Pre-Trip A Mouse, A Castle...and A Couple of Spooks PJ

Hi everyone! First things first...who are we? Brittany (38) and Jerry (35) from a town 45 minutes from Atlanta, Georgia. We were married February of 2011 and the only "children" we have are our 3 Chihuahuas, Kalie (6), Ellie (1), and Ozzie (1). Seriously...they're like our children but we hope to have human children soon! We actually honeymooned at the World and it was literally the BEST trip of my life! Here we are...

Whoa...big picture...anyway...

A major reason it was the BEST trip was of course it being my honeymoon but also, Jerry knew exactly what I needed at that exact time. Okay, I guess a little back story is in order to help you better understand.

2009, Jerry proposed in Savannah, Georgia on our 1st trip together. It was an amazing evening. Immediately we began planning when we returned home. We planned a decent sized wedding, roughly 75 guest list. We had set an original date of November 13, 2010. We both LOVE the fall and even though I had always dreamed of having a Halloween inspired wedding (haunting elegance is what I was thinking), I was working at a place that the entire month of October was blacked out for taking time off. So, a fall inspired wedding was next in the works. Everything was coming together and something happened that would affect my life forever.

In June of 2010, my sweet mother was murdered by her estranged husband. I had just talked to her only an hour before her death. Immediately, everything was postponed and my Jerry never complained once. He was a rock and my best support. I had developed pretty severe anxiety and couldn't even face a huge wedding as we had originally planned. We decided to give it a little more time and when I felt I was doing better, at the last minute (the day after Christmas) we set our date for February 18th. Because of my anxiety, we chose to downsize drastically. It was only immediate family and my best friend. We opted out of a reception and just had dinner after the ceremony with game night at our house after. Jerry had kept the honeymoon a surprise right up until we entered that wonderful, wonderful city. When I saw Orlando city limits the next day...I knew exactly where we were going. Those magical 5 days at The World did NOT spark one anxiety attack. My husband knew exactly what I needed. His plan was to keep me on the go so much that I wouldn't have time to "think". He knew my love of Disney and knew this would be a cure...if only temporary.

Okay, enough of the heavy stuff...now onto my Disney obsession...

I had visited Disney World many times as a child and teenager...but NEVER as a family vacation. I was a competitive cheerleader so it was always with my squad. This meant up until my honeymoon, I had only visited Magic Kingdom, never seen a fireworks show, never seen the Electrical Parade, left the park promptly at 6 on the days I was even fortunate to go. Even though there were such limitations, I loved the "MAGIC" of that place! My honeymoon really allowed me to see Disney World through much different eyes. It was amazing!

Sadly, we haven't been able to return since...that is until the hubs and I decided to go this September 30th through October 5th. I knew I wanted to go during the Halloween season...especially for this...

We have been dreaming of going since our honeymoon and now time and funds will allow us! I hope all of you will join in the planning! My husband is a fanatic like me but doesn't really get into the detail like I love! I'm so happy to find a group as obsessed with me!

 

[DisneyDarlin7679]

Here are some preliminary plans (ideas) we have so far.

Day 1 (Sept. 30): Arrival Day! AKA...Doing the most embarrassing (to my DH) happy dance I have ever done! (No shame)

• Staying at POP. Actually going to do some Halloween decorating to my window. Posted a thread about this a couple of days ago and all the pics made me excited to give it a shot!
• Explore the resort. We have never stayed onsite before so I'm sure there is a lot to see.
• Head over to Downtown Disney for Dinner and Disney Quest. We are driving so it will most likely be mid afternoon when we arrive, depending on how early we leave. As of right now, we are planning on Planet Hollywood for dinner, but of course...that could change. We also want to be back at the resort fairly early to get some rest (as if that's possible) so we can get an early start!

Day 2 (Oct.1): Doing some park hopping!

• We never know where we will start until that morning but most likely it will be either Epcot or Hollywood Studios. DH loves Test Track so I see us doing Epcot first. We didn't stay at Epcot very long last time we were there so we will at least stay half a day.
• Head back to our room for a little rest. I remember how tired we were on our honeymoon because we stayed off site and it was a constant go go go. We will be at Disney at least a day longer so I plan on pacing ourselves. Either take a small nap or relax by the pool is what I had in mind (depending on weather).
• Freshen up a bit and head to Hollywood Studios for some more fun. My goal this time is to get DH on Tower of Terror. He HATES drop rides but he needs to ride at least once! We missed the car stunt show (can't remember the name) last time so we want to make it a priority.
• We haven't nailed down ANY dining plans yet so more of that stuff later.

Day 3 (Oct. 2): Trick Or Treating night baby!

• We have purchased passes for the MNSSHP for this day so we plan on spending the day resort hopping or doing something else in Orlando. Sea World or Gatorland perhaps. Not sure yet.
• Come back to the POP and change into our costumes. Yep...we are dressing up. It was a no brainer to go as our favorite of the seven dwarfs. I'm going as Dopey and DH is going as Grumpy (fits him sometimes ). We are 100% making our own costumes. We will share details later as it comes along.
• 4pm...time for the party! MAGIC KINGDOM!

Day 4 (Oct.3): No Disney today.

• We will be heading to Universal and going to Halloween Horror Nights for the 1st time ever! I'm super excited for this!
• More plans on this later!

Day 5 (Oct. 4): Another day of park hopping!

• Most likely will start out at Animal Kingdom and spend some time there. We want to spend some time in DinoLand this time around.
• Head back to POP for some rest and maybe quick lunch.
• Last evening at Magic Kingdom The Main Street Electrical Parade is my favorite parade so it's a MUST for me!

Day 6 (Oct. 6): Head Home

Here are some things I'm hoping to fit in. Please tell me your experiences and thought so maybe it will help us make decisions better.

• I would love to go to Fort Wilderness Campground to see all the decorated campsites.
• Which fireworks show...Illuminations or Fantasmic??? This may determine the order of our 1st day at the parks.
• Food Wishes: Sci-Fy Drive In, Gaston's Tavern...really...that's the only 2 places we have mentioned wanting to go.
• What are your thought about character experiences? Character Dining or the meet and greets?? If character dining, most likely we would like to do breakfast so which place? Also, is there somewhere to get pictures with the Seven Dwarfs??

Well...this is all I have so far. I will post again when I have more!

 

[LisaBelle]

The surprise Disney honeymoon story brought tears to my eyes! Think you've got a keeper! Sounds like you have a great trip planned. Personally, I prefer Fantasmic to Illuminations, but you really can't go wrong with either one. If you decide on Illuminations, you should make a stop at the Boulangerie Patisserie in France and munch on some delicious treats as you enjoy the show.

 

[Maggie Mae]

I adore the fried pickles at Sci Fi - we went last year and I will be going again this year for those alone! well at the atmosphere...It's pretty awesome! I am all for Fantasmic if I had to choose, Illuminations is great, but Fantasmic has everything!! In EPCOT stop in Japan and Pick a Pearl! I love that it is super cool!

 

[mrdrift]

Great start to the planning for your upcoming trip. Personally I would choose Fantasmic that is my family favorite. Sounds pretty exciting that you will be doing MNSSHP then go to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal. The difference between the two will be night and day, enjoy them both.

 

[cw1982]

Wow... the honeymoon brought tears to my eyes too! That's one awesome husband you have

As far as your questions...

1) For the fireworks, it really depends on what you're looking for: Fantasmic is more Disney-esque, in that it has almost all of the characters in it. It's more kiddie, in some ways, because of that... but has a lot of cool effects. It's also more of a hassle to get to because it's in an outdoor theater. You can't just walk up to it and claim a spot like you can Wises or Illuminations. In November, there may only be one show per day, so it will likely be crowded... you'd want to be there super early to get decent seats. Illuminations is cool, but it's more sophisticated in terms of its content; no Disney characters here! It's pretty easy to find a good place to watch, even 20-minutes before the show starts, because you can watch it from anywhere on the lagoon. Not really a bad place to watch from, unless you're behind a tree or something. I liked Illuminations better, especially if you're going to be on a somewhat tight schedule, but both were neat.

2) I second the recommendation for SciFi's fried pickles! Love them! Gaston's doesn't need ADR's, though, so just plan to stop there for a snack on one of your MK days; no need to really plan much around that.

3) For character dining breakfast, I would figure out which parks you're going to on which days and make a decision from there. Tusker House at AK might be a good one, or Crystal Palace at MK. There's always 1900 Park Faire. Think about what characters you really want to see, which parks you're doing which days, and it should be easier to narrow down some choices that way. I will say, though, that you should be meeting a good number of characters at the party, and DH and I were able to get quite a few character meetups knocked out with very short wait times at both MK and AK, as well as a few at Epcot... so you may not feel it's worth the money. A lot to think about there. What are some of your favorite characters? That might help us to know how to better give suggestions on that front.

4) I have zero experience with the campgrounds, but I think that resort is just a boat ride away from the MK, so you should be able to easily work that in.

Happy planning

PS- we're outside of Atlanta too! We're in the west Ga area, about 20 minutes west of Six Flags

 

[cw1982]

Oh, and about the Pop... definitely take your camera when you go out to explore the resort that first day! Lots of great picture opportunities There's some pretty cool stuff across the bridge at AoA as well, if you're so inclined to check it out.

A couple of tips about the Pop food court:

-they will let you get a kids meal, no matter your age... and the kids meals are huge! For example, my favorite meal for lunch/dinner at the food court was the kids pepperoni pizza bread. It was a French bread style pizza that was about 8 inches long and came with two "kids" sides (think like the apple slices that come with a Happy Meal at McDonald's, only they let you choose two between apples, grapes, and carrots) and a 12 oz bottle of water. For $5.99, this was a steal for Disney prices, and it was just the right amount of food. The adult portion came with two of those pizzas and a side caesar salad for a few dollars more, so that was good too. The kids Mickey waffle breakfast was a good bargain as well; it came with two Mickey waffles, bacon, sausage, and fruit.
-Pay attention to what time each station switches from breakfast to lunch... DH was able to get an omelette as late as 11:00, which made him very happy

We loved staying at the Pop. It was perfect for our needs, and the staff was very attentive. Go look at my trip report if you want more detail... they did all kinds of cool things for us

 

[Tuvalu]

Another fellow Georgian here

Since your trip is the first week of October, I would pass on going to Ft. Wilderness. We have been that same week (in 2012 & 2013) and have wandered around after our dinner at Trail's End. Hardly any campsites are decorated for Halloween that early. Unless you are planning to eat at Trail's End or do the Hoop Dee Doo or Mickey's Backyard BBQ, it is not worth a special trip over there.

The only time you can meet all 7 Dwarfs is at MNSSHP. But a warning...the line is VERY long, so be prepared to wait awhile. The lines to meet the villains are long too.

And as an additional head's up, if there is lightning (even in the distance) or the pavement is wet, the headless horseman will not ride. But the parade is awesome even without him! And the fireworks show is excellent ~ make sure you watch from a spot where you can see the castle, as it is used in the show.

We love Gaston's for a quick breakfast. Yummy cinnamon rolls and chocolate croissants. Some think LeFou's Brew is too sweet, but we enjoy it.

As @cw1982 said, you probably can meet a lot of characters without spending money on a character breakfast (which will set you back about $75 for 2.) The breakfasts can also eat up a lot of time, especially if you dine at a resort (Chef Mickey's, 1900 Park Fare).

As we are not fans of Fantasmic , we'd pick Illuminations every time!!

Have fun planning but don't wait too long to secure your ADRs.

 

[DisneyDarlin7679]

Wow... the honeymoon brought tears to my eyes too! That's one awesome husband you have

As far as your questions...

1) For the fireworks, it really depends on what you're looking for: Fantasmic is more Disney-esque, in that it has almost all of the characters in it. It's more kiddie, in some ways, because of that... but has a lot of cool effects. It's also more of a hassle to get to because it's in an outdoor theater. You can't just walk up to it and claim a spot like you can Wises or Illuminations. In November, there may only be one show per day, so it will likely be crowded... you'd want to be there super early to get decent seats. Illuminations is cool, but it's more sophisticated in terms of its content; no Disney characters here! It's pretty easy to find a good place to watch, even 20-minutes before the show starts, because you can watch it from anywhere on the lagoon. Not really a bad place to watch from, unless you're behind a tree or something. I liked Illuminations better, especially if you're going to be on a somewhat tight schedule, but both were neat.

2) I second the recommendation for SciFi's fried pickles! Love them! Gaston's doesn't need ADR's, though, so just plan to stop there for a snack on one of your MK days; no need to really plan much around that.

3) For character dining breakfast, I would figure out which parks you're going to on which days and make a decision from there. Tusker House at AK might be a good one, or Crystal Palace at MK. There's always 1900 Park Faire. Think about what characters you really want to see, which parks you're doing which days, and it should be easier to narrow down some choices that way. I will say, though, that you should be meeting a good number of characters at the party, and DH and I were able to get quite a few character meetups knocked out with very short wait times at both MK and AK, as well as a few at Epcot... so you may not feel it's worth the money. A lot to think about there. What are some of your favorite characters? That might help us to know how to better give suggestions on that front.

4) I have zero experience with the campgrounds, but I think that resort is just a boat ride away from the MK, so you should be able to easily work that in.

Happy planning

PS- we're outside of Atlanta too! We're in the west Ga area, about 20 minutes west of Six Flags

Thank you! I'm a lucky gal for sure!

Another fellow Georgian here

Since your trip is the first week of October, I would pass on going to Ft. Wilderness. We have been that same week (in 2012 & 2013) and have wandered around after our dinner at Trail's End. Hardly any campsites are decorated for Halloween that early. Unless you are planning to eat at Trail's End or do the Hoop Dee Doo or Mickey's Backyard BBQ, it is not worth a special trip over there.

The only time you can meet all 7 Dwarfs is at MNSSHP. But a warning...the line is VERY long, so be prepared to wait awhile. The lines to meet the villains are long too.

And as an additional head's up, if there is lightning (even in the distance) or the pavement is wet, the headless horseman will not ride. But the parade is awesome even without him! And the fireworks show is excellent ~ make sure you watch from a spot where you can see the castle, as it is used in the show.

We love Gaston's for a quick breakfast. Yummy cinnamon rolls and chocolate croissants. Some think LeFou's Brew is too sweet, but we enjoy it.

As @cw1982 said, you probably can meet a lot of characters without spending money on a character breakfast (which will set you back about $75 for 2.) The breakfasts can also eat up a lot of time, especially if you dine at a resort (Chef Mickey's, 1900 Park Fare).

As we are not fans of Fantasmic , we'd pick Illuminations every time!!

Have fun planning but don't wait too long to secure your ADRs.

Maybe I can get at least Dopey's attention during the parade then During the Electrical Parade on my honeymoon, Doc kissed my hand. You would've thought a rock star acknowledged me lol.

These are really great tips everyone! Many thanks!

 

[FlaggNL]

Great plans, just a few days before we arrive in the world Enjoy the pre feelings!!

 

[MDactor1980]

What are your thought about character experiences? Character Dining or the meet and greets?? If character dining, most likely we would like to do breakfast so which place? Also, is there somewhere to get pictures with the Seven Dwarfs??

I'm not ashamed to happily admit that I LOVE the character experiences! We've done 2 character dinners, and a bunch of meet and greets. Here's my advice:

Character Dining:
Easiest way to bang out a bunch of character pictures. And a meal. AND rest time! As someone mentioned above, they eat up a decent bit of time (60-90 minutes). However, if you make your reservations at the right time, it can work as a siesta for you to take a break from the park. Two years ago, we did the earliest dinner seating at 1900 Park Faire & it was perfect. It gave us a break from the park to rest between the meal & the monorail. Then we were reinvigorated to spend the rest of the evening in MK & keep go-go-go'ing! In January, we did a later dinner at Crystal Palace, and walked out just in time to have a great vantage point for CtM and Wishes (then hop over to Liberty Square for the MSEP). I can't recommend Park Faire enough. Food was great (for buffet food), you're outside the park... so you can get an adult beverage, and most importantly - the characters are great! Tremaine & the sisters were a riot, and when we were there, we had just got engaged 2 nights before so Cinderella was thrilled & pressed us for all the details. It's such a great time & the CM's are so in character that you can't help but play along! I highly recommend at least 1 character dining experience!

M&G's:
These are great fun, but can also be a pain. If you have a smart phone - make sure to get the My Disney Experience App. It gives you the low down on all of the M&G's, locations, times, & usually wait times. We didn't usually go out of our way for a M&G, but if there was one nearby and we were interested & wait time was minimal, we hopped over. Again, the CM's are so in character you can't help but join in. I just wouldn't recommend waiting a super long time. Also, they can sometimes be a little erratic as far as sticking to start/end times, and closing off the lines properly.

Happy Planning!

 

[DisneyDarlin7679]

Hi Everyone! Not a whole lot of planning has been done in the last couple of days but we narrowed down our resort choice!

We will be booking on Tuesday! Very excited. I had also posted a thread on opinions of Fantasmic vs. Illuminations and DH REALLY wants to do Fantasmic! I'm not complaining...I'm at Disney World and that will be good enough for me!

I've been busy making a few things for my resort window and will post those later. I've also been brainstorming on our costumes (me: Dopey DH: Grumpy) and have a lot of great ideas...which I will post as I create everything. I did make our planning binder and put some Disney stickers on a jar to keep our spare change in. Just trying to do things that keeps that Disney pre-trip magic feelings going!

Yep the jar is empty. It doesn't take us long to save change though.

Anyway, more plans to come!

 

[DisneyDarlin7679]

It's official! Our trip is booked! We have a preferred pool view at Pop Century! Also found out that there's a chance my younger sister, brother-in-law, and 2 year old niece may be going as well so it will be fun! Not many other details as of now but will post more soon!

 

[MDactor1980]

It's official! Our trip is booked! We have a preferred pool view at Pop Century! Also found out that there's a chance my younger sister, brother-in-law, and 2 year old niece may be going as well so it will be fun! Not many other details as of now but will post more soon!

Congrats on the booking! Another fantastic thing about WDW is that it's so huge... everyone can tag along!

 

[LisaBelle]

Congratulations on booking your trip! Looking forward to reading more about your plans .

 

[DisneyDarlin7679]

80 DAYS! Time is actually going by faster than I expected considering I've been looking forward to this since our 2011 honeymoon. I guess it helps working all the time and getting myself ready for fall classes to begin. We don't have too many details but we have an idea of our first night. We have never stayed at POP so we plan on exploring the resort once we get there. From Atlanta, it takes us about 8 hours to get to Orlando. Every trip to Florida, us nerds always stop at the Florida Welcome Center to stretch our legs and look at all the brochures and such. We plan on leaving our house before sun up so that should give us plenty of time to get there. After we freshen up, we plan on grabbing dinner either before we head out to Downtown Disney or once we get there. We tossed around the idea of Planet Hollywood but we have no definite plans nailed down yet. The only absolute we have is we know we are going to Disney Quest. Has anyone been there? We don't really want to be out all that late because I'm sure we will be exhausted, besides...of course we will have another early morning .

Day 2 will follow shortly!

 

[MDactor1980]

Every trip to Florida, us nerds always stop at the Florida Welcome Center to stretch our legs and look at all the brochures and such.

Don't forget the free glass of orange juice!