Pre-Trip Two for one birthday special

Hello magicians!

Starting a pre-trip report to celebrate being 35 days away from our trip!

When
April 15-19

Where
Pop Century

Who
Me, husband Z, L (9 years old) and E (turns 7 during our trip!)

This is us

Why
Because L is almost a Disney adult
Because E wanted a chance to celebrate her birthday in Disney (we have been in August twice now, which is L's birthday month)
Because Z's birthday is also in April
Because Z loves Star Wars and we missed Galaxy's Edge by a week or so this summer
Because it's my April vacation
Because I love Flower & Garden

So many reasons! How could we not go???

How
I don't even know - we somehow just made it happened!

I really knew we wanted to do an April vacation trip at some point.

In my head, I thought about celebrating my youngest daughter's birthday, maybe with some princesses and Bibbidi Bobbidi.

Do you know what I realized in August?

THIS SWEET BABY

Is suddenly not four or five years old anymore. She is SIX. Almost SEVEN.

Our princess and character days are numbered. Big sister L has already become this kind of Disney lover...

They both still enjoy characters but I know we have lost a *little* sense of magic and wonder. So I'm squeezing out the last drop of it with a very special Magic Kingdom day on E's birthday. (With plenty of coaster time for my thrill seeker, too). It had to be THIS April for us. And I can't wait.

 

[Darstarr]

First!
And, I also can not wait

 

[Swissmiss]

And I’m just behind @Darstarr

 

[krisri18]

I'm in! (But you knew that) lol

 

[Back!Elbow!Shoulders!]

Fourth? I’ll take it.

 

[fizzieee]

Woo! Can't wait to hear about your adventures!

 

[NessNewt]

First!
And, I also can not wait

And I’m just behind @Darstarr

I'm in! (But you knew that) lol

Fourth? I’ll take it.

Woo! Can't wait to hear about your adventures!

Woo! Welcome! (And we haven't even gone yet!)

To distract myself from the less than optimal travel news circulating, here are some of our plans ...

Day 1
Early flight
Animal Kingdom Day
FP's for Kali River, Safari and Expedition Everest/Dinosaur
Definitely would like to get into Nomad Lounge for a rest/drink/snack
We currently have a Boma dinner reservation

Day 2 (E'a birthday!)
MK Day
PPO BOG breakfast
Hoping to squeeze in 7Dwarvea, Winnie the Pooh and our Splash FP before...
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for E (we also have a reservation for L but I don't think she's interested)
Then FP for Big Thunder/Haunted Mansion
Late lunch at CINDERELLA'S ROYAL TABLE
Last FP for 7dwarves
I'd love to do fireworks but I suspect E will be eager to destroy her $4 million hair-do in the pool so we'll see

Day 3
Epcot Flower & Garden day
PPO breakfast at Garden Grill
FP's for Test Track, Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land
World Showcase and Food Kiosks time

Day 4
Hollywood Studios Day
We are not going to try for ROTR. L has said she doesn't want to try it. I really want to ride it with Z for the first time (he hasn't seen any spoilers and he is going to LOVE it and I need to witness his face witnessing this ride).
We are checking out of Pop this day. Totally forgot to mention but we are doing one night in a royal room at Port Orleans Riverside....

Anyways..
FP's for Toy Story Mania, Swirling Saucers and Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
Z has reservations at Droid Depot and Savi's Workshop. The girls and I have a reservation at 50's Prime Time Cafe during Z's Savi Workshop time.

Our plan is to head out in the afternoon to our second resort, hang/pool for awhile and then try to head back to HS to ride Smuggler's Run in the evening. The mornings are so crazy, it just feels like we might have a better chance of a reasonable line at night.

Day 5
Departure day
We do have some potential brunch options in Disney Springs on this day - an earlier Homecomin' or later Wine Bar George, so we'll play it by ear. Tragical should be by in the afternoon to take us back home.

General Thoughts
Z and I will be strutting with our TSA pre check for the first time this trip and I'm excited.

I'm expecting heavy crowds, so adjusting my expectations. Our goals are really to ride our FP's and do our reservations. Having gone less than a year ago makes it easier to take it easy, I think.

I'm not really excited about Pop but the girls really wanted to try it and it was cheaper.

I keep forgetting we have a night at Port Orleans. How do I keep forgetting that???

Preparing myself for the possibility we have to reschedule. Fortunately the girls don't know about it yet, so they can't be disappointed....

 

[MickeyCB]

I'm in and big time fingers crossed for you!

 

[NessNewt]

I'm in and big time fingers crossed for you!

Thank you!

 

[krisri18]

Woo! Welcome! (And we haven't even gone yet!)

To distract myself from the less than optimal travel news circulating, here are some of our plans ...

Day 1
Early flight
Animal Kingdom Day
FP's for Kali River, Safari and Expedition Everest/Dinosaur
Definitely would like to get into Nomad Lounge for a rest/drink/snack
We currently have a Boma dinner reservation

Day 2 (E'a birthday!)
MK Day
PPO BOG breakfast
Hoping to squeeze in 7Dwarvea, Winnie the Pooh and our Splash FP before...
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for E (we also have a reservation for L but I don't think she's interested)
Then FP for Big Thunder/Haunted Mansion
Late lunch at CINDERELLA'S ROYAL TABLE
Last FP for 7dwarves
I'd love to do fireworks but I suspect E will be eager to destroy her $4 million hair-do in the pool so we'll see

Day 3
Epcot Flower & Garden day
PPO breakfast at Garden Grill
FP's for Test Track, Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land
World Showcase and Food Kiosks time

Day 4
Hollywood Studios Day
We are not going to try for ROTR. L has said she doesn't want to try it. I really want to ride it with Z for the first time (he hasn't seen any spoilers and he is going to LOVE it and I need to witness his face witnessing this ride).
We are checking out of Pop this day. Totally forgot to mention but we are doing one night in a royal room at Port Orleans Riverside....

Anyways..
FP's for Toy Story Mania, Swirling Saucers and Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
Z has reservations at Droid Depot and Savi's Workshop. The girls and I have a reservation at 50's Prime Time Cafe during Z's Savi Workshop time.

Our plan is to head out in the afternoon to our second resort, hang/pool for awhile and then try to head back to HS to ride Smuggler's Run in the evening. The mornings are so crazy, it just feels like we might have a better chance of a reasonable line at night.

Day 5
Departure day
We do have some potential brunch options in Disney Springs on this day - an earlier Homecomin' or later Wine Bar George, so we'll play it by ear. Tragical should be by in the afternoon to take us back home.

General Thoughts
Z and I will be strutting with our TSA pre check for the first time this trip and I'm excited.

I'm expecting heavy crowds, so adjusting my expectations. Our goals are really to ride our FP's and do our reservations. Having gone less than a year ago makes it easier to take it easy, I think.

I'm not really excited about Pop but the girls really wanted to try it and it was cheaper.

I keep forgetting we have a night at Port Orleans. How do I keep forgetting that???

Preparing myself for the possibility we have to reschedule. Fortunately the girls don't know about it yet, so they can't be disappointed....

I'll text you on resort change day so you remember!

 

[k8einwdw]

Sounds like a fun trip, I can't wait to follow along! I'm really hoping this whole "C Word" blows over by that time. I myself have a trip planned the week after yours!

 

[NessNewt]

Things are not looking good...

I work in a school (school librarian at elementary level). Our governor announced Friday afternoon that schools would be closed this coming week and it would be our "April break". Which of course is when this trip is scheduled for.

I am fairly confident we will need to reschedule (which is gut wrenching) but I'm waiting for a moment to get more information on Monday. (We had a teacher PD day that we are still going to have Monday.)

I understand why this needs to be done. I am sad anyways.

 

[Swissmiss]

Things are not looking good...

I work in a school (school librarian at elementary level). Our governor announced Friday afternoon that schools would be closed this coming week and it would be our "April break". Which of course is when this trip is scheduled for.

I am fairly confident we will need to reschedule (which is gut wrenching) but I'm waiting for a moment to get more information on Monday. (We had a teacher PD day that we are still going to have Monday.)

I understand why this needs to be done. I am sad anyways.

I feel for you. The schools here have just closed thru Easter break (but classes and homework to be given electronically) and a couple days before that decision they cancelled all school trips for the rest of the school year. My young teen was so upset because she has participated in a special class this year which has been fundraising for a local association providing activities for kids with cerebral handicaps. In addition to the fundraising, their class trip was a weeklong bike trip thru Slovenia and Croatia to raise awareness about cerebral handicaps. And proud mother moment: she was as upset about the fact that the rest of their fundraising activities have been cancelled as she was about the class trip being cancelled. She can be a typical pain in the alien swirling saucer, but I must be doing something right

 

[NessNewt]

I feel for you. The schools here have just closed thru Easter break (but classes and homework to be given electronically) and a couple days before that decision they cancelled all school trips for the rest of the school year. My young teen was so upset because she has participated in a special class this year which has been fundraising for a local association providing activities for kids with cerebral handicaps. In addition to the fundraising, their class trip was a weeklong bike trip thru Slovenia and Croatia to raise awareness about cerebral handicaps. And proud mother moment: she was as upset about the fact that the rest of their fundraising activities have been cancelled as she was about the class trip being cancelled. She can be a typical pain in the alien swirling saucer, but I must be doing something right

That's so hard! Your daughter sounds like she kicks some alien swirling saucer though .

 

[NessNewt]

Update

At this point it is probably very obvious that we needed to change our plans. We have cancelled our April trip () and rebooked a trip at the end of July.

To take the sting off of it, we booked Boardwalk instead of Pop.

Also, Z and I had a quick weekend booked for mid July so we could ride Resistance (our oldest is very much not interested in that experience). We aren't sure whether or not we will still do that trip. We already booked our flights so I think we may just keep it. But there's so much unknown right now. We'll see!

Once I firm up what our family July trip will look like, I'll update this report! Back up to 118 days....