*** The Official August 2019 thread ***

[JereMary]

Our flight is scheduled to land at MCO at 8:30am. We are taking ME into POP and then heading to Magic Kingdom where we have a BOG ADR for 1:20. If everything is on time....I shouldn't be concerned about rushing around, right?

You should be fine. Pixie dust that your room is ready.

 

[OurLaughingPlace]

Posting our plans Totally different trip for us - only one morning in the park (Epcot because my dad loves breakfast at Akershus) / letting older DD's sleep in and do evenings in parks. We actually prefer AK at night but are usually rope drop people for everything else, so this will be new for us, but if DD's get to sleep in, everyone will be happier

August 6th - Buffalo hotel for the night (park and fly hotel) after a 4.5 drive - we like to arrive here, shop at Khol's, have supper at Olive Garden (which we no longer have in Ontario, as far as I know and I miss it)
August 7th - arrive MCO at 8:40am, go to PORS (free dining plan) to check in (fingers crossed for our room ready early), swim / Disney Springs for Wolfgang Puck Express, our favourite quick service, 5:00pm to MK -FP for Peter Pan, Splash, Space and 6:30pm supper at Crystal Palace,
August 8th- DHS @ 4:00pm, FP-Rock n Rollercoaster, Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania and 6:40pm supper 50's Prime Time
August 9th - AM Disney Springs, PM- AK, FP- FOP, Dinosaur, EE and 7:00pm supper Rainforest Cafe (Landry Card)
August 10th- MK @ 6:00pm FP- BTMRR, Splash, 7DMT and 4:30pm supper Trails End
August 11th- day off- swim, Disney Springs, tour monorail resorts - flexible day and 5:00pm supper at 'Ohana
August 12th- AM-Epcot FP- FEA, Mission Space, Spaceship Earth and 10:45am breakfast at Akershus; PM- DHS and 6:30pm supper at Sci-Fi
August 13th- PM- AK- FP- Dinosaur, EE, FOP and just doing quick service meals today
August 14th- move to Beach Club (using final dining plan credits today and paying OOP starting tomorrow); 10:45am breakfast at Cape May; PM- Epcot- Figment, Soarin', Living with the Land and 6:30pm supper @ Le Cellier (for two DD's) and @ Via Napoli (for my dad and I)
August 15th- Epcot - my dad and I will go in at rope drop (EMH)- ride Soarin, walk around, SAB pool time, Lunch @ ESPN Evening (girls will go into Epcot with us) - FP -Mission Space, Test Track, Spaceship Earth; quick service supper in world showcase
August 16th- move to Polynesian; hang out at resort (this is a new to us resort), swim and eat dole whips from Pineapple Lanai, PM- MNSSHP- our first party ever - FP- Space, Haunted Mansion and Buzz, will do quick service at Casey's and we have the Tomorrowland Terrace Firework Dessert Party with Garden Plaza Viewing.
August 17th - fly home

 

[Wood Nymph]

Our flight is scheduled to land at MCO at 8:30am. We are taking ME into POP and then heading to Magic Kingdom where we have a BOG ADR for 1:20. If everything is on time....I shouldn't be concerned about rushing around, right?

You should be fine. You should get to your resort before 11am and it would not take too long to get to MK

Does anyone know if that means the Arcade will still be open?

There hasn’t been any discussion about the remodel at Beaches and Cream on the BC/UC thread. But the Arcade is the logical one to get reduced if they plan to enlarge the restaurant

 

[Je-Ree Olenik]

I am going to a lot of the same parks on the same days as you are. I am coming from N.J. as well but flying in from Philly. We are staying at the Grand Floridian to celebrate our anniversary. Here are our plans so far:

July 30 (Arrive in the morning) MK:
Lunch: LTT
FP: Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain and SDMT.
Dinner: Grand Floridian Cafe.
Nighttime: EP extra Magic hours

July 31 AK:
FP: Navi, Safari and Animation Academy
No meals booked as I am waiting for reviews of the Circle of Flavors: Harambe at night special event to possibly do.
Nighttime: MK for extra magic hours

Aug 1 EP:
FP: Living with the Land, Spaceship Earth, Test Track
Nighttime: MK: Villains After Hours

Aug 2 MK:
FP: Peter Pan, Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain
Lunch: CRT
Nighttime: EP: FEA Dessert Party

Aug 3 AK:
FP: Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, FOP
Lunch: Tiffins
Nighttime: open

Aug 4 HS:
FP: Toy Story Mania, Rock 'n' Rollercoaster, ToT
Lunch: 50's Primetime Cafe
Nighttime: open

Aug 5 HS: Early Morning Magic TSL
FP: Rock 'n' Rollercoaster, ToT, SDD
Lunch: Dining with an Imagineer at Hollywood Brown Derby
Nighttime: open

Aug 6 MK: Early Morning Magic Fantasyland
FP: Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, SDMT
Dinner: Beaches and Cream
Nighttime: EP extra magic hours

Aug 7-10 Booked a Minnie van to head to Port Canaveral
Embark on Disney Fantasy for relaxation time

Oh wow how awesome LOL! Maybe we will bump into each other!

 

[Je-Ree Olenik]

I have $150 in gift cards think thats enough or should i load up more LOL

 

[dachsie]

Ok - I will join in on the plans

July 31 - arrive 11am and shuttle to Wyndham Grand, then Uber to Epcot. Dinner Il Mulino
Aug 1 - conference til 6:30 - Uber to Jiko for dinner then to DS and back to hotel
Aug 2 - conference til 5 - Uber to Epcot. Dinner at Spice Road Table
Aug 3 - Check in to CBR early, hold luggage at bell services and hit AK for EMH, back to resort to get into room and then uber to Mass at Corpus Christi Catholic church, Dinner Sebastian's then back to AK
Aug 4 - EP with Diner at HBD at HS to see Fireworks and try to grab a ride on SDD in evening
Aug 5 - EMM at TSL then hop to MK. Resort pool then Dinner at Sebastian's again unless I don't like it the first time. May go see Illuminations afterwards
Aug 6 - MK, resort pool then dinner in AK with Savor the Savanna
Aug 7 - Bye WDW for a while - will be 2021 probably before I return.

 

[Bama Mom]

I have $150 in gift cards think thats enough or should i load up more LOL

Depends on what all you plan to use it for.

 

[Bama Mom]

Posting our plans Totally different trip for us - only one morning in the park (Epcot because my dad loves breakfast at Akershus) / letting older DD's sleep in and do evenings in parks. We actually prefer AK at night but are usually rope drop people for everything else, so this will be new for us, but if DD's get to sleep in, everyone will be happier

August 6th - Buffalo hotel for the night (park and fly hotel) after a 4.5 drive - we like to arrive here, shop at Khol's, have supper at Olive Garden (which we no longer have in Ontario, as far as I know and I miss it)
August 7th - arrive MCO at 8:40am, go to PORS (free dining plan) to check in (fingers crossed for our room ready early), swim / Disney Springs for Wolfgang Puck Express, our favourite quick service, 5:00pm to MK -FP for Peter Pan, Splash, Space and 6:30pm supper at Crystal Palace,
August 8th- DHS @ 4:00pm, FP-Rock n Rollercoaster, Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania and 6:40pm supper 50's Prime Time
August 9th - AM Disney Springs, PM- AK, FP- FOP, Dinosaur, EE and 7:00pm supper Rainforest Cafe (Landry Card)
August 10th- MK @ 6:00pm FP- BTMRR, Splash, 7DMT and 4:30pm supper Trails End
August 11th- day off- swim, Disney Springs, tour monorail resorts - flexible day and 5:00pm supper at 'Ohana
August 12th- AM-Epcot FP- FEA, Mission Space, Spaceship Earth and 10:45am breakfast at Akershus; PM- DHS and 6:30pm supper at Sci-Fi
August 13th- PM- AK- FP- Dinosaur, EE, FOP and just doing quick service meals today
August 14th- move to Beach Club (using final dining plan credits today and paying OOP starting tomorrow); 10:45am breakfast at Cape May; PM- Epcot- Figment, Soarin', Living with the Land and 6:30pm supper @ Le Cellier (for two DD's) and @ Via Napoli (for my dad and I)
August 15th- Epcot - my dad and I will go in at rope drop (EMH)- ride Soarin, walk around, SAB pool time, Lunch @ ESPN Evening (girls will go into Epcot with us) - FP -Mission Space, Test Track, Spaceship Earth; quick service supper in world showcase
August 16th- move to Polynesian; hang out at resort (this is a new to us resort), swim and eat dole whips from Pineapple Lanai, PM- MNSSHP- our first party ever - FP- Space, Haunted Mansion and Buzz, will do quick service at Casey's and we have the Tomorrowland Terrace Firework Dessert Party with Garden Plaza Viewing.
August 17th - fly home

We will be at AK on the 9th as well.

 

[Erinmc3]

You should be fine. Pixie dust that your room is ready.

Thanks!! If not, we will just dump them off at bell services and jump on a bus. We don't plan on our first day at MK being a long one.

 

[Je-Ree Olenik]

Depends on what all you plan to use it for.

just spending money in the parks. maybe food if we use up the dining plan which i dont see happening

 

[Je-Ree Olenik]

officially at the two week mark! 14 days to go!

 

[DISNEY1975]

Here's our loose plan:

August 14th: arrive at MCO at 8:30pm and board DME to All-Star Movies
August 15th: MK morning to afternoon (FP: Peter Pan, Dumbo, Winnie the Pooh); pool and resort evening
August 16th: Epcot from 10 to around dinner time (FP: Soarin, Living with the Land); Hoping to make it around World Showcase (it would be a first); dinner TBD
August 17th: AK from around 10 to 4:30 (FP: Na'vi River Journey, Animation Station, Festival of the Lion King); pool and resort evening
August 18th: HS early (FP: TSM, Star Tours, 3rd TBD); dinner TBD
August 19th: Plan 1: Morning at MK to about 3pm. Break at the resort. Return to MK for HEA dessert party (garden viewing). Plan 2: Resort/pool/laundry then MK from 4:00 to close including HEA dessert party (garden viewing)
August 20th: use up any left over dining/snack credits, hit the arcade and resort store until Tragical Express comes around 2:00

Great plans. Tragical Express

 

[dnllmz]

OK Since everyone is posting their plans, I'm going to follow suit
16 - Stop by the Character Warehouse, check in, lunch at the Wave, Dinner in Disney Springs (maybe Chicken Guy...)
17- EP - Lunch at Via Napoli, FP - Test Track, Living with the Land, Meet Mickey
18- MK - late breakfast at Crystal Palace, FP - SDMT, Big Thunder, HM
19 - HS - EMM for Toy Story Land - lunch at Sci Fi, FP - TSM, Star Tours, Tower of Terror
20 - AK - Dinner at the Rainforest Cafe (although this may change...), FP - FOP, Safari, Dinosaur
21 - Pool day or maybe hit a waterpark, Disney Springs if it's raining, Breakfast at Ohana
22- EP - Bon Voyage Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno, Dinner at San Angel, FP- Soarin', Mission Space, SE
23 - MK morning, HS later - dinner is being decided - either Hollywood and Vine or Brown Derby, FP- SDD, Rockin Rollercoaster, Star Tours
24 - AK - Breakfast at the Grand Floridian Cafe , FP- Animation, FOP, Dinosaur
25- MK - no sit down meal, FP - SDMT, Peter Pan, Space Mountain
26 - Chef Mickey Breakfast, then Tragical Express with many tears...

We've never been to the Brown Derby so I'd really like to try it, but I have two ridiculously picky eaters in tow, so H&V is the safer choice... anyone been to Brown Derby recently?
I'm also not crazy about going to the Rainforest Cafe. We did T Rex before and it was LOUD in there. There's a member of our party with sensitive ears, and they had to leave the table for a while to escape all the noise. It ended up not being a pleasant experience - so I'm a little nervous this may be similar. (Other "loud" restaurants like Chef Mickey's didn't seem to be a problem, so I'm not sure if it's all noise or if the lights and stuff made it a sensory overload.) I'm wondering if it might be worth it to try to get to Disney Springs for a dinner and then we could head back if we want to see Pandora at night...

We enjoyed our dinner at Rainforest Cafe but it is sensory overload. The animals make noises throughout your meal & if I’m remembering correctly it sounds like it’s storming in there.

just spending money in the parks. maybe food if we use up the dining plan which i dont see happening

You can use gift cards to pay for your tips for any sit downs. The tips really add up. I try to limit my kids on souvenirs but we were going to Disney pretty frequently & I’m over picking up stuffed animals off the floors. Sometimes we limit them to items like 1 or 2 things. Sometimes to a monetary value. I usually get an ornament for our tree & one for each kid. I buy my kids ornaments each year to save them until they’re older & have their own tree. Sometimes they’re from vacation& other times it may be based on something they did like dd6 played soccer this year for first time & loved it.

Monday I moved my flight up so instead of landing at 10pm, we now land at 4:30pm. I’m not sure if I want to make any plans that night in case we are all tired. It’s only a 2.5 hour flight. Our first night we were supposed to stay at All Star Movies but yesterday I received a Disney visa deal on a water view room at the Coronado’s Gran Destino tower so I switched to that. I thought exploring that hotel for the night might be fun. It looks beautiful from the little I’ve seen.

 

[DISNEY1975]

3 weeks for me and got the message this morning that our MBs have shipped! Yipppeeee.

Told my husband I got the green MB for him, a change from grey, which he ALWAYS picks. Told him it was time for change..do something different! Then he asked me what color I got. Pink (Same a always!!)

 

[DISNEY1975]

Moana was really good. Did you watch it yet?

Not yet. Probably this weekend if we dont go to the beach. Its supposed to be near 100 degrees Sat and Sun Its either the beach, or watching movies inside with the AC cranked!!!

 

[omniscientmommy]

@luvmy2babies You should wet them down before trying to open/close these if they're dry. Just a little bit of damp will help.

At 26 days left. ds5 was upset the last few days that our trip wasn't starting 'tomorrow'. His answer.... we should just move to Disney. lol

 

[dachsie]

Well, I just changed my 2nd Sebastian's dinner to Takumi-Tei. Looking forward to that

 

[Pills]

I can't believe I'm posting here.

So, a little background. In October, 2008, I went to Washington, DC for a conference. I bought my older daughter (then 6) a book about the city.

The following summer (2009, to be clear), we had planned a surprise trip to WDW. The girls knew that we were planning on going in November of 2010. We had to be able to talk about it without them knowing, so we said we were going to DC (which we could play off later as "no, we said DISNEY, not DC"). Well, my older one started getting way too excited to see the monuments and memorials, and so we had to tell them about 3 weeks before we went. My little one, then almost three, thrust her hands in the air and exclaimed "WE'RE GOING TO SEE PRINCESSES!". Note that the pic in my profile is from that trip.

Fast forward to this summer, and we're almost exactly 10 years later. My older one is planning college visits, and wants to go into PoliSci. This time, we actually planned on going to DC to see American, GW and Georgetown. Yesterday, my wife told me that my daughter prefers to go during the school year to get a better sense of the schools; fair enough. We also were limited in our vacation times; can't go before August 16th after camp ends, have to be back on the 22nd, 27th and school starts on 9/3. So the wife and I figured we'd finally go to Universal for 5 days as they've been asking to do. Mind you, we were in WDW in April and joined DVC, but it doesn't kick in until December because we bought in at the Riviera.

We called the girls upstairs and told them of our plans. They both said they'd rather go back to WDW. So, here I am, posting that we're going down the night of the 16th and staying at the GF until 8/21. MNSSHP on the 20th.

 

[123SA]

The tips really add up.

They really do. I have a 14 day stay with free dining for 5 adults (actually, we are staying at AS Music, so I upgraded it to table service, so not all the way free) I finally did a rough estimate and realized my expected tip amount is around $700. ($50pp x 5 x 20% x 14) That is such a painful number. Remember when the tip was included with free dining? Taking the tip out it was much more painful that losing the appetizer. I use my Disney rewards card for the tips and to buy photo pass at the military rate. I was expecting to have extra dollars to spend this year, but I think I'll have just barely enough.

We have a lot of character meals and buffets planned and I'll have to pay OOP for 4 meals in order to use the dining plan for 2 extra character breakfasts for DD and me.

Snow White meal
ohana breakfast
ohana dinner
1900 Park Fare breakfast (for 2)
1900 Park Fare dinner
Liberty Tree dinner
Garden Grill breakfast
Yak & Yeti (will pay OOP for 1 person) dinner
H&V Fantasmic dinner package
Bon Voyage breakfast (for 2)
Rain Forest Cafe (will pay OOP for 1 person)
Tony's Parade package lunch
Planet Hollywood (will pay OOP for 1) lunch
SCi Fi lunch
Crystal Palace lunch
Trex (will pay OOP for 1 person)

 

[Bama Mom]

just spending money in the parks. maybe food if we use up the dining plan which i dont see happening

If you don't plan to buy a lot then yeah, but like others have said you could also use it for tips at sit down meals and that can add up quickly.