Pre-Trip We go to Disney for the FOOD!

Hi Everyone!
I just joined these boards today, and I'm really excited to spend some more time on the site! I also love love trip reports - I'm part of a cruise forum (not Disney specific) and I enjoy reading about others' experiences and posting my own. I can't believe it's taken me this long to find Disney related forums in all of my research over the years.

We just decided a week ago that we wanted our next trip to be to Disney World. We had been looking at cruises originally (which we also love as a vacation) but had a hard time making the dates fit with work and life schedules. We had originally decided that we'd wait until 2021 to go back to Disney since we had just been in 2016. However, we've been having serious Disney withdrawals, so we scrapped the cruise idea and started planning out a long weekend at Disney World.

Who's travelling: Myself and my wife, we're both in our early 30's. We love Disney and this will be our 5th trip there!

When: January 23rd-28th, 2019. We live in Massachusetts so it will be nice to get away from the freezing cold temps.

Where: Port Orleans - French Quarter. We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside in 2016 and it was amazing. We're looking forward to checking out this smaller resort.

I've done a ton of planning in the last week since we're right around the 180 day mark for ADR's. One of the things that we love about Disney World is the food. Yes, I'm totally serious and we've spent most our planning time trying to decided which restaurants we want to go to :D After narrowing down our favorites and adding in a new one, I started making ADR's this weekend!
 

aliceismad

Well-Known Member
I’ve changed ADRs like 10 times. Also I made three excel itineraries. One for if I can wake my family for rope drops, one assuming i won’t be able to wake my family for rope drop, and one for when we considered an alternate hotel.
 

tatibus0913

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Guilty! Planning is half the fun for me-especially thinking about food :) so I make lots of ADR changes as my trips approach based on what I see on the boards

Me too! I have such a hard time incorporating new restaurants though. There's so many places that I want to try, but that would mean dropping our favorites. I can't imagine being there and not going to Raglan Road or Ohana! But we do have 4 new ones this time, so that will be fun :)
 

tatibus0913

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I’ve changed ADRs like 10 times. Also I made three excel itineraries. One for if I can wake my family for rope drops, one assuming i won’t be able to wake my family for rope drop, and one for when we considered an alternate hotel.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one! I've done two complete spreadsheets do-overs. One when we changed the dates and extended the trip (obviously). And then a second when I didn't like the first one anymore and changed it all around haha. And I just keep tweaking it from there, but the general plans are pretty solid now!
 

aliceismad

Well-Known Member
I'm so glad I'm not the only one! I've done two complete spreadsheets do-overs. One when we changed the dates and extended the trip (obviously). And then a second when I didn't like the first one anymore and changed it all around haha. And I just keep tweaking it from there, but the general plans are pretty solid now!
You should see how many touring plans I have. :oops: I have to hide the crazy from the DH sometimes. And then my brain goes "but what if we did this instead?"

Also, we just looked up the Flower & Garden show menus this weekend, and now we want to eat at all of them. On top of the ADRs. And all the ice cream.
 

tatibus0913

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
You should see how many touring plans I have. :oops: I have to hide the crazy from the DH sometimes. And then my brain goes "but what if we did this instead?"

Also, we just looked up the Flower & Garden show menus this weekend, and now we want to eat at all of them. On top of the ADRs. And all the ice cream.

That's literally my brain too! I keep thinking of different scenarios or different ways to do things! There's just so many things to do, see and eat!!
 

FlaggNL

Well-Known Member
I almost said that I hoped you had great stay... but then I realised that you are going in June... so a couple of more months of pre feelings! Enjoy them and btw POFQ is the best resort to stay!
 

tatibus0913

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I almost said that I hoped you had great stay... but then I realised that you are going in June... so a couple of more months of pre feelings! Enjoy them and btw POFQ is the best resort to stay!

Thanks! It has been the trip that just keeps on changing - dates, hotels, general plans... but it will be worth it once we're there in June :D
 

tatibus0913

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Ready to book some FastPasses this morning!

362943
 

tatibus0913

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Alright y'all, I think I'm ready to post our "final" itinerary! I've done so much changing and tweaking, but now that our FastPasses are booked, I feel like our plans are set! 😎

Saturday, June 8th: Travel day
Fly to Orlando and Magical Express to Pop Century
Dinner at Homecomin' and shopping in Disney Springs

Sunday, June 9th: Magic Kingdom
FastPasses: Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan, Space Mountain
Lunch at Be Our Guest
Dinner at Crystal Palace

Monday, June 10th: Epcot
FastPasses: Test Track, Mission Space, Spaceship Earth
Dinner at Le Cellier

Tuesday, June 11th: Magic Kingdom & Animal Kingdom
Taste of the Magic Kingdom tour
Evening FastPasses: Dinosaur, Flight of Passage, Rivers of Light

Wednesday, June 12th: Pool day & Magic Kingdom
Breakfast at Ohana
Dinner at 1900 Park Fare
Evening FastPasses: Meet Mickey and Minnie, Seven Dwarves, Space Mountain

Thursday, June 13th: Hollywood Studios
FastPasses: Slinky Dog Dash, Tower of Terror, Rockin' Rollercoaster
Dinner at Artist Point

Friday, June 14th: Animal Kingdom
FastPasses: Expedition Everest, Flight of Passage, Kilimanjaro Safari
Dinner at Sanaa

Saturday, June 15th: 4 Parks in 1 day!
Animal Kingdom
FastPasses for Hollywood Studios: Slinky Dog Dash, Tower of Terror, Rockin' Rollercoaster
Epcot
Magic Kingdom

Sunday, June 16th: Relax day
Brunch at Raglan Road
Dinner at Ohana

Monday, June 17th: Travel home
Magical Express to airport and fly back to Boston
 

Janir

Well-Known Member
Me too! I have such a hard time incorporating new restaurants though. There's so many places that I want to try, but that would mean dropping our favorites. I can't imagine being there and not going to Raglan Road or Ohana! But we do have 4 new ones this time, so that will be fun :)
Ok, I'm guilty of the spreadsheet planning trips as well. Helps keep me sane until vacation time.
My last spreadsheet had TOO many places to make ADR's so I wound up listing all the places we want to go then I had to force myself and the wife to rate which we wanted more than others for Aug trip and which we'll delay to March trip. We are starting to accumulate WDW dining favs but we still want to try new places. Getting frustrating not having an unlimited expense account to just live at WDW 24x7 .
 

tatibus0913

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Ok, I'm guilty of the spreadsheet planning trips as well. Helps keep me sane until vacation time.
My last spreadsheet had TOO many places to make ADR's so I wound up listing all the places we want to go then I had to force myself and the wife to rate which we wanted more than others for Aug trip and which we'll delay to March trip. We are starting to accumulate WDW dining favs but we still want to try new places. Getting frustrating not having an unlimited expense account to just live at WDW 24x7 .

Right! It's so hard!! We struggle with going back to our favorites but also checking out new ones. I think there's a good balance for this upcoming trip though.

I LOVE spreadsheets for vacation planning. They're fun to create and helps keep everything organized, especially when it's for Disney.
 

BuckyMom

Well-Known Member
Just caught up to your planning. DD and I will cross paths with you in June. We will be at AK same day on Friday. She will be there with 4 friends initially (celebrating HS Graduation), I'm coming in on Thursday night, and she's staying with me until Tuesday the 18th. I've been having one issue after another with MDE (can't get her POR reservation check in done online, her plans aren't showing up in MDE app but they are there online, what gives Disney?). Spreadsheets? I just have little notes in a file folder....I guess I really need to get moving. I'm working up the courage to do a report...I do love everyone's posts.
 

tatibus0913

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Just caught up to your planning. DD and I will cross paths with you in June. We will be at AK same day on Friday. She will be there with 4 friends initially (celebrating HS Graduation), I'm coming in on Thursday night, and she's staying with me until Tuesday the 18th. I've been having one issue after another with MDE (can't get her POR reservation check in done online, her plans aren't showing up in MDE app but they are there online, what gives Disney?). Spreadsheets? I just have little notes in a file folder....I guess I really need to get moving. I'm working up the courage to do a report...I do love everyone's posts.

That’s so exciting! What a great way to celebrate graduating! I just really like spreadsheets in general and found that that work well for me, but everyone plans vacations differently. You should write a report! I love reading about everyone’s trips!
 

MeeskaMooska0714

Well-Known Member
I just finished reading your pre-trip report! Looks like our paths will cross quite a few times (AK on the 14th, maybe HS or EPCOT on the 15th and DS on the 16th). We are also staying across the lake at Art of Animation. Please stop and say hi if you see us! :)

Also, I use Microsoft OneNote for all my planning - can't have too many notes / screenshots / checklists! My husband saw it the other day and was like "is this what you do at work all day?!?". Yes, yes it is! :hilarious:
 

tatibus0913

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I just finished reading your pre-trip report! Looks like our paths will cross quite a few times (AK on the 14th, maybe HS or EPCOT on the 15th and DS on the 16th). We are also staying across the lake at Art of Animation. Please stop and say hi if you see us! :)

Also, I use Microsoft OneNote for all my planning - can't have too many notes / screenshots / checklists! My husband saw it the other day and was like "is this what you do at work all day?!?". Yes, yes it is! :hilarious:

That's so cool! Definitely say hi if you see us too!!

OneNote looks really cool - my students use it a lot for the classes. I may have to upgrade my spreadsheets 😂
 

NessNewt

Well-Known Member
Your plans look awesome! And TWO FP's for FOP and SDD gives me hope for when we'll make our FP's for our August trip.

I've made a lot of the same ADR's so I can't wait to hear how it all goes!
 

tatibus0913

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Your plans look awesome! And TWO FP's for FOP and SDD gives me hope for when we'll make our FP's for our August trip.

I've made a lot of the same ADR's so I can't wait to hear how it all goes!

I was so stressed about the FastPasses!! This may have been overkill, but I made a list of FastPasses in order of priority with the dates and times I wanted. FOP and SDD were the first ones that I booked right at 7am.

We arrive on a Saturday and for FOP on Tuesday, there were only evening ones left, which works for our plans. However, there was a lot more availability for Friday. SDD also seemed to have a good amount of availability for Thursday and Saturday. I think if you book them later in the trip, you should be ok!

I just can’t wait to be there! 44 days to go!
 

NessNewt

Well-Known Member
This may have been overkill, but I made a list of FastPasses in order of priority with the dates and times I wanted.

I have started to make a list with my priorities at the top, the day and times I am aiming for, and alternative days if I can't get what I want. Definitely not overkill. Lol

So exciting!
 

tabby1222

Active Member
I change everything constantly too, it's a disease which I love. My family hates it, and just end up saying "you plan, we will go." :)

Super jealous of all the good plays. We don't get much good, unless we drive the 2 1/2 hours to Chicago. And now with the boys, I don't want to pay that much for 4 tickets!

We get there two days after you leave, bummer!!!
 

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