Share a WDW moment: It’s a Star Wars Weekend! It's today - BUH-BYE!!!!

[SimmerBaggins]

We got elusive Mickey Mail today too! We also now have the right to travel to our resort, sans luggage! Getting Mickey Mail sure does make a trip seem real!

Hey, Michelle -- I've really gotten caught up in your PTR...! It does make a trip seem more real, when everything we do is either over the phone, through the internet or via email...it's nice to hold something in your hand and think, "There's no place like home..."


I like your word "sans" -- it's not a word I often think of.

 

[SimmerBaggins]

I love getting Mickey Mail!!! I keep pulling ours out and looking at it.

I know!! It's not an obsession...it's just that we need to make sure we understand everything...we might have forgotten something...

I swear I'm always thinking I'm looking for something "Disney-wise" in the mail...when I was between jobs and did more shopping online than outside the house, I was always buying stuff from the online Disney store...just loved getting those boxes.

 

[SimmerBaggins]

Your trip has come round so quickly! Glad you got your magical express things. That will be a weight off your mind! 3 weeks will pass so quickly!

Oh, ScotsMinnie, things are just piling up and piling up -- I swear that more stress is piled up prior to going on vacation than for any other time!! Just today I was thinking, "I don't have enough time in my work-days to get everything done in time to be gone for a week!!"

So, weight off my mind -- Disney is really my "mind escape"! Everything they have done is make me more at ease, just thinking about it. But these three weeks...if it's too quick, I'm gonna be in trouble!!

 

[TinksThree]

Hey! I am so envious of the AKL Concierge!! That resort is so beautiful...and we loved Boma...sorry no one else in your party enjoys it!

In answer to your question on Day 1...I don't know exactly so take this with a grain of salt!!...from what I have read, if you want to go to MK for Rope Drop, I 'think' you have to go through the back gate of Epcot which means Epcot has to be open to use teh monorail. (not sure if Epcot has an EMH that morning). The boats do not go from Epcot to MK but they do to DHS. If this is the case, I would go bus or drive. You would never make it for rope drop at MK. But again, I am going solely on what I have read on other threads and not personal experience!! We did have a bad experience once with the buses to those resorts but it was mid-afternoon (an hour wait from AK!! Just for the bus to show up!!).

Can you believe it is three weeks from today?!?! My co-workers ask every other morning or so "How much longer" because they know I have a countdown on my desk!! It is cool to "meet" so many others who will be there at the same time!

 

[SimmerBaggins]

Hey! I am so envious of the AKL Concierge!! That resort is so beautiful...and we loved Boma...sorry no one else in your party enjoys it!

In answer to your question on Day 1...I don't know exactly so take this with a grain of salt!!...from what I have read, if you want to go to MK for Rope Drop, I 'think' you have to go through the back gate of Epcot which means Epcot has to be open to use teh monorail. (not sure if Epcot has an EMH that morning). The boats do not go from Epcot to MK but they do to DHS. If this is the case, I would go bus or drive. You would never make it for rope drop at MK. But again, I am going solely on what I have read on other threads and not personal experience!! We did have a bad experience once with the buses to those resorts but it was mid-afternoon (an hour wait from AK!! Just for the bus to show up!!).

Can you believe it is three weeks from today?!?! My co-workers ask every other morning or so "How much longer" because they know I have a countdown on my desk!! It is cool to "meet" so many others who will be there at the same time!

Thanks for the tip on the transportation, Tink! I'm thinking we will probably go the bus-route; I'm just curious when the buses actually begin running to get people to the rope drop! If BCV is say, 3rd resort before a bus gets to MK, we may be waiting on a few buses to go by before we can find room to board. I understand your frustration with AKL -- sometimes we would just miss a particular bus, which was frustrating.

I feel like I need to make a list for myself to make sure I can balance work, housework, shopping, and my extra-curricular activities (Bible-study, choir, gym-time) with all the preparations that go with getting ready for a vacation...holy mole, but it's gonna be here before I know it!! Oy...I wish I could just be relaxed about it, but my job really cranks up in the summertime, and I'm feeling the heat...and I'm not talking about the weather!

 

[jmskinner]

I'm not getting notified of updates to this PTR, guess I should Dis more so it remembers me.

Vickie, you are correct to ride the bus. I would just be at the bus stop an hour before rope drop. If I'm wrong, please someone else let me know. We don't have a good record of being at parks at rope drop.

Can't believe I will be seeing you in less than 3 weeks. Remember when you booked this trip, seems so long ago now.

Well, I hope work gives you a break, but if it is anything like DH's, I know how it is.

 

[SimmerBaggins]

I'm not getting notified of updates to this PTR, guess I should Dis more so it remembers me.

Vickie, you are correct to ride the bus. I would just be at the bus stop an hour before rope drop. If I'm wrong, please someone else let me know. We don't have a good record of being at parks at rope drop.

Can't believe I will be seeing you in less than 3 weeks. Remember when you booked this trip, seems so long ago now.

Well, I hope work gives you a break, but if it is anything like DH's, I know how it is.

It DOES seem like a long time ago!! No...today was so crazy that I almost felt like I couldn't leave work and go home...I kept thinking, where can I get more time??



I know there are some people out there who can just take off and leave stuff hanging while everyone behind them is picking up the pieces...I can't do that. So, I will be trying to leave at the VERY LAST SECOND...! To top it off... I got an email last week from a Reserve unit requested an interview with me for an Inspector General position... I'm like, wow! Could I pull that off?? It would be for a few days a month...I interview on the 28th.

I'm not sure if I'm doing it to convince myself NOT to do it...does that make sense?

 

[SimmerBaggins]

I had been talking with my mother, who lives about 3.5 hours away, about coming to our house during our vacation to house-sit for us. For some of you, that may not sound very exciting, but she's retired, has a small income, and loves to get away and be relaxed -- plus, she loves to come spend a little time with us!

Well, unfortunately, she had a little "accidente" with her two dogs, and the female got pregnant. And is due in about 5 days. They're Chihuahuas, which means it isn't too big a deal -- -- but traveling with a mother dog and her newborn pups isn't a great plan. Neither is leaving them at the house to the whims of a neighbor who might not pay a lot of attention to their needs. My mother kenneled the dogs before, and felt like they were emotionally traumatized, so that isn't going to happen again. So I had spent a lot of time on the phone with her, telling her we could arrange our pet situation here to accommodate her animals. We have a very hyper and aggressive female Jack Russell terrier, and two cats. None of those things makes my mother's mama dog very happy.

We did have 3 cats, but after one had a fight with mouth cancer and couldn't win, we had to put him down last week.

Currently, we have a laundry room that has a pet door out to the back yard, which is fenced in with a pool. Our dog, Jenny, goes in & out at her leisure, and generally sleeps in the laundry room in her kennel. One of the cats decided he had had enough of domestic life, and turned fake-feral (because he's still a baby & a whiner when he wants something, but acts all scaredy cat when he feels like it), and the other is a rescued male cat who is very aggressive to everybody. Not really MEAN, just wants to play HARD.

Our suggestion was to keep our dog outside, since she has a doghouse and a covered patio and doesn't try to come in any of the doors, and keep my mother's dogs in the laundry room most of the time -- the outside cat could stay outside, and the inside cat they could put away in another room when they felt like it.

It's like the conundrum with the fox, the hen, and whoever else you have to get across the river on the raft.

Well, to make a long story longer, we had to go this last weekend to my hometown to a friend's graduation, and saw my family in the process.

Here's my friend, who graduated with honors -- so proud of her!

My mother finally broke the news that she accepted the plan to bring the dogs and would come, and would bring my sister and her son! Yay!! I'm really excited that all of them can come to the house -- that means my sister can look after our mother, and my sister's DS can come swim in my swimming pool, which he is SO EXCITED ABOUT!!

Here he is:

He's truly a sweetie. I kind of feel a "little" guilty about going to WDW and he can't go, but he doesn't like to ride rides. Not really ANY rides (this fact evidenced by a recent trip to Six Flags, where he would only ride one ride -- one he felt he controlled: the little motor cars). I'm hoping that changes, but for now...that would be a big let-down, all the time, if we took him.

The kind of sad news is, my sister recently left the guy she was with, and now her and her son are starting all over...I'm thinking she is also looking forward to coming down to get a breath of fresh air...and I hope she finds it!

 

[ms150girl]

Hi there! Just wanted to let you know I have been following you PTR. Funny how you find other people going to WDW the same time you are and staying the same place. My DD18 and I are going for the first time. Celebrating her high school graduation.

Do you think one can over plan? I have a spread sheet that is color coded for what park we are at for each day and all the ADR's, parades evening shows. Although I am still trying to decide if I need to take a bag to the park and what kind if I do. ( thinking the bagallini (sp) small sling messenger?)

Taking a break from planning tomorrow to go to Enchanted Rock then to Austin for a couple days. Btw I live in a suburb of Houston.

 

[TinksThree]

Do you think one can over plan? I have a spread sheet that is color coded for what park we are at for each day and all the ADR's, parades evening shows.

Taking a break from planning tomorrow to go to Enchanted Rock then to Austin for a couple days. Btw I live in a suburb of Houston.

No!! I don't think you can overplan!! I do it all of the time!! I just remind myself that they are plans...not written in stone!! I think I have 6 different spreadsheets right now with my budget, touring plans, entertainment schedules and so on!! I love planning and spreadsheets! They are my stress reliever.

Is Enchanted Rock fun? I had looked at that for when we go to San Antonio next time. Is it worth it??

SimmerBaggins: I meant to mention earlier I saw where you live in San Antonio..right?? We love it there! We hope to get back for a long weekend sometime soon!!

Bus: We always do the rope drops. If a park opens at 9am we plan to be at the bus stop between 7:15 and 7:30am. (Depending on the resort we are at and park we are going to since distance/time varies). But I try to get to the park 45 minutes prior to rope drop. We like being close to the front!! Maybe that will help you a bit?!

I think it is great your mom, sister and nephew get to come house sit!! We have a Jack Russell also so I know the challenges there!! She is going on vacation to my mom and dad's house! Thankfully she loves it there so I don't have to worry while I am gone!! Mom is so great about "baby" sitting!!!

 

[jmskinner]

And now you know why we just kennel ours. We have a great kennel that posts pics and videos of the dogs so we can see them playing with the other guests. Glad it all worked out for you and thanks for posting the pic of our friend C's Graduation. I'm so happy and excited for her.

TinksThree, how do you get up that early? Do you stay late at the parks? I have only made a couple of rope drops. Funny, they have all been when we drove from an hour away, and not when we are staying on property.

Hmm, sounds like your nephew may have some sensory issues? There is a little boy at the therapy place Jacob goes that refuses to ride the rides. Sadly they found out after buying the AP's.

 

[SimmerBaggins]

Hi there! Just wanted to let you know I have been following you PTR. Funny how you find other people going to WDW the same time you are and staying the same place. My DD18 and I are going for the first time. Celebrating her high school graduation.

Do you think one can over plan? I have a spread sheet that is color coded for what park we are at for each day and all the ADR's, parades evening shows. Although I am still trying to decide if I need to take a bag to the park and what kind if I do. ( thinking the bagallini (sp) small sling messenger?)

Taking a break from planning tomorrow to go to Enchanted Rock then to Austin for a couple days. Btw I live in a suburb of Houston.

Hey, thanks for dropping in!! How cool that you are taking your DD to WDW for the FIRST TIME -- you both will have a blast.

Frankly, I also make a spreadsheet every time -- I can't trust myself to remember all those park times, ADRs, etc -- plus, it's exciting to refer to it! It's really easy to "waste" time at WDW and not see what you want to see, and a plan helps you have a goal. Deviate when you feel like it!!

My DH and I always take a bag, even if it's a pain to go through bag check (although it tends to go faster than you think!!). Taking sunscreen, one of those water/fan bottles is a MUST during the summer, and having some place to stow trinkets/snacks is really nice. Don't worry about what to do with it on the rides -- there's always some place to put it. Even on RnRC, where there isn't really a lot of choice, you can put it between your feet and strap it to your leg -- it works.

We have been through Sugar Land a few times -- on our way to Galveston for a cruise!! It's beautiful country. My DH even had a business deal with the country club there -- it's a really nice club.

So glad you hooked up with the Dis Boards -- maybe we can hear about your trip later??

 

[SimmerBaggins]

SimmerBaggins: I meant to mention earlier I saw where you live in San Antonio..right?? We love it there! We hope to get back for a long weekend sometime soon!!

Bus: We always do the rope drops. If a park opens at 9am we plan to be at the bus stop between 7:15 and 7:30am. (Depending on the resort we are at and park we are going to since distance/time varies). But I try to get to the park 45 minutes prior to rope drop. We like being close to the front!! Maybe that will help you a bit?!

I think it is great your mom, sister and nephew get to come house sit!! We have a Jack Russell also so I know the challenges there!! She is going on vacation to my mom and dad's house! Thankfully she loves it there so I don't have to worry while I am gone!! Mom is so great about "baby" sitting!!!

Yes, good ole San Antone -- we love it. Well, we don't like it when we have a drought, but thankfully we're out of that, now!!

We have never made rope drop, either, Melissa. I'm not sure if it's like you said: we stay out late to the parks! But this is for our first day, and I have been wanting to make rope drop for MK, so thanks, TinksThree, for the time tip!!

We thought we knew what we were getting into when we got a Jack Russell, but we were far from the mark. Adolescence was tough!! We could not leave ANYTHING in the back yard -- it became hers, and was torn to shreds. She even tore up her doghouse!! But SMART !! She is immensely smart -- smartest dog I have ever owned. We just can't get a word or command in her brain when she sees another dog, even now, at 8 years old. All reason leaves her.

She does love to go to the kennel, though. It gives her social time.

 

[SimmerBaggins]

Hmm, sounds like your nephew may have some sensory issues? There is a little boy at the therapy place Jacob goes that refuses to ride the rides. Sadly they found out after buying the AP's.

I'm not sure, but when my sister and my mother said that he needed to feel in control of the ride, I understood. He is very active, of course, but also likes to give hugs and is very sweet. So the hugging thing would probably be the clue that he doesn't have sensory issues, I would think...

I know there could be different effects, but it did surprise me that he wouldn't even go on the little train that went around and around and nothing else. He's in kindergarten, and I think this was a little over a year ago. I was hoping he would have grown out of it by now, but I don't think my sister has taken him to another park to find out.

 

[TinksThree]

TinksThree, how do you get up that early? Do you stay late at the parks? I have only made a couple of rope drops. Funny, they have all been when we drove from an hour away, and not when we are staying on property.

We usually stay in the parks until only 9pm except MK we stay until 10:30pm or 11pm (due to fireworks and parades). My DD is a early to bed early to rise person and I crash in the afternoons, so we take mid-day breaks. DS is whatever...a bundle of energy. The one day on our last trip we did not go to rope drop (at DHS) the whole day was messed up. And we got there at 9:45 when RD was at 9am...not even that much later. We totally missed RnR and had to go back later. The idea to sleep-in was DD's and around 11am, she made a comment that that would be the last day we "slept-in"! It just works well for our family. One day we want to do the late MK EMH where we can stay until 3am....and of course we will not be getting up for RD the next day!!

 

[TinksThree]

We have never made rope drop, either, Melissa. I'm not sure if it's like you said: we stay out late to the parks! But this is for our first day, and I have been wanting to make rope drop for MK, so thanks, TinksThree, for the time tip!!

We thought we knew what we were getting into when we got a Jack Russell, but we were far from the mark. Adolescence was tough!! We could not leave ANYTHING in the back yard -- it became hers, and was torn to shreds. She even tore up her doghouse!! But SMART !! She is immensely smart -- smartest dog I have ever owned. We just can't get a word or command in her brain when she sees another dog, even now, at 8 years old. All reason leaves her.

Rope Drop at MK is so very good! All the cast members come out and sing and dance then Mickey comes in on the train. One word though...be sure you are out in front a little and not at the gates to Main Street...you miss almost everything from that vantage point!!

I totally agree about Jack Russells being smart! Oh my!! Ours amazes me! She knows so much! She finally settled down but she loves squirrels!! Our yard is full of them and she chases them all over--and is totally oblivious to anyone yelling her name! Ignores us completely!! The first time we watched "Up" and the dog is talking, stops and says "Squirrel!!" we busted out laughing because that is our Sami!! She is 5 now and has settled down so much that she is just a sweetie...uhmmm...usually!!

 

[SimmerBaggins]

Rope Drop at MK is so very good! All the cast members come out and sing and dance then Mickey comes in on the train. One word though...be sure you are out in front a little and not at the gates to Main Street...you miss almost everything from that vantage point!! :

I think, Tink, that, not being the earnest upright early risers, we will be either in the middle of the pack, or toward the back!

Seriously, since we are repacking that morning any loose articles that may have shaken loose from our luggage from the previous day, and handing said luggage over to the bellhop for its inglorious trip to AKV without us, we stand very little chance of being so close to the gates as to not see the opening show -- YAY!!

And, I'm not even sure how many Rope Drops we will make, if these 13 year old girls are alike -- extremely difficult to pry out of bed at any point before 9a.m. I'm praying hard for this one!!

Thanks, sincerely, for the word of advice. I think we shall be able to follow it easily.

 

[jmskinner]

I need to go back and catch up on more posts I wasn't notified about, but wanted to share this with ya:

SWW Weekend One Schedule of Events



We may check out the Hyperspace Hoopla this Friday, don't know if we will be able to make it until 7:00pm that Sunday with Jonas having to go back to work the next day and Jacob having school.

 

[SimmerBaggins]

I need to go back and catch up on more posts I wasn't notified about, but wanted to share this with ya:

SWW Weekend One Schedule of Events



We may check out the Hyperspace Hoopla this Friday, don't know if we will be able to make it until 7:00pm that Sunday with Jonas having to go back to work the next day and Jacob having school.

Hey, thanks for the link! That means we should see one of these the week prior to our going -- but I wouldn't think much would change.

I don't blame you for checking out the Hoopla if you know you won't be able to be there with us. I would think it sad, but seeing your WDW-time, I can't be too sad about it.

It all seems like a dream...

 

[SimmerBaggins]

Well, I've been reading about so many DISers leaving for their vacations...so many who have come back and begun doing their TRs...and now, we are under our 2 week mark!!


DH sat down and discussed our itinerary, and the fact that our flight back doesn't leave until 7:20pm on Saturday. Should we spend the $3 pp to give ourselves another park day? Should we make it therefore MANDATORY that we do a park every day with the exception of the first evening -- no extra additions like "no expiration" and no park-hopping make it very strict...?

Our decision: we'd spend $3 easy trying to do something else. Just fork over the $3 a head and get another park day.

We thought we would leave it up to the girls as to which park to say goodbye to. It might be an easy thing to say, "MK" -- but we'll have spent our second day in MK the night before, when EMH has the park open until 2am. I think that's a pretty decent "good-bye!" The only park we won't have visited twice will be AK...and it does have an EMH opening at 8am our last day. DH wasn't too interested in visiting AK twice, though. We'll see.

We printed out the park touring plans from the Unofficial Guide, blown up to regular proportions (didn't want to tear them out of the book). I then printed out our itinerary, which looks like this (again):

4 June - (Friday) arrive at BCV (around 9pm - yuck)
5 June - MK - meet Melissa and family, return in afternoon to AKV, eat at O'hana's for dinner, return to MK for 10pm closing
6 June - DHS - Star Wars Weekend!! with Melissa, until early evening
7 June - AK (EMH 8am)
8 June - Epcot (EMH 9-12am)
9 June - Epcot - I like to go twice in a row...one day sets up for the other
10 June - our mostly "free" day...DHS when we feel like it (or risk losing park day)
11 June - MK (EMH 11-2am) -- Good-bye to the Magic Kingdom!
12 June - extra park day...leave at 7pm

Getting slightly excited about this...have to make it over the work-hump!!

I have talked about our "wake-up" magic, where I always set out something for the kids in the morning to wake up to that's new -- I have 5 days planned, so far. Gotta figure out what else is Disney-cool to 13 year olds.