Dsnygirl's "Hot, hot, HOT!!" August pre-trip report

[Dsnygirl]

I'm so excited to be able to be writing this trip report... even though I got the chance to be back in my "happy place" with some girlfriends in January, my little family and I haven't been in almost 2 years, and we're going for our longest trip yet. So, the excitement is building & I just can't wait!! 16 days to go!

Cast of characters:

Me, Dsnygirl - 43 - hopeless Disney fanatic who would travel to the World every few months if she could....

DH, also known as CaptJackSparrow (but who is rarely on the boards) - 44 - lover of Disney (esp. Disney golf) but who is able to keep it under control until a few weeks before we leave...

DD1 - 12, turning 13 on this trip - following closely in her mother's footsteps re: all things Disney, animal lover who plans on picking the brains of any and all AK CM's she encounters, and future Intercot member...

DD2 - 10 - funny & crazy lover of all rides fast OR slow (but esp. RnRC, LOVES that ride...) and goes full-tilt from the moment her feet hit the floor in the morning. Definitely going to have to slow this child down for our trip...

Trip dates: August 18 - August 29 at Disney, with a travel day on the 17th for the girls and I, and two travel dates on the 30th/31st for the girls and I, as well. (We are driving, just the 3 of us, as airfare at the time we were booking it was over $1600 for the four of us!! Yikes!! DH is flying to conserve on vacation days...)

So -- to the trip -- the girls and I will leave at o'dark hundred the morning of Wednesday, the 17th... in real-time, that probably converts to about 7am. We're planning to go for about 12 hours, hitting our reserved hotel in SC at about 7 or 7:30pm for dinner and a bit of pool time. No major stops planned, just time to gas up and stretch our legs... maybe a few scenic stops in the mountains, if we can find some set out for pictures and views.

The next morning, we plan to be out of the hotel after bkfst (included, which is nice..) by 7:30 or 8am, and hoping to be at our home away from home (the Caribbean Beach Resort) by 2:30 or 3pm. We are taking the Central Florida GreeneWay loop around Orlando, which depending on which exit we take, dumps us off near CBR or closer to Epcot.

(Still have to figure out which exit will allow us to go under the "Walt Disney World" sign, as I promised I would FINALLY get that elusive picture you can never get from the ME buses, or in towncar! Anybody know the answer to this??)

Anyway... after we've checked in and unpacked, we're headed to the pool to relax, find some dinner and wait for my DH to arrive... his plane arrives around 7pm and he's going to take ME to us... I promised to waiting, drink in hand. He is most excited to be arriving AFTER all the unpacking/putting away has happened, so he can just step immediately into "relax mode".... hopefully, he'll be able to find everything we've unpacked for him.

From this point on, there's not much of a set plan... we do have ADR's for each day, but even these are open to change as far as we're concerned. I have always been an UBER planner for our past trips, and it has served us well -- but this time, knowing we're walking into what for us will be record heat and the need to take things more slowly -- we have really backed off on any specifics.

That being said -- here are our ideas, in a nutshell. (Well, let's say a big nutshell... I am nothing if not wordy, even when I'm trying not to be...)

Our first day will start with bkfst at CP -- it has become a tradition for us, and our favorite way to say, "Ahhhhh... we're home." We will spend most of the day at MK, soaking in the magic, with a brief trip over to AKL for dinner and to spend a bit of time re-visiting what has become a favorite resort of ours. (and to find some zebra domes.... LOVE them...) Then it'll be back to MK to meet up with some friends old & new, catch the ELP (first time for the girls and I, I only caught glimpses in January... and a nostalgic "look back" for my DH who hasn't seen it since he was a boy) and Wishes before staying as late as we can handle it for EMH.

This is probably a good point to say I'm not sure which way our trip will go, as far as park touring... whether we're going to fall into the category of folks who do everything in the early morning hours and head to bed on the earlier side to accommodate that, or whether we'll be more of the "night owl" crew who stays for all the EMH and then sleeps in to catch up. Right now, I'm guessing it will be a mix of the two... I'd really like a few leisurely mornings at the resort to just have a walk around the lake and enjoy the ambience we love so much... and my DD2 shockingly announced the other day that she'd like nothing better than the chance to lay in a hammock on the beach there, reading her book. So, we'll see how it goes -- right now, we're open for whatever works for us.

We will be meeting some new friends and catching up with some old ones... there is nothing better than spending time at Disney with people you love, who love being there as much as you do!! Looking forward in a BIG way to matching faces with names and making new friends, and even more to hugging and re-connecting with some people that hold very close & special places in our hearts.

We have two days set aside for the waterparks... my DH and I have been before, but the girls have not, and to say they are excited to check them out is quite the understatement. Which days we choose to go to them will be dependent on the weather, of course, and as we're getting the WPF&M passes, we're hoping to be able to just "pop over" once or twice besides those days, just to snorkel w/ the sharks again and ride a few things in the heat of the day & cool off. Since we will have our car for the first time ever, this ought to make it quite easy, esp. since both waterparks are pretty close to CBR.

We are planning on also giving Disney Quest a go, seeing as it will be a part of our passes... we're "saving it" for a rainy, wash-out day, but the girls like what they've heard about it enough to say that they'd really like to check it out, even if we don't have a day like that. So -- we'll see, maybe in the evening sometime.

Another first for us will be renting SeaRaycers or water mice... we've said every trip that we'd like to do this, but never seem to have found the time... this trip, we're really aiming to do it, and I think it will be a blast!! I'd also like to give parasailing a go, but we'll see... my DH will NEVER do it, as he's afraid of heights... and my girls would love to, but again, we'll see how the timing goes. I think it would be so amazing to be up on the Seven Seas Lagoon or Bay Lake, looking down at MK and the resorts!!

Like I mentioned, my DD1 turns 13 while we are at Disney, and this for her is SO exciting. She gets to pick what we do for the entire day, including where we eat, and she has chosen the San Angel Inn for dinner, so far. She has loved the look of that restaurant from the first day we stepped inside Mexico!! We are going to surprise her with a Mickey Mouse b'day cake (good thing she's not on the boards here yet to read that!) and we have close friends who live in the area joining us, as well. Other than that & seeing Illuminations, as well as getting a pearl necklace or earrings in Japan at the "pick a pearl" exhibit, she has nothing else spoken for, so we'll just go with the flow for her that day.

We are FINALLY getting to the HDDR this trip... and what a deal, as we're going during the "free dining" promotion, so it couldn't really get any better!! I'm excited to finally see it, after hearing such wonderful things... next trip, it'll be the luau at the Poly.

My DH, being the golf lover that he is, has of course fit in some tee times... he is planning on leaving us before the birds are even up on two mornings, to go out and chase that elusive white ball on Disney's Palm & Magnolia courses. He is also planning on golfing with a friend (our friends who live right in Celebration, lucky ducks...) at Oak Trail one of our wknd mornings, but we're leaving that open to when they can jointly find a tee time. He's never played with anyone he's known down there, so I think it'll be fun for him! The girls and I will be on our own those mornings, and we seem to usually end up at AK... it's my DH's least favorite park, so he doesn't mind missing the early morning safari and his biggest requirement is hitting FTBbq for lunch, so by the time he arrives we're usually ready for that and all is good.

The one last special thing that is new to us that we've reserved is a "dessert" ADR at the Cali Grill... we've never been, and are really looking forward to finally catching Wishes from there, while enjoying what sound like some awesome treats. It's been a "must do" for many trips that just always got put aside -- but not this time!!

Other than those specifics, we're planning nothing more than soaking up the magic, seeing our favorite shows and riding our favorite rides as much as possible... lots of character interaction and fireworks, and there are quite a few new treats we'd like to find and try, such as the carrot cake cookie at the Writer's Stop in DHS and some caramels in Germany. You should see my list....

We have some favorite ADR's (CP, Boma, 'Ohana for both bkfst AND dinner, Kona Cafe for bkfst) and some new ones we're looking forward to (Chefs de France, Y&Y, San Angel Inn, the Plaza, House of Blues) and as far as CS meals, it'll be a game time decision, although we do have our favorites.

Last but not least, we're just looking forward the most to getting away... to the unbelievable magic and escape that Disney affords us while we are there. Even in the heat, we will be "home", and it will be wonderful.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Have a wonderful trip

[Pirate Granny]

Sounds wonderful...what is a dessert ADR??? Didn't know they had a special like that. We always booked for dinner.

Sorry... should have been more specific. We're going "outside" of the free dining on this one, paying OOP just for dessert. You can make your ADR for whatever you'd like... appetizers, dinner, or just dessert... we're just choosing to have dessert here since it'll be late at night, and we've got other plans for dinner. We figured we'd never get in as a "walk up", so we just made an ADR, to be sure we can get seated and enjoy the fireworks.

[RedSoxFan]

Sounds like a fun trip planned. Have a wonderful time and a safe drive.

[Dsnygirl]

Note to Pirate Granny -- I tried to reply to your post and somehow deleted it instead. Sorry!!

You'd asked about a "dessert ADR"....

We didn't really do a dessert ADR, so to speak... we just made a regular ADR, but are planning to only get dessert since it'll be late at night, and we have other plans for dinner. You can make your ADR's for whatever -- appetizers, meals, or just dessert -- we just figured we'd never get in as a "walk up", so chose to do it this way.

[CanadianWDWFan]

Note to Pirate Granny -- I tried to reply to your post and somehow deleted it instead. Sorry!!

I undeleted Pirate Granny's post for you Blythe.

Blythe, sounds like a fun filled vacation you guys have in store. We will be arriving at WDW two weeks today!!

[iceicebritney]

So excited for you guys! It sounds like it will be a great escape I'm glad to see another self professed UBER planner is taking it easy this trip. My husband isn't allowing me to plan this time at all and it's killing me!!

Enjoy yourselves and drive safe!

The exit that allows us to go under the official WDW Sign is the Osceola Parkway exit. I believe it is the second or third exit labeled for WDW on I-4.

[princessgirls]

Blythe,

You have a great trip planned!!! It's almost time...

I am hoping to meet up with you and your beautiful family!

The countdown is on!!

Julie

[DisneyorBust]

What a trip that you have planned! It looks like plenty of great family time is to be had, I especially like the idea for your daughter's birthday, what a special memory that will make for all of you. Have safe travels and a great vacation!

[MinnieMommie]

Nice long trip with lots of flexibility built in to your schedule! You are getting it all in but your way! Can"t wait to hear about your trip!

[vizsla]

Have a great time and a safe trip.

[brian2000boston]

What a wonderful family trip you have planned. I hope you have lots of fun, can't wait for the trip report when you return!

[Dsnygirl]

Adding this on in response to a question...

On our way home, the girls and I are taking a different route and spending two days to get home (hopefully - waiting on my work schedule to see if it will work...) so that we can go the coastal route up through NC and visit some friends who live there. We'll spend two nights in Wilmington, hopefully getting there by 7 or 8 Monday night. We'd like to spend a part of Tuesday at Wrightsville Beach, as we've never been to the Carolina coast, and a part of the day visiting with our friends, as well. Then we'll leave Wilmington bright and early on Wed., hopefully getting home by 8 or 9 at night. Phew!

I'm hoping the extended fun on our trip home will ease the angst of having left our favorite spot... and it sure never hurts to get the beach in there, somehow!!

[Disney4us2]

Blythe,

Your plans sound wonderful. It won't be long now before you are there. You have some great dining choices. I love Y&Y, it has become one of my must do dining favorites. Looking forward to meeting up with you and your family. Have a safe drive.

[yourmagicalguide]

It sounds like you have a great trip planned Reading your pre-trip report made me even more excited for my trip next month

I love your idea to watch Wishes while enjoying a luxurious dessert at the California Grill DH and I thought about doing that on one of the nights MK is showing the special Halloween Wishes, but I didn't know if a table with a good view of MK would be available - even with an ADR...

[January-2007]

Happy planning, hope you have a simply wonderful vacation!

[Suz36]

Your trip sounds truly magical! It's funny - I'm also a mega-planner, but am really trying to reign myself in for our March trip. I'm curious to hear how the new method works for you! I hope your daughter has a wonderful birthday - what a great place to spend it! (I'll be doing the same in March!)

[Mickey'sGirl]

Your trip sounds great, Blythe! Safe travels!

[wildernesslady]

Your trip sounds amazing. Enjoy the time with your family.

[KylesMom]

I have always been an UBER planner for our past trips, and it has served us well -- but this time, knowing we're walking into what for us will be record heat and the need to take things more slowly -- we have really backed off on any specifics.

Love your plan of changing the plans if needed. Let me tell you, it served us well this trip! You've got plenty of time to enjoy everything - and I know your family will make THAT happen! Have a safe drive and a magical time!