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

[Dentam]

I do have a second bed in a lot of these rooms which is going to waste...

I promise I won't snore!

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

I promise I won't snore!

I don't snore either

I made the same offer to @pkondz and he said he rather spend time with the British ladies instead...

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

5 Weeks to Go​

23 Days until Trip
35 Days until WDW

So I think I said I would talk about Halloween this week but I’m still waiting for reviews to start coming in for Halloween Horror Nights before I finalise my plans so I might leave that one until next week.​

I think instead that I’ll do a quick trip summary with a focus on the Disneyland part of this trip as I’ve been able to start locking things in for that portion this week.​

Let’s see – I think I’ve talked in enough detail about the first leg – the flying over to the US – so I’m going to begin with San Francisco (or leg #2).​

I’ve got two nights and three days in San Francisco. I’ve booked in a few things (some of which I’m not going to reveal as there has to be some surprises in the eventual TR). I wasn’t going to do it but figured I’d end up kicking myself if I didn’t so I am going to Alcatraz but to make it a little more fun I’m doing the smaller group Night Tours. They limit the numbers significantly for this and you get a full guided tour which should be interesting.​

I also managed to score a reservation at a restaurant that I have been dying to eat at for years – and no it’s not the French Laundry (I wish it was but I can’t justify driving all the way out to Yountville to spend $$$$ on dinner even if it is amazing) – but it should be just as good. I’ll be eating at Alice Water’s Chez Panisse!

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After San Francisco I’ll be taking the red-eye cross country to Miami (leg #3). I have one night there before heading out on the first of my cruises – to the Western Caribbean on the Norwegian Getaway (leg #4). ​

Seven nights on the cruise will finally bring to Orlando (well that and a one hour flight) (leg #5). I’ve got two nights at Animal Kingdom Lodge and more importantly a dismeet locked in with @Elevationist!

Before I step foot in a Disney theme park I’m detouring across to Universal Studios, and Portofino Bay, for three nights (leg #6). I’ll be experiencing my first Halloween Horror Nights which should be interesting, if not a little unnerving.

After that detour its back across into the Disney bubble for the first of a five part split stay, including a cruise. Leg #7 is four nights at the Villas at Wilderness Lodge including a number of special events such as MNSSHP, Club Villain and the Keys to the Kingdom Tour. ​

Leg #8 is a three night stay at Old Key West. Other than park time the main additional activity here is doing Mickey’s Holiday 5K as part of the Wine & Dine Running Weekend.​

Its then onto Port Canaveral to begin leg #9 – a three night cruise on the Disney Dream. I’m looking forward to Castaway Cay given it consistently gets rated as the best private island and also to my dinner at Remy.​

Leg #10 is back to WDW for four nights at the Beach Club Villas. This time will be filled with both food booths and events as part of the Food & Wine festival as well as MVMVCP. Leg #11 is just one additional night at Port Orleans French Quarter as it worked better for flights back to Los Angeles.​

This is when the Disneyland part of the trip begins. Leg #12 is four nights at a Disneyland Good Neighbor hotel and five days in the park. Other than exploring how much both parks have changed since my last visit in 2009, the main highlight will be doing the Avengers Half Marathon. I cannot wait to run through the Castle – what better motivation do you need to run?

Disneyland does not rely on planning as much as WDW. In fact ADRs only open at 60 days out and they don’t actually offer that many in the first place. My 60 day rolling window began this week so I’ve managed to lock in a few reservations for now – I may not keep them all but I just want the options.

Seeing as my arrival day will involve picking up my race packet and then spending a few hours in the park before an early night (given the super early wakeup call the next morning for the half marathon [the race starts at 5:30!]) I decided to book in for a late lunch at Carthay Circle. I don’t like eating super heavy the night before a race so a big lunch will be just what the doctor order.​

The Carthay Circle restaurant is a replica of the Carthay Circle theatre which is where my namesake film debuted back in 1937. It’s not quite a signature restaurant to me but it is still fine dining and the menu changes seasonally.​

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The next day will begin bright an early with a quick 13.1 mile run. To celebrate I’ve booked in lunch at the Plaza restaurant so that I can replenish all those calories I will have burned with the famous Plaza fried chicken.

And a chocolate malt

NB – Chocolate Milk is the best post race recovery fuel – it’s science - https://www.washingtonpost.com/life...e27658-a708-11e4-a7c2-03d37af98440_story.html​

I’ve also made a reservation later in the evening for Café Orleans – not for a full meal – but so I can try the famous pommes frites and Mickey beignets. ​

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The next day I’ve planned in California Adventure – so I decided instead of a meal I’d try and get a spot at the well reviewed World of Color Dessert Party. World of Color will have just changed over to a new holiday show and I’m going to enjoy not having to line up hours in advance to get a spot – the adult beverage won’t hurt either…

The following day is my final day at Disneyland before I begin leg #13. Leg #13 is two nights in Las Vegas (one of my favourite cities even though I don’t really gamble – I think it is just the whole atmosphere of the place). I’ve had some issues with the hotel I’ve booked this week including credit card deductions and them trying to change the type of booking I made. I have booked with a promotion including $100 resort credit but they changed it without my knowledge to a different offer which only had $25 credit. The reason I picked this hotel over my original choice was that it ended up being $50 cheaper, but the additional $100 resort credit really made it $150 cheaper and it included two breakfasts. Well long story short I spent this morning on a long distance phone call to the hotel and got them to agree to honor my original booking, which took a while as they tried to claim that offer at the time was only for 3 night stays – luckily I’m an over planner and I had printed out the terms and conditions of the offer when I booked and it clearly said 2 nights so they agreed it was their mistake in the end. Not the best customer service when you lie about an offer but at least they will actually do the right thing in the end.

After that aside, I have made some dining reservations in Las Vegas, one at the hotel’s signature steakhouse (to use my $100 resort credit!) and one to one of my favourite restaurant in the world. It’s not a chain, as it is a fine dining establishment, but they have a number of locations across the world – L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon. So far I’ve eaten at the HK branch twice and once in Bangkok, Singapore, London and France. So now I’ll be able to add a stateside location to my list.

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And after Las Vegas it will be onto the second last leg of the trip – leg #14. Leg #14 is two nights in Los Angeles at Universal Studios Hollywood. There will be some park time here and hopefully a dinner or two with my brother who lives in West Hollywood.

And then that brings us to the final leg of the trip – lucky #15. Which is of course, the long trip all the way back to Australia...

So there is the summary of the trip. The length of the summary shows you how long this trip will actually be!

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[Steppesister]

Wait! Hold the phone! I think this is a little piece of Pre-Trippy I need to belong to....'

"Watching" now....

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

Wait! Hold the phone! I think this is a little piece of Pre-Trippy I need to belong to....'

"Watching" now....

Leesa!

I've been following along with your mega PTR for months (I just haven't joined in on all the frivoloties)!

Your graduation trip sounds fantastic and I loved your mini TR from San Fran - it's given me a couple of ideas for my trip

 

[LadyD]

Cafe Orleans and no Monte Cristo?!! But cheese!!! That is one epic trip. I hope all the travel goes smoothly for you

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

Cafe Orleans and no Monte Cristo?!! But cheese!!! That is one epic trip. I hope all the travel goes smoothly for you

I do love cheese. Unfortunately I cannot stand ham! Is the non-traditional just cheese version worth it?

And thanks - the more flights you have the more that can go wrong! I've had a lot of back luck flight wise in the past so I hope I'm due for some good luck from the airport gods!

 

[LadyD]

I do love cheese. Unfortunately I cannot stand ham! Is the non-traditional just cheese version worth it?

And thanks - the more flights you have the more that can go wrong! I've had a lot of back luck flight wise in the past so I hope I'm due for some good luck from the airport gods!

Being vegetarian, I have only ever had the cheese only version and I think it is spectacular. Very, very rich, but spectacular. It's basically an amazing grilled cheese sandwich that is extra crispy on the outside from the battering and frying, and then there is the fantastic berry dipping sauce for the side that gives he sandwich that perfect salty sweet flavor.

I am a huge cheese fan, so I am likely very biased though.

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

Being vegetarian, I have only ever had the cheese only version and I think it is spectacular. Very, very rich, but spectacular. It's basically an amazing grilled cheese sandwich that is extra crispy on the outside from the battering and frying, and then there is the fantastic berry dipping sauce for the side that gives he sandwich that perfect salty sweet flavor.

I am a huge cheese fan, so I am likely very biased though.

I do love cheese but wasn't sure about the whole sweet component. You've twisted my arm!

The three cheese monte cristo is now on my to eat list!

 

[Steppesister]

I'm not sure I completely get your dates...? When will you be at WDW?

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

I'm not sure I completely get your dates...? When will you be at WDW?

There are so many dates that it can get confusing even for me!

I'm doing two nights resort only stay at AKL from 10/23-10/25.

Then I'm back at WDW staying at VWL from 10/28-11/1, OKW from 11/1-11/4, BCV from 11/7-11/11 and then POFQ from 11/11-11/12.

 

[Steppesister]

I'm missing you by a measly 3 days!

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

I'm missing you by a measly 3 days!

That's a shame .

But it sounds as though you have lots of Dismeets planned on your trip

 

[LadyD]

There are so many dates that it can get confusing even for me!

I'm doing two nights resort only stay at AKL from 10/23-10/25.

Then I'm back at WDW staying at VWL from 10/28-11/1, OKW from 11/1-11/4, BCV from 11/7-11/11 and then POFQ from 11/11-11/12.

Oh hey I just realized our stay at OKW overlaps with yours haha.

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

Oh hey I just realized our stay at OKW overlaps with yours haha.

Cool. Are you in a studio too?

I'm in one of the ones "Near Hospitality House" and have requested building 12.

 

[LadyD]

Cool. Are you in a studio too?

I'm in one of the ones "Near Hospitality House" and have requested building 12.

Yep we're in one of the studios too. We were not wise enough to research to make any requests. Crossing our fingers it turns out well!

 

[SnowWhiteOz]

Yep we're in one of the studios too. We were not wise enough to research to make any requests. Crossing our fingers it turns out well!

I have a subscription to touring plans.com - and one of their features is that they will fax in a room request for you five days before your trip - it doesn't guarantee you anything in the slightest but I figure it doesn't hurt.

They also have a room view finder (which is free) which is a great tool I'd recommend looking at - https://touringplans.com/hotel_maps/disneys-old-key-west-resort - you can filter by room type, location, noise level, distance to lobby etc.

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

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[SnowWhiteOz]

Drooling with envy over everything, except of course the little thing that you mention as a . I think me and my broken big toe and my crutches will just live vicariously through you! Even imagining walking through the castle at the moment brings the wrong type of tears to my eyes, lol!

Ouch - I remember what it's like to break a toe. All pain but pretty much nothing you can do for it....

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

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