We're going to Disney! In August! In August? Yes, August! An Aug 2024 PTR (updated 05/29)

[RollTideinMD]

Why hello, Disfriends!


It's me—the queen of unfinished PTR and TRs.


One thing about me is that I will be talking about Disney if I can't be at Disney. I love reading everyone's pre-trip reports and trip reports. It helps hold me over between trips.
So here I am! Excitedly planning our upcoming WDW family vacation - just 90 magical days away.

About Us
I'm Shanna, and I'll be your ghost host for this PTR. I'm a mid-thirties wife and mom who found the Disney bug later in life. I sold my soul to the mouse five years ago, and I have not looked back. Growing up, we were not a Disney family, and now that I have a family of my own, I am making up for lost time. I am a Type-A planner, and I love my spreadsheets and laminated index cards, so if you're into that..you're in the right place!

We live in the Baltimore/D.C. area with two kids and two cats, Floki and Gomez. My now-husband, Mitch, proposed in front of the Haunted Mansion in 2021 and we honeymooned at Disney in 2022. We're excited to be heading back with the kiddos, DS15 and DD12. My husband is a butcher, I'm the VP of HR for a robotics engineering company, and we are a sports family. DD12 plays travel soccer and DD15 has (finally) "graduated" from travel baseball to high school baseball.



From our 2021 trip. I can not believe how much the kids have grown since this trip!

What is our favorite park?
DS15: Hollywood Studios, DD12: Hollywood Studios or Epcot, Mitch: Epcot, Me: Epcot
What is our favorite ride?
DS15: Space Mountain, DD12: Expedition Everest, Mitch: BTMRR, Me: Haunted Mansion
What is our favorite restaurant?
DS15: Chef Mickey's, DD12: CRT, Mitch and myself: Ohana
What is our favorite snack?
DS15: unsure, DD12: Popcorn or cotton candy, Mitch: unsure, Me: Churros or the cheeseburger spring rolls - it's a tie!

About our Upcoming Trip
When I say that I love Disney...I love Disney. So much so that I am willing to travel to Florida in August to see the mouse. Having grown up in south Alabama, I am no stranger to the heat and humidity, and Maryland gets super hot + humid as well..I tend to stay indoors when I can. Our previous trips have always been around October - February, so I am a little nervous to be going in August, but I know we will still have a magical time..and perhaps the heat will force us to slow down a little instead of running across the parks for the entire day - a very specific request my husband has put in for this trip.

We are staying at AoA in the family suites. I tried to save money by letting Disney choose our family suite, but the Finding Nemo section calls me like the ocean calls Moana. The theming is darling, and it's wildly convenient with its proximity to the dining/shopping hall, Skyliner, and buses. I started to flirt with that "modify reservation" button today, but am not quite sure if I want to pony up the extra $350+ (if there's even availability at this point).

Our trip will be August 14-21 and we have 6 days worth of Park Hopper Plus tickets, so we can experience the water parks for the first time! I have also, happily, secured MNSSHP tix for August 20th. This will be my second Halloween party and the first for everyone else. I am a fan of the dining plan and was able to save us $1,600 on our trip with the free dining promo Disney put out a few months ago. I love the all-inclusive feeling of the dining plan! So happy it's back!

Welcome, welcome, welcome to our August 2024 PTR!


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[RollTideinMD]

Table of Contents
Touring Strategy: a series of Shanna's shower thoughts
Our Running To-Do List (updated 05/21)
Happy Mail...comin' in HOT​

 

[DLo]

Following along. Looking forward to reading more

 

[MrsK53113]

Following along!! My daughter and I will be there a couple overlapping dates and we're also going to the MNSSHP on the 20th!! Excited to hear more about your trip!

I am a Type-A planner, and I love my spreadsheets and laminated index cards, so if you're into that..you're in the right place!

This is me all the way and it makes me happy to see I'm not the only one!!

 

[kclark9830]

Joining in! I'm in AL now, and I totally feel ya about that heat and humidity . Our first trip was in August. As long as you do your research about how to keep cool and hydrated you will be fine!

 

[RN_Mama_inFL]

Reading along! Love that photo of your family! Where was that taken? Looks like it could be in front of the China pavilion in Epcot? So jealous of your Halloween party tickets! We did our first party last year and loved it, really trying NOT to succumb to FOMO and do it again this year

 

[RollTideinMD]

Following along. Looking forward to reading more

Welcome! Thanks for joining!

 

[RollTideinMD]

Following along!! My daughter and I will be there a couple overlapping dates and we're also going to the MNSSHP on the 20th!! Excited to hear more about your trip!


This is me all the way and it makes me happy to see I'm not the only one!!

That's fantastic! It has been ~5 years since I've attended MNSSHP, I am so excited.

Welcome! Thanks for joining!

 

[RollTideinMD]

Joining in! I'm in AL now, and I totally feel ya about that heat and humidity . Our first trip was in August. As long as you do your research about how to keep cool and hydrated you will be fine!

It is rough! Our Corkcicle Disney slings arrived the other day. August weather game will be on point! HAH!

Welcome! Thanks for joining!

 

[RollTideinMD]

Reading along! Love that photo of your family! Where was that taken? Looks like it could be in front of the China pavilion in Epcot? So jealous of your Halloween party tickets! We did our first party last year and loved it, really trying NOT to succumb to FOMO and do it again this year

Thank you! It is the China pavilion in Epcot indeed! One of my favorites - we were on our way out of the park and they were "pictured" out, but I am glad we stopped for one final pic!

Welcome! Thanks for joining!

 

[RollTideinMD]

Touring Strategy: a series of Shanna's shower thoughts

With just 85 days to go, I am in ADR + strategy mode. My husband and I have two objectives for this trip:
1. Slow down and don't run across the parks all day
2. Eat at all new restaurants and prioritize new experiences



I don't love running across the parks all day long, and perhaps it's because I can't get Genie+ to work the exact way that I want it to, but I don't feel like we are maximizing our time in the parks unless we are running from one attraction to the other. Yes, I am a little crazy. I miss the days of preplanned FP+ reservations and a methodical, preplanned touring strategy. (Hey, I did say if you like Type-A planning, come sit by me)

I do know one definitive thing: we will be taking mid-day breaks.


Our overall plan is to have a light breakfast in our room and then head to the parks for rope drop. We'll spend those first few hours of the day riding rides and then around 11a-12:00 pm, we'll take a mid-day break. We'll return to the resort to nap, swim, or simply enjoy our private air conditioning for a few hours with a plan to head back to the parks around 4-5:00 pm. Depending on the ADRs that I am able to score when our window opens, we will try to squeeze in our TS meal as we are leaving or returning to the parks.

While I have budgeted to buy into Genie+ every day, I'm unsure whether we'll truly need it. Theoretically, with our rope drop strategy, we'd experience minimal lines in the morning and could buy the IA $ passes for the big-ticket rides or virtual queues, like Tron. I need to look at the crowd calendars - I've always heard that August is a good time to go, despite the heat, because schools down south are starting to resume..but does Disney even have an off-season in this post-COVID world?

As I make our ADRs, our touring strategy will shape up.

Speaking of ADRs, we hope to enjoy new-to-us dining options during this trip. We are all foodies, even if DD12 is an "I'll take three bites of this and be done" kind of child. Dining at Disney is definitely part of the experience for us, and it doesn't feel like a nice sit-down meal takes away park time from our family (but I can completely understand how others may feel that way).

I've put together a list of new-to-us restaurants that I'll be trying to score an ADR for:

1. Topolino's Terrance (dinner only, we've had an outstanding breakfast there once before)
2. Cape May (dinner - my husband and son both love seafood)
3. Beaches + Cream
4. Garden Grill (LWTL is a favorite of mine, and would love the experience)
5. Chef Mickeys (I love a character meal, though technically not new for the kids and I, but that was a pre-COVID experience)
6. Narcoose's
7. Raglan Road
8. Round up Rodeo BBQ
9. San Angel Inn (boat ride smell with a gorgeous view)
10. Steakhouse 71

Sanaa is on the list, too, but the kids and I have been there before. Honestly, I can not stop thinking about their bread service. #girldinner



When my husband and I went on our honeymoon in 2022, we had so many wonderful dining experiences, most notably California Grill. I will also never get over that bread service. We still talk about it.

Depending on how ADR day goes, we have a list of tried and true favorites that I will always look for:

1. Ohana (breakfast or dinner, both are always amazing)
2. Liberty Tree Tavern (my husband's favorite meal is a turkey dinner)
3. Chef Art Smith's Homecomin'
4. Via Napoli
5. Boma (breakfast and dinner are both amazing)
6. Sebastian's Bistro

Do not sleep on Sebastian's Bistro! It's such a hidden gem tucked away at CBR. I also think about their bread service a lot—buttery pull-apart rolls with guava butter and caramelized onion jam? Yes, please!


From our 2021 trip. This bite. Drool. Please go.

Hello. My name is Shanna, and I am addicted to the bread service at many Walt Disney World restaurants.


Can I get their bread service to go? It would make a nice snack and it's just a quick ride on the Skyliner from AoA!
​

 

[RollTideinMD]

Our Running To-Do List
as of May 21, 2024​

1. Book Disney vacation: ​
2. Book flights: ​
3. Pay vacation balance in full: ​
4. Book airport transportation: ​
5. Secure MNSSHP tickets: ​
6. Develop a touring strategy: on-going​
7. Book ADRs: TBD​
8. Develop F+W festival strategy: TBD​
9. Procurement of Disney vacation essentials: on-going​
10. Purchase Disney Gift cards for spending + set aside cash to have on hand: on-going​
11. Create + finalize packing lists: TBD​
12. Pack: TBD​
13. Arrange for cat sitters: TBD​
14. Disney Online check-in: TBD​
15. Order groceries for resort room: TBD​
16. Check-in for flights: TBD​

We booked this trip in September 2023, and I had been making payments here and there until I received my annual bonus at work a couple of weeks ago - once that deposit came in, I immediately paid off our balance and secured MNSSHP tickets the very morning they went on sale. Now, it's about putting cash aside and buying Disney gift cards from BJ's Wholesale Club. I purchase two $500 gift cards at a time and save about $50 this way! I told my husband that this vacation was going to pay for itself with all the money I was saving us.


He just stared at me in response.

#girlmath?

On a more serious note, I feel so very fortunate to be able to give these experiences to our family. Following my divorce, the kids and I endured several difficult years as a little family of three. We were bibbidi bobbidi broke, and I was only able to imagine and dream of giving them this wonderful life of ours. I know that this is a testament of how hard I've worked over the years and the heights that I've reached in my career, but I will always be obsessively grateful for where we are today.

Having booked our flights quite some time ago and with our trip paid in full, I have booked our roundtrip airport transportation from MCO to AoA with Mears. We really don't travel lightly (gotta have room for souvenirs) and I miss the Magical Express handling our luggage for us..it was part of the magic!

With a loose idea of what we want for ADRs and an idea of a touring strategy, we are in good shape with 25 days until our ADR day.

I've never left Disney without buying a new suitcase to make room for our souvenirs, so I plan to pull out our suitcases and travel gear to assess what else we may need packing-wise. I know we'll have to pack extra, extra clothes to account for being hot and sweaty all of the time, so I may need extra compression packing cubes, if anything. I love watching Disney vloggers on YouTube, including videos about packing for Disney trips, and as a result of that, I have two new carry-on bags coming from Foldie. They were bogo! I don't do well with a lot of visual or mental clutter, and being exceptionally organized while we travel helps me maintain peace of mind. I'm excited to share my madness here in due time.

I am sure that I will add to this post as we approach our trip, but I am very happy with where we are today!​

 

[RollTideinMD]

Happy Mail..comin' in HOT

With just 77 days to go, I've started our family's Disney basket. I will have a separate post for our Disney vacation gear, but it's so exciting to see our stuff getting delivered—the trip is near! From handheld fans to a seriously cool Epcot shirt for my husband and everything in between, the Disney basket is starting to fill up.

I must have been living under a rock for the past couple of weeks because I recently found out that we will miss Epcot's F+W festival by a week, and I have been devastated. It's my favorite festival! To add insult to injury, I ordered the sweetest pair of F+W earrings in anticipation of our trip.



Forgive my nails; I am due for a fill-in. But aren't these earrings absolutely precious? I will still wear them, festival or not.

Southwest is playing with my heart, y'all. I am loyal to Southwest and only fly with them. Last night, I received an email with a change to our flight to MCO, we are scheduled to depart 30 minutes later than our original time. Not a big deal, but strange to be this far out? I don't know, but I haven't seen a scheduling change this far out in many years of flying Southwest; then, I woke up to an email letting me know that our returning flight to Baltimore had changed, with the departure time being a couple of hours early and a different flight number! I rebooked our flight back to Baltimore later than what Southwest booked since we like to end our trip with a character breakfast, and I don't want to feel rushed. TSA at MCO has never not been a nightmare for us. I'm a little weirded out by all of this activity 77 days before our trip, and I am just so relieved that we chose not to do a park day on the same day of travel. Don't let me down now, Southwest!

With our ADR day just 17 days away, I am putting together day-by-day touring plans on a spreadsheet and narrowing down our ADR choices. Can't wait to report back with what I was able to book!

I checked the mail this morning, and an envelope from WDW was waiting for us!



We don't always get this magical envelope before trips, and I don't think we've gotten luggage tags since our 2019 trip, so this made my day today! I sent a picture of it to my husband, and he asked what it was, which I explained and added, "But what Disney doesn't know is that I am the map"

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[MrsK53113]

Southwest is playing with my heart, y'all. I am loyal to Southwest and only fly with them. Last night, I received an email with a change to our flight to MCO, we are scheduled to depart 30 minutes later than our original time. Not a big deal, but strange to be this far out? I don't know, but I haven't seen a scheduling change this far out in many years of flying Southwest; then, I woke up to an email letting me know that our returning flight to Baltimore had changed, with the departure time being a couple of hours early and a different flight number! I rebooked our flight back to Baltimore later than what Southwest booked since we like to end our trip with a character breakfast, and I don't want to feel rushed. TSA at MCO has never not been a nightmare for us. I'm a little weirded out by all of this activity 77 days before our trip, and I am just so relieved that we chose not to do a park day on the same day of travel. Don't let me down now, Southwest!

I'm not flying Southwest, but about 2 weeks ago I got a similar email from my airline! So far it's only the flight TO Orlando that's been pushed an hour and 10 minutes later. It would be fine except we are now due to land in MCO at 8:45pm. With a 7 year old.... not ideal. I thought it was odd the airline was making that change more than 2 months in advance.

Those are super cute!!

With our ADR day just 17 days away, I am putting together day-by-day touring plans on a spreadsheet and narrowing down our ADR choices. Can't wait to report back with what I was able to book!

Looking forward to seeing your final choices!

I checked the mail this morning, and an envelope from WDW was waiting for us!

I didn't know they still mailed things like this. How fun!!