Pre-Trip "Back so Soon?" PTR

JustMeFran · Feb 12, 2018

Cast of Characters

This is me, Fran!

Times at WDW
8
1976, 1978, 1982, 1986, 2000, 2013, 2016, 2017

Here are some of my favorites
Favorite Park
EPCOT

Favorite Ride
I cannot choose just 1!
EPCOT- Tie: Spaceship Earth and Soarin'
MK- Tie: Haunted Mansion and Pirates
HS- Star Tours
AK- Expedition Everest

Favorite Character
Snow White

Favorite Resort
POP, but I dream of staying at the Contemporary

Favorite WDW Food
I dream of the Meatballs at Akershus!

Favorite Disney Movie
Meet the Robinsons and Bolt are SO underrated!!

Favorite Disney Memory
First time taking our daughter, crying when we watched the opening show at MK train station.

Also the first time I watched Wishes was SO moving!

This is John (Hubby)!

Times at WDW
3
2000, 2013, 2016

Here are some of his favorites
Favorite Park
EPCOT

Favorite Ride
Spaceship Earth

Favorite Character
Maleficent

Favorite Resort
POP!

Favorite WDW Food
Make-Your-Own Rice Krispy Treat

Favorite Disney Movie
Incredibles

Favorite Disney Memory
Toss up between...
First time we went for our Honeymoon.

Doing Rockin' Roller Coaster 3x in a row through the side door because we had celebration buttons on.

This is Rebekah (DD10/11)

Times at WDW
3
2013, 2016, 2017

Here are some of her favorites
Favorite Park
All, she cannot choose!

Favorite Ride
Figment!

Favorite Character
Figment, Pluto, Chip & Dale...or Talking Mickey...or Goofy...or Stitch...it was hard for her to choose just one.

Favorite Resort
POP!
Though she loves visiting Grand Floridian.

Favorite WDW Food
Mickey Pop

Favorite Disney Movie
Dr Strange

Favorite Disney Memory
ALL of her last times there!

Next up
The When and Why and The Where and Why

JustMeFran · Feb 14, 2018

The When and Why and The Where and Why

Our last 3 trips have been in January. I consider us “January Goers”, and January to be our month.
I even run a Facebook Group for WDW January Travelers.
January is mine.

Being from New Hampshire, I need it to be cool. As much as I love Disney, you could NEVER get me there between April and September, too HOT!!
Also, historically, January had low crowds, and I really cannot stand too many people!

(so cold in 2016 we were wearing mittens!)

So, this trip...24 November – 2 December.

Yup, not January.
Why, you ask?

Well, this trip was a gift to us from my dad for Christmas this last year. January 2018 was WAY too soon and we wanted to take this Christmas gift trip BEFORE next Christmas!
So I did a little of research to find the best time where it is cooler and low crowds.
So week after Thanksgiving is it!

I am excited for the holiday stuff to be in full swing and not just winding down. We cannot wait to see the gingerbread houses and the Candlelight Processional.
We will be taking our daughter out of school. We completely believe that you can make up school time, but you cannot make up family time! She will be just starting middle school, so I am interested to see how she will do with week off of school now.

(homework @ the pool!)

So, where will we stay?
POP.
Always POP.

We love it there. We do the parks all day and just use the room to sleep.
We love the Standard Lake Facing rooms. So quiet, nice view, close to the pool, dining and transportation.

(2016 - room 5118 view from our door)

(2017 - room 5335 view from our door)
We have only stayed at Value resorts. I would rather spend money on more days at this point. Maybe when we are all older we will move up to a Mod or rent DVC points (or join!). I would love to stay at Beach Club, not for the theming, but the location to EPCOT (which we usually do 3 day at).
Rebekah also has mentioned a few times that she would love to stay at the Grand Floridian (of course..) and I would love to stay at a Theme Park View room in the Contemporary.

So, I think that is it for When and Where!

Next up:

Dining!!

amjt660 · Feb 15, 2018

Sounds like I fun trip
I am glad you are going out of the always January comfort zone and trying something new

Perhaps next time the new thing could be a different resort??
( never say never)

Following along

Max

ScarletBegonias · Feb 26, 2018

I'll be there the same week!

JustMeFran · Mar 2, 2018

Dining Time!

I always consider doing the Deluxe plan! We have a set of “Must-Do” that make it hard to find credits to try even more places (to put on our “Must-Do” list)! Someday I will splurge and do it (and they can roll me home in a food coma), but this trip Disney Dining it is.

So, I mentioned our “Must-Dos”...
1-
Our first ADR/supper is always Akershus. EPCOT is our fave park, meeting that many characters and getting their autographs all at one place, and those meatballs(!) all factor in to why. It is just a tradition we started for Daughter's first trip, and we love it!

2-
Our first breakfast ADR (first MK morning) is Chef Mickey. Again, another tradition we started during Daughter's first trip. The amount of characters you can meet in one place is great! We are breakfast people, fill up to last the day! Also taking a trip on the Monorail to get even more excited for the day is perfect.
To be completely honest, I did try to drop this one this next trip. As great as it is I really want to try new places...however Daughter was NOT having it, so it will stay.

3-
Tusker House breakfast for AK pre-park opening. Best breakfast buffet on property, hands down. We try to get a pre-park opening ADR, but the last time they changed park ours so that did not happen. HUGE selection, good quality, good characters. Then we head right over to the Safari to get on without a line. Not sure yet how Pandora will change this yet...

4-
Last supper, Liberty Tree Tavern. LOVE the food here. It is like getting back to normal food after being adventurous the rest of the meals.

SO, that does not leave that many credits on the table to use!
So, since we added that one night, we will have 9 table credits.
Here is what we decided on to try:
1-
Sanaa
Bread service.
Do I need to say more?
We like food with spice and are one the adventurous side for flavors.

2-
Spice Road Table
See above about our palettes...
Also, I am doing a 4-Parks-1-Day day (maybe just me, maybe Daughter, too, NOT hubby). I plan on doing EPCOT last, since that is where Hubby will be. We I thought I will try to get a dining with views of Illuminations AND somewhere new.

3-
Spirit of Aloha
We have wanted to do this for awhile. Since part of this trip is just taking if slower and enjoying more stuff outside of the park, I thought this would fit great.

Quick service-
I NEED to try Tonga Toast and since we have, at this point, used all our table service, we will be going to Captain Cooks to try the Tonga there (I know that the toppings are different between Kona and Cooks).
We will also do BoG at lunch. I think it is worth the quick service for the atmosphere, and sit down meal. On Hubby's last trip we did lunch, and when Daughter and I went last year we did supper, but without extra dining credits (2 credits when we go) lunch it is!

Other meals and snacks-
Daughter and I did the Afternoon Tea during our last trip and we LOVED it! So, we will be doing that again.

We plan on doing Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, so FOOD there!
For snacks, I want to get the Cheshire's Tail at Cheshire Cafe'. That just looks so yummy! We will stop and get a school bread, and a Croque Glacé at L'Artisan des Glaces. We plan on taking a walk over to Boardwalk, so maybe Ample Hills, or the Bakery or even a Mickey's Pants sundae!
Lastly, back in MK, I want to have a fruit and Nutella waffle from Sleepy Hollow.

Well, I think that is it for dining!

Next up...daily plans!

Pre-Trip "Back so Soon?" PTR

JustMeFran

New Member

JustMeFran

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amjt660

ScarletBegonias

Well-Known Member

JustMeFran

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