Pre-Trip The More Magic & Less Mayhem (hopefully) Pre-trip Report

It’s Official!!! The Hoping for More Magic, Less Mayhem Pre-trip Report-

Well, it is April and I once again have a Disney vacation on the books as I like to call it!

And... it is in Hurricane season. (Again)

For those that read last year’s report you will remember it took us over 15 hours to get home during the great nightmare that was Irma. We have been that same time of year in 2007, 2008, 2014 and 2015. I swore, after that, I would not go back in September. Well, I lied. So here I am, the person that lives for summer, sunshine, and the pool- counting down the end of Summer. Go figure! (P.S. - will warm weather ever arrive? I was already able to get in the pool this time last year, I booked the dang trip in the pool!) If a Hurricane does show up, I am staying. No way would I drive thru that mess again.


With that, I will move onto the specifics-

The cast-
Me (Disneyshe)
Hubby- DisneyB
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When- 9-3-9/10

We usually go close to our anniversary August 28th, but the crowds drop on Labor Day and after so we decided to arrive on Labor Day this year instead of before.

Where?

Coronado Springs Resort!

This was actually very funny because we planned Deluxe and had decided on Beach Club- then I read @bee trip report and seeing the pictures, I wanted to go back to what,in all reality, is my favorite resort. Don’t get me wrong I love, love Beach Club and would love to stay there and we will next time- but I feel like Coronado is going to change so much, that I wanna have one more go at it. I loved Old Key West’s accommodations and it is beautiful but I love walking at Coronado. It is the best resort for that at night IMO. I simply love it! So thank you Bee, had it not been for your pictures, I would have not chosen it again this year.

Dining reservations are exactly, basically the same we do every year. (Creatures of habit, we are) We have eaten at so many places, and to be honest, we know our favorites and tend to stick with them now. Being the smart planner I am- I made all my ressies as soon as I could (180) in case we would be able to go.

They are- Ohana twice- because it is that good!

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Cape May- twice lol because really? Crab Legs!!
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BoG- excited to try new menu

Mama Melrose- way underrated IMO and of course, Fantasmic seating.
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And- Maya Grill
I love their food and I love spending an evening just walking around the resort and watching fireworks. Not to mention, Bunny watching. Those that have read my other reports will know I am a rabbit freak! If not, to catch you up- I have two house rabbits, that are cage free (except while we are on vacation) and litter box trained. I simply adore them and miss them like crazy when I am gone. I swear somehow Disney rabbits know that and seek me out. At least that is what I believe, so don’t spoil it for me lol.

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Also on dining notes, we are hoping for free dining because we love it! We will see, if not we will pay for it because it just works out for us.

Food & Wine Festival will be amazing again, we love going during it. The only thing I am a bit worried about is I, after all these years developed a Gluten allergy. :( Some things I can tolerate in moderation. Bread, crackers are not one of them though. I love bread too which stinks. The good news though I lost the extra weight I carried last year and look like me again!

The one thing that we absolutely decided not to do again is MNSSHP. Again for those that have read my previous reports- you know how much I loved this event and making costumes. I was heartbroken last year when it was a washout. I had wanted to go back with my son sooo bad and make him the best Captain Jack costume on the planet. I feel like I succeeded in that but was heartbroken it went so South, so quick. Starting with realizing all of the accessories I so painfully and carefully made fell out of the car somewhere. I had a Clark Griswold meltdown, fit basically after the monsoon. Anyway, that was something that I would never do without him. My heart just would not be in it.
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I LOVE that boy. He is a man and a daddy but he will always be my boy.

It would be completely awesome if Club Villain came back but I am not counting on it.
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We did the Backstage Magic tour in 2015 and may do it again but most likely will do Keys to the Kingdom to do something new. It is such much to take in doing the Backstage tour that I would love to do it again though. I was so shellshocked and amazed I don’t think I could absorb everything.

We always tweak and change as we go along but with that.....

Let the countdown and tweaking begin!!!!!!!!!

134 days! I am gonna miss my grandbaby though!
I wish he could go, he is obsessed with Toy Story and Mickey but we are looking forward to having an adult trip again. **Gosh, I have grown a little, haven’t I? Lol

And speaking of Toy Story... I can’t wait to see the land. I love Toy Story. I am disappointed they did not redo Pizza Planet but still very excited to see it, in all it’s crazy crowds. :-/
 

LeighM

Well-Known Member
Excited to read more about your trip! My husband and I have always stayed at Riverside but last month we stayed at Coronado. We loved the renovated rooms. So much storage space!!!! I wasn't a fan of the tower as it seemed out of place at the resort. But I would love to see everything once it's completed. And 'Ohana!! My favorite restaurant on property lol. We're staying at WDW next year before the cruise just so we can have dinner at 'Ohana again LOL.
 

DisneyGigi

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Excited to read more about your trip! My husband and I have always stayed at Riverside but last month we stayed at Coronado. We loved the renovated rooms. So much storage space!!!! I wasn't a fan of the tower as it seemed out of place at the resort. But I would love to see everything once it's completed. And 'Ohana!! My favorite restaurant on property lol. We're staying at WDW next year before the cruise just so we can have dinner at 'Ohana again LOL.
I don’t think I will like the Tower either. It doesn’t fit the resort at all I don’t think. Probably the biggest reason I want to go back one more time. We loved the Cabanas too. I hate the whole 9 buildings are gone now. ‘Ohana is amazing, we do it day one and the last day. I eat until I am sick. Gonna miss the noodles, bread, bread pudding, and dumplings tho!!! :( :(
 

krisri18

Well-Known Member
Sounds like a fun trip! I'll keep my fingers crossed that the hurricanes stay clear!
I have a gluten allergy as well and I still love Ohana, although I never had dinner there before my allergy so I don't really know what I'm missing. They bring gluten free rolls (but why fill up on that), rice instead of noodles usually, and a special dessert. I promise it is still good!!
 

riverside

Well-Known Member
I don’t think I will like the Tower either. It doesn’t fit the resort at all I don’t think. Probably the biggest reason I want to go back one more time. We loved the Cabanas too. I hate the whole 9 buildings are gone now. ‘Ohana is amazing, we do it day one and the last day. I eat until I am sick. Gonna miss the noodles, bread, bread pudding, and dumplings tho!!! :(:(
My mom & sister have the gluten allergy. I can ask them what was on the allergy menu for 'Ohana.

My mom always says how impressed she is with how well Disney handles food allergies. My mom is pretty sensitive & gets
really sick if she comes in contact with it & she's never once had a problem there. Pretty impressive considering how much food they are handling on any given day. Even if the gf food is being made in a separate area I still worry that there is a chance of cross contamination but they have never had a negative experience which is awesome!!
 

DisneyGigi

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Sounds like a fun trip! I'll keep my fingers crossed that the hurricanes stay clear!
I have a gluten allergy as well and I still love Ohana, although I never had dinner there before my allergy so I don't really know what I'm missing. They bring gluten free rolls (but why fill up on that), rice instead of noodles usually, and a special dessert. I promise it is still good!!
My mom & sister have the gluten allergy. I can ask them what was on the allergy menu for 'Ohana.

My mom always says how impressed she is with how well Disney handles food allergies. My mom is pretty sensitive & gets
really sick if she comes in contact with it & she's never once had a problem there. Pretty impressive considering how much food they are handling on any given day. Even if the gf food is being made in a separate area I still worry that there is a chance of cross contamination but they have never had a negative experience which is awesome!!

So insane how something can just hit in your mid 40s. :( It is instant with me if it is bread, cakes, cookies and such. I had some potatoes that had apparently a light coating fried, and it did not bother me too bad. Had no idea it had flour on it. Not something I would want to chance in a theme park tho! 😱 I had no idea they had rice. I guess I should probably add the gluten free to my reservations. As long as the shrimp has no flour coating, which I don’t think it would, I will be happy! Nothing I have ever had to think of before. Thank you guys for the info!
 

krisri18

Well-Known Member
So insane how something can just hit in your mid 40s. :( It is instant with me if it is bread, cakes, cookies and such. I had some potatoes that had apparently a light coating fried, and it did not bother me too bad. Had no idea it had flour on it. Not something I would want to chance in a theme park tho! 😱 I had no idea they had rice. I guess I should probably add the gluten free to my reservations. As long as the shrimp has no flour coating, which I don’t think it would, I will be happy! Nothing I have ever had to think of before. Thank you guys for the info!
The meats and shrimp are safe!
I used to be able to tolerate small amounts, but every year that I dont have gluten, my tolerance gets lower and lower!
 

LeighM

Well-Known Member
I don’t think I will like the Tower either. It doesn’t fit the resort at all I don’t think. Probably the biggest reason I want to go back one more time. We loved the Cabanas too. I hate the whole 9 buildings are gone now. ‘Ohana is amazing, we do it day one and the last day. I eat until I am sick. Gonna miss the noodles, bread, bread pudding, and dumplings tho!!! :(:(

I'm surprised we didn't actually get sick. My sister in law and I actually ate most of the noodles. My husband was in the zone and actually ordered a second plate of noodles, dumplings, and wings. We asked for a little, but Ohana doesn't know the word lol, so we got a big plate of those. We didn't want the food to go to waste so we put a big dent in the second plate as well. But we couldn't finish bc we were still trying to save room for the bread pudding. We sat at the table for a long time after that because all of us were afraid to move!!! We also do Ohana the first day. When my husband and I went in 2016, we had it scheduled for the last day but it was cancelled because of Hurricane Matthew. It took a while for my husband to recover so he demanded we do it the first day this time lol. But I had a second reservation in the middle of the trip as well just in case our flight was delayed the first day. I learned my lesson in 2016 - the husband must have Ohana!! :joyfull:
 

DisneyGigi

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Well yay!!!! I got free dining but had to book another reservation because I could not get through on the phone. Complicated but I wanted the dining!! I feel so sorry for the Cast working the phones today.
So that got me excited and I was looking up gluten-free at Disney. I had not even thought about alcohol. I like to drink at the World, especially at Food & Wine. So happy to see a Grand Mariner is gluten free. I guess I won’t be having a Schoferhoffer though. :( I really have to do my research on drinks before we get there. So crazy all of the sudden having to think about stuff like that.

131 to go!
 

krisri18

Well-Known Member
I haven’t had any mixed drinks since it started just Ciders and red wine hasn’t bothered me. White did but may have just been a coincidence.
Drinks can be tough, I generally stick with cider except for Disney. I'm willing to branch out and research the liquours and things while I peruse menus.
 

DisneyGigi

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks for the tag! I hope you love Coronado even though it's under construction! There are still plenty of paths to take a relaxing walk, and the refurbed rooms are gorgeous!
I really wanted to go one more time. I am very sentimental when it comes to Disney trips and that was our first moderate resort. We always stayed offsite or at values before then. It will probably be our last stay there. I am afraid the Tower, once open will change it too much. That is why I changed my mind and picked it again. One last stay! The rooms do look so nice redone.
 

DisneyGigi

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
My country roots are showing but... so happy that this delicious short lived treat is gluten-free! I have a whole sink basin full left to clean and probably won’t be going in public for a day or two. Good thing we decided against the May trip. 🤓
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