The pre-trippie lives!--The trip report has started!

[rentayenta]

Yep-- I hope!



Woohoo!

The only problem now is that while I was off polling everyone, all of the restaurants booked up! So, there's nothing at 'Ohana until 9:35, and Boma ADRs are only available after 7:20-- we're early eaters, so those won't really work.

I guess we're headed to Whispering Canyon! (Although I'll keep calling back to see if there are any 'Ohana ressies.)

I would call the day of too. Last trip, during free dining, I called and got 'Ohana for 5:30 that night. People cancel and no show all of the time.

 

[Bev1016]

I would call the day of too. Last trip, during free dining, I called and got 'Ohana for 5:30 that night. People cancel and no show all of the time.

Good to know! I will definitely keep calling, and we'll be looking at some other options, too!

 

[Bev1016]

Well kids, we did it!

We got free dining and saved about $300.
Here are the catches:
1) Since the promo starts on the 14th and we arrive on the 13th, we only get 3 days of free dining. We'll probably just pay OOP for breakfast at the GF and be fine.
2) Since our first night is a room-only ressie, our tickets can't be used until the next day. But, even if everything goes OK with our flight, we won't even get to the hotel until after 6, so instead of seeing Wishes, we'll head to DTD and have some Earl! We got 4-day hoppers, and since our flight on the last day doesn't leave until 3:45, we can probably squeeze in a little bit of time at the MK on that day.

I hadn't thought about this until now . . . could we watch the fireworks from the beach at the Poly? Do you have to be a Poly guest to do this? Let me know if you have any info!

Also, I have an updated ADR list--I'll post that a little later!

 

[Goofyluver]

No. You don't have to be a Poly guest. 2 trips ago I watched Wishes on the beach from the Poly with a pineapple drink in hand!

And on the free dining!!

 

[DisneyJo]

We could camp at your house!

I've already got a load of DISers coming here for the 2012 Olympics, well so they say

Well kids, we did it!

We got free dining and saved about $300.

Fantastic And as Jen said yes you can definitely watch the fireworks from the Poly and if you time it right you get to see the Electrical water pageant thingie too

 

[Bev1016]

No. You don't have to be a Poly guest. 2 trips ago I watched Wishes on the beach from the Poly with a pineapple drink in hand!

And on the free dining!!

I'm remembering that part of your TR now--I'll have to keep that option open!

I've already got a load of DISers coming here for the 2012 Olympics, well so they say

We may join them! DH would if he could see tennis played at Wimbledon. (Or I guess we could just go to Wimbledon! )

Fantastic And as Jen said yes you can definitely watch the fireworks from the Poly and if you time it right you get to see the Electrical water pageant thingie too

I forgot about the water pageant. That makes me want to go to the poly even more!

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Hi Bev,
For free dining!
I think the food tastes much better when it's free!
You're all sorted now! Waiting to see you're updated ADRs!
Di x

 

[Bev1016]

Hi Bev,
For free dining!
I think the food tastes much better when it's free!

I agree! Hooray for free!

You're all sorted now! Waiting to see you're updated ADRs!
Di x

Yeah, I'm still going to try to check for cancellations. Two or three weeks ago, when I first made ADRs, the CM basically said "what time do you want to eat?" We had no problems at all! I guess I felt too safe because I thought that none of the restaurants were going to fill up.

I was wrong.

The anniversary dinner isn't scheduled for any of the places in the poll question, but I think we'll still have a good time.

 

[Bev1016]

So, I just got off the phone with a CM who wasn't very nice to me. I probably wasn't very nice either, but I just couldn't understand why I was being spoken to the way that this person spoke to me. In the time it took for me to wait on the line to speak to someone else, I started crying, and I haven't stopped. I was so embarassed talking to the other CMs like this!

I've generally had good experiences with CMs, both on the phone and in the resorts. Perhaps this gentleman was having a rough day, or perhaps he truly wasn't understanding what I wanted, but it breaks my heart a little that I had such a negative interaction with someone from the Disney company. I think he took away a little bit of the magic.

 

[Goofyluver]

Oh honey.

I always tell JOn...we can't control others' actions. We can only control how we repond to them.

Don't let some grump take away your magic! It belongs to you...not him.

 

[Bev1016]

Oh honey.

I always tell JOn...we can't control others' actions. We can only control how we repond to them.

Don't let some grump take away your magic! It belongs to you...not him.

Thanks Jen That's good advice. It's probably not that big of a deal, I was just a little shocked, and I'll get over it.

So, now on to happy things!
Here are the new and improved ADRs and other dining plans:

Saturday night: Arrive at hotel--Dinner at either Pepper Market or Earl.

Sunday: Lunch at Coral Reef--11:45. Dinner at probably Pepper Market, Beaches and Cream, or a CS at DHS.

Monday: THE BIG ANNIVERSARY!!!! Right now, dinner is schedule for CP at 6:45 (I still have the WCC ressie, but I'm probably going to cancel) but I will keep calling 'Ohana to see if anything opens up.

Tuesday: Biergarten at 4:15, Candlelight Processional at 6:45.

Wednesday: Breakfast at 1900 PF at 9:00. We'll see what time ME picks us up --maybe lunch at MK, Pepper Market, or DTD, or maybe lunch at the airport!

And that's it. Not a lot, but it should be fun.

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Bev, thats horrible!
What happened, were you just trying to get ADRs?
I know it's probably asking the impossible, as no-ones perfect, but I think you just expect Disney employees to be nice all the time.
Your ADRs sound good anyway, keep trying for O'Hana, but if you don't get it I'm sure you'll have a great time anyway, CP is lovely. Our first ADR is at WCC, and I'm looking forward to seeing WL, I've heard it's lovely to see. I've heard WCC is great for kids and the servers play lots of games with them - so fingers crossed. I'm planning to get them to wear Univertsal t shirts as apparently the CMs pretend to wind them up about them! I'm not expecting haute cuisine, i just want to have a good time with DH and the kids!
try not to let that guy spoil your day - he's not worth it.
Di x

 

[DisneyJo]

We may join them! DH would if he could see tennis played at Wimbledon. (Or I guess we could just go to Wimbledon! )

I went to Wimbledon a few years ago and it was fantastic, my Sister had debenture seats so we got to go to the loung for lunch too

And that's it. Not a lot, but it should be fun.

Sounds great So what happened with the rude CM?

 

[rentayenta]

So, I just got off the phone with a CM who wasn't very nice to me. I probably wasn't very nice either, but I just couldn't understand why I was being spoken to the way that this person spoke to me. In the time it took for me to wait on the line to speak to someone else, I started crying, and I haven't stopped. I was so embarassed talking to the other CMs like this!

I've generally had good experiences with CMs, both on the phone and in the resorts. Perhaps this gentleman was having a rough day, or perhaps he truly wasn't understanding what I wanted, but it breaks my heart a little that I had such a negative interaction with someone from the Disney company. I think he took away a little bit of the magic.

What happened?

Thanks Jen That's good advice. It's probably not that big of a deal, I was just a little shocked, and I'll get over it.

So, now on to happy things!
Here are the new and improved ADRs and other dining plans:

Saturday night: Arrive at hotel--Dinner at either Pepper Market or Earl.

Sunday: Lunch at Coral Reef--11:45. Dinner at probably Pepper Market, Beaches and Cream, or a CS at DHS.

Monday: THE BIG ANNIVERSARY!!!! Right now, dinner is schedule for CP at 6:45 (I still have the WCC ressie, but I'm probably going to cancel) but I will keep calling 'Ohana to see if anything opens up.

Tuesday: Biergarten at 4:15, Candlelight Processional at 6:45.

Wednesday: Breakfast at 1900 PF at 9:00. We'll see what time ME picks us up --maybe lunch at MK, Pepper Market, or DTD, or maybe lunch at the airport!

And that's it. Not a lot, but it should be fun.

Love your choices!!!!!

 

[Bev1016]

Bev, thats horrible!
What happened, were you just trying to get ADRs?
I know it's probably asking the impossible, as no-ones perfect, but I think you just expect Disney employees to be nice all the time.

Thanks Di! I could tell this guy wasn't the friendliest fellow in the world. He may not have even realized he was being rude. I answered phones for a company a long time ago, and I know it's hard to be happy and friendly all the time.

Your ADRs sound good anyway, keep trying for O'Hana, but if you don't get it I'm sure you'll have a great time anyway, CP is lovely. Our first ADR is at WCC, and I'm looking forward to seeing WL, I've heard it's lovely to see. I've heard WCC is great for kids and the servers play lots of games with them - so fingers crossed. I'm planning to get them to wear Univertsal t shirts as apparently the CMs pretend to wind them up about them! I'm not expecting haute cuisine, i just want to have a good time with DH and the kids!

I think you and the kids will love WCC, and it will be nice to see the WL. I'd love to stay there someday. I'm looking forward to reading your opinions!

I went to Wimbledon a few years ago and it was fantastic, my Sister had debenture seats so we got to go to the loung for lunch too

How fun! Wimbledon seems pretty cool.

So what happened with the rude CM?

I think it was just a big misunderstanding, but the CM should have tried to figure out what I wanted instead of snapping at me. Since we've altered our reservations a bit to get free dining, I just wanted a new confirmation sheet emailed to me in case we had any problems. He thought I wanted a new confirmation NUMBER, and kept going on and on about how he couldn't give me a new number and nothing had changed. It wasn't a pleasant time.

But here's something pleasant . . .
85 days!

 

[Bev1016]

Love your choices!!!!!

Thanks! All of the TS ressies are new to us, so that will be fun. We're definitely going heavy on the buffets. I hope grandma and grandpa will enjoy them.

 

[Bev1016]

Just me again . . .
A couple of updates on the flight:
The prices dropped after we booked, and so we now have over $150 in flight credit (no cash refunds on the type of trip we booked. ). But we may need to take a trip later in the year, so that will be helpful!

Also, I changed our flight to leave Orlando at 5:45 instead of 3:45. I did this for a couple of reasons: first, we won't get to spend any time in the parks on the day we arrive, so we're going to try to spend some time in MK on this day. Second, although our flight arrives one hour later, the flight itself is shorter, we have one stop instead of two, and the layover is a little longer, so we have time to change diapers, let roll around a bit, and get something to eat before we head home.

I hope that was a good idea! I do have to go to work the next day!

 

[Dr_Finkelstein]

Just me again . . .
A couple of updates on the flight:
The prices dropped after we booked, and so we now have over $150 in flight credit (no cash refunds on the type of trip we booked. ). But we may need to take a trip later in the year, so that will be helpful!

Also, I changed our flight to leave Orlando at 5:45 instead of 3:45. I did this for a couple of reasons: first, we won't get to spend any time in the parks on the day we arrive, so we're going to try to spend some time in MK on this day. Second, although our flight arrives one hour later, the flight itself is shorter, we have one stop instead of two, and the layover is a little longer, so we have time to change diapers, let roll around a bit, and get something to eat before we head home.

I hope that was a good idea! I do have to go to work the next day!

it sounds like a good plan, flying with infants is always a bit stressful, so anything to make it a bit easier is a + in my book!
You probably won't be anymore tired the next day than if you'd stayed with the original flights, and you'll get to spend a wee while in MK before you go!

Di x

 

[rentayenta]

I think this new flight sounds better. One stop is always better than two and now you can spend the morning in MK. And a $150 credit isn't too shabby. Did SW charge you to make the changes?

 

[Bev1016]

it sounds like a good plan, flying with infants is always a bit stressful, so anything to make it a bit easier is a + in my book!
You probably won't be anymore tired the next day than if you'd stayed with the original flights, and you'll get to spend a wee while in MK before you go!

Thanks Di! I think it's worth it to get to spend more time in the parks, too. Plus, nothing can compare to what happened when we came home from our trip last year.
It was around midnight, and we both had to go to work the next day. My parents were dropping us off, and when we pulled up, there was scaffolding in front of our garage! Apparently, the contractors had been fixing our windows and left the scaffolding up overnight -- but both of our cars were in the garage! This means there was no way to get to work the next day, and no way to get any groceries (we hadn't bought any because we'd been gone for a week). DH had to catch a ride to the store with a lady from the neighborhood. So, if we don't have to worry about that this year, we should hopefully be OK.

I think this new flight sounds better. One stop is always better than two and now you can spend the morning in MK. And a $150 credit isn't too shabby. Did SW charge you to make the changes?

No charge to make the changes. At least for the same day of travel, the only difference is the change in the cost. SW rocks!