I’m so excited I just have to share. My family is booked for 8 nights in the World over Halloween! Thanks so much for your help @OBNurseNH
It will be myself, DW, DS4, DS3, and DD1. This is such a huge deal for me. Last year DS3 battled Cancer. Fantasizing about and planning a trip to WDW was a major coping mechanism for me. Unfortunately due to compilations from surgery, among other things, we had to cancel that 2018 trip. Now, it’s back on for 2019.
I’ve been to WDW once when I was 16, but was only in MK for a half day so I don’t really count it. DW went when she was a kid, maybe 6 or 7. I’m so excited about this trip I almost can’t contain it. The tentative plan, which will almost surely change a dozen times before October, is 4 days in MK and then 1 day in each of the other parks. Long mid day breaks for the kids, like noon to 4. First half will be at CR and then we’ll move over to Boardwalk. MNSSHP. EMM. Hoop Dee Doo. CHARACTER DINING!
I’ll cap off the trip with running in the Wine and Dine races. It will be my first half. I’m really excited about that too!
Originally, I thought I would use this thread as a “pre-trip report” and update it as my plan materializes. However, I’ve been thinking that it might be fun to really get into the details. So, I’m going to do a multi-part thing in the coming weeks/months and start from the beginning:
ProphetPaul’s Proposal (Why, When, Where?)
ProphetPaul’s “Perfect” Plan
ProphetPaul’s Pre-Trip Postscript (Notes & Ideas)
For now, I’ll give you a high level overview of what I’m planning. I know how much some of you enjoy reading this kind of stuff. I encourage feedback - I consider myself pretty knowledgeable thanks to this website (and others), but must also confess that I’m a WDW rookie. I’d love to know what everyone thinks of my ideas.
Assuming you are frontloading your trip with all MK as you are staying at CR and this is of course a good reason. If it were me, I’d probably swap one of your MK days with your AK day as you have to use transport to AK from either of your resorts. But then again, we always end our park days at MK, getting one last look at the castle on the way out. So excited to keep reading about your planning for the next months. You have some good events lined up!
Yes, I’ve been rethinking this a little bit after reading some recent posts in the forums. I like the idea of starting and ending with MK. The W&D races make it a little difficult, but maybe we can go back to MK for a few hours that last day instead of hanging out in the Boardwalk area. One more day of admission won’t add much to the total bill anyways. And I’m not sure how much fun Fantasia Gardens would be for the little ones.
Our family (3.5 y/o and 13 month old) went to AK the last day, but went back to MK for a couple hours the last night for 1 last ride (Pooh) and for my 3.5 y/o to pick out a souvenir (we only allowed 1 souvenir on the trip).
I like your idea of a short stop at MK on your last day instead of Fantasia Gardens. Or consider skipping Disney Springs and going back to MK on 11/2.
You likely are aware of this but you are charged $10 per person on the reservation if you cancel a Chef Mickey’s res less than 24 hours in advance. Just wanted to make sure you understood that in case you are running late to arrive at CR.
Also, Main Street is interesting for adults, but at least for my 3/5 y/o daughter, it was just a street to walk on to get to the castle and the other fun stuff. If you have park tix for arrival day, at least book your 3 FP+ and then you can decide later whether you want to use them. Since you are planning hang out on Main Street, I would recommend Meet Mickey and Meet Think (who are in the a building on Main Street) and maybe one of the short rides (Pooh or Dumbo?). We met Tink and went on Dumbo our arrival day just to give the kids a taste of the magic.
Will your room at BW be ready in time for the 1:00 pm naps? If it is not ready until the normal check-in time of 3:00 pm, the nap schedule may be messed up (along with the kids ability to stay up late if they miss their naps or have short ones).
This nap is the one that’s going to be iffy. Your room may be ready in time, but no guarantee whatsoever. When doing your room request fax, be sure to put room ready early above all other requests to increase your chances. Else this may have to be a nap-on-the-go or find-a-quiet-space-and-use-it nap.
Crazy early. Like, up at 3, to the corral by 4 kind of thing. May need to curtail Friday evening to meet this.ETA same with the Half. I don’t think the 5 K is quite as early
