"It all just fell together this time" pre-trip report

**Briansmom** · 08-29-2011, 07:09 PM

Hi Everyone! Even though we have been to our special place the past four years in a row and I have gathered sooo much information here at Intercot, this will be my first time posting a pre-trip report. I hope it’s ok and not too long. Since we have started bringing our son to WDW, (well ,since he got to the point of being able to tolerate all that comes with Disney), I always say no matter what, we are going to take him Disney World because he LOVES it so and it helps him progress in some way every trip. So here we are again, 30 days away from our magical place.

(Hopefully I will be able to do the trip report when we return as well!! Depends on how life is!

)

Cast of Characters:

DH51
DD24
DS13 (our sweet special son who has autism and dev delays)
Myself (51)

Dates of trip: 9/28-10/7/2011

We are fortunate to live close enough that we can make the drive in one day. Because of the free dining, I extended our trip a day and decided that we would just check straight in at WDW instead of our usual of arriving late afternoon and staying offsite first nite and checking in at the crack of dawn the next day. We are going back to POFQ again (ahhhhh) and I can’t wait to see the refurbished rooms and everyone say ‘holla’ for those queen beds!! I’m excited about checking out the new movies and campfire at night on the lawn and the games at the pool. We are going to actually go and take advantage of the pool and the food court at POR this trip.

9/28- Arrival day. Hoping to leave home about 630 am. Epcot is having evening EMH sooo as a last minute thought this past weekend, I decided to try to book a TS that evening in EP. And I was successful in getting into Le Chefs de France at 715 pm. This will be our first time eating here and I am rather excited about it. We are definitely not ‘fancy’ eaters so this will be a new experience for us but that Mac and Cheese (sorry can’t think of the ‘proper’ name for it…lol) looks amazing. I think I am going to go for the Prix Fixe menu myself and either get the French Onion soup or salad and the mac and cheese. We will spend the rest of the evening here (not too late though as I want to get an early start on our first full day the next day.

9/29 – Headed to MK this first full day (of course!) We have an ADR at Cap’n Jacks this evening. This will be a new restaurant for us. I have asked the special diets group if we can ‘make our own meal’ for DS as he has autism and can be very picky. I think we can pick something from a few of the dishes and make a meal for DS.

9/30 – Animal Kingdom for today (can’t wait to ride Dinosaur and Primeval Whirl and EE!) We will be having breakfast at Tusker House with Donald and all his friends. This is a must do for us every trip as DS absolutely adores Donald. We will chill at the hotel this evening…check out the movies and campfire that are new at POFQ.

10/1 – Breakfast at H&V so DS can see his characters that he loves. We don’t like the lunch here but breakfast is ok for us. Last year JoJo and Leo were AMAZING with DS. I wish I could have thanked them ‘in person’ and told them how much we appreciated what they did. JoJo came and got DS and took him up front and danced with him for the whole time of their little show….made sure he didn’t run off…had a hand on him at all times and he was in awe of her. Leo made two special efforts to give our son some extra special time. This is why we return here every year…them and Handy Manny! We will spend the day at DHS. Can’t wait for rest of gang to get to go on Star Tours this year as it was closed last trip...I’m a wimp and will wait for them on this one..lol! Maybe we’ll hop over to EP later on…not really sure yet. Maybe will just go back to hotel and chill a bit. (that is what DH will vote for, I know!)

10/2 – MNSSHP is tonite so we will sleep in a bit and chill at the pool at POFQ and check out the new games they have at the pool now. We have dinner reservations at Tony’s before the party at 5 pm. This is another new restaurant for us. Like the looks of the lunch menu better than dinner but didn’t want to get to the park that early since we would be there late tonite. This is another place we will have to ask for special consideration for DS because of that pickiness factor.

. We will ask to order off of lunch menu for him. So excited for MNSSHP! DS is going to be Handy Manny and the rest of us are going to be some of his tools! Nothing too complicated for the rest of us…just t-shirts with transfers of the tools. DH is going to be Turner (grumpy flat-blade screwdriver….he picked this one, btw!), DD is going to be Pat the hammer, I believe, and I guess I will go as Squeeze. Looking forward to seeing everything again at the party. Last year was our first experience and we LOVED IT! Curious as to how they will fill in for the trick or treating we did on the path between Toon Town and Tomorrowland.

10/3 – sleep in and then go to POR to check out the pool and food court. Never have done this so this will be fun. It’s EMH at MK tonite so will head over there later on and we also have an ADR at Whispering Canyon this afternoon. If we didn’t go there, DH would definitely mutiny!

10/4 – It’s Epcot today and lunch at Le Cellier. We are excited about going back here as we weren’t able to get in last year but I was able to snag one this year. Looking forward to TT and Soarin as well.

10/5 – Headed back to AK this day with an ADR at Ohana this evening…..yummy! Another must do with my group! Love that dessert!

10/6 – Going to DHS today and having the Fantasmic Dinner Package at Mama Melrose. Last year our server offered us one of these pkgs after we got to the restaurant (she was most AWESOME and we really enjoyed it) so I decided to go ahead and do it upfront this time.

10/7 – Check out day (sniff, sniff). We are going to Kona Café for a mid morning breakfast after loading the car. We have never eaten here and are really looking forward to it. Last year on our last day, breakfast was a catastrophe because we said ‘we’ll just eat in the park at Main St Bakery since we’ve never eaten there’….mistake…line was about three miles long and no way we were waiting with DS. So we just wandered around Frontierland saying, what do you want to eat, I don’t know, what do you want? We ended up eating at some little place in Liberty Square eating something DH was not happy about…lol. I am going to be prepared with a YUMMY breakfast this year. Then we’ll head to MK and EP and later that afternoon we will head up the road a bit and find a hotel and arrive home on 10/8.

Can’t wait for it to get here but I still have a lot to do to get ready…lol…double edged sword, eh?

Thanks for reading!

**jmj18** · 08-29-2011, 09:34 PM

Have a GREAT time!

The Onion Soup and Mac & Cheese are the BEST I've ever had...just my opinion!!!

Jean

**VWL Mom** · 08-30-2011, 08:06 AM

Sounds like a plan

We had late breakfast at Kona last week, it's wonderful and with two teen boys probably the best bang for your buck. DS19 had steak and eggs and DS16 had the big Kahuna which was huge! Pancakes, french toast, eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, and home fries!!

Enjoy

**faline** · 08-30-2011, 08:28 AM

What terrific plans! The Halloween party is always so much fun! Enjyo!

**Mickey'sGirl** · 08-30-2011, 10:14 AM

I love your costumes (which are likely a very good idea in the possible heat!).

I hope you have a fabulous trip!!

**MississippiDisneyFreak** · 08-30-2011, 11:18 AM

Your plans sound wonderful

**Disneymom4ever** · 08-30-2011, 11:25 AM

Sounds like a great plan! We ate breakfast at Kona Cafe for the first time recently, and it was SO good! Tonga toast is amazing, highly recommended! Also the pineapple macadamia pancakes, wonderful! Enjoy your trip!