Pre-Trip My first Pre-Trip report!! May 2017

So, as you can see from the "not so original" title, this is my first ever attempt at a pre-trip report! I have been religiously reading everyone else's PTR & TR to get some hints & tips so here goes nothing!!

Aaaaaaaagggghhhhhhhhh WE'RE GOING BACK TO DIIIIISSSNNEEEEYYYWWOOOOORRRLLLLLDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!

Me & H in 2014

Since we are well into our double digit countdown, now seemed to be a good a time as any to undertake this report to share some of our plans and ADR for our trip which will be for two weeks in May! Any suggestions and recommendations will definitely be welcomed

Although we have been to WDW a number of times as children and most recently again in 2014, there are a few differences this time with not only the number of people, but also dining plan & resort choice.

Who: this is the first time we as a family have been with any more than 4-5 of us so the group has essentially doubled in size from mum, older sister, older brother & me
TO: me, my older sister (fellow Disney fanatic), mum, mums friends Matt & Kay, Matts daughter, Kays two daughters, Kays daughters boyfriend & finally little Niambh (daughter of Matt & Kay) PHEW! That's everyone I think!

Where: Port Orleans Riverside. Our first time in a moderate resort as we have mainly swapped between the All Star Resots on previous trips. (We thought since we're "grown up" now we would go up a level so we're super excited about experiencing a different resort.

When: May

Favourite princess: Belle ❤

Mostly our plans for going to the parks are....MK on the first day & that's pretty much the only thing set in stone with park selection. We always get the 14 day park hopper tickets so we can swap and change as we see fit for the EMH etc. We have however made a number of ADR throughout the two weeks. We did these on the 180 days mark due to there being 10 of us & wanting to get most of our reservations together for the main restaurants. We also know that there will be occasions when we won't be all together so have made some separate reservations for me, mum & sister (H).

On our last trip in 2014 we were fortunate enough to snag the QS dining plan for free in our package & this was our first ever experience of the DDP. We thought it was amazing and so convenient especially as we were there during the Food & Wine festival, however this time we are on the moderate dining plan which means so many more options for dining...which brings me toooooooooo Cinderella's Royal Table *does a little dance* we are suuuuuper excited that we bagged this reservation especially for the 10 of us! Now..I've heard mixed reviews about the food at CRT but I'm just looking forward to the experience. We also have Be our guest booked which we did go to before and loved!

We currently have the below restaurants booked:
Boatwrights dining hall
(First evening as it's easy on the resort but also we may take the boat to DS)
50's Prime Time
Be Our Guest (lunch and dinner)
Coral Reef (me mum & H)
Ohana
Whispering Canyon
Sci-fi dine in
Hollywood Brown Derby
Mama Melrose
San Angel Inn
Cinderellas royal table
Akershus princess lunch (we booked this for Niambh obviously )

Any comments on these would be greatly appreciated!!

We plan on visiting universal studios *shock horror* for one day during the holiday. We first did Universal IOA in 2014 however this day is now known as "Universal Gate" as we were rained out after just 3hrs in the park anyway... it just means we have plenty of new things to experience on that day.

So although we don't have much planned in terms of activities as yet, we will be looking at our fast pass options as soon as it gets to 60 days!

I hope this wasn't too boring & that a few of you are happy to follow along with my trip report when it comes to it!! I can't stop researching Disney EVERYTHING including how I'm having my nails done for the trip Pinterest is such a wonderful thing for planning a Disney holiday!!!!

So until then I'll leave you with my first PTR
View attachment 187153

 

[blreinsel]

Well there's a few reasons why i'm writing on here today....
1) Out t-shirts have arrived!!!!!!!!!!!
2) My customised ears have been shipped!!!
3) Its just over a month till D-Day
4) I'm craving a Flame Tree BBQ rib & chicken combo....

I think I've possibly read EVERY report there is going on here...Can some more people go please so that I have some new trip reports to binge read!?

I'm getting nervous about my trip report now! I need to buy myself a nice notebook from Paperchase & make sure I don't forget to make notes!!!

How does everyone else do it..? Notes on your phone...photos... notebook?

For my first trip report I took a pen and notebook and found myself taking very few notes because 1. It's difficult to write unless you're sitting down and 2. I never felt like taking the time to catch up on what I had missed throughout the day once we were back in the room for the night.

Last year, I took notes on my phone instead and I kept up with it much better as well as took better, more detailed notes. It's a lot easier to "text" while walking or waiting in line. So that's my preference.

 

[mlegerto]

Last year, I took notes on my phone instead and I kept up with it much better as well as took better, more detailed notes. It's a lot easier to "text" while walking or waiting in line. So that's my preference.

This is my selected way of taking notes as well - I tried the notebook way and failed miserably. I'd either not bring the book because I wanted to travel light OR I wouldn't bother making the notes because we were always on the move. "Texting" was a much easier way to keep track while moving about!

 

[*Flynnderella*]

This is my selected way of taking notes as well - I tried the notebook way and failed miserably. I'd either not bring the book because I wanted to travel light OR I wouldn't bother making the notes because we were always on the move. "Texting" was a much easier way to keep track while moving about!

Thank you both for your suggestions @blgauger (Sorry I haven't quite worked out how you quote two+ posts in one yet )

I think I might do rough notes on my phone during the day and re-write them on a night in a note book otherwise who knows if i'll be able to decipher my excited/waffling notes after two weeks!!

 

[mlegerto]

Thank you both for your suggestions @blgauger (Sorry I haven't quite worked out how you quote two+ posts in one yet )

I think I might do rough notes on my phone during the day and re-write them on a night in a note book otherwise who knows if i'll be able to decipher my excited/waffling notes after two weeks!!

That's a great idea! I did find that I had a few "mmmm? what the heck does that mean" moments when reading my text/phone messages LOL, so a more detailed recount once you get back at night would probably be a great idea! Let us know what you decide to do and how it works out.

 

[*Flynnderella*]

So here goes the update!!!!!! SINGLE FIGURES GUUUUYYSSS!!!!

I am SO ready for this holiday & after waiting 35849373662624802 million days from booking, I think I deserve it! And also the fact I came down with tonsillitis for the 4th time in as many months just 2 days ago fear not though...I'm dosed up to the eyeballs on antibiotics & paracetamol. I refuse to be ill in Disney world...!!!!!!!! That said...

...Final ADRs are:
Be our Guest (lunch and dinner)
Whispering Canyon
1900 park faire (breakfast)
Raglan Road
Chef Artsmiths (chicken with donuts?!? Totally onboard with that!!!)
Le Cellier
Kona
Coral Reef (myself, mum & sissy)
Cinderellas Royal Table
50's Prime Time
Crystal Palace (dinner)
San Angel Inn

And I think that's it!!
As always I'm last minute buying this weekend...now we've never been in May before so we aren't sure on the weather (hoping for tanning weather since we had all four seasons in one day in the UK yesterday ) but what factor suncream is sensible in the Florida sunshine in May?! I know my mum would said factor 50 sunblock however my sister would say carrot oil factor 0. So perhaps I'll go for middle of the road?

I still need to get a little notebook to make notes in on an evening or my trip report will be 4 lines long..."we had a great time..burnt after using carrot oil...forgot to make notes....bye" so this is a must purchase.

We managed to snag ourselves a good few fast passes such as the ever coveted Frozen (which is now completely gone for the 2 weeks we're there) And also a nighttime safari which I've heard mixed reviews about! Also mixed reviews of ROL but AK is my favourite park so it'll be so lovely to be there on a nighttime regardless!

I don't know if there's even anymore planning we can do...I've been on tenterhooks for a couple weeks now with nothing left to book ..so I guess all that's left to do is wait......(with work in between ) if anyone's looking for me in tabby the front door with my suitcase ready to be picked up!!!!!

And so I'll leave you with this giant of an update of me basically wittering on at you in an excited manner!!!!!!!!

Ciao for now

 

[amjt660]

So here goes the update!!!!!! SINGLE FIGURES GUUUUYYSSS!!!!

I am SO ready for this holiday & after waiting 35849373662624802 million days from booking,

Flynnderella
If I have told you once , I have told you a million times
Stop exaggerating!!

JK

Hopefully the drugs take care of the illness and you are feeling chipper and ready to go for WDW

Being a ginger (or at least I was before my hair started going white) I normally use 30 SPF

Have a great trip
Enjoyed the PTR and I am looking forward to the TR

Max

 

[kaitertot5249]

As always I'm last minute buying this weekend...now we've never been in May before so we aren't sure on the weather (hoping for tanning weather since we had all four seasons in one day in the UK yesterday ) but what factor suncream is sensible in the Florida sunshine in May?! I know my mum would said factor 50 sunblock however my sister would say carrot oil factor 0.

The sun can definitely get very strong in May at WDW. I remember that I got so badly sun-burnt at Disney in April one year and was in so much pain that I couldn't be outside for more than 15 minutes without feeling sick and getting flashes of heat stroke. I spent more time than I would have liked visiting the first aid stations

I think that 30 for days in the parks (maybe even 40) would be a good option as long as you're reapplying often, although you should do that with any SPF. I think that for days you are in the parks when you're less likely to remember to reapply you should load up on higher SPF but on days you are relaxing by the pool a lower SPF would be find as long as you're good about reapplying. SPF is definitely important, especially if you haven't been out in the sun regularly for a few months. And be sure to bring a hat and hydrate! Dehydration can also be killer when its hot.

The last thing you want is a sunburn to ruin your Disney trip!

 

[*Flynnderella*]

The sun can definitely get very strong in May at WDW. I remember that I got so badly sun-burnt at Disney in April one year and was in so much pain that I couldn't be outside for more than 15 minutes without feeling sick and getting flashes of heat stroke. I spent more time than I would have liked visiting the first aid stations

I think that 30 for days in the parks (maybe even 40) would be a good option as long as you're reapplying often, although you should do that with any SPF. I think that for days you are in the parks when you're less likely to remember to reapply you should load up on higher SPF but on days you are relaxing by the pool a lower SPF would be find as long as you're good about reapplying. SPF is definitely important, especially if you haven't been out in the sun regularly for a few months. And be sure to bring a hat and hydrate! Dehydration can also be killer when its hot.

The last thing you want is a sunburn to ruin your Disney trip!

Thank you for your reply We have all bought different factors and will mix and match depending on how hot it is!! I've had mild sunstroke before & it is definitely not something I would like to experience in WDW of all places. Is it just me or is AK the hottest park EVER!!??

 

[*Flynnderella*]

Flynnderella
If I have told you once , I have told you a million times
Stop exaggerating!!

JK

Hopefully the drugs take care of the illness and you are feeling chipper and ready to go for WDW

Being a ginger (or at least I was before my hair started going white) I normally use 30 SPF

Have a great trip
Enjoyed the PTR and I am looking forward to the TR

Max

Okay okay 357 days. But that is LOOOONNNGG enough!!
Thank you- I'm feeling much better after starting the antibiotics so fingers crossed ill be fighting fit for when we go!! No time to be ill in WDW!!!!

I think 30 is a good call for the first few days anyway!! UK never see's the sun so we're all basically as white as vampires!!! Will be nice to get some vitamin D!!!!

Thanks for following- I hope my TR lives up to expectations!!!!!!! See you on the other side!!!