Sounds Like a Plan!
(Pt. 1)
So these are our tentative plans right now. I figured I would post a layout of what direction I’m headed in. Finalized plans will definitely be after our ADR’s are secured. Because as we all know, ADRs can change things. Depending upon not only securing the actual ADR but securing the dates and times that we want them to be.
Ugh, why does Disney have to be so complicated? And why do I torture myself year after year doing this?
It’s a very toxic relationship, but I'm not ready to break up just yet.
June 30th
Arrival day!
So we decided to drive to Orlando. Well,
decided is a strong word. We are still going back and forth. I haven’t driven to Orlando in years. And when I say years I mean it’s been well over ten years. As I got older I started loathing long car rides. I just wanted to get there. This would be the one area we are deciding to budget on. Rental car prices for 12 days would be an added cost + the cost of the flight. I know some people solely rely on the Disney transportation system, but I personally love having a car while down there.
Pros to not flying:
- We don’t have to spend money on a rental car
- We will have our own car we can use whenever we need it
- Therefore ↓
- We don’t have to rely solely on the Disney transportation system
Cons to not flying:
- That long car ride
- ↑ Mina may not do well on a long car ride (She's never been in a car for this long before and we live in SC so the drive is about 8 hours)
- We can get to Orlando in less than two hours from our home airport if we fly
Pricing for a rental car looks like it would be between $700-$1000
We really need to finalize this part of our trip asap because flight prices go up the closer you are to your flight date. At this point, I don't care if we take a plane, train, or a hitchhiking ghost, we just need to get there.
July 1st
Magic Kingdom
We always start our trips in this magical land of imagination, happiness and pixie dust. I mean where else can you meet Cinderella, bounce with Tigger and eat Mickey bars while simultaneously crying tears of joy during the fireworks show?
Ride Goals:
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (AM)
Journey of the Little Mermaid (AM)
Mad Tea Party (AM)
Peter Pan’s Flight - Early Entry
Mine Train (PM)
Dumbo (AM or PM)
WDW Railroad (AM)
Haunted Mansion (PM)
Show(s)
Mickey’s Philharmonic (AM)
Happily Ever After (PM)
Just realizing, as I’m typing this, that Peter Pan will likely be Amina’s first ever Disney ride! I’m getting excited and emotional just thinking about it. I can only imagine how I’m going to be when she’s actually there. So if you’re in MK on July 1st and you see a mom in Fantasyland sobbing like an idiot while simultaneously trying to snap a million pictures of her daughter, don’t worry, it’s probably just me.
July 2nd
Epcot
I wanted to make sure that we reserved Epcot before the 6th because that’s the last day of the
Flower & Garden Festival. I love everything about the festival; the food, the entertainment, the topiaries (omg those topiaries! I’m getting a boost of serotonin just thinking about them). And I’m always excited to try a few different snacks every year whereas, Kalan is excited about the drinks. I would love to partake in the drinking around the world challenge. But the way my liver is set up, I’m too much of a lightweight. I would be staggering by the time we hit Norway. Kalan always makes fun of me, I tell him
“hey, at least I’m a cheap date.”
Ride Goals:
Frozen Ever After - Early Entry
Gran Fiesta Tour (AM)
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure - (AM; ILL)
The great thing about having 10 park days is we can spread out the parks/rides a lot more. Which will be a dream, especially with a toddler. So we don’t have to do so much in one day. I’m thinking about adding Guardians on this day. Maybe ride it when we go back in the evening? We only have two Epcot days and if we absolutely love it, it will be great to have ridden it twice.
July 3rd
Hollywood Studios
Ride Goals:
Tower of Terror - Early Entry
Rock ’n’ Rollercoaster (AM)
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway - (AM; ILL)
Muppet Vision 3D (AM)
Tower of Terror, as the name implies, is quite literally terrifying, and that’s why I love it! Nothing gets me more pumped for the day then riding it first thing in the morning (before breakfast, of course.)
I also really hope I get to hear
“make it a stretch. In fact, make it a super stretch” on my trip. I love rock ’n’ roller coaster and while I’m glad it’s getting a much needed refurb, I hate that it may not be open when we go back.
Runaway Railway is such a cute edition to HS. I was definitely in my feelings when they announced they were closing The Great Movie Ride. But this ride was definitely much needed. I mean how can you have a whole theme park dedicated to Disney but not have a ride dedicated to the one who started it all?
My fave ride!
July 4th
Rest Day
So I always end up doing a "rest day" on our longer trips. I put rest in quotes because Kalan still doesn't consider it a rest day.
I also just don’t like to be in the parks on
July 4, the heat is suffocating enough without being packed like sardines. Nothing like the smell of body odor and churros wafting in the air.
July 4th 2019; Animal Kingdom Lodge
Goals:
We will be mainly going to the pool and eating on this day. I'm thinking of going to Trader Sam's and maybe Beaches & Cream? We'll see. I'll be posting all of our ADR's in another post. I'm about 99% done with figuring out what I want and when I want it.
July 5th
Back to the Magic
Ride goals:
Space Mountain (AM)
Buzz Lightyear’s Spin (AM)
Tron (AM; ILL)
The Peoplemover (AM)
Carousel of Progress (AM)
We are so excited for Tron! Neither me nor Kalan have watched the movie, so that’s definitely on our list to watch.
Have any of you watched Tron? I’ve heard a lot of mixed reviews, mainly negative.
Space mountain is a classic and a must do on every trip. I know Amina will love Buzz Lightyear and using the ride controllers. Seriously, at home I can hand her an expensive, state of the art toy and she would rather play with paper or the tv remote. Gotta love a 1 year old. So I’m sure she’ll be bursting at the seams to take control of the joystick on this ride.
Amina playing with the box my makeup brush came in.
up next:
Sounds Like a Plan! (Pt. 2)
The 2nd half of this wonderful trip.