The One Where We Actually Plan Ahead! - A May 2017 PTR

[AllysonL]

Hello and welcome to my first ever Pre-Trip report!!! This PTR is kinda a big deal. Why you ask? Well, I’ll tell ya!

I’m a bit of a spontaneous person. My last 3 Disney trips have been planned in 3 months or less. So this is the first time that we’re somewhat decided on a trip this far out.

Oh my god, this is going to be the longest year EVER!

So I figured what better way to pass the next 340ish days! Might as well start trip reporting now. This way, I have an outlet here on the Dis and I don’t drive DH insane with the constant Disney talk.

Let’s get down to business!!

 

[AllysonL]

Introducing….

Your hostess and trip planning extraordinaire

Me! Hi!

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I’m Allyson (Ally, or Mommy). I’m 34, will be 35 in August (eep!), I’m married to my BFF/DH Chris, and Mommy to almost 3 year old Keira. I’m a full time working mom, wine lover, Disney nerd. ​

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Co-starring​

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Chris, my DH. He’s 37, devoted husband and Daddy. Star Wars, Lego, Xbox, techie. Die hard NY Giants fan, he makes a killer margarita, and he puts up with all my shenanigans. We’ve been together 11 years, and he’s basically the bee knees!

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And of course, can’t forget little Miss Keira. She’ll be 3 in August, she’s a lover of all Disney Princesses (but Rapunzel is her favorite). She also love Star Wars, basically anything on Disney Junior, singing/dancing, and driving her parents crazy. She’s strong willed, super independent, and the funniest little girl ever.

And there you have it! Follow along, on what is sure to be a very entertaining Pre-Trip Report!​

 

[AllysonL]

So the idea for this trip came about somewhat recently – the last month or so. I decided after our February trip, that I don’t want to do long weekends. Of course, any time I get to spend in Disney is awesome! But to do such a short trip with a toddler is really exhausting, and we didn’t get to see as many things as I would’ve liked to.

I asked Chris for his opinion of when he’d like to go. He suggested either spring or fall. I know fall tends to get a little crazy with free dining, MNSSHP, and the Food & Wine festival. I’ve never been during the Spring, and of course, have never seen the Flower & Garden festival. A few of my friends were down in WDW during the first and second week of May. Looking through their pictures, the crowds seemed pretty light. Nothing like what we experienced over President’s Day. So for right now, I’m sold on May 2017.

Of course, the rates aren’t out for packages for next year. So this is all subject to change. But I needed to get a date in mind, so that’s what we’re going with!

Now, where do we want to stay?

My last 3 trips, we’ve stayed in Value resorts (Pop Century x2, and All Star Music). They’re fine, but I’m ready for an upgrade. I want to stay in a Moderate resort next. I’m leaning towards Port Orleans Riverside, but I’m not entirely sold.

Audience Participation!! What’s your favorite Moderate resort and why?

 

[katriscari]

I will be following along! We've been to DW at the beginning of May twice and loved it both times! I've never stayed at a moderate, so I cannot give you any suggestions there. Our son did a Pirate Cruise from Riverside in November, and it looked like a lovely resort

 

[AllysonL]

Resort Overview

Since we haven’t decided on a place to stay yet, I figured I would do a pros/cons of the resort choices. Feel free to weigh in with any opinions, tips, suggestions, etc!


Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

This is the first resort I ever stayed in, way back in 1990. So I literally remember NOTHING about it. I remember it was hot, that we could see the Epcot fireworks from our room, and that there were multiple bus stops. I think we were in Barbados… and I remember thinking it was cool that the resorts were named after the islands in the song Kokomo lol (remember, it was 1990). CBR is definitely a contender!

Pros:

1) It would be like the first time all over again, since everything is so different!

2) I like the look of the redesigned rooms (no Pirate rooms for us)

3) The pool and splash area looks super fun! This is important, as I really want to spend time to unwind in the pool this time.

4) Cheapest rack rate then the other moderates

5) Proximity to the parks is a plus

Cons:

1) This resort is HUGE. It looks like walking to the main area would take a while, since we’re not getting a preferred room.

2) Going off that, the multiple bus stops. How crowded are the park buses?



Up next:

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

I have no experience with this resort. I’ve never stayed here. I’m not really that crazy about this one, there’s really nothing about it that appeals to me. It’s a beautiful resort, it just doesn’t give me that Disney feel.

Here are the pros:

1) Brand new resort to the 3 of us

2) The pool area looks really nice

3) I’ve heard wonderful things about Pepper Market and Maya Grill, would like to try them

Cons:

1) I’m not crazy about it being a conference resort – I feel that it makes the rooms look muted, all about “business”.

2) Long walk to food court area

3) Also a large resort with multiple stops – bus crowds?

4) Muted Disney theming


Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter

I’ve stayed here a few times, but the last time was maybe 20 years ago. So again, I don’t remember much about this resort. I do remember it being small, and I think it’s a beautiful resort.

Pros:

1) Small resort, short walk to everything

2) Pool with slide/splash area

3) Boat to Disney Springs

Cons:

1) None really! It’s a bit more expensive, and I know POFQ is often excluded from deals


Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside

Everyone that I’ve talked to raves about this resort. It’s certainly beautiful! I like that you can use the amenities between both here and POFQ. The pros are similar…

1) I love the look of the Alligator Bayou rooms, and the grounds are gorgeous

2) Again, the pool looks nice and we can use the splash area at POFQ also

3) Boat to Disney Springs

Cons:

1) I think this is the largest of the moderates, so again… walking to main areas/buses may be an issue.


Overall, POFQ is the smallest in terms of walking to buses and food court. But I think the pool at Caribbean Beach looks the best! Such a hard decision!

 

[AllysonL]

I will be following along! We've been to DW at the beginning of May twice and loved it both times! I've never stayed at a moderate, so I cannot give you any suggestions there. Our son did a Pirate Cruise from Riverside in November, and it looked like a lovely resort

Thank you for joining
Did he like the Pirate cruise? Is it geared more towards older kids?

 

[MissMaryQC]

Hi! I just saw the link in your signature from your comment!!

I like your moderate idea. We stayed at POR in September 2015 for a girls trip and LOVED it! The fella and I considered a Rpyal Room for our trip next May; DD likes the princesses. When I stayed in September we requested a room close to the main building. We didn't want to pay for the preferred price, so we took our chances. We stayed in the Bayou, building 14 (I have to double check that...) and it was great. The multiple bus stops were not a problem, we were super. Lose to a quiet pool, but Old Man Island was a quick walk away, so we spent a few evening there at the bar. The proximity to the Main Building made early morning coffee a breeze as well. Admittedly we drove to the parks more often than not, but the few times we used the bus we had little to no wait, and always got a seat.

Hope that helps.

Can't wait to see what else you guys plan!

 

[emilita423]

Joining in! We are planning on a May 2017 trip too. 5/6 trips we have gone in May. it is our favorite time to go! Best crowds and weather. Especially in early May. I am so with you , it is gonna be a very long year! We haven't decided on a resort yet either but leaning towards POR as well. We have stayed at CBRx2, POP, AKL, CSR.
We love CBR! A lot of ppl don't like how big it is but if you can get building like Jamaica it is really not bad. If you plan to be at the main pool a lot and food court it may get annoying walking back and forth but the walk is beautiful! I love the music playing, the beaches and hammocks and it really is peaceful at night. Buses aren't too too bad. Never had an overcrowded bus.
While CSR was beautiful I just didn't care for it. We did get some pixie dust and they upgraded us to a huge two room suite so that was nice. But, it just didn't have the Disney feel to me. We stayed there before kids and I wouldn't stay there with kids. It's geared more towards adults. The resort felt huge to me. The pool was great and food court was just eh. I don't remember how the buses were.
I will love to hear others thoughts on POR and POFQ! I like that there is a boat to Disney Springs and I know my son (2.5yo) will love the new splash pad area!

 

[AllysonL]

Hi! I just saw the link in your signature from your comment!!

I like your moderate idea. We stayed at POR in September 2015 for a girls trip and LOVED it! The fella and I considered a Rpyal Room for our trip next May; DD likes the princesses. When I stayed in September we requested a room close to the main building. We didn't want to pay for the preferred price, so we took our chances. We stayed in the Bayou, building 14 (I have to double check that...) and it was great. The multiple bus stops were not a problem, we were super. Lose to a quiet pool, but Old Man Island was a quick walk away, so we spent a few evening there at the bar. The proximity to the Main Building made early morning coffee a breeze as well. Admittedly we drove to the parks more often than not, but the few times we used the bus we had little to no wait, and always got a seat.

Hope that helps.

Can't wait to see what else you guys plan!

Thanks for joining!! And thanks for the tips on POR!

Joining in! We are planning on a May 2017 trip too. 5/6 trips we have gone in May. it is our favorite time to go! Best crowds and weather. Especially in early May. I am so with you , it is gonna be a very long year! We haven't decided on a resort yet either but leaning towards POR as well. We have stayed at CBRx2, POP, AKL, CSR.
We love CBR! A lot of ppl don't like how big it is but if you can get building like Jamaica it is really not bad. If you plan to be at the main pool a lot and food court it may get annoying walking back and forth but the walk is beautiful! I love the music playing, the beaches and hammocks and it really is peaceful at night. Buses aren't too too bad. Never had an overcrowded bus.
While CSR was beautiful I just didn't care for it. We did get some pixie dust and they upgraded us to a huge two room suite so that was nice. But, it just didn't have the Disney feel to me. We stayed there before kids and I wouldn't stay there with kids. It's geared more towards adults. The resort felt huge to me. The pool was great and food court was just eh. I don't remember how the buses were.
I will love to hear others thoughts on POR and POFQ! I like that there is a boat to Disney Springs and I know my son (2.5yo) will love the new splash pad area!

Thanks for joining in!! That's exact how I feel about CSR (with nothing to really back it up), I feel like it's more for adults than little kiddos. I know Keira is going to need afternoon breaks, and I want to spend time at the pool for sure, so that's really going to be a driving factor for where we stay! And all the pools look amazing. It'll be a tough decision for sure!

I'm excited that all our trips may overlap! Yay May 2017!!

 

[MarieLightning]

The French Quarter is our absolute favorite!

Granted, we've never stayed Deluxe yet But it is a really beautiful resort, and its size and decor gives it such a nice, homey feeling. Every room is basically close to everything, and best of all, there's just one bus stop.

They did just recently open a nice kid splash zone, so that could be really nice! Also, everybody loves Scales the slide And keep in mind that POFQ is a close walk to Riverside (probably about 5 minutes or so, if I remember correctly, though maybe a bit longer at a leisurely pace) and since French Quarter and Riverside are technically two parts of a larger property, it is one of the few places where pool hopping is allowed, so if you wanted to change it up one day and like the looks of their pool better than the French Quarter, nothing stops you from heading over that way.

 

[AllysonL]

The French Quarter is our absolute favorite!

Granted, we've never stayed Deluxe yet But it is a really beautiful resort, and its size and decor gives it such a nice, homey feeling. Every room is basically close to everything, and best of all, there's just one bus stop.

They did just recently open a nice kid splash zone, so that could be really nice! Also, everybody loves Scales the slide And keep in mind that POFQ is a close walk to Riverside (probably about 5 minutes or so, if I remember correctly, though maybe a bit longer at a leisurely pace) and since French Quarter and Riverside are technically two parts of a larger property, it is one of the few places where pool hopping is allowed, so if you wanted to change it up one day and like the looks of their pool better than the French Quarter, nothing stops you from heading over that way.

Thank you! That's what I was thinking as well, we could go between the two resorts if we feel like it. I can't wait for the packages to come out so we can decide already!! Only a few more weeks...

 

[AllysonL]

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Countdown: 333 days (for my tentative May 1st date), 153 days until ADR day, 273 until FP+ day....

(I finally figured out how to work the colors! Yay)


Once we decide on where we'd like to stay, the next thing we need to decide on is whether or not to get the Dining Plan, and at which level.

When we went in Dec. 2014, we had the DDP (1 TS, 1 QS, 1 snack, 1 mug). It worked out, just okay. It was poor planning on my part, as we used more TS credits since we did 2 character meals and 2 TS dinners. Lesson learned - plan in advance!

I like the dining plan for it's all inclusive feel. I think if we do get the dining plan again, we'll stick with the DDP as before and plan to pay OOP for breakfast, or get light lunches or something. I don't need 3 meals a day, neither does Chris. Keira - well that's a different story. She either EATS, like everything in sight... or she's on a hunger strike. I'm hoping her eating habits change by the time this trip rolls around. Otherwise I don't think the dining plan will be worth it. But, we'll see!

Once that's settled - it's figuring out where to eat! There are SO many options. And there's so many places I'd like to try. The problem, going back to the dining plan issue... if we do character meals, I prefer breakfast over dinner. I just like breakfast buffets better than dinner. I think the only character meal I'd really like to do this time is Akershus for Princess breakfast.

We've done Tusker House, Hollywood & Vine, Chef Mickey's and Crystal Palace between the last 2 trips. So there's really nothing else I'd like to try... or is there?? Let me know! I wasn't crazy about Tusker House personally, I didn't like the food selection.

I'm going to run down a few places I'd like to try:

Animal Kingdom
Flame Tree BBQ - for some ribs!
Yak & Yeti (QS) - Chicken fried rice or the beef bowl!

Disney's Hollywood Studios
Prime Time Café - fried chicken looks amazing!
... and we'll see what else is open as it gets closer!

Epcot - this is going to be a long one!
Akershus - breakfast
Kringla Bakeri - school bread!
L'Artisan des Glaces - ice cream!
Rose & Crown - fish & chips
Teppan Edo
Via Napoli
Basically... I just want to go to Epcot and stuff my face silly! Since we'll be there during Flower & Garden, I'm sure there will be PLENTY of things to try.

Magic Kingdom
Sleepy Hollow - those delicious waffles
Columbia Harbor House

So it looks like I really only have 2-3 TS places I want to eat at, but A TON of QS. We'll have to evaluate the cost of paying OOP per meal, vs. going with the dining plan.

Feel free to weigh in, suggestions always welcome!!

 

[MarieLightning]

I enjoyed Prime Time's fried chicken pretty well when I tried it! My wife doesn't really enjoy anything on their menu though, so we don't go a lot. She's tried the pot roast, the meatloaf and the chicken pot pie and wasn't a fan of any (the latter because she doesn't like mushrooms, and although she thought she'd be able to pick them off, the taste invaded pretty much everything).

Teppan Edo is a must do for us! We looove eating there. It's usually a pretty reasonable TS too, if you're paying OOP, because their desserts are nothing to write home about. We usually combine dinner or lunch at Teppan with dessert at the bakery or ice cream parlor in France

We're also big fans of Via Napoli. Their pizza has never disappointed us. The crust is light, with the edges just crispy enough, and the toppings are so fresh it's ridiculous. They're heavier on the sauce and lighter on the cheese - which I usually want the opposite on my pizzas, but the cheese is so flavorful that the amount there is on it is plenty enough, and the sauce tastes like actual tomatoes, not tomato sauce. Love it.

I'd definitely say, if you're planning on so few TS meals, it's worth looking into paying OOP. We did the Free Dining back in November 2012, which was great cause, well, it was free But since then, when we've gone at times that dining wasn't free, any time we calculate our meals, we come way under without the dining plan. Then again, we don't have dessert with every meal, or even drinks (a lot of time after long days in the park, a nice cup of ice water is better than pop), so that factors into our calculations.

It really comes down to your family's dining style, and what you feel is best for you! If you have a good idea already of where you might want to eat, from that point on it's a fairly simple exercise to look up menu prices, and check out what works out in your favor! Maybe doing the QS Dining Plan and paying OOP for a couple of Table Services will work out good for you. Maybe it'll be a little higher priced, but close enough that having everything prepaid trumps paying a bit more. Or maybe you'll save big by paying as you go. It's really all about how much planning you want to do! I personally love planning everything and making lists and listing food prices and all But I'm fully aware that that's not everybody's preference

 

[AnnaGiselle]

Joining in! I'm also looking to plan a Spring 2017 trip, but can't figure out when in April or May - it's for our first anniversary, but we got married April 16th and that's Easter this year, so WDW is definitely out of the question for that week! I just want to room rates to be released already!

We went two years ago in early May and it was really nice. Crowds weren't too bad and it didn't get too hot till the last two days. And we loved the Flower and Garden Festival! The booths are so much fun. For us, they made it extra not worth it to get the dining plan, however, we're fairly light eaters as it is, and the dining plan just never makes sense to us.

I stayed at CSR in January for my bachelorette party because I wanted the cheapest moderate (4 girls in one room needed at least a moderate!). It was fine, but it certainly wasn't as special as the others look. We stayed in the Cabanas area and the bus wasn't too bad from there. It was also easy to walk to the main building.

And I 100% agree with Flame Tree BBQ and school bread! Flame Tree might be my favorite QS, even though we don't go to AK as much as EPCOT and MK.

 

[MissMaryQC]

The DP decision was not an easy one for us either. It's super convenient knowing your meals are paid for, but that only works if you eat those meals. You're onto something with breakfast oop; just makes sense. But since you like breakfast buffets maybe try a few brunches? Like grab an ADR for 10:30/11 am? Eat a nice big meal, maybe even catch a few lunch items, then just snacks and maybe a lighter dinner? I'd probably pay oop for that option though; do makes more sense for TS dinners. But that's just my two cents.

Prime Time Café - fried chicken looks amazing!
... and we'll see what else is open as it gets closer!

Yum, yum, yummy! We ate at 50's in 2012 and the food was delicious! We split a sampler and a sundae; we were young and thin back then! And the wait staff is a hoot. Some of them get very into their roles as mom and dad and such. It's a fun meal!

 

[AllysonL]

I think we have decided on a resort!!

Yay!!!!! Nothing is booked yet obviously, but hopefully we'll be able to do that ASAP when the packages are released in 2 weeks (well less than 2 weeks now!)

I sent DH an email yesterday and told him to look at POR vs CBR. He came back and said CBR, because # 1 the pool looks better and #2 POR looks "too fancy"

But no matter... I'm happy with this resort.

 

[jmccoy18]

Hi! I'm following along! We are planning a trip in March 2017 (see link to my PTR in my siggy) and we are staying at CBR as well! It was a tough decision between CBR and POR, but after reading the threads for both resorts and endlessly looking at resort pictures, we decided on CBR mainly for the pool! The info on the CBR thread says that no room is further away than a 8 min walk to the food court. So, even though it is big, it really isn't too crazy. It will also be our first time going in the spring and doing Flower and Garden.

I'm really looking forward to following your planning.

 

[MissMaryQC]

Officially one week until 2017 packages can be booked!!! Are you as excited as I am?!?!?!

 

[AllysonL]

Officially one week until 2017 packages can be booked!!! Are you as excited as I am?!?!?!

I'm super excited!!