Well, this could be interesting (October 2013) **Updated 8/31**

[Disney2013Girl]

Ok, so I'm seeing all of these awesome PTR and I don't know how mine is going to measure up, but I've never been one for sitting too long on the sidelines, so here we go.

The time: October 26-November 1, 2013 (A link to our most updated daily plan can be found here)
The place: Pop Century and Beyond
The Cast: Well, that's a little more complicated.

Let's start with me:

Hi. I'm Mandie. I'll be 30 in a couple of weeks and I've been a huge Disney fan for most of my life. I went to DL when I was little (around 5 or so) and went to WDW when I was a freshman in HS (97) for Musicfest Orlando. I was accepted to be part of the College Program and ended up turning it down. :-( :REGRET:

This is Matt. He's 29 and literally my best friend. He is awesome and amazing and puts up with all my crazy antics.

He grew up never really being a big Disney fan and not having traveled to either park.

We were married in 2006 and in 2009 we finally took our long awaited honeymoon trip.

A week long trip to California including 3 days at DL and CA. We had a BLAST. For H's birthday I made him wait in line to see the Princesses and although he said it was awful, deep down---I know he liked it.

In November of 2010, we gained another family member, Luke.

We wanted to take him for his first birthday, but we ended up buying a house instead (silly grown up responsibilities). We wrote it off as "well, he's too little to get it anyways, he doesn't even know who Mickey is!"

More wrong words have never been spoken. Now, he's a boy obsessed! Our DVR is full of favorite clubhouse episodes and Red, Black, White and Yellow has invaded our house on a massive scale.



So we decided that this would be the year. We originally wanted to go closer to his official birthday, but we just couldn't swing it (plus, at 3 years old, the trip takes on a whole new level of expense!). So we went for the next best thing---a trip over Halloween.

So there ya go, chapter one of what is sure to be an interesting journey to WDW.

 

[happybelle]

Joining in!

 

[OrangeJuice]

Joining in We are leaving WDW the day before you guys get there. We'll do our best to leave everything standing Looking forward to hearing more from your plans.

 

[Disney2013Girl]

Ok, so here's more of my plans:

Our plan is to leave October 23rd, late in the evening (I'm taking that day off work to sleep as MUCH as possible, even if it means a margarita to take the edge off ). With having a toddler, we want to drive as much as possible through the night.

Our first stop is in the Tampa area (yes, I realize we're driving farther than we have to, but stay with me here) to visit with a friend. This is dual purpose, 1) I miss my friend! She's had two kids (and by October, a 3rd) since I last saw her. 2) She said she'd take us out to the beach and while I have seen the awesome blue waters and white sands of the gulf, my husband toddler have not. Best I can figure, with us driving straight through (giving time to stop for gas, stretching, potties and food, we'll get there around 2pm)

We're staying Thursday night in Tampa and then will leave at some point on Friday to head to Orlando. We're on the fence right now about adding another days park tickets for that night and doing something short/fun that afternoon/evening.

So if you're following along:
Wed 10/23: Leave
Thursday 10/24: Arrive in Tampa/Beach
Friday 10/25: Breakfast/Lunch with friends and head to orlando, checking into Pop Century (Potential park partial day)
Saturday 10/26: AK and MK (MSEP/Wishes)
Sunday 10/27: MK and MNSSHP
Monday 10/28: Epcot
Tuesday 10/29: MK and dinner at Ohana/fireworks from the beach
Wednesday 10/30: HS and EMH at Epcot
Thursday 10/31: Epcot and maybe some fun pop-up Halloween fun (T.O.T'ing at the hotel/DTD?)
Friday 11/1: Breakfast at Chef Mickey and last minute souvenir shopping at DTD, head towards home (stopping in Georgia to visit with family and stay the night)
Saturday 11/2: Continue towards home (optional: stop with family in TN)
Sunday 11/3: Arrive home (at the latest)

WHEW!

I'm sooooooo incredibly blessed to be working with a longtime friend and NOW authorized Disney TA, planning our vacation.

We're currently debating buying a QSDP out of pocket or hoping for a FD promo during our stay. Honestly, we're grazers when we eat and I can see us (more likely) happier spending $10 7 times during a day (snacking, with exception of our meals at Ohana and Chef Mickey) than two $35 meals (if that makes sense). This is esp true for the two days we'll be at Epcot during the F&WF.

 

[Disney2013Girl]

In other news....I just managed to get through all 83 pages of Unusal things to pack for your WDW trip

CRAZY!

 

[wiigirl]

In other news....I just managed to get through all 83 pages of Unusal things to pack for your WDW trip

CRAZY!

Woah!

 

[happybelle]

In other news....I just managed to get through all 83 pages of Unusal things to pack for your WDW trip

CRAZY!

What did you find to be the most unusual? The most helpful?

 

[Disney2013Girl]

What did you find to be the most unusual? The most helpful?

A lot that I had heard before, actually. However, I learned about jiffyshirts.com (maybe it was just jiffyshirt.com. I've been thinking about matching shirts for our days there, but was stumped where I could find ps shirts and toddler shirts in the same color. Additionally, minimus.biz (trial sized mega site) is awesome.

Aside from websites, the power strip for the hotel room was/will be the most helpful. The most unusual was probably getting a unique scent air freshener (as opposed to one you use at home)for your room. That way, when you smell it later, you will automatically flash back to your trip.

 

[happybelle]

A lot that I had heard before, actually. However, I learned about jiffyshirts.com (maybe it was just jiffyshirt.com. I've been thinking about matching shirts for our days there, but was stumped where I could find ps shirts and toddler shirts in the same color. Additionally, minimus.biz (trial sized mega site) is awesome.

Aside from websites, the power strip for the hotel room was/will be the most helpful. The most unusual was probably getting a unique scent air freshener (as opposed to one you use at home)for your room. That way, when you smell it later, you will automatically flash back to your trip.

Those are great! I like all of them! Thank you!

 

[Disney2013Girl]

Debating now, I put it on the Family Board, but I'm on the fence. We were originally going to stay in Tampa the night of the 25th and leave early early on 10/26 to start our trip with a full day at AK.

Then we decided to head to Orlando late the night of the 25th, so we could just start our day with a nice rest. We had planned on saving some money and staying offsite, making a huge to-do about going to Disney World in the morning.

Then we decided to just add another day in at POP so we didn't have to unpack/pack again and would be completely ready to start our day when we woke up (vs having to check out of another hotel and check in at POP).

Then we decided to head to Orlando around lunch time (driving during DS's naptime), check in around 3p and just resort hop and hang out in the pool, etc.

Now we're at a crossroads:

Do we get an extra day PH and then focus on ONE thing in ONE park for a late afternoon/evening? Basically, for example, JUST focus on meeting characters or JUST focus on one land (or two smaller ones) or JUST focus on introducing him to rides slowly (thinking if he doesn't like it he has the night to get over it vs being upset all day)

OR

Do we switch our MNSSHP to that night, allowing us to get in at 4p and giving him/us a MUCH easier day and upping the odds of having more success staying happier and later? Our next day (10/26) is at AK, so I'm not super worried about being up really early and ready to go.


I'm at a crossroads.


ADDITIONALLY, is there anything else people want to know? I've really got no other WDW TR to call back on and it's been a LONG time since our trip to DL, but I can talk about/share pictures from then if you want.

 

[happybelle]

My vote is for pictures please.

 

[Disney2013Girl]

On our way!

We arrived!

Playing around while we toured the hotels onsite

The Sun Wheel

The Sunglass Shack Dino (which was tore down shortly after our trip, I believe)

Me. being a nut job

No one invited us in, despite my sad face.

 

[Disney2013Girl]

More pictures:

 

[afwdwfan]

Came over from another PTR you posted in to check it out!

You're definitely on the right track going before your DS turns 3. We took our DS twice before his 3rd birthday, and now that he's 3... well, we won't be making a trip to Disney property in 2013. Maybe the end of next year. Just so hard to justify spending that much money for someone who won't even be able to ride a lot of the rides they have.

Do we switch our MNSSHP to that night, allowing us to get in at 4p and giving him/us a MUCH easier day and upping the odds of having more success staying happier and later? Our next day (10/26) is at AK, so I'm not super worried about being up really early and ready to go.

I vote for this option. The parties can be tiring after a day in the parks, so if you can take a leisurely day to get there and your DS can nap well in the car this sounds like a winner.

Additionally, if you're buying a party ticket for another night anyway, this wouldn't add any expense at all, and an extra day on a park ticket would.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Joining in!

I second the option of taking it easy during the day even trying to squeeze in a nap for your DS before heading out to MNSSHP. I remember both of our kids being completely wiped out and usually sleeping in the stroller after 8pm on our full park days when they were two years old and there's a lot that happens at MNSSHP after 8!

Looks like a fun trip planned!!

 

[happybelle]

LOVE the pics!

 

[OrangeJuice]

Loving the Disneyland pictures! Your itinerary sounds like a lot fun.

 

[Disney2013Girl]

DS is breaking my heart while we wait for our trip. I wish that we wouldn't have told him (on one hand) because every day he says "We're going to Disney World in October! It's way far away! Gonna (insert whatever he's obsessed with right at that moment) at Disney World!"

On the other hand, him knowing has allowed me to let him watch youtube videos on rides, character interactions, parades, etc to see how he reacts. It also is amusing to see him become randomly obsessed with things. For example, right now, he's STOKED about "Push da' tak'king twash can!!!!".

It wasn't a conscious effort to tell him, he picked up on our conversations and started talking about it. I have decided that any future trips will be far more covert.

In additional DS news, we're trying to find more rides for him to experience before we go to WDW, just to see how he reacts. Earlier this week I took him to the local zoo where he rode the "sky safari" ride---a ski lift style ride that went up 40 ft into the air over tree tops and kind of over animal enclosures. He did FANTASTIC! Wasn't afraid of heights, followed the instructions, sat for the whole (almost 5 minutes) ride and held on to the handle bars. So far, so good!

 

[Disney2013Girl]

:Taps Mic: Is this thing still on?

So here are the updates:

......................Not really anything exciting!

Took Little Dude to my company picnic about a month back and he rode everything with great excitement. I'm currently on a quest to find a yard stick around the house to measure him up...he very well might hit 40" before we leave! If not, he's still going to have fun, but....:shrug:



Still trying to get a different ADR for BOG. I'd prefer something a little earlier, but I know I should be glad I got one at all.



I'm in the process of trying to iron down the actual dirty details of the trip down and back. I think we're going to leave Wednesday and drive through to Tifton Georgia (in the process of getting a Name Your Own price deal through that one website :-D). Looking at hotels in Bradenton/Bradenton Beach for Thursday night. My friend suggested spending a little extra to get a room right on the beach, but I'm such a sucker for Holiday Inn Expresses, that it's hard for me to say no.


Working on a car rental right now. I had budgeted $300 for 13 days/unlimited miles and I found an intermediate car size for $235 13d/unlimited. I've read/heard that rentals go down as it gets closer, but that's such a good deal, I'm tempted to grab it now. If I get a better deal, I can cancel this reservation for a $25 change fee, but I kind of just want to stop looking and live in ignorant bliss. Anyone? :-D

I don't know what I expected, but I was hoping I'd just close my eyes and wake up on Main Street. The dirty details of the trip just plain stink.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

A lot that I had heard before, actually. However, I learned about jiffyshirts.com (maybe it was just jiffyshirt.com. I've been thinking about matching shirts for our days there, but was stumped where I could find ps shirts and toddler shirts in the same color. Additionally, minimus.biz (trial sized mega site) is awesome.

Aside from websites, the power strip for the hotel room was/will be the most helpful. The most unusual was probably getting a unique scent air freshener (as opposed to one you use at home)for your room. That way, when you smell it later, you will automatically flash back to your trip.

For me it was not a room fresher but rather a shower product. For our onsite trip I took Bath and Body Works coconut lime verbena shower products and now whenever I use it, it reminds me of our stay at the CBR. It really helps bet the Monday morning blues when you realize you have a new work week upon you.