Trip Report englanddg's Real Life or is this just Fantasy?

Ariel1986 · Apr 30, 2015

What a great sounding trip! I enjoyed your last report so I look forward to reading this one.

If you post the Washington DC bit I look forward to reading that too- we were there in December as part of a vacation. I love it there- has a real nice feel to it.
As a side note if you fancy a pizza snack on your trips out and about in DC, when we were there all these little pizza places called &Pizza had appeared all over- a relatively new fresh pizza take-out place where it's made in minutes in front of you with a special oven thing. You can choose as many and any kind of toppings you want for a reasonable price. We found it quite fun for a late night or mid-day snack!

Also interested to read your wdw-cruise-wdw set up as we have some similar plans in the pipeline...

Look forward to reading more!

Cesar R M · Apr 30, 2015

I'm definitively stalking this thread!

englanddg · Apr 30, 2015

Ariel1986 said:
What a great sounding trip! I enjoyed your last report so I look forward to reading this one.

If you post the Washington DC bit I look forward to reading that too- we were there in December as part of a vacation. I love it there- has a real nice feel to it.
As a side note if you fancy a pizza snack on your trips out and about in DC, when we were there all these little pizza places called &Pizza had appeared all over- a relatively new fresh pizza take-out place where it's made in minutes in front of you with a special oven thing. You can choose as many and any kind of toppings you want for a reasonable price. We found it quite fun for a late night or mid-day snack!

Also interested to read your wdw-cruise-wdw set up as we have some similar plans in the pipeline...

Look forward to reading more!

I plan to start the daily updates with my flight to DC, yes.

And I'll certainly check out &Pizza. Thanks for the idea!

seahawk7 · Apr 30, 2015

I really like your plans. One suggestion I have for DTD for breakfast is Rainforest Cafe they have good breakfasts IMO or Earl of Sandwich. I've never tried their breakfast sandwiches but the other sandwiches they have are yummy and a good value.

coachwnh · May 1, 2015

That sounds like a fun time!

OSUgirl77 · May 1, 2015

Following along, this looks like a fantastic trip!

One suggestion for when you are in DC. If you would like to go up into the Washington Monument, you will want to buy your passes online now. I was in the city last week (I live about an hour away), and passes are currently sold out until July. You can still buy them day of, but you have to be in line before they open at 9, and they usually sell out within about 30 minutes.

englanddg · May 1, 2015

OSUgirl77 said:
Following along, this looks like a fantastic trip!

One suggestion for when you are in DC. If you would like to go up into the Washington Monument, you will want to buy your passes online now. I was in the city last week (I live about an hour away), and passes are currently sold out until July. You can still buy them day of, but you have to be in line before they open at 9, and they usually sell out within about 30 minutes.

Thanks for the tip! I remember last trip not being able to do it for that exact reason. I think I tried to buy them a week or two out, but they were sold out. Then the earthquake happened and the monument was shut down for a long while.

I didn't realize I could get them this early though!

<flies over to the national parks website!>

I spent just under 1/3 of my childhood in Springfield, and in the mid/late 2000s lived/worked in Sterling and Alexandria for a period.

The one thing I've noted about DC as a whole is how much it's changed in the last 20 years. Boggles my mind.

englanddg · May 1, 2015

Ok, Blue Man tickets purchased for 7p on August 9.

I called 1-800-BLUEMAN because I wanted to request specific seats. The thing about purchasing through Universal as a "package deal" is that the blocks of tickets released for those deals offer you pretty much no ability to request where you sit, only the Tier of seating you wish (unless something has changed). So, I contacted them directly.

Plus, for a group of 2, I don't really save that much. The Universal ticket only prices are around $60. Meal + Blue Man is a neat idea from Uni, that's $75, but limits where you can eat (still, a fun combo). These tickets direct from blue Man cost me $85 each. But, wait till you see where they are!

Now, I will say...they have a rather interesting "menu system" when you call 1-800-BLUEMAN...and if you miss the first part of the message where they tell you "Thank you for calling Blue Man Group" like I did, you hear the announcer voice (which on the phone system sounds...creepy, frankly), saying "For a good time in Las Vegas, press 1. For a good time in Orlando, press 2" and so forth. At first I thought I may have...ahem...misdialed and called a different sort of phone number.

I will let you fill in the blanks on what it sounds like, but lets just say it doesn't come off as...family friendly.

Go ahead, give it a call, you'll see what I mean!!!

The csr, Michelle, was very pleasant, and we made small talk while she looked for the best "Poncho Zone" seats she could find. One of the better phone conversations with a csr I've had in a while.

Their system does a "rotating availability" sort of thing, so you really can't "request" seats. Rather, they have to keep cycling through the system to see what comes up. The first ones were section AA (front row) 18 and 19. Those are off on the right Aisle. But, she was persistent, and wowza, she found us section AA (front row) seats 9 and 10.

Now, don't quote me on this, but I think these are the exact same seats (though it could have been 10 / 11) that we had on our 2012 trip. Fantastic for a redo!

I decided to leave the tickets as a Will Call pickup. One less thing to keep up with in the trip paperwork. Just show up and flash ID and pick up the tickets...

I know where Will Call is at that theater, and it shouldn't be that big a deal. Especially since we aren't trying to cram any park time into that day, so I can swing by after the Box Office opens and pick them up pretty much anytime as we flit around Citywalk.

(I'm going to bring a sturdier poncho and I'm considering a shower cap for the kiddo. I'm not kidding...the kiddo will have her hair in microbraids (as usual) and getting that banana out of her hair was a nightmare last trip!)

englanddg · May 2, 2015

I'm thinking this...

But I'll put it up to a vote again as I did last trip...separate thread.

englanddg · May 2, 2015

Lets be frank...

The Fantasy, currently OWNS all the Disney ships!

OSUgirl77 · May 2, 2015

englanddg said:
Thanks for the tip! I remember last trip not being able to do it for that exact reason. I think I tried to buy them a week or two out, but they were sold out. Then the earthquake happened and the monument was shut down for a long while.

I didn't realize I could get them this early though!

<flies over to the national parks website!>

I spent just under 1/3 of my childhood in Springfield, and in the mid/late 2000s lived/worked in Sterling and Alexandria for a period.

The one thing I've noted about DC as a whole is how much it's changed in the last 20 years. Boggles my mind.

You are quite welcome!

I currently live closer to Baltimore, but I lived in Bethesda for a while before I moved out here. I love DC, but it's just so congested and expensive. Always great to go back and visit for a day though.

Cesar R M · May 2, 2015

englanddg said:
Lets be frank...

The Fantasy, currently OWNS all the Disney ships!

one day... one day.. I will get to see the Fantasy.

englanddg · May 2, 2015

So, quick update.

MDE has improved a lot since the last time I used it (even though it was only a year ago, I didn't make it all the way through that trip planning, and had a terrible MDE experience getting all the accounts to link)...the prior trip, 2013, I used it, as we were part of the second or third (not sure which) FP+ testing group...and, after that trip I had a few suggestions (posted in my trip report, iirc).

One of those suggestions is partially true now. I thought it would be smart for Disney to allow you to use it to plan the entire trip, not just the Disney portions. I get that they don't want to cross-promote (something Disneyland does do, btw, in fact, they actively market tickets to Universal Hollywood and Knott's Berry Farm on their site, and you can purchase through them...not kidding)...but, it seems a great way to not only provide a planning tool for guests, but to get a look into how guests are spending their time when NOT at the park.

Well, they sort of have that now through the "Notes" feature. I discovered (probably not news to many people, but news to me) that I can create a note on pretty much any day through the itinerary view. So, I'm using that to plot out the rest of my stuff. In the descriptions, I'm putting...well, the description. But, in the details part I am putting all the relevant stuff I used to keep jotted down in a Google Doc.

One draw back is that it doesn't show up on the website "My Plans" section...you have to go to Itinerary View to see it.

However, the GOOD news, as I've already tested, is that it shows up on the "My Plans" section of the app just fine. So, that's a plus! (suggestion to Disney, make it show up on the website, too...)

So, to review how I USED to do this prior to this trip, I have a Google Apps account that has Google Docs, etc. It's set up specifically for trips (mostly Disney, obviously) and I have all trip related emails sent to it, as well as use its calendar to map things out.

When my trip is over, I delink the account from my phone, and it lays dormant until my next trip. I've used this system since 2010...

But, this trip, I'm going to scrap that system, I think, and see how MDE handles it. So far, looks like it will work perfectly!

Good show Disney!

englanddg · May 3, 2015

So, since we're on the subject of Apps...lets take a look at the Universal App and online Planning Tools.

Lets start with the website. Yeah...there's not much there. Not much at all...

They do have a "planner" however... http://planner.universalorlando.com/

I'd go into detail about it, but there isn't much to say. It is a very slick "sales tool", but really doesn't offer much to someone who has already booked a trip. So...lets look at the app...

Well, I really like the design...

Well, looks interesting...

Nice GUI, and some menu options...

englanddg · May 3, 2015

So, moving on, lets poke around a bit. I like the maps (geez, does this thing look...ahem...familiar? Something like MDE mayhaps?)

You can click on an attraction and then favorite it (or like it)...I'm not exactly sure WHY you would want to do that...maybe to quickly check wait times? But...anyhow, it exists. So, I liked my favorite ride at Uni.

That's right MIB. Sorry guys, it blows Buzz Lightyear out of the water! (both versions, the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom ones!)

Alerts are the thing that interested me the most...

So, I went to Blue Man Group's detail page...and, well, it limits you to the current day. Another note, they categorize it not as "Music" but as a "Comedy Show", and it's not visible on the map by default. Seems they could have had multiple categories for events/shows when planning. Anyhow, my point is, it took me a bit to find it, but not that big a deal.

I like they put the phone number there, very nice design.

This app looks like it will work really well during our trip on the day of, but really isn't a planning tool at all. Easier than a paper map though, considering I have to carry around my phone all day anyway (that whole work while traveling thing...)

So, there ya go!

Cesar R M · May 3, 2015

englanddg said:
So, moving on, lets poke around a bit. I like the maps (geez, does this thing look...ahem...familiar? Something like MDE mayhaps?)

View attachment 91619

You can click on an attraction and then favorite it (or like it)...I'm not exactly sure WHY you would want to do that...maybe to quickly check wait times? But...anyhow, it exists. So, I liked my favorite ride at Uni.

View attachment 91620

That's right MIB. Sorry guys, it blows Buzz Lightyear out of the water! (both versions, the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom ones!)

Alerts are the thing that interested me the most...

View attachment 91621

So, I went to Blue Man Group's detail page...and, well, it limits you to the current day. Another note, they categorize it not as "Music" but as a "Comedy Show", and it's not visible on the map by default. Seems they could have had multiple categories for events/shows when planning. Anyhow, my point is, it took me a bit to find it, but not that big a deal.

View attachment 91622

I like they put the phone number there, very nice design.

This app looks like it will work really well during our trip on the day of, but really isn't a planning tool at all. Easier than a paper map though, considering I have to carry around my phone all day anyway (that whole work while traveling thing...)

So, there ya go!

clever, I never imagined you could add notes for other third party stuff.

englanddg · May 3, 2015

Cesar R M said:
clever, I never imagined you could add notes for other third party stuff.

Me either. I just thought I'd give it a try, and it worked!

englanddg · May 3, 2015

Costume vote thread has been added!

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/what-pirate-costume-for-pirate-night-vote.898944/

englanddg · May 4, 2015

Well, I just spent the last hour updating my ADRs to include the proper family and friends in MDE.

I'm imagining this is due to the fact that I have more than just the kiddo linked through my MDE account (I have my sister, her fiance and my grandfather as well)...but, it was rather annoying.

That said, I don't think it would have made any difference had I NOT done this...but...call me obsessive about the planning stages. <grin>

guitaristemily · May 4, 2015

saw you comment on mine and im doing the same on yours - your going when my family normaly go - only reason we are going eailer is becuase its a) cheeper and b) possible only becuase i get out of school eariler this year becuase of my exams.

Trip Report englanddg's Real Life or is this just Fantasy?

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