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

englanddg · Jun 23, 2015

Schedule Update (Semi Final)

Once again, after making several modifications to FP+ and ADRs, my schedule has changed a bit. It's a "semi final" schedule as I'll review it once again in a few weeks, but this is the last major update I have outside of the DC portion of the trip until my payoff date for the final WDW leg of the trip.

So, here's how the itinerary looks, shall we?

Aug 7

Fly from ATL to DCA on Delta
Check into the Embassy Suites and meet up with the kiddo.

Aug 8

Breakfast at the hotel (free and freshly cooked! Nommers!)
Smithsonian and National Mall
Lunch?
Washington Monument at 7:30p
Dinner?

Aug 9

9:25 flight with Jetblue from DCA to MCO. We'll arrive around 11:30. This should put us at Portofino Bay, with a taxi ride from MCO, around noon. I'm still debating if we get a limo or luxury black car just for giggles)
Go to the parks
Lunch wherever. I want to try Leaky Cauldron...we'll see what the kiddo's moods are.
Blue Man Group center front row seats at 7p
Explore Citywalk for an hour or so before going back to the hotel

Aug 10

Early morning swim?
Breakfast at Three Broomsticks at 10a
Lunch at Mythos at 2p
Dinner at Lombard's at 7p, with a Dessert Party / Special Viewing Area for the Cinematic Spectacular.

Aug 11

Cabana Bay and have breakfast at Bayliner? I really want to walk this resort for future planning and just to say I have...but I'm not sure if it will work out. I think the kiddo would enjoy a few hours to play in their pool as well, but this is still up in the air. One thing to note, unlike Disney, Universal DOES allow for pool hopping between resorts.
Something from the Crusty Burger area at Uni for Lunch
Not sure what to do for dinner. I think we'll just wing it. Probably something QS, as this day we'll hit the parks hard!

Aug 12

Trattoria del Porto at Portofino Bay for breakfast at 8a
Taxi over to AKL after breakfast. Again, not sure if we'll do a limo or town car just for giggles. Probably not.
Check in or drop off our luggage, then hop a bus over to Magic Kingdom, and from there a boat to Ft. Wilderness. Yeah, I've ruled out the bus (unless weather doesn't cooperate), as I'd really like to take the launch and ride the waves. If time is an issue though, we'll snag a taxi from AKL...but, ideally, that's how we'll get there.
12:30p Horseback Riding at Ft. Wilderness
Take the Resort Shuttle to the Bike Barn and Trading Post for...
Fishing
2:45p Archery Lessons
Head back to AKL and hang out around the pool, get settled in the room, whatever
7:15p Dinner at Sanaa. I'm still iffy about this. I adore Jikos. But, I really want this trip to have "new" things for us to do.
Spend the rest of the evening setting up the webcam that I'm going to run from our balcony while the kiddo plays with the day/night monocular I bought and takes pictures, video, etc. of the animals as we gorge ourselves on complimentary club level goodies.

Aug 13

Magic Kingdom!
Breakfast at Cindy's Royal Table at 8:05...making sure to take pictures / video of the empty park!
2:10 lunch at Be Our Guest
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at 3:05p - 4:05p
Peter Pan's Flight at 4:20p - 5:20p
Anna and Elsa Meet and Greet at 5:40p - 6:50p
6:45 dinner at Tony's Town Square
We are gonna do MSEP and Wishes the old fashioned way, staking out a spot at the base of the Castle about an hour before the show.

Aug 14

EPCOT!
8:45a Breakfast at Cape May. I'm still not sure about this one. It would mean I'd need to take an AKL bus to HS or EP, and then a return bus to the resort. I may cancel and try and replace it with something else, but there really isn't much to do for breakfast at EPCOT...
Spaceship Earth 10a - 11a
12:30 Lunch at Via Napoli
Figment 2:05p - 3:05p
Soarin 3:20p - 4:20p
Nine Dragons at 6p
8p Illuminations Sparkling Dessert Party. Still iffy about this, as I am against dessert parties as a whole, but we've never done one properly, and I thought...why not?

Aug 15

Breakfast at Boma at 8:55a
DCL Transit will pick us up, I suspect sometime around 10a - 11a, and we'll head off to Port Canaveral and the Fantasy!

Aug 16

At Sea - No plans yet

Aug 17

At Sea - No plans yet

Aug 18

St. Maarten
Nothing planned yet, but I'm considering the Create Your Own Perfume
PIRATE NIGHT! (the kiddo will be going as Elizabeth Swan, and I will be the Dread Pirate Roberts! I'll update when the costumes come in)

Aug 19

St. Thomas / St. John
The kiddo has family here who have said they'll plan our day for us. Still not sure what the plans are.
This is pretty much what I'd expect from them, I can't plan excursions because they say they'll have our day planned out, so I think this day I'll leave free. I love em, but hopefully they'll come through?

Aug 20

At Sea - No plans yet

Aug 21

Castaway Cay
Castaway Cay Getaway Package which includes bike rental for an hour (the kiddo loves to ride her bike), snorkel rental and tube rental for the day.

Aug 22

DCL should have us to Art of Animation around noon.
Downtown Disney / Typhoon Lagoon
2:00p Lunch at T-Rex
7:45 Dinner at Splitsville
La Nouba? Yes, we skipped it the past two trips. It's time to go back. I need to book tix tomorrow.

Aug 23

Animal Kingdom (I have no idea why AK ends up being a Sunday thing for us every year, but it does!
8:20 breakfast at Tusker House
1:30 lunch at Yak and Yeti
Snacks at Harambe. Yes, I'll point out the poo poo platter.
7:15p dinner at San Angel Inn
Watch Illuminations again or go to DS/DTD (I can't wait for them to finish the full conversion so I can stop having to use both names when posting...)

Aug 24

Hollywood Studios!
Ohana for Breakfast at 7:55a
10:15 to 11:15 Toy Story Midway Mania
11:40a Lunch at Sci Fi Dine in
2:25 - 3:25 - ToT
4:05 Dinner at 50's Prime Time
6:15 - 7:15 Star Wars
Watch Fantasmic today.

Aug 25

Last day..so sad.
Breakfast at Landscape of Flavors
11:45 Lunch at Cindy's Royal Table
After the 3p parade, we'll head back to the resort.
7:35p flight on Delta back to Washington Reagan. Arrive very late (11:45p)
Check into Residence Inn Arlington to crash for the evening.
Meet up with the kiddo's Mom to return her back to everyday life...

Aug 26

10:45 return flight on Delta back to ATL

englanddg · Jun 23, 2015

Ok, some background...

I know you left me standing there

Out of the calm of the coldest air

I don't believe the words you said

But I can't find the words I want
Oh, I can't find the words I want

If you were gone in another life

I don't believe I would just survive

I could feel you next to me

An escape from the world I'm in
Oh, I'm afraid of the world I'm in

One day I will see heaven's reach

DSC00291

I'll find the one who left me sleeping

Every war was another seed

That could feed every soul in need

Oh, I'm worn by the war in me

Somebody found me here.
Somebody held my breath

Somebody saved me from the world you left

If you're gonna cry my tears

If you're gonna hold my breath

If you're gonna let me see the sun you set

Oh, I am lost and found
Oh, I am lost and found

Interlude

englanddg · Jun 23, 2015

Somebody held my breath

Somebody saved me from the world you left

If you're gonna cry my tears
If you're gonna hold my breath
If you're gonna let me see the sun you set

Oh, I am lost and found
Oh, I am lost and found

englanddg · Jun 23, 2015

I miss my kiddo.

englanddg · Jun 23, 2015

RememberWhen · Jun 23, 2015

It melts my heart to see how you plan these trips for you and your daughter. She's a lucky girl. It's going to be a fabulous trip!

englanddg · Jun 23, 2015

akayw0718 said:
Looks like your planning is going fantastically! Glad to see you're planning to hit FW. Be sure to ask for a tour before you saddle up - the Headless Horseman horses are being trained around that time, and they're stunning.

Neat! What should we ask for, just a general tour?

englanddg · Jun 23, 2015

akayw0718 said:
Yep! When you get to the Tri-Circle D, ask if they are giving barn tours that day. Usually you can get a pretty decent guided tour around the barn and see some of the draft horses used on property for various carriages and events.

Awesome! Thanks!

LondonGopher · Jun 23, 2015

englanddg said:
I miss my kiddo.

I, like you, have only the one child. I can't even imagine what it would be like to live apart from him. And when we are away from my DH for extended periods of time, it is just SO HARD for us all.

I'll never forget a flight we had - it was extremely turbulent - and my son was frightened, very frightened. He looked at me and said, "Mother, I want Father. Then I wouldn't be afraid. He would protect me." :cry:

Kids need their Dads. Dads need their kids. God bless you both.

...on a more superficial note...I am really enjoying this PTR. SO specific!!

Have you considered the Mitsitam Café for your DC lunch? It's in the Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian). Very cool to try some Native cuisine (and they have fry bread... :hungry:

).

nmai.si.edu/visit/washington/mitsitam-cafe

englanddg · Jun 23, 2015

LondonGopher said:
I, like you, have only the one child. I can't even imagine what it would be like to live apart from him. And when we are away from my DH for extended periods of time, it is just SO HARD for us all.

I'll never forget a flight we had - it was extremely turbulent - and my son was frightened, very frightened. He looked at me and said, "Mother, I want Father. Then I wouldn't be afraid. He would protect me."

Kids need their Dads. Dads need their kids. God bless you both.

...on a more superficial note...I am really enjoying this PTR. SO specific!!

Have you considered the Mitsitam Café for your DC lunch? It's in the Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian). Very cool to try some Native cuisine (and they have fry bread...).

nmai.si.edu/visit/washington/mitsitam-cafe

GREAT idea! Fry bread! I haven't had that in years! :geek:

I was really disappointed last trip to Air and Space that they've redone the food court there with...well...fast food. Though, the kid didn't mind the McDonalds...I missed the more unique foods they used to have there.

I spent a lot of my youth in Springfield when my father was stationed at the Pentagon. Air and Space was a regular haunt!

englanddg · Jun 24, 2015

Really minor update. Cirque is booked. First time we've seen it since 2011. I'm curious because the talent has changed out due to retirements, and I heard the show is slightly different.

DVCPluto · Jun 27, 2015

Just got caught up - love all the plans and thanks for including some MB customization instructions.

englanddg · Jul 3, 2015

This will be my last update until I get my next Mickey Mail (I'm still expecting 2 Magicband shipments, as well as my official DCL welcome packet...though, I'm not sure if they still do the ornate brochure they used to on my last cruise, but I'd be surprised if they didn't!)

So, I have finally paid off the entire trip. It feels fantastic. Though, I'm sure my bank account will disagree!

That said, I've got a whole month to get my shopping kitty inflated, 3 payrolls, so, that's fine. One more trip done without credit! Yay!

My tickets for the Washington Monument came in, and while it's nothing exciting, I thought you all might like to see what their "welcome packet" looks like. So, with no further adue...

Nothing really to say about the tickets. They are just that...tickets. I booked it late so hopefully we'll get to see the sunset from the top of the monument (that historically happens around 8:13 pm, and I've never seen it (in fact, I haven't been to the top of the monument for over 20 years!). This should be fun. That said, the kiddo went to the Smithsonian last weekend, so I'm not exactly sure if we'll repeat that. We probably will, and we certainly have to do Air and Space.

Also, we are certainly doing lunch at Mitsitam Cafe in the American Indian History Museum! (thanks for the tip @LondonGopher !)

I looked up the menu, and it won me over! I'm anticipating some Buffalo Chili Indian Taco for lunch! Nom nom nom!

Menu - http://www.mitsitamcafe.com/content/summer menu 2015.pdf

Now that I'm fully paid off, it means that I can go ahead and do the online Check In. The online Check In window is

The process is rather painless. You get to the online check in through the "Reservations and Itineraries" screen.

You have the ability to set your expected arrival time. For me, I chose 9a for both reservations. This is because I plan to head over early from Portofino Bay for our Ft. Wilderness excursions! And, for our AoA arrival, we'll debark the ship early to get back, cause I want to squeeze out a day at DTD/DS!

You can also add amenity requests, but I didn't have any for AKL (I'm club level with an Arusha view already, not sure what else I can ask for?). For AoA, I requested highest floor with a garden view. I'm really hoping we'll have a nice view of the statues, pool, etc, but we shall see!)

Scrolling down you can add your credit card (which is already linked for me). This is the card that will be "tied" to your Magicband. The reality is that your Magicband is really tied to your resort room charges. When you max out your room charges, they'll use this card to clear your account. Or, you can call in and request the front desk clear it at any time (this is why I program the direct front desk numbers into my cell phone for every trip, but more on organization in a later update!). The different resort categories have different charge limits. For Deluxe, it is $1500. For Moderate, it's $1000. For Value it's $500. But, remember, they can be cleared out at any time during your stay, just ask!

You can also set up your pins. But, my MDE pins have already been set up. This is an issue though, because...well..I don't think I remember them! So, I'll need to figure out how to reset my pins, which will come up later.

But, moving on, after you accept the terms and click Done, Woody will process your requests! How nice of him!

And you get your confirmation, and that's that! Check in done!

Now, lets figure out how to change those pins!

So, I guess it's under my profile? Oh hey, what's this?

Yes, I'd like to manage my payment methods. And lookey lookey!

Pin updates a success! When I rendezvous with the kiddo, I'll allow her to set her pin. I think this time I'm going to allow her to purchase things, though, I'm still mixed about that...maybe I'll just do a gift card for her.

So, that's it for this installment! Next update will be when I get my next Mickey Mail, or when I finish the DCL online check in (which I still need to do). Cheers!

MinnieM123 · Jul 3, 2015

You really put 100% effort into your trip preparations. You and your daughter are adorable together in the pictures you've shared. This will be a happy vacation for the both of you.

The Fastpass+ situation might be getting a bit better, but to be honest with you, when I went to WDW back in May I thought it was complicated and wanted no part of it at all. (I was also confused as to whether I could use the parks card to set up an account prior to my visit--since I bought my card at the AAA office and not from Disney. I was not staying at a Disney hotel either.)

In 2014 (May) when I went, I did go to an in-park kiosk, that had a CM there. He somehow set up everything, but he went so fast, that I didn't know what he had done in the computer. The machine picked 3 attractions for me, but I didn't like any of them; so I didn't go to those and therefore, didn't use Fastpass+.

Your profession is very technical, so I'm glad that technical background helped you understand and navigate though the system. (I might look through your screen shots again, just to see if it helps me to understand the new system.) I'm happy that you were able to get the attractions and dates/times you wanted your upcoming trip.

When I visited WDW recently in mid-May, 2015; I was traveling solo, so I used the single rider lines on some of the rides and that seemed to work out better for me. I really miss the old paper, Fastpass, though.

englanddg · Jul 4, 2015

MinnieM123 said:
You really put 100% effort into your trip preparations. You and your daughter are adorable together in the pictures you've shared. This will be a happy vacation for the both of you.

The Fastpass+ situation might be getting a bit better, but to be honest with you, when I went to WDW back in May I thought it was complicated and wanted no part of it at all. (I was also confused as to whether I could use the parks card to set up an account prior to my visit--since I bought my card at the AAA office and not from Disney. I was not staying at a Disney hotel either.)

In 2014 (May) when I went, I did go to an in-park kiosk, that had a CM there. He somehow set up everything, but he went so fast, that I didn't know what he had done in the computer. The machine picked 3 attractions for me, but I didn't like any of them; so I didn't go to those and therefore, didn't use Fastpass+.

Your profession is very technical, so I'm glad that technical background helped you understand and navigate though the system. (I might look through your screen shots again, just to see if it helps me to understand the new system.) I'm happy that you were able to get the attractions and dates/times you wanted your upcoming trip.

When I visited WDW recently in mid-May, 2015; I was traveling solo, so I used the single rider lines on some of the rides and that seemed to work out better for me. I really miss the old paper, Fastpass, though.

I used FP+ in a test group in 2013 and didn't mind it very much. But, we still had the paper system up and running back then, so I got to double dip! <grin>

That said, I appreciate not having to rush around to FP machines, keeping track of tickets and expiry times, etc...so, I'm not completely against the system. I still think it needs some tweaks though (specifically for park hopping days!).

DisSplash · Jul 4, 2015

It's nice to have the trip paid off, isn't it? That is our plan for our Star Wars cruise. It's going slow, but steady ... we will get there!

I agree with your FP+ sentiment as well. We are not totally against it either as there was no real racing around the park or mobs or people at various locations trying to get the paper tix. Nonetheless, I will say that I did miss the satisfying sound the dispensing machine made as you got that coveted paper FP ... now it's just another marble in my nostalgic long-term memories...

LieutLaww · Jul 4, 2015

When I booked my current trip it was nice being able to pay it off all in one go, tho it had taken me a couple of years of slow saving to be able to do that lol

englanddg · Jul 4, 2015

LieutLaww said:
When I booked my current trip it was nice being able to pay it off all in one go, tho it had taken me a couple of years of slow saving to be able to do that lol

That's normally how I do it (save it up in advance), though I always wait until close to the actual pay date before I pay more than the deposit, simply because I'd rather the money accrue interest during that period rather than be in Disney's hands!

This past trip I had to handle a bit differently, for various reasons, but as soon as I get back, I'll start shoving money into the savings account again for a future trip! I get why some people put it on credit, but I really enjoy the feeling that it's completely paid off and debt free before hand!

englanddg · Jul 4, 2015

So, I joined a Fish Extender group for the coming cruise and now I'm starting to try and come up with unique gift ideas. I am so bad at this stuff. If left to my own devices, I'd probably just end up passing out Disney Gift Cards and calling it a day! But, I'd like to be a bit more unique than that! It's hard, cause reading through @sweetpee_1993 and other's reports, they are so craft oriented and thoughtful with this stuff...I feel like I have to put in at least a bare amount of effort!

At least (right now) it's a small group though. Just 8 cabins participating.

7 Female Adults
6 Male Adults (one turning 40 on the cruise)
10 Female Kids (Ages 5 (bday on cruise), 6, 6, 6 (bday on cruise), 9, 10, 10, 11, 12, 14)
3 Male Kids (8, 11, 11 (I'm guessing the two 11 year olds are twins...same family)

TheMouseFan · Jul 4, 2015

englanddg said:
So, I joined a Fish Extender group for the coming cruise and now I'm starting to try and come up with unique gift ideas. I am so bad at this stuff. If left to my own devices, I'd probably just end up passing out Disney Gift Cards and calling it a day! But, I'd like to be a bit more unique than that! It's hard, cause reading through @sweetpee_1993 and other's reports, they are so craft oriented and thoughtful with this stuff...I feel like I have to put in at least a bare amount of effort!

At least (right now) it's a small group though. Just 8 cabins participating.

7 Female Adults
6 Male Adults (one turning 40 on the cruise)
10 Female Kids (Ages 5 (bday on cruise), 6, 6, 6 (bday on cruise), 9, 10, 10, 11, 12, 14)
3 Male Kids (8, 11, 11 (I'm guessing the two 11 year olds are twins...same family)

Etsy tends to have really cute, mostly inexpensive things for fish extender gifts. It could at least give you some ideas to get started!

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

englanddg

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RememberWhen

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LondonGopher

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englanddg

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DVCPluto

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englanddg

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MinnieM123

englanddg

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DisSplash

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LieutLaww

Hello There

englanddg

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englanddg

One Little Spark...

TheMouseFan

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