Pre-Trip 'Til Death Do Us Eat - Oct 2016 F&W Trip

I wasn't going to do a pre-trip, but at this point my resort changing is getting ridiculous, and I feel like I need people to tell me they do it too. I know I can't be the only one...

WHO: Me and my husband! I usually just call him R on here.
WHY: Because we're obsessed and we wanted to go back. My fall break is the only time we could go. F&W time! PERFECT!
WHEN: Oct 13-18*

*It was originally going to be 13-16, a real quick trip. But I figured out a way to squeeze 1.5 more days of vacation using some unofficial comp time. (Vacation creep, amiright?) So we'll be arriving back home around lunch on the 18th and I'll have to go straight to work

WHERE: Coronado Springs > changed to Yacht Club. Added two days at French Quarter > changed to Poly > changed to Boardwalk.


A picture from our trip last fall when we just walked around Crescent Lake and decided we HAD TO stay there.

At this point we have 3 nights at the Yacht Club, and I'm hoping for a discount to come up. Last two nights I just changed to Boardwalk because I found a room with the Back to School Savings discount, which has previously not been coming up. I knew if I kept checking, it would happen!

I was pumped about having found a room at the Poly, but I couldn't pass up the discount at Boardwalk, plus when switching from YC to BW, we can take our luggage ourselves. I was so worried about the split stay because I was worried something would get lost or stolen or just not show up for a long time. This way...we just take it over! So easy.

That's it for now! We're at 91 days today. Can't wait!

 

[sheriffwoody]

Oh I should add that we will be celebrating our 4th anniversary and we are planning to spend the majority of our time eating at the F&W fest, so that's where the title came from . Also, I'm a wedding photographer, so the title works on many levels.

 

[lostpro9het]

I wasn't going to do a pre-trip, but at this point my resort changing is getting ridiculous, and I feel like I need people to tell me they do it too. I know I can't be the only one...

WHO: Me and my husband! I usually just call him R on here.
WHY: Because we're obsessed and we wanted to go back. My fall break is the only time we could go. F&W time! PERFECT!
WHEN: Oct 13-18*

Bah! We'll just miss you, we will be there starting on the 19th for our 18th anniversary.

 

[sheriffwoody]

Bah! We'll just miss you, we will be there starting on the 19th for our 18th anniversary.

Aww! I would have loved to meet up. You guys could have helped me find all the best beers .

I think in 2017 we'll be able to do a longer trip, so maybe we'll overlap with some forum members. Surely you guys will be going again next fall!

 

[lostpro9het]

I think in 2017 we'll be able to do a longer trip, so maybe we'll overlap with some forum members. Surely you guys will be going again next fall!

 

[ScarletBegonias]

Yay! Sounds like a great trip!! can't wait to read all about it.

 

[sheriffwoody]

So I've been checking almost every day and today I FINALLY found the Yacht Club with a discount code. WOOT! So we changed our ressie, but it's the same room type, so really only the price changed.

I did the math and the difference between the Back-to-School savings (with regular tickets) and the Passholder savings (with an AP renewal) is a little over $150 more for AP. So basically it'd be the same if we got Memory Maker, plus I get discounts on merch and stuff with the AP. I am doing it . What do you want to bet I go more times in 2017 than I originally planned?

So now we have the Yacht for $150 less per night and I'm renewing my AP. SO PUMPED!

Also, shoutout to the castmember I talked to on the phone today. He was a delight! He told me all his fav things at F&W so I have some more stuff on my "to try" list

 

[samantha788]

So fun!! I love when things work out like that
And I love food and wine!

 

[ScarletBegonias]

That's awesome!!!

 

[FlaggNL]

Hej there we are in the same period in the World! Oct. 13-22! We stay in POFQ and our anniversary is 6 years Enjoy the pre feelings as much as we do!!

 

[sheriffwoody]

Hej there we are in the same period in the World! Oct. 13-22! We stay in POFQ and our anniversary is 6 years Enjoy the pre feelings as much as we do!!

So cool! Maybe we'll see you there! We are celebrating 4 years (Oct 6). I wish we could go on our actual anniversary, but it never lines up with my fall break! I should have thought of that when I set our wedding date back in 2012 .

 

[FlaggNL]

So cool! Maybe we'll see you there! We are celebrating 4 years (Oct 6). I wish we could go on our actual anniversary, but it never lines up with my fall break! I should have thought of that when I set our wedding date back in 2012 .

Our anniversary is August 20th, but we want to be in WDW in Halloween season, so that's why we are celebrating in October Maybe we see you there to catch a anniversary beer

 

[blreinsel]

Lots of exciting things happening for you.. Yay! I can't wait to get to F&W someday.

 

[sheriffwoody]

Lots of exciting things happening for you.. Yay! I can't wait to get to F&W someday.

Oh you'll love it! So much good stuff to try. Though I kind of wish it was held in January when it's not so blazing hot...walking around stuffed to the brim with food is so unpleasant when it's 100 degrees

 

[sheriffwoody]

Got on to make FP+ selections this morning, but I was only able to make them for our first day the 13th. Not sure what that's about! I could have sworn as long as we had our room we could make FP+, but I guess we have to both have tickets as well. We have MNSSHP tickets for the 13th, so I guess that's why we were able to make selections?

Anyway, I got us a Mine Train FP+ at 4:30 and a Pirates FP+ at 5:30. Hopefully we'll ride more during the party! I at least want to ride the Haunted Mansion during it.

60 days!

 

[sheriffwoody]

Couldn't handle not making our FP+ today, so I just spent an insane amount of money to get my husband's ticket and upgrade my AP . At least I'll get lots of reward points from it!

Here's what I got us:
Oct 13 - Epcot for food when we arrive, MK for the party. Got us a FP+ for Space Mountain, Pirates and 7 Dwarves. Not sure we'll be there early enough to use them all, but I got three just in case.

Oct 14 - Epcot. Just made a FP for Soarin'. I'm sure we'll do a couple of other things in between all the eating.

Oct 15 - Epcot. Frozen. We might hop over to Hollywood at some point this day, but I don't think I will be able to use FP+ for that park, right?

Oct 16 - Epcot. Test Track. Planning to go to the Poly to watch Hallowishes on this night I love that show so much!

Oct 17. MK! Got us FP+ for Splash, Jungle Cruise and Space. Hopefully we can ride some stuff early in the morning as well before it gets too crowded.

That's it! No ADRs, minimal FP. It's going to be a go-with-the-flow and eat-all-the-food trip! Can't wait to just take it easy and hopefully enjoy the pool at the Yacht and Beach Club.

ALSO! I found out some of my family will be there for part of our trip! I had a little 4 year old cousin tragically pass away earlier this year from a very aggressive tumor in his spine and brain. It was awful, and his parents have been so incredibly strong through everything. They have an older son, and they are going down to Disney with him in October. I'm not sure if it was a sort of Make-a-wish thing or not. My cousin's cancer took him so quickly, there was no way for them to get to do a Make-a-wish when he was still alive. I'm just so glad they're able to go down there now! Hopefully it will be very healing for them.

Anyway, I'm trying to talk them into doing the Halloween party on the 13th so we can all hang out there together. I might even try to get some family to go in on a giftcard for them so the cost isn't such a hit.

Ok that's all the updates for now!

 

[sheriffwoody]

I have an update! Since I decided to get my AP again, I have been thinking about taking my 12 yo sister. I have thought about taking her in the past, but I've been scared we'd get on each other's nerves too much. Well, she's turning 13 next month, and it's starting to sink in that she is not a kid anymore . I need to take her! We'll keep it to a short trip and probably be fine.

I visited with my step mom for 4 hours yesterday and never got up the nerve to ask her if I could take my sister...but I texted her later that night. And she said YES!!!! I was so excited.

I ended up buying us some $60 flights out of Nashville, but it's in January and she'd have to miss two days of school. I'm waiting to hear if that's going to be ok before I book anything else. If not, we'll go during her spring break in March (plane ticket prices are double...ugh). Either way, I'm pumped. We are going to have so much fun!


There we are at my dad's a few months ago.

Tentative dates: Jan 19-22.

I need help on two things:

1. How should I reveal the trip to her on her birthday?! I want her to realize it'll be a few months before we go, but I also want her to be really surprised and excited.
2. Where should I stay? She'll be 13, and we'll only be there 3 days. I'm torn! I will probably wait and book something when the discounts come out, but I want to have some options in mind.

 

[LowesChevy]

For the reveal--check Pinterest. there are lots of goodies over there for reveal- I like t-shirts for a surprise. I also like people to know well ahead of time-I would assume Christmas would be a good time

Which park do you think you will spend the most time at with her? MK-try an MK resort--should get a good rate with the season and your AP. Animal Kingdom Lodge may be fun, but with only 3 days that's alot of carting around in the bus.

 

[samantha788]

So fun! Where would you have wanted to stay when you were 13?!
We always did values which was fine, so staying in a moderate to me would have been a real treat!

 

[sheriffwoody]

For the reveal--check Pinterest. there are lots of goodies over there for reveal- I like t-shirts for a surprise. I also like people to know well ahead of time-I would assume Christmas would be a good time

Which park do you think you will spend the most time at with her? MK-try an MK resort--should get a good rate with the season and your AP. Animal Kingdom Lodge may be fun, but with only 3 days that's alot of carting around in the bus.

Good idea! I'll check Pinterest tonight. I like the tshirt idea. I'm planning to tell her next month for her birthday since this trip is going to be her present for like...4 birthdays. . I thought about an MK resort. I might sit down with her after the reveal and look at resorts to see what piques her interest. I'm not sure I want to shell out for the MK resort experience, but maybe there will be a good discount. I think we'll probably only end up doing 2 parks. I'm almost positive she'll get to go back in the next few years though.

So fun! Where would you have wanted to stay when you were 13?!
We always did values which was fine, so staying in a moderate to me would have been a real treat!

I seriously have no idea . Our vacations were always staying with family, so I wouldn't even know what a resort was! I think she'll like whatever I chose, so I might just go with the best deal when discounts are announced. Hopefully Riverside or something? That would feel so fancy to her probably!