Pre-Trip The "we're big fat liars who couldn't stay away for even six months" pre-trip report

Greetings from New Jersey! It's me, Bee, your favorite opera singing vegetarian lesbian on WDW Magic!

For an idea of my Disney style, you can check some of my previous TRs. You can also read a bit about my wife, M (my traveling companion and favorite person in the whole world) and me:

Flowers, Family, and ??Fireworks?? (and lots of FOOD): A Memorial Week Trip Report
Yes, we're a little crazy! Our trip to the 20th Annual Beer and Heat Festival
Ex-Floridians take on Walt Disney World during summer
A February Drinking Around the World, Resort-Hopping Disneymoon!

At the end of my last report I reported on our plans not to renew our APs and not to go back to WDW for awhile. As we looked at the calendar for the rest of the year and considered holiday travel plans, it became apparent that it is going to be difficult-to-impossible to travel to see family for Christmas due to the timing of things this year. On a whim I checked the Southwest fares for around Thanksgiving, and there was a really good deal on direct flights to Florida. ORLANDO, Florida.

You do the math. Two Disney Freak Ex-Floridians plus cheap Southwest flights to Orlando plus a few days off from work equals…

We’re going back!

The best deal was for Wednesday-Monday (and that gives us a little buffer in case of delays, severe weather, etc.). I’m off Wednesday anyway and can take off Monday, and M can take off both days. Since we’re flying to/from Orlando, it’s only logical that we spend time at Disney at the beginning and end of our trip!

Before any of you get your hopes up on our behalf and imagine us drinking around the world and riding Frozen and New Soarin’, know that we do not intend to purchase park tickets. We went through various options including one day Epcot tickets, one day Hoppers, and multi-day Hoppers. But the cost of a one day peak ticket is JUST SO MUCH. And once we start talking multi-day tickets, I start talking AP upgrades, and it’s like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Or If You Give These Disney Obsessed Lesbians Park Tickets. We’ll be tempted to go on multiple weekend trips for every little occasion like we did last year. We’ll want to get a TiW card. We’ll start booking dessert parties. WHO KNOWS where this could lead???

So in the end, we have decided this will be a no-parks trip. But it will be a resort-hopping, trying new things, relaxing together trip!! After all, there is SO MUCH to do outside of the parks, and as many times as we’ve been we haven’t done it all! Stay tuned for some specific plans.

Tag time, in no particular order, for both those who requested a tag and those who have followed along in the past and might be interested. If I left you out I apologize, and if you don't want to follow I take no offense. @ScarletBegonias @MinnieM123 @Tuvalu @figmentfan423 @dclfan @betty rose @Ciara @FlaggNL @C.FERNIE @sheriffwoody @LisaBelle @21stamps @Tiggerish @samantha788 @Tony the Tigger @fractal @lostpro9het @Doc Disney @WDW74 @jrogue @BuddyThomas @TheMouseFan @DisneyShe @ajrwdwgirl @docdebbi @Mickey2422 @WDWDarling @Mindy16 @minnie2000 @littleroo @disneypearl @Tom @maelstrom98 @Beastly74 @wdisney9000
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Sorry about the delay, I hope happy hour helped ease you pain
Thanks! The delay ended up making very little difference in our plans. Our first night was supposed to be at a hotel near Midway and we would have spent part of the morning/early afternoon making our way to the Kinzie Hotel (where we stayed the other two nights) anyway. The entire hotel experience was so exciting and fun. We ended up getting quite a bit of "free" alcohol and food on the trip ("free" because we know the price was factored into the hotel rate and because we tipped the bartenders and waiters, but still great anyway!).

ETA: I submitted the travel insurance claim this morning so hopefully we'll get the extra money we spent back soon!

Sounds awesome! So glad that Hamilton didn't disappoint. My daughter and I have been listening to the soundtrack. Love it.
Can't believe your trip is so close!
The recording is amazing and the live theatre experience just brings everything together. I hope you get to see it one day!! Maybe the tour will come to your area or you can get Chicago tickets when the next block goes on sale?

We are so close! Three weeks until Orlando, Il Mulino, resort hopping, etc., and 24 days until French Quarter!! Yesterday was a long day of singing (lesson at 10am in Jersey City, audition at 5pm in Manhattan, and rehearsal at 7pm in the Bronx) and I will have a bunch of similarly busy days over the next few weeks. I'm so glad I have this trip to look forward to!!
 

LisaBelle

Well-Known Member
My daughter, sister and I are really hoping Hamilton will make its way to Cincinnati very soon. Glad your trip was so much fun.
Hope your audition went well! With your busy schedule the time will fly and you'll be in Orlando before you know it!
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
My daughter, sister and I are really hoping Hamilton will make its way to Cincinnati very soon. Glad your trip was so much fun.
Hope your audition went well! With your busy schedule the time will fly and you'll be in Orlando before you know it!
I hope so too!! I didn't see Cincinnati for 2017-2018 but with a show this financially successful it will certainly extend its itinerary!

IMG_7993.JPG

This came in the mail today!!!

And due to some unexpected (good!) news from last night, plans are already forming for the next short trip! More details when I know them!
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Last night we were having a catch up phone call with our dear friend "S" and she told us she just got engaged!!! We could not be happier for her (I was literally doing a happy dance around our kitchen)!!! She is one of the few people who was friends with M before I even met her (and I've known M for 10 years now!) and we are obviously going to do our best to attend her wedding.

The wedding date...President's Day weekend 2017! Which is perfect because M and I are both off Monday 2/20. Southwest had a decent deal from New York to Jacksonville on Friday 2/17, and an even better deal from Orlando to Newark on 2/20! So obviously we're going to stop by and visit the Mouse! Our basic plans for the February trip will be:

2/17 LGA-JAX, land around 6pm, pick up rental car, stay with M's parents
2/18 Wedding!!! stay with M's parent's
2/19 Drive to MCO, return rental car, take DME to Coronado Springs! Resort hopping and dinner at Beaches and Cream (our first visit! The No Way Jose is calling my name!)
2/20 Breakfast at Las Ventanas, check out, DME to MCO, MCO-EWR
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
All right, sooooo. As you can probably guess I was shocked and upset by the EVENTS WHICH SHALL NOT BE NAMED on Tuesday/Wednesday. I needed a few days to process things and get back to "normal." In the chaos I missed my chance to announce we were two weeks away last Wednesday. But that means today is...

SINGLE DIGIT DANCE!!

When-youre-doing-anything-you-can-entertain-your-screaming-child.gif


Since I read the announcement that Disney Springs will have Black Friday events on Friday AND Saturday of our trip, I'm not so sure we will want to be at DS for dinner Saturday night as planned. M and I will have to talk about this later and see if we can move around a few things to avoid the crazy.

ETA: I posted in @BuddyThomas 's TR but not here about the possibility of buying APs now and activating later to get the extra month. Basically M was very hesitant to commit to APs again but after the events of Tuesday/Wednesday we were both so upset she suggested we go ahead and buy now. We almost did but after thinking things through and hearing about the despicable actions of certain followers of a certain someone, we want to wait until after we are sure we feel safe in Florida before essentially committing to 2-4 (...or more, let's be real) trips down there.
 
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Figgy1

Premium Member
All right, sooooo. As you can probably guess I was shocked and upset by the EVENTS WHICH SHALL NOT BE NAMED on Tuesday/Wednesday. I needed a few days to process things and get back to "normal." In the chaos I missed my chance to announce we were two weeks away last Wednesday. But that means today is...

SINGLE DIGIT DANCE!!

When-youre-doing-anything-you-can-entertain-your-screaming-child.gif


Since I read the announcement that Disney Springs will have Black Friday events on Friday AND Saturday of our trip, I'm not so sure we will want to be at DS for dinner Saturday night as planned. M and I will have to talk about this later and see if we can move around a few things to avoid the crazy.

ETA: I posted in @BuddyThomas 's TR but not here about the possibility of buying APs now and activating later to get the extra month. Basically M was very hesitant to commit to APs again but after the events of Tuesday/Wednesday we were both so upset she suggested we go ahead and buy now. We almost did but after thinking things through and hearing about the despicable actions of certain followers of a certain someone, we want to wait until after we are sure we feel safe in Florida before essentially committing to 2-4 (...or more, let's be real) trips down there.
Happy single digit dancing for you and I'm sure you'll be quite safe in the bubble.
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Happy single digit dancing for you and I'm sure you'll be quite safe in the bubble.
Thank you! I'm sure you're right about the bubble.

Yay single digits!! I have to live vicariously through you as my trip isn't for another 178 days :oops:
Your trip won't be too long! I've enjoyed your PTR!

Definitely living vicariously through you as I don't even know when I'll get back....
:( Well, I'm happy to provide a bit of a fix for you! :)

Well, HAPPY SINGLE DIGITS DANCE to you!!! Nothing like a fun trip to WDW to get your mind off the real world. Enjoy!!
Thank you! I have a crazy busy week ahead of me so I will really enjoy the relaxation time!

I was able to switch our Boma and Frontera Concina days. Hopefully Disney Springs will be a bit less crowded on Sunday than Saturday.
 

Doc Disney

Well-Known Member
I'm super late to the party but so excited you are in single digits! Southwest is really getting to me....I was looking at their flights over Thanksgiving weekend too and they are so cheap....whyyyyy do they do this to me? Its torture

Port Orleans French Quarter, a first for us!

You will love it!

I'm a little concerned about the construction at POFQ. The Disney site says the refurbishment will go from Summer 2016-Fall 2016. Has anyone visited recently who can assure me that my stay won't be too affected?

The construction is not loud or anything. The only bummer is the long lines in the morning for breakfast at the fake cafeteria but we usually just grabbed croissants so we were fine. We had lunch there twice without any issues! We otherwise did not have any other problems with the construction at all. Plus they were cleaning the windows and stuff of the usual food court so maybe it will open soon :)
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I'm super late to the party but so excited you are in single digits! Southwest is really getting to me....I was looking at their flights over Thanksgiving weekend too and they are so cheap....whyyyyy do they do this to me? Its torture



You will love it!



The construction is not loud or anything. The only bummer is the long lines in the morning for breakfast at the fake cafeteria but we usually just grabbed croissants so we were fine. We had lunch there twice without any issues! We otherwise did not have any other problems with the construction at all. Plus they were cleaning the windows and stuff of the usual food court so maybe it will open soon :)
Thanks for the heads up on the construction! We are planning to have TS breakfasts at other resorts on those days so the QS breakfast lines won't matter to us.
 

21stamps

Well-Known Member
@bee I am so behind on your report.. as I am on 2 others as welll. My planning has gone from stressful to full on panic and hasn't left time for much else.

I just wanted to give you a heads up about the new lounge at GF in case you didn't know.

Garden View Champagne and Wine lounge. We will be having a light dinner there 11/26..and a few glasses of champers.. I was sad about Mizner's being a temporary qs now.. but this place sounds great! You may want to add it to your monorail crawl.
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
@bee I am so behind on your report.. as I am on 2 others as welll. My planning has gone from stressful to full on panic and hasn't left time for much else.

I just wanted to give you a heads up about the new lounge at GF in case you didn't know.

Garden View Champagne and Wine lounge. We will be having a light dinner there 11/26..and a few glasses of champers.. I was sad about Mizner's being a temporary qs now.. but this place sounds great! You may want to add it to your monorail crawl.
Thanks for the tip, @21stamps! I didn't know about this! Now I am intrigued!
 

bee

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It's not on the website, but it's listed on the November activities guide.
Thanks! I hope we get the chance to check it out! The small plates menu on Disney Food Blog (I think that's where it was?) looked good.

First the Disney trip, now I see you saw Hamilton?!?!

Now I'm really jealous! :D:D:D;);)
Don't hate me, but the day the latest block of Broadway Hamilton tickets was released I splurged and bought two orchestra seats for the weekend of M's birthday.

Our French Quarter stay is paid off thanks to some Disney gift cards from Target (woohoo 5% RedCard discount!). Our last Disney Visa card statement just came out and we have over $190 in rewards dollars! It's nowhere near @Tony the Tigger levels but it will cover a couple of nice meals.

Tonight: opera rehearsal
Saturday: concert with the same company to promote their upcoming season
Sunday: rehearsal with same company
Monday: teaching piano until 4:30
Tuesday: teaching voice until 2:00, packing
Wednesday: DISNEY!!!
 

dclfan

Well-Known Member
We're here! "Here" being on the ground, still in the plane.

I have decided not to do a live TR but I will be checking in and posting photos periodically. And of course I'll write a full trip report when the time comes!

Yay!!!!! Have so much fun. That's the best part when you first land and all the magic lies ahead of you. looking forward to hearing all about it and what cocktails you try this trip. I drink Pinotage now because of you. Lol
 

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