Ditching Dad & Doing As We Please - 06/16 PTR - Update 6/7, Thanks for playing!

[EvilQueensRock]

I stumbled upon this pre trip report and it sounds like the makings of a great trip! Me and my mom travel just the two of us all the time and it is a blast. The plans sound great. I personally would go with the dining plan if it is only a little bit more just for the fact that it is already paid for and you don't have to worry about anything other than tips. Plus then you can order whatever you want and not have to even think about prices.

Welcome! I did end up adding the dining plan. More on that to come.

Following along! The three of us will be at WDW starting 6/20. Exciting!

We're only 6 months out now! June can't get here fast enough.

 

[EvilQueensRock]

CH-CH-CH-CH-CHANGES
Well, sort of. Nothing too drastic.
​

A few of you may have noticed that Disney dropped the ol' Discount Bomb on us last week! Hopped on My Disney Experience and applied that puppy. Boom! save $150 AND got a "free" day of park tickets! And I bit the bullet and got the dining plan. Woot. Sooooo, with that being said, now we've had to rearrange the furniture to make the new stuff fit. And now I'm back to making a few more payments, but that's ok. I was going to have to pay for food either before or during the trip. Might as well get it taken care of now.

With that, I present to you, The New Itinerary:

DAY 1 (no changes): TRAVEL DAY/Mini-Golf/Dinner at 1900 Park Fare/Electrical Water Pageant

DAY 2 (change): MAGIC KINGDOM/Dinner at BE OUR GUEST! With the addition of the Dining Plan, I decided to revamp my restaurants a bit in order to not be losing money on the DDP. I had originally booked The Plaza, but saw BOG still had dinner openings. We had a great lunch experience here December 2014, so I'm excited to try dinner, and meet The Beast.

DAY 3 (no changes): EPCOT/Dinner at Rose & Crown

DAY 4 - This is still our FREE DAY. I do want to try to do the Boardwalk Ballyhoo Tour, but am not sure we will want to get out of bed that early after two days of Park Warrior Rope-Drop Insanity. My sister-in-law lives close to Orlando, so we hope to make plans with them today, unless they are able to join us on a park day. I also tossed around the idea of going to Universal, but I think if we do that I want to make a separate trip and stay there 2 or 3 nights. I can't justify the cost otherwise because it's just not Disney. Another option is Boardwalk - Mini-Golf - Disney Springs. This could be an unplanned day....

DAY 5 (no changes)- Animal Kingdom/Culinary Tour at Boma/Dinner at Boma

DAY 6 (no changes)- Hollywood Studios/Fantasmic Dinner Package at Mama Melrose's

DAY 7 - BONUS PARK DAY WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO I'm going to let Maddie pick where she wants to go wrap up the trip. We do have a dinner ressie at Kona this evening. (She has 97 days to make this decision. Hopefully it will happen before then.)

I still need to select one more TS restaurant. Maybe I'll do a breakfast based on whatever park gets picked for day 7, or something on Free Day 4.

Coming soon: TOURING PLANS.
Seriously. I didn't plan out MK last year, and we spend a lot of time wandering in circles. Or maybe it was because Maddie was playing that card game thingie.

 

[Saphire5742]

Looks good so far. Plus saving money is always fun.
I watched some of the vids on youtube and enjoyed, thanks

 

[hollybearsmom]

We like the ddp just for the prepaid convenience too. Plans look good.

 

[EvilQueensRock]

The free day Saturday has been interrupted by the addition of Paradiso 37 at Disney Springs for dinner. BECAUSE I WANT TO CONSUME THIS:


I'm also not too proud to admit I plan to do some serious damage at the Food Trucks as well....

 

[EvilQueensRock]

Looks good so far. Plus saving money is always fun.
I watched some of the vids on youtube and enjoyed, thanks

I'm glad you checked it out! We have actually come a long way since those were filmed. We will be shooting at a show on Jan. 30, so I hope to have even better videos then.

We like the ddp just for the prepaid convenience too. Plans look good.

Thanks for following along! I think the dining is about 75% of my Disney obsession. Knowing it's taken care of is a relief.

 

[EvilQueensRock]

Quick Service scratch pad:

I have to eat in the mornings, but Maddie does not, so I usually blow my snack credit on a bagel or Danish. (I have seriously been having hallucinations involving a Disney cheese Danish. I think those are laced with crack.) I may be smart this time and pack a box of granola bars or something just to get me to an early lunch.
On another note, she and I tend to split counter service meals, so we end up eating brunch/linner/teatime/snacky-snack as well as lunch.

Anyways:
DAY 1 - Everything POP! lunch
DAY 2 - Magic Kingdom - Friar's Nook/Casey's Corner
DAY 3 - EPCOT - Katsura Grill/Taste Track
DAY 4 - Boardwalk/Disney Springs - I AM WAY TOO EXCITED ABOUT THE FOOD TRUCKS. Do normal people act like this?
DAY 5 - Animal Kingdom - Harambe Market/Eight Spoon Café. Lobster Mac & Cheese???
DAY 6 - Hollywood Studios - Backlot Express/Fairfax Fare
DAY 7 - either MK or EPCOT. The teenage one has not arrived at a decision as of today.

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

.

 

[EvilQueensRock]

Aaaaaand I've added BOG Breakfast to our Bonus Park Day on Day 7. 8:05 am. Looking forward to an empty MK and a pre-ordered QS ADR breakfast! I haven't told Maddie yet. I'll wait until we book our FPs in 83 days.

REAL LIFE UPDATE:
Maddie was recently installed as the Honored Queen of her Job's Daughters group. It was a beautiful ceremony, and we couldn't be prouder of her dedication to a worthy girls' organization. Sorry for the blurry photo - the Masonic lodge is kind of dark.



I ran out of time for the Oswald cake attempt, but my local Kroger did a beautiful job for us.

This thing was HUGE! We still had cake leftover a few days ago. Finally threw it away (sobbing the entire time...)

On top of everything else, I have joined forces with a friend to drop some L Bs. Fingers crossed for at least 20 by the time we hit Disney. She and I are eating right and getting together almost every night to do either walking videos or yoga. My Sunday is now reserved for food prep, so I'm off to make two soups, cut veggies, and ration everything in the house into portion controlled madness. Have a super week, everybody!
​

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

.

 

[EvilQueensRock]

FINALLY GOT FIVE MINUTES FOR AN UPDATE.​

So, things have been busy around here. I think the month of March might be another calm before the next storm though. Since my last update we've powered through several Elvis shows, a few Job's Daughters events, and a couple of blizzards (and not the good kind with Oreos mixed in.) I also decided to undergo allergy testing, which led to some interesting results and revelations, such as I'M ALLERGIC TO THE MIDWEST. Seriously. Pretty much everything but Maple Trees and Alfalfa. I also had reactions to 31 of the 62 foods tested on me. None of them are serious enough to cause me to go into anaphylactic shock or anything really bad, thank God, but I probably would have figured that out already. I eliminated all those foods for 3 weeks, and have been slowly reintroducing them to my diet, which also caused some issues with my "diet" that I was already on. Currently stuck at 15#. Still want to lose another 25# by June. It can be done, but I need to make myself workout when my friend isn't available and not just on the nights we can get together.

Enough about me though - Trip Planning updated!

I got NOTHING. Nope, nada, zip. So pathetic. It's that weird waiting period inbetween ADRs and FPs...

I am, however, debating doing the Keys to the Kingdom tour, but I had read someplace the kids had to be 16 to go on it, and DD is 15. Suppose I should just call and find out for sure. Also am debating the Memory Maker, but we barely stop for pictures to begin with, so I can't really justify it at this time. Any insight on either of my current dilemmas appreciated.

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

.

 

[EvilQueensRock]

Allergies. Booooo. I also seem to be allergic to air. And green things. And anything with fur or feathers. Ugh.



Well, is any choice really a bad choice at Disney? I've not done either, so no words of wisdom. I decline the Memory Maker because of the time factor, yet there are some really beautiful pictures that you could get. Ahhh, decisions, decisions!

Nope- you are exactly right! And the KTTK tour is for 16 and older, with valid ID, so I can't even sneak her in. I went ahead and booked the Behind the Seeds tour at EPCOT today. Still keeping the Memory Maker in the back of my mind for now. Would really like it for the ride pictures if nothing else. Went through another moment of my typical over-analyzing everything today, and briefly thought about downgrading from the Disney Dining Plan to the Quick Service Plan. Would save me $250 (an opportunity to add in the Memory Maker, I guess) and take us off a time schedule. Asked DD what she wanted to do, and she doesn't care either way, so I guess it's my call. (This is a child I have to remind to eat, so she could probably power through the parks without sustenance, unlike her mother, who will wither away to nothing if she doesn't eat every 90 minutes {see weight loss dilemma referenced in my previous post. OMG.})

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

.

 

[Saphire5742]

Good to see you back!
Regarding tours, have you considered the Marceline to Magic Kingdom tour? I recall I read a positive review of it in one of the trip reports I'm following. I just looked it up and the minimum age is 12.
I'm including the link to that specific post I read. I would have liked to do it myself but it doesn't fit my schedule.
With Every Passing Hour, I'm So Glad I Left My Tower! My Solo Birthday Adventure *New 2/24 x2

 

[mdsouth]

• Thanks for following along! Would appreciate any input. Aren't the boys difficult to deal with? Seriously, I don't GET why he doesn't GET Disney!

  
  You caught me with your title and then I when I saw this post, I knew I had found a friend on the DIS that I can relate to. My hubby has never understood my love for Disney. He, too, makes quite a face when I mention it. I am still reading your posts on page one so I need to get caught up, but I am here to follow along.
• 
  
• My last trip was in 2014. Like you, I ditched my hubby and it was just me and my daughter who was 10 at the time for four days. And then my hubby joined us for the last three days. He only came then because my son's high school band was marching in the MK. So, hubby stayed home until my son left with his band on the bus and then he flew down and joined us.
• We ended up with some family park time all together (son and all three of us).
• 
  
• We decided this worked for us. So for my next trip it will most likely be just the kids and me. He will probably stay home. I am looking at going back in 2017.

 

[EvilQueensRock]

• 
  
  You caught me with your title and then I when I saw this post, I knew I had found a friend on the DIS that I can relate to. My hubby has never understood my love for Disney. He, too, makes quite a face when I mention it. I am still reading your posts on page one so I need to get caught up, but I am here to follow along.
• 
  
• My last trip was in 2014. Like you, I ditched my hubby and it was just me and my daughter who was 10 at the time for four days. And then my hubby joined us for the last three days. He only came then because my son's high school band was marching in the MK. So, hubby stayed home until my son left with his band on the bus and then he flew down and joined us.
• We ended up with some family park time all together (son and all three of us).
• 
  
• We decided this worked for us. So for my next trip it will most likely be just the kids and me. He will probably stay home. I am looking at going back in 2017.

My hubby started a new job last May, and his vacation week was assigned to him, so he's off this week. Today we were having lunch and I was going through my
ADRs and he starts pouting. " No fair, wish I was going too, blahblahblah."
You're killing me, Smalls...

 

[EvilQueensRock]

Does everybody else obsess over their ADRs, or is it just me?​

In my typical over-analyzing way, I went through my ADRs today, and just had to make some changes. Again.
Day 1 - Too scared to keep an ADR due to potential flight delays, I cancelled 1900 Park Fare, and moved it to a different day. I think we'll hit DS the first day. I really want to check out the Food Trucks.
Day 2 - BOG Dinner (same)
Day 3 - Rose & Crown Dinner (same)
Day 4 - Cancelled Paradiso 37 and replaced it with 1900 Park Fare (new time and day.)
Day 5 - Boma Dinner (same)
Day 6 - Mama Melrose Fantasmic Dinner Package (same)
Day 7 - Cancelled BOG Breakfast - nothing on the menu was really appealing to me, and replaced it with Crystal Palace, breaking my rule of returning to a restaurant we've already been to before. Maddie probably does not remember eating at CP, so it's not a big deal.
Day 7 - Kona Café dinner (same)
I really hate to do two TS restaurants the same day, but I wanted into MK before it opens at least one day of our trip.

I feel like I'm totally geared towards a foodie trip again...

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

.

 

[Elevationist]

Grab yourself a cold beverage from the fridge, kick back, and let's have an obsessive-Disney-trip-planning EXTRAVAGANZA!

Sweet! And you're so accomodating! *gets comfy!*

GOALS!
RIDE ALL THE RIDES!

EAT ALL THE MICKEY SHAPED FOOD!

These are pretty much the most legit goals I have ever seen in a PTR.

HOW LONG CAN YOU USE A MAGIC BAND?
I have questions.
Do they still work? Can I link more than one Magic Band to my reservation so I can be all color coordinated with my Disney parks wardrobe?

You can use any MB that's ever been linked to your MDE account, as long as you don't go in and deactivate it. (On my last trip, I alternated between three different bands.) From what I've been told, the only thing you need to worry about is battery life. The short-range part (opening your hotel room door, scanning for park admission, etc) is 18-24 months, and the long-range (ride photos mainly) is 12 months. For this reason, I retire mine once they are more than a year old.

And I bit the bullet and got the dining plan.

I'm also not too proud to admit I plan to do some serious damage at the Food Trucks as well....

Thatta girl.

Enough about me though - Trip Planning updated!

I got NOTHING. Nope, nada, zip. So pathetic. It's that weird waiting period inbetween ADRs and FPs...

Bahaha! I know that zone.

Does everybody else obsess over their ADRs, or is it just me?

You've been to my PTRs. You know you're not the only one!