Disney World: Round 2 - 10/28-11/4 UPDATED 11/14

[bluetenshi55]

This is my first Disney Trip Report!

While my DH is glad to be back at home, I’m feeling having a case of the “Disney Blues.” It’s the prefect time to reminsince on our second WDW trip for 2014!

About Us

Me

Hi, I’m Samantha! By day I’m a Technology Librarian and by night, I’m a DISBoards lurker. This was our second WDW Disney trip for this year and I have been on between 16 to 18 WDW trips in my 28 years. I don’t know how many I’ve actually been on because my family went every year for a long time, then as more kids came along, every other year. My grandfather went every year for 25 years from the time WDW opened.

I was very lucky to have a family that Disney World was and is very important to. When we went, it wasn’t just mom and dad with the kids. It was us (4 people), my grandparents (2), my aunts and uncles (4-8 depending on the time period), cousins (6), and great aunts, uncles, second and third cousins (anywhere from 2+ extra people depending on the trip). My senior year in HS, my dad’s side of the family joined the craziness adding 4 people. You could say Disney World is in my blood!

Favorite Park: Epcot
Favorite Character(s): Chip ‘n’ Dale
Favorite Movie: Aladdin
Favorite Ride: Expedition Everst

DH

My DH is Jason. He’s a freelance tech and video games writer and contributor at Forbes. Yep, both techies! The amount of cords that come with us on vacation makes the TSA people give us weird looks. This was Jason’s 3rd trip to Disney World and all of them have been with me. He did have two very disappointing trips to Disneyland (and one decent one) growing up and was very wary of the first trip we went on in 2011. BUT WE HAVE A CONVERT PEOPLE! I will say he isn’t as gun-ho go as I am. He’s got 10 years on me, so I jokingly call him my old man. But I have to give him kudos for mostly keeping up with me. I swear Disney puts something in the water.

Favorite Park: Epcot
Favorite Character: Donald Duck
Favorite Movie: Toy Story
Favorite Ride: Rockin’ Rollercoaster


THE MASTER PLAN MWAHAHAHAHA!

We took advantage of the bounceback deal that was in our room during our January trip and got 35% off a Club Level Room at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Our stay was from Oct 28th-Nov 4th. We also met up with one of our friends for a couple of days and got to hang out with her DH and DD.

Oct 28th: Travel Day with Dinner at the Mara
Oct 29th: Epcot with Food & Wine and Dinner at Biegarten
Oct 30th: Animal Kingdom with Sunrise Safari and Dinner at Artist Point
Oct 31st: Hollywood Studios with Lunch at 50’s Primetime Dinner
Nov 1st: Downtime with Downtown Disney and CORN DOG
Nov 2nd: Magic Kingdom with Dinner at Kona Cafe
Nov 3rd: Epcot with Food & Wine and Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie
Nov 4th: Last Day with Boma Breakfast

I used the concierge service to book MOST of the reservations, but ended up changing some based on changes in the menus. I LOVE planning, but have always disliked the 180 day thing for dining. Not everyone plans their trips 180 days out nor do I like getting up at 4AM PST to get the reservations. Also, they change the menus sometimes a week before you get there and you can’t get in anywhere else! In our case there was a menu change and a price increase during our stay. We originally had planned on The Wave because I wanted to try a couple of dishes, but they were gone when we were there. I was lucky to snag a spot at Kona, which is one of our faves.

 

[bluetenshi55]

Introductions
Day 1 Part 1: Note to self- Make checklist for bags that go IN the car

 

[BOG Obsessed]

Looking forward to reading your first TR.

 

[bluetenshi55]

Thanks! I'm working on getting all my pictures in order for this. DH took alot!

 

[princessgabriella]

Following! I also have some pretty intense "disney blues" theses days... Definitely can relate! Looking forward to reading your trip report

 

[bluetenshi55]

WOOHOO DISNEY IS COMING!

Our fur babies were dropped off at the kennel the night before our trip. It was sad coming home and not getting a weenie dog hug. (Fenix and Ares)

Despite the fact that I hate flying, I’m like a kid when it comes to going to Disney. I had to take sleeping pills to get to sleep the night before. Everything was packed and ready, we had to leave early so my co-worker who was graciously driving us could make it back to work on time.

I had a checklist to make sure everything made it into the bags… I didn’t think about a checklist to make sure all the bags made it into the car. My husband joked on the way that we likely left something at home. He had no idea how right he was… *insert foreboding music*

Got to MCO with minor delays, drop the bag off with skycap, and started to head into the airport when I asked DH where his camera bag was. You see, we bought a fancy DLSR, fancy lenses, and a fancy bag so we could take good pictures this trip. I refused to touch said fancy camera because I didn’t want to break it. The fancy camera bag was not with us at the airport nor did DH remember putting it in the car.

PANIC MODE INITIATED. We had an hour and a half before the flight, our ride had left and doesn’t turn on her cell phone. It is ½ an hour to our town and ½ back. WOULD WE GET OUR CAMERA ON TIME?!

Luckily, I have the most awesomest coworkers in the world. I called my boss, who got ahold of our ride, who called us, went to our house, picked up the camera, and brought it back to the airport. DH had to sprint to the gate, where I was already on board the plane saving a seat for him. Most of the pictures in here are with the fancy camera, so we were lucky to have it!

The flight was uneventful and we were flying Southwest, so we did have enough leg room. I was really antsy the entire way and hurried DH the airport, with a short stop at Starbucks for him to refuel.
I was really excited about our room at a deluxe resort this time. The last two times we stayed at Pop Century to save some cash. I actually really like Pop, but after this stay I think my DH will refuse to stay at a value resort ever again.

To be continued...