PTR for the planning obsessed....Updated 11/5 We're home now.

[TPCShauna]

Your plans look lovely and I the pics.

Good call on the H&V breakfast. It's just not that good.

I think you'll like Block Party Bash. I've seen it twice at DCA and I really enjoyed it both times. It's very high energy with great music and entertainment. It's not a continuous parade, though. The whole parade stops and the CMs start dancing and performing so make sure you find a spot where you can see really well. I'm sure Liam will like the music, at least. They do a great job of interacting with the kids.

You are so close!

 

[MRYPPNS]

Love the pictures of AK, especially the one with the shrine!

Thank you!

You know I am loving the AK pictures!!!

I do have a similar picture of the shrine lined up to match EE -- one of my favorite pictures ever is Chelsea and Connor in front of it clutching their little stuffed yetis!

I should have guessed that you knew about the shrine!

Your plans look lovely and I the pics.

Good call on the H&V breakfast. It's just not that good.

I think you'll like Block Party Bash. I've seen it twice at DCA and I really enjoyed it both times. It's very high energy with great music and entertainment. It's not a continuous parade, though. The whole parade stops and the CMs start dancing and performing so make sure you find a spot where you can see really well. I'm sure Liam will like the music, at least. They do a great job of interacting with the kids.

You are so close!

Thanks for recommendating Block Party....I was starting to worry it wouldn't be worth it.

 

[MRYPPNS]

Vacation Day Seven Saturday November 1, 2008

Today will be our second day of touring the Magic Kingdom.

Breakfast: in the room
Lunch: Cosmic Ray's (I think DS will love Sonny)
Dinner: The Plaza Restaurant or Casey's Corner (depends on our mood!)

We'll start in Fanstayland for any repeats that we want to do. Then it's off to Tomorrowland. I really want to see COP (sing with me: it's a great big beautiful tomorrow....) but I don't know if Liam will make the 22 minutes of this show. I also can't wait to see Laugh Floor again....John and I were in a test show in Jan 2007 where we give them feedback in exchange for Fastpasses. I want to see how the show has changed.

After lunch we'll head to ToonTown......hello Tinkerbelle!!!!! I can't wait to do this meet and greet....(might have to sneak other there earlier in the week on Tuesday) Then we'll take the train to the Main St station and return to the resort for a rest.

Upon returning I want to explore Main St USA....I'll be getting my custom Mickey ears.....I'm still mad at myself for not getting a pair of ears from our 2007 trip.

After dinner we'll head to Adventureland or ToonTown to finish anything that we have missed either today or Tuesday.

We'll play seeing Spectro Magic by ear....but I'm not missing Wishes! The park is open until 11pm tonight so we don't have to rush out if we don't want to.

From our 2007 trip:

 

[MRYPPNS]

 

[mousescrapper]

the next 2 days look great....I think your choice of park for Halloween will be great...I bet most people will flock to MK.

And yes your pictures amaze me...I don't think I've ever seen that shrine before...have to find it next time.

I really think you'll like tLF at MK too, and Margaret did mind the show either.

J-

 

[Lady Lallie]

Ahhh. Magic Kingdom pictures after a long day of work! I also got mildly excited about some of the light fixture pictures.

I am excited that you get to do the Tinkerbell greeting. Do you think it will be a permanent fixture at MK?

 

[mickimousemama]

I missed the Single Digit Dance Day so I will do a 4DAYS LEFT dance I just realised that our vacation is planned nearly exactly a year after yours, going to keep close eyes on your report for SURE now We are going Oct 24-Nov 1, 2009 It will be our first Family trip (Kids and I went in 06 with out DH) but it wasn't much of a magical trip. A friend of mine invited us along, because she KNEW everything about Disney, how the only thing worth seeing was MK, and how one day was enough... WHAT? NOW I know better, so REALLy its like our first time going and I am SOOO excited, I think I might start my TR on the 24th... is 365 days too early to start??? LOL

 

[MRYPPNS]

I also got mildly excited about some of the light fixture pictures.

You know you're weird right???

I am excited that you get to do the Tinkerbell greeting. Do you think it will be a permanent fixture at MK?

If it makes them money it will be.

I missed the Single Digit Dance Day so I will do a 4DAYS LEFT dance I just realised that our vacation is planned nearly exactly a year after yours, going to keep close eyes on your report for SURE now We are going Oct 24-Nov 1, 2009 It will be our first Family trip (Kids and I went in 06 with out DH) but it wasn't much of a magical trip. A friend of mine invited us along, because she KNEW everything about Disney, how the only thing worth seeing was MK, and how one day was enough... WHAT? NOW I know better, so REALLy its like our first time going and I am SOOO excited, I think I might start my TR on the 24th... is 365 days too early to start??? LOL

What did you do for the rest of the vacation if you only went to MK???? You need to start a PTR just so we can read about that! If you start one make sure you come back here and leave us a link.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Oh, Heidi, I just know you must be super excited about your trip -- it's really just so close now!!! Ride the Haunted Mansion a couple of times for me if you can -- how I would so love to be doing that this close to Halloween!

 

[MRYPPNS]

I thought I'd do a little update inbetween loads of laundry.

Liam is all packed. I just need to pack my clothes which I will start today, then just those last minute beauty products that I'm still using. John is on his own...clothes and one bathroom bag. I've got the carry on bags still do to, but that kinda has to wait unitl Saturday.


A couple people wanted to see all my planning stuff ready to go.

My binder will go, but it's stays in the hotel room....it has copies of everything in it....plus more detailed info that I wouldn't bother with while in a park.

The bigger file-o-fax in the above picture is for holding all my daily stuff. The little one is the one that actually goes to the park with me. I fill it with that day's stuff in the morning.

Here's what the inside of the big one looks like:

(sorry for the poor quality picture)
Below is the basic stuff I have for each day.

On the left standing up is the print out for the day from MouseManager software. It's an overview of the plans for the day and has the ADR confirmation #s for that day.

Below that is a sheet (or 2) of menus for that day. I haven't gone this far in the past but with a 18 mo old eater with us I thought it would be helpful in determining ahead of time what he can and cannot eat.

Under that (still on the left) one envelope is to leave out for Mousekeeping that day. The other is for our spending cash for the day.

On the right the yellow sheet is my customize touring plan that I make at touringplans.com. I printed it on 67 lb. paper (regular paper is 20 lbs.) and I printed both sides of the paper so I only had to have one sheet not two. The thicker paper makes it easier to handle.

I think it all should serve us well.

 

[Lady Lallie]

Wow, Heidi!! Amazing! You are so so so organized!!

 

[If U Had Wings]

I'm amazed at how organized you are! That is all so impressive.

I went through so much effort last trip with all my tip envelopes and barely used any of them. Mousekeeping wouldn't take the tips when they were in the envelopes, and my father ended up putting most of the restaurant tips on his room account. Oh well, they were appreciated by the few CM's that I did get to give them to.

NOW I know better, so REALLy its like our first time going and I am SOOO excited, I think I might start my TR on the 24th... is 365 days too early to start??? LOL

I've been thinking of starting mine and I'm not going until Dec. 2009! I've been toying through resort issues and am really feeling the need to vent them all.

 

[Charleston Princess]

All sorts of Halloween events planned at AK and the resorts!!! Did you see it on the wdwinfo page? Here it is:

DISNEY'S ANIMAL KINGDOM

October 28 - 31: The characters at Camp Minnie-Mickey and at Discovery Island Character Landing will be wearing their Halloween costumes. Candy will be given out to the children

October 31: Rafiki's Planet Watch will feature a Halloween theme with a bag of treats for visitors, trick or treating for children, temporary Halloween tattoos, pumpking coloring, a gummy worm hunt and an appearance by some "Special, not Spooky" critters.

DISNEY RESORTS

POP CENTURY AND CARIBBEAN BEACH: Candy Apples, Crispy Rice Treats, Candy and Trinkets for guests. Both resorts will host a Halloween costume parade. Pop Century will have face painting and Caribbean Beach will have a viewing of "Sleepy Hollow."

GRAND FLORIDIAN: Pool Party with special music, a dance-off and activities. The afternoon brings a scavenger hunt and beach games. Trick or Treating will be hosted in the guest areas in the evening. A campfire is scheduled from 7:30 - 10:00pm on the beach with a showing of " Haunted Mansion" at 9:45pm.

CONTEMPORARY: Guests are the judge of the Cast Pumpkin Carving Contest. There are "Terrifying Temporary Tattoos" at Noon, a crazy crafts at 1pm, a poolside Haunted Halloween Party at 2pm, a costume contest at 5pm and a showing of "Haunted Mansion" at 8pm.

SARATOGA SPRINGS: Pumpkin painting at 10:30am, scavenger hunt at 12:30pm, Halloween pool party at 2:30pm, "creepy corridor walk-thru" at Community Hall at 6pm and a showing of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" at 7pm. A candy corn guessing contest takes place throughout the day.

Animal Kingdom Lodge, All Stars, Port Orleans: Cast Member Pumpkin Carvings displayed October 30 - 31

 

[Lady Lallie]

I've been thinking of starting mine and I'm not going until Dec. 2009! I've been toying through resort issues and am really feeling the need to vent them all.

I've decided I am starting mine 365 days out.

 

[mousescrapper]

Heidi,

the mini binder looks great, that is a good idea.... I may have to try that next time we go. And the countdown calendar looks AWESOME!!!!

Wow can you believe only 3 days left?

Well in case I don't get a chance to say bye to you later here's your send-off for now:


To John: "Mr. Poppins" here's to pushing the stroller, changing diapers, taking pictures w/ the lovely Princesess, letting your wife SHOP till She DROPS, eating, touring, resting and having a Magical time!

To Liam: "the BIG-Cutie" here's to your first trip, first time seeing the castle, seeing Mickey, riding Dumbo, staying up late, sleeping in your stroller, being just too cute for all those characters and so much more!

To Heidi: "super DISNEY Mom" here's to a great trip, may plan A-B-C-....work their magic for you, may flexibilty rule the roost if something goes amuck, have fun, live in all the great memories of your son's first trip and enjoy the new stuff, the small stuff and everything in between, happy shopping and figuring out how to bring it all back, here's to restful nights and just a practically perfect trip in everyway!

Have a GREAT TIME stay safe and healthy!

Love,

Scrappie (j-)

 

[If U Had Wings]

All sorts of Halloween events planned at AK and the resorts!!! Did you see it on the wdwinfo page? Here it is:

Is it too late to head to Disney for Halloween!! I was feeling bad enough that I had no where to go for Halloween this year. Poop. I love dressing up for Halloween. Work stinks.

I've decided I am starting mine 365 days out.

I'm not sure I can wait that long.

 

[TarzansKat]

Wow, a big on the organization! I can't believe your countdown calendar is so full! It seems like just yesterday you were posting it with all those numbers to put stickers on!!

 

[trixiequilts]

OMG! 3 days!

 

[DisMomAmy]

Hi Heidi - Love the organization stuff! I sent you a PM... Amy

 

[Charleston Princess]

Is it too late to head to Disney for Halloween!! I was feeling bad enough that I had no where to go for Halloween this year. Poop. I love dressing up for Halloween. Work stinks.

I was wondering the exact same thing!