Pre-Trip The Fab 5 Trip

It seems like I just returned from WDW and I am already gearing up to go back. I have found that future trip planning really is the best cure for the post trip blues!
Welcome to anyone who would like to follow in my next adventure

This trip will feature the number 5 in a few different ways-hence the title

Who: Myself (Erica), DH (R), DD (O-turning 5) and DS (Z-3). This will be our first time of just our immediate family visiting WDW together and I am really excited for it. We typically take trips with other family and friends so it will be nice to get a chance to focus on our kids and ourselves.
When: Early May (5th month)
Where: Split stay between POP and AOA, we have 5 day park hoppers
Why: Celebrating the 5th Birthday of our little princess

Last May, I surprised the kids with a trip. I considered surprising them again this time but when I went without them over New Years I had to let the cat out of the bag. They were perfectly content to stay home with the promise of a future trip. I have let them help with a lot of the planning but I do have a few surprises up my sleeve.

Here are is my favorite picture of all 4 of us from DHs last WDW trip in September 2016

And one from our DLR trip in November 2017

 

[aliceismad]

Not trip related but since I feel like I need a picture to jazz up this post, here is something I am working on in O's room.

So cute! Tsum tsums are my weakness, but that kakamora purse is adorable.

 

[ELeigh]

So cute! Tsum tsums are my weakness, but that kakamora purse is adorable.

I still need to comb through our collection because I know we have more that would fit in with this display. I am sad the Tsum Tsums seem to be phasing out

 

[skyphotographer]

Me and my family are going May 6-11.

 

[Dave B]

I still need to comb through our collection because I know we have more that would fit in with this display. I am sad the Tsum Tsums seem to be phasing out

Target has a ton of them always seem to be in stock

 

[aliceismad]

Target has a ton of them always seem to be in stock

My DD likes to pick out a mystery tsum tsum (the little plastic ones) as a special treat when we go to Target. We'll be sad if they stop making them.

 

[ELeigh]

Target has a ton of them always seem to be in stock

Thanks for the info., Maybe it’s just my target but they have not been getting new ones in for months. I will check other targets when I can.

 

[Dave B]

Check buy the registers, they seem to move them around all the time, the cloth ones had their own section in the toy section at Target and the individual surprise packs were at the registers

 

[ELeigh]

We are only 30 days out from our trip and I have been doing a lot of trip preparation

This week I paid off our hotel balance and finished our online check in for both hotels. The cast member on the phone said to be on the lookout for our Magic Bands but we haven't gotten them yet, we did get out Magical Express luggage tags yesterday though .

We have also started going through our summer clothes and seeing what still fits as our first time wearing them will be for our trip. I have had to do some shopping because Z has outgrown everything from last year.

Packing has taken over O's room and I have a chart of everything we need to pack and which bag it should go in to try and keep the split stay as easy as possible. Last year I went into the trip thinking I would bring enough clothes to avoid doing laundry but after the monsoons we endured we ran out of clean clothes. It was actually not that bad of a hassle doing laundry during the kids nap time (and a good time to catch up on trip reporting) so I will pack a little lighter this time around. The hats I got the kids during my January trip are coming along this time:

I have also started going over our plans with R so he can weigh in on food choices and also see which Flower and Garden festival snacks he would like to try (this will be my third F&G but his first). We still have 3 ADRs that we are 100% keeping-Ohana which is a top request of all 4 of us, Bon Voyage Breakfast which was requested by the kids, and Artist Point for the Snow White dinner-let's be honest I am the one most excited about this.

I am putting off measuring Z a final time before the trip because I know he's really borderline on 40 inch mark I would love for him to be able to ride Splash Mountain and if it looks like he has a good chance (it's going to be really close) then I may switch up some fastpasses because I made different plans for him and myself under the assumption he would not make the height cutoff. Please keep your fingers crossed for this child as he is Splash Mountain obsessed and wants to ride so desperately (but I'm not willing to do anything to cheat the height requirements-safety first and I am a paranoid mama)

The next few weeks are going to be quite busy for us. My sister (H-featured in my previous 2 trip reports) got O tickets for the 3 of us to see Frozen on broadway next weekend to celebrate her birthday. H lives closer to the city so we will be staying with her for the weekend and then we have O's actual birthday and her party for her school friends so I'm trying to get as much trip prep done before all that craziness begins!

 

[NessNewt]

We are only 30 days out from our trip and I have been doing a lot of trip preparation

This week I paid off our hotel balance and finished our online check in for both hotels. The cast member on the phone said to be on the lookout for our Magic Bands but we haven't gotten them yet, we did get out Magical Express luggage tags yesterday though .

We have also started going through our summer clothes and seeing what still fits as our first time wearing them will be for our trip. I have had to do some shopping because Z has outgrown everything from last year.

Packing has taken over O's room and I have a chart of everything we need to pack and which bag it should go in to try and keep the split stay as easy as possible. Last year I went into the trip thinking I would bring enough clothes to avoid doing laundry but after the monsoons we endured we ran out of clean clothes. It was actually not that bad of a hassle doing laundry during the kids nap time (and a good time to catch up on trip reporting) so I will pack a little lighter this time around. The hats I got the kids during my January trip are coming along this time:
View attachment 362269View attachment 362270

I have also started going over our plans with R so he can weigh in on food choices and also see which Flower and Garden festival snacks he would like to try (this will be my third F&G but his first). We still have 3 ADRs that we are 100% keeping-Ohana which is a top request of all 4 of us, Bon Voyage Breakfast which was requested by the kids, and Artist Point for the Snow White dinner-let's be honest I am the one most excited about this.

I am putting off measuring Z a final time before the trip because I know he's really borderline on 40 inch mark I would love for him to be able to ride Splash Mountain and if it looks like he has a good chance (it's going to be really close) then I may switch up some fastpasses because I made different plans for him and myself under the assumption he would not make the height cutoff. Please keep your fingers crossed for this child as he is Splash Mountain obsessed and wants to ride so desperately (but I'm not willing to do anything to cheat the height requirements-safety first and I am a paranoid mama)

The next few weeks are going to be quite busy for us. My sister (H-featured in my previous 2 trip reports) got O tickets for the 3 of us to see Frozen on broadway next weekend to celebrate her birthday. H lives closer to the city so we will be staying with her for the weekend and then we have O's actual birthday and her party for her school friends so I'm trying to get as much trip prep done before all that craziness begins!

Love those outfits! So cute.

Fingers crossed for a growth spurt!

 

[ELeigh]

Love those outfits! So cute.

Fingers crossed for a growth spurt!

Thank you His feet have grown a lot lately I feel like it may be a sign

 

[PacNWTigger]

Fingers crossed for a couple of extra inches for Z!!!

 

[Darstarr]

We are only 30 days out from our trip and I have been doing a lot of trip preparation

This week I paid off our hotel balance and finished our online check in for both hotels. The cast member on the phone said to be on the lookout for our Magic Bands but we haven't gotten them yet, we did get out Magical Express luggage tags yesterday though .

We have also started going through our summer clothes and seeing what still fits as our first time wearing them will be for our trip. I have had to do some shopping because Z has outgrown everything from last year.

Packing has taken over O's room and I have a chart of everything we need to pack and which bag it should go in to try and keep the split stay as easy as possible. Last year I went into the trip thinking I would bring enough clothes to avoid doing laundry but after the monsoons we endured we ran out of clean clothes. It was actually not that bad of a hassle doing laundry during the kids nap time (and a good time to catch up on trip reporting) so I will pack a little lighter this time around. The hats I got the kids during my January trip are coming along this time:
View attachment 362269View attachment 362270

I have also started going over our plans with R so he can weigh in on food choices and also see which Flower and Garden festival snacks he would like to try (this will be my third F&G but his first). We still have 3 ADRs that we are 100% keeping-Ohana which is a top request of all 4 of us, Bon Voyage Breakfast which was requested by the kids, and Artist Point for the Snow White dinner-let's be honest I am the one most excited about this.

I am putting off measuring Z a final time before the trip because I know he's really borderline on 40 inch mark I would love for him to be able to ride Splash Mountain and if it looks like he has a good chance (it's going to be really close) then I may switch up some fastpasses because I made different plans for him and myself under the assumption he would not make the height cutoff. Please keep your fingers crossed for this child as he is Splash Mountain obsessed and wants to ride so desperately (but I'm not willing to do anything to cheat the height requirements-safety first and I am a paranoid mama)

The next few weeks are going to be quite busy for us. My sister (H-featured in my previous 2 trip reports) got O tickets for the 3 of us to see Frozen on broadway next weekend to celebrate her birthday. H lives closer to the city so we will be staying with her for the weekend and then we have O's actual birthday and her party for her school friends so I'm trying to get as much trip prep done before all that craziness begins!

Frozen on Broadway

 

[ELeigh]

Fingers crossed for a couple of extra inches for Z!!!

Thanks! We measured and he’s super duper close with shoes on so we’re going to try him against the Disney measuring sticks but without getting his hopes up too much.

Frozen on Broadway

I am so excited! She doesn’t know what the surprise is but she said if it’s really good she will “freak out” so here’s to hoping she approves

 

[NothatDonald]

Sounds like it’s go to be a wdwmagic week. DW and I will be at POFQ from the 8th through the 15th. Getting close. Here’s hoping you and yours have the most magical trip ever!

 

[ELeigh]

Sounds like it’s go to be a wdwmagic week. DW and I will be at POFQ from the 8th through the 15th. Getting close. Here’s hoping you and yours have the most magical trip ever!

Thanks and same to you! Hoping for good weather and low crowds

 

[ELeigh]

Three weeks from today we will be starting our disney trip!

These babies arrived yesterday, as did these.

Split stay means double magic bands .
I am on spring break this week so I will be trying to tackle some more packing. The weekend was super busy and I am still trying to recover. We saw Frozen on broadway and O was in a transe during the show, she loved every second of it.

She even got a Birthday button from the Disney Store.
I have been making my list of Disney food that I want to try on the trip, if it involves fried foods + cheese I probably want to try it. I know I won't be able to try everything that I want so I have tried to make a list of priorities

For everyone else traveling in early May, the long range weather forecast is up. Not that it will be accurate but I like to have an idea of what to expect.

I would be perfectly happy with this weather as compared to last years almost constant rain.

 

[Darstarr]

I arrive to Florida on the 10th and will bring bad weather with me. Enjoy until then!️

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

I arrive to Florida on the 10th and will bring bad weather with me. Enjoy until then!

 

[ELeigh]

We are only a few days out and the kids are getting very excited for the trip. Our bags are mostly packed other than some last minute stuff. I am in the middle of Party prep for O's birthday party tomorrow but took a minute to get the kids airplane bags ready. Here is what will be in them:

I don't think I will manage a live report this time around I am going to try to finish re-reading the Game of Thrones books during downtime (I'm halfway through) but I hope to at least post a few pictures daily for anyone needing their WDW fix.

 

[MegRuss626]

We are only a few days out and the kids are getting very excited for the trip. Our bags are mostly packed other than some last minute stuff. I am in the middle of Party prep for O's birthday party tomorrow but took a minute to get the kids airplane bags ready. Here is what will be in them:
View attachment 369265
I don't think I will manage a live report this time around I am going to try to finish re-reading the Game of Thrones books during downtime (I'm halfway through) but I hope to at least post a few pictures daily for anyone needing their WDW fix.

We love us some Bingo and Rolly in our house! Have a magical trip!