Since I pretty much take any opportunity I can to talk about my upcoming trip to WDW these days, I thought, hey! I should post a pre-trip report. This will be my first one so I hope you enjoy!
The Cast:
Me: 27 years old female (despite the boy username) - newly married to a non Disney lover
(but it's cool, I have no problems going with out him!!).
Have had a love for Disney pretty much since birth. My first trip was at age 13 and was not able to return until I turned 21 in 2003. Since then I have been in 2007, 2008, and now 2009!!!!
My Mother: 55 years old, shares the love right along with me. She has been on every trip with me except for 2007 when I went alone while my fiance (at the time) had business in Orlando. However this will be the first trip with just her and I and I could not be more excited!
The Plans (tentatively):
I recently bought the book "The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World." I read it in about three days and since then have been typing out lists at each park for things I want to look for. The beauty of this trip is that it is just me and my mom. We have both been there a few times already and have seen most of what we would like to see minus some things here and there. So this trip is going to be awesome because we are going to be very laid back and really take the time to look at some of this "Hidden Magic." We are also going to try to hit some attractions we have not been on before. Everything else, we are not going to rush ourselves for. If we get to it, we get to it.
Sept 13th - Arrival and Magic Kingdom
Arrive in Orlando around 11 am. Hoping to get to POP by 1 and head off to the Magic Kingdom as soon as humanly possible.
Hoping to head straight back to Columbia Harbour House for our first counter service credit. Plus I am thinking we are going to be hungry.
Some attractions we are hoping to see that we have not previously been on:
Country Bears
Mad Tea Party
Dumbo (just for giggles)
Dinner is at Grand Floridian Cafe at 6:55 pm.
Here is the part of the schedule I am trying to figure out.
I am figuring we will be done eating around 8 - this is when Wishes begins. There is no way we will make it back to the MK to view Wishes, so I was thinking to explore the GF a little more and perhaps watch it briefly from their beach. However, the Electrical Water Pageant comes through at 9:15. Not sure if we want to hang out there that long to wait for it, but we have never seen it so we kind of want to at the same time. I would love to hear if you all recommend we stick around and wait.
MK has EMH till 11 and there are several rides I would like to try in the dark. So either we head back to MK after dinner and hit rides or we wait for the EWP and head back for only another hour of park time. Not sure yet!
Sept 14th - Animal Kingdom and Epcot
Heading to AK that morning. Was hoping to catch Flights of Wonder for the first time ever but have heard that this entire week it will not be showing.
We are really going to take our time on the trails this time and take some time to explore Dino Land a bit more. I will go on Dinosaur but I will have my eyes closed and my head in my mothers lap most of the time. Sorry but that ride scares the crap out of me and she just laughs.
Thinking of using our counter service credit either at Yak and Yeti (they have counter service right?) or Flame Tree Barbeque.
Will be in AK until it closes and then head over to Epcot for dinner at The Coral Reef.
Some Epcot attractions we want to see that we have not yet seen are:
Turtle Talk with Crush
Innoventions (just really want to explore it a bit more then on previous trips)
Reflections of China
Impressions de France
O Canada
Sept 15th: Epcot and Magic Kingdom
Will head to Epcot in the morning - really explore the countries and catch any attractions from above that we didn't get to the night before. Want to do Soarin first thing and bummed that Living with the Land will be in refurb.
Thinking we will use our counter service credit either at The Tangerine Cafe or Sunshine Seasons.
We need to leave around 3:30 to head over to AKL for dinner at Boma. Super excited to try this out, I have heard such great things.
This early dinner works out perfectly because we have tickets for MNSSHP this night. Once we are through with dinner and have explored the AKL a little, we will head over to get in for the party.
We are not dressing up although we think on one of the first days we will buy a hat to wear to the party. I am hoping to do a few more attractions in the dark that are on my list and watch the fireworks and second parade. Looking forward to searching for some villains as well.
Sept 16th: Disney's Hollywood Studios
Heading to DHS in the morning and going straight back for a FP to TSM. Looking forward to experiencing American Idol for the first time.
Not sure where to use our counter service this day but was thinking of trying The Backlot Express. I have heard to not go to ABC Commisary. (sp?) We have eaten at the stands near ToT before and did not think it was all that great.
We are planning on skipping Indy this trip and trying to see BatB since it has been since 2003 that I went to it. Will probably skip Narnia and the Backlot Tour as well. Will most likely hit up LMA since we did see it last year but it was stopped about 3 times during the show because of downpours. Hopefully we can watch it uninterrupted this time.
We will leave DHS around 4:30 and head over to the Beach Club for dinner at Cape May Cafe. Whether we walk around the lake or take the boat I am not certain. After dinner we plan on checking out the Boardwalk. Not sure how long that will take us but since there will be no point trying to get into any other parks since they will all be closed or closing soon, we may head to DTD for some shopping if it is not too late. I was hoping to get into the T-Rex for maybe just a drink after the dinner hours. Anyone know how possible this is?
Sept 17th: Not All Together Sure
For the morning we have the possibility of AK, DHS, or Epcot. I have not yet decided. Our only set plans are dinner at Kona Cafe at 5:20 pm. We will probably see how the last few days went and decide if we missed anything at any of the parks.
After we eat dinner we will head back to the MK for Spectromagic and Wishes since we will not have seen these yet (Except for the Halloween versions).
Sept 18th: Still Not All Together Sure
Another "free" morning where we have not a set plan. We will most likely choose AK, DHS, or Epcot once again and it will be one we didn't choose the previous day.
Dinner is at Chefs de France in Epcot and Epcot also has EMH this night so we will end our night there naturally.
Sept 19th: Magic Kingdom and Departure
I am extremely excited about this morning!!!!!
When I made ADRs my mom asked if we could get into the Crystal Palace. We have never been there and she really wants to go. I decided to tell her that no we could not get in. She really has no idea how the reservations work so for all she knows my word is the truth!
I made a breakfast reservation here for our last day and I am not telling her!!! She doesn't even think we will go anywhere on this day but home. Our flight is at 4:30 pm this day so I made an early reservation and am fairly certain we will make it back before the DME arrives.
The awesome thing is the other day I was at her house and was showing her my new Celebrations magazine. There was a really nice pic of the outside of the Crystal Palace and she said again. "I really wish we could have went there, do you think we can walk in and look around?" I was like "No probably not mom, sorry!" She is going to be so excited when we arrive in the MK that day! Now hopefully I can keep it a secret until right when we walk up to its doors. Not sure what you have to tell the CM's at the front gate, but maybe I can tell her to stay back and go and tell them what I am doing???
Anyways - we may have time for an attraction or two after breakfast so I hope to end with Pirates. Then we head back to the hotel and wait for DME to take us away.
Thank you for reading. I simply cannot wait!!
The Cast:
Me: 27 years old female (despite the boy username) - newly married to a non Disney lover
(but it's cool, I have no problems going with out him!!). Have had a love for Disney pretty much since birth. My first trip was at age 13 and was not able to return until I turned 21 in 2003. Since then I have been in 2007, 2008, and now 2009!!!!
My Mother: 55 years old, shares the love right along with me. She has been on every trip with me except for 2007 when I went alone while my fiance (at the time) had business in Orlando. However this will be the first trip with just her and I and I could not be more excited!
The Plans (tentatively):
I recently bought the book "The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World." I read it in about three days and since then have been typing out lists at each park for things I want to look for. The beauty of this trip is that it is just me and my mom. We have both been there a few times already and have seen most of what we would like to see minus some things here and there. So this trip is going to be awesome because we are going to be very laid back and really take the time to look at some of this "Hidden Magic." We are also going to try to hit some attractions we have not been on before. Everything else, we are not going to rush ourselves for. If we get to it, we get to it.
Sept 13th - Arrival and Magic Kingdom
Arrive in Orlando around 11 am. Hoping to get to POP by 1 and head off to the Magic Kingdom as soon as humanly possible.
Hoping to head straight back to Columbia Harbour House for our first counter service credit. Plus I am thinking we are going to be hungry.
Some attractions we are hoping to see that we have not previously been on:
Country Bears
Mad Tea Party
Dumbo (just for giggles)
Dinner is at Grand Floridian Cafe at 6:55 pm.
Here is the part of the schedule I am trying to figure out.
I am figuring we will be done eating around 8 - this is when Wishes begins. There is no way we will make it back to the MK to view Wishes, so I was thinking to explore the GF a little more and perhaps watch it briefly from their beach. However, the Electrical Water Pageant comes through at 9:15. Not sure if we want to hang out there that long to wait for it, but we have never seen it so we kind of want to at the same time. I would love to hear if you all recommend we stick around and wait.
MK has EMH till 11 and there are several rides I would like to try in the dark. So either we head back to MK after dinner and hit rides or we wait for the EWP and head back for only another hour of park time. Not sure yet!
Sept 14th - Animal Kingdom and Epcot
Heading to AK that morning. Was hoping to catch Flights of Wonder for the first time ever but have heard that this entire week it will not be showing.
We are really going to take our time on the trails this time and take some time to explore Dino Land a bit more. I will go on Dinosaur but I will have my eyes closed and my head in my mothers lap most of the time. Sorry but that ride scares the crap out of me and she just laughs.
Thinking of using our counter service credit either at Yak and Yeti (they have counter service right?) or Flame Tree Barbeque.
Will be in AK until it closes and then head over to Epcot for dinner at The Coral Reef.
Some Epcot attractions we want to see that we have not yet seen are:
Turtle Talk with Crush
Innoventions (just really want to explore it a bit more then on previous trips)
Reflections of China
Impressions de France
O Canada
Sept 15th: Epcot and Magic Kingdom
Will head to Epcot in the morning - really explore the countries and catch any attractions from above that we didn't get to the night before. Want to do Soarin first thing and bummed that Living with the Land will be in refurb.
Thinking we will use our counter service credit either at The Tangerine Cafe or Sunshine Seasons.
We need to leave around 3:30 to head over to AKL for dinner at Boma. Super excited to try this out, I have heard such great things.
This early dinner works out perfectly because we have tickets for MNSSHP this night. Once we are through with dinner and have explored the AKL a little, we will head over to get in for the party.
We are not dressing up although we think on one of the first days we will buy a hat to wear to the party. I am hoping to do a few more attractions in the dark that are on my list and watch the fireworks and second parade. Looking forward to searching for some villains as well.
Sept 16th: Disney's Hollywood Studios
Heading to DHS in the morning and going straight back for a FP to TSM. Looking forward to experiencing American Idol for the first time.
Not sure where to use our counter service this day but was thinking of trying The Backlot Express. I have heard to not go to ABC Commisary. (sp?) We have eaten at the stands near ToT before and did not think it was all that great.
We are planning on skipping Indy this trip and trying to see BatB since it has been since 2003 that I went to it. Will probably skip Narnia and the Backlot Tour as well. Will most likely hit up LMA since we did see it last year but it was stopped about 3 times during the show because of downpours. Hopefully we can watch it uninterrupted this time.
We will leave DHS around 4:30 and head over to the Beach Club for dinner at Cape May Cafe. Whether we walk around the lake or take the boat I am not certain. After dinner we plan on checking out the Boardwalk. Not sure how long that will take us but since there will be no point trying to get into any other parks since they will all be closed or closing soon, we may head to DTD for some shopping if it is not too late. I was hoping to get into the T-Rex for maybe just a drink after the dinner hours. Anyone know how possible this is?
Sept 17th: Not All Together Sure
For the morning we have the possibility of AK, DHS, or Epcot. I have not yet decided. Our only set plans are dinner at Kona Cafe at 5:20 pm. We will probably see how the last few days went and decide if we missed anything at any of the parks.
After we eat dinner we will head back to the MK for Spectromagic and Wishes since we will not have seen these yet (Except for the Halloween versions).
Sept 18th: Still Not All Together Sure
Another "free" morning where we have not a set plan. We will most likely choose AK, DHS, or Epcot once again and it will be one we didn't choose the previous day.
Dinner is at Chefs de France in Epcot and Epcot also has EMH this night so we will end our night there naturally.
Sept 19th: Magic Kingdom and Departure
I am extremely excited about this morning!!!!!
When I made ADRs my mom asked if we could get into the Crystal Palace. We have never been there and she really wants to go. I decided to tell her that no we could not get in. She really has no idea how the reservations work so for all she knows my word is the truth!
I made a breakfast reservation here for our last day and I am not telling her!!! She doesn't even think we will go anywhere on this day but home. Our flight is at 4:30 pm this day so I made an early reservation and am fairly certain we will make it back before the DME arrives.
The awesome thing is the other day I was at her house and was showing her my new Celebrations magazine. There was a really nice pic of the outside of the Crystal Palace and she said again. "I really wish we could have went there, do you think we can walk in and look around?" I was like "No probably not mom, sorry!" She is going to be so excited when we arrive in the MK that day! Now hopefully I can keep it a secret until right when we walk up to its doors. Not sure what you have to tell the CM's at the front gate, but maybe I can tell her to stay back and go and tell them what I am doing???
Anyways - we may have time for an attraction or two after breakfast so I hope to end with Pirates. Then we head back to the hotel and wait for DME to take us away.
Thank you for reading. I simply cannot wait!!
