Forgive me, WDWMagicites, for I have sinned. I started another pre-trip report and at the time my trip had been in a shambles and thought I should just trash the whole thing. The people I had been scheduled to travel with cancelled - I hold no grudges, we had a death in our circle of friends and travelling to Disney without this person would have been too hard so soon after her passing - and I had to scramble to replace my funding.
What held it together is another friend who told me last year how he wanted to go to WDW for the first time, and who better than to travel with than Disney Dave? I told him I was going, I had the room and all he had to do was book his airfare. He did book and I felt I could not let him down so changed my trip around to go....
So, my other posting was kinda depressing. I was mourning my friend, lamenting my station in life, and generally just depressed.... tried to delete it, but couldn't figure out how to...
But then my friend who is going losing his Disney innocence with me at the end of the month started to send me emails and messages every day with the things he wants to do, where he wants to eat (for someone who hardly eats he wants to have about 4 meals a day with all of the restaurants he wants to try out!) The more messages he sent, the greater my excitement started to return. The more he asked me questions about whether or not we could do things, the more I got into it....
This was his email from this morning:
I’m cool with Mickey’s Not So Scary. BUT am relying on you to pick the night that we actually get the most of it. I hear Sundays are late night closings anyway, is that true? IF SO let’s do the Mickey’s Not So Scary on Friday, right?
I really really want to stop obsessing about everything – BUT I am so excited – so I’ve been reading up on Disney World and here are some tips I found – I’m SURE you KNOW most of this already – BUT you decide if these are true and relevant to us. I’m leaving it up to your Disney expertise.
TIPS
Arrive 15 minutes before opening and you get Train Station Welcome
Lunch at 11am before the majority of lunch crowds show up
Cool Club – EIGHT flavors of Coke – Try the “Beverly”
PRIORITIZE Peter Pan, Soarin, Expedition Everest and Kilimanjaro as they are the most popular
Ride during Parade Times (345pm – 4pm would be one of the best times to ride Expedition Everest)
Some say Jungle Cruise and Expedition Everest is best at Night
You can get in line at 1059pm just before the park closes and still ride
Fantasyland – First thing or late
Request wake up calls
If there are 2 shows of Fantasmic – take the second show – shorter lines, better seats
If you see 2 lines can can’t see loading area, take the line on the left
Watch the Haunted Mansion windows at night
30 minutes after park closing stay at Magic Castle for the Kiss Goodnight
Skip deserts – if you can – they add up to the table tax – you can get desert separtely at shops etc
Lighting of the torches at Polynesian Pavilion
Find alternate spots to watch Illuminations – Bridge between Boardwalk and Yacht Club or the elevated platform at Canada Pavilion
ADULTS can order from the Kid’s Menu
MILK SHAKE at 50s pPrime Time Café – Order separately at the Tune In Lounge
When Disney closes and you are heading to the transportation center, stop once you exit the gates and look at the two monorail stations. One is completely full and the other will be almost empty. Don’t let the words “Express” fool you. Take the resort monorail, which will make a stop at the Contemporary before dropping you off at the transportation center. It’s one of the biggest time saving hints we can give you!
Try IF you can – Dole Whip float, Maple glaze Rib (Kona Café), Lapu lapu drink (Polynesian Resort Tamby Lounge), Grand Marnier Orange drink (France kiosk)
Now, when you get an email like that, how can you not but want to be in the happiest place in the world?? And he thinks we can do all of this in 3 days??? We can exhaust ourselves trying, that's for sure!! (I am not telling him about Beverly, btw - he has to learn on his own.)
So, here I am 17 sleeps before I get on that plane to come back 'home'. I can't wait to spend time with my friend and show him my 'World'. I am looking forward to Food and Wine. I most surely can not wait until Monday, September 30 when my Go-Go's are playing the F&W. I have been a crazed fan since the beginning (I can even tell you where I was when I first heard We Got the Beat...that's how serious this is!!).
With all that's happened to me and around me the past few years, I am going to leave it all behind and forget my troubles and recharge my emotional and spiritual batteries.... Under three weeks to go and I am getting psyched!!
Here comes the overdrive of planning, and in some cases revising the plans and then revising again...but I am locked and stocked and ready for an adventure!!
Once I arrive I will post pictures -maybe not of Joseph, because he refuses to allow his photo be taken by anyone other than a professional photographer....but will post pics of me.....
What held it together is another friend who told me last year how he wanted to go to WDW for the first time, and who better than to travel with than Disney Dave? I told him I was going, I had the room and all he had to do was book his airfare. He did book and I felt I could not let him down so changed my trip around to go....
So, my other posting was kinda depressing. I was mourning my friend, lamenting my station in life, and generally just depressed.... tried to delete it, but couldn't figure out how to...
But then my friend who is going losing his Disney innocence with me at the end of the month started to send me emails and messages every day with the things he wants to do, where he wants to eat (for someone who hardly eats he wants to have about 4 meals a day with all of the restaurants he wants to try out!) The more messages he sent, the greater my excitement started to return. The more he asked me questions about whether or not we could do things, the more I got into it....
This was his email from this morning:
I’m cool with Mickey’s Not So Scary. BUT am relying on you to pick the night that we actually get the most of it. I hear Sundays are late night closings anyway, is that true? IF SO let’s do the Mickey’s Not So Scary on Friday, right?
I really really want to stop obsessing about everything – BUT I am so excited – so I’ve been reading up on Disney World and here are some tips I found – I’m SURE you KNOW most of this already – BUT you decide if these are true and relevant to us. I’m leaving it up to your Disney expertise.
TIPS
Arrive 15 minutes before opening and you get Train Station Welcome
Lunch at 11am before the majority of lunch crowds show up
Cool Club – EIGHT flavors of Coke – Try the “Beverly”
PRIORITIZE Peter Pan, Soarin, Expedition Everest and Kilimanjaro as they are the most popular
Ride during Parade Times (345pm – 4pm would be one of the best times to ride Expedition Everest)
Some say Jungle Cruise and Expedition Everest is best at Night
You can get in line at 1059pm just before the park closes and still ride
Fantasyland – First thing or late
Request wake up calls
If there are 2 shows of Fantasmic – take the second show – shorter lines, better seats
If you see 2 lines can can’t see loading area, take the line on the left
Watch the Haunted Mansion windows at night
30 minutes after park closing stay at Magic Castle for the Kiss Goodnight
Skip deserts – if you can – they add up to the table tax – you can get desert separtely at shops etc
Lighting of the torches at Polynesian Pavilion
Find alternate spots to watch Illuminations – Bridge between Boardwalk and Yacht Club or the elevated platform at Canada Pavilion
ADULTS can order from the Kid’s Menu
MILK SHAKE at 50s pPrime Time Café – Order separately at the Tune In Lounge
When Disney closes and you are heading to the transportation center, stop once you exit the gates and look at the two monorail stations. One is completely full and the other will be almost empty. Don’t let the words “Express” fool you. Take the resort monorail, which will make a stop at the Contemporary before dropping you off at the transportation center. It’s one of the biggest time saving hints we can give you!
Try IF you can – Dole Whip float, Maple glaze Rib (Kona Café), Lapu lapu drink (Polynesian Resort Tamby Lounge), Grand Marnier Orange drink (France kiosk)
Now, when you get an email like that, how can you not but want to be in the happiest place in the world?? And he thinks we can do all of this in 3 days??? We can exhaust ourselves trying, that's for sure!! (I am not telling him about Beverly, btw - he has to learn on his own.)
So, here I am 17 sleeps before I get on that plane to come back 'home'. I can't wait to spend time with my friend and show him my 'World'. I am looking forward to Food and Wine. I most surely can not wait until Monday, September 30 when my Go-Go's are playing the F&W. I have been a crazed fan since the beginning (I can even tell you where I was when I first heard We Got the Beat...that's how serious this is!!).
With all that's happened to me and around me the past few years, I am going to leave it all behind and forget my troubles and recharge my emotional and spiritual batteries.... Under three weeks to go and I am getting psyched!!
Here comes the overdrive of planning, and in some cases revising the plans and then revising again...but I am locked and stocked and ready for an adventure!!
Once I arrive I will post pictures -maybe not of Joseph, because he refuses to allow his photo be taken by anyone other than a professional photographer....but will post pics of me.....
Enjoy your trip and looking forward to readying your trip report.
