingdom for dinner at the Crystal Palace.
*View Spectro at 8pm & Wishes at 9pm. Wander around some more, then back to resort to finish packing.

Day 10 (Departure Day):
*Up early. Finish packing whatever did not get packed the night before. *Check-out and store luggage.
*Head for either EPCOT or Magic Kingdom for a couple of hours for one last time.
*Back to resort to grab lunch & luggage, then it's on the DME bus back to MCO.
*Flight home at 3:30pm & should arrive at home about 7:30pm.

* Any special plans, events, etc that you have planned-- Going to the Candlelight Processional (breathtaking) to see John O'Hurley. Also, have an Around the World on a Segway tour booked. Never done a tour before and thought this would be a great one to start with. Resort hopping to see all of their holiday decorations and see the Osborne Lights. View the EPCOT tree lighting ceremony and the Winter Lights (just beautiful)!!

So, let's see. Clothes are packed, PassPorter is filled out, still need to fill the Mousekeeping envelopes, received DME vouchers and tags, waiting for my final paperwork to arrive (hopefully within the next 2 weeks) and need to order spring water to be delivered to the resort from Staples (free delivery with Staples Rewards card). Keep checking for any Dings from Southwest. Ship small box of stuff a week prior to the resort (less to put in carry-on bag). Print boarding passes. Confirm room requests.

 

[tmt martins]

You need help
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And it looks like you got plenty of it here on the DIS your plans look great and everything is check

 

[Lovin'Dumbo]

Sounds like you've got a great plan of action!!! I hope you enjoy yourself! We are staying @ POFQ as well in ten days-it's our first stay on-site & I can't wait!!

 

[PrincessAlways]

WOW -- very impressive planning! We'll be there 11/27-12/2, but I only have my ADRs in place. Hope you have a magical trip!

 

[LoveMickey]

Wow - sounds like me with the plan and we're from Mass too.

You'll love the Segway tour, it's fab.

We have the same plans, just different days and places. We're spending one night at CSR - never been there, then going home to OKW.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[OhMari]

Love your itinerary. Glad to know there are people like me. LOL.

 

[Avivasmom]

Very well planned...we will be at POFQ from Nov 27 to Dec 1.

 

[Terk-1]

Got my final paperwork today from my AAA TA. All that's left is:

* Finish filling Mousekeeping envelopes (like to pre-fill ahead of time, that way I'm not hunting for bills that morning)

* Confirm ADR's

* Fax Room Requests/Confirm Room Requests

* Print out boarding passes

 

[monymony3471]

Thanks for the reminder with the mousekeeping envelopes. We are going to be at a few of the parks on the same days. Coinkidink?

 

[sharon516]

wah, u seens like already fully prepared what you will doing in your next trip...well plan....

wish you have a nice trip there...

 

[Terk-1]

Thanks for the reminder with the mousekeeping envelopes.

Glad I could help. Again, it's just a me thing, but I like filling them ahead of time. This way, each morning I just open up the safe, take out that day's envelope and be on my way. I have one of the deluxe Passporters, so I have an envelope in each day's pocket, so I can make sure I have them all. I don't carry alot of cash, so this helps alot.

 

[Terk-1]

2 weeks from today at this time, I'll be checking in to POFQ!!!!

Now, I think the only things I have left to do is:

1. Fill Mousekeeping envelopes
2. Fax room requests
3. Confirm ADR's
4. Make sure I have everything packed (and try to get my DSis to pack her side of the suitcase)
5. Print airline boarding pass
6. Make sure all my digital camera batteries & portable dvd battery are fully charged.
7. Finish packing backpack & carry on bag.
8. Clean the house
9. Set the light timers
10. Set up the Christmas tree. With it being an artificial tree (a nice one though) it takes me about an hour & a half to set the whole tree up. Another 30 minutes for the lights, then at least and hour & a half to put the ornaments on. 95% of the ornaments are Disney and are all individually boxed, so to unpack them all takes some time.
11. Confirm DME reservations.

 

[kyirish25]

Someone who is even ahead of me on their planning!

We will be there Nov 25th - Dec 3rd and it looks like we have several things planned as the same time you do:
Spectro & Wishes - Nov 25th
50's PTC dinner, Fantasmic, Osborne Lights - Nov 27th
Candlelight & LeCellier dinner - Nov 28th

If you see us be sure to come say

 

[Terk-1]

Now, I think the only things I have left to do is:

1. Fill Mousekeeping envelopes
2. Fax room requests -- Done
3. Confirm ADR's -- Done
4. Make sure I have everything packed (and try to get my DSis to pack her side of the suitcase) -- 1/2 Done (still waiting on DSis)
5. Print airline boarding pass
6. Make sure all my digital camera batteries & portable dvd battery are fully charged.-- Done
7. Finish packing backpack & carry on bag.-- Done
8. Clean the house-- Done
9. Set the light timers-- Done
10. Set up the Christmas tree. With it being an artificial tree (a nice one though) it takes me about an hour & a half to set the whole tree up. Another 30 minutes for the lights, then at least and hour & a half to put the ornaments on. 95% of the ornaments are Disney and are all individually boxed, so to unpack them all takes some time.-- Done. Well the tree is up and the lights. May wait to put ornaments on when I get back.
11. Confirm DME reservations.-- Done

 

[saschab]

Ahhh...a planner after my own heart!
And my kids ribbed me because I had laminated notecards with AM park/PM park/ADRS/special things (parades, etc) on them for each day.

Just a heads up. Reconfirm Spectro & Magic times for the week when you arrive. I'm sure you'll have no problem as you're in high holiday time, but when we were there first week in Nov. Disney.com's site had Spectro on 11/6, and we got there to find it wasn't on the park's schedule!

I'm sure it doesn't happen often, but it really throws a mega-planner off, I tell ya!

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

Oooh, sounds like a fun trip! I left on the day after Thanksgiving last year- one tip: Don't forget anything, and end up having to stop at Wal-Mart at 5am on Black Friday! EEP!

 

[Terk-1]

In less than 24 hours, I'll finally be on a plane to WDW!! Printed my boarding pass right at the 24 hour mark (flying SWA and wanted an A pass), have confirmed all my ADR's, filled all my Mousekeeping envelopes, confirmed my DME and my room requests with the resort. Only thing left is to add DSis' clothes to the suitcase. Oh, and put the ornaments on my tree. As everything is individually boxed (99% are Hallmark ornaments), this will take me a good hour & a 1/2 to 2 hours, so I think I should get that started soon.

Thanks everyone for your posts and I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!!

 

[mlill]

Welcome home! I can't wait to read about your adventures in WDW!

Happy Holidays!
-Michelle