I was right, I can't wait! A Sept/Oct PTR

[stephielela]

As we all know, when it comes to planning an itinerary over a month in advance, things are likely to change… especially when one has severe Disney OCD, like I do. So take these plans as what they are… they are my definite touring plans… for now!


Tuesday September 28th
Arrive at MCO at 11:05 am

Side note: I STILL haven’t decided about my luggage… on the one hand, I hate having to wrestle a bunch of stuff and Jack while trying to board the plane. On the other hand, I think we will be able to pack pretty light, and I don’t see a reason for packing a suitcase if we don’t need it. Though Jack will still be needing diapers, and if we brought a whole suitcase we could also bring some snacks… But then I have to wonder if our luggage will get delivered before we leave for MNSSHP… ARGH! I really am torn, so any input would be helpful.

Once we are at POP we will check in and hopefully our room will be ready. If it is, we will go to the room, (unpack?) and then go to the food court for a light lunch before we swim. After a quick swim we will take a nap to get rested for the long night ahead! At 3 we will get up and get dressed for the party.

Side note: (I see this becoming a trend) Is it normal for people to be in the parks before the party in costume? Jack has a pirate costume, and mine will just be a t-shirt, but I didn’t know if he would be out of place in his costume at dinner?

We have an ADR at Liberty Tree Tavern for 4:20pm. The way I see it, this is perfect timing. We will be at the gates of MK at 4 pm precisely to get in and then we will walk directly to LTT. I’m excited to try this place since I have never been there. I decided to give up on Crystal Palace since we will be seeing plenty of characters later on in the evening! After dinner we will ride some rides until the party starts!

Since we will be close by, and since it’s a good ride to set the mood, our first stop will be the Haunted Mansion. After that we will head to Adventureland and do POTC, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Tiki Room, and Jungle Cruise. Once we are done with those, we will get a Dole Whip Float to share! If it is before 7, we will probably head to Tomorrowland to do Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. Odds are Jack will want to ride that a few times. When 7 pm rolls around, we will start on the TOT Trails as we make our way through the park. After Tomorrowland we will move on to Toon Town, and finish up in Fantasyland. This is our only MK day, and I have no idea what to expect for wait times, but I really want to enjoy the party, so rides won’t be top priority, since we will be back in December. I want to stake our a spot for Hallowishes no later than 9 pm. We will probably grab some ice cream or something for while we are waiting. After the fireworks we will catch the villains show and then the parade. After the parade we will do anything we MUST do and then head out. If Jack is still going strong, we will stay till the end, but I am sure he will be tired from his long day. I do want to buy a Tshirt for myself from the party, but I am trying to limit the souvenirs for this trip.

Wednesday September 29th

Epcot

Today I am sure we will need to sleep in. I will probably let Jack sleep until 9 or so before I worry about waking him up. I do want him to be able to take a nap in the afternoon though, so we need to get out by 10 am. I think this day we will probably eat a pick up breakfast on our way. Once we get to Epcot we will focus on Future World. We will only be able to ride Nemo, Living with the Land, Imagination, Ellen’s Energy Adventure, and Spaceship Earth. Jack is 38 ish inches tall right now, so I don’t think he will be tall enough for Soarin or Test Track or Mission:Space unless he has a ridiculous growth spurt in the next 50 days. I figure we will do what we can, spend some time in Innoventions and have lunch at Sunshine Seasons before we head back to POP for a nap. After naptime we will head to the World Showcase, and we will start in Italy since we have a dinner ADR for Via Napoli at 5:45! After Italy we will hop on a friendship boat and head across so we can start out World Showcase tour in Mexico… with a margarita for mommy! From there we will work our way around until Illuminations. We will grab a snack to eat while we watch and then if we are done, we will head back to POP. It’s late EMH, but I am not sure of the wisdom of staying till 12 just because we can.

Side note: Does Sunshine Seasons have good breakfast options? Maybe we would do breakfast here instead?
Thursday September 30th

Animal Kingdom

We will sleep in again today, this time as late as Jack wants, because we won’t be coming back for a nap. When he wakes up we will eat a quick breakfast, probably pop tarts, and then head out to Animal Kingdom. Our first mission will be Kilimanjaro Safaris. If he is tall enough, we will also ride Kali River Rapids. I figure we will spend a lot of time looking at animals, and we will check out the Boneyard too. We also have a lunch ADR at Tusker House for 1:30, which includes tickets for priority seating at Finding Nemo. Once we are done with lunch we will probably just shop around until the show. After we will catch anything we missed. The park closes at 5, so we will catch a bus to DTD to eat dinner and shop. When we have had our fill, and my money is spent, we will head back to POP for a movie and dessert before bed.

Side note: Am I picking the right park for our second day? It was a choice between DHS and AK.. Jack isn't tall enough to ride a lot of things, and I thought he might enjoy AK more since he likes animals, but he also LOVES Toy Story... What would be the best choice for us?

Friday October 1st

This is our sad day. Our flight departs at 3:55 pm, so I think ME is going to pick up up around 1. I am hoping to get a late check out, since all we are going to do is sleep in and swim. We will eat lunch before we leave, so I am hoping to get a checkout time of 12 or so, which shouldn’t be a big deal. Hopefully Jack will sleep on the plane!

Side note: When should I request the late check out? Is it enough notice to request it when I check in? For ME, do you have to get on the bus when it's scheduled for you? I mean, if we precheck our luggage and have our boarding pass... there is no reason to leave 3 hours before our flight!

 

[ChildAtHeart82]

Plans look good! We love the Dole Whip floats! I understand not wanting to lug a bunch of stuff onto the plane with you while handling Jack but I think it would be doable. Ask me again after I fly the first time with DD.

That said, I think you're probably cutting it close for getting your luggage before you leave for the party. The one time I did ME, which was five years ago, I remember our bags being delivered about 4 hours or so after we arrived at the airport. If you absolutely need something from your bags for the party, I think you're adding stress that you don't need to add. Otherwise, your bags will be waiting for you when you get back. Just my thoughts.

 

[stephielela]

Sometimes I am amazed at my blondness. So according to my above plans, I am now eating 3 TS meals, all of which will probably cost me $30 a piece, equaling $90 OOP. Or I could upgrade my dining plan (again- since I had upgraded once and then changed my mind) and pay $30 to upgrade, and pay for 3 CS meals, and 3 snacks and a refillable mug OOP. The question is will the CS meals, snacks and mug cost me more than the $60 difference? When I had decided to only do 1 TS meal, it made sense not to upgrade, but now I don't know...

 

[DisneyFirefly]

I think the best bet is to go to AllEars or the menu part of this site and look at the menus and price out what you'd probably get, then see if it's greater than $60. The mug costs $14, I think, and snacks usually average $3-5. An adult can pay anywhere from $8-12 on average at a CS location, but some places are more expensive (like Wolfgang Puck Express). It really depends on what you get, though. But I think the easiest thing to do is just go look at the menus and make estimates based on that

 

[stephielela]

Plans look good! We love the Dole Whip floats! I understand not wanting to lug a bunch of stuff onto the plane with you while handling Jack but I think it would be doable. Ask me again after I fly the first time with DD.

That said, I think you're probably cutting it close for getting your luggage before you leave for the party. The one time I did ME, which was five years ago, I remember our bags being delivered about 4 hours or so after we arrived at the airport. If you absolutely need something from your bags for the party, I think you're adding stress that you don't need to add. Otherwise, your bags will be waiting for you when you get back. Just my thoughts.

i think you are probably right... at the very least i need to have our swim gear and our party stuff in our carry ons... i guess i will have to wait and see how much i have to pack!

 

[stephielela]

I have taken inventory of Jack's clothes, and mine, and decided there are a few things we need to purchase before we go. Jack's toes are almost hanging out of his newest pair of sandals! I have decided that the old navy toddler flip flops would be a good replacement, since I can get ones with the strap on the back, and they are 2 for 5$ so I can get a pair for each outfit He also needs some more swim diapers, but I think he's good to go on everything else. I already bought him a few shirts for the trip, and I will post pics of our trip purchases later!

I don't need a whole lot either, I got the shirt I really wanted for AK already, and I have plenty of flip flops already, but I might need a new swim suit... I've had mine since I was a senior in college (4 years) and since I have had a baby since then... my body just isn't shaped the same! one part or the other always needs adjusting! It will do in a pinch, but since it's the end of the swim season, I am confident I can get something better for under $20.

 

[stephielela]

I think the best bet is to go to AllEars or the menu part of this site and look at the menus and price out what you'd probably get, then see if it's greater than $60. The mug costs $14, I think, and snacks usually average $3-5. An adult can pay anywhere from $8-12 on average at a CS location, but some places are more expensive (like Wolfgang Puck Express). It really depends on what you get, though. But I think the easiest thing to do is just go look at the menus and make estimates based on that

This sounds like a good plan... I will take a look. All these decisions are throwing me off! Usually I know exactly what to do, but this time is testing my skills due to the time and money constraints! (see next post )

 

[stephielela]

Jack and I are going September 28th-October 1st. The 1st we have to leave property at like 12:30 or 1, so we are not doing a park that day. The 28th we are doing the Halloween party (MNSSHP) so we will be at Magic Kingdom for that. So that leaves 2 days and 3 parks. Here are our options…

Current plans: 29th at Epcot, 30th at Animal Kingdom
Option 2: 29th at Epcot, 30th at DHS
Option 3: 29th ad DHS, 30th at Animal Kingdom
Option 4: add the park hopper option to my tickets so that I can somehow squeeze 3 parks into 1 day… which will cost me $54 extra…

I love Epcot, it’s my favorite park, but I am trying to figure out what Jack will enjoy more, DHS or Animal Kingdom, and I just can’t decide! I don’t really want to spend more money… So I need everyone’s opinion to help me decide! What do you think?
I think I will post a poll...

 

[DisneyFirefly]

Well... I'm going by what my niece was interested in when she was Jack's age. She LOVED zoos and aquariums and such, so she would've preferred a day at DAK to DHS. So I think you guys should do option 1, Epcot and DAK. Don't try to cram too much in or you'll get stressed out, you know?

 

[stephielela]

Well... I'm going by what my niece was interested in when she was Jack's age. She LOVED zoos and aquariums and such, so she would've preferred a day at DAK to DHS. So I think you guys should do option 1, Epcot and DAK. Don't try to cram too much in or you'll get stressed out, you know?

Yeah, Jack likes animals... though we do have a Friends of the Zoo pass to our local zoo...

Also, he won't be tall enough to ride much at any park, so we could easily get the rides done in 2 days, we just wouldn't spend as much time lingering... plus the crowd levels are so low... and if we stuck with only CS and canceled our ADR's, that would free up more time... and the money I save on dining would justify the $54 for the park hopper... I swear I think about these things too much! Everyday I lean in a different direction. And I'm not going to lie, part of the problem is the outfit situation... I have outfits planned for every park!

 

[DisneyFirefly]

Yeah, Jack likes animals... though we do have a Friends of the Zoo pass to our local zoo...

Also, he won't be tall enough to ride much at any park, so we could easily get the rides done in 2 days, we just wouldn't spend as much time lingering... plus the crowd levels are so low... and if we stuck with only CS and canceled our ADR's, that would free up more time... and the money I save on dining would justify the $54 for the park hopper... I swear I think about these things too much! Everyday I lean in a different direction. And I'm not going to lie, part of the problem is the outfit situation... I have outfits planned for every park!

Very true, but, honestly? You're going to need a break just as much as he will. You're going to be at WDW alone with a small child, so you're going to want to sit down and have a few moments of quiet, you know? I think he'd enjoy the TS, too, particularly the character dining you picked. I do think you should keep the TS, though

And hey, you could always change in the bathroom

 

[stephielela]

Ok, after much thought, careful evaluation of the facts, and conversations with my parents, here it is... my new and different itinerary.

Tuesday September 28th
Arrive at MCO at 11:05 am

Side note: I have finally decided about my luggage!!! Based onour new plans, I am wanting to bring pop tarts and muffins for breakfast in our room. This coupled with the fact that Jack will most likely NOT be potty-trained by the time we leave I need the extra space a suitcase will give me. Therefore, I will be checking my suitcase as well as DS's and my backpack, and carrying on DS's backpack and my Vera carryon. That way I have enough room for our swim and party gear.

Once we are at POP we will check in and hopefully our room will be ready. If it is, we will go to the room, (unpack?) and then go to the food court for a light lunch before we swim. After a quick swim we will take a nap to get rested for the long night ahead! At 3 we will get up and get dressed for the party.

We have an ADR at Liberty Tree Tavern for 4:20pm, but I think I am going to cancel. SInce this is our only MK time for this trip, I think our time would be better spent riding rides etc. Plus it would save money for the upgrade I am doing, which will be explained further down!

We will probably start in Fantasyland and then work our way around through as many rides as possible. at 7 we will start on the TOT trails, and then grap a spot for the first parade, the villains show, and then the fireworks. If there is anything left that we need to do, we will do it before heading back to POP for bed!

September 29th~ Wednesday

This is the big day of changes. After trying to decide which park to do, and talking to my parents, I decided to upgrade to a park hopper. I know, I know, it sounds crazy right?? 3 parks in 2 days? with a 2 year old?!
But I really wanted him to get to see DHS for all the Cars and Toy Story stuff, and AK for the Animals. He will only be able to ride a couple things at AK, and he probably won't be willing to sit through both FOTLK and Nemo shows, so we wil probably only be spending 3 hours at AK anyways. I could stretch it out longer, but to be honest, it's not one of my favorite parks. At Epcot, he will be able to ride a few rides in Future World, but not a ton, so we won't need much time there either. So this is the plan...

After our MNSSHP night, I'm sure Jack will want to sleep in. We will sleep till he is ready to get up, and then we will eat breakfast in the room and head to AK. We will ride Kilimanjaro Safaris, hopefully Kali River Rapids, the other ride that's built for kids that I can't remember the name of, catch FOTLK, walk some trails and play in the Boneyard and then we will head to Epcot. At Epcot we will do Spaceship Earth, Nemo, Imagination, and check out Innoventions, and possibly Ellen's Energy Adventure, though he is really a little young for that. Then we will head over to the World Showcase. I think he will love the music and atmosphere there, last time we were there he would get out of his stroller and dance in the middle of the walkways We will try and stick it out for Illuminations, but if he can't hang around that long we will call it a night.

Side note: If for some reason he doesn't sleep in, we will probably take a break for a nap in between parks, then I'm sure he will make it till Illuminations.COLOR]

September 30th~ Thursday

This will become our DHS day. We will sleep in and head to the parks when we are ready. If we don't sleep in, then we will get to the park early, then come home after lunch and swim and nap before heading back. I really want to catch Fantasmic! at 8 pm. I am so excited to have time for the parade and everything, as well as the shows.

October 1st~ Friday
This day stays the same. We are going to sleep in, swim and eat lunch before ME comes to take us kicking and screaming back to the airport!

So basically, I cut out all of our TS meals to pay for the ticket upgrade. Jack's a chicken nugget and french fries kidn of kid, so CS meals are going to be fine. Plus we are doing DxDP in December, so I will get all the TS meals I can handle then. This way we have 1 busy day, 1 mild day, and 2 easy days for our perfect 4 day mini vacation! Up next... what CS meals to eat?

 

[DisneyFirefly]

Harbour House! That's honestly my favorite QS at MK.

 

[stephielela]

Harbour House! That's honestly my favorite QS at MK.

Yum! I am definitely planning on eating there for our MNSSHP dinner before we ride Haunted Mansion! Have you had their tuna sandwich? I am interested in trying that, but sometimes tuna is gross when you don't make it yourself...

 

[DisneyFirefly]

I actually don't eat fish, but I've heard it's good there just a word of warning, though:eat there before 7. They turn into a candy station after 7 Or, at least, they did in years prior

 

[stephielela]

I actually don't eat fish, but I've heard it's good there just a word of warning, though:eat there before 7. They turn into a candy station after 7 Or, at least, they did in years prior

You are just full of useful information! Thanks! We will probably eat right after getting into the park. I don't typically like fish, but tuna is the exception.

 

[DisneyFirefly]

You are just full of useful information! Thanks! We will probably eat right after getting into the park. I don't typically like fish, but tuna is the exception.

As I always said, custodians at WDW are a walking information desk I was an MK custodian

 

[stephielela]

Ok, here are my thoughts on CS meals...

Arrival day: We will be STARVING when we get to POP so the first thing we will do is eat.

MNSSHP: I have heard a lot of good things about Columbia Harbor House at MK, so I am going to plan on eating there before the party starts. It's a good location, close to Haunted Mansion, which is where I want to start our evening.

Animal Kingdom: I have no clue for what we will eat here. Should I just wait till we get to Epcot and eat twice there?

Epcot: I feel liek the options her eare overwhelming! I might want to eat at Mexico, or Germany, or Sunshine Seasons... I really think we might need to eat twice here...

DHS: I am pretty sure we will eat at Pizza Planet for lunch, and then back to POP for a nap and then dinner before headign back to DHS for Fantasmic.

Those are my thoughts... for now... and we all know how often I change my mind

 

[ChildAtHeart82]

Between eating CS at Animal Kingdom and eating twice at Epcot, I would choose eating twice at Epcot as long as it fits into your schedule. As you said, there are a lot of good options at Epcot.

If you do eat CS at AK, Flame Tree Barbeque is pretty good and I've heard good things about the Yak & Yeti CS. We're trying it on our next trip.

 

[stephielela]

Between eating CS at Animal Kingdom and eating twice at Epcot, I would choose eating twice at Epcot as long as it fits into your schedule. As you said, there are a lot of good options at Epcot.

If you do eat CS at AK, Flame Tree Barbeque is pretty good and I've heard good things about the Yak & Yeti CS. We're trying it on our next trip.

Yeah, I REALLY like the CS options at Epcot, and there are a alot more of them that I think will appeal to Jack. Luckily we acn play it by ear, but I am hoping to eat both at Epcot. I knew there was one I had heard good things about at AK and it was Flame Tree! I just couldn't remember the name!