Pre-Trip Our Furious Four Up-Coming Trip! Feb 2015

Ok, So now that I am officially at the 60 day mark, I thought I'd make my pre-trip thread. I'm am our family's certified official Disney freak so it is no surprise that I have done all the pre-trip planning. I have been mentally preparing this trip since our last and actually planning it since my husband caved in and said we could go again.

The History: I grew up Disney. Plain and simple. Growing up, I went with my family once a year every year of my childhood. I grew up on Disney movies, shows, specials and catchphrases. When I had kids, I knew they'd be 2nd generation Disney fans. My husband on the other hand, did not. He went once as a kid, too young to remember and then once as a young adult with my family and me. He does not understand why a family would want to keep going back to one place year after year "when there are so many different place in the country to see" Agree to disagree.

We last went to WDW in September 2012 with our two kids (then 2.5 and 1.5), my parents, and my sister. It was an amazing trip and everything went great. The best part was having the kids outnumbered. Everybody got some great "kid" time, "family" time and quality "adult" time. It took quite a bit of convincing for my husband to return so soon. His big draws were the food, a great price on airfare and accommodations AND the facts that our son is under 3 and therefore FREE.

( I figured I'd break this novel up and this looked as good a place as any)

But here's a picture of our last visit!

 

[Figaro928]

The Drama: No trip to Disney would be complete without a little pre-trip drama, right? Or is that just me?

Drama #1 - The Dates - Originally I had planned on visiting the 1st week of March. I got great airfare and a great WDW price and booked it. Then I did my research - big mistake. The 1st week of March had 8's and 9's for crowd levels. My husband HATES crowds and my two little ones aren't in school yet so it made no sense for us to go there. To change the airfare would have resulted in another $800 - yeah not happening. 2 hours on the phone with JetBlue and about a dozen emails later, I successfully and cheaply made the change over to the last week in February.

Drama #2 - The Future In-Laws. My brother is getting married on March 15th. To be nice, (lesson learned) I asked my future SIL if there was anything planned that we couldn't miss and that I should schedule around. Nice, right? Wrong. She basically told me she didn't want us going to Disney AT ALL because just in case ... Yeah.. I'm not big on "just in cases" and my trip was booked anyway, but not without a little added drama to the mix

Possible Drama #3 - On Christmas Eve (yeah, 3 days ago) My husband's sister told us that she was thinking of taking her family to Disney the same week as us and celebrate her husband's birthday. Here's the problem: I barely made it through Christmas Eve with these folks. Her and her husband fight CONSTANTLY and as a result, their kids are spoiled, wild, out of control brats with no authority figure. She caught me so off guard that I didn't know what to say, but this is NOT going to fly with me. I really REALLY hope she was kidding or dreaming because if she wasn't I'm going to put my foot down and say tough - I planned this vacation for months now for my family and my family ALONE.

Riveting drama, right? I'll keep you posted as I'm sure you're on edge waiting to see how this pans out.

 

[Figaro928]

The Cast:
Me : As said before, The Disney Freak of the family. A 30 something part-time-stay-at home mom
My Husband: Seriously- the best husband EVER and the "fun" parent. It's his birthday a week after we get back, so this is his "birthday trip" Yes, button and all! He says he's just in it for the food, and he'll never admit it, but he got a little misty eyed when our daughter saw the castle for the first time.
Grace: Our 4 1/2 year old ball of sunshine! Easy going, patient and so loveable. She was just under 3 on our last trip and did SO well. She still remembers tons from our trip and says her favorite ride is the "dolly ride" (It's a Small World) Here's a shocker : She LOVES Elsa...
BenBen : Our 2 1/2 year old ball of energy. Lots and lots of boy energy. Don't know what boy energy is? Put it this way - his nickname is Stitch. A lovable squeezable obnoxious furry ball of trouble that fears nothing, goes full speed nonstop, and is gross for the sake of being gross. And I wouldn't have him any other way. He is in the midst of being potty trained so our trip is either going to be two huge steps forward or backwards in that department.

This is where I envisioned pictures of my adorable family and our prior trip, but alas , I'm writing this up on my work computer and just don't have them. Trust me: my husband and I are lackluster but the kids adorableness far and away make up for it!

EDIT: Proof of cuteness

 

[LisaBelle]

Glad you were able to switch your dates. Hope your husband's sister doesn't push the issue. Big family trips can be a challenge even when everyone gets along. Looking forward to reading more about your plans!

 

[Figaro928]

The Details: Ahhh, the good stuff.....PLEASE feel free to comment on any of our choices and picks. The hotel and most of the restaurant choices are all new to us.

We are staying at Pop Century From February 25th to March 3rd. I requested a room in the 70s building. We got the Play/Stay/Dine discount which came with the DDP. We chose not to get the Park Hopper this time. We have a 7 am flight out of NY, so I am hoping to be settled and ready for the parks by noon-ish on the 25th.

Feb 25. Check in at Pop
Dinner at O'hana's
I made no Fast Pass Selections on this day because I'm still unsure if we are going to do a day at HS. I figure no matter what park we do, it will be a half day at most, and HS is only a half day at most to us. If we decide to go to HS, I will make the Ohana ressie for lunch and then spend the evening at HS (with Fantasimic) If we decide to skip HS all together, then we will go to MK and keep the original Ohana ressie

Feb 26 a.m. EMH at MK. The plan is to spend the entire day at the MK
Morning Fastpasses for:
Big Thunder Mountain - first time for my daughter, my son is 39 inches so here's hoping for some growth in the next two months
7D mine train - new to all of us!
Belle's Enchanted - the last time my daughter was Chip, loved it and still talks about it!!!

Dinner at Whispering Canyon Café (we will be celebrating the husband's birthday here)

Feb 27th - a Day of EPCOT (with EMH's for the p.m.)
FP+ :
TestTrack (again new to my daughter and hoping my son grows)
M&G with Mickey and friends
The Seas - I know a FP is so silly for this but the tiered selection was sort of a joke

Dinner at Beirgarten (the only restaurant we are repeating from last visit and the only my husband requested)

Feb 28th Every visit ever for me, AK has been a morning visit- not even a half day. This trip, it is my goal to really savor AK, explore it and enjoy it. (Especially since this visit we will be skipping Everest and Kali) We are going to try to make AK a full day park for us.
FP+ :
early FP on KS (side note - last visit Ben lost it on the safari - kicking screaming full temper tantrum. I was that mom with that kid, so I'm looking for a big redemption this trip)
It's Tough to be a Bug - first time for the kids & hoping it wont be too scary!
Dinosaur same, really hoping it wont be too scary.

BRUNCH at Tusker House. thank you to all who recommended the 10:30 time slot. If all goes as planned we'll get both breakfast and lunch!!

Mar 1st Full Day two at the MK
FP+ :
Peter Pan (just because it is NOT worth waiting for)
7D mine train (hoping my kids love it and want to go again but will change if they don't)
Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin

Dinner at 1900 Park Fare

Mar 2nd Our last full day & it will be spent in EPCOT.
FP+ :
Soarin' - again a first for my daughter & I think she'll love it
Turtle Talk
Journey into imagination ---- Again the EPOCOT FP's are laughable and I'm assuming these both should be walk on's

Mar 3rd. We should have a 4 pm DME pickup so the plan is to spend the morning saying goodbye to the MK
FP+
Elsa and Anna M&G (yess! snagged one! SO stoked that the kids will get to meet them)
Enchanted Belle - If Grace loves it as much as last time - if not we'll change it
Town Square Mickey Mouse - because why not?


OK so what do you think??!!

 

[Figaro928]

Glad you were able to switch your dates. Hope your husband's sister doesn't push the issue. Big family trips can be a challenge even when everyone gets along. Looking forward to reading more about your plans!

Thanks for reading!!! As much as I'm excited about going, I think I'm equally excited about putting the plans down on paper. It makes it that much closer and real!!!

I'm really hoping it was just the Christmas wine talking and she wasn't serious. I am going to need one serious game plan if they do decide to tag along. Like, completely avoiding them and their misery.

 

[Tuvalu]

Two comments~
'Ohana is not open for lunch; it is breakfast and dinner only.

No way would I take little kids into It's Tough To Be a Bug. Made that mistake with mine (at 7 and 10) freaked them both out, and to this day as young adults they will NOT venture inside.

I did the attraction solo last month for the first time in years and it creeped me out. Never again.

 

[Figaro928]

My Bucket List: Our last trip, for me anyway, was to just introduce the kids to WDW. We didn't do too much and maybe did about 50% of the things in each park. This time, my goal is to do the things we #1 didn't do on our last visit and #2 haven't done at all or in a very long time. Here is my Bucket List broken down by park:

Animal Kingdom:

• Do both trails and EXPLORE EXPLORE EXPLORE!!
• go to Rafiki's planet watch
• Venture inside Hester and Chester's - play in the dino play yard
• See Nemo (can't believe I never did this)
• maybe do the wilderness explorer game
• eat a white elephant cupcake

Epcot

• Captain Eo - never saw it
• See At least Cananda's film - maybe CHina and France's too
• Eat a pastry from france
• Eat a QS in Morocco
• have my kids taste Beverly - because I'm evil like that

Magic Kingdom

• Play the Kingdom Game - it always looking intriguing but we never had the time
• Go to Tom Sawyer's Island - never did it, even when I was little
• Meet Gaston
• FOF Parade
• Eat at Be our Guest for lunch
• and Columbia Harbor house
• Monster's Laugh Floor only because I never did it
• Meet stitch - is he still in Tomorrow Land?

 

[Figaro928]

Two comments~
'Ohana is not open for lunch; it is breakfast and dinner only.

No way would I take little kids into It's Tough To Be a Bug. Made that mistake with mine (at 7 and 10) freaked them both out, and to this day as young adults they will NOT venture inside.

I did the attraction solo last month for the first time in years and it creeped me out. Never again.

Thanks for the info - the idea of HS is becoming more and more unlikely. If I keep my 5:20 dinner ressie at Ohana's, there no chance ever that I'd make it to Fantasmic on time, right? what if I made a 4:30 res? One of the only draws to going to HS is seeing Fantasmic. If it's too much of a hassle then it's just not worth it to us.

Thanks for your input on ITTBAB, It's been years since I visited it and couldn't remember. All I remember was the stings to your back and butt and just figured they sit on my lap. If it is freaky enough to scare away a 7 & 10 year old no way I'm taking my 2 & 4 year olds. Again, Thanks for the input!

 

[Figaro928]

Still Up For Debate:

Well, it's 60 days away and everything is not completely set in stone (What kind of Disney Fan am I?)

The Great Stroller Debate: Last visit when the kids were 1.5 and 2.5 we rented a double wide from Kingdom Strollers (great company- highly recommend) It became more of a pain than a help. Here's why: My kids aren't stroller kids. From the time they were babies they never spent much time in a stroller. What did both kids do? Run around or be carried. The only time the stroller came in handy was the one day they fell asleep. That was it. other than that, it was a cumbersome wheeled luggage that held our diaper bag and drinks. It was a pain to get on and off the Disney buses and to store in our hotel room. Honestly, if there weren't 5 adults helping out taking turns holding the kids, chasing the kids, carrying the kids and pushing the stroller, parking the stroller, retrieving the stroller I'm not sure how we would have survived. That being said, a giant double stroller is out for us. However, I do think we still need some stroller for sleepy times, cranky times, eating-ice-cream-on-the-go-times. We have a light weight single stroller that I love and intend to bring. But it's a single.... Anyone with two kids out there? Raise your hand if you know what I'm going to say.... If one wants something, they both want it. I can guarantee the nanosecond that one decides the need to sit they both are going to want to sit.

In the fall, we visited the Bronx Zoo - which has just as much walking as Disney and is just as long of a day. There, I just brought the one single stroller and they either took turns or with it reclined they both sat in it relatively comfortable. But I worry that 7 days in Disney should require a little more than "relatively comfortable" Perhaps they should each have their own stroller. Perhaps bring two umbrella strollers - but then both my husband and I will be pushing around a stroller all day - probably sans kid. We will both have to get a stroller onto a bus, both park, both retrieve ... the whole thing sounds unappealing. lol - I mostly figure no matter what I decide to do it will be the wrong decision and I'll be cursing myself as to why I didn't go with the other plan.

Wishes Dessert Party vs The Pirate Cruise vs nothing extra at all

I would love to do the Wishes Dessert Party but the kids may not love the fireworks, freak out and we stay in the bathroom of the restaurant the whole time....could book that week I guess.....

I would love to do the Pirate Cruise but we are going in February and if it's freezing it'll be less than enjoyable....could book that week I guess...

We could do no extras, keep my budget-conscience husband happy and the kids would be none the wiser too... but that just seems way too practical for me...

 

[Doc Disney]

Sounds like some really great plans! I will be there with my family the same time

 

[Zipadeelady]

Your plans sound great! When you go to Rafiki's Planet Watch go to the bathrooms. They have the funniest signs to read. My son was 10 at the time and he thought it was hilarious. Yours are a little young to appreciate bathroom humor but you may enjoy it or at least your husband might.

I have to disagree with @Tuvalu about Ittbab. Just walking through the tree is amazing. I don't think it's scary just a little creepy if you have issues with bugs. but that's just my opinion.

We just had a chance to go to Tom Sawyer island for the first time this past September and we thought it was so amazing. Such a great place to take the kids to go slow and explore with out crowds. Our kids are older now and I'm so disappointed in myself for not taking them when they were younger. They would have loved it.

And lastly I also have an evil streak and gave my son Beverly..... he ended up liking it.

Not the reaction I was looking for.

 

[disneypearl]

Sounds like great plans to me! I am glad you were able to change your dates as it should be much slower at that time. Don't mention your trip to your husband's sister again, and hopefully she won't bring it up either. Maybe she was just talking because there isn't too much time left before your trip begins.

 

[Figaro928]

Your plans sound great! When you go to Rafiki's Planet Watch go to the bathrooms. They have the funniest signs to read. My son was 10 at the time and he thought it was hilarious. Yours are a little young to appreciate bathroom humor but you may enjoy it or at least your husband might.

I have to disagree with @Tuvalu about Ittbab. Just walking through the tree is amazing. I don't think it's scary just a little creepy if you have issues with bugs. but that's just my opinion.

We just had a chance to go to Tom Sawyer island for the first time this past September and we thought it was so amazing. Such a great place to take the kids to go slow and explore with out crowds. Our kids are older now and I'm so disappointed in myself for not taking them when they were younger. They would have loved it.

And lastly I also have an evil streak and gave my son Beverly..... he ended up liking it.
View attachment 77758

Not the reaction I was looking for.

Thanks - with a 4 year old, I think we will be checking out every single restroom in the World, but I will def make it a point to check that one out. I think ITTBAB is going to be a crap-shoot. When I get a chance I'll watch a video of the attraction and see if it is doable. Then the day of I'll have to access the kids and see how adventurous they are.

And I think Tom Sawyer's island is what I'm most excited about. It'll be new to all of us and I think the kids will have a blast.

 

[Figaro928]

Of course there would be changes... of course

My husband LOVES breakfast and was bummed when i told him we were only doing one TS breakfast. Also when we went with my family before marriage - Scott's first trip as an adult - we ate 'Ohana's the very last night. We were on the "good DDP" (when an app and tip were included) and ate ourselves sick that trip. By the time we got to 'Ohana's, we barely ate. So with not so pleasant memories of the place, my husband was also not jumping for joy that wwe were doing dinner there again. (Tried to show him pictures of the bread pudding to no avail) So we compromised.

I pushed Whispering Canyon Cafe to the first day for dinner. Then we are having breakfast at "Ohana's the second day (Feb 26th) The 26th is an EMH MK a.m. So I made a 10:00 ressy for a 'Ohana breakfast. THe plan is to get to the MK for the 8 am opening, then head over to the Poly for a leter breakfast. Here's hoping it works!!!


Also, we are absolutely going to do DHS the first day we get there. I managed to get TSMM FP, plus a Star Tours and Disney Junior Live. So now the plan is that we will spend the better part of the afternoon at DHS before heading over to The Wilderness Lodge for dinner. Then we may try to watch the Wishes fireworks for eith the beach of WL or the TTC.

 

[Zipadeelady]

I gotta ask... What the heck is your avatar picture? I'm a little confused.

 

[Tuvalu]

I gotta ask... What the heck is your avatar picture? I'm a little confused.

I got it!! It is the polar bear from Maelstrom dressed as Elsa! Love it!!

 

[Zipadeelady]

I got it!! It is the polar bear from Maelstrom dressed as Elsa! Love it!!

That's good!!

 

[Figaro928]

I got it!! It is the polar bear from Maelstrom dressed as Elsa! Love it!!

You got it!! Random enough, I found the on a Disney Instagram and LOVED IT - i asked the user if i could use it and they said yes. Then a week later a a wdwmagic user said they had made it and was confused where i got it, but was happy that I was using it. I was looking for the convo that i had with him to give him props, but can't find it. To the WDWmagic user, whom ever you may be, that made my avatar - Thank you!!!!!

 

[BigRedDad]

Going to WDW with people you do not want to be around is not good. It is not a cheap vacation and you do not want that to be wasted with people you do not want to be around. If they insist on going, inform them that you can meet up for short periods, maybe a dinner. I did this family thing once and it ended after Day 1. I am not in the camp of lets wake up, sit around and do nothing for 3 hours, take 2 hour showers, then at 1PM decide to maybe have lunch, 3PM think about maybe going to a park, and then arguing for 2 hours which one to go to. After that day, we told them where WE were going, what WE were doing, and what time all of us can meet. It was a difficult time for me personally, it was a trip that wound up being almost $1,000 per day for our family, crowds were horrible, and dealing with others was painful.

We are headed down the 1st week of Feb and I think crowds will be lighter than the trip we had 2 weeks ago.