A year of planning; ADR's up at 5:30 am to make 180 days out (got everything we wanted -including California Grille and Be Our Guest) ; FP+ up 60 days before to get (got everything we wanted) - and now whittling down and editing final packing list (first one created in 2010 for our first trip). Gotta pack all of the Disney tee-shirts (I had several custom made for this trip).
A bit about us: this trip will be me and my DH and twins, 12 (boy/girl). This is our 5th trip to The Land since 2010 (including trips to Pop Warner Superbowl for the boy and to Oireachtas (Irish Dancing competition) for the girl). We will be rendez-vous-ing with my college roommate and her sister from Milwaukee, and my BFF and her family.
Friday, March 25 - up before dawn and loaded into pre-packed car. Depart North Carolina and head straight down i95 (note - I will have made a Dunkin Donuts stop the day before and will have said necessity in the fridge, heating it up in the microwave before departure).Stop for fast food en route. Arrive at Marriott on International Drive by 3 pm (free night with points). 5:30 reservation at Boston Lobster (my husband's ONLY request other than California Grille).
Saturday, March 26. UP AND AT 'EM BY 5:30 AM - out of hotel (with free breakfast) by 6:30 am. Checked in online - but head over and activate Magic Bands. RACE to EMH at AK. Ride Expedition Everest 3 times before 9 am. Use FP+ for Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids and Safari. Eat at Yak and Yeti. Get back to the hotel and be by the pool with a frosty adult beverage by 3. Head back to Animal Kingdom by 6 to see animals; 7 pm ADR at Sana'a. Head over to Epcot to catch 8:45 food and wine show of The Village People. Head back to POFQ to see YeeHaw Bob. 11:45 pm - pass out.
Sunday, March 27 - EASTER - yahoo! Oh wait, I gotta hide some damn Easter eggs and a basket (adding to packing list). UP AND AT 'EM KIDS.Go get DD beignets and bacon (repeat this step every morning) Head over to MK by 7 to walk to Contemporary for 8 am Catholic Mass in Fantasia Ballroom. Brave the crowds at MK to use FP+ for Space Mountain, etc. Lunch at Be Our Guest. Much Easter merriment ensues. Decide whether or not to use dinner rezzies at The Plaza or hop on the Monorail and cocktail hop through resorts and just nosh. Make sure to pack the glow sticks for the fireworks show.
Monday, March 28 - DHS. UP AND AT 'EM GANG. Run, jump over wheelchairs and vault over people to get to TOY STORY MANIA! Gotta ride Rockin' Roller Coaster as many times as we can before we use our FP+. Gotta ride Tower of Terror. Probably leave at lunch and WALK to Epcot. More Flower and Food!
Tuesday, March 29 - EPCOT. EPCOT and nothing but EPCOT - we'll ride Mission Space, Orange as many times as we can. FP+ for Test Track...we'll build a rollercoaster and do everything by noon in order to head over to FOOD AND FLOWERS. All afternoon, with the kids trying to find the hidden Easter Eggs, trading pins (oh yeah, make sure their LANYARDS FULL OF PINS are packed). Home to change, dinner at Raglan Road where the DD will most definitely perform with the Irish dancers. Boat ride to and from Disney Springs....hope to call it an "early" evening.
Wednesday, March 30. MAGIC KINGDOM UNTIL 2 AM. This requires "extra" sleep - at least sleep until 7 am. Arriving 'late" to the park around 9 - FP+ all done by 11:30 so we can start pulling other ones. Leave park by 2 to go hang out by the pool, have the cocktails (oh yeah, gotta pack the adult beverages) - and head back in our "dressy outfits" for 7:30 ADR at California Grille. MY FAVORITE FIREWORK VIEWING PLACE! Head down to watch the Electric Water Pageant - and then back INTO the Kingdom - let's see if we can last until 2 am!
Thursday, March 31. EVERYBODY NEEDS A BREAK! We're gonna "relax" by the pool for 1/2 day - and head to DHS for one more whirl on the roller coaster, tower and one more swing by Toy Story Mania. Back to Epcot in the evening for dinner at Rose and Crown and PERFECT viewing of Illuminations.
Friday, April 1. Last day. Everyone moaning about having to leave and when can we come back and how can we make this trip last? FP+ at DHS (yes, again) and dinner at Drive-In Sci-Fi....sure we're close the last park.
Saturday, April 2. Leisurely last breakfast with beignets. Sadly wave goodbye and return home...sometimes I think the planning and anticipation is even more fun than the trip!
A bit about us: this trip will be me and my DH and twins, 12 (boy/girl). This is our 5th trip to The Land since 2010 (including trips to Pop Warner Superbowl for the boy and to Oireachtas (Irish Dancing competition) for the girl). We will be rendez-vous-ing with my college roommate and her sister from Milwaukee, and my BFF and her family.
Friday, March 25 - up before dawn and loaded into pre-packed car. Depart North Carolina and head straight down i95 (note - I will have made a Dunkin Donuts stop the day before and will have said necessity in the fridge, heating it up in the microwave before departure).Stop for fast food en route. Arrive at Marriott on International Drive by 3 pm (free night with points). 5:30 reservation at Boston Lobster (my husband's ONLY request other than California Grille).
Saturday, March 26. UP AND AT 'EM BY 5:30 AM - out of hotel (with free breakfast) by 6:30 am. Checked in online - but head over and activate Magic Bands. RACE to EMH at AK. Ride Expedition Everest 3 times before 9 am. Use FP+ for Dinosaur, Kali River Rapids and Safari. Eat at Yak and Yeti. Get back to the hotel and be by the pool with a frosty adult beverage by 3. Head back to Animal Kingdom by 6 to see animals; 7 pm ADR at Sana'a. Head over to Epcot to catch 8:45 food and wine show of The Village People. Head back to POFQ to see YeeHaw Bob. 11:45 pm - pass out.
Sunday, March 27 - EASTER - yahoo! Oh wait, I gotta hide some damn Easter eggs and a basket (adding to packing list). UP AND AT 'EM KIDS.Go get DD beignets and bacon (repeat this step every morning) Head over to MK by 7 to walk to Contemporary for 8 am Catholic Mass in Fantasia Ballroom. Brave the crowds at MK to use FP+ for Space Mountain, etc. Lunch at Be Our Guest. Much Easter merriment ensues. Decide whether or not to use dinner rezzies at The Plaza or hop on the Monorail and cocktail hop through resorts and just nosh. Make sure to pack the glow sticks for the fireworks show.
Monday, March 28 - DHS. UP AND AT 'EM GANG. Run, jump over wheelchairs and vault over people to get to TOY STORY MANIA! Gotta ride Rockin' Roller Coaster as many times as we can before we use our FP+. Gotta ride Tower of Terror. Probably leave at lunch and WALK to Epcot. More Flower and Food!
Tuesday, March 29 - EPCOT. EPCOT and nothing but EPCOT - we'll ride Mission Space, Orange as many times as we can. FP+ for Test Track...we'll build a rollercoaster and do everything by noon in order to head over to FOOD AND FLOWERS. All afternoon, with the kids trying to find the hidden Easter Eggs, trading pins (oh yeah, make sure their LANYARDS FULL OF PINS are packed). Home to change, dinner at Raglan Road where the DD will most definitely perform with the Irish dancers. Boat ride to and from Disney Springs....hope to call it an "early" evening.
Wednesday, March 30. MAGIC KINGDOM UNTIL 2 AM. This requires "extra" sleep - at least sleep until 7 am. Arriving 'late" to the park around 9 - FP+ all done by 11:30 so we can start pulling other ones. Leave park by 2 to go hang out by the pool, have the cocktails (oh yeah, gotta pack the adult beverages) - and head back in our "dressy outfits" for 7:30 ADR at California Grille. MY FAVORITE FIREWORK VIEWING PLACE! Head down to watch the Electric Water Pageant - and then back INTO the Kingdom - let's see if we can last until 2 am!
Thursday, March 31. EVERYBODY NEEDS A BREAK! We're gonna "relax" by the pool for 1/2 day - and head to DHS for one more whirl on the roller coaster, tower and one more swing by Toy Story Mania. Back to Epcot in the evening for dinner at Rose and Crown and PERFECT viewing of Illuminations.
Friday, April 1. Last day. Everyone moaning about having to leave and when can we come back and how can we make this trip last? FP+ at DHS (yes, again) and dinner at Drive-In Sci-Fi....sure we're close the last park.
Saturday, April 2. Leisurely last breakfast with beignets. Sadly wave goodbye and return home...sometimes I think the planning and anticipation is even more fun than the trip!