You want to go to Disney when??? An unexpected PTR for October 7th to the 12th

[kiranic]

Okay so here is the story behind my PTR...in July 2008 my DH and I took our DD to WDW for her 7th Birthday. It was the first trip for all of us to WDW. DH has been to DL more times than he could count in the 80s but never WDW. Of course I became an obsessive planner...what park what day...ADRs...flights and everything that goes along with a trip. Everything was perfect and I fell in love with WDW...I fell hard!!!

So here comes this trip report...This summer we went to Minnesota fishing like we have for most of our vacations in the past and had a wonderful time. When we got home my DH said, "I think we should go back to Disney. When to you want to go?" I said jokingly how about October. He said, "I was thinking like next summer vacation." I responded with a smile on my face , "I mean October of 2009!!!" He absolutely thought I was kidding and I explained that I thought with the email pin that I had for FREE Dining we could go from October 8th to October 12th and DD would only have to miss two days of school with Columbus Day. He said he would think about it.

I guess he thought about it but I must have thought harder because I called Disney Reservations with my pin number to see what was available. When I talked to the CM he said that rooms were booking up fast so I decided (on my own) to book POFQ. I figured if my husband wasn't serious, at least I had until August 24th to cancel without losing my deposit.

DH was a little surprised when I told him we had a Disney vacation booked for October but I begged him to think about it and let me know. He came back the next day and said, "You realize that Epcot's Food and Wine Festival is going on during that time don't you?" I told him that I thought I heard something about that. He said, "Okay let's do it! Start planning!" I advised him he was welcome to do the planning this year if he wanted to but he said I did such a good job last time that I could go ahead and plan again!!!

So we are going to Disney in October of this year!!!

Let's meet the family...

This is my family DH (38), myself (38) and our princess(8)

Did I mention that we are trying to keep the trip a secret from our little Disney Princess!!!

Next installment--AAA...airlines, ADRs and Aunt Amy's family

 

[poohnpigletCA]

Great start I am on board.

 

[kiranic]

My younger sister, Amy and her family are going to Disney at the same time we are. DS actually had her vacation planned and has had it booked for about 3 months. When I told her we were considering going the same time she was all for it. Her family consists of my sister, her husband (I won't post her age in case she is lurking but she is younger than me), my DN (7), DN (6) and DN (3).

I am excited we are going to be there at the same time. We plan to do some things together and other times we will be on our own.

I didn't book airfare with my Disney package so the next step was to search for decent priced airfare from October 8 to October 12. Boy was that a challenge. I looked everywhere and even from one time of the day to another the prices and times were changing. Finally my DH suggested that maybe we should look at going the day before.

By looking at leaving on October 7th, I found direct flights from the Quad Cities which is only 30 minutes away from us to and from Orlando for a really great price. Ended saving about $200!!!

Next problem was hopefully I could add a day to our reservations. I called Disney Travel when I got home from work and found out that I could add a day to my previous reservation with my free dining pin!!! Yippee!!!
Then I asked if we could down grade from a water view room to a standard room view and was told it wasn't available with my pin. I then asked the CM if he would mind checking the new code that came out for free dining for the moderate resorts during the same time. He was very accomodating and checked and sure enough we were able to book an extra day with an extra day of dining in a standard room for only $88 more!!!

Itinerary:

Leave Wednesday, October 7th
Moline, IL @ 10:44am----Arrive Orlando @ 2:13pm
Stay at POFQ Standard room from October 7th to October 12th
Leave Wednesday, October 12th
Orlando @ 8:30am--Arrive Moline, IL @ 10:09am

Next report ADRs and what parks what days!!! (Don't have my actual planning folder with me right now!)

 

[kiranic]

October 7--
Arrive in Orlando 2:13pm
Magical Express to POFQ
Check in and hit the resort pool
7:40--ADR at Kona in the Polynesian

October 8--
Epcot at 9am for opening
12pm-- Lunch at Biergarten (Food and Wine Festival)
back to resort to get ready for MNSSHP
4pm--to Magic Kingdom for MNSSHP with sister's family

October 9--
Epcot 9a to 9p (Food and Wine Festival)
1pm--Coral Reef

October 10--
DHS 8a to 6pm--Gotta hit TSM at rope drop!!!
7pm--Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge

October11--
8:10am breakfast at 1900 Park Fare with Mary Poppins!!!
Magic Kingdom 9am to 2am
probably back to resort to rest sometime in the afternoon and
then back to MK for Fireworks at night

October 12--fly out at 8:30 am

I am excited about the plan! I would have loved to do Le Cellier for supper one night and really want to do Ohana some day also but couldn't get ADRs for them. I might keep trying to get Ohana on the night we arrive. I heard sometimes ADRs get cancelled at about 45 days out because people change their minds about going when the whole trip needs to be paid.

I would like to hit AK again but with Food and Wine Festival going on at Epcot we have decided to go there more this trip.

I'll keep you updated if anything changes.