Never say Neverland: Easter '18, May/June '18, July '18, Sept '18, Nov '18 TRs (8/22 UPDATE!)

[kittylady1972]

The graduation trip is shaping up nicely. You definitely have a lot of options!!!

Yes and I always have grand plans...and probably am over zealous about them every time. We'll see how much we truly do while there.

I'm getting excited for you guys. I wish I lived close enough to take short trips!

This is really only happening because I still have some SWA points to use for a free ticket PLUS we have APs PLUS we have DVC points to use for the room. With the rental car so far, my out of pocked cost for 3 days and 2 nights is at about $300 for flights, rental car and resort. We'll just be paying for the food. Parking at the resort is free due to DVC at least. I debated doing Magical Express (we have NEVER done this) but in the end the $99 for the car is worth it because we will land, hit the rental car place and drive directly to our resort with zero wait. Plus for the return flight we can leave on my time and not 3 hours in advance.

 

[camper06]

Love all the plans! I plan a trip once a year and it is sometimes overwhelming - lol! I don't know how you do it, but you nail it every time!

 

[Mopedmom1]

This is really only happening because I still have some SWA points to use for a free ticket PLUS we have APs PLUS we have DVC points to use for the room. With the rental car so far, my out of pocked cost for 3 days and 2 nights is at about $300 for flights, rental car and resort. We'll just be paying for the food. Parking at the resort is free due to DVC at least. I debated doing Magical Express (we have NEVER done this) but in the end the $99 for the car is worth it because we will land, hit the rental car place and drive directly to our resort with zero wait. Plus for the return flight we can leave on my time and not 3 hours in advance.

We aren't DVC and our AP's ran out in April. We probably won't be back until just before, or just after, Star Wars; Galaxy's Edge opens. It my hope to have enough air miles, credit card points, etc. to pay for new passes, fly for free and cover most of our room costs. We rarely rent a car, preferring the Disney Bubble, so DH can truly relax. After being hit twice in a nine month span, I don't enjoy driving anymore, especially in heavy traffic or unfamiliar places. So until then you MUST take lots of trips so I can live vicariously through your adventures!

 

[kittylady1972]

Love all the plans! I plan a trip once a year and it is sometimes overwhelming - lol! I don't know how you do it, but you nail it every time!

Awww...thanks. I do enjoy the planning aspects of our trips for sure.

We aren't DVC and our AP's ran out in April. We probably won't be back until just before, or just after, Star Wars; Galaxy's Edge opens. It my hope to have enough air miles, credit card points, etc. to pay for new passes, fly for free and cover most of our room costs. We rarely rent a car, preferring the Disney Bubble, so DH can truly relax. After being hit twice in a nine month span, I don't enjoy driving anymore, especially in heavy traffic or unfamiliar places. So until then you MUST take lots of trips so I can live vicariously through your adventures!

Yes our APs will end in December and I don't plan on renewing them for 2019. I figure we might do a trip in 2020, but if we do Florida next year it will likely be for the "other" parks there.

 

[kittylady1972]

So THIS happened today:

My oldest son went from his first day of school here:



To his last day of school:



The kids were kind enough to indulge in a then-and-now photo all on their own (I guess they used a tripod since we weren't there to take the photo) and my daughter still had her Tinkerbell pillow and my youngest his toy train in hand I think. It really was my daughter's idea. She is going to miss having her big brother in school with her.

A regular pose was taken also:


We attended a senior breakfast this morning. There are only about 53 kids in the graduating class here, so it went quickly. Graduation next week should be fast as well I guess. I think my son's class is only the 2nd or 3rd class to graduate from this Charter school that began not long before he started there in 6th grade. So they are still new to a lot of things and they have a high staff turnover which hasn't helped.

Anyway hard to believe I no longer have 3 "kids" in school now.

********************

Not much happening on the vacation planning front. I did go ahead and splurge and get Early Bird Checkin for our RETURNING SWA flights next week for both of us. I just didn't want to be on vacation and worrying about checking in, especially since we have a later flight. Now for our flight out, I'll just have to make sure one of us checks into that one next week. Should be easy enough.

Everybody is quite excited about our July trip and our first stay at CBR, so I hope we like it despite all of the construction. I put in a room request via TP for our new rooms but I'm not sure I even like that location. I may have to change it. Besides it's not like it's guaranteed.

Oh and then last night was apparently the first time my DH realized we will be gone for TWO nights next week. Originally he thought it was going to be one, but I know I've filled him in on my plans, even if he doesn't listen. Why else would I have been stalking a SECOND night for a DVC room next week? As much as my husband has traveled for work in the past, and I've dealt with things on my own with much smaller kids, I don't feel any guilt about this. I do feel bad that he has moved our puppy's dental surgery to NEXT week while I won't be around though. Our puppy continues to have breathing struggles due to an injury before we adopted her, and despite the cost we feel it should be fixed sooner rather than later.



Sure hope things go well for her. Poor little girl!

 

[kittylady1972]

Because of course things can't go PERFECTLY PERFECT

So yesterday my FIL called me because he was having trouble adding his July room reservation to his MDE account. He had booked his November trip there and could see that one. As I started asking questions I finally realized that a few months ago when he wanted to make the reservations for the "other" side of the family that joined us (yes without asking but I won't beat that horse to death too much) I had informed him that he'd need to call Disney Tech Support because I knew his OLD MDE account was linked to an email that he has since had disabled and can't access.

Instead he just chose to create a whole new profile for himself on MDE with his new email address, thus losing ALL of the connectivity to his former profile, which of course is what I had saved in my own MDE account and where his tickets were also linked.

((SIGH))

I told him the best course of action was to call Disney Tech support and explain the situation, make sure he didn't lose either of his reservations OR his link to his park ticket. So I guess he did that last night.

HOWEVER...in the process of linking the two accounts he was DROPPED from EVERY SINGLE ONE of our July Fastpass reservations.

Every. One. Of. Them.

Now of course at home last night around 10:30pm I was looking at this and realized it, long after that phone call had happened. I quickly tried to fix things, but of course there is NO way to get some of the "coveted" ones so we can say goodbye to FOP, 7DMT, Alien Saucers and Slinky Dog Coaster.

This just means we'll have to work hard as we get closer to the trip, probably the day of each of those park visits, to try to book him on those with us again. It CAN be done, we discovered back in December when we got a FOP reservation for all of us while in AK that day. It just won't be easy. I suggested he also "share" his new account with my daughter, the "Queen of Fastpasses" since she will most likely end up booking them for him.

UGH.

Not the end of the world, we return in November and I'll be on the ball for that one for sure because I'm booking for little kids who I know will love the new Toy Story Land rides.

I'd really like us to experience the new TSL rides at least, so that just might mean early or late days at HS to get those. I'd also love to do FOP because we skipped it in our March trip, actually skipped that park entirely for that short trip. I know nobody will care too much about 7DMT so I can always ride that one at night if I want to do it.

************************

In NOVEMBER news, I did book our Thanksgiving dinner for 16 people...and a few more ADRs for that week finally. I probably won't keep all of them. I noticed my SIL has booked a breakfast for just her 5 people at Crystal Palace one morning, the morning I happen to have a BOG breakfast reserved for only 11 of us, but I most likely won't keep that one because I have a feeling I won't be at that park on that day. I really do need to put together a tentative park schedule to better work the ADRs, and I've done that today. She is still welcome to do her meal and meet up with us later but I don't think that will even be a MK day for us.

***********************

One week from now I'll be leaving WDW after our whirlwind trip that starts next week. Here's hoping it goes well despite what I think will be LOTS of rain!

 

[Mopedmom1]

Ugh, ugh, UGH!

I'm confident you daughters ninja skills will prevail, and on the off chance she can't get a certain FP, maybe someone in your group will not want to go on a particular ride and he can use their magic band. (Wishful thinking, but you never know!)

Well wishes for the puppies surgery and have an awesome trip, despite the weather. At least it's warm rain!

 

[camper06]

Oh boy - that stinks about the fastpasses. But I agree your daughter will come thru!!

Hope the puppy does well for her procedure and is feeling better in no time. She is getting so big already!

Have a wonderful grad trip! Will TSL be open when you're there? Maybe a soft opening??

 

[kittylady1972]

Ugh, ugh, UGH!

I'm confident you daughters ninja skills will prevail, and on the off chance she can't get a certain FP, maybe someone in your group will not want to go on a particular ride and he can use their magic band. (Wishful thinking, but you never know!)

Well wishes for the puppies surgery and have an awesome trip, despite the weather. At least it's warm rain!

Yes we'll be working on getting some of those FP rides but it may take sometime. My DH has offerred to give him his band to ride, but the thing is I want us ALL to ride. We'll have plenty of opportunities to take in the new rides I think, so I'm not worried about it right now. If not, we return in November and we'll make sure we have those rides booked for that one.

Oh boy - that stinks about the fastpasses. But I agree your daughter will come thru!!

Hope the puppy does well for her procedure and is feeling better in no time. She is getting so big already!

Have a wonderful grad trip! Will TSL be open when you're there? Maybe a soft opening??

Thanks so much. I am hopeful we'll get the rides we want at some point, even if it's the day of our visit.

Yes puppy is definitely growing and I'm a bit nervous for her but I'm sure things will go fine. I'll be checking in on her for sure while in Florida.

TSL won't be open this early, I'm not really sure they are that far along right now. That's okay though, we have plenty of stuff planned for our 3 days there.

 

[kittylady1972]

Less than 24 hours to go and I'll be in Florida. I dropped the ball a little bit on our SWA checkin this morning, remembering about 10 minutes too late. We ended up in the "B" boarding group, and I did my son's checkin right after mine and he's right behind me. I'm sure we'll be fine with that.

I would love to tell you I'm packed and ready to go, but that would be a lie. I considered packing last night...and then starting a Netflix binge that I couldn't stop.

Ugh.

My son graduates from HS this evening, and we'll probably do a celebratory dinner afterwards. Our plan is to leave the house around 5:30am for our 7am flight.

I suppose I'll be packing tonight.

None of our plans have changed. Here is what I have in mind:

WEDNESDAY:

Arrival at resort ~10:30am. If room N/A, park at resort and head to Magic Kingdom. Ride a few FP+ rides there. Return to Poly when room is ready; early afternoon time at pool weather permitting. Dinner at Kona Island Sushi around 5pm. Leave for Typhoon Lagoon ~8pm.
********
THURSDAY:

• Option 1 (2 parks): Leisurely wakeup and head to Magic Kingdom around 9am opening. Ride a few things until around 10:30am. Head to EPCOT for lunch and standby rides in afternoon there (check for FPs first). **Check into MK Dessert After Party for the evening. Alternative: EPCOT EMH morning then MK Evening.

• Option 2 (3 parks): EPCOT EE so arrive by 7:30am and do as much as possible there without FPs (Soarin’, TT, MS). Resort pool time. AK afternoon for more rides and dinner at Satuli. Resort pool time early evening. MK late night (9pm-11pm).

• Option 3 (4 parks!): EPCOT EE 7:30am-11:30am. 12pm-4pm at AK, lunch at Satuli and ride EE, Dinosaur, anything else (try for FPs). Dinner in a park or elsewhere. 6pm-8pm HS and ride ToT, TSM, ST on standby. Last park is MK from 9pm-11pm for any rides with low wait times.

*********
FRIDAY:

Early morning at Magic Kingdom OR 9am to EPCOT. Ride Soarin’, Test Track and maybe Mission: Space. Depart either park by 10am and drive to HS. Ride FP+ ride and arrive at 12pm for lunch at Hollywood Brown Derby. After lunch, 2 more FP rides and then last minute shopping. Depart by 4:30pm for airport (7:10pm flight).
*********************

Of course these can always change depending on our mood, the weather, whatever. I keep looking at ADRs for dinner Thursday but don't want to commit to anything so perhaps we'll just see what is available that day and just book it. Or perhaps we'll just snack instead. My son is really into watching what he eats and so we'll see how that goes. I know we'll have to get Dole Whips. He is most excited about our stay at the Polynesian more than anything. It is a great resort.

I sent an email off to Guest Services this morning regarding the FP+ issue that happened last week with my FIL. We'll see what happens there.

I have started a schedule for November now just to keep track of the reservations that are currently booked by ME. As for the reservations that others have booked, that's on them to keep track of them. I sure hope they are up for getting up at 4am on their FastPass day to make those reservations. That's what we'll be doing in September around 7am here.

 

[Raeven]

Have a great trip!

 

[Mopedmom1]

Congrats to the Graduate (and you too, Mom)! Hope you guys have an amazing time in WDW.

 

[camper06]

You're on your way! Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Congrats on your son's graduation!
Have a great trip!
So sorry for your FP loss. That really sucks!

 

[kittylady1972]

Have a great trip!

Thanks. So far so good.

Congrats to the Graduate (and you too, Mom)! Hope you guys have an amazing time in WDW.

Thanks you. We are making the best of it so far.

You're on your way! Have a wonderful trip!

We are here and thanks.

Congrats on your son's graduation!
Have a great trip!
So sorry for your FP loss. That really sucks!

Thanks and we are doing great so far.

 

[kittylady1972]

GREETINGS FROM WDW!

We had an uneventful travel morning. Left the house at 5:34am and we were at the gate waiting to board the flight before 6:15am with our food. Flight landed early and we arrived at Polynesian around 10am. Our next goal was lunch and we headed to MK for that after a stop at Contemporary.

No sun so far in the sunshine state.

Rain will continue here but we will carry on wet feet and all.

 

[kittylady1972]

First full day...last full day...and yay for sun. We didn't do a lot but that's okay. Our park visits were EPCOT and AK. Rode Soarin and TT and had breakfast at EPCOT. Headed to AK and rode EE, Dinosaur and Safari and lunch at Satuli. Back to Poly for rest just as our room was ready.

After some time (and a nap) decided to hit Disney Springs. Of course after a day of threatening rain and .nothing, as we are exploring Disney Springs the skies open up! We decide on Frontera Cucina and it was delicious. Since we were soaked we went back to the room to change and also hit Shades of Green for flip flops because wet shoes are no fun.

Plans are for an early morning. We will see how that goes. Then we are on a. Flight.

Oh and quick puppy update...after an extensive surgery today she is home and resting. DH says for the first time he cannot hear her breathe. They removed another adult tooth that was growing wrong and did more cleanup and repair. They mentioned to him that her damage was pretty bad. Here's hoping this is her last surgery for this injury.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

I leave for FL tomorrow, EARLY, 3 am...Will be on the beach a few days, and then Disney begins Tuesday.
I'm glad you're having fun. Good to hear about Frontera Cucina as it's on my list...
YAY for Harley!!!!!

 

[ariane37]

Oh man I've missed a lot! Congrats to the graduate and I hope your trip was a success!

What a mess with FIL's FP's Good luck getting that fixed and let us know what happens.

I seriously need to work on our Nov plans too, I have ADR's made through Thanksgiving but I feel like park plans are all over the place and our last three days are totally unplanned. Interestingly enough we'll be at Boma on Thanksgiving! What time is your reservation?

 

[kittylady1972]

I leave for FL tomorrow, EARLY, 3 am...Will be on the beach a few days, and then Disney begins Tuesday.
I'm glad you're having fun. Good to hear about Frontera Cucina as it's on my list...
YAY for Harley!!!!!

Hope you are having a GREAT trip!

Oh man I've missed a lot! Congrats to the graduate and I hope your trip was a success!

What a mess with FIL's FP's Good luck getting that fixed and let us know what happens.

I seriously need to work on our Nov plans too, I have ADR's made through Thanksgiving but I feel like park plans are all over the place and our last three days are totally unplanned. Interestingly enough we'll be at Boma on Thanksgiving! What time is your reservation?

Our trip was absolutely fabulous. Honestly we didn't do a ton of stuff, but it was a good pace for a few days. We hit the things DS18 wanted to do, we had some really great meals as well.

Ah yes Thanksgiving planning...I'm still working through a lot of that and our Boma reservation is actually pretty early...I think between 3pm and 4pm. I'll have to go look at the specific time later. Since it is our last day, I like to do an early dinner so we can still do some things after dinner.