September is a good time to celebrate 40 & 10! - Updated 9/13

[ArielSRL]

That's an incredibly hard list to choose from. I'm overbooked, as you may have noticed in my PTR, so I'm no help with this stuff. I do feel like Beaches & Cream could just be a souped up Steak n Shake, so I could probably drop it and be okay, but I love me some Steak n Shake and I rarely get to eat it these days. So I just don't know what to do, but I digress......

 

[Raeven]

Ah that choice between restaurants is so hard...Homecoming is good. I haven't eaten at Wcc or Trattoria al Forno yet but we will in May so I can let you know which ones I like best. Beaches and Cream is fun too but the ice cream was better than the food we had there.

 

[ariane37]

Now that I am looking at the list, there are a few I might want to try. Wild Passion Fruit and/or Pineapple?!?
From @ariane37

I do want to try the pineapple one, but I love the avocado so much that I needed to have it again when we were there in Nov. Might try the pineapple one this year.........

Hi Everyone! It was BEAUTIFUL weather here in Jersey the last two days.

Here in NY too! Today again, until about 6:00 when the torrential rains and lightning started. Tomorrow it goes back to being cold, warms up a little bit Tues., then they're saying snow showers Fri. morning which I know is a little far out to rely on. But I will admit I'd like some more snow, I love it and I don't think we've had enough this year yet!

Trattoria al Forno for Breakfast: I like the idea of a new breakfast place, the food looks at least a bit different. And the girls would love to meet the Prince's from there. But getting over there might be a pain from WL and not sure where we would fit it in.

We ate breakfast here in 2015. It was fine, but nothing special. The menu for the new Bon Voyage breakfast looks awesome and I have it booked for Steve and I for May Getting there from WL You could take the boat from WL to MK and then take a bus to BW, but if the breakfast is really early it may be a tad difficult to get a bus from MK to BW. If you do one later, maybe 9 or after? You should be ok. You can also always just taxi our Uber.

Whispering Canyon: since it would be easy, maybe on our departure day... Get breakfast then swim before we have to head to the airport.

We've never done breakfast here but I've read a couple positive reviews; and it's definitely a reasonable choice.

And then I totally forgot about the possibility of doing a Mickey's Not So Scary parties!

Oooh, have you done MNSSHP before? My favorite thing at Disney!!!! Do it, DO IT!!!!!

 

[MissMaryQC]

Oof! Your restaurant choices are top notch, that makes choosing so much harder!!

Travel being a concern Trattoria and B&C are easy to get to from HS and Epcot. I'd suggest B&C for just dessert though. I liked the food but it's pretty standard diner fare, IMO. MY mom and I split a mini-kitchen sink and took home the little sink, which is now DD's cereal bowl, lol!

We LOVED Home Coming. We've been twice now; we go every time we visit my sister, and will likely go again in March. It's just so yummy!

Live the drink list, BTW. The slushies is France are amazing. The Grand Marnier one tastes like one of those cream filled orange popcicles. I had an amazing green tea smooth type thing in the China pavilion back in 2012. Don't know if it's still there but it was yummy!

Oh! And check out the new TS/QS at WL! The review on the DiS looks really good, it's called something geyser I think. I'll find it!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Happy Sunday!

It is a quiet Sunday here. The girls are "vegging" I am raising them right, it is a term they use often. Gwen is slightly under the weather so we are letting her rest up! And I am taking advantage of that time to trip plan!

So, I am more visual of a planner. So, I started my usual spread sheet! Here is my plan to date....


From looking at the tentative schedule, I am guessing that Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party will be Tuesday that we fly in and Friday Sept. 22nd. Magic Kingdom is closing at 7PM on both nights and listed as no Wishes Fireworks. (which won't be anymore anyway but still) It's my guess.

I was doing some "Disney Math" And park hoppers are $350 for the 4 of us. So, I was trying to plan with not park hopping. I figure I can use that "saved" $$$ and use it for the Halloween Party. And then we could relax a bit on Friday, do breakfast at the resort, swim, eat lunch at the resort and head in at 4:00 for the party. I think it all kind of works. We will see if I keep it that way. I am thinking we may want a day and a half of Animal Kingdom and only half a day at Hollywood Studios. But I wouldn't want to invest in park hoppers just for one day of hopping...

I will post my dining "Budget" later. I am still picking out snacks. But snacks are harder, as Disney don't highlight what is a snack on not a snack...

But in my food budgeting, I found another drink I want to try! Non-Alcoholic, but then I can share with the girls.

Frozen Flamingo [Wanjohi]
delicious non-alcoholic frozen concoction with flavors of Strawberry and Passion Fruit served in an ocarina musical sipper
Location: Animal Kingdom - Harambe Market

 

[MissMaryQC]

I agree on the hoppers. We want to hop, but it's really looking like just one day. But DH said to keep it in case we change our minds. It's just a costly what if. Plus MNSSHP is so fun! And it's nice knowing you'll be in a park, but don't have to make a rope drop!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Ok, first off, I think we commented on each others threads at the same time last night! Great minds think alike!

I agree on the hoppers. We want to hop, but it's really looking like just one day. But DH said to keep it in case we change our minds. It's just a costly what if. Plus MNSSHP is so fun! And it's nice knowing you'll be in a park, but don't have to make a rope drop!

I will need lots of tips for MNSSHP. We have never done a party and I am super excited about doing one. The girls want the "next" trip to be a surprise again. So, I will have to plan costumes without them knowing! But that might be a blessing in disquise. I can actually pick a coordinating theme. We will see!

Seriously, I get that it is a perk to be able to park hop but I think with younger kids, in some ways it's a waste. I like the idea of it but I don't think we will get enough use of it. I would rather squeeze a day in at the beginning at end. Adding a day is like $20 a person at this point, so $80 vs $350!

 

[MissMaryQC]

Adding a day is like $20 a person at this point, so $80 vs $350!

Wowza! I may need to look into adding a day vs. the hopper for us too!!

Ok, first off, I think we commented on each others threads at the same time last night! Great minds think alike!

Lol! I think it was this morning, but I noticed that too lol!

 

[ArielSRL]

Fortunately for us, I got discount tix from Parksavers back in July. They don't offer a base ticket, only hoppers, and it was a 4 day get 3 free promotion so I think we might have paid about $30 more per ticket for hoppers, as opposed to base tix from Disney. I plan to hop 1 day but last trip we also planned 1 day and did more than that. But I'm not sure I'd pay full Disney price for them.

For our next 2 trips in 2019/2020, I'd like to get APs and just go one week later in 2019 so the AP covers both our trips.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Happy Tuesday!
29 Weeks (203 Days) Till our September Vacation!

I don't have too much of an update. I did show DH my tentative schedule and he liked it for the most part. He thought when I mentions Ohana I meant the Luau. Which he said would be fun, but I don't know, I am not dyeing to do that... He also, wanted to go to a park on MNSSHP day. Which I don't think is a good idea.

I think I might do an alternate schedule, kind of switching some stuff up. I am also, starting to re-think Sanaa as one of the sit down options... It looks like they changed the menu slightly and I am not as 100% in on trying it. I want to do the bread service but is that really worth the trek?!? I could always post-pone it till out Feb. Trip. I was thinking maybe do Homecoming or Boathouse instead?

The girls school released there schedule for next year, and they do in fact have the days off that I thought they would. So, that is good. Now we know for sure that they will only be missing 2 days for this trip.

I have to also, look and see if we are doing a full week in Feb. It might still be worth getting annual passes. Which in turn would make park hopping less of an issue. I just haven't gotten around to the rest of that math fun!

On a seperate note, I am trying to plan our family summer trip to Myrtle Beach at the same time as this trip. We went last year and really loved it but not the hotel as much. So, I am trying to find a new one. But there are a million of them, and it is so hard to cage them on the web... Anyone have a recommendation? I am looking for somewhere with a nice pool. We are more of pool people than beach folks. We like to go to the ocean for just a short amount of time and spend the rest in the pool.

 

[MissMaryQC]

When husbands get involved, everything changes. Lol! I've always considered doing MK on a party night and just staying! If you guys get the AP it wouldn't be such a stretch, but I agree without it it's costly. Either way it could be such a long, tiring day.

Homecoming is SO yummy! Definitely a great choice!

 

[ArielSRL]

I want to do the bread service but is that really worth the trek?!? I could always post-pone it till out Feb. Trip. I was thinking maybe do Homecoming or Boathouse instead?

I'll be doing the bread service in June...probably as my meal! I really wanted to try the Boathouse but did not have time for it or Homecoming. Oh well. I have heard good reviews of both, but more of Homecoming.

The girls school released there schedule for next year, and they do in fact have the days off that I thought they would. So, that is good. Now we know for sure that they will only be missing 2 days for this trip.

Glad it worked out!

summer trip to Myrtle Beach

We used to go there all the time when I was a kid. But not anymore. We prefer Amelia Island, FL. In any case, I'm no help with MB now.

When husbands get involved, everything changes.

OMG, you are so right. My DH doesn't even really know anything about Disney and told me to just plan it all but then he pipes in with little things now and again to try to upset my plans. No way, dude. LOL

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Happy Saturday!
28 Weeks (192 Days) Till our September Vacation!

Hello everyone!!! So, I totally wanted to post on Tuesday, I was going to try and post every Tuesday till the trip, but turns out Tuesdays are SUPER busy for me. My youngest sister just had a baby and is having some post-pardum depression. So, myself and the girls have been going over each Tuesday after school to hang out with her and the baby for a couple hours. Just to give her some human contact other than a peeing everywhere little boy. (Can you tell I didn't have any boys?)

So, I am in need of lots of feedback / opinions! I have become super wishy-washy! So since I last posted, I created a second option for itinerary..


With this option:

• I switched our arrival day to be going to Homecoming for lunch then heading over to Hollywood Studios for the late afternoon / evening. I think this plan better, since I don't particularly love most of the sit down restaurants in HS, so dinner at DS first makes sense.
• I also switched Ohana to Wednesday, I figure we will go to Magic Kingdom in the morning, come back to WL for a bit. Then we could do an early Ohana dinner and then head back into MK for EMH.
• Didn't change AK day.
• For Friday, I was thinking of heading into Magic Kingdom in the AM for EMH, head back to WL to rest, and then maybe do another early dinner @ Skipper Canteen before the party really starts. But this I am not sure of. I feel like we should take advantage of not going to park that day. If we do the Party, I do want to stay the whole time, and the girls will need to be rested the party...
• Saturday is the big change. I think we might want to do a day and half at Animal Kingdom with Pandora opening. So, I was thinking of doing that in the AM, come back to WL rest and then head to EPCOT in the PM. This would entail getting Park Hopper / Annual passes...
• And then Saturday is Magic Kingdom. We almost always end with MK.

The biggest problems with this plan, if the park hopping... And I am concerned about actual timing for arrival day, as I don't actually know our flight just yet. I also, REALLY want to keep the plan not to go go go. It will be hot and I don't want to over run all of us.

So, I started a 3rd plan... I haven't found a good mix just yet. I am going to work on that now. So, hopefully I will have another post tonight! #fingerscrossed

I also want to get DH to book the reservation this weekend. I am not sure if he is completely ready to do it. But I don't want to wait to much longer. Our ADR Day is coming up and I am feeling the pressure to make some dinning choices!

I think I found our hotel for our Myrtle Beach Summer Trip as well. So, I need to book that as well. If no one minds, I might post some of that trip info here as well.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Ok, I made my 3rd Plan... And I think this might be what I stick with. It is really the 1st plan but flushed out more...

• I changed Sunday to still be EPCOT, but eat in EPCOT. As much as I want to try Homecoming, it seems silly to eat at DS and then go to EPCOT with so many other good restaurants. I can save Homecoming for our February trip... I also looked up actual flights to get a better sense of timing on arrival and departure day... I think we would waste too much time going to DS and then to EPCOT.
• Wednesday, is still Magic Kingdom all day, just put Skipper Canteen in for dinner.
• Thursday, no change. Funny that this day seems to stay the same.
• Friday, I kept Animal Kingdom in the AM for EMH, so, 8AM to about noon. Head back to WL to rest/swim. then do a the first seating of Ohana and then head into Magic Kingdom for the Party. I know we won't be getting in right at 4:00 but it would probably be around 5:00? Still 2 hours before the party officially starts. I like that it kind of become a park hopper day, but not really...
• Saturday, we sleep in and rest in the AM, as we will be tired! I am thinking maybe we could to the last seating of the character breakfast at Trattoria al Forno then take the boat over to Hollywood Studios for the afternoon evening. We can do that, right?
• Then Sunday, Magic Kingdom and maybe lunch at Be Our Guest since we won't be able to do dinner there. Maybe book a noon reservation, so it would be the last thing we do, and have full bellies to get us to the airport.

What does everyone think? Suggestions?

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

For our next 2 trips in 2019/2020, I'd like to get APs and just go one week later in 2019 so the AP covers both our trips.

I have to show the math to DH, I really think it makes sense for us to upgrade to AP's. With the February trip. We will def make it worthwhile...

I'll be doing the bread service in June...probably as my meal! I really wanted to try the Boathouse but did not have time for it or Homecoming. Oh well. I have heard good reviews of both, but more of Homecoming.

I want to do all of those too! A DS restaurant will prob need to wait till our Feb trip which will be a full week, and a little more time to work around.

OMG, you are so right. My DH doesn't even really know anything about Disney and told me to just plan it all but then he pipes in with little things now and again to try to upset my plans. No way, dude. LOL

I haven't shown DH my latest plans. So we will see what new wrench he can throw in.

 

[ArielSRL]

I *think* I like plan 3! Lol!

Funny thing is, it must be catching bc every PTR I am reading almost everyone is upsetting their plans. Even I got a wild hair today and decided to try to switch our Epcot Wednesday with our AK Thursday. Basically bc we are doing AM EMH at MK Friday morning so I'd rather get back to the room early Thursday night. Since Epcot closes at 9, as opposed to AK at 10 (or the rumored 11), we would definitely get back sooner. So far I've been able to move one ressie but not the other 2...which I don't know if I'll keep anyway! I just hope I can figure it out by FP day!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Even I got a wild hair today and decided to try to switch our Epcot Wednesday with our AK Thursday. Basically bc we are doing AM EMH at MK Friday morning so I'd rather get back to the room early Thursday night.

This is always where I get caught up. I make plans that work but then I realize that we have no down time and I will have two super crabby little ladies on my hand. And the trip will no longer be magical. I am trying REALLY hard to figure out those spots now, before my ADR day...

Which (2) ADR's do you still need to switch? EPCOT restaurants tend to be a bit easier to change. Or at least that has been my experience. But some near impossible!

Since Epcot closes at 9, as opposed to AK at 10 (or the rumored 11)

I know my visit is far off but I am curious as to what the hours will be for Animal Kingdom when we are there. Right now the list says 7:00 but I feel like that is a little early. It is a slow time of year, so we will see. But wow 11 for Animal Kingdom will be late!

I just hope I can figure it out by FP day!

You are getting so close!!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Food Budget

Much like @ArielSRL, I always like to budget our food. I always want to make sure that us doing the dinning plan makes sense. And **SPOILER ALLERT** It really seems to work in our benefit this trip!

So, I took my 3rd version itinerary and picked out what I "think" everyone will pick to eat. I am not going to hold anyone to it but I just want to see how the numbers work out.

So, I figured out that the cost for the (4) of us to do the dinning plan will be a total of $943.06 for (5) Days. And the way it works out, we will be in the negative before we even buy any snacks! Counter Service is harder for me to guess exactly how we will use it but I am fairly confident that it will work in our benefit to get the dinning plan! And now that they took the desert off of the Counter Service we will have have a TON of snack credits to use.


I keep looking at it and wondering what I am missing. But I think it looks right... I mean the buffets are a set price, so that makes that easy.

 

[ArielSRL]

Which (2) ADR's do you still need to switch? EPCOT restaurants tend to be a bit easier to change. Or at least that has been my experience. But some near impossible!

I was able to switch Sanaa no problem. My other two are Via Napoli, which I was able to switch today albeit a tad earlier than I want but it'll do if I can't get it any later, and the ROL dining pkg at Tusker House for breakfast. Unfortunately I can't set up a reservation finder for that, so I'll just have to keep looking. Maybe after FP comes out, people will drop it. And I actually prefer FP but I've heard speculation that AK goes to tiers and ROL might be in tier 1, so that won't work. But as of now, I have our dinners switched and switching the days makes more sense, so I'm going with it.

Right now the list says 7:00 but I feel like that is a little early. It is a slow time of year, so we will see. But wow 11 for Animal Kingdom will be late!

It closed at 11 last year in June also bc of all the new nighttime stuff, so with Pandora added, I'm almost certain they extend to 11, or 10:30 at the earliest). As of now, they can only do 1 ROL show, scheduled for 9:15. If they do a second, it would need to be 10:30 based on the hour and 15 min between shows now, and so I don't see how they don't do a second show and therefore, extend hours.

No doubt, September will also be extended. Just not sure til how late.

You are getting so close!!

It's definitely crunch time for figuring out FP, so therefore making touring plans!

And **SPOILER ALLERT** It really seems to work in our benefit this trip!

I think if you have kids, especially more than 1, they eat well, and you schedule buffets, you will almost always come out ahead. It's when they turn to Disney adults, or if they don't eat (like my two), that it doesn't work out as well.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

And I actually prefer FP but I've heard speculation that AK goes to tiers and ROL might be in tier 1, so that won't work. But as of now, I have our dinners switched and switching the days makes more sense, so I'm going with it.

I just commented on your comment on Ariane's TR. This is why I thinking we might want to do a day and a half at AK. Wonder when they will announce the tiering.

I think if you have kids, especially more than 1, they eat well, and you schedule buffets, you will almost always come out ahead. It's when they turn to Disney adults, or if they don't eat (like my two), that it doesn't work out as well.

Yup and right now, my oldest, will probably pick some counter service meals off of the adult menu.

If your boys don't eat well at the meals, pack a sandwich baggie or two. Or even an empty tupperware container. It sounds silly, but I did this when they were younger, and when they didn't finish their chicken nuggets, I would throw them in a plastic baggie and take them with us. And then when it's half an hour later and they were complaining of being hungry, I would just pull them out for them to eat. It won't work with all foods, but it helped feel like we still got our money for the food they refused to eat!

I am sure it helps that I picked 2 expensive buffets for this trip. But I have wanted to both of them for awhile now! It def works out for this trip!