The 3 is the Magic Number (or at least it better be) Pre-Trip Report

I was inspired to do a Pre-Trip Report today. I have never done one before but I am home from work with a sick 5 year old and our trip is only 10 days away!! I have gone on every website, checked and re-checked park hours, watched every YouTube ride video and I can only tweak my spreadsheet so may times! So I figured I'd give it a shot...

So here it goes...

The cast:
Me, I'm Jessica - mother of 2 & Princess of Payroll from NJ
My older son, Connor 7- science wiz and creative genius (I'm his his mom! What was I going to say?)
& my younger son, Finn 5 - if anyone is every really going to be a superhero, it's this kid!

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Background:
I have been in love with Disney sine the very first time I saw the Main Street Electrical Parade & during the "Especially to You" part of "a Very Happy Un-Birthday", Alice pointed directly to me. I was hooked! Unfortunately I don't come from a Disney family so I had to wait until I could pay for my own vacations for the true obsession to take hold. I have gone almost once a year since. I was married at WDW in 2002 and is was the most wonderful thing I have ever done!

Oh, except for having the boys! Now, if I could have had them in WDW, THAT would have been the single most wonderful thing, but I digress - back to the pre-trip report!​

Since having the boys the visits are down to every other year, so they have both been there twice...​

First when they were 1 & 3​

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and the second when they were 2 & 4​

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This go around, the DH is sitting this one out. He is a good sport, but he just isn't the the Disney nut I am (I know! Crazy, right?) but we weren't going to let that stop the rest of us. So this trip, it's just me & the boys. Hence the name "the 3 is the Magic Number" (or at least it better be)TR. Honestly, I am really excited about it being just the 3 of us. We travel well together and the boys refer to me as a "kid-grown-up" (I'm perpetually about 8 1/2) so sometimes traveling with a real grown up is, well, lets just say he makes us do thing that are with in reason (and that really just isn't as much fun) Sorry Honey!​

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[kings&giants]

Now the juicy details...​

The Trip:​

8 days at Pop with 7 day hoppers & dining​

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We leave late afternoon on 11/1, so we will pick up the boys from school at lunchtime & shoot right to the airport. Once there the boys are in for a HUGE SURPRISE! My parents, who watch the kids after school & are their favorite people on earth will be traveling through the south (when we go away so do they) and will just so happen to be in the neighborhood , so they booked 2 days at Caribbean Beach! The boys know NOTHING about this so once we get to our room, I will have them knock on the door. I will make up something like, it's our bags & the boys should open it and then... SURPRISE!!!!! GRANDMA & GRANDPA!!! That's the best I have come up with, if anyone has any ideas, I'm taking suggestions. Anyway, then it's off to CB to swim in their pool & grab something to eat then time early to bed we have some busy days ahead of us!​

 

[kings&giants]

(I promise they don't look like this anymore!)

 

[Alison1975]

I'm in!!! can't wait to hear all about it!!

 

[kings&giants]

Day 2 (first full day):
Magic Kingdom
Breakfast - We don't have time for breakfast! Stuff a muffin in your mouth & let's get rolling!
Lunch - where ever the winds blows us (most likely Starlight Ray's or Pecos Bill)
Dinner - 'Ohana for us & Kona for my parents. (they decided on the trip after I had booked everything so I couldn't get the in with us )
I have never been up early enough to see the opening ceremony so I am making sure I see it this trip! Also, it is the last day of MNSHP but we aren't staying for it. We will, however watch Hallowishes from the beach at the Poly after dinner.

Day 3:
Animal Kingdom
Breakfast - We don't have time! I want to see the awakening!!
Lunch - Flame Tree
Dinner - Boma
AKL is our favorite place in the world, so before and after dinner we will explore and hopefully catch a story out back by the fire & get to see the animals with the night vision goggles.

Day 4:
Hollywood Studios
Breakfast - maybe Everything Pop (are you starting to see I'm not really a breakfast person)
Lunch - ?? I'm taking suggestions
Dinner - Sci-Fi Dine in Theater
This is my brother's birthday and although he won't be traveling with us, we intend to celebrate his birthday regardless! Sci-Fi is one of his favorites, so I felt that was fitting. I'm not sure if we will be done with dinner in time to catch Fantasmic, but if not, I think we will hope on the boat to Epcot and spend some time in the countries.

Day 5:
Epcot (finally!!)
Breakfast - do you really need to ask? Someplace on the fly
Lunch - depends on where we are at that point
Dinner - Garden Grill
I am really not happy that we are waiting until day 5 to get to Epcot! (which is why I'm thinking we will pop over the night before!) Everyone I talk to says their kids hate it there. I don't know, maybe my kids are weird, but they LOVE it! Plus it's Food & Wine!!!! And I have my check list all printed out and ready to be checked off!!!

Day 6:
Open
The only thing we really have planned for this day is a late dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe. This will be my Father-in-Law's birthday and again we plan to celebrate even though he will be stuck at home. So we will do whatever strikes our fancy that day. Maybe more Food & Wine???

Day 7:
Open again
Dinner at Crystal palace, but other than that, the day is up in the air. I'm trying to leave some unscheduled time, since it will be just me with the kids and I'm not sure if we will be worn out at this point. Who am I kidding? I'm leaving unscheduled time so we can ping pong around the parks & go nuts!! The world is our oyster!

Day 8:
the day no one wants to talk about - the day we go home (that's all 3 of us)
Breakfast - Chef Mickey's (see I do eat breakfast - but really only if it's Mickey waffles!)
Our flight isn't until late evening, although I don't think it is ever really late enough to make me happy. We do still have most of the day, so I think it will be MK. I like to start & end my trips there. It just seems a proper way to say "hello" and "goodbye".

So that's it, my last minute pre-trip report! I took most of the day (especially since Firefox crashed & lost the entire thing & I had to start again from scratch!! ) But it passed the time nicely especially since we are on the 5th viewing of Nightmare Before Christmas! Don't get me wrong, I like Jack as much as the next guy, but this was a good diversion.

Once we get back I hope to do a photo packed trip report.

Did the 7 year old have to carry me home from Food & Wine?
Did we pass out from sheer exhaustion causing us to miss our flight & thus prolonging our vacation?
Did I submit my resume & am I now trying to find a way to tell my husband we are moving to Celebration?

Stay tuned to find out!

 

[LuLaSue]

Bring it...

 

[kimberlymautz]

Oh goodness. I hope you have some good boys! Haha.
Have a great time and take lots of pictures!

 

[kings&giants]

Thanks guys! The stress is kicking in - 8 days away!! I feel like there is soooo much to do last minute! I'm packing our backpacks, I made a travel journal for the 7 year old & the 5 year old has a version with games & coloring pages and connect the dots. I'm making autograph books now while listening to some great Disney music! I don't think I'll sleep the night before & just pack through the night. I'm usually to excited to sleep!

 

[wiigirl]

Can't wait to hear all about it!

 

[Englebabies]

Sounds fun

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Sounds like a great trip that you've got planned.

You were asking about lunch at DHS...I'm always torn on this b/c the options aren't always the greatest. I love Starring Rolls- both the food and the atmosphere, but my kids adore Pizza Planet. Rather than do full meals for all at either- last trip we just snacked at both.

As for the surprise at the door...maybe you could slip the CM a note at check in to prompt her to say something within earshot of your boys to make them think someone is being sent to your room with extra towels or something like that. I know it's a bit contrived, but the note could say something like "my parents are surprising my boys at our room- could you semi-loudly say something like Your extra towels will be brought to your room right away- just to make them think it's Mousekeeping knocking at our door?" This way- the CM has set up the surprise and all you have to say when you hear the knock is "oh, that must be our extra towels." A tad complicated, but it's an alternate idea.

Have a great trip!

 

[kings&giants]

Sounds like a great trip that you've got planned.

You were asking about lunch at DHS...I'm always torn on this b/c the options aren't always the greatest. I love Starring Rolls- both the food and the atmosphere, but my kids adore Pizza Planet. Rather than do full meals for all at either- last trip we just snacked at both.

As for the surprise at the door...maybe you could slip the CM a note at check in to prompt her to say something within earshot of your boys to make them think someone is being sent to your room with extra towels or something like that. I know it's a bit contrived, but the note could say something like "my parents are surprising my boys at our room- could you semi-loudly say something like Your extra towels will be brought to your room right away- just to make them think it's Mousekeeping knocking at our door?" This way- the CM has set up the surprise and all you have to say when you hear the knock is "oh, that must be our extra towels." A tad complicated, but it's an alternate idea.

Have a great trip!

I have never ventured into Pizza Planet - Does it have a good atmosphere? Some how I picture it to be like a chuck e cheese. (but Disney, so better)
I like the towel idea, I may go with that! Thanks!!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I have never ventured into Pizza Planet - Does it have a good atmosphere? Some how I picture it to be like a chuck e cheese. (but Disney, so better)
I like the towel idea, I may go with that! Thanks!!

What's funny...in pictures I always thought "gee, Disney's Chuck E Cheese," but DH urged me to get past my reservations ...and the minute we stepped inside my brain immediately went to "I'm in the middle of Toy Story." I mean, it's not the most mind blowing of places, but it's neat enough if you/the kids enjoyed the Toy Story movies, our kids really enjoyed it, and the true test...I didn't want to flee like I would at an actual Chuck E Cheese. They also have a pretty tasty cupcake in there as well...cappuccino I believe.

 

[kings&giants]

What's funny...in pictures I always thought "gee, Disney's Chuck E Cheese," but DH urged me to get past my reservations ...and the minute we stepped inside my brain immediately went to "I'm in the middle of Toy Story." I mean, it's not the most mind blowing of places, but it's neat enough if you/the kids enjoyed the Toy Story movies, our kids really enjoyed it, and the true test...I didn't want to flee like I would at an actual Chuck E Cheese. They also have a pretty tasty cupcake in there as well...cappuccino I believe.

Ok - you have convinced me. We will check it out!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Ok - you have convinced me. We will check it out!

At the very worst, you go in - check it out- maybe play a game- and decide to move on if it's not for you guys. The beauty here...unlike Chuck E Cheese...you have a big theme park right outside that door, so it's pretty easy to drag the kids away from whatever game. ex. Come on, we're going to go use our Star Tours fastpasses.

 

[kings&giants]

At the very worst, you go in - check it out- maybe play a game- and decide to move on if it's not for you guys. The beauty here...unlike Chuck E Cheese...you have a big theme park right outside that door, so it's pretty easy to drag the kids away from whatever game. ex. Come on, we're going to go use our Star Tours fastpasses.

True! There is PLENTY out the door to pull them away! Good call.

 

[kings&giants]

Autograph books are done...

 

[kings&giants]

So are our binders...

The Magical Beginnings one is a little out dated but it will be fun for the 5 yr old either way. Now we just have to wait out "Sandy" and we'll be on our way!

 

[kimberlymautz]

Those are SO CUTE. Have a great time!