What I learned today!

[chell]

Jamie I read about the general FP location at the AK recently too. It looks like you might have to be our reporter on that. My guess is that they have the FP at both locations because it wouldn't make sense that you could only get them at the central location.

 

[lexmelinda]

I found a thread on another board and some people who "just got back" said the centralized FP area was still operating. The plus seems to be that it is very convenient and centrally located by ITTBAB. On the downside, there is no sign so you have to be looking for it; it seems that it's not open every morning; and you don't see a return times before you put your ticket in the machine (although I think the CM there can check the return times if you ask).

All in all, it seems like a good thing. I wish there was a centralized FP system at every park. Sure would be nice not to have to walk all the way into Soarin' if you're headed to the World Showcase!

 

[mrstomrice]

We used it on Thursday, Aug 13. There were passes for every fast pass event except Kali RIver Rapids (the one we wanted, of course) It seems like a great concept!
We also tested the return times last week. The first time was the only thing they worried about. For example, we had noon-1pm fast passes for Splash and used them at 8 pm...worked on every ride we tried it on and were never given a problem! The only time it seemed to matter was at The Voyage of the Little Mermaid. it had a 10 minute return window and the CM said they stuck to it b/c it is a show with limited seating.

 

[rkrose1]

chell says DO NOT FORGET MOLESKIN!

The Bandaid Blister Ampoules are terrific. I actually like them more than the moleskins for already formed blisters. They form a cushion, and seem to get better as the day goes on. There are two sizes, one for heels, etc. and another for fingers & toes. I usually find them at Target. I never seem to use the moleskins before it's too late.

 

[jamieguffey]

ITS IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE I AM EXCITED! ONLY TWO MORE DAYS OF WORK!

THE TIP TODAY IS TO MAKE SURE YOU KEEP AN EYE ON THE CALENDARS POSTED ON DISNEY'S WEBSITE.

THEY UPDATE FREQUENTLY. JUST IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS A COUPLE OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

ANIMAL KINGDOM IS NOW CLOSING AT 5PM EVERYDAY. WHEN I FIRST STARTED LOOKING IT WAS CLOSING AT 7PM.
(ALTHOUGH WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT THEY ARE GOING TO STAY OPEN SORT OF. http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours.htm)

MAGIC KINGDOM IS NOW OPEN UNTIL 10PM SATURDAY 8/22/09. IT WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO CLOSE AT 9PM AND WE WERE GOING TO MISS WISHES OUR FIRST NIGHT THERE. NOW WE CAN SEE IT.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS IS NOW OPEN UNTIL 10PM ON 8/23. IT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO CLOSE AT 8:30PM WITH ONE SHOWING OF FANTASMIC. NOW THERE ARE TWO SHOWINGS WITH THE 10PM CLOSING TIME!

I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE FANTASMIC THING LAST NIGHT WHEN I WAS PUTTING TOGETHER A SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR THE WEEK.

SO AGAIN MAKE SURE YOU CHECK IN ON THE CALENDARS AND PARK HOURS OFTEN!

 

[jamieguffey]

Jamie I read about the general FP location at the AK recently too. It looks like you might have to be our reporter on that. My guess is that they have the FP at both locations because it wouldn't make sense that you could only get them at the central location.

Like I said I will be tweeting all week from the parks so mamaw and papaw can see their babies at disney world so check my page on Wednesday and I will let you know how it works.

http://www.twitter.com/jamieguffey

Kali River was the one we were hoping to use it for so it is a bummer that it isn't one of the options.

 

[bjakmom]

You're so close to T Day !!!
Have a great trip - can't wait to follow the fun - ENJOY!!

 

[disney-akj]

Great thread!

 

[MissRoseDarrensAngel]

**Pay attention to the fastpass times on the one you get at the time, and when you can get another one for another attraction.

I knew that one but my mother failed to realize that. I was so embarrassed when she harassed 2 different cast members when she got fast passes for Mission Space @ Epcot for me and my sister's 2 kids while we waited for Test Track to open up then she went immediately to get fast passes for another ride later on for Test Track. Eventually a kind cast member allowed my mother to have us all together on the 2nd riding of Test Track later in the day by marking the fastpasses to allow none of us to be separated. But I would have not done what my mother did at all.

 

[jamieguffey]

BOLD AND ALL CAPS BECAUSE I AM MORE EXCITED TODAY THAN YESTERDAY!

I FIGURED I WOULD PUT SOME LINKS TOGETHER TO HELP GUIDE YOU TO SOME TIPS. I HAD VERY SPECIFIC NEEDS AND AS A RESULT TARGETED TIPS THAT SUITED THOSE NEEDS. SINCE YOUR NEEDS MAY DIFFER TAKE A LOOK AROUND THESE PAGES. ALSO THIS WILL SERVE AS MY CREDITS PAGE.

WDWINFO In my opinion the best for Information
Stitch Kingdom Limited but what they do have is comprehensive
All Ears 90% of the tips I found were here!
The Disney Mom's Forum Where I started. If you have a specific question they will handle it for you.
Garden Grocer Just about anything you need and the prices definitely are not premium.
Shanrene For the Silicon Bracelets With Your Cell Number To Put on Your Kids
Disney Photopass Website
Official Site of the Unofficial Guide The unofficial guide changed it all for me.
Guide to Walt Disney World Definitely not as good as WDWINFO or ALLEARS
Road Trip Mom Specific Travel Tips
Passporter Another guide book
Mouse Savers Savings Ideas
WDW Insiders Spent Very Little time there but it has some good info.
Our Laughing Place They had the route thingy.

I AM SURE THERE ARE MORE I AM MISSING BUT YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE TO GO MUCH FURTHER THAN WDWINFO OR ALLEARS!

JUST ONE MORE TIP TO GO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM MORE EXCITED ABOUT? GOING ON VACATION OR BEING ABLE TO STOP WORRYING ABOUT MESSING UP THE VACATION AND JUST WING IT!

 

[offtoseemickey]

You're going to have a great time! I've been catching up with your thread when I've had a chance, & you have done such a good job! I'm impressed with all this information you've got together!
ENJOY YOUR TRIP!!! Make lots of memories & don't forget to smell those roses!!!

Seriously, I can't wait to hear from you when you get back - you MUST do a TR???

I'll be watching on twitter

x

 

[lexmelinda]

Cinderella Castle

There will be a construction crane behind the Castle 8/21/-8/27/09. Lights are being installed for the Castle Lighting show later this year. The Enchanted Grove walkway will be closed from Sir Mickey's to the Fairytale Gardens. The smoking area will be moved behind the Castle Couture shop.

 

[iteach7th]

**Pay attention to the fastpass times on the one you get at the time, and when you can get another one for another attraction.

I echo that in a major way!! I really messed our fast pass plans up one day. I am our fast pass "runner" and I went to Space Mountain around 11 a.m. I had already gotten the fast passes when I realized the return time was 5:30 p.m. We could not get another fast pass for hours !!

Jamie - I have been following this thread since the beginning. I hope you and your family have a wonderful trip. We are leaving 50 days from today. Even though I have been multiple times - you have done a fantastic job of reminding me of things I have forgotten and informing me of things I didn't know existed. I will be following twitter and looking for a trip report once you return to help us get ready for our 8 days in the World !

 

[MHSweb79]

I went to Space Mountain around 11 a.m. I had already gotten the fast passes when I realized the return time was 5:30 p.m. We could not get another fast pass for hours !!

I hope you realize that you didn't have to wait until 5:30p.m. to get another FP. That time is also printed on your ticket and is usually about 2 hours after the time you pulled the original FP.

 

[iteach7th]

I hope you realize that you didn't have to wait until 5:30p.m. to get another FP. That time is also printed on your ticket and is usually about 2 hours after the time you pulled the original FP.

Because the return time on the FP was so long from when we pulled it - the time that it gave us when we could get the 2nd FP was around an hour or so before our return time to Space Mountain. The CM standing there said that you couldn't pull a second fast pass until you were close to your return time on the first fast pass (did that make sense???). Anyway - that only happened once in 2006 for us. Lesson learned - from then on, I checked all return times to make sure they were within reason for when we got them.

 

[poohbear8]

JamieGuffy,
I hope you have a great trip! Thank you for the tips, I've enjoyed reading them. Here's my tip for you: Enjoy yourself! You are Disney. Even a bad day or things that happen not as planned is still a good day....you are AT Disney! Roll with it.

 

[Alesia]

Because the return time on the FP was so long from when we pulled it - the time that it gave us when we could get the 2nd FP was around an hour or so before our return time to Space Mountain. The CM standing there said that you couldn't pull a second fast pass until you were close to your return time on the first fast pass (did that make sense???). Anyway - that only happened once in 2006 for us. Lesson learned - from then on, I checked all return times to make sure they were within reason for when we got them.

That isn't necessarily true. You never have to wait more than 2 hours to get another fast pass.

 

[jamieguffey]

In Less than 24 Hours we will be on a plane bound for Orlando Florida and The Most Magical Place on Earth!

I can't believe it is here! Today is bittersweet. No more waiting while at the same time something that has become a big part of my life is no longer necessary. The kids still don't really have a clue what we are up to. They see the flurry of activity and I am sure they are wondering what is up. I have been dropping hints for months now. We go on Disney's website every couple of days and Sophie sees Cinderella's Castle and I ask her if she would like to go there someday. She of course would love to! Well tomorrow her dream comes true! Noah and I have spent countless hours on youtube watching fireworks and the different rides and shows and he already has some favorites.

There isn't really a tip today. It's too late for all that. We have made our lists and checked them twice. I have constructed and reconstructed hundreds of touring plans. We have made and cancelled no less that 20 different ADR's and have settled on our seven. I have measured each of them probably 100 times and it is clear that they are going to have a problem with there respective height challenges (Sophie 40" and Noah 44") We will try a few I guess but I just don't see it happening. I need to run and get some new socks, I know, beware of that. Anything new that has to do with the feet prior to the marathon walk that is Disney World is probably a bad idea. But my months old socks are less than form fitting these days and I think new ones will actually be better for the tootsies.

My post today is the most sincere Thank You I Can Muster to everyone that helped get my head straight and helped me plan this trip. Without all of you we would be just be lemmings wondering around a strange place, waiting in lines, and melting in a sweltering heat. Like I said when I started this thread, I wanted to add value to the board, I hope that this thread has done that. I hate to say it but when we get back life will return to "normal" and aside from posting our trip report and maybe some reviews of the experiences I will probably not be around much until the next go round.

So to my disboard friends I again say Thank You and I hope that we get to do this all over again in the near future.

P.S. Don't forget if you are interested to check out my tweets. www.twitter.com/jamieguffey I will be twitpic'ing all week or until I ruin my phone by forgetting to put it in the baggy before we go on splash mountain.

 

[MHSweb79]

Showers and showers of pixie dust for you and your family, JamieGuffey!!!!

Have a most wonderful, magical time and THANK YOU for starting and maintaining such a helpful and lovely thread. I for one will miss checking it out every day.

My trip is 3 weeks from today and I can't wait. My DD ships off to college (for the first time) in two weeks and I just realized how much we have to do for that. I've been spending too much time here and not enough time looking for XL sheets!

 

[SecretPoohLove]

Even though I am a seasoned Disney visitor, I have been following your tips and found them very helpful! I hope you have a wonderful trip.

Completely off the track question...I see you have a son named Noah and we are considering that name for our child but can't find a middle name we like. Does he have one and what is it if you don't mind me asking?