Pre-Trip Saratoga Springs for 2 weeks, August 2016

This is my first pre-trip report, although I haven't written a trip report for our last trip in 2015 yet! Perhaps I should do that first!

We are going to Saratoga Springs for 2 weeks. We have stayed in the Polynesian a few times and absolutely love it, but it's getting more expensive every year. We decided to try Saratoga Springs, and are very lucky to have free dining for the whole 2 weeks! Perhaps we should stop eating until then. :D

There will be four of us, our daughters, who will be 19 and 15, DH and me. We are flying from Heathrow in London, and for the first time, we are not flying direct, as we got really good flight prices this way. We are stopping at JFK on the way over and Detroit on the way back. DH and I have been to New York, and the girls really want to go. We should have thought of this and had a few days in New York instead of flying straight to Orlando the same day, but we didn't think of it at the time. :banghead:

I have made all our dining reservations, although I may well change some before we go.

These are our plans so far...

Day 1: Arrive late at MCO, pick up rental car, drive to SS, get a counter service meal, and go to bed.

Day 2: Epcot, with breakfast at 8.15 at the Garden Grill, and then lunch at Chefs de France. We'll probably be asleep by 7.00pm, that's what normally happens on the first few days we spend in WDW!

Day 3: Magic Kingdom, with breakfast first at the Whispering Canyon Café, and then lunch at Be Our Guest.

Day 4: Hollywood Studios, no meals booked, we will get counter service somewhere.

Day 5: Epcot and dinner at 'Ohana.

Day 6: Magic Kingdom, and then dinner at Be Our Guest.

Day 7: Animal Kingdom, no meals booked.

Day 8: Hollywood Studios then dinner at Le Cellier.

Day 9: Possibly a water park, evening at Animal Kingdom with dinner at Tusker House and seats to watch the Jungle Book show.

Day 10: Magic Kingdom, breakfast at Be Our Guest, and dinner at 'Ohana.

Day 11: Animal Kingdom, breakfast at Boma and dinner at the Yak and Yeti.

Day 12: Magic Kingdom, and dinner at the Whispering Canyon Café.

Day 13: Epcot, dinner at Teppan Edo.

Day 14: Epcot, dinner at 'Ohana.

Day 15: Going home. :(
 

epcotisbest

Well-Known Member
This is my first pre-trip report, although I haven't written a trip report for our last trip in 2015 yet! Perhaps I should do that first!

We are going to Saratoga Springs for 2 weeks. We have stayed in the Polynesian a few times and absolutely love it, but it's getting more expensive every year. We decided to try Saratoga Springs, and are very lucky to have free dining for the whole 2 weeks! Perhaps we should stop eating until then. :D

There will be four of us, our daughters, who will be 19 and 15, DH and me. We are flying from Heathrow in London, and for the first time, we are not flying direct, as we got really good flight prices this way. We are stopping at JFK on the way over and Detroit on the way back. DH and I have been to New York, and the girls really want to go. We should have thought of this and had a few days in New York instead of flying straight to Orlando the same day, but we didn't think of it at the time. :banghead:

I have made all our dining reservations, although I may well change some before we go.

These are our plans so far...

Day 1: Arrive late at MCO, pick up rental car, drive to SS, get a counter service meal, and go to bed.

Day 2: Epcot, with breakfast at 8.15 at the Garden Grill, and then lunch at Chefs de France. We'll probably be asleep by 7.00pm, that's what normally happens on the first few days we spend in WDW!

Day 3: Magic Kingdom, with breakfast first at the Whispering Canyon Café, and then lunch at Be Our Guest.

Day 4: Hollywood Studios, no meals booked, we will get counter service somewhere.

Day 5: Epcot and dinner at 'Ohana.

Day 6: Magic Kingdom, and then dinner at Be Our Guest.

Day 7: Animal Kingdom, no meals booked.

Day 8: Hollywood Studios then dinner at Le Cellier.

Day 9: Possibly a water park, evening at Animal Kingdom with dinner at Tusker House and seats to watch the Jungle Book show.

Day 10: Magic Kingdom, breakfast at Be Our Guest, and dinner at 'Ohana.

Day 11: Animal Kingdom, breakfast at Boma and dinner at the Yak and Yeti.

Day 12: Magic Kingdom, and dinner at the Whispering Canyon Café.

Day 13: Epcot, dinner at Teppan Edo.

Day 14: Epcot, dinner at 'Ohana.

Day 15: Going home. :(

Saratoga Springs is a beautiful property. Hope you plan to spend a little time there and at Disney Springs. We just spent a week there.
 

minnie2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Great choices! We love eating at whispering canyon. We are staying at the Polynesian beginning of August, first time!

I'm sure you'll love the Polynesian. It's fantastic, and so convenient for the MK and Epcot. I love the theming there.
 

minnie2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Well, I've made quite a few changes since making fastpasses, so here is the revised plan.


Day 1: Arrive late at MCO, pick up rental car, drive to SS, get a counter service meal, and go to bed.

Day 2: Epcot, with breakfast at 8.15 at the Garden Grill, and then lunch at Chefs de France. We'll probably be asleep by 7.00pm, that's what normally happens on the first few days we spend in WDW!

Day 3: Magic Kingdom, with breakfast first at the Whispering Canyon Café, and then lunch at Be Our Guest.

Day 4: Hollywood Studios, no meals booked, we will get counter service somewhere.

Day 5: Epcot and dinner at 'Ohana.

Day 6: Magic Kingdom, and then dinner at Be Our Guest. (This has changed to dinner at Whispering Canyon Café).

Day 7: Animal Kingdom, no meals booked. (Changed to lunch at the Yak and Yeti).

Day 8: Hollywood Studios then dinner at Le Cellier. (Cancelled Le Cellier).

Day 9: Possibly a water park, evening at Animal Kingdom with dinner at Tusker House and seats to watch the Jungle Book show.

Day 10: Magic Kingdom, breakfast at Be Our Guest, and dinner at 'Ohana.

Day 11: Animal Kingdom, breakfast at Boma and dinner at the Yak and Yeti. (Cancelled Yak and Yeti and spending the evening at Epcot, with dinner at Le Cellier).

Day 12: Magic Kingdom, and dinner at the Whispering Canyon Café. (Changed to dinner at Be Our Guest).

Day 13: Epcot, dinner at Teppan Edo.

Day 14: Epcot, dinner at 'Ohana.

Day 15: Going home. :(


I've managed to get fastpasses for everything we want to ride, including Soarin', Frozen Ever After, the Mine Train and Splash Mountain. I love the fact that we can book a few months out. For the last few holidays, we didn't stay on property, and couldn't get such good fastpasses.
 

LisaBelle

Well-Known Member
Well, I've made quite a few changes since making fastpasses, so here is the revised plan.


Day 1: Arrive late at MCO, pick up rental car, drive to SS, get a counter service meal, and go to bed.

Day 2: Epcot, with breakfast at 8.15 at the Garden Grill, and then lunch at Chefs de France. We'll probably be asleep by 7.00pm, that's what normally happens on the first few days we spend in WDW!

Day 3: Magic Kingdom, with breakfast first at the Whispering Canyon Café, and then lunch at Be Our Guest.

Day 4: Hollywood Studios, no meals booked, we will get counter service somewhere.

Day 5: Epcot and dinner at 'Ohana.

Day 6: Magic Kingdom, and then dinner at Be Our Guest. (This has changed to dinner at Whispering Canyon Café).

Day 7: Animal Kingdom, no meals booked. (Changed to lunch at the Yak and Yeti).

Day 8: Hollywood Studios then dinner at Le Cellier. (Cancelled Le Cellier).

Day 9: Possibly a water park, evening at Animal Kingdom with dinner at Tusker House and seats to watch the Jungle Book show.

Day 10: Magic Kingdom, breakfast at Be Our Guest, and dinner at 'Ohana.

Day 11: Animal Kingdom, breakfast at Boma and dinner at the Yak and Yeti. (Cancelled Yak and Yeti and spending the evening at Epcot, with dinner at Le Cellier).

Day 12: Magic Kingdom, and dinner at the Whispering Canyon Café. (Changed to dinner at Be Our Guest).

Day 13: Epcot, dinner at Teppan Edo.

Day 14: Epcot, dinner at 'Ohana.

Day 15: Going home. :(


I've managed to get fastpasses for everything we want to ride, including Soarin', Frozen Ever After, the Mine Train and Splash Mountain. I love the fact that we can book a few months out. For the last few holidays, we didn't stay on property, and couldn't get such good fastpasses.
Your plans look great. You will be dining at some of our favorite restaurants. Glad you were able to get FP+ for Frozen Ever After! All the other FP+ you mentioned are my favorites as well. I will be following along!
 

minnie2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The postman has just been, and brought this

image.jpeg
image.jpeg
 

epcotisbest

Well-Known Member
@minnie2000 your schedule looks really good. Dinner at WCC was a good change. We love it. I hope you plan to spend some time at SSR and walking over to DS.
I have lots of photos of SSR in my trip report from May if you would like to see them.
 

minnie2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Since we live in Europe we don't receive things like this. Everything is ready to pickup in POFQ when we arrive... wish we had I like the way you get it :)

FlaggNL, we are in the UK! We didn't receive magic bands, just a guide book and some luggage tags! I still think of myself as European, despite the recent referendum results. I voted 'remain' and am not happy at leaving the EU.
 

minnie2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
@minnie2000 your schedule looks really good. Dinner at WCC was a good change. We love it. I hope you plan to spend some time at SSR and walking over to DS.
I have lots of photos of SSR in my trip report from May if you would like to see them.

Epcotisbest, I have already read and enjoyed your trip report! I'm sure we will go to DS. I have two teenage daughters who love shopping, although I hate it!
 

FlaggNL

Well-Known Member
FlaggNL, we are in the UK! We didn't receive magic bands, just a guide book and some luggage tags! I still think of myself as European, despite the recent referendum results. I voted 'remain' and am not happy at leaving the EU.

Ohw I mislooked :) You also get the magic bands in WDW.... wish we received them here in a box like the Americans do! I guess when coming closer to October we also will receive the guide book and luggage tags. You also booked with Disney UK?

Much more UK citizens are not happy with leaving the EU. But with or without leaving you remain a European :)
 

minnie2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We're back! We had an amazing holiday, and I can't believe it's over.

Jet lag is terrible - it's 4.25 am and I'm exhausted but wide awake - how can that be?

I will spend some time sorting out the hundreds, or possibly thousands of photos that we all took, and then make a start on my trip report.
 

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