Toddler Twins take another Trip Aug/Sept '15 PTR: 3 MORE SLEEPS

[kcpinwdw]

THAT would be awesome!

That would be ideal, really... I really need to call and see what they say. But I know not likely! Its just our view of the savanna at AKL in MAy was fantastic, for the standard price. Disney spoils me

 

[cajunfan]

Happy birthday! I hope it is MAGICAL!!!

 

[PastryLover]

Hello! You have a lovely family. We are planning our first trip with preschool twins and a lot of your ideas have been helpful! Thank you!

 

[kcpinwdw]

We are planning our first trip with preschool twin

Welcome! PLease let me know if you have any questions too! When is your family going?

 

[kcpinwdw]

43 days and counting!
Getting lots of things done and starting to think about packing. I may need to change up my packing strategy to accommodate the split stay. The plan remains four suitcases, two larger rollers and two carry-on size rollers. I'm thinking I'll do clothes for day 1-4 in the first big one, 5-8 in the second big one. Then we can fully unpack and use the empty suitcase for laundry in each place. The 1st smaller roller will have our shoes, bathroom stuff, and swim stuff. The 2nd will have all my Disney goodies: tinkerbell gifts, presents for people we are meeting, lollipops and other treats, etc.

I've made a lot of progress on the Inside Out shirts, I will try to post a picture of them so far when I get home this evening. I haven't taken any yet!

Also finalizing my ADRs up. I've decided to drop a few and switch some things.

First, I think we are going to skip the Wishes Dessert Party. The fireworks got pushed back an hour and it really makes it a bit late for my family. Also, we are doing the Pirates and Pals cruise the night before, so it just seems like "overkill."

I've also decided to drop our BOG dinner on Sept 4th. We've been twice before and the meals are fine but nothing fantastic, and I would rather go for lunch and breakfast. We have lunch booked the same day so no great loss. Maybe we will eat at the Poly instead that night. I was kind of thinking about trying Hoop de doo or Mickey's BBQ instead also...

 

[cajunfan]

I have never been to Hoop De Doo...but heard it is Fantastic Fun!

 

[skier_pete]

Hoop Dee Doo is a lot of fun, but might think it would be better with your kids a little older to appreciate the show. (Lots of groan-inducing humor/songs that would go right over their heads, might be bored until the end when the washboards come out.)

 

[kcpinwdw]

On a whim today I decided to revamp our Hollywood studios day. This was for a few reasons. First, the original plan was one of the few that had us in the park in the afternoon. Second, we took a lovely trip to Storyland in NH this past weekend, and it was HOT and humid. One skipped nap and it was really a disaster of an evening that night. SO I think a plan for a nap is in order. After all, it's a nice stroller ride back to Beach club! Or boat ride, more likely, if we've been on our feet. Third, I just couldnt help myself with the new announcement of the frozen boutique. I cancelled our wishes dessert party a couple days ago, and here is the opportunity to have a daytime dessert party?? Plus makeovers for the kids... all for the same price as the wishes one. THis necessitated all my FPs to change, and also to take a hard looks at my ADRs, which I have kept the same, for now.

New plans! This is an updated
Day 3: Sunday Funday at DHS

First, this may be one of the more crowded days we have planned, though the calendars dont all agree. Touring plans says DHS will be a 4/10. Easywdw gives the entire day a 5 (same as TP), but says HS is the most recommended.

We will start our morning with our typical schedule, up around 7 or 7:30 with a snack for the kids in the room and some giant coffees for the grown-ups. Probably will leave the resort around 8:15 to catch the boat, though we may walk if the dock looks crowded. Planning to arrive at the gates around 20 minutes to 9am. We will go to the early check in and see if our 9 am boutique reservation lets us in early. I know sometimes they open the gates early at DHS anyway. We will walk to the boutique. Both kids have appointments. I predict that Sylvie will choose an Anna makeover. I am not planning on buying or bringing a costume for this, though if I see a clearance Anna dress I may snag it between then and now. I guess Ben gets a T-shirt as part of his Olaf package though... would be cute for the pictures. THey get a little photo shoot together and then we head to the Ice Palace Cafe, which apparently has frozen-themed treats that vary depending on time of day... the disney blog mentioned yogurt parfaits, which my kids LOVE, so I am assuming they have some breakfast-type items. IF not, I am not above eating cupcakes for breakfast. I am predicting we are done with the whole thing at 10:00- 10:15 or so. It is extravagant, I guess, since we are still doing BBB in a few days, but overall I feel like we are getting more for our $$ compared to the Wishes dessert party, and at a time of day that is PRIME for toddlers... they will be in good moods for the whole time, most likely!

I hope we can fit in about three attractions before lunch. I moved our TSMM FP to 10-11am, so we will do this first after makeover morning. Then we will likely see the Frozen short, and go on the Great Movie Ride. ADR at 1130 for 50s Prime Time. Seriously considering cancelling but I really want to eat here! Kids will definitely be hungry enough and I probably will be too.

Figuring done with lunch and on our way by 12:30. We will boat back to Beach Club and take a nap!!! Hopefully sleep for two hours. If not evening may need to be flexible. Leave around 4 to head back to DHS for our evening. We have Mama Melrose booked for the Fantasmic! package, and I really dont want to miss this either. So we will have some italian food, then go to the Frozen Sing-a-long, Muppets, and Little Mermaid. Fantasmic if we can make it! I hope so!

 

[skier_pete]

Sounds like a good day to me, though I personally wouldn't do two meals consecutively at TS restaurants simply because it's too much food. I like the nap idea! (I always like a nap, though DD hasn't taken one in about 8 years, so now it's all about MY nap!)

 

[kcpinwdw]

I personally wouldn't do two meals consecutively at TS restaurants

Which do you think would be a better experience? I guess I can decide last minute. I would say that we would have a very light dinner, but since it is the Fantasmic! package I think it is prix fix... so we may as well get our money's worth. I should probably cancel lunch and save 50's PT for another trip Cant do it all! I'm going to wait a bit though...

We usually do breakfast and dinner when we have a 2 TS day, but occasionally have lunch and dinner...but typically an 11:30 lunch and a 6pm dinner so they are far apart. 4:30 is very early for dinner.

 

[skier_pete]

Which do you think would be a better experience?

I've never been to Mama Melrose. We've been to 50s Prime Time (2011 and 2014) and enjoyed it both times. The servers can be a lot of fun if you get a good one, and really enjoyed the food. The big question is how necessary is the Fantasmic Dining Package, and the fact is I really don't know as I've never done it. The few times we did Fantasmic we just did standby, but that was before they had a Fastpass section. I know they are testing doing something similar to DLR and having all the seating at Fantasmic handed out as FPs during the day. http://www.orlandoparksnews.com/2015/07/hollywood-studios-new-fastpass-test-at.html The test is going on right now, so I doubt they would implement changes within the next month. I am not sure how that will affect the FDP - likely they'll keep the prime seating for Fantasmic on the FDP. FDP definitely allows you to show up later than standby does. I know I am not really answering your question...I personally if I was going to choose one would choose 50s Prime Time over Mama Melrose, but again I've never eaten at Mama Melrose and I just don't know how necessary the dining package is for you.

(Our DD doesn't like Fantasmic, it scared her back when she was 6, and she won't do it still at 12. On this trip I want to see the Frozen fireworks show instead anyways - i've never seen fireworks inside DHS - though Fantasmic seems to be at 8:30 and the fireworks won't be until park closing which is 9:30, so in theory we could do both, but I'd rather not be fighting the crowds getting out of Fantasmic to try and get a spot for the fireworks.)

 

[kcpinwdw]

Two pieces of housekeeping done today:

1) I placed my Garden Grocer order. I had been waiting a bit because I have one stubborn twin who will not toilet train, and I really wanted to not order pull-ups... but she is not making very much progress so I guess I will likely need them anyway, so in the cart they went. I was looking forward to diaper-free Disney. I guess I have a couple weeks!

2) Rented a stroller. I changed companies this time. I went with Orlando Stroller rentals. I did this because even though things had been good with kingdom strollers for last couple rentals, they did not deliver the case of water I ordered last time and did not respond to my request for a refund. Not a big deal but if there are other options I guess I should try them. We rented the Citi Mini GT double. I usually go with the regular citi mini double but I upgraded to the GT since it has seats that are a bit taller, and is better padded, so probably more cozy for napping in.

Also, here are a couple preview shots of the Inside out shirts I am making. They are just pieced on right now, still need to get sewn... details are penciled in but will be gone over in thread once I do the sewing part. I don't know why Sadness's sweater looks yellow, must be the lighting. It is pale gray.

 

[skier_pete]

View attachment 111611

How'd you get a picture of our DD for this shirt? Don't tell her I said that.

 

[kcpinwdw]

How'd you get a picture of our DD for this shirt?

Oh the ANGST of a tween!

 

[cajunfan]

I would rethink the two TS also. I love 50's Prime Time. Lots of fun. How crowded is HS supposed to be this day? Do you really need the reserved seating...not any better seats. If it is a high volume day, I would keep the dining package. If not, I would probably cancel it and keep PT.

Lynn

 

[kcpinwdw]

high volume day, I would keep the dining package

TP has it a 4/10. So not terrible. But not great. The package doesn't cost any more than just eating there would. But I am not even sure we will make it late enough for Fantasmic! or that my kids would even like it...

 

[skier_pete]

TP has it a 4/10. So not terrible. But not great. The package doesn't cost any more than just eating there would. But I am not even sure we will make it late enough for Fantasmic! or that my kids would even like it...

Based on that comment - I say dump the Mama Melrose ADR unless you really want both TS meals.

 

[kcpinwdw]

I think you are right, and I will move 50s PT to dinner instead.

 

[kcpinwdw]

Today is the twins' birthday! Big THREE year olds! or, in Disney terms, no longer "guests of Mickey."

I am really exciting to give my son his present tonight, we ordered him the Disney World monorail train set. He is going to freak out. He was really obsessed with it on our last trip. We bought him the little $4.95 pull back and go monorail that they sell out of the bins near the register, and he has slept with the darn thing for months now.

(don't worry, the little girl is getting a good present too, a bitty baby from American Girl... just not Disney-themed)

 

[kcpinwdw]

I finished my little lady's Tiana dress this afternoon. Hopefully she will still want to wear it when we are at Disney! She went pretty crazy for it. I probably should hide it for the next month though so it doesnt get ruined.


This is my first princess dress that I didnt use a pattern for. I think it will be comfortable in the heat. I can just see her little BBB bun