Four Parks in Two Days with One Disney Newbie: A June 2010 Trip Report!

Hi everyone… I’m back with a quick trip report, but I’ve got something a little different for you all this time around! In mid-June I found out I had to go to Orlando for a work-related meeting, like, the following week! Of course, any good Disney fan called to Orlando for whatever reason, can’t exactly go without at least a quick trip to the parks, right?! While I was super excited about my last minute fortune, I knew Brett wouldn’t be able to take time off work and join me for the fun. What to do!? What to do?!

So I called my mom up… she’d been wanting to check out Disney for awhile and I thought this would be a great way to introduce her to my and Brett’s favorite place. She said yes, just as I knew she would, and I started the crazy last minute planning. I couldn’t get many extra days off from work, so it turns out we’d only have two days in the parks. A two day introduction to the parks is one thing… but in the middle of the summer heat, just days prior to the 4th of July weekend? YIKES! Definitely not the ideal way to introduce someone to Disney, but you gotta work with what you’ve got!

As most of you are already aware, we do a Christmas trip with Brett’s parents every year. But what you might not know is that we also vacation with my parents. Usually those vacays are in the form of a cruise, and the reports get posted on another board because they’re not Disney-related. The most recent one was on the Emerald Princess this past May and if anyone is interested it can be found here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1202436. I have an excellent relationship with my parents and I’m so incredibly grateful for that. My mom is more than just a mom, she’s a best friend. And this summer has been a lot of fun for the two of us because (due to my work-related travel) she’s been able to join me on not only this trip to Disney, but a quick weekend cruise to the Bahamas, as well. Here we are in Nassau:

And because it's one of my favorites, I’m posting this next shot, too. It was taken after we’d been bushwacked in St. Thomas (more on that in the aforementioned cruise report):

Accommodations:
Initially, I booked Pop for two nights using the AP rate, which was shockingly still available. Brett was having none of it! He kept saying “Your mom’s first trip can’t be to a value resort. It just can’t.” He made a valid argument and won me over when he claimed that the values are all fine and well, but when you stay there it feels too much like a theme park with the hustle and bustle and over the top craziness. He wanted my mom to see that there’s more to Disney; he felt she needed to get a feel for the “resort” side of things... and to him, just visiting the deluxes wasn’t enough. I knew he was right. After all, he is the master... I mean, he did make me fall head over heels in love during my first two-day trip (and not just with Disney )! So who am I to argue?! And with that, I called and switched our reservation to Coronado Springs. But I kept it a secret from my mom... explaining the resort tiers, showing her pictures of Pop, and telling her we were staying on the bottom rung! Ahhh... I just love resort surprises!!

The schedule... or lack thereof:
Monday: DTD after my meeting
Tuesday: Resort check-in and DHS in the morning... followed by evening EMH at Epcot
Wednesday: Morning EMH at AK... wrapping up with the perfect evening at MK
Thursday: check out... breakfast at the Kona Cafe

Honestly, the schedule was so bare bones because I was unable to acquire any of the dining I wanted, except for a Kona breakfast on our last morning. Looks like I’d have to improvise as we went. Meanwhile, I had Brett back at home tirelessly checking the online reservation system all day long at work on Monday and Tuesday. With no luck! Aaaarrrgghhhh... you all know how serious I am about my dining, and I really don’t feel as if you can truly experience Disney without it.

I know my mom. That might sound like a dumb comment to make, but I think this is an extremely important aspect of planning a Disney trip for a newbie, especially when you’re not even going to scratch the surface of what Disney has to offer. You absolutely have to know your audience.

So with all that said, the big question is... will my mom fall in love with our beloved WDW?!

 

[HollyBelle]

Thanks Holly for the link...and this great trip report.....glad your Mom (and you) had a nice time. I'm already looking forward to the one from your upcoming trip....and the one on CC for your cruise.

Have a great time and safe travels!

Thanks, TiggerTime! It seems sad that I won't have another one for CC until next March... but I'm sure it'll be here before I know it. Time really does fly by.

Good stuff Hol, its great you got to spend some time in The World, just you and mom. A planned trip with Dad and Bret as well and of course some dining will be a lot more fun. Can't wait to look and read that one!

Thanks, John. I'm looking forward to hearing about your crazy long foodie (or should I say Le Cellier) adventure come September!

That was an awesome report, Holly! I'm so glad your mom found the magic even with a rushed trip.

Thanks, Tammy. I was so incredibly happy she found the magic! :sohappy:

I'm so happy that your mom found the magic, Holly!

Bummer about not finding your bobble head! How frustrating! But how lucky that you're heading back again!

Loved all your great pictures! Can't wait to be taking some of my own soon!

Thanks, Jenn. Oooh... I bet you're on the plane right now. I hope we get to meet up while we're there.

This is a really great idea. The only times that we got great candid photos with the characters is when my mom had the camera. I'll have to keep that in mind because Jordan -much to my surprise- really enjoyed meeting the characters.

I really enjoyed your trip report, and I am so excited for your next one! It stinks that your time at the MK was cut short and you didn't get a chance to do many things, but I'm really glad that your mom had a great time. I hope that you and Brett have a great upcoming trip! Looking forward to seeing where the two of you are going to dine.

Yeah... it's something we started doing a while back. Every once in awhile we get a CM who snaps away, but not nearly as often as I'd expect.

As for the next report... it'll include lots of dining pictures!

Yippee! What a great surprise to find a HollyBelle trip report!

Loved the story. And the pictures, especially the one of your mom waiting for Minnie at DHS. She looks so excited!

I've taken my mom on two "just us" trips, both of them fairly brief, yet somehow we never felt rushed; sometimes, you just gotta let go and let things be! My mom was very nervous to ride Soarin', but kept her eyes open the whole time and was so proud of herself afterwards!

Thanks for sharing it all, and I'll be looking forward to the next report!

Thanks, Siobhan! Until I took my mom on Soarin I didn't realize there were that many people freaked out by it. But I guess it makes a lot of sense with the height/motion thing going on.

I totally agree about "letting go and letting things be," but it is just so hard for me sometimes. :lol: Although, when I do manage to let go and relax I really do enjoy those moments.

Aww, that's a shame about the MK. But it's good to know your mom felt the Disney magic regardless.

I am putting together my must-do list for our trip...I really want to go with the flow since it's our anniversary And I also know that we won't be able to do *everything* like we usually do.

I think having a brief must-do list really helps when it's a short trip. For every trip, Brett and I come up with three must-do's each. Sometimes our lists include rides or shows, but often we include more random/out of the way stuff. For example, enjoying a drink at the Dawa Bar at AK is on my must-do list for our upcoming trip!

Have fun in October and happy early anniversary!!!

Thanks for the enjoyable reading, and have a great time on your upcoming trip!
Looking forward to your next report.

Thanks, jhoff! I've been enjoying your report as well.

I just love a Holly trip report!!! Guess what we leave for Disney on the 12th too!!! Just 4 more days!!! Where are you guys staying??? Super excited! These next few days can not go quick enough!!

Seriously, Reese?! How fun. We're staying at Caribbean Beach for this trip and I'll definitely be on the lookout for you and your little man in the parks. How long are you staying? The anticipation is killing me.

Great trip report Holly! Your CSR pictures are beautiful.

I am going to be taking a similar trip the last weekend of February for the Princess Half...my husband and I are the WDW "vets" and the newbies are my mom and brother (technically not newbies but their last trip was in 1995 so a lot has changed since then!). I can totally relate to the, I don't know, pressure of wanting the trip to be a huge success and wanting to get everything in, in such a short time (we can only be in WDW Friday evening-Monday). It seems like you did a great job, especially right in the middle of summer! If your mom is already planning a return trip that's pretty much all you can ask for.

I think you said it just right... it was the self-imposed "pressure" of wanting everything to go well. I mean, you can't force someone to find the magic, but when you want so badly for that person to find it, it becomes a bit stressful. :lol:

You are going to have so much fun doing the Princess Half! I'm so excited for you... it's such a fun race.

Awwww..thanks, Holly! We can use all the pixie dust we can get. I never complain because I know so many other people have had a much rougher go of things through the big economic downturn than us. We've been blessed in so many ways that I just don't feel like it would be right to allow myself to wallow in self-pity. I hope September (or some sort of fall getaway) works out for us in the end. Mostly I want it for Tracey. The poor dear has been working at least 10 hours day 7 days a week since the middle of June. The only day off he's had since then was July 4th. Even through having a terribly ingrown toenail "doctored" at the podiatrist (he took off for an hour to go let the doc do her slice-n-dice then went back to work) he's been bustin' his rump bringin' home the bacon. And never complains. Plus, I want to compose another adventure story! I even have Ellie Boo fixed up with a killer poolside ensemble!

All the more reason you need a September getaway! I bet it will be one of the best trips ever because it will give you all a chance to really enjoy one another and spend some much needed time as a family.

Oh and I love that Ellie Boo already has a poolside ensemble! Fabulous!

Ya know, I hear the Disney Cruise Line weddings are much less brutal on the budget than a WDW wedding. And, if I'm not mistaken, characters can be involved. Wouldn't that be just awesome to combine your cruisin' love with some Disney love then sprinkle in some character love and have it all centered around the love between you and Brett??? It's too perfect! ((I hope I'm dooming you to a DCL wedding so I can read your report on that adventure!))

You crack me up, Kelly. I think you may want a Disneyfied wedding for me even more than I do. :ROFLOL: Seriously though, this very thought has crossed my mind!

For the "hypothetical" September adventure we're gonna make our journey a road trip. 2 teen/preteen boys, the family dog, Ellie Boo, Tracey, and me all piled into the car for 2 days & nearly 900 miles of fun. No more depending solely on Disney's buses this go around! WooHooo!!! I think that's what got me about the Coronado pics is the upscale feel. Tracey & I stayed at POFQ in May '08 and loved how intimate and peaceful the resort was. The rooms were nice but definitely not on the level of Coronado's. I showed Tracey the picture and the first thing out of his mouth was, "That looks like the bedding at the Contemporary...just take the little runner down the middle of the bed & lay it across the foot and there it is." So true! Were the beds super-comfy like the Contemporary? Hhmmm....

Now I really can't wait for that report... because it totally has to start when you leave home. I'm sure the family road trip shenanigans could be a complete report in and of itself! And I have to tell you, you'll totally spoil yourselves by having a car at your disposal.

The CSR beds are super heavenly; although they do lack a little something found at the Contemporary. But they are far superior to the other moderates. The comforter alone beats those super ugly/scratchy bedspreads any day of the week.

I wasn't there when my mom was having her Soarin' moment but from what she said & knowing what bothers her I think it was mostly the lack of control thing. It's hard to explain. If she's in a situation that doesn't feel okay to her she *has* to be able to get out. There *has* to be an out. I'm sure the motion made her uncomfortable, they were front/center so she was very high up, and there is no way to get off that thing or walk away until the show is over (unless you pitch a fit & cause the CM's to stop the show which I know she would never have done). It's hard to envision not loving that attraction, tho. Seriously. It's up there on our list of must-dos.

Agreed! That's totally how I feel about it too.

I wonder if it's possible (or how often it happens) for an adult to pitch a fit crazy enough to bring the whole attraction down.

Your mom is a IaSW girl??? That rocks! So many people have such a hate-thing going on for the song, etc. but it's one of my all-time favorites. No surprise with my doll *thing*. LOL! Even the song...I love it! I went to grade school in Orlando (Lancaster Elementary...Woot!) so when we learned to sing in round in Music class, guess what we sang??? Yep! IaSW! When you get a large group of children singing both verses in round it's actually very pretty. And when the boys were babies I'd rock them and softly sing that song to them. It's a comfort thing. So if you're ever on a boat going thru that ride and there's some insane annoying chick in front of you singing along, enjoying that voyage entirely too much it's probably moi! LOL!

I don't find the folks that sing along with IASW to be annoying; however, I absolutely can't stand when people whine about it/hate on it/make fun of it the whole time they're on the ride. I get it... it's not for everyone, but grow up and let others enjoy it. This has happened to us more than once and it's usually grown men who complain not teenagers/tweens (which I would find a little more acceptable).

When I read the line: "As for Wishes... you'll have to wait and see what happened." I totally knew it didn't go off as you had hoped. Ugh! I didn't want to be right!!!! I'm so sorry your mom didn't get to see Wishes with you. Then again, if she's hooked enough to be planning a trip with your dad included there must have been an impression made even without Wishes. Wishes always means more to me when I'm standing there watching with my guys. It'll be that much more special for her to experience it the first time with her dearest and you and Brett all together. At least for me, wishes and dreams-come-true always center around my little family. So from that perspective, maybe it was meant to be for that experience to be saved for a later date.

I believe Summer Nighttastic was playing instead of Wishes, but still I think she would have LOVED the MK fireworks. Personally, Illuminations is my favorite so I'm glad she at least got to experience it.

I love your mom's perspective about WDW as a whole. There IS so much to do & see. If someone can go there and not find a single thing that they like then there has to be something wrong with them. Your mom sounds like a pretty cool chickadee, if you ask me. And, yeah! She does have some ripped calves! I'll take those any day!

I so need to make a list of all the things we always say we're going to do and never do. We could probably fill a trip with the list. Off to add the Astro Orbiters, Dumbo, and the Magic Carpets......

She totally is... and now that we're all grown up, she and my dad are so much fun to travel with (not that they weren't when we were kids, but you know what I mean :lol.

Put the Astro-Orbiter at night at the top of your list. So much fun!!!

 

[Ariel484]

I think you said it just right... it was the self-imposed "pressure" of wanting everything to go well. I mean, you can't force someone to find the magic, but when you want so badly for that person to find it, it becomes a bit stressful. :lol:

You are going to have so much fun doing the Princess Half! I'm so excited for you... it's such a fun race.

Thanks! I loved your Marathon and Princess Half TRs, so thanks for posting those...they have so much helpful information and after reading them I feel like I have a pretty decent idea of what I expect.