Welp, we finally did it! (Now the "questions thread")

[Model3 McQueen]

EDIT 12/3/18
Instead of creating a new thread, I wanted to ask a few more questions on here so I don't clutter up the board with inquiries.

1. we were thinking, instead of flying in Sunday and leaving Saturday, that maybe we should fly in Saturday and book a value resort for that day. In this event, we'd be able to spend a full day riding around to different hotels, checking out Disneysprings, have time to go to Target for breakfast supplies, etc. Can I do this / should I do this? Should I book a value for Saturday, and continue to Coronado on Sunday? Is this even feasible given our luggage and the magical express and all that? Or should we possibly tack on another 200 dollar day at Coronado? What would you all suggest?

2. I'm a little confused with FP+.. For EPCOT, I wasn't allowed to choose Frozen AND Test Track.. it had to be one or the other. Some rides like Avatar Flight and 7 dwarves were unavailable 55+ days out. When I am actually at the parks, can I book and arrange in a matter similar to Disneyland's MaxPass system, or do I need to go to individual booths around the park? I have the app and i'm fully ready to book on the move.

This is where i'm at so far..
Monday EPCOT
Spaceship earth 955, Frozen 12:10. Plan is to arrive early, hit TT first, then spaceship, then Frozen later. Around evening, walk or boat to DHS for ToT
Tuesday AK
Dinosaur 1045, Everest 12, Kali River 3:15. I was hoping for Avatar over Kali but it was unavailable.
Wednesday MK
Splash 1020, Haunted 1155, Pirates 225. 7 dwarves was unavailable, and Space Mountain is a maybe depending on how my girls back is holding up
Thursday DHS
Rocknroll 915, ToT 1025, Indy Stunt Show 12:45 - showtime 115. I didn't want a fastpass for Indy but nothing else interesting was available.
Friday Wildcard
Our free day, I didn't book anything yet.



ORIGINAL POST
After countless years of trying to plan something, my girlfriend and I were finally able to book a trip to WDW! We're very excited, but i'm also a bit nervous as this would be my first time going in over 10 years, and her first time overall, so i'm not quite sure what to expect or see.

The Plan:
In a nutshell, We will be staying at the Coronado Springs Resort for 5 (6?) days between Jan - Feb (as I read this is probably the best time to go). The price of the hotel was hard to argue with - Although the park tickets were probably face value, Coronado had a "Magic your Way" special going on and we booked rooms at 160 a night. All in all, a 5 day / 6 night stay with 5 day park hopper was just over 2,000. We're going to probably set aside a budget of around 100 a day for food. I also saw that there was a Target just south of Coronado, so we'll probably take a Lyft and get our breakfast / late night snack needs and bring it back to the hotel, on the day we arrive. The flight will be paid for, thanks very much to my Southwest credit card points promo. Haven't booked that yet but I will probably a month+ in advance.

I hope we can arrive before the sun sets! After Target I'd certainly love to visit downtown Disney as a proper intro to our vacation. I already have a plan for the first full day - visit EPCOT all morning / afternoon, then head over to DHS to visit ToT at night. I can hardly contain my excitement - I miss ToT so much, and i'm so happy i'll be able to share the experience with my lady.

The Story:
Now on to my boring, personal story: Since college, I have had a severe issue with Panic and Anxiety. I even developed an agoraphobia for awhile. I'm not going to touch on this subject too deeply unless someone on here is suffering from it too and needs advice.

Roughly 2 years ago, I started making severe lifestyle changes; new direction in life, new habits, & smarter decisions all led me through my journey to recovery (It was also in this stage where I met my lady). Now I am extremely proud to admit that at the beginning of this year, I flew from Phoenix to Hawaii and after a week, came back. It was a life changer, realizing I am no longer victim to my own monsters. I still have anxiety, but it's much more tame now.

That being said, part of what makes me nervous for this trip, is that Disney is providing all of the transportation. I've yet to visit a place where I didn't rent a car or have family around. Disney is providing everything with the Magical Express and in-city transport.

I'm also thinking about how the fastpass+ / dining reservations work, but that'll be a bridge to cross when we get within (60?) days. I'm not necessarily thrilled with the idea of reserving things I have no experience with. I did play with MyDisneyExperience a little bit, so I suppose most of the work is already done but I am definitely preparing to revisit the website a few times!

The Outro:
I'm a bit bummed about the Magic Kingdom Railroad being down but i'm sure the other experiences will more than make up for it. I don't see any other schedule refurbs, minus MKRR and TLSW, so Disneyworld here we come!

Oh, and although I probably deserve it - if you have advice, please don't pull a Shooter McGavin and tell me to go to the 9th green at 9pm

Spoiler: The Secret of the Pros

 

[DisneyGigi]

I love Coronado. It is my favorite resort. Our 6th, I think, stay will be in a little under 4 weeks. Gail, at Concierge, is the best. Every cast member there is pretty amazing. I think you will love it. It is a wonderful place to explore, especially at night.

My daughter in law, has social anxiety, we have taken her twice- avoid exit crowds, if you can. That seemed to give her a lot of stress.

Make your dining ressies, now. A lot of the good places get booked quick. Plus, you can always change them if you need to.

Hope you have an amazing time.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

I also suffer from that affliction and I can say that your story is very inspiring! Cheers and high fives for making this happen and just remember that - however cliched - we can only do one day at a time. I don't know if mindfulness has been part of your therapy (I need to practice more of what I preach) but when things get rough, it's never a bad thing. Also, you'll have your girlfriend to help guide you through those moments. Sometimes, all I need is a good hand squeeze or a smile from my partner/family member so that I can get through it.

So happy for you and here's to the journey!

Thank you so much, this means a lot to me. Part of my pain was thinking that I was alone and shouldn't share, but it's comforting to know that others can relate in one way or another. I truly hope you too are recovered / well on your way to recovery and if not, i'd be more than happy to share my experiences and what ultimately worked for me, to help in the best possible way that I can. Being mindful of your surroundings and not allowing your mind to race, is definitely part of the process haha.

Cheers, good sir

 

[belledream]

Just an FYI - you can book dining 180 days in advance, so like, now! FP is indeed 60 days.

Take it slow, don't try to do everything, and find time to just sit back and soak it all in. Wishing the two of you a wonderful trip!

 

[Model3 McQueen]

I love Coronado. It is my favorite resort. Our 6th, I think, stay will be in a little under 4 weeks. Gail, at Concierge, is the best. Every cast member there is pretty amazing. I think you will love it. It is a wonderful place to explore, especially at night.

My daughter in law, has social anxiety, we have taken her twice- avoid exit crowds, if you can. That seemed to give her a lot of stress.

Make your dining ressies, now. A lot of the good places get booked quick. Plus, you can always change them if you need to.

Hope you have an amazing time.

Thank you so much! It was between Coronado and Port Orleans (I mean, I would've liked Contemporary but $$$ ), and we chose Coronado because the hotel was at such a good deal. I'm happy to hear that it is a good place to stay and I will be sure to keep an eye out for Gail!

I'm sorry that your daughter in law has anxiety as well. I would recommend this book to anyone suffering with anxiety: https://www.amazon.com/Dare-Anxiety-Stop-Panic-Attacks/dp/0956596258 it really opened my eyes to the condition and helped.

I'll start taking a look at the restaurants when I get home, then! Do you have any in mind?

Just an FYI - you can book dining 180 days in advance, so like, now! FP is indeed 60 days.

Take it slow, don't try to do everything, and find time to just sit back and soak it all in. Wishing the two of you a wonderful trip!

I appreciate the advice, thank you! Do you have any restaurant recommendations as well?

 

[belledream]

Thank you so much! It was between Coronado and Port Orleans (I mean, I would've liked Contemporary but $$$ ), and we chose Coronado because the hotel was at such a good deal. I'm happy to hear that it is a good place to stay and I will be sure to keep an eye out for Gail!

I'm sorry that your daughter in law has anxiety as well. I would recommend this book to anyone suffering with anxiety: https://www.amazon.com/Dare-Anxiety-Stop-Panic-Attacks/dp/0956596258 it really opened my eyes to the condition and helped.

I'll start taking a look at the restaurants when I get home, then! Do you have any in mind?



I appreciate the advice, thank you! Do you have any restaurant recommendations as well?

Tons! What kind of cuisine/experiences (quiet/relaxing/characters/buffet/fine dining?) you are looking for?

 

[DisneyGigi]

Thank you so much! It was between Coronado and Port Orleans (I mean, I would've liked Contemporary but $$$ ), and we chose Coronado because the hotel was at such a good deal. I'm happy to hear that it is a good place to stay and I will be sure to keep an eye out for Gail!

I'm sorry that your daughter in law has anxiety as well. I would recommend this book to anyone suffering with anxiety: https://www.amazon.com/Dare-Anxiety-Stop-Panic-Attacks/dp/0956596258 it really opened my eyes to the condition and helped.

I'll start taking a look at the restaurants when I get home, then! Do you have any in mind?



I appreciate the advice, thank you! Do you have any restaurant recommendations as well?

Ohana, if someone cancels, at Poly, it books quick. I love Mama Melrose, Coral Reef is good, Tusker House, AK - if going to Boardwalk, Cape May is amazing, if you like seafood. Maya Grill, at Coronado is quiet and such good food. We love it.
Gosh, we eat so many places,it is hard to pick- counter services, Flame Tree BBQ, AK- Rosie’s- DHS. MK- Cosmic Rays, or Columbia Harbour House, always our faves. Epcot, Mexico, I cannot remember name, but the counter service, as soon as you get to Mexico.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Tons! What kind of cuisine/experiences (quiet/relaxing/characters/buffet/fine dining?) you are looking for?

Goodness - they all sound great. I suppose whatever is tasty / healthy, for a less than ideal budget. So probably not the buffet's or, i'm assuming, character meals (although I wont lie, it would be kinda cool to interact with the staff!).

Ohana, if someone cancels, at Poly, it books quick. I love Mama Melrose, Coral Reef is good, Tusker House, AK - if going to Boardwalk, Cape May is amazing, if you like seafood. Maya Grill, at Coronado is quiet and such good food. We love it.
Gosh, we eat so many places,it is hard to pick- counter services, Flame Tree BBQ, AK- Rosie’s- DHS. MK- Cosmic Rays, or Columbia Harbour House, always our faves. Epcot, Mexico, I cannot remember name, but the counter service, as soon as you get to Mexico.

Wonderful! I'll check into all those places when I get home. So what you're saying is we can make reservations at hotels as well as restaurants in the parks? I have a few more bits of research to do!

I talk about my wedding around here so much that it must be annoying. But that will be a very stressful time, if I allow it to be. There are so many gatherings, so much to organize. So many separate meals with family members and group meals/reception. All the standard stuff. I've already said that I really, really need the support of my best men -- and they get it. But it's going to be a struggle. In those moments where I feel like I want to get away, or not want to leave the hotel room, what can I do to snap myself out of it?

No not at all! I completely understand, it definitely will be stressful but you can do it; it'll also be the happiest day of your life!

I don't know how much help I can be as I've never been married and have only attended one wedding in my life. I think in those moments, you shouldn't think and should just "do". I tend to get overwhelmed at little things so what helps me is to prioritize, and then just get things done one at a time. Make a list, do a little bit of research but not so much to where you're overwhelmed. I found that overthinking about it (or the anticipation anxiety) is the worst, because all your doing is amping yourself up without actually achieving anything.

To truly come to peace with yourself and your inner-anxiety, you'll most likely need to make some lifestyle changes like I did. Like, become a workout freak, quit all social media, eat the right foods and focus on the important things. Really dig deep and try to focus on yourself, and focus on making yourself a better person. I think I can really help in this regards, but i'd strongly recommend checking out DARE on amazon <- linked.

I hope your fiance has been a great help as well. Everyone attending your wedding will be family but in the end, it's between you and the love of your life. That's what really matters. Cherish the moment

 

[mergatroid]

Enjoy your trip and congratulations on overcoming your issues, that's great to hear. A meal at the Sci-fi Dine in is really fun for couples and worth a try. You sit in little 'cars' to eat with a big screen showing old, terrible sci-fi clips from yesteryear whilst you eat. My wife and I always visit though we're just a burger couple rather than fine diners.

 

[DisneyGigi]

Thanks so much for the advice, and I will definitely check out the book. And it's good to talk this stuff out here, I'm sure other people reading go through the same struggles!

Any can be made at 180 days, park or resort. Look up menus, and book what you think you may want!

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Enjoy your trip and congratulations on overcoming your issues, that's great to hear. A meal at the Sci-fi Dine in is really fun for couples and worth a try. You sit in little 'cars' to eat with a big screen showing old, terrible sci-fi clips from yesteryear whilst you eat. My wife and I always visit though we're just a burger couple rather than fine diners.

Thank you so much, I appreciate it. I read about this restaurant on another thread awhile back and completely forgot about it! This is definitely something we'd want to check out haha i'll book it for whichever day we plan on visiting DHS!

Any can be made at 180 days, park or resort. Look up menus, and book what you think you may want!

I think you meant to quote me on this Thank you!

 

[belledream]

Gotcha! So with food and budget in mind, I’d recommend...
MK: Liberty Tree Tavern - understated, cozy, American fare with sandwiches/salads
Epcot: Coral Reef - seafood, awesome ambience eating next to tanks full of fish! Or at World Showcase, our favorites are San Angel Inn, Spice Road Table, and Chefs de France
HS: Sci Fi and 50’s Prime Time are cool atmospheres and relatively cheap...but I’d also throw in Mama Melrose for some good Italian food!
AK: actually think you may enjoy Satu’li Canteen...a quick service place in Pandora. No reservations needed for surprisingly delectable protein bowls on top of rice or salads with amazing dressings. Seriously so good!

 

[rtc975]

Not a thing to worry about with transportation. Single dad, I've taken my daughter 3 times just her and I. First trip she was 6 and I was beyond stressed leading in to that trip. Flights on delta, jetblue, southwest in to MCO and then over to WDW on the express. We rely solely on the internal disney transportation and other than waiting in lines occasionally, it's never been an issue.

Honestly once you're on the ground and deplaned, just head to the magical express area on the ground level of main terminal. Check your bags at your home airport with the yellow luggage tags DME sends you prior to your trip and the bags will get to your room no problem (remember to cut the yellow tags off AFTER they get to your room). It's so stress free. There can be a little bit of a wait on the magical express bus to get rolling out of MCO but it's never been *that* bad for us, we're just happy to be in orlando and doing our thing.

Only thing I somewhat stress about is making sure you're at the DME stop at the hotel at the time they give you (you'll get an envelope of info hanging on your room door the morning of the day before you leave). Just be at that bus stop on time and you're golden.

 

[geekza]

Congratulations on your upcoming trip! My experience is over a decade old, but I also was stressed about Disney transportation the last time I went and it ended up being a non-issue. They're extremely efficient and, aside from some waits for buses to arrive, the experience was a most pleasant one. The drivers all know their routes like the back of their hands and it was no trouble getting anywhere we wanted to go. You can just relax and take in the view.

I also suffer from social anxiety and get really uncomfortable in new situations and large crowds. For some reason, I've always done okay at WDW. Maybe it's because the Cast Members tend to take care of you and put you at ease. Plus, I'm so in love with the place that my brain just looks past the hoards of people and I focus on all of the little details that are everywhere you look. There are so many fairly quiet places still where you can just sit on a bench and catch your breath when you get overwhelmed. Sometimes just finding one of those spots and planting yourself there for five or ten minutes can make a huge difference.

I hope you have a wonderful time!

 

[larryz]

The only thing I did in Sept that I won't do again is go park-to-park on the buses. If that's my plan for the day, I'll just drive -- a lot quicker and more reliable.

 

[pax_65]

Part of what I love about staying on property is that I don't have to worry about driving (and dealing with people who don't know how to drive). Letting Disney handle the transportation helps me relax. Hopefully you'll find the same thing!

Congrats on booking your trip. I'm sure you'll have an amazing time!

 

[Magenta Panther]

Coronado Springs is a lovely resort. If I opt to stay at WDW on my next Florida trip, that's the mod I'll pick. Have fun!

 

[TiggerDad]

With a limited budget, and limited days on site, I would limit how many meals you plan to eat at sit-down reserved restaurants to just a few highlights. You can have more time and flexibility to do other things in the parks by eating a quick serve meal, and save money for a couple of expensive meals. Other than your travel day, which sounds like you're not going to a park, if you schedule a meal off-site at a hotel, you need to factor in travel time to/from the hotel, and that will take further time away from the parks.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

The only piece of advise I will give you is this...there are MANY negative threads on here about the WDW that was as opposed to the WDW that is now...DO NOT read into the negativity too much...if you look for all the bad stuff you read about, you'll FIND some, NOT ALL, but if you avoid the stress of the negative and appreciate the positive, you WILL have a magical trip! Once you get back to the "real world", you'll immediately notice the difference and appreciate all there is in "The World". Have a GREAT time, take notes both positive and negative, and write a trip report telling us everything you experienced on your vacation!!

 

[Alice a]

Regarding ADRs- my bestie (and frequent tag-along on many of our WDW trips in the past) suffers from pretty debilitating anxiety and social anxiety. She's been hospitalized several times.

In her case, pre-planning fast passes and restaurant reservations is a no-go. She doesn't get stressed setting them up, but it has created a lot of anxiety for her having everything pre-planned, because if she wakes up and can't leave the hotel that day or really doesn't think she can handle Magic Kingdom and would prefer a leisurely stroll around World Showcase, she doesn't feel pressured to go by plans made months out when she was at her safe space- at home.

Having been to WDW dozens of times since childhood, she was really surprised how her anxiety could be such a problem. Once she killed the advance planning, her trips have gone relatively smoothly.

My cousin also struggles with anxiety, and for him, the pre-planning helped because he felt some control over the situation. It goes without saying that I don't vacation with both people at the same time!

Congrats on your upcoming trip- please do a trip report