Pre-Trip Mixtape - A July 2022 Trip

I'm happy and excited to report that the Fractal family, at least parts of it will be going back to Walt Disney World this July!

Like our 2017 trip, this one will be a joint family trip with my sister Marina and yes, Yia-Yia will be joining us and she is counting the days she can ride Flight of Passage again. We are doing it again!

Marina will be with her entire family this time but as for me there will be some subtractions and an addition. My daughter Alex is doing a traveling nurse stint in New Mexico and unfortunately her plans to join us with her girlfriend Emily just didn't work out.
Val has decided to travel to New Mexico instead of Disney to visit Alex so Val will not be with us. My crew will consist of myself, Toni, and Sterg.

Toni and Yia-Yia

Val, Sterg and I...

Val is absolutely devastated that she is missing this trip...not really but deep, deep down I think there is a small part of her that is bummed.

We'll certainly miss her!

I will also miss Alex and Emily who we've gotten to know more. Emily spent a couple days in Disney last year and was immediately hooked. She's very bummed not to be coming along but there's always a next time!

Here they are front row.

We are planning to Arrive July 15th and depart the 20th. There is a lot of planning yet to do!

Back with more!

 

[Songbird76]

A quick update.

Airline tickets for Toni and I have been purchased. Leaving Friday the 15th around 7am and taking the last flight out of Orlando 10:30 pm on the 20th of July. All direct flights on Southwest out of Baltimore around $350 each roundtrip. Not as cheap as the July 2020 flights ($70 roundtrip Pandemic pricing) but not too much pain all things considered. I've certainly paid more. Yia-Yia is flying down with my sister on the 16th but flying home with me on the 20th.

Also purchased my Park tickets; Park Hopper but no Genie +. Still studying whether I want Genie + or not and I can always add later. We will definitely be utilizing Lightning Lane for Guardians of the Galaxy, Rise of the Resistance, and Avatar. Haven't made Park reservations yet as I need to coordinate with Marina. Toni wants to go to AK first day.

In addition to @LisaBelle , @1DisneyDad will also be in the World during my stay so my hope for meetups has improved substantially over the last couple days!

I think I read they changed Genie+ and you can't buy it in advance anymore, only on the day, so I don't think you'd have been able to buy it yet anyway. I could be wrong, but I think that's what they said on Disney Food Blog.

 

[MinnieM123]

We really have two groups - My sister's group of 6 which includes Yia-Yia (my Mom) and my group which starts at 3 (Sterg, Toni and myself) until Mara arrives for 3 days on Saturday the 16th.

Oh yeah!!! Yia-Yia is joining the vacation! She's my favorite character in the group. Suggest making the ECV (super-charged version) reservations early. I'll never forget a photo you shared of a family vacation (a few years ago) showing her in the ECV, racing down the walkway toward the Yacht Club -- and leaving you all way behind!

 

[fractal jr]

Oh my word. My son just graduated from Lynn. I stayed at the Sonesta right there multiple times. Where are you living? And have you eaten at Charm City burgers, Aunt Lu Lus or V and S deli yet???

Oh no way! Congrats to your son! I live in Fort Lauderdale area at the moment but funny you mention V&S deli because we just started a thing in our office called V&S fridays! I will have to check out those other spots though!

 

[BwlrBry212]

BTW - Space 220 seems impossible to book. In fact a number of the restaurants are a challenge, especially anytime near 5 or 6.

It doesn't really help with pre-planning but keep an eye out for ADRs 24 hours in advance because that is when people need to cancel without getting charged so sometimes you can snag a last minute table that was cancelled.

 

[wdisney9000]

Day 5 continued...


We started off at MK. Rope drop, headed str8 to Buzz for some reason. I demolished C Minor.

@Darstarr will be pleased to see this. Ok, 'm just joking and I'm not gonna do this again.

Ill get my own TR finished.

 

[fractal]

Day 5 continued...


We started off at MK. Rope drop, headed str8 to Buzz for some reason. I demolished C Minor.

View attachment 645024

@Darstarr will be pleased to see this. Ok, 'm just joking and I'm not gonna do this again.

Ill get my own TR finished.

You have permission to hijack any of my reports.

Or better yet, hijack my plans in July and meet me for a beer in WDW.

 

[fractal]

Our tickets arrived today!

 

[Zipadeelady]

Our tickets arrived today!

 

[cgersic]

Wooohoooo!!! Getting close! Never give up on the hard reservations and look the day of as well. I'm betting you're going to find what you want!

 

[fractal]

Park Reservations

Friday July 15th - AK
Saturday 16th - MK
Sunday 17th - AK
Monday 18th - Epcot
Tuesday 19th - DHS
Wednesday - AK

We plan on "hopping" each day or sneaking in a Water Park. Now realizing the problem with an early flight on Friday; We'll be in the air at 7am. Even if I buy the plane wi-fi I'm sure it will be as slow as molasses.

 

[Adventure]

Park Reservations

Friday July 15th - AK
Saturday 16th - MK
Sunday 17th - AK
Monday 18th - Epcot
Tuesday 19th - DHS
Wednesday - AK

We plan on "hopping" each day or sneaking in a Water Park. Now realizing the problem with an early flight on Friday; We'll be in the air at 7am. Even if I buy the plane wi-fi I'm sure it will be as slow as molasses.

In May we flew down on Jetblue and used their free flyfi and had no trouble booking our 'LL selections right at 7:00 a.m. somewhere over NC. Good luck!

 

[Ciara]

Excited for more and following along

 

[senor_jorge]

Park Reservations

Friday July 15th - AK
Saturday 16th - MK
Sunday 17th - AK
Monday 18th - Epcot
Tuesday 19th - DHS
Wednesday - AK

We plan on "hopping" each day or sneaking in a Water Park. Now realizing the problem with an early flight on Friday; We'll be in the air at 7am. Even if I buy the plane wi-fi I'm sure it will be as slow as molasses.

In May we flew down on Jetblue and used their free flyfi and had no trouble booking our 'LL selections right at 7:00 a.m. somewhere over NC. Good luck!

My wife has been able to do the same flying AA. Alternatively, perhaps you could unleash Sterg since he won’t be airborne.

 

[coachwnh]

Just got this today! That makes two Fractal IPAs in my refrigerator. IPAs are always best fresh.

 

[fractal]

I'm late too but now tuned in. Always enjoy a TR from @fractal!

Thanks @BigDis !

I think I read they changed Genie+ and you can't buy it in advance anymore, only on the day, so I don't think you'd have been able to buy it yet anyway. I could be wrong, but I think that's what they said on Disney Food Blog.

I believe that is now the case.

Oh yeah!!! Yia-Yia is joining the vacation! She's my favorite character in the group. Suggest making the ECV (super-charged version) reservations early. I'll never forget a photo you shared of a family vacation (a few years ago) showing her in the ECV, racing down the walkway toward the Yacht Club -- and leaving you all way behind!

She's pretty excited!

and today is her Birthday! (well one of the 3 that she has - that's a another story)

It doesn't really help with pre-planning but keep an eye out for ADRs 24 hours in advance because that is when people need to cancel without getting charged so sometimes you can snag a last minute table that was cancelled.

Thanks, will do.

It's making it more real!

Wooohoooo!!! Getting close! Never give up on the hard reservations and look the day of as well. I'm betting you're going to find what you want!

Thanks! I'll keep swimming/trying.

In May we flew down on Jetblue and used their free flyfi and had no trouble booking our 'LL selections right at 7:00 a.m. somewhere over NC. Good luck!

Thanks for the info!

Excited for more and following along

Thanks @Ciara! Congrats on all that's being going on in your world and glad to see you're heading back to WDW soon!

My wife has been able to do the same flying AA. Alternatively, perhaps you could unleash Sterg since he won’t be airborne.

Now why didn't I think of that?

View attachment 645934
Just got this today! That makes two Fractal IPAs in my refrigerator. IPAs are always best fresh.

Awesome!

 

[ladydi]

Happy birthday to Yiayia. My yiayia had two official birthdays-must be a Greek thing!

 

[fractal]

Happy birthday to Yiayia. My yiayia had two official birthdays-must be a Greek thing!

Thanks! When she immigrated from Greece in the late 40's they asked her Father when her birthday was - he gave them her Name-Day date. As you probably know, that's a bigger deal in Greece than Birthdays - the day of the Saint you are named after. So they put that date down as her birthday. Then as she got her driver's license and other forms of ID she gave her real birthday. Somehow she keeps track of it all. LOL!

Made a change today - we are starting at DHS on Friday the 15th. Sterg will be assigned with getting us on Rise of the Resistance (thanks @senor_jorge for the idea).

BTW - getting a reservation at Yak & Yeti is impossible!

 

[Laurenciaa]

Thanks! When she immigrated from Greece in the late 40's they asked her Father when her birthday was - he gave them her Name-Day date. As you probably know, that's a bigger deal in Greece than Birthdays - the day of the Saint you are named after. So they put that date down as her birthday. Then as she got her driver's license and other forms of ID she gave her real birthday. Somehow she keeps track of it all. LOL!

Made a change today - we are starting at DHS on Friday the 15th. Sterg will be assigned with getting us on Rise of the Resistance (thanks @senor_jorge for the idea).

BTW - getting a reservation at Yak & Yeti is impossible!

Here also no luck in getting a reservation for Yak & Yeti... 47 days out and the ADR frustration is already very real since two weeks

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

@fractal and @Laurenciaa the only way I have been able to get a Yak & Yeti reservation was by using the free dining alert through Touring Plans. The last time I went on my solo trip, I decided spur of the moment to eat there and I was able to get a seat at the bar but that area only seats about 6 people so that might not work for you. Some people have talked about joining the Landry's Club, I guess there is some deal that if you are a member there is priority seating even without a reservation. I think some people have called the restaurant directly too. And now that I have been thinking about Yak and Yeti, now I really want some of their Korean fried chicken and chicken fried rice....

 

[senor_jorge]

@fractal and @Laurenciaa the only way I have been able to get a Yak & Yeti reservation was by using the free dining alert through Touring Plans. The last time I went on my solo trip, I decided spur of the moment to eat there and I was able to get a seat at the bar but that area only seats about 6 people so that might not work for you. Some people have talked about joining the Landry's Club, I guess there is some deal that if you are a member there is priority seating even without a reservation. I think some people have called the restaurant directly too. And now that I have been thinking about Yak and Yeti, now I really want some of their Korean fried chicken and chicken fried rice....

Link to Landry’s Select Club below. My wife used it a couple of weeks ago at Yak & Yeti. Wait list was 45 minutes plus. She had a table for two in 5 minutes.

Landry's Select Club