Quantcast Last-minute and Low-key March 14-19 Trip Report
 
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2000
    Location
    Nebraska, USA
    Posts
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    Red face Last-minute and Low-key March 14-19 Trip Report

    Last-minute and Low-key—March 2017 Trip Report
    Who: Me—45, WDW obsessed; DH—46, not obsessed but always happy to tag along
    When: Tuesday, 3/14- Sunday, 3/19
    Where: All-Star Music (first stay here)

    Pre-Trip

    DH and I had been debating for some time about whether or not we wanted to go somewhere for my spring break (I teach at our local community college). I hemmed and hawed, debated and declined, finally deciding that I did not want to spend the money, and I would rather just stay home and relax for the week.
    Well, you all know how insistent that Disney bug can be, so five weeks before my spring break, I just thought, “I want to go to Disney World!” I called my DH to get started on our airline reservations, and I got the ball rolling with Melissa at Magical Journeys.

    Since it was so last-minute, there were slim pickings for hotels, so we decided to try an All-Star since we wanted to keep costs down and had never stayed at one before. We had some frequent flyer miles to use, so that helped keep airfare reasonable, and I had about 275 Disney Reward Dollars to go toward food.

    Everything was squared away quickly, and now we had a trip to look forward to in just five short weeks!

    One problem I did run into was booking dining and fastpasses. I had tried to get into Be Our Guest for our June trip last summer, booking 180 days out, with no success. I knew there would be no way I would get in this time on such short notice, so we decided that our one sit-down meal would be at the Liberty Tree Tavern, which I booked pretty easily. I kept checking on dining openings, though, just in case. Lo and behold a very late (9:30p) dinner opened up at Be Our Guest, so I switched to that. I had really wanted a lunch ressie, but this would work. Late, but, who cares? We always seem to eat at off times when we are there anyway.

    Just because I like to put my Type-A, obsessive personality to good use, I kept checking out dining options over the next couple of weeks. To my great surprise one day, an 11:00a Be Our Guest lunch ressie came up, so I was able to get what I wanted after all!

    Fastpasses also worked out surprisingly well, considering I made them at about the 30-day mark, rather than the 60-day. I was able to get everything I really wanted except for Frozen and SDMT, but with some luck and good timing, we were able to enjoy both without a FP.

    I decided to take a bit of a gamble this trip regarding how I booked our FP+. We are really disciplined about getting to the parks early and planned to park hop this trip (if you read my last June trip report, you will know that I really regretted not having park hoppers!), so I booked most of our fastpasses for our late afternoon/evening park. This worked beautifully for us! We were able to experience many rides and shows before 11a with short waits, take a break back at our hotel in early afternoon, and then use our fastpasses later in the day. I was even able to book a 4th or 5th one after the first 3 were used.

    Thankfully, the five weeks went by relatively quickly as we finished things at work and prepared to leave on Monday, 3/13 for Denver to spend the night with my parents and then fly out early in the morning. I didn’t take notes or keep very good track of the specifics, but I do have some overall observations and stories to share in Part 2 of my report. Stay tuned!

    Mar 2017 ASMU
    2016 OKW
    2014 BCV
    2013 WLV
    2012 POFQ/ DCL!!
    2009 POFQ; Sept. DL
    2007 POFQ; Dec. DL
    2004-3X CSR, Pop Century, POFQ/Poly
    2002 YC
    1999 BW Villa
    1996 Dixie Landings
    1994 GF
    1992 & 93 CBR
    1989 GF
    1985-89 Lived in CA; many DL trips
    1971-1984 CR, Poly, & FW several times

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  4. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Florida
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    Can't wait to hear more!!

    Sometimes those trips you kind of throw together at the last minute work out better than the trips you've planned for months!!
    Linda aka: Faline
    INTERCOT Staff: Vacation Planning,Trip Reports and Disney Camping
    [email protected]

  5. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Nashville, TN
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    Looking forward to Part 2!

    Upcoming:
    Jan/Feb 2018

    Animal Kingdom Lodge - 2017

    Cypress Palms - 2014

    Port Orleans - French Quarter - 2006
    Bonnet Creek Resort - 2004, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2016

    Paradise Pier (Disneyland) - 2003
    Coronado Springs - 2001

    Wilderness Lodge - 2000

    Dixie Landings (now Port Orleans - Riverside) - 1999

  6. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    Cumming, GA
    Posts
    7,194
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    Sounds like our plan, I had us about 30 mins before rope drop to each park, we rode everything we wanted by 11 and split and then came back around 2pm with our FP!
    Janet, aka JanetMegan


    Scrapbooking-There is a fine line between a mental illness and a hobby.

  7. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    McHenry, MS-594 miles from the World
    Posts
    6,950
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    How exciting I've never gotten a trip together that fast


    Dec.11-18, 2021 Port Orleans Riverside
    Jan. 25-Feb. 1, 2017, Port Orleans Riverside
    Oct. 29-Nov.4, 2014-Yacht Club
    Dec. 17-23 2011-Wilderness Lodge
    Dec. 20-30, 2008-Pop Century
    Dec. 25,2005-Jan.1, 2006-Coronado Springs
    Jan. 1-7, 2003-All Star Movies

  8. #6
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Nebraska
    Posts
    1,544
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    Must be awesome to plan a trip with such short notice. Cant wait to read about your trip.
    TRACEY

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