WDW First Timers & 15 Year Wedding Anniversary - September 2016

[Nami]

Hello and Welcome to my first ever pre-trip report.
We are very excited for our upcoming trip which should be a blast! ​

Although my parents took me to WDW when I was 5 or 6 back in 1986, I barely remember it and my husband and son (age 6) have never been there at all. I personally grew up in Southern California and am very familiar with one off day trips to DL but we have never done an actual vacation of it. I've never even done any table service dining. In fact, other than anime/comic conventions and a 3 day trip to Vegas. we've never actually taken a real vacation so this year we have decided to go all out.

Our trip will include 6 nights/7 days at the Disney's All-Star Sports resort from September 20th-26th, regular Dining Plan, Memory Maker and 5 days in the parks. We plan to do 1 day in each park with an addition day in Epcot.

I am open to any and all tips and advice!

Happy Reading!!

Quick Links

A Little About Us
Plan for Day 1 - Check-In and Disney Springs
Plan for Day 2 - Magic Kingdom Day
Plan for Day 3 - Epcot (Our Actual Anniversary)
Plan for Day 4 - Hollywood Studios Day
Plan for Day 5 - Epcot (Again)
Plan for Day 6 - Animal Kingdom
Plan for Day 7 - Check-Out & Disney Springs
Plans For This Thread​

​

 

[Nami]

A Little About Us!

My name is Sarah and I am 35 years old. At the time of our trip, I will be 36. My husband's name is Jack and will be 45 at the time of our trip. And, last but not least, my son Jack-Jack (Jack III) will 6 be years old.

Jack and I got married on September 22, 2001 at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, NV. I was 21 and he was 30. He is my best friend in the entire world and I would be lost without him. We fought infertility for 9 years until our son was finally born in 2009. Kiddo is great, bright and wants to be a pro wrestler with the WWE which we totally support. LOL I work 50+ hours a week as a restaurant manager and my husband homeschools our son which works out really well for us.

We have lived in Southern CA, AK and WA before finally settling in NH last November. This is the first time that we are out of debt and living comfortably which makes it the perfect time to have a well deserved vacation together.

Jack and spent our 5 year wedding anniversary at DL so WDW for our 15 year anniversary seems like a fab idea.

My son has been to DL once when he was 1.5 years old and once when he was 3.5 years old so he doesn't remember much so this will be REALLY FANTASTIC!

I am the sort of person who cries when I get really excited or happy so I foresee many many tears during our adventures.

 

[Nami]

Plan for Day 1 - Check-In and Disney Springs

Our flight leaves from NH at 6am. I could have left earlier but no way! I definitely wanted to maximize our time at WDW!

We get into Orlando at 12:30 in the afternoon and hit the ground running. Since I am assuming that our room will not be ready when we arrive, we'll be heading over to Disney Springs to have a 4pm dinner at T-Rex. This place looks super cool and I think my son will get a huge kick out of it! The food sounds pretty good too! We also want to do the Build-A-Dinosaur thing which I think will be a great start to our vacation! I also think we will do the carousel and the small train because kiddo will love it!

When I moved to NH, I misplaced my Disney Pin Collection so while at DS, I will buy some starter things and maybe a few LE pins and begin my pin trading adventures right away. (I think I even have my kiddo ready to do pin trading as well! WOOHOO!)
In the evening after we get into our room and relax a bit, Kiddo wants to swim in the pool for 60 minutes which seems reasonable.

At face value, that is about it for the day since we have to be up really early to travel and have a early morning breakfast reservation the following morning!

(Anything at DS that is a MUST SEE?)

 

[Nami]

Plan for Day 2 - Magic Kingdom

Our plans for MK are pretty flexible, as they are for most of out trip. I know that during our trip the Halloween stuff is going on but I am glad that we picked a day to go to the park that isn't doing the party stuff.

As of now, I have an ADR for breakfast at Be Our Guest for 8:35am. I know that I will be SUPER excited so there is no point in pretending that I will be sleeping in that day. Best to start early.

I want to do my FP reservations for: Big Thunder Mountain, Seven Dwarfs Mine Cart and Space Mountain. <--- These rides are the ones that my son has watched repeatedly on YouTube and most wants to experience them!

I would like to watch the Festival of Fantasy Parade but that will really depend on where we are at that point.

Other than that, we plan to pretty much wing it (because my husband says any more planning than that will ruin it and I tend to agree) until our dinner ADR.

For our Dinner ADR, we will be going to the character dining at the Crystal Palace @ 4:30pm. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited about this as we have never done any type of character dining and I am a total mark for the characters and will probably lose my mind more than my 6 year old. HAHAHAHA (Although once he is there, I know he will love it. At the moment, I do not think that he understands quite yet how it will work.)

I am torn on whether or not to stay to watch Wishes because it will be a very long day and kiddo is still only 6 so we will leave that up to him.

One must see thing for me is the Tangled Bathroom area. Tangled is my FAVORITE Disney movie so I am thrilled about it. DH thinks I a little crazy.

Anything else must see at MK?

 

[Nami]

Plan for Day 3 - Epcot (15 year wedding anniversary!!!)

I'm so excited! The only little snips I remember from being 5 or 6 at WDW in the early 80s was Epcot. I am so thrilled to get back as an adult and truly understand the things that I see and hear.

This day is the only other 2 ADR day. We start early once again with a 9:15am ADR at Chip n' Dale's Harvest Feast Breakfast at The Garden Grill. This place looks SUUUUUUUUUPER cool! Can't wait. And, Yay! for more character dining!!!

I really want to meet Mulan but we will see if that works out.

For FP reservations, I would like: Test Track, The Seas with Nemo and Friends and Spaceship: Earth. <--- again, geared towards my son but who cares?!?!?! I want this kid to have the trip of a lifetime. If he is happy, DH and I will be too!

For our anniversary dinner, we will be going to a 5:55pm reservation at The Coral Reef Restaurant. I hope we get a cool table for this as I would LOVE to watch the fishes while we eat!!!

Epcot is the place that we just want to walk around. Neither of us drink at all so we are not interested in the wine portion of the food and Wine event but the food part is cool!

We will leave pretty early this day as the second time in Epcot will be the later night.

 

[Nami]

Plan for Day 4 - Hollywood Studios

I actually do not know too much about this park but we all love Star Wars (our cats are named Luke and Leia) and I love old MGM musicals so it should be pretty great!

I am deathly afraid of rides that just drop you (i.e. - Tower of Terror) but my son LOVES elevators and has been watching this ride on YouTube over and over again so that is a MUST DO. ... I might die... I tried to get out of it but he was all three of us to ride.

Our fast passes for HS are going to be: Tower of Terror, Star Wars and The Great Movie Ride (for me!!!!!) I think kiddo is a little too young for the Rock n' Roller Coaster just yet.

Our ADR is at 5:20pm for the Sci-Fi Dine In Theater. Should be really neat. I think kiddo will love the atmosphere.

Is there anything I need to know about this park?

 

[Nami]

Plan for Day 5 - Epcot (Day 2)

This is the day that we will probably spend the morning back at the hotel catching up on sleep and maybe swimming or going to the arcade at the resort. At some point around lunch time, we will head over to the park.

I will try to schedule FPs for: Soarin', Journey into Imagination with Figment and Turtle Talk with Crush.

The night is what I am excited for here even though this will be Saturday night at the park.

We have a dinner ADR at 8:50pm for Tokyo Dining and hope to get a window seat to watch Illuminations. *fingers crossed*

 

[Nami]

Plan for Day 6 - Animal Kingdom

This is another of the parks that I am not overly familiar with. I am excited as my son loves zoos and animals and things of that nature so I think that we will really enjoy it.

None of the Table Service meals at AK really appealed to us so this is the one day that we have no ADRs which is good. Since the park closes at 5pm, we will probably hit Disney Springs later in the evening.

The FP reservations that I hope to get are: Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest and Dinosaur.

Since this is our last day in park, I am hoping that it is a little calmer than the rest.

 

[Nami]

Plan for Day 7 - Check-out & Disney Springs

Depending on the weather, we may start our last morning in FL with a quick dip in the pool before we check out. Since our flight doesn't leave until 6:30pm, we will head down to DS and walk around. Pick up any last minute souvieners and probably have a quick service lunch before we make our way back to the airport and the reality that is life in NH.

 

[Nami]

Plans for this thread

This is going to be my place to celebrate our upcoming vacation without burning my husband out with my excitement so far in advance. I hope anyone reading this will enjoy the journey to our trip.

172 Days Until We Begin Our Epic Family Vacation!

We've already decided that our 2017 vacation will also be at WDW in Sept and then our 2018 is our life goal vacation of Japan.

Life is good!

 

[adventuregirl]

That looks like a great trip! My first trip to WDW will be in July (melt!), though that will just be my Mom and I. My family of four (DH, are headed to Japan in September and have been planning that trip for 2 years.

My son loved Space Mountain and ToT at Disneyland when he was 6 Personally, I think of ToT as the crashing airplane ride, but the kids ask me to go at least once every trip. It is my daughter's fave!

 

[Nami]

That looks like a great trip! My first trip to WDW will be in July (melt!), though that will just be my Mom and I. My family of four (DH, are headed to Japan in September and have been planning that trip for 2 years.

My son loved Space Mountain and ToT at Disneyland when he was 6 Personally, I think of ToT as the crashing airplane ride, but the kids ask me to go at least once every trip. It is my daughter's fave!

Thanks!!!! I'm very happy with the plans so far. The only thing that would make it better is if I can find BOG dinner reservations for 9/21 but, if not, no big deal!

Have fun in Japan! How awesome!!!!

ToT is terrifying to me but, it's really important to kiddo so... I'll be brave! (Actually, I'm sure I'll cry. Haha)

 

[Nami]

I was able to get earlier breakfast reservations from my inital choices and I am killing myself every hour or so, trying to find dinner reservations at BOG for 9/21. I already have breakfast planned there but dinner would be even more special. *fingers crossed*

DH told me to stop tinkering so I don't mess something up. LOL He is silly. Tinkering keeps me stoked!

 

[Nami]

Well, I got my most desired reservation!!! 6pm Dinner ADR to BOG on 9/21!!!!! I am soooooooooooooooooooooooo happy. However, due to a limited number of TS OP meals, we have cancelled our reservation to The Crystal Palace. Now the only day we will have two ADR meals will be on 9/22 in Epcot but that is AWESOME because it is our actual anniversary!!!

Today is DHs birthday but securing the reservation made me feel like it is my birthday too! LOL

 

[Nami]

I think I have decided that if FD is offered for our trip, I will upgrade to Park Hopper passes and pay the difference for the regular dining plan while staying in our value resort. That seems like the best option for my family and I think my DS6 will really enjoy the sports theme.

Also, I've spent the last 5 minutes trying to convince my husband that we need matching shirts from the store at DS but he is not having any of it yet. I am hoping the Disney magic will make him give in when we arrive.