We Didn't Bring Our Brooms!- WDW Aug '24 PTR

[cveeders]

We Didn't Bring Our Brooms!- WDW Aug '24 PTR

Hello! I'm a long time lurker on the Dis boards and I've read a good number of PTRs but I'm still nervous. But also excited to have a place to talk about this trip! I can't wait! A lot of the PTRs I've read have fun titles, so I thought about mine for a while. It comes from the end of the Hocus Pocus Villian Spelltacular which I've watched approx. a zillion times. It's one of my favorite lines to quote, when Winifred says "We shall fly!," Mary says "We didn't bring our brooms!" so Winifred says "We shall WALK!" This trip is being planned by the seat of our pants, so we very well might forget our brooms...

THE DETAILS:
The Who:
Me!

^Me, Disneyland Paris in 2022
Hi! I'm Cosette. I'm 23 and I just graduated with my Master's degree. My first trip to WDW (and any Disney park ever) was in 2017 for a special program called Disney Dreamers Academy (DDA) which was a joint program with Disney, Steve Harvey, Essence Magazine and a few others to bring 100 high schoolers, especially ones with rough circumstances in life, to Disney for a life changing 4 days of learning and leadership. I had no interest in Disney before this. But the first night my mom and I arrived in Magic Kingdom, I stood in front of the castle as Wishes played and sobbed. I was hooked. Since then, I went back in 2018 with my fam (Mom, Dad, and sib) and went to Disneyland Paris for one day during my study abroad in July of 2022. I'm so pumped to be going back!
Fave Park: Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom a close second
Fave Rides: Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Dinosaur
Most excited for: First MNSSHP!

My Mom:

Me and Mom at the NY Sheep and Wool Festival
Age: Non disclosable on the internet lol but there’s a photo somewhere of her and her brother standing outside WDW months before it opened officially, so you can probably do the math…
She's a life long Disney fan, loves the planning and making magic part of trips. She teaches 7th grade and enjoys her summers off. Right now, she's looking forward to retirement and more time to craft and for trips to WDW and beyond.
Favorite Park: Epcot
Favorite Rides: Haunted Mansion, Figment (The Original), Seven Dwarves
Most Excited for: MNSSHP, of course, but also gluten free beignets

The WHEN:
August 12-15th, 2024.

The WHERE:
Walt Disney World! We're staying at Port Orleans French Quarter. We stayed there last time in 2018 and liked it, and the price was right again.

The WHY:
So, I've been to WDW twice, once for a special program and once with my family. Then I went to college, and 2020 hit my first year bringing the pandemic, shuttering trips for a while. I studied abroad in Paris in the summer of 2022, and fit in an absolutely incredible whirlwind one day trip to Disneyland Paris before returning home to start my master’s. I expected to graduate this past May and get a job, an apartment, and get my life “going.”


Well, I graduated. But I’m writing this from my bedroom in my parents’ house. Because last November, I experienced an onslaught of symptoms that sent me to my GI doctor. It’s a long story, but I am waiting for surgery in September to fix my esophagus and strengthen my muscles in that area. I have to wait until I am recovered to really start looking for full time work in my field and get out on my own. Besides being a bit of a downer, this also threw a massive wrench into my family’s plans. We had planned to go to WDW in October of '21, and '22, both of which ended up not working due to scheduling and financial constraints. But my mom and I were SURE this was going to be our year. We were determined to go to the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) for the first time! Unfortunately, scheduling was still hard. My sibling works in theater at college and their big senior show coincided with one date in October so we had landed on Labor day. When we met with the surgeon on July 8th, he informed me I would have to be on a liquid diet 2 weeks before the surgery, 2-3 weeks after the surgery, and I wouldn’t be able to fly for 6 weeks after. For a September surgery, that was going to majorly mess with WDW.

So my mom worked some Disney magic. And my whole family made some accommodations. My sibling and father have opted to sit this trip out (they like Disney but they aren't big fans like mom and I) which allowed us to go earlier in August. I'm so grateful!! Some really great people at Disney guest services was able to help us change reservations and we ended up saving money (beyond having 2 less people).

Which leads us to... THE PLAN (as of right this second)
We've got 3 day, 3 park tickets, tickets to the August 13th MNSSHP (which I just read sold out which freaks me out just a little as an anxious person), Disney Dining Plan, and the memory maker photo pass. We've also got the power of caffeine, two eldest daughters and the pure desire to be here to power us through.

Day 1:
Fly out of Albany airport at 7am
Arrive at Orlando at 10ish AM
Transportation to POFQ (Mom found a bus? more to come...)
Drop bags off at POFQ and head to Epcot for the day/afternoon
Enjoy Epcot! Might do a LL for Remy's, still back and forth on this and reading about the new LL changes
Dinner at La Hacienda de San Angel
Back to POFQ for bed.

Day 2:
Up and at 'em to go over to Hollywood Studios for the morning. I've never been to HS, and we're not big on Star Wars, so this is a casual morning exploring that park.
Probably midday rest stop at POFQ to cool down, reset and get ready for the evening. Lunch TBA.
3pm- head over to Magic Kingdom to get in line for MNSSHP
4pm- PARTY TIME
6pm- quick service dinner TBA
Our party goals: ride Haunted Mansion, watch the parade and the Hocus Pocus stage show (twice? we'll see), maybe meet some characters if lines aren't too long, get candy, and take it all in! We have some goals but are being pretty casual about them. This may change as we both continue to read and plan. Tiana's is on our To Do but may be scratched this trip if the line is crazy.
Midnight- wait for bus, pinch myself and remind me that it really happened and I'm so lucky, hopefully make it to POFQ sometime before 3 am.

Day 3:
Sleep in as needed. Breakfast at POFQ
Head over to Animal Kingdom for the day.
Must Do's: Kilamanjaro Safaris, Dinosaur, Flights of Passage (LL probs)
Lunch- Flame Tree BBQ
We have dining reservations at Story Book Dining at Artist Point which is showing up for me right now as being at 8:25... so I'll have to ask mom about that time. But this is our "chill day!"

Day 4:
Head to the airport to go home (

There is absolutely things we won't be able to fit in, and I'm just a smidge worried about our energy levels. Particularly on Day 2. Both of us have chronic illness, and I caught COVID in June, so my energy levels have been slow to return. We're also both Celiac but Disney is one of the places that we know there will be options for us somewhere. We are prepping our walking now and I'm working on worrying all my worries now so that I can be worry free on the trip (hopefully?) This trip got planned just barely over a month before it would take place, and we're pushing our own limits but I'm so grateful. I hold onto that gratitude when the anxiety gets loud! (and also onto my Haunted Mansion merch and my Disneyland Paris cup. because tangible reminders help haha). I made a paper chain with things we're looking forward to written on it, and every day we move the clothespin up a day! It's a great visual to see how close our trip is. Here's a bad photo:



And since apparently MagicBands die after 6 years, we had to get new ones... we splurged a little and got the MagicBand+. They arrived today! Mine is the Haunted Mansion one (I didn't know mom ordered these! It was a big surprise) and I'm so pumped.



So follow along for any more hasty planning, exciting revelations, anxiety, or whatever else is to come! If anyone has any advice for MNSSHP, or WDW in August (our first time!) I'm so open. Thanks for reading y'all! I can't wait to bring you along on our adventures.
-Cosette

PTR Updates:
Update: 10 Days to Go!! Health Concerns, Lightning Lane Studies, and Lego

 

[goopysolelady]

Hello from Texas! You must be about the same age as my Disney granddaughter. They're the ones visiting Disneyland Paris last week on their "National Lampoon's European Vacation" trip celebrating her college and her baby sisters high school graduations. Oldest will be attending Florida Tech (moving in August and is already a Disney Annual Passholder) to obtain her Master's in Meteorology; she plans to specialize in hurricane study. She also did her spring semester, 2023, in Europe. She was in Liverpool (which we LOVED when we visited) but was able to visit Ireland (with us ), Switzerland, Wales and Scotland during her stay. Her baby sister will be staying in Texas, a little closer to home to study dance, choreography and theater.

Hollywood Studios is our favorite park but we're HUGE Star Wars fans! Next in line is Epcot followed by MK and AK. Being older (I'll admit, my husband and I are both 73 ) , we're huge fans of the '40's and '50's and we love the HS atmosphere and "memories". Toy Story Land is SUCH fun (Toy Story Mania is a favorite attraction of ours) and we love Hollywood and Sunset Blvds. Galaxy's Edge is such fun to visit even if you're not a fan...Oga's Canteen is a real treat for us! Epcot is a 2 day visit for us and you really should try Remy...it's adorable. Frozen Ever After is another FUN attraction and, of course, our favorites Soarin' and Living With Land. Wilderness Lodge (Artist Point) is positively BEAUTIFUL. It's our favorite resort and our "go to" when we "splurge" on a trip. Our "budget trips" find us at the POP which we also love, especially for the theming and now the Skyliner. Also...back in HS...Prime Time is our favorite table service restaurant.

With that said, a few pieces of advice. We're not regular visitors but we're planning our 22nd trip in October. We've attended the parks in June, July, August and for the fall/winter holidays and the fall is by far our favorite months to attend. First and foremost, the August heat. IT WILL WIPE YOU OUT! DD and her family always do rope drop until noon-1 PM, back to hotel to rest and return to parks around 4. I tend to "push on" in the parks but must have a mid-day break either with a sit down/table service meal or attending the indoor shows and lots of cool drinks...Joffrey's iced coffee is a favorite. I know the time it takes to go back to your resort takes away from park time but, trust me, you will benefit from the short, cool rest. I can't stress enough, the heat and humidity are brutal in August. Also, take into consideration, you'll probably have August afternoon thunderstorms so always carry a poncho and be prepared to have your plans disrupted. Which isn't a bad thing sometime. The afternoon showers DO tend to "empty the parks". If you can find a spot to sit it out you'll find many "walk on" queues afterward.

Have not, to date, used LL or Genie but will probably do so this trip for Flight of Passage (also a favorite), Rise of Resistance and Slinky Dog. The lines for those just get to long for us. We don't mind a 30-40 minute line but 75+ gets WAY to long.

Try to curb your anxiety. It's easier said than done but, over the years, I've come to the conclusion "what will be, will be". It's disappointing at times but (when we miss special things we enjoy doing) we always say, "we'll catch it on our next trip". My biggest problem is managing time...getting to ADR's on time, getting back to the airport and through security on time, sleeping through my alarm and arriving at the parks late...things like that. You need to allow EXTRA time for travel. You never know if the bus will arrive as scheduled...or you'll JUST MISS a bus or one will be to crowded and you'll need to wait for the next one; the Skyliner and monorail could have unscheduled stops; the boats could be running slow...you need lots of patience. Previous mentioned thunderstorms can't be helped even if they do mess with your plans. The parks can be super crowded when you least expect it. Just decide to "go with the flow" and enjoy the day.

You will LOVE the party! We haven't attended the Halloween party in 10 years (been opting for Christmas parties) so looking forward to it too. Gates will open at 4 for party ticket entrance; you need to be in line no later than, maybe 3:15ish to get a 4 o'clock entry. It WILL be crowded for entrance to park....

You'll get your arm band right after you enter:

....then the fun begins. The Haunted Mansion at night is awesome so don't miss it and the special entertainment is great.

We always try to watch the parades twice. First performance we don't make a special effort to find a good viewing spot (because that's also a good time to catch some of the attractions) but for the 2nd parade we find a spot 30-40 minutes before. We like to watch in Frontierland; in the past that was the easiest spot to find good viewing but it has become more and more crowded the past few years. If you have a desire to meet any of the special characters (our goal one year was the 7 Dwarfs at Christmas) get in line either upon arrival or wait until close to the end of the party. However...that option also means, should there be one of those famous thunderstorms, the Meet and Greet could be canceled. One year for the Halloween Party we were having dinner at Tony's during a storm. When we finished the streets had water running ANKLE DEEP but we made our way to Jungle Cruise and enjoyed it during the remaining rain showers. That was my "breaking point"; I got in line for the boat to WL while DD's and granddaughters stayed for many more "walk on" attractions.

Super excited for you and your first Halloween party. You'll LOVE it! Also wishing you well as you face medical issues when you return. Put your cares aside and enjoy your trip; the "real world" won't go away but you can sure enjoy that "Disney bubble" for a few days!

 

[Lynne G]

Mom and daughter trips are so fun.

My adult DD and I are there 11 to 15, though staying at BC, and not doing the party until mid September, when we will be back. Already bought that party day tickets. Saw the 13 August one sold out the other day.

Yay, will be following your trip report.

 

[cveeders]

Super excited for you and your first Halloween party. You'll LOVE it! Also wishing you well as you face medical issues when you return. Put your cares aside and enjoy your trip; the "real world" won't go away but you can sure enjoy that "Disney bubble" for a few days!

Thank you so much!! and thank you for taking the time to give your advice. Your granddaughters sound incredible, best of luck to the one entering grad school! That's fantastic.
The photos help me visualize the crowds, which is a great coping mechanism for my anxiety. Knowing what a place might look like before I arrive is so helpful I am definitely thinking we'll need a break midday on Tuesday, since that's our true "full day" but there's a nice natural break between our time in HS and 4pm MNSSHP! Mom and I had a nice long drive to Maine last weekend and we spent the time strategizing and learning more about HS, since neither one of us have focused much on that park. I'm so excited to see it!

 

[goopysolelady]

Thank you so much!! and thank you for taking the time to give your advice. Your granddaughters sound incredible, best of luck to the one entering grad school! That's fantastic.
The photos help me visualize the crowds, which is a great coping mechanism for my anxiety. Knowing what a place might look like before I arrive is so helpful I am definitely thinking we'll need a break midday on Tuesday, since that's our true "full day" but there's a nice natural break between our time in HS and 4pm MNSSHP! Mom and I had a nice long drive to Maine last weekend and we spent the time strategizing and learning more about HS, since neither one of us have focused much on that park. I'm so excited to see it!

Glad I could help and thanks for your kind works on granddaughters! We only have ONE MORE WEEK before the oldest moves to Florida so we're having as much family time as we can! Since photos help you here's a few from Hollywood Studios. As I said...it's one of our 2 favorite parks and we spend a lot of time there. This is ROPE DROP one summer morning in '21...

Once you make it past the "first crossroads"...the tall turquoise building on the left...the crowd thins a little. Most guest going to Galaxy's Edge go left; others go straight for the Chinese Theater and/or Toy Story Land and right to Tower of Terror/Rock 'n Roller Coaster. While you're not Star Wars fans, Galaxy's Edge has 2 fantastic attractions but since that doesn't interest you a lot, and you're there only one day, I suggest you go straight to Toy Story Land and line up for Slinky Dog. THIS was the line waiting for us that morning...

...BUT...they were having some issues with the attraction and still making safety test runs hence the rope drop backup. Toy Story Mania is also a must and will have long lines also but they both move fast. Woody's Lunchbox has great breakfast offerings so we usually have our "brunch" there that day.

This is Sunset Blvd...home of ToT and RnR...around the corner...

I'M not a fan of either of these but will ride Tower once on our trips...it IS fun. LOVE the shops on Sunset. The Echo Lake area has our favorite restaurant, Prime Time, as well as Frozen Sing-A-Long (a great attraction and gives you a chance to cool off and rest during the very entertaining show); Indiana Jones; Olaf Meet and Greet (I LOVE Olaf and this is a "must stop" for ME on every trip...have to visit my "buddy") and Star Tours which we absolutely LOVE. Each "adventure" is different and we've been know to frequent this attraction 5-6 times per trip. Even if you're NOT a Star Wars fan, this is fun!

Best of luck with the rest of your planning and wishing you a FUN trip! We're almost at the 2 month mark before ours.

 

[cveeders]

Update: 10 Days to Go!! Health Concerns, Lightning Lane Studies, and Lego

Well according to my countdown app, 10 days 11 hours and 27 minutes until our flight is supposed to land in Orlando.... but who's counting?
(me!)

On the beach in Maine! Ignore my hair lol

My mom and I got back from Maine on Monday, as I was giving the speech for a gala fundraiser there. It was a lovely trip and a good test of our ability to spend long, sometimes hot and sometimes stressful, days together. All good on that front! As I've gotten older, my relationship with my mom has only improved. I'm sure someday as a mom I will have more wisdom on the mechanics but from my perspective, while we were always close, the teen years were rough. We did a lot of walking and I am feeling more confident and prepared for the physical part of our WDW trip!

While driving there and back, we spent a lot of time watching the Disney news about the changes to Lightning Lane and Multipass, and while it's still eluding me a bit, I think mom understands it. Which I'm taking as a win. Hopefully only one person needs to really get it? We still need to make final decisions on what/if/when/where for Lightning Lanes but we haven't sat down to plan that out yet. We DID score a ride from the airport to POFQ though, which is a win (I miss the Magical Express) as I *really* didn't want to arrange an Uber or Lyft again this time. We have notorious luck with them in Orlando.

The only hiccup thus far is that I've been a bit under the weather the past few days. I was so nervous about one of us catching COVID (it's been going around my area) that I forgot my chronic illness is, well, chronic. I have been SO nauseous but luckily my meds are helping. Today I was just so tired I could barely keep my eyes open at work. I'm really hoping that this flare ends soon and my energy rebounds. We'll simply have to take breaks and not go as fast as we want.


My duffel bag (mom made it!) with the luggage tag and the stuff inside so far... not much yet but getting there!

Because I just got home and because we leave in 10 (!!!!) days, I have started to put things in my bag. We're doing just the personal item/carry-on to save $ but I'm an expert packer after trying to get 10 large books home from Paris. So as I think of things, I grab them and put em in. Soon I'll actually work on consolidating and packing, leaving room for souvenirs. I'm also looking at things to help with the heat and found a lot of good tips from other PTRs. We got our luggage tags too which is super cool! Not too much else has changed, especially since this trip was planned sooo fast, but I'll keep the updates coming as we get closer.

As a last fun thing, my mom, who's a huge lego fanatic, has built some pretty cool sets in the past bit getting hype for our trip. We worked on Snow White's cottage together, and the rest are hers. It's a fun way to get excited! We're going to Artist's Point with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, so the cottage set felt fitting.

^Some of Mom's creations

Snow White's Cottage, which was difficult to photograph.

So that's it for my update right now. I'm sure more will come up. Just in the middle of writing this post, mom and I had a meeting about which passes/LLs/fastpass style thingys we wanted. I hope everyone's having a great day!
-Cosette