Three Is A Magic Number: My May 2012 Pre-Trip Report

Seeing how today would have been the first day of our Disney trip, I figured it was more than appropriate to start my pre-trip report for the vacation we have planned in May.

This whole crazy idea started at the beginning of this year.

Brandon and I were still coming down off our anniversary high from October and had the itch to get back to Disney, and soon! We were talking one day and the idea of Disneyland was put on the table. The two of us hadn't been to the west coast and since we managed a weekend at WDW why couldn't we do one at Disneyland? I put my researching skills to work and booked us a package at the Anaheim HoJo for October (so we could celebrate our anniversary.) We were thrilled!

Halloweentime? Yes please!

[fast forward a few months ]

Little did I realize how expensive it was to fly from one coast to the other. And we just couldn't justify spending that much for a weekend trip. Oops. Sadly, that was a killing blow to our Disneyland trip. I was really frustrated and upset about having to cancel the trip a couple months after booking it. Soooooo my Disney planning cooled-off for a little while.

[fast forward to early summer]

I opened my email and lo and behold there was a message from Disney Destinations. Why what's this?...A PIN code? Ooh! You might come in handy. I checked the dates and ran the idea of a Christmastime trip to The World past Brandon. We had such a blast a few years ago at the Wilderness Lodge so that was my first choice. I contacted Marie at Kingdom Konsultants (who is beyond amazing!) and got some quotes. We opted for another stay at Riverside for 6 magical days. With the room nailed down I could go on with my ridiculous amount of planning. :lol: Everything from Extra Magic Hours to ADRs. Yup, I'm that kind of planner. We tend to think about what park we want to visit first for the day then just kind of play it by ear from there.

So I spent the summer thinking about our stay at Riverside. However it would be short lived because another delicious offer was to come my way...:slurp:

 

[diddy_mouse]

A month or so after I got my sweeeeet room discount, Disney Destinations decided to contact me again. This time they wanted to let me know about Free Dining. Now, I have never booked a Free Dining package before and we definitely make good use of food while we're there. I priced the trip and since the price difference wasn't too bad (and we wouldn't have to worry about a food budget) it was a done deal.

I emailed my request and switched my room only reservation to the Free Dining offer. I also made the move from Riverside to French Quarter. We honeymooned at the good old POFQ back in '05 and hadn't been back yet.

Now with the food situation -- situated, I began making my ADRs. I wanted to choose places we hadn't eaten at before: dinner at 'Ohana, breakfast at Crystal Palace, and dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse. And I can totally thank the trip reports on these boards in helping me make my decisions. Now I could sit back and relax since the bulk of my planning was done.

Or was it? :lookaroun

A handful of car repairs and other major bills put the trip in jeopardy. I didn't think we'd be able to make the final payment in time seeing how fast the summer was flying by. Brandon and I talked and we really didn't want to outright cancel the trip. He brought up the idea of going in February for his birthday. I pondered this for about half a second and flew to my computer to pull up rates. After a few emails back and forth in September we were booked. This also gave us some more time to get that final payment in.

I was so excited that Brandon would get to celebrate his birthday at WDW also it would be a nice escape from the winter weather at home. We knew that there could be some con's with going in February, the biggest being the weather at home might delay our flights. But we really, really, really wanted to go.

 

[diddy_mouse]

Fast forward to fall and once again I had to make a change to the vacation plans. Luckily this was due to something really good happening...I got a new job at the end of October! I was thrilled but knew I wouldn't have a lot of vacation time accumulated by the time we wanted to go. Especially since I'd be taking some days off for the holidays.

This past week I decided we'd push the trip back to May. Knock a day off and stay Monday through Friday instead of arriving on the weekend. And wouldn't you know it I got another discount offer from Disney in my email. So I applied that room discount to your stay at the French Quarter.

We took our first trip together as a couple in May of 2004 and we haven't been back yet during that time of year. I really liked how EPCOT looked during the Flower & Garden Festival and can't wait to take a bunch of pictures this go around.

Now it's on to book ADRs and check the EMHs.

Here's hoping this will be the last time we'll have to change our plans. :lol:

 

[Aurora79]

Wow, that's a lot of life happening right there. I'm so glad you were able to finalize your plans despite all the stuff that happened. I hope you guys have a wonderful time. The Flower and Garden Festival looks like fun. -A

 

[Aurora79]

Oh and congratulations on the new job. :sohappy:

 

[enchanted_belle]

I keep hoping someone else is going to say they'll be down when my boyfriend and I are in Feb, so that's my only complaint about you changing it again! :lol:

I've got my fingers crossed that you don't have to change it any more, and yay for new jobs!!!!!!!! :sohappy:

 

[diddy_mouse]

Wow, that's a lot of life happening right there. I'm so glad you were able to finalize your plans despite all the stuff that happened. I hope you guys have a wonderful time. The Flower and Garden Festival looks like fun. -A

Oh and congratulations on the new job. :sohappy:

I know, right? :lol: It always seems crazier as you type it out, but I'm glad I did. It was kinda of a way to vent about it and finally be able to enjoy the vacation. Yes the Flower and Garden Festival is really pretty. I love all the topiaries and how lush world Showcase looks.

And thanks! I work at a coffeeshop now and it's just the right speed for me, much better than the retail management job I had before.

I keep hoping someone else is going to say they'll be down when my boyfriend and I are in Feb, so that's my only complaint about you changing it again! :lol:

I've got my fingers crossed that you don't have to change it any more, and yay for new jobs!!!!!!!! :sohappy:

:lol: Yeah it would have been our first time in February too. The great thing is The Husband is totally up for visiting for his birthday one of these years. Hopefully everything will go smoothly from here on out.

 

[diddy_mouse]

Happy New Year everyone!

One thing I wanted to do before I got too far was tell you a little about myself...

My name is Erin (hello!) and I currently live in Virginia. Some interests of mine, in no particular order...traveling, knitting, hockey, video games, Star Wars, and of course Disney! I'm a major WDW fan. My first visit was back in the 80s when I was a tiny little thing and it was a couple years after EPCOT opened. We lived in Orlando in the mid-late 80s and that made it easier to have those one-day visits to the most magical place on earth. After a brief hiatus I found myself back at The World in the 90s and got to experience what staying on property was like. Shades of Green ('97) was our first resort followed by Caribbean Beach ('98 and '00.) I think the trip in '98 was what really cemented the fact that I adored going to Disney. We had such a great time on that trip I tried for a whole year to convince my mom to takes us back. Luckily I can be *very* persuasive (*cough highschoolgraduationpresent cough*) and she agreed to revisit the Caribbean Beach resort for a week that July. I was able to take my best friend with me which was great and this would be the last hurrah before college. Speaking of which, that is a lovely segue to introduce my husband...

My husband Brandon and I met in college and as our final year was closing in we were trying to think of something to do to celebrate. That's when I threw him the WDW curveball. Now, he was about as anti-Disney as one could get and had never been to Disney World. I basically overloaded him with pictures and videos from my family vacations and he warmed up to the idea. Little side note here; we had talked about getting married during our last year or college but I was waiting for him to do a proper proposal. Well he didn't disappoint. The first day of that trip he popped the question! Needless to say that week long trip changed his whole perspective on Disney. Once we set a wedding date it was only fitting that we'd honeymoon at the place that brought us closer together.

Here's the list of my recent trip reports

Honeymoon report http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=744333

Our first Christmastime trip http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=270168

Our 5th Anniversary trip http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=664186

So here we are...approaching another trip and even though we've only been on four Disney adventures together it seems like we're old hat at this. A nice comfortable pair of Mickey ears to be exact.

 

[Ariel484]

Is the title of this report a shout-out to School House Rock?! :lol:

Congrats on your new job and all the PIN codes! May will be here before you know it! :sohappy:

 

[diddy_mouse]

Is the title of this report a shout-out to School House Rock?! :lol:

Yes indeedy! Blind Melon does a great version of that song and it totally gets stuck in your head.

 

[diddy_mouse]

Update!

I managed to score a lunch reservation at Le Cellier! It will be our first time eating there -- ever! I scheduled it on our Epcot day, which as tradition dictates, falls on the second day of the trip.

Cheddar cheese soup....I can taste it now....:slurp:

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Lunch at Le Cellier is the best!! YUM YUM!!

We will be there in May as well (April 27-May 6)

 

[enchanted_belle]

Update!

I managed to score a lunch reservation at Le Cellier! It will be our first time eating there -- ever! I scheduled it on our Epcot day, which as tradition dictates, falls on the second day of the trip. Cheddar cheese soup....I can taste it now....:slurp:

That's how my trip always was... we're changing it up this year, and starting with AK the day we arrive (since it's the one park neither of us want to spend hours upon hours wandering and enjoying lol), then it's MK, EPCOT, and DHS. I'm gonna feel so lost not following my favorite schedule. :lookaroun

 

[PartOfYourWorld]

Le Cellier is the BEST restaurant I have EVER eaten at in my life...oh that mouth watering soup and filet...ahh you are going to love it!!!!!!

 

[fractal]

Sounds like a great plan!

We've gone in May twice. It's a great time to go!

 

[diddy_mouse]

Lunch at Le Cellier is the best!! YUM YUM!!

We will be there in May as well (April 27-May 6)

I have been trying to get an ADR there for the past two trips. Funny thing is I've only wanted to do lunch, not dinner. Bizarre huh? The menu has so much goodness on it...delish!

That's how my trip always was... we're changing it up this year, and starting with AK the day we arrive (since it's the one park neither of us want to spend hours upon hours wandering and enjoying lol), then it's MK, EPCOT, and DHS. I'm gonna feel so lost not following my favorite schedule. :lookaroun

I just can't break with tradition. :lol: Interestingly enough the "MK on arrival day and EPCOT to start day #2" is the only thing I try not to change when we go. A new venture was experiencing AK in the morning. Oh em gee...we loved it! We hit our favorite attractions then used the rule, once we leave AK, of hopping on whatever park bus pulls up first.

Le Cellier is the BEST restaurant I have EVER eaten at in my life...oh that mouth watering soup and filet...ahh you are going to love it!!!!!!

I keep reading people's reports on Le Cellier and I can't wait to try it for myself!

Sounds like a great plan!

We've gone in May twice. It's a great time to go!

We've been meaning to find time to go back in May, it runs a close second to October as our favorite time of year to go.

 

[LeCellier.Lover]

Boy of boy that was a lot of trip rescheduling! Sounds like you and your hubby will have SO much fun though! I have been in May once before with my mom and we also went in March last year to see the F&GF and I love it. I'm trying to convince her to go for just a weekend this spring to see it (but i don't think I'll have such luck as I'm in the process of planning a June trip with my bff's haha). You will LOVE LOVE LOVE Le Cellier though! Their filet is AMAZING I'm mad that the dinner now uses up 2 DDP credits but luckily the lunch menu is just as good :animwink:

 

[Ariel484]

Ooh, cheddar cheese soup...yummmm. I may have just drooled on the keyboard a bit. :lookaroun :lol:

 

[diddy_mouse]

Boy of boy that was a lot of trip rescheduling! Sounds like you and your hubby will have SO much fun though! I have been in May once before with my mom and we also went in March last year to see the F&GF and I love it. I'm trying to convince her to go for just a weekend this spring to see it (but i don't think I'll have such luck as I'm in the process of planning a June trip with my bff's haha). You will LOVE LOVE LOVE Le Cellier though! Their filet is AMAZING I'm mad that the dinner now uses up 2 DDP credits but luckily the lunch menu is just as good :animwink:

I was slightly put off by the increase in DDP credits (we'll be using that on this trip) but I knew we'd have better luck snagging a table for lunch and it saves me a credit too.

Ooh, cheddar cheese soup...yummmm. I may have just drooled on the keyboard a bit. :lookaroun :lol:

:lol:

 

[enchanted_belle]

I just can't break with tradition. :lol: Interestingly enough the "MK on arrival day and EPCOT to start day #2" is the only thing I try not to change when we go. A new venture was experiencing AK in the morning. Oh em gee...we loved it! We hit our favorite attractions then used the rule, once we leave AK, of hopping on whatever park bus pulls up first.

oooh that sounds like FUN! :lol: It makes me sad to not start our trip with the castle, but... for time sake, it made sense. We should be to our hotel around 11am, and we have ADRs at Downtown Disney a little before 5 on our first day. And our second day (Valentines Day) our ADRs are at the GF. So... it was a "take a short day at AK day 1, spend Valentines Day in the Magic Kingdom, then go from there" type of plan. Different to get use to, but MK for Valentines is just too romantic to pass up..