Hello, after researching and planning our first WDW vacation for 9 months, it was finally time to go! Yippie! Our cast includes DH, DS (12) and DD (9) and myself. Phew, at least one child according to Disney!
Where should I start? Last February DH and I were starting to discuss summer vacations when I asked him, “when do you think we should go to Disney?”. We had not gone yet for various reasons, mostly being DS not liking amusement rides AT ALL, and when we wanted to go we would pull the kids from school. DS gets sick a lot and his immune system is finally getting stronger so we didn’t want him to miss more school then needed. He did not get sick a lot that year so we thought it was finally a good time to go! Now when, we did not want the heat or the crowds, or to interrupt school fall activities. I reached out to a friend who is a Disney TA and got some quotes. It was hard nailing down where we wanted to stay. We planned the trip as a one and only and decided we wanted the best location, so decided on The Contemporary. We put a deposit down and the real planning started.
First I found two websites that provided A LOT of useful information, TP and another board, which shall not be named. TP’s forums were easier to follow and the people seemed nice. I read, read, and read, and started to ask questions. I then started making touring plans. This needed to be done by day 180 so I could get the best ADR’s. My TA would make those for me, but this was my trip and I had learned so much, I wanted to make them myself. I think she cringed, but I knew I could get what I want…and I did.
Chef Mickey’s
Via Napoli
O’hana breakfast
1900 Park Fare
Sci-Fi
Tusker House
Be Our Guest PPO
Crystal Palace (I got later that night as it was opened yet in the morning)
Fast Forward to Day 60, for FP day. Again, my TA would make the arrangements, but I researched and I knew. We went back and forth about SDD and FOP. I went with my plan and won, but had to sacrifice my precious Sci-Fi ADR. I couldn’t get another for it, unfortunately, even with the reservation finder.
Count down to just a week away and I decided to add another park day for arrival day for under $100 for all four of us. It really is more affordable the longer you go! It was wonderful and awful. So this is where I should begin our actual trip report.
Day -1, we are all packed and getting ready for bed, the alarm is set for 4:00 am. We need to leave at 4:30 to get to the airport for 5:30 for our 8:00 flight. DH travels a lot and knows the Monday morning routine of the airport. 2:00 am dd comes in and wakes me because she needs to go to the bathroom. She goes back to sleep…but I can’t fall back to sleep. UGH! 4:00 comes, and we all get up and go! YIPPIE the day is finally here. We get to the airport and there are LONG lines. DH knew…but we were good. We were waiting in line when DH whispered, “Did we pack Flat Stanley”. Ugh, my tears started to flow. I was upset and tired, I had thought of EVERYTHING, except DD’s Flat Stanley. We had even planned all the things we would do with him. Le sigh, this was not going to ruin our vacation. We were not going to mention it to DD. We get breakfast and go to the gate to wait. We were tired and so excited. We board the plane and it was a good flight to MCO. Both DS and DD watch The Incredibles, I watched Mama Mia 2, and DH slept. Grrr 
10:45 we land a few minutes early at MCO. Yippie. We got off the plane and head straight to the bathrooms to change into our shorts. We find the ME lines and were told where to go. We wait and wait. Other resorts had two shuttles by the time ours comes, but it does and we are excited. It was a good ride, but it goes to Wilderness Lodge first. We finally get to the Contemporary and our room is not ready yet. I wasn’t surprised as it was around 1:00 but disappointed as reading stories about getting the room ready text. However our Garden Grocer delivery had arrived. I guess they’ll have to keep it for now. We checked our bags with Bell Services and off to the Parks we go! A few days before I added this “bonus” day. I figure it would be easier for the kids to sleep that night if they went to the park and got it out of their system. Who was I kidding, that was for me. 
The original plan was a day at the hotel pool. So we walked to MK to get to our first FP, Space Mountain. It was a smooth wait and we loved the ride photos. DS was serious and he decided he wanted to try to be serious for all the ride photos. Next up was BarnStomer. This was about a 20 minute line but it was mid-afternoon and it was hot, at least for us. The kids were getting restless, especially DD. I was tired too and was frustrated and started to fret what the week would bring. We got on and it was a good ride, but not something we would do again. It was short. However, remember our kids are older. Next up “IASM” FP. DD was not looking forward to this ride, she wanted to get it over with. We rode, and she fell in love. Next we head towards Haunted Mansion for our last FP, but we have some time. I go to Frontierland for some snacks. I found a churro cart, YES! I wait in line, and when it’s my turn they tell me it’s closed. It was 3:30 and the park closed at 4:30 that day for the Cast Party. I was disappointed. I then see somebody with a dolewhip. Yay! I asked them where they got it and I was directed under the pathway to Aloha Isle. I mobile order us 4 dolewhips, but one just plain vanilla for ds. I run back to the family with the treats as they were starting to melt. We ate the deliciousness and head to HM. We get there and I think the standy-by line was shorter! We enjoyed the ride and called it a day. We walked back to the hotel and our room was ready, but we had to wait for Bell services for our belongings before we could go swimming. We got our stuff, changed and went to the pool, while DH took a nap. The kids get to the slide and they were in heaven. LOVED the pool at the Contemporary, for now! 
We swam for an hour then we had to get ready for our ADR at Chef Mickey’s. My original time was 8:05, but I was able to modify it with the Reservation Finder for 7:00. I tried to modify to an earlier time and never got it. We were excited to go and meet Mickey and the gang. The good thing about the buffets is you can basically eat right as you’re seated. The characters were far so we could do just that. DS (12) is super picky. He was hungry and disappointed with the meal. He did not like the macaroni and cheese. He only ate a few chicken nuggets. Desserts were good and character interaction was great. Our favorite was Donald Duck. DS went to go shake his hand and he withdrew his, and slicked his and back his head. This got a big smile out of DS. Overall though, I would not recommend Chef Mickey’s for dinner. The kids wished we had breakfast there instead.
We get back to the room at 8:30 and collapse.
Now it’s time to eat lunch. I had planned on Casey’s because DS LOVES hotdogs but he denied the plan, he wanted Cosmics. It was busy. I spied Chesire Cafe and asked DD if she wanted the pastries for lunch. This goes against my usual rules, so she was pretty pysched. DH and DS went to Cosmics and dd and I scoped out a table for them. They waited in line forever. I don’t know if I tried to mobile order or not. The MDE app was HORRIBLE in the park! After lunch we went back to our room to rest and to swim as we would be back for the Dessert party.
After pictures, we head to Tomorrowland and we got there right at 7:30. Plenty of seating for us and we enjoyed some desserts, I wish I remembered what we liked best. I love anything with sugar though. Although this was nice, we still had to sit and wait an hour for the show. When we got to the garden area it was rather empty and we claimed a space back by the back railing. We met a lovely couple from the area and chatted as the kids took selfies. HEA was magical. I cried, I sobbed. It was a bit overstimulating. I don’t think I saw much of the fireworks as I was concentrating on the castle. Luckily we did see Tink fly. I definitely would pay for that experience again. DS was exhausted so he and DH went back to the hotel, while DD and I head to Space Mountain for another ride. When we got there, it was a 30 minute wait and DD didn’t want to do that so we walked over to Fantasyland and rode WTP. We then hit IASW. The best part about this was we walked on, yet on the way out we saw both our names on the Goodbye boards. It was a special time for us indeed. We probably could have snuck one more ride, but we were pooped,so we went back to the hotel and collapsed.
We loved meeting Pluto before entering and of course Stitch since he was the reason we reserved this breakfast. Mickey signed DS’s hat and he was happy! Service was quick and we left before the planned time so off to the buses to head to Typhoon Lagoon. This was our first bus experience. You need to pay attention to ALL the buses. Ours left before I realized it was there since it behind another bus. Lesson learned.
I am SO glad I kept this in the plan. However, now a water park will always be in the plan. Since we had a big breakfast we didn’t have lunch until later at about 1:30, we did one more round of slides and then we headed back to our hotel.
