**~~***The Official June 2017 Thread***~~**

[JennLTX]

As far as alcohol goes, can someone clue me in on good drink in AK? I've been to Disney a lot but many of the times I have gone have been as a chaperone on a high school trip that I plan for seniors. Going to WDW with 25 teenagers makes you REALLY want alcohol but of course I can't drink when I am chaperoning. Any other time I've always gone in the morning and was done before it was "appropriate" to drink. Please tell me what I should order if you know of any special AK specific concoctions. I'm always down for a good drink!

I'm a big fan of the mojitos at Dawa Bar, and I was also going to sing the praises of their bloody marys, but they aren't on the menu anymore???

There are a lot of fun beers on draft to try at different stands around the park. I like the Old Elephant Foot IPA and the Victory Golden Monkey, which are especially yummy on a hot day.

Since we're going to be at AK a LONG time, assuming the current schedule holds, I'm hoping to convince the kiddo to take an afternoon break in the Nomad Lounge and that if he agrees, it's not wall-to-wall Pandora refugees. Those cocktails have been calling my name ever since the place opened.

 

[DLmama]

I think I might actually be ready for our family's 1st WDW vacation! It'll be myself, DH and DS9, staying at POR from June 16-25, 8 day tickets, no hoppers. I'm a little concerned about the heat & humidity, but we'll be ok. I know to drink water and we have gotten some cooling towels and have breaks planned. We've been to DL quite a bit, so kinda know how we tour Disney parks, but this will be a whole new experience. We'll be taking afternoon breaks back at the resort most days for naps and/or swimming, and the days that we aren't, we have shows and/or lunches planned in the hottest part of the day. We're usually early risers, but there's a 3 hour time difference, so I'm guessing the first day or two won't have us at the parks much before 10 or 11. After that, it'll be all about rope drop! These boards and touringplans.com have been lifesavers! I still have about a month before I can make our FP+ reservations, but I might have them figured out. Except I'm stuck on AK, like most of you. I'm currently planning on doing EMH on June 19 and riding Avatar Flight of Passage, and hopefully scoring FP+ for Na'vi River Journey. If we can't get the FP+, we'll probably ride that one and not do AFoP. DS doesn't have any interest in watching the movie or the rides, and if it's anything like Star Tours, I'm anticipating it making me sick anyway.

Here's our current plan:

June 16 - Arrival Day; flight gets in at 5:20pm, check into POR and take the boat to DS for dinner at Wolfgang Puck Express
June 17 - EPCOT; Via Napoli 6:35pm, watch Illuminations
June 18 - MK; CRT 8:15pm
June 19 - EMH AK; Yak & Yeti 12:15pm
June 20 - HS; Sci Fi 1:50pm, hoping to add Star Wars dessert party
June 21 - EPCOT; Garden Grill 8:20am
June 22 - MK; 'Ohana 5:50pm, watch the new Happily Ever After fireworks (sad to be missing Wishes!)
June 23 - AK; Tusker House ROL 12:30pm, watch ROL
June 24 - MK; Chef Art's Homecoming 5:40pm, try to catch Festival of Fantasy parade
June 25 - Departure Day ; flight leaves at 3:45pm, MDE should pick up around 12:45 - I want to do brunch, but don't want to venture too far away from the resort, so thinking about the food court in POR or walking over to POFQ for those beignets

 

[Senk]

There is alcohol at AK?! I just assumed the only place you could get a drink Epcot and the resorts. This trip keep getting better!

 

[kmv]

Hi there! We will be there 6/13-6/18, staying at OKW with my DH, DD12 and DD6.

Tentative plans:
6/13- travel day, get to OKW around dinner. Easy dinner and pool.
6/14- MK all day. BOG lunch ADR
6/15- go to Gainesville for Gator softball pitching camp for DD12. DH got MS and PhD there and can't wait to have a day home (lived there for 8 years and DD was born there)
6/16- HS
6/17- Bon Voyage breakfast ADR then Epcot. Back to MK for dinner and night time
6/18- AK til late. Flight isn't until 10:30pm!

 

[Senk]

My kiddos are similar age to yours, and I can tell you they will love WDW!!! I also want to let you know that in our experience the kids have had no problem doing full park days. I haven't been very successful at afternoon breaks and have gone from early breakfast ADRs/ropedrop to night time fireworks and the kids have been fine. I didn't really say that was a concern of yours, but thought I would share!

This has been a concern for me! I hope they can hang. Im not sure i want to deal with transportation. The MDE app told me takes 39 mins from POR to MK on the bus. Idk if that is accurate or not but that seems like a long time plus we would have to add time for bus waiting and POR doesn't have the best reputation for that.

We are "hiking" a few miles/day on the warm days to prepare for the unknown, who knows if it will help but it's fun!

 

[ashleymrush]

There is alcohol at AK?! I just assumed the only place you could get a drink Epcot and the resorts. This trip keep getting better!

You can actually get alcohol in all 4 parks now. MK is very limited though, it is only offered at a few restaurants. They don't have the ability for you to walk and drink anywhere there. The rest of the parks are definitely well supplied though.

 

[JennLTX]

You can actually get alcohol in all 4 parks now. MK is very limited though, it is only offered at a few restaurants. They don't have the ability for you to walk and drink anywhere there. The rest of the parks are definitely well supplied though.

Glorious understatement of the year.

 

[SanderMC]

Hello Everyone! I'm way late in joining this thread as I have been in planning mode for a good year now for our upcoming trip.

This trip will be an extended family trip. We are driving and staying offsite from 6/2 - 6/16. This trip will be me, my DH, DD4, Mom, Dad, Sister, BIL, and my two nieces who are 4 and 7. The only person missing is my brother who has decided not to come (the bumpkin!). Everyone will be staying the whole time except for my husband who will be leaving on 6/11 as he has to go back to work on 6/12.

My DH, DD, Mom and myself bought annual passes as we will all be going again. Right now the rest of the crew has 7 day passes. I haven't been told yet what everyone's park plans are. I'm supposed to be finding that out within the next couple of weeks. So I planned for my family and added everyone on to most of the dining reservations. Right now I think everyone is doing all the reservations but if not, I'll adjust accordingly. The only thing I do know is that my sister's opinion is that Epcot is boring and there is nothing there to do with the kids, especially in the world showcase (I vehemently disagree). Therefore while my little family will be hitting up Epcot multiple times, my sister, BIL, and nieces will only be attending once on the day we have a group ADR. I have no idea what my parents are going to do.

As of right now none of the girls know they are going to Disney. I don't believe my sister plans on telling her girls until they leave. I on the other hand do want to build some excitement. After some hemming and hawing we decided to tell DD on Easter. That way her Easter gift from us can be Disney related items I've been picking up over the past year for the trip. The final present she will open will be a simple countdown calendar (that she can put a sticker to mark off each day as she is sticker obsessed). It's at that point that we will tell her she's going to Disney. I know she will be excited as she's been asking to go back. I've been telling her to save her pennies. She's been listening as at one point she brought over her bucket of pennies and asked me if it was enough to go to Disney.

Tentative plans (for my family at least are as follows):
6/2 - Me, DH, DD, Mom, and Dad all arrive in FL. Check into the house and get situated
6/3 - Hit Disney Springs with my parents to activate our APs and possibly buy a TIW card.
My sister in her family arrive this day and we kick everything off with Chef Mickey's for dinner
6/4 - MK all day
6/5 - EP all day concentrating on Future World. Garden Grill for lunch for DH, DD, and myself.
6/6 - HS all day with a late breakfast at Hollywood & Vine for everyone
6/7 - Rest Day (maybe hit Disney Springs)
6/8 - MK all day with an early breakfast at Crystal Palace
6/9 - AK all day with a lunch ROL dining package at Tusker House for DH, DD, and myself
6/10 - EP all day with a concentration in the World Showcase. Dinner reservation at Cape May for everyone
6/11 - DH leaves this afternoon. MK day to hit favorites. Dinner reservations at 1900 Park Fare for Everyone.
6/12 - Rest Day - DD and I will be heading to the Perfectly Princess Tea.
The rest of the family has a late breakfast reservation at Bon Voyage Breakfast
6/13 - HS to hit favorites. Bon Voyage Breakfast for DD and myself
6/14 - EP with a lunch reservation at Akershus for everyone. DD and myself will be go with the flow today.
6/15 - MK last time for favorites
6/16 - AK
6/17 - Pack up and drive home

 

[pigletgirl]

Joining in late! My husband gifted me with a solo trip for June 21st-28th, staying at Pop Century! I'm super pumped and slightly nervous. A week in Disney to myself?

So far I don't have many things planned, and the only thing I have booked currently is a ROL dinner at Tiffins. I couldn't get my family to eat there this past December so this is my chance.

Anyone else traveling solo?

I'm just mostly excited to tour on my terms.

 

[JennLTX]

Joining in late! My husband gifted me with a solo trip for June 21st-28th, staying at Pop Century! I'm super pumped and slightly nervous. A week in Disney to myself?

So far I don't have many things planned, and the only thing I have booked currently is a ROL dinner at Tiffins. I couldn't get my family to eat there this past December so this is my chance.

Anyone else traveling solo?

I'm just mostly excited to tour on my terms.

Just to say you are living my dream. Have a WONDERFUL time!!!!

 

[ArielSRL]

This has been a concern for me! I hope they can hang. Im not sure i want to deal with transportation. The MDE app told me takes 39 mins from POR to MK on the bus. Idk if that is accurate or not but that seems like a long time plus we would have to add time for bus waiting and POR doesn't have the best reputation for that.

We are "hiking" a few miles/day on the warm days to prepare for the unknown, who knows if it will help but it's fun!

The suggestion is to plan for an hour between resort and park. We always take breaks so we plan for 4 hours (2 possible travel hours and 2 rest/swim hours). It usually does not take that long but it is good to be prepared, just in case.

We like the breaks because we get out of the heat midday (though there are other ways to do that), we get to swim if we want, relax a liuttle n the room, my youngest (or really any of us) may nap, the boys get a break from the stimuli, we get to shower and change our clothes (get refreshed). But I do see how it can be an inconvenience. It is just worth it to us.

 

[Marissa227]

Hi guys, just want to check in. We will be going on small trip in June... from the 12th to the 16th. Three days tickets, with one day at HS, AK, and MK. We're definitely doing H&V with F! Dinner, CRT breakfast or lunch, but I'm on the fence about Tusker House breakfast. I'm waiting to see with Pandora opening how much of an advantage it will be to have a PPO in AK.... We're traveling from PA with our DS3, DS5, and DS16, and 17 year old friend of the teenager. We're going to surprise DS5 because we're leaving immediately following his pre-kindergarten graduation. When we went to Disney this past November, his hair literally brushed the height marker for 40", and he is super excited to go back again, this time I'm sure he will make it on. He wants to ride Splash Mountain, Tower of Terror, and DINOSAUR (he has no fear and watches these rides almost every night on Youtube). His younger brother, DS3, is a big fan of Mickey and LOVES meeting the characters. We're planning to let the teenagers have a little bit of free time to do their thing, but most of the time we'll be together. We're trying the family suites at All-Star Music. (Unless a discount comes out and we can get a better deal in the cabins at FW). Happy Planning everyone

 

[Senk]

The suggestion is to plan for an hour between resort and park. We always take breaks so we plan for 4 hours (2 possible travel hours and 2 rest/swim hours). It usually does not take that long but it is good to be prepared, just in case.

We like the breaks because we get out of the heat midday (though there are other ways to do that), we get to swim if we want, relax a liuttle n the room, my youngest (or really any of us) may nap, the boys get a break from the stimuli, we get to shower and change our clothes (get refreshed). But I do see how it can be an inconvenience. It is just worth it to us.

We will probably try the mid day rest on our first day to time it and see how it goes, I'm trying to be open about it. And to use the pool, my kids love to swim so we have to make time for that.

 

[trvlgirlmq]

Ok, so after watching the Pandora videos floating around I really want to see it when it's dark! We have ROL scheduled on our only full day there! I'm so torn on whether the kids would prefer to see a show or spend as much time as they can in Pandora.

 

[ArielSRL]

Ok, so after watching the Pandora videos floating around I really want to see it when it's dark! We have ROL scheduled on our only full day there! I'm so torn on whether the kids would prefer to see a show or spend as much time as they can in Pandora.

Lots of speculation that AK will extend to an 11pm close in June so, if that's the case, there will be two ROL shows and more nighttime at the park.

But honestly, that's my biggest problem...that I prefer most of the parks at night (I love the lights) and there just isn't enough nighttime to do all I want!

 

[Roxyfire]

Lots of speculation that AK will extend to an 11pm close in June so, if that's the case, there will be two ROL shows and more nighttime at the park.

But honestly, that's my biggest problem...that I prefer most of the parks at night (I love the lights) and there just isn't enough nighttime to do all I want!

That's great news! Can't wait to color in that line on my spreadsheet

 

[ddawnmommy]

I have been planning for a while, but just decided to add my trip to the board! We are headed to ASMo from June 16-23. This will be a big family trip with 10 of us and we are all so excited. One first for us this time is the Hoop-Dee-Do Revue! I cannot even say how excited we are to finally be seeing this show!

 

[Rachystar]

Hello all!!

Former CM, used to work at POFQ.

We will be driving from Texas. We are making a stop in Baton Rouge and on the drive back we will spend a few days in New Orleans. We will be at the resorts from 6/4-6/10. Going with my DH, DD8 and DD2. We aren't booking any dining plans as we plan to spend most of our food budget in New Orleans

 

[ashleymrush]

Entered into double digits today!!!

 

[mekay1012]

We reached double digits yesterday!