The "Dumbo or Die" Pre Trip report.. updated 9/5

[justakrazymom]

Hello all! Now that I have finally finished my TR from our August trip, AND I have managed to save the $$ we will need to book the next trip.. I'm starting a PTR!

So let's see.. first off..who we are..

here's 6 of the 7 of us that will be on this trip:

Myself~Alison..36 year old mother of 4, homeschooler and office manager by day and bartender at a night club by night.

My husband~Eric.. mold maker by day and a newly born Disney Fanatic!


My mother~ AKA Gigi... 60 something Disney nut like her daughter!

My oldest son Noah~17 ,.he turns into a 4 year old the moment he steps on Disney property.

My youngest 3 kids.. Declan 9, Jadziah 8 and Taejan 6..all VERY anxiously awaiting me saying "we are going BACK".. they went for the 1st time in August and not a day goes by that they don't say they want to go back!

here's the oldest kiddo:

This trip it will just be us. Last time we traveled with 20 people total.. 8 in just my group. This time there will be NO girlfriend( if your wondering why..read my last trip report..good reading!) and we are not traveling with our best friends. As much as I love them, and it was fine all being together..I am not doing it again.

When: well that's up in the air.. we are aiming for mid September. Being homeschoolers we are way more flexible than most. If we are very lucky and FD comes out then we are good for Mid September 2012..if not then March 2013 because I'll need more time to save for food..lol.

Now why the name of the PTR? Well see..we never did make it on Dumbo..my younger 3 kids will never forgive me I fear. Between the lines, the heat and the fact my daughter was not well on our last day in MK we just never managed to ride it. My oldest son LOVES to tell them that when we went he got the 1st ride of the day on Dumbo about 6 times.. thanks Noah!

The kids all want to stay at Pop Century again. I'm fine with that.. we need 2 rooms and values are the only way to go for that. I'd be fine with trying an All Star but am game for whatever!

I haven't called and made ressies..I'm waiting til March 1st in hopes of free dining coming out..if it doesn't then I will still make them and move them if need be!

 

[justakrazymom]

So it's now Jan 10th.. I have enough money to make ressies( plus some).. but no free dining.. I am torn here.

Do I make ressies and pray free dining comes out...

or


Do I just keep putting money in the bank and wait until it comes out to make ressies?


or


i'm screwed..no free dining for Sept 2012 so no point in saving and praying?

 

[Corrine 1973]

I had to come over to check out your PTR, I just love the title. It's amazing to me how much people loving Dumbo. It's such a simple ride and you are basicly riding the same ride on Aladdin's Carpet Ride and Triceretops Spin in DAK. That being said I LOVE Dumbo, the best bet is to hit it right away when you first get into the park before lines get to long. Plus the second one might be ready by the time you get there so that will make it even better.

Resorts: Have you looked into the family suites at Art of Imagination? It's the new resort and I believe family suites are already open. It has a Queen sized bed, a double bed, and two pull out chairs. It also has a kitchen area and will probably be cheaper than two rooms (ASMu also has family suites). The new resort is right next door to Pop.

I don't know what to tell you about FDP in September, though it might be awhile before you get confirmation on a FDP. Just remember that even if you put a down payment down on a room you can continue to change it until the 45 day mark. (During my stay last May we added DDP and changed resorts.) You can even change the dates of your stay, so you can book the september trip, but if FDP comes out for December all you need to do is call them and change your reservations for December.

Also remember that you can pay for your WDW trip with Disney Gift Cards, so if you are worried about booking now and don't want to accidently spend the money you have saved, you can put the money on a DGC. You can put up to $1500 on each card. A tip about using GC to pay off your trip: You can only use one per session if you do it online but you can use multiple cards if you talk to someone at Disney on the phone.

Hope I was able to help. Can't wait to here more.

 

[justakrazymom]

I had to come over to check out your PTR, I just love the title. It's amazing to me how much people loving Dumbo. It's such a simple ride and you are basicly riding the same ride on Aladdin's Carpet Ride and Triceretops Spin in DAK. That being said I LOVE Dumbo, the best bet is to hit it right away when you first get into the park before lines get to long. Plus the second one might be ready by the time you get there so that will make it even better.

Resorts: Have you looked into the family suites at Art of Imagination? It's the new resort and I believe family suites are already open. It has a Queen sized bed, a double bed, and two pull out chairs. It also has a kitchen area and will probably be cheaper than two rooms (ASMu also has family suites). The new resort is right next door to Pop.

I don't know what to tell you about FDP in September, though it might be awhile before you get confirmation on a FDP. Just remember that even if you put a down payment down on a room you can continue to change it until the 45 day mark. (During my stay last May we added DDP and changed resorts.) You can even change the dates of your stay, so you can book the september trip, but if FDP comes out for December all you need to do is call them and change your reservations for December.

Also remember that you can pay for your WDW trip with Disney Gift Cards, so if you are worried about booking now and don't want to accidently spend the money you have saved, you can put the money on a DGC. You can put up to $1500 on each card. A tip about using GC to pay off your trip: You can only use one per session if you do it online but you can use multiple cards if you talk to someone at Disney on the phone.

Hope I was able to help. Can't wait to here more.

I can't say i LOVE dumbo..but my kids torture me with the fact we never rode him.

There are 7 of us so no suites..plus 2 value rooms ( which is what we did with 8 of us in August) is cheaper than 1 suite!

I think I am going to just hope FD comes out before we hit the 180 day mark..if not I will book simply so i can make dinning ressies just in case..LOL.. until then I will sock money in the bank!

 

[justakrazymom]

My best friend ( who has some 20+ trips now to WDW) spoke to a CM that gave her info that FD for Aug on is supposed to be released on the 31st..now of course, I know this could be hog wash..but I am really hoping it's real. If so you all know what I will be doing Tuesday morning.. making ressieS!!

 

[VroomVroomLightning]

My best friend ( who has some 20+ trips now to WDW) spoke to a CM that gave her info that FD for Aug on is supposed to be released on the 31st..now of course, I know this could be hog wash..but I am really hoping it's real. If so you all know what I will be doing Tuesday morning.. making ressieS!!

I hope this is true too! We are going in September too and need 3 rooms so we are also waiting for Free Dining to be released!!

 

[justakrazymom]

I hope this is true too! We are going in September too and need 3 rooms so we are also waiting for Free Dining to be released!!

I will be doing the super happy dance if it is true believe me. We will go either way but free dining means Character meals.. no free dining means counter service every meal for 11 days...ack!

 

[justakrazymom]

So we've already picked out all our meals. IF there is free dining that is..lol

we will have 11 TS credits..

Spirit of Aloha

Hoop Dee Doo

Garden Grill

Teppan Edo

1900 Park Fare ( Step sisters meal)

50's Prime Time

Cape May

Whispering Canyon

Akershus ( princesses)

 

[justakrazymom]

Still holding off making our ressies.. we're up to 3/4 of the money we need for ressies..so I am very confident we will be going. Rumors abound that March 1st FD will come out.. I am making ressies the 2nd if dinning doesn't come out.. we are going one way or another!

That said a friend of a friend ( said person is a EX friend of mine)..just got back from 5 days.. they were NOT impressed.. they spent $10,000 to stay at AKL, full dinning etc and they came back havin rode like 5 rides, and saying it was NOT for their 9 year old and was ALL geared towards LITTLE kids..he was too old. He, apparently, likes sports not Disney Characters.. Yes...I almost choked on that one. My kids like sports too..but um.. they like Disney too.. but hey that's 3 people that WON'T ever be in live ahead of me right?

 

[justakrazymom]

Well we are now booked!! With the way they are running the free dining promo this time we ended up at Port Orleans French Quarter, garden view.. i am actually so excited. I loved POP but I am a moderate girl at heart. My little kids are flipping out over the pool..my oldest and my hubby are loving the fact they can take the boat to downtown.. i'm just calculating how many beers I need to sling at work to pay the difference..LMAO.. It was just a no brainer for me to upgrade because the price between a value I didn't really want ( sports) and upgrading the dining plan and a moderate I LOVE with that plan was nominal!

 

[justakrazymom]

I wanna say I think I may be utterly useless for the next 196 days...LOL

 

[justakrazymom]

So I see I forgot to put the dates... Sept 17-27th 2012.. 195.5 days and counting.. only 15.5 days until ADR day!!

 

[tyandskyesmom]

Yea...you're going back! I guess it was a big hit last time hu?

But now I'm jealous...last time we got to count down together...this time I don't get to go...

I'm tenatively, hoping, wishin, dreaming, planning Christmas 2013 into January 2014...and well, Skye is dancing in Disneyland for 3 nights, Hollywook for 2 nights, and Vegas to 4 nights in June-July so I guess I shouldn't be too jealous but I just cannot get excited about it...I wanna go to the World, not the Land!

 

[justakrazymom]

Yea...you're going back! I guess it was a big hit last time hu?

But now I'm jealous...last time we got to count down together...this time I don't get to go...

I'm tenatively, hoping, wishin, dreaming, planning Christmas 2013 into January 2014...and well, Skye is dancing in Disneyland for 3 nights, Hollywook for 2 nights, and Vegas to 4 nights in June-July so I guess I shouldn't be too jealous but I just cannot get excited about it...I wanna go to the World, not the Land!

Most def! I am just lucky it wont be another 10 years inbetween visits. I am blessed that my 2nd job pays well enough I can take my family back..lol.. After this it will be a few years as we are doing a 7000 mile road trip in 2015 and will hit DL and WDW..so no vacations in between!

 

[Mrs. Sojourner]

I wanna say I think I may be utterly useless for the next 196 days...LOL

I feel the exact same way!

 

[justakrazymom]

I feel the exact same way!

Only at Disboards is this normal eh?LOL

 

[justakrazymom]

Ok we have the start of our ADR list:

50's prime time whenever

Garden Grill with Chip n Dale

Cape May dinner

1900 Park Fare ( potentially) Mary Poppins breakfast

Akershus Princesses lunch

Ohana with Stich breakfast

Rainforest Cafe ( either DTD or AK don't care) dinner

Crystal Palace early Breakfast on last day

 

[Dancegrl624]

We're going to be there almost the exact same time! Our dates are Sept 18-25 and we're also at POFQ! We've stayed at Pop the last two times (my DD loves it there), but she's super excited about the slide at the pool.

Aren't you super excited about Free Dining? I have a PTR as well...link is in my signature if you want to check it out.

 

[justakrazymom]

We're going to be there almost the exact same time! Our dates are Sept 18-25 and we're also at POFQ! We've stayed at Pop the last two times (my DD loves it there), but she's super excited about the slide at the pool.

Aren't you super excited about Free Dining? I have a PTR as well...link is in my signature if you want to check it out.

Yep..my kids are super excited. We had free dining last time too.. loved it!

 

[justakrazymom]

Ok our almost final ADR list:

Ok we have out dining plans all set!

50's Prime Time for a late lunch

garden grill for dinner ( chip n dale)

Cape may for dinner

Ohana for Breakfast ( stitch)

Rainforest cafe in DTD dinner

Crystal Palace for an early breakfast

Chef Mickeys dinner

Yak and Yeti Lunch

CRT for Lunch

that's our 10 TS credits

Now let's pray i can get them all on the days I want!