Pre-Trip no boys allowed!

I wasn't going to start this quite yet, but I've reached a point in my planning that I need a bit of advice from the experts. So here I am. By experts, I mean people who go more often than once every 3-5 years and know shortcuts and tricks. @Tuvalu @Darstarr @ajrwdwgirl @riverside I know there are many of you, so I apologize for not naming all of you, but these were the names that came to me off the top of my head because I'm reading your TRs often.

The basics:
Who: My daughter (E) and me. My husband isn't a Disney fan and would rather spend the money on a gaming computer, which he did last Summer and told me I should take E on a trip with just the 2 of us because we have a similar travel style and both LOVE Disney and will get a lot more out of it than he or our son would. So...no boys on this trip. Just us girls. There may be appearances from a few other players, but we're not sure yet. My best friend Shasta might join us for a few days, my cousin C and her daughter L might pop in as well, and we'll be staying a couple nights with my friend D.

When: July27 - July 29th at Universal's Endless Summer Dockside Inn and suites
July 29th and 30th with my friend at her home in Kissimmee
July 31-August 14th at Disney's All-Star Music resort

Why?: Because that was the deal. My husband and A both got gaming computers so E and I get a Disney trip. And E is going to be a senior next year, but didn't want to do a graduation trip because she didn't want to be trying to do her senior projects while also planning a Disney trip, because she's a perfectionist and wants to focus on school. So we're doing a trip to celebrate her senior year!!

 

[BigDis]

Checking in and looking forward to following along.

 

[Swissmiss]

You might be at Disney when Food and Wine starts at Epcot. I think it started in August last year. And didn’t Halloween parties start in August too? Are you thinking of doing a Halloween party if it is going on while you are there?

Yes to Halloween party last year - we were at WDW 8-14 August and we went to the first Halloween party on 12 August. And I think that I remember seeing F&W booths on the day I went to Epcot.

 

[Songbird76]

I’m here.
I will be missing you, actually, you will be missing me by a few days

As for lunch or dinner ADR in the park. I usually prefer lunch to escape the summer heat for a bit. Just my two cents.

We decided to do lunch. Thank you!

And also, that totally sucks that we're going to miss you. Are you there before or after us? Are you there while we're at Universal?

 

[Songbird76]

You might be at Disney when Food and Wine starts at Epcot. I think it started in August last year. And didn’t Halloween parties start in August too? Are you thinking of doing a Halloween party if it is going on while you are there?

QS at Epcot can be a little off but Regal Eagle is good for BBQ, Mexico has some good empanadas. And while it isn’t quick service Spice Road table has some good stuff, I enjoyed a chicken thing there and the hummus fries are tasty.

That's exactly why we decided to go to Universal first and we aren't going as soon as vacation starts. In the past, we've flown out as soon as the kids were out of school. This time, I looked at the previous dates for food and wine and the Halloween party and if they dates held the same pattern, food and wine would start in the second half of July, and the Halloween party about halfway through August. I just looked it up to see if dates had been announced. If the page I found is accurate, food and wine starts July 15th and the first Halloween party is August 12th.

We do like the table service restaurants in Epcot, but we've done a lot of them and there are other places we want to try. We also want to do food and wine. We've done Akershus 3 times, we did garden grill last time, we always do via napoli, we did teppan edo last time, my husband and I did 9 dragons on our honeymoon. We've done biergarten several times. But we usually don't have huge appetites in the summer heat, so the quick service options just aren't appealing enough to make us want to eat. We've done the lotus blossom, sunshine seasons, liberty inn, which has been replaced by regal eagle, tangerine Cafe, which no longer exists. But there's nothing that is so exciting that we want to plan it in. If we are hungry, we'll look at what's available, we'd rather spend the money on food we're excited about. Food is a big part of our vacations. It's a break from cooking and a chance to get things we can't make ourselves and can't get at home. I've looked at the spice road table menu... Not my thing. I think I'd leave hungry. The hummus fries are not a draw for me, because I don't like hummus.

 

[Songbird76]

Hrmmm....I can't find any confirmation from Disney that those dates have been announced yet, so I don't think they are official. It did say 2023, not 2022....I checked that. But it doesn't look like Disney has actually said these will be the dates. Disney's page just says last years halloween party is over and to come back later for this years info. I would assume Disney's site would have it first, right?

Thanks to everyone following!!

 

[Darstarr]

We decided to do lunch. Thank you!

And also, that totally sucks that we're going to miss you. Are you there before or after us? Are you there while we're at Universal?

We are there before you…

 

[Laurenciaa]

Good choice since you can walk to Beaches and Cream from the IG at Epcot.


'Ohana is a difficult ADR to get, so I would plan it for the end of your trip (and make it the first ADR you book on dining day.) As for what park (MK or Epcot) MK would be most convenient for transportation purposes.


BB is closing on March 19 and there is no reopening date yet, so you may have to visit Typhoon Lagoon instead. Staff shortages means Disney can only have one water park open at a time. Hopefully this will change by summer!


Good plan.


There is also a bus from MK to WL.. The gate is very close to MK entrance. This is helpful should it be raining when you need to get to Artist Point and you won't have to walk outside (bus station and walkway are covered into the Lodge. The boat dock and paths are not!)



No. You must disembark at the TTC and walk down and back up another ramp to get to the Epcot monorail line.


Yes.


Not sure what you mean? None of the MK resorts are accessible by boat from Epcot. Boardwalk, Y&B, Swan & Dolphin and DHS are accessible by Friendship boats than run from Epcot.


DHS is always a zoo. Saturday should be fine.


Trying to predict crowds in summer (or any time really) is just a guessing game. "Lighter" crowds are relative. TRON will bring in extra people, but Rise and Guardians continue to do so even after having been open awhile. Make a schedule you and your daughter are happy with and then don't worry about it. Second guessing yourself adds stress you don't need. It's a vacation, after all!

Reading very attentively what’s spilled as info here for some planning in year far faaar away

 

[Wicked Sisters]

15 years is a LONG time!!! When do you go? I'm happy to give any advice you might want, but I'll admit there are others here MUCH better equipt to give it than I. I have only been there a handful of times, and always several years apart, so some memories fade a bit. Like, I remember being late to 1900 park fare because we waited too long for an Epcot bus, but couldn't have told you whether or not the Magic Kingdom is on the monorail resort loop. There are some true experts here, but I am not one of them!! But I'm sure I'll make many mistakes that you can learn from!

We are at Universal the 5/9 for a week and WDW 12/9 for 2 weeks at POFQ. We have been going to Disney since the 1980’s but stopped when our father passed away in 2009. Really enjoy reading the TR’s here as they are giving us good ideas for when we get there.

 

[Bullseye1967]

Food and wine starts July 15th. This looks to be a great trip!!

 

[Songbird76]

We are there before you…

If you are there when we're at Universal, I would totally take time out to meet up somewhere in DS or a resort. It would be so sad to be so close and not get to meet!

 

[dovetail65]

You may have mentioned it and I missed it because you have quite a bit thought out on your to do lists, but if I wasn't at Disney for that Long Hoop De Doo would be on my short list as a 100% must do.

The food alone is what many of the restaurants you list charge, but with Hoop De Doo you get the show. Of course there are some that just don't like the Hoop De Doo show, possibly that is the case, I never understood it and love the thing! Just a thought.

What are your projections for the cost of a uber or lyft for the entire trip?

 

[lindawdw]

I'm here!!!

Your restaurant selections look good!!!

 

[Songbird76]

You may have mentioned it and I missed it because you have quite a bit thought out on your to do lists, but if I wasn't at Disney for that Long Hoop De Doo would be on my short list as a 100% must do.

The food alone is what many of the restaurants you list charge, but with Hoop De Doo you get the show. Of course there are some that just don't like the Hoop De Doo show, possibly that is the case, I never understood it and love the thing! Just a thought.

What are your projections for the cost of a uber or lyft for the entire trip?

We enjoyed Hoop Dee Doo in 2019, but it's not a MUST do for us, especially for just the two of us. The food is fine, but nothing really special, so we'd rather use the money to try out something new, like Artist Point and Boma Dinner. Great thought, though! If we were there with the 4 of us, we'd do it for sure. My son LOVED it there. Our server managed to get him fries since he wouldn't eat any of the food they serve, and my husband LOVES ribs. The show is corny and fun! We had a great time, but E and I were talking about different experiences and agreed that this and Whispering Canyon are more fun if you have a larger group.

As for projections for ride sharing, I have NO clue. My husband refuses to use them, so I've never used one and have no frame of reference for how much it should cost, nor do I know how often we'll need it. We'll mostly be using the free Disney transportation to the parks and such, but if we're running late for an ADR, or we want to go somewhere outside the "bubble", we will need transportation. But that's not something we can really plan in advance...you don't know when the busses will take forever, or when you are just going to need a break and decide to go shopping at an outlet mall instead of the park. So we don't really have a set budget for that.

 

[Songbird76]

Next question:
Has anyone ever brought their own travel silverware set for use at festival booths? Any problems at security? Disney Food Blog recommends bringing a small tray on which to carry all your items because 2 hands often aren't enough. I got a tray last week, but I thought they also mentioned silverware because of course what they give you at the food booths is disposable, and thus not the sturdiest. I'm imagining cutting a bit of meat with one of those flimsy disposable knives, and I don't even know what they give you since they are trying to reduce plastics. I HATE that wooden silverware stuff that makes everything taste like a tree branch. So I'd like to bring my own, and I found a travel set in a pouch at IKEA, but it won't help if they confiscate it at security because it's considered a weapon, and I can't really steal silverware from a TS restaurant. So...can I bring in my own silverware?

 

[Bullseye1967]

Next question:
Has anyone ever brought their own travel silverware set for use at festival booths? Any problems at security? Disney Food Blog recommends bringing a small tray on which to carry all your items because 2 hands often isn't enough. I got a tray last week, but I thought they also mentioned silverware because of course what they give you at the food booths is disposable, and thus not the sturdiest. I'm imagining cutting a bit of meat with one of those flimsy disposable knives, and I don't even know what they give you since they are trying to reduce plastics. I HATE that wooden silverware stuff that makes everything taste like a tree branch. So I'd like to bring my own, and I found a travel set in a pouch at IKEA, but it won't help if they confiscate it at security because it's considered a weapon, and I can't really steal silverware from a TS restaurant. So...can I bring in my own silverware?

Security will not take your silverware, but you will be pulled to the side for secondary screening because the scanner will ping on it. They follow FL law Section 790.001(13), F.S. “"Weapon" means any dirk, knife, metallic knuckles, slungshot, billie, tear gas gun, chemical weapon or device, or other deadly weapon except a common pocketknife, plastic knife, or blunt-bladed table knife, except they don't allow a pocket knife or box cutter either.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Next question:
Has anyone ever brought their own travel silverware set for use at festival booths? Any problems at security? Disney Food Blog recommends bringing a small tray on which to carry all your items because 2 hands often isn't enough. I got a tray last week, but I thought they also mentioned silverware because of course what they give you at the food booths is disposable, and thus not the sturdiest. I'm imagining cutting a bit of meat with one of those flimsy disposable knives, and I don't even know what they give you since they are trying to reduce plastics. I HATE that wooden silverware stuff that makes everything taste like a tree branch. So I'd like to bring my own, and I found a travel set in a pouch at IKEA, but it won't help if they confiscate it at security because it's considered a weapon, and I can't really steal silverware from a TS restaurant. So...can I bring in my own silverware?

The plastic ware holds up pretty good at the festivals. I usually use the same fork and stuff until I'm done buying food at the festivals. I just wipe it off and put it in a little ziploc bag in my purse/backpack.

 

[Songbird76]

Security will not take your silverware, but you will be pulled to the side for secondary screening because the scanner will ping on it. They follow FL law Section 790.001(13), F.S. “"Weapon" means any dirk, knife, metallic knuckles, slungshot, billie, tear gas gun, chemical weapon or device, or other deadly weapon except a common pocketknife, plastic knife, or blunt-bladed table knife, except they don't allow a pocket knife or box cutter either.

Thank you!!! That helps a lot! If I pull it out of my bag beforehand, will that help? just like you would an umbrella or epi pen?

 

[Bullseye1967]

Thank you!!! That helps a lot! If I pull it out of my bag beforehand, will that help? just like you would an umbrella or epi pen?

That would be my advice. Take it out and hold it in front off you at arm's length when you walk through the scanner. We have to do it with our charger packs or we get to go to secondary screening.

 

[Songbird76]

Got my flights booked! I was dreading doing that as something always goes wrong at payment time....it won't accept my card, or it gets flagged as possible fraud, etc. Sure enough, it wouldn't accept my American bank card on a Dutch flight. And it wouldn't accept my Dutch bank card because it was over the daily limit. So 3rd time's the charm, and I was able to use my Dutch credit card and I'll just have to make sure to get money into the account by the end of the month. (Credit cards work differently here. It's attached to your bank account and whatever you buy, you have to be able to pay off at the end of the month or your bank account gets frozen until it's paid off. So you can't really buy things and pay them off over time)
I was also dreading the cost with everything being so expensive now because of the war in Ukraine. (Is that happening in the US, too? Or just in Europe?) So I was really expecting flights to be sky high. (pun totally intended) But it was cheaper than I was expecting, even having to pay extra for things like baggage, seat selection, etc. I went ahead and paid to select our seats. There wasn't much left and it was almost all middle seats, but I want to actually sit WITH my daughter, and I prefer an aisle seat so I don't have to climb over people when I need to get up and stretch my legs. So I got us an aisle seat and the middle seat next to it.

So I had to go for some pretty wonky times to make it worth it. I wanted enough time at our layover to get through customs, AND to pick up baggage and recheck it if we need to do that...some places do it for you automatically, but when we flew to Denver this summer, our stop in....Detroit? didn't. We had to get through customs, then pick up our bags, recheck them, go through security again, and we missed our connection by 3 minutes, ONLY because the customs guy was SOOOOOO slow. Other lines were getting like 5 groups through in the time he only did one. Otherwise we would have made it. But after that experience, I decided to err on the side of caution. We now have over 17 hours in Philadelphia. But we won't have to worry about time! And we arrive on the 26th of July at 9:30 am, so we'll have the whole day to get checked in to our resort at Universal, and then go grocery shopping, or take a nap, or whatever. Our first park day is the 27th.

Our last Disney day is on the 13th of August and we check out on the 14th. We don't fly out until 8pm, so we have time to pack up, go to Disney Springs, or whatever before we head to the airport. International flights require you to be there earlier than domestic ones, and I don't want to have to rush. It's a load off my mind to have that done!

 

[Songbird76]

Anyone know how far in advance I can book Behind the Seeds and Caring for Giants? Are those 60 days out like dining experiences? And are those offered daily?