So background first - we are a family of three - my husband, myself, and our adorable 5 year old daughter, Dakota. We live in Marco Island, Florida, so are about 4 hours South of Disney World. I grew up going to Disney at least once a year, and it never lost it's magic. I only started staying in the resorts and doing the whole Disney vacation thing since my daughter has been born. This will be her fourth trip to Disney. She adores princesses, Minnie Mouse, and all things girly. She has been talking about the trip non-stop.
Our last trip was in September 2013 and we had a great time! Lines were short and the weather was great! We were spoiled. Prior to that, our two last trips had been during June 2012 and June 2011 so we had endured the heat and crowds. I'm thinking this trip, March 25-28th, will be the crowds without the heat? But I'm looking for feedback.
We have the annual weekday pass which blocks out certain times of the year. This is the only week this year where Dakota is off of school (she's in Pre-K) and our pass is good.
The other reason we are going in March is because we scheduled Dakota's annual check up with her surgeon at University of Florida-Shands hospital that week and figured we make the loop. Our daughter, Dakota, was born with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. This is a rare but serious defect where the diaphragm forms with a hole in it so that some of the organs form in the chest, impeding the development of the lungs and pushing over and putting stress on the heart. CDH babies have about a 50% survival rate nationwide. Dakota had Right-Sided CDH with about 40% of her liver and all of her intestines in her chest. Also, just as a bonus, she was born more than 7 weeks early for no apparent reason, further limiting the development of her lungs. The best surgeon in the whole world for CDH is at UF-Shands, Dr. Kays, and that is who treated our Dakota. After a very scary first few days where she had to be put on ECMO (complete heart and lung bypass machine), Dakota had surgery on Day 13 to put her organs back below her diaphragm and put a patch on it. She then spent two months in the hospital before coming home. Luckily, she did fantastic and now is a perfectly healthy 5 year old, developmentally perfect, smart and lovely as can be. But we have to visit Dr. Kays once a year to get an x-ray and check that the patch is still in place and holding and everything looks good. So ............long story short, we are heading to Gainesville first, and then from there, straight to Disney to celebrate her miraculous life for the next four days!!! (Sorry for the detour-I love to talk about my miracle).
So Disney trip plan:
Arrive at Port Orleans-Riverside (Royal Room) on March 25th, hopefully around 1pm or so. After check in, head to Hollywood Studios for the evening. Ride Toy Story (we have fast pass +) and maybe another couple of rides/shows and then dinner at Sci-Fi Restaurant.
(Does anyone have any tips on how to get a seat in a car? Or suggestions on what to order?)
March 26th-Magic Kingdom- Head straight to fantasy land for Storytime with Belle and Ariel, the Barnstormer, Dumbo and other assorted rides we can fit in before
11am reservations at Chef Mickey's (soooooo excited for this! I can't wait to spin my napkin!) Also Dakota has never ridden the monorail believe it or not, so she's very excited just for that reason!!
Head back to Disney (fast pass + in adventure land) then to the hotel for a nap if we feel the need.
Dinner reservations at Tony's (I read mixed reviews but I'm not too picky and it sounds like a good option for in Disney).
Parade, and then we'll see how late Dakota makes it.
March 27th, my mom (Baba) will be joining us. Epcot! We will head straight for test track (fast pass + reservations for Soarin later in the afternoon)
We have the princess lunch in Norway scheduled at 12pm (This will be Dakota's 3rd time but she LOVES it and begs for it every year!).
Again, we may go back to the hotel in the afternoon.
We have dinner scheduled in France at Chefs de France (Anyone ever been here? Any recommendations?)
Finally, on Friday, we check out and spend a half day at Animal Kingdom. Fast Pass + reservations for the Safari and Nemo show. We are planning to eat lunch at Pizza Safari and then get in the car for the drive back home.
I CAN'T WAIT!!!! I'm just starting to mentally pack and plan. I am not usually an organized person, but because I look forward to my vacations, I am extremely organized for vacations. I plan and make lists and love to pack. The problem is getting home and unpacking and doing laundry ... I tell my husband that we all have our strengths and weaknesses, lol!!!
In the meantime I am loving reading trip reports here and getting excited!
Our last trip was in September 2013 and we had a great time! Lines were short and the weather was great! We were spoiled. Prior to that, our two last trips had been during June 2012 and June 2011 so we had endured the heat and crowds. I'm thinking this trip, March 25-28th, will be the crowds without the heat? But I'm looking for feedback.
We have the annual weekday pass which blocks out certain times of the year. This is the only week this year where Dakota is off of school (she's in Pre-K) and our pass is good.
The other reason we are going in March is because we scheduled Dakota's annual check up with her surgeon at University of Florida-Shands hospital that week and figured we make the loop. Our daughter, Dakota, was born with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. This is a rare but serious defect where the diaphragm forms with a hole in it so that some of the organs form in the chest, impeding the development of the lungs and pushing over and putting stress on the heart. CDH babies have about a 50% survival rate nationwide. Dakota had Right-Sided CDH with about 40% of her liver and all of her intestines in her chest. Also, just as a bonus, she was born more than 7 weeks early for no apparent reason, further limiting the development of her lungs. The best surgeon in the whole world for CDH is at UF-Shands, Dr. Kays, and that is who treated our Dakota. After a very scary first few days where she had to be put on ECMO (complete heart and lung bypass machine), Dakota had surgery on Day 13 to put her organs back below her diaphragm and put a patch on it. She then spent two months in the hospital before coming home. Luckily, she did fantastic and now is a perfectly healthy 5 year old, developmentally perfect, smart and lovely as can be. But we have to visit Dr. Kays once a year to get an x-ray and check that the patch is still in place and holding and everything looks good. So ............long story short, we are heading to Gainesville first, and then from there, straight to Disney to celebrate her miraculous life for the next four days!!! (Sorry for the detour-I love to talk about my miracle).
So Disney trip plan:
Arrive at Port Orleans-Riverside (Royal Room) on March 25th, hopefully around 1pm or so. After check in, head to Hollywood Studios for the evening. Ride Toy Story (we have fast pass +) and maybe another couple of rides/shows and then dinner at Sci-Fi Restaurant.
(Does anyone have any tips on how to get a seat in a car? Or suggestions on what to order?)
March 26th-Magic Kingdom- Head straight to fantasy land for Storytime with Belle and Ariel, the Barnstormer, Dumbo and other assorted rides we can fit in before
11am reservations at Chef Mickey's (soooooo excited for this! I can't wait to spin my napkin!) Also Dakota has never ridden the monorail believe it or not, so she's very excited just for that reason!!
Head back to Disney (fast pass + in adventure land) then to the hotel for a nap if we feel the need.
Dinner reservations at Tony's (I read mixed reviews but I'm not too picky and it sounds like a good option for in Disney).
Parade, and then we'll see how late Dakota makes it.
March 27th, my mom (Baba) will be joining us. Epcot! We will head straight for test track (fast pass + reservations for Soarin later in the afternoon)
We have the princess lunch in Norway scheduled at 12pm (This will be Dakota's 3rd time but she LOVES it and begs for it every year!).
Again, we may go back to the hotel in the afternoon.
We have dinner scheduled in France at Chefs de France (Anyone ever been here? Any recommendations?)
Finally, on Friday, we check out and spend a half day at Animal Kingdom. Fast Pass + reservations for the Safari and Nemo show. We are planning to eat lunch at Pizza Safari and then get in the car for the drive back home.
I CAN'T WAIT!!!! I'm just starting to mentally pack and plan. I am not usually an organized person, but because I look forward to my vacations, I am extremely organized for vacations. I plan and make lists and love to pack. The problem is getting home and unpacking and doing laundry ... I tell my husband that we all have our strengths and weaknesses, lol!!!
In the meantime I am loving reading trip reports here and getting excited!
