PTR: A good way to occupy my time while waiting for our WDW vacation.

Alright I'll do it.
A trip report.
Well actually a Pre trip Report.
Either way a tough task especially with all the fine PTR and TR that are posted around here.

Here goes.....

The Players playahs!

The Daughter:

Disney 2011 457 by vpferro, on Flickr

The Son:

Disney 2011 455 by vpferro, on Flickr

The Wife & Shookie (Enzo):

Disney 2011 104 by vpferro, on Flickr

Funny I couldn’t find a picture of my wife where she didn’t look like she was being held captive.
I’m afraid if these were videos she would be blinking morse code with her eye lids
“Please….help… me..being…held…against…my…..will.”

Here is the last member of our family…the Pooch. She won’t be going to Disney but she will be holding down the fort and hanging with this squid while we’re away:

Untitled by vpferro, on Flickr


Anyway. Trip starts in T-minus 25 days. I’ve been filling the grand expanse between then and now, by looking at everyone else’s amazing trip reports and occasionally imparting my incredible WDW wisdom to help people make those REALLY tough decisions in such threads as:

“The Polynesian or Motel Six offsite ---Money is no object---- where should I stay?”
or
“Where to go for a romantic dinner Dinner – California Grill or Toy Story Pizza Planet?”

I have also been posting here and there bragging about how awesome my luggage tags are:

Oh yeah! by vpferro, on Flickr

How cool my MNSSHP tickets are:

MNSSHP by vpferro, on Flickr

Just found out the night we’re going is ‘sold out’ –I’m happy that we got in before the sell out, but I’m now I’m curious if ‘sold out’ means mobbed in the conventional sense of the word.

And cracking open our new luggage:

Break it in by vpferro, on Flickr



Other than that I go to work and stare at this computer screen all day long:

Untitled by vpferro, on Flickr


As far as plans – We are the type to squeeze every single moment out of our vacations. We park hop like nobody’s business and tend to plan around our meals and EMH. I used to have everyday planned out ahead of time – but now (with 6 consecutive years under our belts) as long as I have a half way decent outline we can kick the crap out of our WDW vacation. Here are the ADRs and any ‘written in stone’ plans we have for the week.

Have a gander:
Thursday 27th

· The Wave

Friday 28th

· Ohana

Saturday 29th

· Universal Day
· California Grill

Sunday 30th

· Universal Day
· MNSSHP (our first time)
· QS Dinner

Monday 1st

· QS Dinner

Tuesday 2nd
· Chef Mickey’s for Breakfast
· Garden Grill for Dinner

Wednesday 3rd
· Crystal Palace for Breakfast
· Yachtsman’s Steakhouse for Dinner



Other than the things we have planned above we have at least one visit to either Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon planned. Just not ot sure which park or which day.

We used to do the water park and more ticket option and hit at least 2 parks per visit but since squeezing 2 days at Uni into our vacations something had to give.

Ok so that’s it for now. I’ll chime in with updates or changes as my vacation gets closer and my stir craziness slowly takes a hold of me.

 

[Pooh Lover]

Loving the pre-trip! Looks like you've got everything under control...LOL. The ADR's look awesome...good choices. I really wish I could get my DH to go back to Blizzard Beach! Loved it. Can't wait to read more...keep it up!

 

[jesemeca]

I will be there the same time as you. We are staying at Pop Sept 28th-Oct 4th. Have a great trip. Maybe we will run into each other. LOL.

 

[wiigirl]

love the pics

 

[HouCuseChickie]

LOVE the squid. I wonder if our dog would like one...hmmm.

Hopefully, crowds won't be too bad for MNSSHP. Also look like really good dining choices

 

[disney1077]

Great pretrip report! Good dining choices. Your dog is too cute! Looking forward to reading the rest.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Yesss, a PTR!!!

So MNSSHP is sold out for the 30th?! Oh dear. That's not good. We went to MVMCP last November on a sold out night and it was packed. All the characters had pretty long lines. So did the rides. I hope this party isn't as bad!!

Love the dining choices. We will also be doing Ohana. Wanted to do Cali Grill after the awesome meal we had there in May but we don't have the time. We're trying Narcoossee's instead.

Hopefully our paths will cross in the parks!

 

[fractal]

Looks like a great plan of attack.

As a fellow father of teenagers, I am highly anticipating your trip report!

 

[ShookieJones]

Loving the pre-trip! Looks like you've got everything under control...LOL. The ADR's look awesome...good choices. I really wish I could get my DH to go back to Blizzard Beach! Loved it. Can't wait to read more...keep it up!

Thanks Pooh! We like both the water parks - sometimes TL is my favorite and sometimes it's BB! Now that we do Universal there's just not enough time in the day to get everything done.
The Water parks fun and more is a worth while option if you're going to do more than one day, but it doesn't work if you're only doing one park.

 

[ShookieJones]

I will be there the same time as you. We are staying at Pop Sept 28th-Oct 4th. Have a great trip. Maybe we will run into each other. LOL.

You know what I look like now....I'll have a WDWMagic pin on dragging two crazy kids and a wife blinking morse code with her eyelids...
Give me a shout!

 

[ShookieJones]

Yesss, a PTR!!!

So MNSSHP is sold out for the 30th?! Oh dear. That's not good. We went to MVMCP last November on a sold out night and it was packed. All the characters had pretty long lines. So did the rides. I hope this party isn't as bad!!

Love the dining choices. We will also be doing Ohana. Wanted to do Cali Grill after the awesome meal we had there in May but we don't have the time. We're trying Narcoossee's instead.

Hopefully our paths will cross in the parks!

Yeah - I wasn't real thrilled about reading that. It is our first experience with MNSSHP we were going to do it no matter what. It's funny that our date and October 31st are sold out? I think maybe your TOT race and Epcot's 30th are going to give us some decent crowds for that week. No worries we're kickin' those park's a$$es no matter how many people are there.

I don't think our Avengers idea is going to pan out - but I'll be looking for some crazy crayons at MNSSHP!

We had a really delicious meal, excellent service and a great view at Narcoseceeeeeeseesesesesesesesese (so many 'e's and 's' in that name) last May you will enjoy it.

 

[ShookieJones]

LOVE the squid. I wonder if our dog would like one...hmmm.

Hopefully, crowds won't be too bad for MNSSHP. Also look like really good dining choices

Yeah my son won it at six flags it's been our dog's best friend ever since...

I have my fingers crossed. One of the reasons we did the MNSSHP was to take advantage of the ride situation and hopefully have a bunch of walk ons but it doesn't look like it was meant to be.
We'll enjoy the atmosphere and parades - like I said I wanted to do this at least once anyway!

 

[ShookieJones]

Great pretrip report! Good dining choices. Your dog is too cute! Looking forward to reading the rest.

Thanks - I was apprehensive about putting one up with in-depth amazing work that everyone does around here on their reports!

 

[ShookieJones]

Looks like a great plan of attack.

As a fellow father of teenagers, I am highly anticipating your trip report!

Thanks! You know I'll probably have some similar comments and situations!
Also thanks again for the awsome DL | DCA report. I'm using as a selling point and inspiration to get the wife to agree to the long plane ride.

 

[ShookieJones]

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! I didn't think it was going to happen, but we found HULK for me..and Captain America for my daughter (although she said this one wasn't authentic enough for her and may end up going back).

Avengers assemble 2 by vpferro, on Flickr
We couldn't find an Iron man for my son and Thor for my wife locally and I didn't want to take a chance that they wouldn't get here in time, so I made them...ha!

Avengers assemble 1 by vpferro, on Flickr
Yes the arc reactor lights up...

So we're all set for MNSSHP.
I've never been a big dress up for halloween type of guy, but we're going to be in WDW. I'm going to give in and get into the "moment".

 

[Justin Doggett]

This pre planning is smart. What resort are you staying at i am going down on the same day as you . I will be arriving in Orlando on the 28th and leaving the 4th to head to the beach for 3 days before i start driving back. I have a question though is getting dinner reservations recommended for the time were going to be there. Personally i was just going to go to the parks and when i was hungry just stop somewere in the park and grab a bite to eat. Also were you only going to the the unviersal parks and no disney parks just curious if i should be looking out for the marvel club

 

[ShookieJones]

This pre planning is smart. What resort are you staying at i am going down on the same day as you . I will be arriving in Orlando on the 28th and leaving the 4th to head to the beach for 3 days before i start driving back. I have a question though is getting dinner reservations recommended for the time were going to be there. Personally i was just going to go to the parks and when i was hungry just stop somewere in the park and grab a bite to eat. Also were you only going to the the unviersal parks and no disney parks just curious if i should be looking out for the marvel club

We're at the CBR.
Dinner reservations are always reccomended and in the case of some Table service restaraunts absolutely necessary. However you will find many folks around here who still walk up to the busiest restaurants and still get in..if you don't mind waiting around a bit.
However you're going down during "free dining" so that may be a stretch.

If you're going to be doing quick service you'll obviously have no problems.

What's the marvel club? I haven't heard of that but it sounds interesting...

 

[Justin Doggett]

Weve decided to stay offsite and it would leave us with alot extra money to do things and go to keywest. I figured we would just eat whenever were hungry and just stop somewere in the park or outi when we leave Marvel comics are the guys your dressing up as

 

[Minthorne]

Man those shirts you made are awesome! You need to get involved with a local theater group making costumes! You missed your calling! You are going to have an awesome trip!! What a lucky family to have such a dedicated Disney Nut errr I mean Fan!!

 

[Foolish Mortal]

Yeah my son won it at six flags it's been our dog's best friend ever since...

I have my fingers crossed. One of the reasons we did the MNSSHP was to take advantage of the ride situation and hopefully have a bunch of walk ons but it doesn't look like it was meant to be.
We'll enjoy the atmosphere and parades - like I said I wanted to do this at least once anyway!

You'll definitely have a blast !! When I went to my 1st one I thought it would be a one time thing. I believe my next one (hopefully 10/4) will be #6. The rides are secondary. The parade with the Headless horseman, Hallowishes, Cadaver Dans (singin group in Frontieland), the woman sitting on the bench in front of Haunted Mansion, and oh yeah....the CANDY are the real must do's/see's.