Pre-Trip 2 Broke Guys (now with Table of Contents!)

Important note: First post edited 7/13/17 to make this odyssey easier to follow!

The reason is I started this pre-trip report over a year ago to help plan our most important trip ever (so far) our 10 year wedding anniversary trip.

However, we have AP's, and we took many short "side-trips" along the way. Rather than creating so many Trip Report threads and looking like a total egomaniac, I just added those mini-TR's into this same thread.

People have said it was hard to follow (I can see that.) Someone suggested putting a "table of contents" in the beginning. So that's what I'm doing. Then you can skip to the pages with the other trip reports, or just read the ones pertaining to "the big one" coming up in early September, 2017.

I will post that trip report separately when it finally happens, but will of course link to it here.

Speaking of linking here, here's a little background. This old post details our vow renewals a few years ago, for a very specific reason. If you haven't read my other trip reports or interacted with me very much on the boards, it kind of sets the stage for what's to come. Here's that link:

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...orporate-disney-into-your-vow-renewal.903761/

What follows is the original first post (from 2/11/16) of this long, long thread. At the end of it, I'll put the table of contents to guide you through the rest of the thread.

I am sitting here in a hotel in Tampa, just an hour away from "home." And I'm thinking about it LOL. Oh, am I thinking about it.

When I'm "home home" - in Fort Lauderdale, I never have time to do more than some quick posts because I am always busy with work.

This is going to be a long-@ss pre-trip report.

Not necessarily this first post, but the report as a whole - by necessity, since the trip isn't until early September 2017. And I know I can use some help and advice in putting this all together - it's a very special trip - and have already begun organizing my thoughts based on discussions on this forum.

The basic premise is this: We are going to spend our 10-year wedding anniversary celebration at WDW, with the centerpiece of that trip to be the biggest dinner we can afford at Victoria & Albert's (hopefully the chef's table.) One of the things we enjoy most about Disney in our forties are the amazing meals at places like the Flying Fish Cafe and the Yachtsman's Steakhouse. I expect this meal will be at least as mind-blowing, but probably more.

The catch is - it costs a freaking fortune (at least to us.) I'm estimating something like $600 to $800 when all is said and done(?) And there is no way I could justify spending that much money on one meal.

Except...we have the Disney Chase Visa card, and have come to rely on this for our last several trips. This has opened doors to new experiences that we couldn't afford before. Instead of getting a 4-day ticket, we started getting AP's. Instead of staying off property, we started staying at Disney Moderates. And loved it!

And - we have a year off (sort of) to save up for this magical trip and important celebration. For the last several years, we've been getting the Florida Resident Weekday Select Annual Pass every other year, never two years in a row. I think it's good to go away and miss it for awhile, especially with all the work being done. Stay away for a year and come back to lots of little surprises. (Like those metal detectors! Ha!) They're fine. Anyway, that's the responsible side of me to say we shouldn't spend that much money every year. (We really shouldn't.)

But the advantage of that in this case is to amass Disney Chase Visa card points for months on end (sort of.) We used up all the rest of our points on our last short trip in January of 2016. But then at the end of the month, we earned more money. It's just sitting there...LOL.

Well, I made a deal with myself - if I can save up that $700 or $800 just in Chase points, then I can justify booking that meal at Victoria & Albert's. So that is the first goal. I know somebody will tell me when is the first day I can book it, and I will make a note on my phone so I don't forget LOL.

Based on January rewards being $146.50, I'm thinking this should be cake. (Mmm...cake...)

I'm not saving up for this September, but next September 2017. Total cake, right?!

Then we have to figure out where to stay. I'd like it to be our first Deluxe (possibly on the special floor with the extra goodies) and probably our first DVC rental. DVC Upside - real cost is less. Downside - can't pay for it with Disney Chase dollars LOL. That is funny, but it is a real consideration.

There's the obvious choice - to stay in the Grand Floridian to be where Victoria & Albert's is.

I don't know if that would be my favorite place in general.

I think my favorite place might be the Polynesian - I like the food & the vibe - and the walking into MK. I think that's a must on this trip - have to be able to walk to somewhere. That would include all of the Boardwalk area properties, which are fine with me as well.

Or AK with the Savannah view.

Then there's the corny and sentimental way - 10 years ago, our honeymoon was to Key West. They have a Key West DVC hotel. We love Olivia's. Somehow it doesn't seem big deal enough or have something special like a footpath to MK lol.

At the very least, a monorail resort, even if not walking distance, would be preferred.

Then we have to figure out whether or not to bring the dog or leave her home, drive or fly, diet for 6 months for the pictures LOL. Maybe this one and only trip would be worth memory maker?

I want to really blow it out - something we will never forget. Go for the upgrades. Pick the right tour or tours. So much to discuss!!

I will end each post in this saga like the parodied "2 Broke Girls" TV show, with the dollar amount of whatever they have left or have made at the end of the show, so you can see where they are in their goal.

So for example, tonight's would be:

$146.50

I'll add in any WDW Gift Cards I might buy or receive in the next year as part of what's saved up for that trip. My free BJ's trial period just expired, so I won't be getting any discounted GC's from them.

Now - the potential issue: there is no way we are not going to go to Disney in some way until September of 2017. We are toying with skipping our usual January or April trip in order to go full-on crazy in September.

But we are also toying with things like my dilemma as I sit here in this hotel with all this time to type. We're less than an hour away. I told this story in more detail at the end of my last trip report thread, so I'll just make it very short: Brian is working in Tampa from the end of January until the middle of February (over three weeks.) Yesterday I packed up our pup and drove up to visit, with our Valentine's Day gifts in tow (mostly specialty sugar-free chocolate dipped pretzels potato chips, oreos, plus peppermint bark, etc. We know we won't see each other for Valentine's Day, so basically tomorrow is it, unless I stay until Saturday morning.

Since no WDW trip was planned, I did not bring either my Tables In Wonderland card, or my Chase rewards gift card. But I called, and confirmed I could go to Guest Services and get another gift card (which of course can be loaded automatically.) There's a nice lunch reservation open. There's a spot for the pup at Best Friends Pet Care for 1/2 day care.

On the one hand - this would be something like a 45 minute to 1 hour drive for Brian from 12:30 to 1:30 to go to a special Disney lunch at 1:50, hang out for a bit, and then drive back 45 minutes to an hour to go to work by 4PM until 4AM. (I would have my own car, spend more money buying Disney records for my record store after lunch, go pick up the dog, and drive home to Fort Lauderdale.)

The other option is to drop the pup off at Petco in Tampa for a shampoo, and then hurry to whatever local restaurant is near that Petco, and meh.

Who would ever forget picking up and driving to WDW just for lunch for Valentine's Day (early) There's a fun story to remember when we're in our 60's LOL.

But it would already deplete our current total towards our V&A goal:

$146.50

OK, that was the first post of this whole thing. Now here comes the table of contents. Separate trip reports will be listed in bold. Regular stuff won't.

Posts 1-11 planning.
Posts 12-18: "The Blip Report" - a spur of the moment, one day drive over to the Yacht Club for Valentine's Day lunch at Captain's Grille (with dog.)
Posts 19-70 planning.
Posts 71-199 (page 4) pre-trip (back pain) & TR for 3-day quickie in September 2016 for Food & Wine (no dog, meeting Tuvalu, car trouble LOL) (skip it if you're only in for the anniversary trip!)
Posts 200-210 stuff. (starts bottom of page 10)
Posts 211-258-ish (begins page 11) "micro-trip" - had to go back up to get our car, might as well visit the Mouse!
Posts 258-ish to 276 planning.
Posts 277-283 (page 14) Pre-trip for almost Christmas at Saratoga Springs
Posts 284-331 planning, chit-chat, Thanksgiving
Posts 332-380 (page 17) That almost Christmas trip at Saratoga Springs
Posts 381-392 (Page 20) mostly chit-chat
Posts 393-561 (starts on page 20) (Several short trips back and forth since Brian had sporadic work in Orlando - all with dog!) Including Flower & Garden, Tiffins, more Tiffins, Valentine's Day again, RoL, and to confuse things, somwhere around #522 I'm at WDW but also planning the September 2017 trip (it was the 180 day mark for ADR's!)
Posts 562-569 chit chat
Posts 570-605 (page 29) - omg another quickie trip, Paddlefish
Posts 606-614 chit chat
Posts 615-657 (page 31) omg another trip - Wishes at Cali Grill (our last time seeing it)
Posts 658-694 chit chat, Record Store Day, Nashville
Posts 695- serious September planning!!

 
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Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The painting looks fun! I'm loving this so far! ( I picked a random place to REstart. You really do need to update your first post to have page numbers with corresponding visits lol)

That's not a bad idea to make sense of all this! A "table of contents" at the beginning.

I am going to do a separate trip report for the actual September trip and will link to it on this one.

Bonus pic from Tiffins - we now have two of the 13 little cards they give you on your way out. Front and back are pictured.

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MySmallWorldof4

Well-Known Member
That's not a bad idea to make sense of all this! A "table of contents" at the beginning.

I am going to do a separate trip report for the actual September trip and will link to it on this one.

Bonus pic from Tiffins - we now have two of the 13 little cards they give you on your way out. Front and back are pictured.

View attachment 193647 View attachment 193648
So it will no longer be a trip report, but a trip book instead. ;):p
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
PS you were so smart to have moved out of the NE and down to FL. So jealous right now because of the storm headed our way. :bawling:

I remember as a little kid the first time I heard there was a place called Florida where it was summer nearly all year round. I couldn't imagine a better place to live.

I've always hated being cold. I always wear socks to sleep. After growing up shoveling snow all those years, then driving on it, then getting bummed out every September when summer was over, I knew I had to move.

Been here just about 20 years now and love it! As long as a hurricane doesn't get me, this will have been the best decision I've ever made just in terms of day-to-day happiness.
 

MySmallWorldof4

Well-Known Member
I remember as a little kid the first time I heard there was a place called Florida where it was summer nearly all year round. I couldn't imagine a better place to live.

I've always hated being cold. I always wear socks to sleep. After growing up shoveling snow all those years, then driving on it, then getting bummed out every September when summer was over, I knew I had to move.

Been here just about 20 years now and love it! As long as a hurricane doesn't get me, this will have been the best decision I've ever made just in terms of day-to-day happiness.
We wish we would have done what you did 20 years ago. Didn't dawn on is when we were finishing up grad school. But then my mom was ill and I would not have wanted to be far from home. Now we are working on getting out of here but it may take longer then we wish. Hopefully before we turn 50. :) But then 50 is the new 25, right?;)
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We wish we would have done what you did 20 years ago. Didn't dawn on is when we were finishing up grad school. But then my mom was ill and I would not have wanted to be far from home. Now we are working on getting out of here but it may take longer then we wish. Hopefully before we turn 50. :) But then 50 is the new 25, right?;)

Hell, yes - I'll be 46 in August. I remember my grandmother being 46 and she was already "old."

The potential downside down here is we may lose property value if the place is underwater in 10 years LOL.
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
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I told ya - popcorn on the stove in a pot every night since he's been back. I've taken to putting vanilla protein powder on it lately. :hungry:

This is Dr. Billy:
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Billy and I went to high school together in NJ and now he is a hospital doc in NYC. He took us out to a restaurant called Steak954 at the beach. I ordered the short rib and we couldn't believe when it came to the table:
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Freaking huge!
Nothing to do with Disney, but noteworthy nonetheless.

Also nothing (really) to do with Disney, a pic I posted on another thread here of the scarecrow from the new show "Emerald City" (based on Oz.)
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I just really like that picture. :rolleyes:

Back to the topic, Brian is heading back up to Orlando for work on Thursday and will be there until at least the 30th, not sure exactly what day yet. But I know a certain mutt and I will be visiting soon enough!!
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
OK mini-plans firmed up:

Brian is already up there, and it turns out they only need him until Tuesday (this time.)

I. Am. So. Busy.

But – I have a car reserved for tomorrow around noon, and I have Best Friends Pet Care Reserved for Sunday, Monday, Tuesday.

Depending on how early I get up there on Sunday – Brian should be working only until about 4 PM – we can make a nice visit to Disney springs, I'm thinking chef Art Smith's again, etc. Kylie would go in just for the 6 hour/half day rate.

The main thing we want to do is spend one night at Magic Kingdom and see wishes finally. Conventional wisdom says not to do that on Monday, so most likely that will be Tuesday unless there is some kind of extra magic hours or something. I have to check on that.

The third evening is a wildcard and will probably depend on what fast pass for ADR I get, if any.

I need to spend one day hunting for inventory, but the other day I can spend solo at one of the parks.

We will be back home by Wednesday lunchtime.

And then it's all about record store day until April 22 no matter what Brian is doing LOL. It is a huge amount of work but I think it's going to be really good this year.

Yesterday I went to Miami to speak at the winter music conference – it was pretty dead, kind of pointless, much better last year. And on the way home my car battery started acting up so right now I'm sitting here waiting for my new alternator (Joy!)

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Heading to the world tomorrow! Will miss you again this time by a few days @Tuvalu
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Moderating expectations:

Most of the crowd calendars have Monday and Tuesday pretty close to packed. I'm sure we'll be fine, just no illusions of walking onto frozen LOL.

Another thing I want to do on this trip is at least stop by Caribbean beach, hopefully when M the bartender is there, grab my pork sandwich because it won't be there in September – or at least the place it is served now won't be – and hopefully get some first-hand information from the bartender about what is going on over there.

Right now I'm getting ready to run to my store – will be there until around 11 or 12, I'm 90% packed for the trip, hoping to get on the road between one and 2 PM.
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
hoping to get on the road between one and 2 PM.

...and that did happen. Got the rental car with fewer issues - sort of - when I called in the morning, they said their driver called out; so I just Ubered over. That actually took away the stress of will they or won't they pick me up on time, and they did credit me about 2/3 tank of gas.

Btw total cost of rental $65 which is what I'd typically spend on gas one way in my old Navigator. Well worth it.

Got on the road around 1:45. Had to stop for gas at a Turnpike rest stop and it was packed! Several cars waiting per line. I stopped to walk Kylie first. But tensions were high, and by the time we were leaving, a fight was starting a few lanes over! Every person was looking in that one direction. I looked for a cop on my way out but surprisingly didn't see any. Wild.

With that delay, we arrived around 5. Brian had just gotten back from work. I let him nap a bit and we got Kylie to Best Friends before 7. This time - to my great relief - she had fun with a Lab/Australian shepherd mix out back.

After considering various options, here's how it went down:
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Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Paddlefish!

The intent was to go to the rooftop lounge for small plates. Naturally, the lounge was closed. Not expecting a good answer, I asked about a table. They took my name, and before I could even sit with the roughly 30 people waiting before us, they called my name and we were seated! Sweet! They said it's easy for a party of two.

I could have ordered Captain Handsome to drink
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...but he was sitting across the table from me. So I went with the Mad About Saffron Martini
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...mainly for the Elderflower. I had Elderflower on the brain because we almost went to Art Smith's and I wanted to try a bourbon/Elderflower drink there.

It was good, but kinda sweet.

We ordered 3 small plates to start. (They weren't so small!) Our server was very enthusiastic and fun, which is especially nice considering we weren't going full-on dinner.

We thought after the first orders, we'd go for one or two more or split an entree (I hadn't eaten all day!!) But we were full!

Everything on that menu sounded interesting - and I don't think either of us had heard of 80% of the ingredients. For example, we loved the

Point Judith Calamari
Shio, carambola, peppadew piri piri

What in God's name do any of those words mean? (other than calamari lol.) Don't know! But fantastic.

A nice portion of Brussels sprouts were very good, but the revelation was:

Crab Fries
Hand-cut potatoes, lump blue crab, Louie dressing
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Holy yummy! That pic was taken after we started digging in, and I thought, "OMG! I have to take a picture of this for the board!"

Plenty of quality lump crab, very fresh - I never had fries like that before. Again, a real nice portion, and we were both full.

The waiter said it would be a sin to not try the octopus - neither of us ever had before - but we said we'd have to do it next time when we come back for a proper dinner.

Total bill under $60 including my $15 drink and we were stuffed.

Another successful stop at DS!!
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
How funny is it that one of the ingredients in the calamari dish got "bleeped!?" :hilarious:

After Paddlefish, we stopped at CBR. Our bartender wasn't there, so we didn't sit. But I got my favorite pork sandwich (anywhere!) while it's still available. I just wanted to take it back to the room.
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The magic is in the Caribbean relish!!! Sweet, fresh (herbs) and a little heat. I love it. Brian was guarding that thing with his life in the car on the way back (with that flimsy to-go lid on the plate lol.)

From the gift shop - I have to get this for Brian at some point:
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It's perfect - Goofy and sleepy!

We picked up the mongrel (there was an armadillo in the parking lot!) and headed back.

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(Outside BFPC.)

I did eat half the pork sandwich in the room lol. :eek:

And what the heck is up with these TV channels?!?

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Wait - what's that? The other half of the sandwich is calling me...:jawdrop::banghead::joyfull:
 

MinnieM123

Premium Member
And what the heck is up with these TV channels?!?

img_0769-jpg.196336

I wonder if those are over-the-air channels, versus standard cable or satellite channel numbers? At home here, we have (satellite--Direct TV), but I also have a regular indoor antenna (that I bought from Best Buy), to use if the satellite goes out in a big snowstorm, for example. My antenna has limited range (gets all our local stations and a bit more), but you can buy others for more money that have more of a range. I'm not saying this is the actual case at where you were staying, it was just a thought. The over-the-air channels generally have a period plus one number, after the "regular" channel number.
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I wonder if those are over-the-air channels, versus standard cable or satellite channel numbers? At home here, we have (satellite--Direct TV), but I also have a regular indoor antenna (that I bought from Best Buy), to use if the satellite goes out in a big snowstorm, for example. My antenna has limited range (gets all our local stations and a bit more), but you can buy others for more money that have more of a range. I'm not saying this is the actual case at where you were staying, it was just a thought. The over-the-air channels generally have a period plus one number, after the "regular" channel number.

Interesting!

For whatever reason, I was up later than 3am. The other two were out like lights. So I'm a little tired this morning.

Priority today is work, but I just randomly checked MDE and got a Frozen FP for one at 5:30.

Corned beef & Cabbage it is! (UK.)

Side note: turns out Brian can expense last night's dinner. Win!!
 

dizfan917

Well-Known Member
Have you encountered a Cast Member named Adam at BFPC? He's engaged to a good friend of mine. They recently made the move to FL to work for the Disney. I saw a pic of him with a cockatoo or something from there on Facebook the other day. I'm a little jealous of your frequent visits... but enjoying living vicariously. :0)
 

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Have you encountered a Cast Member named Adam at BFPC? He's engaged to a good friend of mine. They recently made the move to FL to work for the Disney. I saw a pic of him with a cockatoo or something from there on Facebook the other day. I'm a little jealous of your frequent visits... but enjoying living vicariously. :0)

I mostly see girls working there, but I will keep an eye out for him. Taking Kylie over there shortly.

Brian just said he noticed a bird yesterday for the first time. He wondered if that was new.

Tomorrow will be a longer day for Kylie – I have to go look at a 7000 piece record collection in Kissimmee at 11, so I will have to drop her off early. In that case, we will probably go visit her and have extra playtime after Brian gets out of work before we go out for the evening or the guilt wears on me LOL.

So today is more my Disney day and tomorrow will be more my workday.
 

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