Are We There Yet? Pre-Trip Report
What a long, strange trip it's been. . .
Survivors
Me - ready to give up adult life and become 4 years old again
DS1 - Ditching school for Food & Wine Festival
DDIL - Excited to try food around the world
DDIL's mom - Didn't want to miss the Disney train
DS2 - Getting dragged away from work even though he just found out he has a new big project due 2 days after we get back
DDIL2 - Goes wherever DS2 goes
Barksy - He never misses out on an adventure
My Disney Experience says we have 27 days to go. DD's wedding is in 21 days, and then it will be all Disney all the time!
Saturday, 9/29
Arrival Day
We will be staying at Legacy Vacation Club Orlando - Resort World II
DDIL1 got a minivan rental for us for $290 for the whole week. She is quite the bargain shopper.
I am going to have to remember to bring cash for the toll booth this time.
If we aren't too tired, we are going to head to Port Orleans to finally see YeHaa Bob.
Sunday, 9/30
Epcot Day
Breakfast is at 0945 at Akershus. DD originally wanted this breakfast, but it is up in the air if she will be able to come on the trip or not. There's some issues with her job. I asked everyone else if we still wanted to keep this if they don't go. DS1 stated "I've always wanted Dilled Salmon Gravlax for breakfast." He has no idea what that even is, so I just had to laugh and keep the reservation
The plan is to get in line for Frozen right after breakfast. If the line has already gotten too long, we'll just skip it.
Fastpass #1: Spaceship Earth @ 1105-1205. We have 3 Disney World newbies. How could we not take them to ride inside the giant golf ball?
Fastpass #2: Test Track @ 1215-1315. I had separate planning sessions with each DS and family. They all said Test Track.
Fastpass #3 DS1 and crew: Mission Space @ 1340-1440
Fastpass #3 DS2, DDIL2, and I: Living with the Land @ 1345-1445. DDIL2 doesn't handling spinning very well, so we opted out of Mission Space
We'll probably also hit Soarin'.
Dinner is at Restaurant Marrakesh at 1730. I'm not sure how we'll even have room for food after sampling stuff around the World.
After dinner, I will probably waddle my way around to Canada in order to stake out our spot in front of Canada to watch Illuminations. DS remembers Illuminations very well, because on our very first trip, all the fireworks debris floated down on us. A pretty large piece of hot firework landed on him, and it has been a talking point since then.
Monday, 10/1
Hollywood Studios
I plan on us having an easy going morning after our two late nights, so the bulk of the fastpasses are scheduled for early afternoon. I do have one for Voyage of the Little Mermaid @ 0910. If we are up and at 'em early, I'll go. If not, I picked one that I don't mind just getting rid of.
Fastpass #1 for everyone except me: Rock 'n' Roller Coaster @ 1225-1325
Fastpass #2 for DSs and DDILs: Tower of Terror @ 1325-1425
Fastpass #2 for me and DDIL's mom: Star Tours @ 1325-1425
Fast #3: Toy Story Mania @ 1435 - 1535
We will probably also do Star Tours as a whole family and Slinky Dog Dash. I wasn't sure if Alien Swirling Saucers actually spins or not, so we'll let DDIL2 check it out and decide. We may also hop in and visit the Muppets if we have time.
Around 1830 or so, I'll probably go stake out a place for Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular. DS1 is a huge Star Wars fan.
Tues, 10/2
Magic Kingdom
Hoping to get an early start at MK today, since there's a MNSSHP tonight.
I had gotten an ADR @ 0800 for the Fairytale Dining Breakfast in the castle for DD to celebrate her honeymoon. If she can't go, I'm not sure what I'll do with it. It is so hard to get, that I hate to just throw it away. It is only for two people though, so I am not sure who I would take with me. At some point during our trips, DS1 usually wakes me up early and wants to go to breakfast. I thought about doing this with him, but if his wife is awake, I would feel badly about not bringing her along. I could take DDIL1's mom with me. I feel like it would be unfair to let one couple go but not the other.
Fastpass #1 DSs and DDILs: Space Mountain @ 1100-1200
Fastpass #1 Me and DDIL's mom: Haunted Mansion @ 1105-1205
Fastpass #2: Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin 1205-1305
Fastpass #3: Splash Mountain @ 1505-1605
Lunch at Liberty Tavern @ 1335. DS1's choice
Tonight will be date night for the couples. DS1 and DDIL1 are going to Paddlefish. DS2 and DDIL2 are going to Sanaa. Not sure what DDIL1's mom and I will do.
Wed., 10/3
Rest day
Dinner at Whispering Canyon Café @ 1745. DS2's request, because DDIL2 LOVES ketchup and hates attention. I hope we can still have some fun with it even with it toned down
After dinner, we'll wander around the Boardwalk. I would like to take them to Jelly Rolls. I've let them listen to the piano player antics on the phone while I was there before. Now they are old enough to go in with me.
We have reservations for Beaches N Cream @ 2200 for the Kitchen Sink Challenge. We didn't quite finish it all when the kids were teenagers, so I'm not sure we'll finish it all now. DS1 says he's been training for it though. :P
Thurs., 10/4
We're going to head to Disney Springs in the late morning/early afternoon. My granddaughter has an appointment at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique @ 1130 if DD's able to go. The rest of us are going to The Void. Star Wars + Virtual Reality = fun. We may eat at the Edison if we feel like it/there's an opening.
1600 - Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. If my granddaughter goes, pictures with Moana are a must. DD, DSIL, DS2 and DDIL2 have also listed Jack and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas as must-do pictures also. If the line isn't too long or I can use DAS, I will join them.
Other must-do's :
Pictures in front of POTC and ride it
Riding BTMRR with DS1. He and I just have a special bond about going on this ride. He and DDIL1 just visited Disneyland last month. He said they went on several rides on BTMRR to figure out the maximum way to get me to slam around into things. lol
I'll stake out my favorite photo spot once again. I LOVE the Boo To You parade, and Hallowishes is fantastic.
Fri., 10/5
Animal Kingdom
I'm hoping for a full day at the park, but the reality is we'll probably be too tired to get up and get moving early.
Fastpass #1 Me: It's Tough to be a Bug @ 1110-1210 (DDIL2 can't do 3D movies, and I can't do EE.)
Fastpass #1: everyone else: Expedition Everest @1125-1225
Fastpass #2: Na'vi River Journe @ 1340-1440
Fastpass #3 DS1, DDIL1, DDIL's mom: Primeval Whirl @ 1235-1335. (DDIL2 can't do spinning rides. Even though I LOVE this ride, it was just too jerky for me when we rode in May.)
Fastpass #3 DS2, DDIL2: Kali River Rapids @ 1440-1540
Fastpass #3 Me: Kilimanjaro Safaris @ 1900-2000 (The safari at sunset in May was the most amazing one I have been on. I hope it is just as good this time.)
We'll probably try to ride Kali River Rapids all together at least once and see Festival of the Lion King. I warned DS1 and DDIL1 that some people are having size problems on FoP. We'll stop at the ride seat for photo ops and to let them try it when we ride NRJ before we decide whether we will ride it or not. I would like a photo of all of us in front of the waterfall there at night.
Dinner will be Family Style Dining at Pizzafari. My plan was to eat there anyway, and the family-style dining didn't cost much more than the counter service.
The kids were talking about going to see Rivers of Light while we were looking at the Fastpasses. I will skip it and wander around to see AK at night.
Sat., 10/6
Epcot
We check out of the timeshare at 1000.
Fastpass #1: Soarin' Around the World @ 1055-1155
Fastpass #2: Journey Into Imagination With Figment @ 1220-1320
Fastpass #3: The Seas with Nemo & Friends @ 1325-1425
Depending on the group's mood, we may skip all the rides except Soarin' and Test Track and go sample more food. I usually end my trips at Magic Kingdom, but DS1 and DDIL1 were too excited about the Food & Wine Festival to not go back to Epcot. Besides, just 9 days later, I'll be back for my solo adventure.
