I must be crazy! - An October-November 2016 Solo PTR - Update 10/9 2 Weeks to Go - That's a Wrap

[Elevationist]

Thanks I just saw the prices too...

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2016/05/break...s-full-pricing-breakdown-go-on-sale-tomorrow/

Ouch!!!

Yep, on the high end of what I was expecting! Crazy town!

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

That ADR post has made me SO HUNGRY!!!! Grats on getting so many good options to play with!

Thanks! ADR Day 2 is done and ADR 3 is tonight for me - then there will be only 1 more to go!

Also, I messed with my own ADRs today, and 3 of the 4 that I had to book as a party of 2, I was able to switch to a Party 1. I did conscientiously leave one of them as a Party of 2, though... Ohana, on 10/23 @ 4:00pm. If that helps you at all in deciding which Jiko to keep.

Thanks - I have to do my MNSSHP math now that the ticket prices are out to see if I do it on the 23rd or wait and do it on actual Halloween - I was going to do it on both but those happen to be the more expensive days so I'm not sure now. If I go on the 23rd it means an extra day in the parks as my normal ticket wont start until the 29th but on the other hand if I go on the 31st it's actual Halloween - so I'm struggling to decide!

If I end up going on the 31st I'll do Jiko on the 23rd and then can do Ohana with you - I'll let you know as soon as I work it out!

Also, you can likely expect your MNSSHP party ticket to be around the $80 range, give or take $10 in either direction. (At least that's what I'm budgeting for!)

That's around what I was budgeting but its $105 + tax for the 31st!

I like Peanut Butter... but I LOOOVE caramel! So after my next trip, I'm probably going to lose all of my DIS friends when they read my Dining Report and see that I'm passing on the No Way Jose, and opting instead for:

Milky Way Sundae
Three Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream, Hot Fudge, Caramel, and Whipped Cream topped with Dark and White Chocolate Shavings and a Cherry.

That is actually the other one I was considering too!

No, I suppose not.
Scrambled eggs (or any eggs really) are a lot quicker to make than pancakes or waffles.

Plus it means I don't waste my calories and breakfast and can eat more delicious foods later in the day!

Well, mainly it's that the bottom layer has coconut in it, so BLECH.
The top two layers are custard butter icing and chocolate.

Custard butter icing? That sounds delicious and disgusting at the same time....

Colour me intrigued.


No idea what that colour might be...

It should be green as I'm sure you'll be envious....

Oh??

I mean I'll probably talk a lot about it but it probably wont be very interesting

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

Yep, on the high end of what I was expecting! Crazy town!

I thought it would actually be higher after the evening event (I can't recall the name) was $149 but I was hoping for it to stay around the $80 mark.

 

[jandlinz]

Just wanted to let you know, and I'm not sure it'll work for you, but I called about our November trip today. I had to wait list some days, which equals split stay for us. Anyways, our ADRs open soon so I asked about having to add ADRs based on check in. The CM on the phone told me to call the morning my first reservation opens up and they can override the system and add the rest of the reservations manually for me. Just thought I'd pass that along, he also said there's a possibility the computer would just let me book the entire stay. I'm not sure it'll work for you, but it's worth a try.

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

Just wanted to let you know, and I'm not sure it'll work for you, but I called about our November trip today. I had to wait list some days, which equals split stay for us. Anyways, our ADRs open soon so I asked about having to add ADRs based on check in. The CM on the phone told me to call the morning my first reservation opens up and they can override the system and add the rest of the reservations manually for me. Just thought I'd pass that along, he also said there's a possibility the computer would just let me book the entire stay. I'm not sure it'll work for you, but it's worth a try.

Thanks for letting me know - the computer definitely doesn't let me book (even though it shows the second/third part of the split stays). I rang to book one I couldn't do online and I was only able to book for the first part of the split stay - I guess it depends on whether you get a super helpful CM on the phone!

 

[pkondz]

Plus it means I don't waste my calories and breakfast and can eat more delicious foods later in the day!

"I shall forego my egg white omelet now in order to eat a No Way José later. It all balances out."

Makes sense to me.

Custard butter icing? That sounds delicious and disgusting at the same time....

Oh, it's delicious all right.... just get rid of that bottom layer.
Or at the very least, stop making it with coconut!!!

It should be green as I'm sure you'll be envious....

Ah! Good point.

I mean I'll probably talk a lot about it but it probably wont be very interesting

We'll see about the former and I highly doubt the latter.

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

"I shall forego my egg white omelet now in order to eat a No Way José later. It all balances out."

Makes sense to me.

Maybe I should write a book - "The No Breakfast, All You Can Eat Ice-cream Beach Body Plan" - catchy right?

Oh, it's delicious all right.... just get rid of that bottom layer.
Or at the very least, stop making it with coconut!!!

If I ever make them will remove the coconut for you. Not sure they will ship well to Winnipeg though....

Ah! Good point.

We'll see about the former and I highly doubt the latter.

 

[pkondz]

Maybe I should write a book - "The No Breakfast, All You Can Eat Ice-cream Beach Body Plan" - catchy right?

Catchy. A for sure best seller.

If I ever make them will remove the coconut for you. Not sure they will ship well to Winnipeg though....

If I actually had the time, I should do that myself.

Time... Sorry. Sometimes I crack myself up.

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

Catchy. A for sure best seller.

Should I be trademarking it or can I trust you not to steal my idea?

If I actually had the time, I should do that myself.

Time... Sorry. Sometimes I crack myself up.

I know right?

 

[pkondz]

Should I be trademarking it or can I trust you not to steal my idea?

You can trust me.

That guy I'm talking to? The one who looks like a book agent? Talks like a book agent? Sounds like an agent? Has a card that says he's an agent?

Not an agent. He just does that to pick up chicks.

 

[BibbitybobityLu]

Okay I'm getting caught up!!! You are doing sooooooo much better than me with your ADRs!!

Then it’s back to MK for an ADR – and it would be for lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern. Why? For the Oeey Gooey Toffee Cake of course.

I would have been here sooner but I just got distracted staring at that mountain of toffee goodness....

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

You can trust me.

That guy I'm talking to? The one who looks like a book agent? Talks like a book agent? Sounds like an agent? Has a card that says he's an agent?

Not an agent. He just does that to pick up chicks.

Okay I'm getting caught up!!! You are doing sooooooo much better than me with your ADRs!!

Not sure about that - just about to post the latest update...

I would have been here sooner but I just got distracted staring at that mountain of toffee goodness....

That's a perfectly acceptable thing to be distracted by.

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

24 Weeks to Go​

It has been one heck of a week. Both Disney related and in my normal life.

As you may recall I work for the Australian government and we are likely to have an election called any day now which means I have been super busy at work. But it’s also that time in WDW planning where I’m busy too – ADRs, party tickets you name it. You’d think the Prime Minister of Australia would understand that WDW should take priority but no….

Anyways it’s meant I’ve had little time to think before doing ADRs this week and combined with the fact I was trying to get really hard to get ADRs this week has been a bit stressful.

But before we get into the ADRs let’s talking running again very quickly. I did my second 10K race this morning – didn’t quite get the time I wanted but I’m not too upset as it was raining the entire time and I was a little sore from my 12km the day before! It’s only 8 weeks away until my first half marathon so I’m running a lot lately – and the plus size is I’ve lost three pounds in the past couple of weeks which means I’m only 6.5 pounds away from the goal I set for Disney and I’ve still got almost 6 months to lose it!

But back to real Disney trip planning. I think I’ll start with food and leave the other stuff to the end – you know, to keep you interested!

This week was ADR Day 2 and ADR Day 3.

Let’s start with ADR Day 2

This was the first ADR Day where I was trying for something I really wanted but new I probably wouldn’t get – Dining with an Imagineer. And I was right – I didn’t get it.

Other than that I got everything I wanted and within half an hour of the planned time – I’ll keep looking for the times I want but for now I’m happy with them.



Which brings us to ADR Day 3. Again it had things I really wanted – Dining with an Imagineer @ Citricos and normal Dining with an Imagineer @ DHS. And again I failed.

It’s disappointing but I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to get them so luckily my hopes weren’t up to high. I’ve also got a few more chances to try for the normal Dining with an Imagineer so who knows I might get third time lucky.

The not so hard to get ones I managed to get within half an hour of the planned time so I suppose that’s a plus.



There is still one more ADR Day to go and that’s the one with the most bookings to try and get so wish me luck for three days time.

But we’re not quite done with dining yet. Because I have a surprise. I didn’t tell you about it my plans as it was another one of those don’t get your hopes up things – and it involved having to make a long distance phone call in the middle of the night to try and get it. But this time I was lucky and I got in.

For what I hear you asking?

For Dine with an Animal Specialist at Sanaa! I’ve really wanted to do this one ever since I heard a review of it on the Dis Unplugged podcast. It’s not quite Dine with an Imagineer but I’m equally as excited for it!

Ok so that’s it for food related updates.

But there is more that happened this week. (I told you it was busy!)

First of all tickets for MNSSHP and MVMCP were released this week, and as others have noted in their PTRs (@BibbitybobityLu and @Elevationist) the price was a little higher than last year. Thankfully I’d been planning for it after the prices were released for other events this year so it wasn’t too much of a shock.

So I’ve locked in my tickets for both events. I’ll be going to the actual Halloween MNSSHP (which of course was the most expensive night to go) and to the November 10 MVMCP. I thought about going to the first MVMCP day as I had it planned as non-park day and it would mean another day in the parks but I’ve heard the first nights are full with media and bloggers so I’d rather save the $ and the crowds and go another day.

I still want to go to the October 23 MNSSHP as well but have to wait and see what my tax return is first. Admittedly that’s a few months away but if I get a decent tax return I may treat myself to another party so that I can get a night in Magic Kingdom before I head to Universal.

And that’s it.

Wait - I lied -it’s not. There is one more thing I booked this week when my 180 window opened.

I’m super excited because I’m going to be doing the Keys to the Kingdom tour!!!!

And this @pkondz is where I will repeat a restaurant from last trip as they give you lunch at Columbia Harbour House

And that I promise is it for this week’s update. It was long but as I said upfront it was a hectic week and lots happened.

Stay tuned for next week’s update which will be my final attempt at ADRs for this part of the trip...​

 

[pkondz]

It has been one heck of a week. Both Disney related and in my normal life.

Screw the normal life. Bring on the Disney!

You’d think the Prime Minister of Australia would understand that WDW should take priority but no….

I wouldn't vote for him.
Obviously some sort of issues there.

Anyways it’s meant I’ve had little time to think before doing ADRs this week and combined with the fact I was trying to get really hard to get ADRs this week has been a bit stressful.

Breathe and breathe and.... breathe some more.

I did my second 10K race this morning – didn’t quite get the time I wanted but I’m not too upset as it was raining the entire time and I was a little sore from my 12km the day before!

You did a 10K the day after a 12K?????

and the plus size is I’ve lost three pounds in the past couple of weeks which means I’m only 6.5 pounds away from the goal I set for Disney and I’ve still got almost 6 months to lose it!

I know you meant "on the plus side", because you've almost reached your goal and couldn't be plus size.

This was the first ADR Day where I was trying for something I really wanted but new I probably wouldn’t get – Dining with an Imagineer. And I was right – I didn’t get it.

Dang. I was rooting for ya.

Other than that I got everything I wanted and within half an hour of the planned time

Nice!

Again it had things I really wanted – Dining with an Imagineer @ Citricos and normal Dining with an Imagineer @ DHS. And again I failed.

Crap. 0 for 2.

I’ve also got a few more chances to try for the normal Dining with an Imagineer so who knows I might get third time lucky.

I hope you get lucky!
And I hope you get the ADRs you want.

The not so hard to get ones I managed to get within half an hour of the planned time so I suppose that’s a plus.

There is still one more ADR Day to go and that’s the one with the most bookings to try and get so wish me luck for three days time.

Good luck!

For Dine with an Animal Specialist at Sanaa!

Cool! That sounds like fun!

But there is more that happened this week. (I told you it was busy!)

You did. You said that. I remember.

I’ll be going to the actual Halloween MNSSHP (which of course was the most expensive night to go)

But also the coolest night to go! Woot!

I thought about going to the first MVMCP day as I had it planned as non-park day and it would mean another day in the parks but I’ve heard the first nights are full with media and bloggers so I’d rather save the $ and the crowds and go another day.

Probably a good idea.

Wait - I lied -it’s not.

I’m super excited because I’m going to be doing the Keys to the Kingdom tour!!!!

No way!! That's great!

And this @pkondz is where I will repeat a restaurant from last trip as they give you lunch at Columbia Harbour House

You're forgiven.
You've got no choice, after all.

 

[jandlinz]

Wishing you luck on your last day to make ADRs. I'm going to need a breakdown of everything you end up getting because I'm lost already. I hope you get the rest of your choices.

 

[Elevationist]

Other than that I got everything I wanted and within half an hour of the planned time – I’ll keep looking for the times I want but for now I’m happy with them.

The not so hard to get ones I managed to get within half an hour of the planned time so I suppose that’s a plus.

Those are definitely BOTH pluses! That's great, girl!

There is still one more ADR Day to go and that’s the one with the most bookings to try and get so wish me luck for three days time.

Sending lots and lots of good juju your way!

For Dine with an Animal Specialist at Sanaa! I’ve really wanted to do this one ever since I heard a review of it on the Dis Unplugged podcast. It’s not quite Dine with an Imagineer but I’m equally as excited for it!

What! I've never even heard of this! That sounds really cool!

I still want to go to the October 23 MNSSHP as well but have to wait and see what my tax return is first. Admittedly that’s a few months away but if I get a decent tax return I may treat myself to another party so that I can get a night in Magic Kingdom before I head to Universal.

I hope you do!!! But I'm pretty biased, since I'll be there that night!

I’m super excited because I’m going to be doing the Keys to the Kingdom tour!!!!

How NEAT!!!!

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

Screw the normal life. Bring on the Disney!

I know right? I was in a meeting until 6:30pm last night and I kept looking at my watch as I was like don't you guys realise I have to be home and in front of my computer by 8:00pm to do ADRS???

I wouldn't vote for him.
Obviously some sort of issues there.

The problem is the alternative is not much better. Yay politics!

Breathe and breathe and.... breathe some more.

Why breathe when you can comfort eat instead?

You did a 10K the day after a 12K?????

Yes. But then again

I know you meant "on the plus side", because you've almost reached your goal and couldn't be plus size.

That is my best typo ever - I'm not even going to fix it!

Dang. I was rooting for ya.

Thanks but next time cheer louder as the universe didn't hear you.

Crap. 0 for 2.

I hope you get lucky!
And I hope you get the ADRs you want.

Cool! That sounds like fun!

I hope so. Plus it's definitely better than the sit down options in AK.

But also the coolest night to go! Woot!

I'm just hoping they still have lots of candy left on the last night - because if I don't get at least a bucketful I will be angry.

You're forgiven.
You've got no choice, after all.

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

Wishing you luck on your last day to make ADRs. I'm going to need a breakdown of everything you end up getting because I'm lost already. I hope you get the rest of your choices.

Thank you. I will put a proper breakdown up this week - I need to pull the many spread sheets together (it's a lot of work planning that many ADR days!)

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

Those are definitely BOTH pluses! That's great, girl!

But you know I'm going to have to check every week between now and then to see if I can get better times right?

Sending lots and lots of good juju your way!

Thanks!

What! I've never even heard of this! That sounds really cool!

Not sure if you watch the Dis Unplugged podcast but there is a great review of it from 2013 or 14 I believe if you're interested in more detail.

I hope you do!!! But I'm pretty biased, since I'll be there that night!

Me too - fingers crossed I get a bit back. Although I did just get an unexpected water bill ($800!!!!) so that might take up some of the planned tax return!

How NEAT!!!!

I can't wait to see the utilidors - even though I know they are just literally boring corridors underground (technically actually ground level as the entire park is one floor off the ground!)

 

[LadyD]

I'm just hoping they still have lots of candy left on the last night - because if I don't get at least a bucketful I will be angry.

I'm glad I'm not the only adult looking forward to the massive candy haul from MNSSHP. Maybe you will get lucky since it is the last night and they will be extra generous with the candy distribution to get rid of it all