Suzy and Perla's Guide to Skipping Lines: the Last Journey of the Super Users

[estherhead]

Here's the link if u can't see the pic.

http://instagram.com/p/cwW81gG8hJ/

 

[estherhead]

Hi all! So yesterday we did MK for three hours, just all of Fantayland and then checked into the Boardwalk Villas and headed into Epcot. We ate at Teppan Edo.

My parents got in during the early evening an now we are all unpacked and settled and ready for our real vacation to begin. Originally we were supposed to get in with my parents and today would be our first park day. But we got cheaper airfare (ie: free) to got the day before. So yesterday was really just a bonus day.

Today is jam packed as well, though, as we try to get a kid into American Idol and two into Jedi Academy.

I'll keep ya posted.

 

[wiigirl]

Following along!

 

[KBrown88]

I can't wait to read more! I love your organization tips! I am so type A. Reading and making lists are right up my alley.

 

[knitster]

I'm loving following along on Instagram and FB! So much fun!

 

[estherhead]

Following along!

Welcome!

 

[estherhead]

I can't wait to read more! I love your organization tips! I am so type A. Reading and making lists are right up my alley.

I video taped exactly how we set our room up or optimal organization. When I get back I'll put it on YouTube.

 

[estherhead]

Sorry I didn't do a real update yet. The one time I had time to do it was the two hours our resort lost Internet! Today we are going to Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney. Dinosaurs, baby giraffes, and lion kings! Here we come!

 

[jecskc]

That momma giraffe was pregnant when we were there. They had her out on the savanna at AKL and we were staying there. My DD is so excited to see the baby.

 

[estherhead]

That momma giraffe was pregnant when we were there. They had her out on the savanna at AKL and we were staying there. My DD is so excited to see the baby.

That is sooo cool! We saw them today. Adorable!

 

[jecskc]

That is sooo cool! We saw them today. Adorable!

I'm assuming you saw them on the safari ??

 

[estherhead]

I'm assuming you saw them on the safari ??

Yes! We did.

http://www.enchantingbeginnings.com/disney-worlds-kilamanjaro-safaris-new-baby-giraffe/

Today we went to Animal Kingdom. We had a great time! We started out by signing up for Wilderness Explorer’s, then rode Primeval Whirl twice in a row (without getting off!), then Dinosaur twice in a row (no lines, oh yeah!), and then Expedition Everest. Then we had a delightful snack and rode… Kilimanjaro Safari.

This is truly one of my favorite things to do at Disney World. I just love seeing all of the animals. LOVE!

But I couldn’t wait to tell you the highlight which was seeing the baby giraffe that was just born. He just this week started walking around the safari and he and his mom were enjoying their day.

And here is my tip for park strategy: We like to do it in the morning, but not the first ride. Just send someone to get a fastpass (the first of the day is normally for a return window of 9:40-10:40, or make your fastpass+ reservation for anywhere between 9:40-11:30, and then do all the other headliners before hand. You will skip lines for Primeval Whirl, Dinosaur, and Expedition Everest, even Kali River Rapids! And still get great animal viewing. Then you have the afternoon (which gets SUPER HOT) free for all the air conditioned shows.

I didn’t get a good picture, but I also saw a mama lion awake and walking around!!!

More later… this is just a preview.

Having SUCH a great time. Loved Art of Animation, but love the Boardwalk more!

Tomorrow is Hoop Dee Doo Review. Stay tuned on Instagram or Facebook for all the pictures.

 

[estherhead]

Here is my morning. We did this first, then rode ToT twice. Well, actually I did Rockin Roller Coaster by myself first. Then we met Sully and Mike.

 

[reelmom]

I just followed you on Instagram and now I am joining in here. I love your TR's and can't wait to read along while you are there.

 

[estherhead]

I just followed you on Instagram and now I am joining in here. I love your TR's and can't wait to read along while you are there.

Welcome! We are here right now!

This week's limited Tim magic is kids under 14 can tryout for American Idol. So Lex did!

http://instagram.com/p/dAJY3OoRR4/

 

[estherhead]

Best day ever!!!


So today was my best day so far. The kids had their YES classes this morning and while they did that I got a massage at Senses in the Grand Floridian!!! Sweet!

Then I met Mulan and Boo and we went to MK and had a great day meeting princesses and eating at the castle.

And tonight Donald and I had date night with Milo and Suzy at Jellyrolls. So much fun!!!

Seriously.

Oh, AND they had surprise characters at Epcot. Dr. Facilier, Country bears, Rapunzel, Rafiki, etc, etc. very cool.

Two and a half more days. We LOVE the Boardwalk. It's awesome.

 

[estherhead]

For all of you not following me on Instagram and Facebook, I apologize. I clearly am not a good enough blogger and Instagram pics don't transfer here like I thought they would. I'm so sorry! We took today off and now are waiting for O'hana and then Wishes. So exciting!

Then tomorrow is our last day. Sadness. But once home my kids go back to school and I will be begin a real trip report. We have been milking the final vestiges of Fastpass for all its worth. All our tickets and resort keys got fastpasses so there were many times we were able to pull 3 at a time! And we got the scoop from many Fastpass+ people and it seems encouraging, tho their are frustrations.

Can't wait to tell you all about it.

Ok. Off to my dinner. I'll post pics on Instagram @estherhead

 

[estherhead]

http://www.enchantingbeginnings.com/disney-world-the-final-day/

We leave tomorrow bright and early. So sad.

 

[estherhead]

http://www.enchantingbeginnings.com/disney-world-2013-the-trip-report/

Don't get too excited as all I did today was flip through all 3000 photos! I still have to fix and order our Photopass+ pics (I haven't even looked at them yet ) But I did organize the basics of what I plan on writing. So here is the above link info:

Disney World this year took on a whole new flavor for me. My mind could not help but see it through the eyes of all of you, all of my bloggy-ville friends who also love it like me, or who have never been, or who are just starting to love it but need more information.

Because of that I took almost 3,000 pictures and much video! So I should have plenty to share.

The problem, however, is instead of my mind having this trip report organized, it is a scattered mess in my mind. And I know that with all the other Disney info I plan on giving you all, it could be impossible for me to recreate in a few months without some kind of structure.

So that is what this post is all about. I’m going to go ahead and write the post titles of what I plan on writing, in the order that we did them. Then as I write the chapters I will come back here and add the link. This should help me stay organized and give you all a place to bookmark and check back. Hopefully this will keep all of us from getting lost. Don’t be surprised if new chapters are written and added as we go. But this gives us a starting point.

Disney World 2013 Trip Report

I’ll start with the stuff I’ve already written and the t-shirt tutorials which I have photos of but wanted to wait to share so I could have our Disney photos of us in them and tell you how they held up. I guess you could call this:

Disney World 2013 Trip Report Central

We leave for Disney in 30 days! The month countdown begins (how we chose to go in August.)

Is there a better month than August?

Getting Our Disney Legs.

How we chose our hotel

What tickets we bought

Choosing the Disney Dining Plan

Our Trip’s Details, the plans we made

The crew (Who is vacationing with us?)

Tye Dye T-shirts

Reverse Tye Dye

Silk Screening Castles for cheap

Silk Screening Mickey Parts

Silk Screening Textured Mickey Heads

Monsters University Matching Disney T-shirts

Hair Bows Chapter 1

Hair Bows Chapter 2

Disney Nails

Packing!

At the Airport

What is in Eden’s Backpack? And did it entertain her?

Navigating the Orlando Airport

Is the Magical Express magical?

Art of Animation

Your First Night at Disney: What to do?

Landscape of Flavors

The real difference between Value, Moderate, and Deluxe Resorts

Transferring to another Disney Resort or Split Stays: How much of a hassle?

The first 3 hours in a park tutorial (Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland)

Enchanted Tales with Belle

New Ariel Ride

The New Dumbo

PhotoPass+ vs. Photopass

Boardwalk Registration so we can get our Disney Dining Plan

Epcot World Showcase

Kidcots

Boardwalk Villas: My Official Review

Teppan Edo

Pick a Pearl

The New Test Track: Our Thoughts

What is up with those Friend Ships?

Boardwalk Bakery and other eating options ie: My fight to find a chicken nugget.

We discover my father loves meeting characters

How to do Hollywood Studios if you want to attempt Toy Story Mania, Fighting Darth Vader, and singing on American Idol all on the same day.

Animation Studios is Awesome

Fighting Darth Vader: How to be a Youngling

Getting to Hollywood Studios and Epcot from the Boardwalk and it’s hotels (Beach and Yacht Club, Boardwalk Inn and Villas, Swan and Dolphin)

Why, oh, why??? is there no decent map of the Boardwalk Villas????

Kouzzina

Cape May Cafe dinner

Fantasmic is Fantastic and how the new seating works with Fastpass+

Why your 7 year old still needs a stroller at Disney World

Sunblock: the right way with no casualities

Wilderness Explorers

Why you should ALWAYS do Chester and Hester’s Dinoland first at Animal Kingdom

Our favorite Animal Kingdom snack spot

Kilimanjaro Safari

The new baby giraffe!

Taking a Taxi to Downtown Disney and why we should have taken one home too.

Raglan Road: the food

Raglan Road: the entertainment

T-Rex Cafe

The Lego Store

Shopping at the largest Disney Store ever and why you really need a plan

Year of the Ear

Princess Sofia Debuts

Vinylmations

The boats to Ft. Wilderness kick the Friend Ships boaties

Hoop Dee Do Revue

Hoop Dee Do Revue the video

Magic Kingdom Evening Extra Magic Hours: the plan

Magic Kingdom Evening Extra Magic Hours and why having triple fastpasses is awesome!

The Liberty Bell: Yes or No?

Esther has a meltdown trying to get a picture and finally gets an unexpected great picture

Big Thunder and Splash: the perfect Disney combo

Pirates Adventure: Treasure of the Magic Kingdom

International Gateway: The Pros and Cons

More of World Showcase

Innoventions: Why we aren’t haters

Habit Heroes

The Garden Grill

Princess Merida & Tinkerbell: the plan

How to see the 3:00 parade without the fuss and bright sunshine

Why 97 degrees is horrible

Be Our Guest: the dining room proudly presents: your dinner

Exploring Main Street when you leave, not when you enter

The Boardwalk Pool and activities

Disney is the Happiest Place on Earth: except when you drop your ice cream

Senses: the Grand Floridian Spa

YES classes: year two

Why we are OK with Edy’s AND Starbucks?

American Idol Limited Time Magic almost ruins my trip, but then ends up not mattering and being cool

Clowns?

Rapunzel & the other princesses

Cinderella’s Royal Table

A day off? Finally!

O’hana

Wishes is Late! No!!

Face Painting makes parents mad at us

Sanaa

Animal Kingdom Kidani Village

Goodbye Disney

So there ya go. I can already tell I’m leaving a few things off. Especially there at the end. I don’t have an Illuminations chapter, but I will. But it at least gives you a rough outline of what I plan to cover in this trip report. And it will keep me on the straight and narrow!

To all who followed along live on Facebook and Instagram, thank you! It was SO FUN to share the joy as we were experiencing it. I’m going to try MUCH harder in my every day life to share my every day happily ever afters on social media.

The links won't transfer but I'm going to try and transfer the pictures so you can read and see them here.

 

[knitster]

Oh I'm positively giddy to read along as you share this trip with us! It was so much fun watching your adventures via Instagram and Facebook. It brightened what was an otherwise dreary week of preparing for our homeschool year to start!