Updated with Trip Report Link! - A Trip of Firsts! - A September 2018 Pre Trip Report

[Araminta18]

Hi everyone!
So, this is my first pre-trip report! This will be my third trip to the world, but the other trips have been booked within 60 days, so there's no time really for a PTR. This trip isn't until Sept 2018, and the planning is half the fun, so I figured why not do a PTR!

Who:
First there's me--Tiffany. I'm 30, and a huge Disney fan. My husband will be joining me on this trip--Trevor. He's 32 and while not a huge Disney fan, he had a great time on our first trip (in April 2016) and is very excited to go back. He also enjoys making me happy, and since I get so much fun out of Disney, it's a win for both of us.


When:
September 14th through 22nd, 2018 (my 31st birthday is September 18th!)

Where:
Boardwalk Villas--a studio with a Boardwalk view! (our first deluxe!)

Why:
Cause it's Disney! So, I went for the first time to Disneyworld in April 2016 with my husband and just loved it. Went back in March of this year with a friend and had another great time. But I wanted to try a deluxe resort, and renting points would be the only way we could afford it, and we hadn't been planning our trips far enough in advance to rent points. So Trevor and I were chatting one morning in May, about going again and staying at a deluxe, and renting points, and basically within about 5 minutes decided that we should go for my birthday in September 2018 (to allow for time to rent points), and that we should stay at Boardwalk. Or rather, I had proposed and Trevor concurred with a "that sounds awesome to me!" We're super excited to go for a trip full of firsts...which I'll get into next post!

Table of Contents:
Some Firsts!
Dining Ideas
Weight Loss Note
Park Tickets Bought!
We Bought a House!
Planned Itinerary
The Edison Reservation
Flights Booked!
Mary Poppins Bag/New Itinerary
ADRs!
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Other Sundry Bookings
Dessert Party!
Fastpass Plans
T-Shirts and Magic Bands
Park Bag-Decisions Decisions
Giving Disney More Money
MNSSHP Costume
MNSSHP Dessert Party + Parade Viewing
Donald's Dino Bash at Animal Kingdom
Double Digits!
FastPass Day is Monday
Fastpasses are Booked!
Friday, Sept 14, 2018
Saturday, Sept 15, 2018
Sunday, Sept 16, 2018
Monday, Sept 17, 2018
Tuesday, Sept 18, 2018
Wednesday, Sept 19, 2018
Thursday, Sept 20, 2o18
Friday, Sept 21, 2018
Saturday, Sept 22, 2018
Mail Day!

 

[Araminta18]

So once we'd decided that we were going to go for my birthday in September, I got more and more excited as I realized all the fun things we'd be able to try for the first time.

First #1: Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party! I'm not a huge Halloween person, but a Disney Halloween party? Count me in! Trick or treating, rides, fireworks, character meets, the new Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom card...it all sounds really fun.


First #2: Victoria and Albert's! I'm not a huge foodie, but Victoria & Albert's sounds amazing. And it's my birthday. We'll splurge

First #3: The first long trip! Our first trip was 4 days, so this will be a nice long 9 day, 8 night trip.

First #4: Tour! Because previous trips were so short, we didn't do any tours, although they all look really neat. This time I really want to do the Marceline to the Magic Kingdom tour, mostly for the behind the scenes at the Haunted Mansion. And it's short enough that it won't feel like it sucks up all the day, or even a big portion of it.

First #5: Dessert Party! I'm all about not having to stake out a spot for fireworks. I want to try the Happily Ever After dessert party with the Plaza Garden viewing. Watching the fireworks with yummy desserts and in a not-insanely-crowded spot? yes please!

First #6: The amphicar! That's for Trevor. Entirely. He really wants to ride it, and since I get Victoria & Albert's, it's probably only fair that he get an amphicar ride.

First #7: Food & Wine Festival! Our first trip was during Flower & Garden festival, but we really didn't take advantage of that since we were such Disney newbies. And besides I hear such good things about Food & Wine. I predict many meals will be eaten at the booths. We don't drink, so hopefully the budgetary hit won't be too bad, just sticking to the food!

First #8: Pandora...and hopefully Toy Story land!

First #9: Deluxe resort! And first time renting points! Oh Boardwalk...I'm so excited to stay here. I was so nervous about getting it booked and everything but now that it's safely confirmed...let's get the party started!

So while not our first trip to the World, enough firsts that it'll definitely be exciting.

 

[kclark9830]

Oh, V&A sounds amazing! And so does the BW. Following along!

 

[Araminta18]

Oh, V&A sounds amazing! And so does the BW. Following along!

The more I read about it, the more excited I get. I keep stalking dining reports with pictures and they just make me so hungry! I can't wait!

 

[Araminta18]

Dining Ideas:

with 9 days and 8 nights, that's plenty of Disney dining to do! But will it be enough time for everything? Who knows--not that time yet. Right now it's the "I want to do everything and the kitchen sink" dreaming time!

• Food and Wine booths! I went to Flower and Garden festival this year and made a meal of just eating around the world. With more booths doing Food & Wine, I fully expect to eat multiple meals at the booths. Yum
• Beaches and Cream! With only the two of us, we probably won't be able to demolish the kitchen sink, but definitely want to try the Fudge Mud Slide. My husband wants to try the No Way Jose. I fully expect we'll be sharing both of them

Sooooo yummy looking...already drooling! ​

• Coral Reef. So on our last trip, this one of the two restaurants Trevor said looked cool. But we weren't able to make it there, so we're gonna try for it this time. I know there's a bunch of bad reviews, but the ambiance still looks cool

Normal aquariums are boring, but to watch while we eat? That I'll go for ​

• Crystal Palace. I'm not a huge fan of the Winnie the Pooh characters, but this is the other restaurant Trevor said he wanted to try (that we didn't make it to last trip). And even though the characters may not be a huge draw for us, the building itself looks so pretty...we just want to eat in there.

So pretty!​

• Yak'n'Yeti: Ate there for the first time on my trip earlier this year with my friend, and was surprised by how much I liked it! I want to go back, and want Trevor to try it.

Dessert wontons...oh my goodness so yummy​

• Hollywood Brown Derby: This was Trevor's favorite meal on our trip last time, so we have to go back. I enjoyed it too, so I didn't fight too hard at going back.

Trevor's favorite part was the bread and the salted butter!​

• Flying Fish: We're gonna be right there, and all the reviews are so good--how can we not try it? I really don't care for seafood, but Trevor loves it (and I never cook it/buy it 'cause ew) and there's always a steak on the menu that I can get. And the reviews of the steak here have been fantastic too!

​

• 'Ohana: do I really need to explain? We've never been--gotta try it!

​

• Sanaa: The bread service is the big draw here. Naan, with a billion different sauces/dips? Heck yes!

I haven't eaten dinner yet and now I'm drooling...​

• Be Our Guest: I know, people rag on the food, but I've only ever had good experiences here. And I *love* the theming so much...definitely going back. On our first trip we were seated in the ballroom, next to the windows with the "snow"...it was positively magical.

​

• Trattoria al Forno: Bon Voyage Breakfast! Yummy food, close to the hotel, and the opportunity to meet Prince Eric and Flynn Rider? Um, of course!

​

 

[Araminta18]

So right before Labor Day, I decided to start losing weight/get in shape so I could ride all the rides without needing to worry. Yes, Flight of Passage was a definite instigator for this--whatever motivation works, right? Anyways, I've been really good so far and mostly wanted to share that I've lost 20 pounds! I'm totally planning to eat whatever and not worry while at Disney, but that's a year away. And in the meantime, 20 pounds down! My husband knows I'm actively trying to lose weight, but I'm trying to keep it fairly quiet from real-life friends and family, just because, so I wanted to share my excitement here.

​

 

[rmw1313]

So cool that you are staying at the Boardwalk! It's definitely on our WDW resort bucket list! Your dining list looks great!!

 

[Araminta18]

So cool that you are staying at the Boardwalk! It's definitely on our WDW resort bucket list! Your dining list looks great!!

We're so excited for Boardwalk! Without staying there we probably wouldn't ever check out the Boardwalk itself, and it looks so neat I really want to.

Thanks! Can't wait for all the yummy food...

 

[BaymaxForever]

Going your exact same dates! Will be staying at AKL, though. Would love to stay at Boardwalk for a kid-free trip during one of the festivals one day...though that day might be 10 years away, lol!
Congratulations on your weight loss so far and wish you continued success in your health goals. A Disney trip is a great motivator-it really helps me when I think about all that walking!

 

[kclark9830]

Your weight loss is very exciting! I'm always motivated to exercise for an upcoming trip, but this time I've been having a hard time with it (having a 5 month old might have something to do with it!). But reading your post is very motivating!!!

 

[Araminta18]

Going your exact same dates! Will be staying at AKL, though. Would love to stay at Boardwalk for a kid-free trip during one of the festivals one day...though that day might be 10 years away, lol!
Congratulations on your weight loss so far and wish you continued success in your health goals. A Disney trip is a great motivator-it really helps me when I think about all that walking!

Hey there trip dates twin! Ooh, you'll have such a great time at AKL--it always looks so neat (and awesome food nearby). I want to stay there, but this trip with Food & Wine we wanted to be close to Epcot. Next trip maybe? If I can talk my husband into it...bwahahaha And thank you! You're right--Disney is an awesome motivator--definitely don't want to be laid out with all that walking.

Your weight loss is very exciting! I'm always motivated to exercise for an upcoming trip, but this time I've been having a hard time with it (having a 5 month old might have something to do with it!). But reading your post is very motivating!!!

Thank you!! Yea, it's easy to focus on something like this since we don't have any kids--having a 5 month old would definitely make it more difficult!! Good luck trying to fit exercise in--you can do it!

 

[Araminta18]

So...it's been an exciting month for us--we've been wanting to buy a house for a while and been saving up for it, and then things all came together earlier this month, and we close on a house at the end of December! It's our first time buying a house, so the whole process is stressful and mystifying, but we're very excited for it all to be done and to actually have our own home. But I haven't let it distract me too much from Disney planning--after all, Black Friday just happened and I was expecting there to be good Disney ticket sales. And I was right. I was keeping an eye on Undercover Tourist, but then saw a post here on the Dis about a ticket sale at VisitOrlando.com--10% off their already slightly discounted tickets. So I was crunching the numbers between UT and Visit Orlando and then realized (like an idiot) that if I bought 5 day hoppers ('cause they were doing a buy 4 get 1 day free sale) intending to upgrade at the park, I'd only be able to make 5 days worth of fastpasses in advance. Um, no--especially 'cause I'm hoping Toy Story Land will be open by then and that I'll be able to get fastpasses for the new land! So 9 day hoppers from Visit Orlando were definitely the best deal.

9 Day Hopper from Disney: $537.83

9 Day Hopper from Visit Orlando: $495.00
10% discount: -$49.50
Shipping: +$7.48
Tax: +$28.96
Total: $481.94

Total savings: $55.89

Not amazing, but every little bit helps, right? And if I upgrade my 9 day hopper to an Annual Pass (which is what we're planning on doing now, for the Memory Maker and the discounts), it saves me that much off the cost of the Annual Pass.

So, all in all, a good Black Friday! And yes, I did ask our Loan officer if it was ok to spend $900 or so on Disney tickets while we're in the middle of the closing process--she said we're all good.

Only one more month until we're actually in 2018 and I can say we're going to Disney this year!

 

[Araminta18]

We're going to Disney this year!!!!!

So happy to finally be able to say that This new year is only 21 days old, and yet it's been already quite the year.

First off, we closed on our house, and moved in! I almost can't believe it. It's so exciting--to have more space, to have our *own* space....we love it. We keep finding new things we need to buy--new chairs for the living room, a shed, a new bookshelf, a tv stand....so we're getting really good at prioritizing and deciding what is needed now and what we only want right now. But lookit the library....so pretty!


It needs a comfy armchair, but that's a thing we want, rather than we need, so that'll have to wait a while.

Though on the subject of wants vs needs, I just discovered these existed today, and I need them. Seriously, it's a need. Though I've never bought a bag that expensive before in my life. I'm hoping they're still available when we go in September, 'cause I'll pick one up then. Buying them now is not an option, what with the new house and all. And who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and these won't be popular and they'll go on clearance like the Tiana bag or the Madame Leota bag? So pretty......... Trevor also says that I probably shouldn't buy a $250ish bag when I'm a federal employee and the government is currently shut down. My response to that is "but they're so pretty!" But don't worry, I'm an adult, I'm being good...I'll just get one in September.


Yes, I am planning out my souvenirs 8 months in advance. What?

We're also now thinking about doing Early Morning Magic, despite the recent kerfluffle. Trevor really really isn't a fan of roller coasters--Seven Dwarves Mine Train is about his limit. But we both agree that being able to ride it over and over sounds like great fun, and we'd like to try it. Still not 100% on it, but definitely leaning towards it. Honestly, it'll probably depend on how the schedule plays out. Because for those playing at home, here's the "extra" things we're already planning on doing:

• MNSSHP
• Happily Ever After Dessert Party
• Marceline to the Magic Kingdom tour (this is the one that takes you behind the scenes in the Haunted Mansion, right?)
• Victoria & Albert's
• Amphicar ride

Hmm...doesn't look like that many listed out! But with only ("only", ha!) 9 days, that's a lot of things to pack in. We'll have to see.

I'm also getting very excited about booking our ADRs (only two months out!). The list, so far:

• Flying Fish (since we're staying on the Boardwalk, I'm thinking this for our first night)
• Yak n Yeti
• Bon Voyage Character Breakfast/Trattoria al Forno
• Hollywood Brown Derby
• The Plaza
• Be our Guest (dinner!)
• Be our Guest (lunch)
• Victoria and Albert's
• Crystal Palace (breakfast)
• Coral Reef
• Sanaa (lunch)
• O'hana (dinner)
• Skipper Canteen
• Beaches and Cream (really just for dessert )

And finally, to finish up this long meandering update of a post, guess who just hit 50 pounds lost--

Still a ways to go, but I kept losing weight even over Thanksgiving and Christmas! Totally gonna eat a crap-ton at Disney, but yay!

Anyways, sorry for the long-winded post. I'm just getting all excited about Disney this year!

 

[BaymaxForever]

Love that Mary Poppins bag! I’m already making souvenir plans, too!

I have spoken with my brother and his wife about EMM, so we’ll be looking to do that on our trip as well, if it’s available! Planning on MNSSHP for that Tuesday night-sept 18.

I’m trying to decide on our character meal now- H&V Halloween dine works good with my plans so far(but reviews are mixed), but would love to do TH breakfast-price is more reasonable. I loved TH breakfast our last trip, just not sure if I want to do a repeat.

Just 2 months until ADR day!!!

 

[dizneefan13]

Hi Tiffany! (middle daughter's name also
I love your long-winded meandering posts! Keep them coming!
I read your last trip report and am enjoying your PTR too.
You've made some great dining choices. We ate at the Coral Reef on our last trip and loved it. Can't beat the atmosphere and our food was fine.
We are going to WDW for two weeks in October. I would love to rent points and stay on the boardwalk, love the location. The process confuses me a bit though. Did you have any problems getting what you wanted? Are savings really good?
Right now we have a week at CBR, second week daughter and SIL will join us. He is Navy so we will be at Coronado Springs with mil discount for that week.
Congratulations on the new house! and also the weight loss. WOW you are doing great!

 

[emilyhuff]

50 pounds! Congrats! That is awesome!!!!! I am following along on your PTR! We are also going for 9 days/8 nights in October and looking forward to it!

 

[Araminta18]

Love that Mary Poppins bag! I’m already making souvenir plans, too!

I have spoken with my brother and his wife about EMM, so we’ll be looking to do that on our trip as well, if it’s available! Planning on MNSSHP for that Tuesday night-sept 18.

I’m trying to decide on our character meal now- H&V Halloween dine works good with my plans so far(but reviews are mixed), but would love to do TH breakfast-price is more reasonable. I loved TH breakfast our last trip, just not sure if I want to do a repeat.

Just 2 months until ADR day!!!

Isn't it just so pretty?! Though I'm gonna blow my souvenir budget out of the water... oh well! What are some of your souvenir plans?

We're planning on MNSSHP for Friday the 21st (at least, as of now). The 18th is my birthday so I'm gonna try and get Victoria and Albert's for that night. Oooh, hard ADR decisions! Do something new, or something you love....decisions decisions. Good luck deciding--2 months to go back and forth

Hi Tiffany! (middle daughter's name also
I love your long-winded meandering posts! Keep them coming!
I read your last trip report and am enjoying your PTR too.
You've made some great dining choices. We ate at the Coral Reef on our last trip and loved it. Can't beat the atmosphere and our food was fine.
We are going to WDW for two weeks in October. I would love to rent points and stay on the boardwalk, love the location. The process confuses me a bit though. Did you have any problems getting what you wanted? Are savings really good?
Right now we have a week at CBR, second week daughter and SIL will join us. He is Navy so we will be at Coronado Springs with mil discount for that week.
Congratulations on the new house! and also the weight loss. WOW you are doing great!

Hi! Aw, name twins with your daughter--I haven't met another Tiffany in a while, so that's neat!

Thanks--glad you enjoyed them (both the meandering posts and my last trip report). I like writing them which is mostly why I do it, but bonus if people actually enjoy them!

Yay! A firsthand account of Coral Reef! Glad you liked it--we're mostly doing it for my husband, since he's the big seafood fan and this is like the one restaurant he's requested that I didn't work in last time. I'm so glad you loved it!

This is actually my first time renting points, so I dunno if I'm the best one to speak, but so far it's been great. I read a lot (*a lot*) of the guidance on the DVC Rent-Trade board, and even did my own post about renting. I intially looked into renting through an agency, but we really wanted a Boardwalk studio, and everyone here was saying that'd be really difficult to get through an agency (no idea), so we ended up going through a private owner here on the Dis. It was really easy--I just emailed him and he was able to book what we wanted, though we went for a Boardwalk view, which is slightly easier to get than a Standard view, apparently. Though we did set it up way in advance of the 11 month book window, cause once you're within 11 months it gets more and more difficult to book things. The savings are great--we're paying $1845 for 8 nights in a studio, and it's about $5121 for a water view at the Inn or $4050 for a standard view in the Villas. So about 55-65% savings. I'd definitely recommend looking into it! There's less flexibility and you have to trust the person who owns the points, but you can buy travel insurance or go through a broker which provides a bit more peace of mind. I don't think I would have done this on my first/second trip, but now that I feel a bit more comfortable, I'm willing to give it a try.

Thanks! It's been a busy few months, but very exciting!

50 pounds! Congrats! That is awesome!!!!! I am following along on your PTR! We are also going for 9 days/8 nights in October and looking forward to it!

Thank you!! And hello! Welcome! Ooh, October should hopefully be cooler than September! Isn't it so nice to go for a long time? I'm very excited for a longer, theoretically more relaxing trip

 

[dizneefan13]

Thanks for all the DVC info! I'll head over to the rent/trade board.

 

[Araminta18]

Thanks for all the DVC info! I'll head over to the rent/trade board.

Good luck! There's lots of good info there--hopefully you're able to rent points for an awesome vacation

 

[evre13]

I did EMM during our August trip, and it was a highlight of the trip. Seriously. To be able to ride SDMT about 6 Times, stay on the ship at Peter Pan, and go ahead and do Small World and the Carousel was fab. Then we ran over and did Thunder Mountain and Haunted Mansion before getting our breakfast. Are our MK day so easy.