Pre-Trip To Pandora and Beyond...

Well, it only took me 10 months to finish me last TR, so here is my feeble attempt to speed through a pre-trip report. I better hurry because we only have 39 DAYS!!!!!

Just in case you forgot who we are…

And here we are in some non-Disney attire...

(That's my sis with us in this pic.)

Our cast of characters:

Me/mom - Mary: I am the original Disney fanatic in our group.

Hubby – Ross - He's the one who works non-stop to make our travels possible.

DD 15 – Julia - My teen who hates being called a teen. She is a stressed filled child who is battling the evils of Chemistry, Japanese and Algebra this year.

DD 8 – Hope - my 8 year old princess who battles the evils of Autism and Sensory Integration Disorder everyday

If you don't know our crazy family, you can read about our past adventures here:

2013
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...-add-a-little-pixie-dust.873100/#post-5707305

2014:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/honey-i-blew-up-the-magic-band-completed.892800/

2015:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...-hopping-a-september-2015-trip-report.905518/

2016:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/pop-hop-snack-shop-graduation-celebration-sept-2016.919622/

Now that you know who we are... allow me to take you back to last September...

We were booking our bounce-back for September 2017 - hoping to avoid F&W and planning for the girls and I to come down 2 days early.

Hope had convinced Ross to book 1 night at AoA and the remainder at POR. The plan was that the girls and I would arrive on the 11th spend 1 night at AOA, move to POR on the 12th and then Ross would join us on the 13th. However, we would get a wrench thrown in that plan when the CM told Ross that in order to receive the bounce back for free dinning, we would have to arrive no later than September 9th! Oh and P.S. – F&W was starting in late August!!

Due to Ross’ job – there was no way he could leave before the 13th – he can’t leave his stores until after the Labor Day/ back to school rush is done. What he did next is still blowing my mind away. He booked it! So the bad news is Hope will not get to stay at AoA this time… but the unbelievable, utterly awesome news is that we are going from September 9th – September 23rd!!! Ummm… can you say 2 weeks in Disney?!!!!

We are actually leaving on the 8th because Ross is once again hysterical that we will miss our flight. Since we got a better deal on a flight out of Newark, we are booked to stay at a Park, Sleep & Fly Place close to the airport. I am trying to do my best to cancel it.

If I am correct, I think we are going to be visiting the same time as @Ciara, @lostpro9het , @Disneydreamer23, @MotherofaPrincessLover, and of course, @blgauger (who I guess technically doesn’t “visit” anymore.) So please, if anyone sees us – say hi to us!

So with 39 days to go... let pre-trip countdown begin!!

 

[Doc Disney]

I know everyone already said it but Typhoon Lagoon is a must if you are a wave pool family Blizzard Beach's wave pool is just a bunch of choppy waves Typhoon Lagoon has two family raft rides. One is nice and short if you aren't super into slides. The other (the new one, Miss Adventure Falls) is longer with more thrill but you don't have to carry your own raft which is nice Two weeks sounds awesome!!!!

 

[12in12]

Congratulations on your anniversary! You should definitely wear buttons, you earned them.

 

[dizfan917]

Thanks!!! Hoping it's a tad bit cooler than last year. Mickey bars on the 17th is a definite! I have never heard of nudelkoogle... but will keep an eye out for it... who doesn't love cheese?

We are doing a state study this year and guess which state Hope picked to do first?

View attachment 220508 View attachment 220509 View attachment 220510

A perfect choice!! Enjoy all those farms and the Dairy Air! (Happy Anniversary, too!)

 

[blreinsel]

I'm cracking up at Hope and Google Maps.

Congrats on 25 magical years! I can't wait until we celebrate that many years together.

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

What are we celebrating?

Well, besides Hope & Julia’s “Disney” birthdays, we do have a special occasion that deserves a little attention…

View attachment 220523

Look at those cute kids… lol

25 years ago, Ross and I got married. It seems like a lifetime ago. I had even forgotten I had the church soloist sing, “Beauty & The Beast” at our ceremony!

Anyhoo… where did we head for our honeymoon you ask? WDW of course! It was Ross’ first trip to Disney and he wasn’t as enthusiastic as he is today.

I had us booked for the Grand Floridian and dinner at Victoria & Albert’s. I went through a travel agent and after we booked, she talked me into changing our plans. Apparently a brand new hotel had just opened and it had a “moderate” price of $89.00 a night. That meant our vacation increased from 6 nights to 10. Where did we stay? Room 3857

View attachment 220524

So I guess it’s fate that 25 years later we will be staying at POR aka Dixie Landings.

We missed the opening of Splash Mountain by a few weeks. We watched empty logs go down the drop on our last day there.

We had dinner at EPCOT almost every night. I remember we made our reservations the same day as we dined! lol Our favorite restaurants were Mexico, Garden Grill & Coral Reef.

Our favorite attraction at MGM Studios was Superstar Television - specifically the I Love Lucy skit.

And yes, I do believe we went River Country!

Don’t ask me for any pictures… I have NONE. I don’t even remember taking a camera with me. A different world back then…

I have to admit, sometimes I wish we had stayed at GF and dined at V&A… But it was a fun trip and Ross ended up liking WDW… but he would not become a true convert until 15 years later.

BTW, Ross is not happy I mentioned that I wanted anniversary buttons – but hey, I told him if I could stay married to him for 25 years and not kill him, I at least deserved a button.

Congratulations!! Love how you got to experience your resort brand spankin new. Sad for no photos but the memories live on! And being a married lady myself I can attest to the fact that yes, yes you do deserve that button.

 

[fractal]

37 Days to go...

So what do we have planned?

Well, along with having to check in by the 9th to get the bounce back, we also had to book a room with a pool view and purchase the water park & more (aka golf) option. So it looks like we will be venturing out to the water parks this trip.

So that leads me to ask a few questions…

Which is your favorite water park and why? We will NOT be doing any single rider slides. We are more the wave pool and lazy river family. Although a "family" raft ride - we may try.

How do you get to Fantasia Gardens Mini-Golf? Hope told me we have to go to the Swan/Dolphin Resort? (She discovered Google Maps and apparently has the route planned out.) Can someone confirm this for me? Will the bus system work or do I have to figure out how to get a polka-dot car to pick us up?

I say Typhoon lagoon. I enjoy the theming much more than Blizzard Beach and you get to try out the new family raft ride. The wave pool is one of the best.

What are we celebrating?

Well, besides Hope & Julia’s “Disney” birthdays, we do have a special occasion that deserves a little attention…

View attachment 220523

Look at those cute kids… lol

25 years ago, Ross and I got married. It seems like a lifetime ago. I had even forgotten I had the church soloist sing, “Beauty & The Beast” at our ceremony!

Anyhoo… where did we head for our honeymoon you ask? WDW of course! It was Ross’ first trip to Disney and he wasn’t as enthusiastic as he is today.

I had us booked for the Grand Floridian and dinner at Victoria & Albert’s. I went through a travel agent and after we booked, she talked me into changing our plans. Apparently a brand new hotel had just opened and it had a “moderate” price of $89.00 a night. That meant our vacation increased from 6 nights to 10. Where did we stay? Room 3857

View attachment 220524

So I guess it’s fate that 25 years later we will be staying at POR aka Dixie Landings.

We missed the opening of Splash Mountain by a few weeks. We watched empty logs go down the drop on our last day there.

We had dinner at EPCOT almost every night. I remember we made our reservations the same day as we dined! lol Our favorite restaurants were Mexico, Garden Grill & Coral Reef.

Our favorite attraction at MGM Studios was Superstar Television - specifically the I Love Lucy skit.

And yes, I do believe we went River Country!

Don’t ask me for any pictures… I have NONE. I don’t even remember taking a camera with me. A different world back then…

I have to admit, sometimes I wish we had stayed at GF and dined at V&A… But it was a fun trip and Ross ended up liking WDW… but he would not become a true convert until 15 years later.

BTW, Ross is not happy I mentioned that I wanted anniversary buttons – but hey, I told him if I could stay married to him for 25 years and not kill him, I at least deserved a button.

Congrats! I think 4 extra days easily made up for dinner at V&E.

 

[Jess G]

Yayyyy excited for this!

 

[Gurt]

I'm another vote for typhoon lagoon I prefer the slides, wave pool and lazy river. I'm so excited for you for your trip.

 

[Courtney6682]

Yay!! Sorry I'm late pal! I am sooo looking forward to this! Sad we'll be missing each other by a few weeks!

 

[joshsprincess921]

Thanks! We are so excited and hoping to try a few new things!

I may run into you guys. We will be in town visiting my sister and are taking a day trip on the 22nd.

 

[Figment Forever]

Congratulations on 25 years!! I love that you're staying where it all started!! Riverside is a beautiful resort--I stayed at the Grand Floridian once & the whole time I kept wishing I was at Riverside. I believe that fate is bringing you back there again! Wishing you 25 more!!

Thank You! Yes - Riverside is beautiful and I'm happy to be staying where our tale began.

 

[Figment Forever]

Congrats on 25 years, that's awesome! I love Riverside as well, I just stayed there in May & it was amazing

Thanks so much! Riverside is an amazing resort!

 

[Figment Forever]

Congrats on 25 years.
Woody and I honeymooned at the Contemporary and spent our 25th at GF (I was sick most of the trip.) In between we had many delightful stays at Dixie Landings/Riverside. As you experienced last September, POR is a wonderful resort!

Thanks!! I am happy to be returning to Riverside - It is beautiful and I love the boat to DS. Hoping to have a few less "battles" with my hubby than last year!

 

[Figment Forever]

Yay!! Sorry I'm late pal! I am sooo looking forward to this! Sad we'll be missing each other by a few weeks!

Wish we going to overlap. Have an awesome time on your trip - looking forward to your TR when you return!!

 

[Figment Forever]

I may run into you guys. We will be in town visiting my sister and are taking a day trip on the 22nd.

We will keep an eye out for you guys!! I think we are in the MK on the 22nd.

 

[Figment Forever]

I know everyone already said it but Typhoon Lagoon is a must if you are a wave pool family Blizzard Beach's wave pool is just a bunch of choppy waves Typhoon Lagoon has two family raft rides. One is nice and short if you aren't super into slides. The other (the new one, Miss Adventure Falls) is longer with more thrill but you don't have to carry your own raft which is nice Two weeks sounds awesome!!!!

Thanks for the feedback! TL is definitely looking like the winner for us. I didn't even realize that the new ride was a family raft ride! I will take more thrill if it means I don't have to carry the raft up with me!

 

[Figment Forever]

Congratulations on your anniversary! You should definitely wear buttons, you earned them.

Thanks so much!

 

[Figment Forever]

A perfect choice!! Enjoy all those farms and the Dairy Air! (Happy Anniversary, too!)

Thanks!!

 

[Figment Forever]

I'm cracking up at Hope and Google Maps.

Congrats on 25 magical years! I can't wait until we celebrate that many years together.

Thank so much!! I know you and Dylan will have a magical journey together.

I don't know how Hope figures these things out - the other night she said she was going to grandma's and pop-pop's house... She got on her computer and the next thing I know - she's zooming down the NYS thruway ( on Google maps). I didn't even realize she knew the way to their house.

 

[Figment Forever]

Congratulations!! Love how you got to experience your resort brand spankin new. Sad for no photos but the memories live on! And being a married lady myself I can attest to the fact that yes, yes you do deserve that button.

Thank you! It was very cool to be at a new resort in 92. I actually found the guidebook I bought when I was planning our trip. It's funny to read how much different ( and cheaper) WDW was then. And yes... I am definitely getting a button!