You only turn 45 once - A Summer of Celebration!! An August 2016 PTR

[Dug720]

This is my first time doing one of these - though far from my first visit to Disney! - so bear with me!!

The cast...

That's me. My name's Beth, and I live and teach Special Ed in New York City. I am currently a Blue Stripe Belt (the step between Green and Blue) in Taekwondo. I also love music, theatre, reading, yoga, and traveling.

The premise...
This summer, I'll turn 45, so I've decided to do it up right with traveling to bookend my summer break, visiting two of my favorite places on earth - Italy and Disney!

The day we get out of school for the summer (June 28, not that I'm counting or anything) I fly to Barcelona for a couple of days before going on Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas Mediterranean/Venice cruise! I've been slightly distracted planning that, but since most of those excursions and such are booked, I can turn the planning light on my independent days in Rome and on Capri.
And more importantly, my August 18-23 trip to Walt Disney World! Which is the whole point of this thing. (My birthday falls in between the two trips. I was born 71 days before the Magic Kingdom opened! Fun fact!)

The backstory...
I have loved all things Disney all of my life. "Bambi" was the first movie my parents took me to see (in the theatre was the only option back then) - complete with me jumping up and down yelling "Run Bambi! Run!" during the forest fire scene. I remember Sunday nights with TV dinners spent watching The Wonderful World of Disney. FINALLY when I was 9 we got to go to Walt Disney World!!

That's me standing behind my sister while we're watching the Main Street Electrical Parade. We were in awe! And that's still probably my favorite thing to do at WDW - just ask my friend Erica who heard me yell and saw me dash out of the Emporium during Marathon Weekend 2015 when it was NOT on the schedule I'd seen to happen.

Various other trips followed, but we never stayed on property until our parents took us on a trip to celebrate my graduating from seminary and my sister graduating from college. We stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort, and I was in love!! I've done a solo trip where I stayed at Coronado Springs, solo race weekend trips where I've stayed at CBR, All Star Music, and Pop, and we've done family trips where we stayed at Port Orleans Riverside, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Saratoga Springs Resort. But my heart pretty much stays at Caribbean Beach Resort.

This is going to be a solo trip, which I don't mind. I like traveling by myself - get so much more done and don't feel like I have to hold back or change things I want to do. Don't get me wrong, traveling and hanging with friends is super fun too. But I've never had a problem traveling solo before!

I will be meeting up with friends on two occasions for meals, so it's not 100% solo. It's gonna be awesome though!!

So... That's the cast and the background! Plans and ponderings to follow!

 

[Dug720]

Planning Part 1 - WHERE will I stay??

Well, when I first started the idea of planning this trip, it was going to be with someone who I thought was becoming a friend, so we started the planning together. We discussed several places to go, and both Disney and New Orleans came up, so obviously the natural place to stay was POFQ - would have been my first time staying there. Booked the MYW package, got my flights... We were set.

And then through various conversations it became VERY obvious that other than having a singer/actress friend in common, we honestly had very little in common and traveling together was not going to be a good idea. So that package was cancelled. Better just to do that and work from there as even if I wanted to deal with just removing her from the reservation (always the risk that with the reservation number and my address and such she could have decided to be super wicked and cancel it - you can't be too safe. I mean, this was not a romantic thing, but I've encountered some horror stories on cruise forums where an ugly break-up/divorce took place and someone arrived at the port to discover that a reservation was cancelled, and in at least one case the person had booked the cruise AFTER the break-up, but things had gone to an email address the ex had access to. So like I said, though this was not at all romantic, I didn't want to take a chance.), POFQ just wasn't going to be in my budget for a solo trip unless I won the lottery - and so far no dice.

But I had my plane ticket already booked, and I love Disney. AND I don't mind going solo, so... NEW BOOKING!!!!!

At first I was going to go budget and stay at Pop Century. Booked it, and figuring I'm celebrating my birthday, it might be fun to request the 70's building. I mean, being born in 71... Kinda cheesy I know, but also kinda fun. Called and had my birthday celebration noted on the reservation and put in a request for 70's building lake view. I thought I was set.

And then...

I cannot stay away from that "change reservation" link on MDE.

Started looking at options and my eyes - and heart - kept going back to Caribbean Beach Resort. Like I said above, my first on-property resort - it's my Disney home!! It was more than Pop obviously, but not as much more as POFQ. (POR and CSR are no-gos having stayed at each and not liked either.) So I crunched some numbers. I think I said in my intro that I'm kicking off the summer with a 12-night Mediterranean cruise, so a lot of my travel money is going to that. BUT there is July and August after that, so... I decided that I would see what my tax refund amount would be and if it was over a set amount in my head I would switch.

Well, it was! So I upgraded to CBR!!!!

That obviously necessitated a call to change my requests since "70's section, lake view room" wouldn't make sense AT ALL at CBR. I got an absolutely delightful woman on the phone (I wish I remembered her name in case I need to call back) who helped with everything. She verified that yes, birthday celebration was rotated, and she put in my new CBR-based requests.

I know most people request Jamaica 45 or Aruba 51 because those are supposedly the closest standard rooms (I actually think the non-preferred rooms in Martinique are closer, but hey... who am I to argue), but for me, I'd rather be able to walk over to my room from the Customs House easily (and on the sad panda last day walk my luggage over to store before going to play until Tragical Express back to MCO time) without having to deal with the internal shuttle. So Barbados is usually my request. Plus I think it's the prettiest color scheme.

So I got my requests in - Barbados, second floor. Corner room if possible, but Barbados and second floor are by far the most important. Those are what I will select when I do my online check-in as well. And though faxing is debatable, I'm still going to fax them in 5 days out. (Yes, I know Touring Plans will do this, supposedly with good success. But since I'm not a commando-style Disney visitor - I like to just let things happen outside of a few ADRs and FP+ which I really don't stress about too much (other than which restaurant in some cases, but that's another post) and don't let lines bother me (too long? I'll come back later or skip it), I refuse to pay for a subscription JUST for the room fax. I'll try it on my own and if it doesn't work, oh well. I'll live.)

I'll be interested to see what happens with them. Marathon Weekend 2015 I had the same requests - only done on my online check-in though - and instead was given...

Wait for it...

Jamaica 45. (Yep, requested probably the least requested section and was given probably the most requested building. Crazy times!!)

And I even arrived around 10pm!! So it's not like I was there early to get prime choice!! This time I WILL be getting there early - my flight is scheduled in at 8:18am, and I have found that usually JetBlue vastly overestimates arrival times between JFK and MCO. I am NOT checking the "room early overrides all other requests" button!! I'd rather store luggage and wait if it me and I can get something closer to my requests. I also LOVE going to the front deck and talking with the CMs, so even IF I get the "you may go to your room" text and it looks to meet my requests, I'll still go there to check in.

So... That is all the drama with deciding where to stay!!

Next up... What parks when??

 

[Dug720]

Planning Part 2 - What and when??

I'll just say upfront I am NOT a commando visitor at Disney. I plan some things - ADRs, I will get FP+ for each day, but I don't schedule them back to back (unless they are all going to be in the same area of the park) as a rule, and I like to wander around doing whatever I feel like doing. It will be interesting to see my FitBit stats during this trip. I've been known to wander back and forth and back and forth between World Showcase and Future World during my days at EPCOT - because that's what I like to do. Be free to follow whims. I've also been known to play bus roulette and just hop on the first bus that comes along if I don't have and strong feelings about parks one way or the other. True this made more sense before FP+, but if the mood to play strikes me, I have no qualms about cancelling the ones I have if the park bus that arrives is different. (My one exception is DHS - there is not enough there to hold my interest, so THAT bus I will skip.) If I can get new ones for the park I'm headed to, great. If not, no biggie - I make it work. Due to ADRs, this trip will likely not have so much of bus roulette (not paying for hopping this trip as in looking back I rarely if ever hop when I'm solo), but a couple of the breakfasts are out of park, so in theory I could change up the plans a little. It's all open game! So if you're in the "commando" and/or "every second planned down to bathroom breaks" this part (heck my whole trip) might give you hives.

Also as a note, when I'm in theme parks solo I am far more likely to eat a bigger breakfast and then just snack throughout the day, maybe grab a QS meal if I'm really feeling hungry. There are a few exceptions to this in here, but by and large my ADRs are breakfasts.

So with that understanding in place...

8/18
My flight is set to land at MCO at 8:18am (granted this is JetBlue, so it could change between now and then) - I know the JFK-MCO route *usually* takes less time than that. But I'm not counting on that, so going with landing at 8:18. I'm doing carry-on only - I rarely check bags unless I absolutely have to (and "have to" is extreme for me - I did a 10-night trip including a 7-night running cruise (as in 4 races) to Alaska with an overnight before in Anchorage, and an overnight after in Vancouver and Seattle in carry-on only, so I can pack tight!). So I can head straight to DME. I figure barring delays, I should be there by 8:45 at the latest, and then it's off to the resort whenever my bus leaves.

I'll get checked-in at CBR and either go drop my stuff off at the room if it's ready or drop my stuff with bell services. If I'm hungry, I'll pop over to Old Port Royale and grab a mug and a snack.

Then it's off to EPCOT to kick things off. I keep going back and forth with an ADR for that day. Right now I have a mid-afternoon reservation at Chefs de France for "linner" (my term for something between lunch and dinner). But I keep toying with Le Cellier - which would cause some adjustment in others for the budget - since it is a birthday celebration trip. I've also toyed with San Angel Inn around the same time or an early ADR at La Hacienda as those are places I've never been. Biergarten is also a thought.

But do a meal somewhere and snack later (hello school bread!!!) in the evening. Wander, ride, explore, meet some characters, get a Black Velvet at the pub, wander some more. Then wrap up day number 1 with Illuminations!!

8/19
Currently have an 8am ADR for 'Ohana. Beginning to debate this one as I'll see Mickey and Pluto in plenty of other places, and it would give me some extra money to put towards something else if I got breakfast at CBR. I do love me some Stitch, but I don't know that missing him will be make or break. I'll make up my mind soon.

MK is planned that day. Again, wandering, riding, meeting characters, etc.

I do currently have a BOG dinner ADR that I'm debating on. I have eaten at BOG back when you could wait in line for lunch. I was not super impressed, but most people say that dinner is a different feel. And if I keep Le Cellier off the table it could be a fun birthday celebration dinner. So we'll see.

Wrap up Day 2 with MSEP and Wishes.

8/20
Back to EPCOT today. Kick things off with breakfast at Garden Grill. Super excited for this one! I love Chip and Dale AND Mickey and Pluto!

Again, some wandering, riding, character greeting, etc.

That afternoon I'm meeting up with a friend and maybe her husband, and we're going to Via Napoli for "linner". I don't know if we'll hang out after that or not, but I'll probably wrap up day 3 with Illuminations again.

8/21
Kick off Day 4 with my favorite breakfast (in spite of Minnie - so not a Minnie fan) - Cape May Café!!

Then it will be sort of chill until I meet up with two other friends at Disney Springs for "linner" at Bongos. Since they both have to head back home, I'll have the evening free, so I'm deciding what to do. Perhaps treat myself to La Nouba, perhaps a movie (depending on what's showing), or MAYBE head over to DAK for evening activities including Rivers of Light. Maybe. (RoL will depend on what I end up with for the next day.)

8/22
This day right now is my most changeable in terms of meals. What's not changing is this is my primary Animal Kingdom day!!

Right now I've got a breakfast at Tusker House booked. Love this breakfast!! But...

The big question mark right now is the RoL dining packages. Some say all three meals at TH will have a package, some say only dinner... And then there's been the rumor that the characters will no longer roam the restaurant but there will be a photo op in a room referred to as "the closet". That would be sad to me as I've had awesome character interaction there. But who knows.

Other than wandering, riding, meeting characters, seeing shows... This is my most up in the air day until this RoL things get settled. Which may be tomorrow, may not. Stay tuned for an update!!

8/23
The sad last day.

Get up, take the bags to bell services, and head to MK for breakfast at Crystal Palace. This one holds a special place in my heart as it was my first character breakfast! And the breakfast lasagna... YUM!!!!!

Do more wandering, riding, greeting characters.

And at probably 2:30 head back to CBR for the wait for the Tragical Express back to MCO and the real world.

For now, my thoughts on the FP+ I will try for (at least MK and EPCOT are spread over two days. DAK may have a day and evening)...

MK - Probably the Princess meets, Splash (8/19 only as I don't want to deal with changing or flying damp), Space Mountain, Mickey meet (though Talking Mickey kind of freaks me out), and either Pirates or Peter Pan

EPCOT - Norway, Soaring, Character Spot, Mission Space... and we'll see. A lot depends on the tiring once Norway and Soaring are back open.

DAK - RoL (unless I get a dining package), Safari, Kal. If RoL is with a dining package, I'll probably FP+ Disney Pals meet.

So now it's waiting for the RoL info to reel, making some decisions (Spend the money on Le Cellier? Drop the 'Ohana breakfast? Keep the BOG linner?), and tweaking things.

Whee!!!!!!