Time to DOUBLE up!! 2 for 1 Pre-TR!!!!!!! TRIP REPORT HAS STARTED!!!!!!!

[that's nice]

Okay, I noticed your subtle hint to come and check out your PTR on your TR thread, so I am here!

One question, how far back do I go to get the March PTR??

Once I've caught up, I'll post a longer reply!

OK here are the specifics of the March trip. I guess it does get confusing to do 2 in 1 PTRs. I'll find some pics of the kids for you and start you at my MINI TR when we went to visit our friends this summer.

* Who? DW Melody, DD3 Juliana, Me- Tim & our friends Dave, Branda, Victoria (3), Alex (2)

* When? March 3- March 14 maybe 15th or even 16th

* Where? Renting a house in Windsor Palms (update.. deposit is out!)

* Reasons for going? Our trip was being discussed for at least 6-8 months. Our friends moved last year from Connecticut to Indiana. We get to see them every few months when they come back to CT. We also have a summer trip planned to drive out and see them in Indiana. Our daughters are only 1 month apart in age and they love each other. Both Juliana and Victoria love the princesses. Juliana's favorite is Cinderella and Victoria's favorite is Belle. We have traveled with Dave & Branda many times before we had kids. They love to have a good time and when we are all together LOOK OUT! They have never been to Disney before and since we haven't traveled with them in a while, what better place to go?

EDIT::: If you wanted to 'meet' our friends you can check out my mini TR. This thread started on page 26 http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2143771&page=26

 

[MaryAz]

Checking in over here. You got some good advice. If you took the trouble to look up the crowds-might as well follow the advice. Yay for adding on more days! Wish they would release the park hours for you!

 

[maroo]

You are flying back after running the half?????? What do you do after running a marathon?

It will be a tight window. We aren't going to head to the parks on Saturday just Sunday. Still trying to get all of this figured out!

Well...Lisa is going to be with me. And she has to be back by Sunday night so she can Lauren to school Monday.

We are flying out around 6:00 PM - so we should have time to get everything together.

It will definitely be a trip just focused on the half. It will start VERY early in the morning - probably around 6 and I won't finish till close to 10, depending on when I start. So we will probably get a meal somewhere and then basically head home.

 

[All7OfUs]

Just checking in to say Guten Morgen! (I doubt that's how you spell that, but it's fun to try). Did you have a good weekend?

 

[that's nice]

Checking in over here. You got some good advice. If you took the trouble to look up the crowds-might as well follow the advice. Yay for adding on more days! Wish they would release the park hours for you!

I hope they release the hours too! Hopefully sometime today.. it would help me on deciding these ADRs that I have to make at 3am!!!!

Well...Lisa is going to be with me. And she has to be back by Sunday night so she can Lauren to school Monday.

We are flying out around 6:00 PM - so we should have time to get everything together.

It will definitely be a trip just focused on the half. It will start VERY early in the morning - probably around 6 and I won't finish till close to 10, depending on when I start. So we will probably get a meal somewhere and then basically head home.

It sounds like a meet might not be happening. We'll see what happens.. there is time though. Who knows what will happen between now and then. you'll probably end up staying for a week or something! LOL

Just checking in to say Guten Morgen! (I doubt that's how you spell that, but it's fun to try). Did you have a good weekend?

Is that German?

 

[tinkgurl]

Tomorrow March park hours are finally posted!

 

[that's nice]

Tomorrow March park hours are finally posted!

a little too late for my 3am ADRs tonight!!!!!! This is annoying!!!!

 

[that's nice]

I've come up with a tentative schedule, by myself, for March. DW and our friends, who are actually here in CT right now, have given me no input. So I'll be the one up at 3am tonight making these ADRs. With my luck the website will crash and I won't be able to make 'em. So here is my idea:

Wednesday-Saturday 3/3-3/6- We will be in Bradenton, FL visiting with Melody's grandparents

Saturday 3/6- We leave Bradenton around 12 and drive to the house (about a 2 hour drive). Get situated, hit the grocery store, cook dinner, relax

Sunday 3/7- Have breakfast & dinner at the house Go to DHS

Monday 3/8- Breakfast at the house; MK for Wishes and hopefully Spectro

Tuesday 3/9- Breakfast at the house; AK; Try to get CM ADR for 5-7pm

Wednesday 3/10 DAY OFF; maybe goto Kona for breakfast if our friends want to go. DTD at night?

Thursday 3/11 Juliana's Birthday Breakfast at the house; MK; BBB for the kids; Try to get 1900 Park Fair ADR 4:30-6:30 Wishes hopefully

Friday 3/12 I have no plans for this day as of now

Saturday 3/13 Breakfast at the house maybe Dinner too. Epcot Try to get Akershus Lunch for 12-2

Sunday 3/14 Breakfast at the house; check out.. then ? not sure what is going to happen; Check into a Disney hotel Thinking a moderate.. with AP it is $89. I might try to get an ADR at 'Ohana for dinner.

Monday 3/15 One more park

Tuesday 3/16 Kona Breakfast maybe? Hang out at the hotel Swim get ready to go to MCO

Well there it is. I only have a few open days and I really don't like having to plan out our whole week for our friends, but you know the drill. I can't go down there with no plan and expect to get any ADR's. With only having 3 ADRs to book while our friends are there, I needed to put together some kind of plan. Let me know what you think. 3AM is going to come quick!

I just realized we will be in FL for 2 weeks!!!!!!!! LOL

 

[tinkgurl]

Ugh I know! Hopefully you get the ADR's you want and hopefully I'll get mine too!

 

[All7OfUs]

With my luck the website will crash and I won't be able to make 'em.


So here is my idea:

Wednesday-Saturday 3/3-3/6- We will be in Bradenton, FL visiting with Melody's grandparents

Saturday 3/6- We leave Bradenton around 12 and drive to the house (about a 2 hour drive). Get situated, hit the grocery store, cook dinner, relax

Sunday 3/7- Have breakfast & dinner at the house Go to DHS

Monday 3/8- Breakfast at the house; MK for Wishes and hopefully Spectro

Tuesday 3/9- Breakfast at the house; AK; Try to get CM ADR for 5-7pm

Wednesday 3/10 DAY OFF; maybe goto Kona for breakfast if our friends want to go. DTD at night?

Thursday 3/11 Juliana's Birthday Breakfast at the house; MK; BBB for the kids; Try to get 1900 Park Fair ADR 4:30-6:30 Wishes hopefully

Friday 3/12 I have no plans for this day as of now

Saturday 3/13 Breakfast at the house maybe Dinner too. Epcot Try to get Akershus Lunch for 12-2

Sunday 3/14 Breakfast at the house; check out.. then ? not sure what is going to happen; Check into a Disney hotel Thinking a moderate.. with AP it is $89. I might try to get an ADR at 'Ohana for dinner.

Monday 3/15 One more park

Tuesday 3/16 Kona Breakfast maybe? Hang out at the hotel Swim get ready to go to MCO

Well there it is. I only have a few open days and I really don't like having to plan out our whole week for our friends, but you know the drill. I can't go down there with no plan and expect to get any ADR's. With only having 3 ADRs to book while our friends are there, I needed to put together some kind of plan. Let me know what you think. 3AM is going to come quick!

I just realized we will be in FL for 2 weeks!!!!!!!! LOL

You may have jinxed yourself by saying that. Cuz, that's exactly what's happening!! Ooops, I shouldn't laugh, Really I feel your pain, guys!! That sucks!

I like that plan, but I'd would need more of one. This seems so loosey-goosey to me. I went with non-planners last time,---never again. do hope it works out getting them on board with the plans you DO make!!!

 

[onelilspark]

Oh no! Is the website crashing?? Geez...you would think they would have planned for that...

 

[jenseib]

Did you get the ADR's? Do you know you will probably have to make them one at a time since you are not staying on property. (can't do the 180 plus 10 when off property)

 

[that's nice]

OK I will update later but I got everything I wanted & MORE!!!! It was worth only getting 2 1/2 hours sleep last night!!!!! (OK MAYBE NOT)I will let you all know what happened later this morning!

 

[jenseib]

Thats great. It makes me sad...becuase IF and a big IF we go that same week I could be making mine too.

Skip had his hip surgery yesterday and it went well. Maybe while he's still "out of it" and can get him to agree to go! LOL! I think he would still be alert enough to know I was doing that to him. LOL!

 

[eandesmom]

OK I will update later but I got everything I wanted & MORE!!!! It was worth only getting 2 1/2 hours sleep last night!!!!! (OK MAYBE NOT)I will let you all know what happened later this morning!

can't wait to read what you ended up with!

 

[KatMark]

OK I will update later but I got everything I wanted & MORE!!!! It was worth only getting 2 1/2 hours sleep last night!!!!! (OK MAYBE NOT)I will let you all know what happened later this morning!

EXCELLENT! Can't wait to hear what you got.

 

[that's nice]

Ugh I know! Hopefully you get the ADR's you want and hopefully I'll get mine too!

So how did you do?

You may have jinxed yourself by saying that. Cuz, that's exactly what's happening!! Ooops, I shouldn't laugh, Really I feel your pain, guys!! That sucks!

I like that plan, but I'd would need more of one. This seems so loosey-goosey to me. I went with non-planners last time,---never again. do hope it works out getting them on board with the plans you DO make!!!

Disney does know how to make is stressful! I will explain everything in a min.

Oh no! Is the website crashing?? Geez...you would think they would have planned for that...

The website went down at 6:15.. I haven't checked to see if it was back up yet... I don't have to!

Did you get the ADR's? Do you know you will probably have to make them one at a time since you are not staying on property. (can't do the 180 plus 10 when off property)

Since today was the switch to 180 days I got to make them all at once! Which worked in my favor!

Thats great. It makes me sad...becuase IF and a big IF we go that same week I could be making mine too.

Skip had his hip surgery yesterday and it went well. Maybe while he's still "out of it" and can get him to agree to go! LOL! I think he would still be alert enough to know I was doing that to him. LOL!

I'm glad everything went well. Make sure you ask him about going about 30 minutes after administering the pain meds.. HEY it could work!

can't wait to read what you ended up with!

Coming rite up!

EXCELLENT! Can't wait to hear what you got.

Coming rite up! x2

 

[that's nice]

Here we go....

I got home last night about 1:15. Melody talked with our friend Branda about the schedule I had come up with. Branda wanted to add another dinner... Crystal Palace! So I was up to 4 ADRs. I was determined to stay awake till 3 to see if I could just make the ADRs then. The systems adds the next day at 3am. I made it to 2:30 then I finally passed out on the couch. I had my cell phone set to go off at 2:50. I woke up to Mel shaking me and my phone ringing... it was 2:58.

I jumped on and sat waiting.... The day flipped but it was still at 90 days out. I stayed up till 3:30 just to make sure there wasn't anything fishy going on. Finally I had enough. I set my phone to 5:55 and passed back out.

I woke up to my alarm again. I had the 4 ADRs saved as bookmarks. At 6 you could choose up to 180 days!! SCORE!!! or Scorn as Juliana likes to put it! LOL I punched in my times, clicked send, and nothing... Kept at it and about 6:15 the whole system was down. I can't say I was surprised, I knew this was going to happen. Time to wait till 7 so I can call.

I made sure I had all my info together and starting dialing at 7. I must of dialed about 150 times. I heard some really cool busy signals for about 50 minutes....THEN IT HAPPENED! I got through!!! It said there was more than a 30 minute wait! No problem.. I wasn't going anywhere. It was about 8:15 when the CM picked up!!!! I got to speak to Maritza.

OK HERE WE GO! I started with my most important ADR. 1900 Park Fare for Juliana's birthday dinner. I asked for 5:30. I got 5:55!!!! SCORE. I started on the next one..... Chef Mickey's. While it was searching something happened to the CM's computer. She had to reboot and put me on hold!!!!!! I was worried.... She never gave me my confirmation # for 1900PF. I was hoping it was still booked! About 5 minutes later she came back, said she was really sorry, and explained the system was extremely slow. I said no problem and we kept at it.

Chef Mickey's was next- asked for 6pm I got 6:30pm. CP- asked for 5pm got 5pm. Akershus- asked for 12:30 (L) got 12:30 Kona- (B) 9am got 9am

While I was on the phone I figured I need to make something for Monday. I booked Kona again for breakfast at 8:30 and Whispering Canyon for dinner 6:15 got that too!!

She went through gave me my ADR #'s and I gave her my CC for Akershus. She asked if that was it. I said yes.... WAIT. I asked her for the number to book BBB. She told me she can do that too! I asked for 3/11 Juliana's birthday at the BBB in the Castle for 10:30. GOT IT TOO!!!! She was very pleasant and we were joking a little bit. I asked her if they had extra people working... she said everyone was working today. Before we hung up I told her to have a great day and not to work too hard. I got her laughing!!! I hung up and was soo happy!!!!

Here is what we ended up with:
Mon 3/8 CP (D) 5pm
Tue 3/9 CM (D) 6:30pm
Thu 3/11 BBB 10:30am 1900PF (D) 5:55pm
Fri 3/12 Kona (B) 9am
Sat 3/13 Akershus (L) 12:30pm
Mon 3/15 Kona (B) 8:30am WC (D) 6:15

WHEW I'm tired. I hope Ana takes a nap later.. cuz I'm going on 2 1/2 hours sleep.

 

[KatMark]

Here we go....

I got home last night about 1:15. Melody talked with our friend Branda about the schedule I had come up with. Branda wanted to add another dinner... Crystal Palace! So I was up to 4 ADRs. I was determined to stay awake till 3 to see if I could just make the ADRs then. The systems adds the next day at 3am. I made it to 2:30 then I finally passed out on the couch. I had my cell phone set to go off at 2:50. I woke up to Mel shaking me and my phone ringing... it was 2:58.

I jumped on and sat waiting.... The day flipped but it was still at 90 days out. I stayed up till 3:30 just to make sure there wasn't anything fishy going on. Finally I had enough. I set my phone to 5:55 and passed back out.

I woke up to my alarm again. I had the 4 ADRs saved as bookmarks. At 6 you could choose up to 180 days!! SCORE!!! or Scorn as Juliana likes to put it! LOL I punched in my times, clicked send, and nothing... Kept at it and about 6:15 the whole system was down. I can't say I was surprised, I knew this was going to happen. Time to wait till 7 so I can call.

I made sure I had all my info together and starting dialing at 7. I must of dialed about 150 times. I heard some really cool busy signals for about 50 minutes....THEN IT HAPPENED! I got through!!! It said there was more than a 30 minute wait! No problem.. I wasn't going anywhere. It was about 8:15 when the CM picked up!!!! I got to speak to Maritza.

OK HERE WE GO! I started with my most important ADR. 1900 Park Fare for Juliana's birthday dinner. I asked for 5:30. I got 5:55!!!! SCORE. I started on the next one..... Chef Mickey's. While it was searching something happened to the CM's computer. She had to reboot and put me on hold!!!!!! I was worried.... She never gave me my confirmation # for 1900PF. I was hoping it was still booked! About 5 minutes later she came back, said she was really sorry, and explained the system was extremely slow. I said no problem and we kept at it.

Chef Mickey's was next- asked for 6pm I got 6:30pm. CP- asked for 5pm got 5pm. Akershus- asked for 12:30 (L) got 12:30 Kona- (B) 9am got 9am

While I was on the phone I figured I need to make something for Monday. I booked Kona again for breakfast at 8:30 and Whispering Canyon for dinner 6:15 got that too!!

She went through gave me my ADR #'s and I gave her my CC for Akershus. She asked if that was it. I said yes.... WAIT. I asked her for the number to book BBB. She told me she can do that too! I asked for 3/11 Juliana's birthday at the BBB in the Castle for 10:30. GOT IT TOO!!!! She was very pleasant and we were joking a little bit. I asked her if they had extra people working... she said everyone was working today. Before we hung up I told her to have a great day and not to work too hard. I got her laughing!!! I hung up and was soo happy!!!!

Here is what we ended up with:
Mon 3/8 CP (D) 5pm
Tue 3/9 CM (D) 6:30pm
Thu 3/11 BBB 10:30am 1900PF (D) 5:55pm
Fri 3/12 Kona (B) 9am
Sat 3/13 Akershus (L) 12:30pm
Mon 3/15 Kona (B) 8:30am WC (D) 6:15

WHEW I'm tired. I hope Ana takes a nap later.. cuz I'm going on 2 1/2 hours sleep.

AWESOME job, Tim. We've been to several of your choices (the only one actually we've not been to is Kona and 1900) and enjoyed all but one. I think you have a terrific line up.

 

[onelilspark]

I'm so glad I didn't have to do ADRs today!!! But way to go! Looks great!!