You Can Teach an Old Cat New Tricks (a planning thread) - getting close - #236

Backstory (there’s always a backstory!): Our family of 8 moved from western NY to upstate SC last July. Though our family was wholly enthusiastic about this move, there were moments here and there when we considered our future and admitted that we really would need to come up with new ways of doing things. There were the obvious things, like Christmas and Easter. But I remember keenly the day DH, DD17, and I were in the car and the topic of high school graduation came up. I noted how it would be unlikely that we would host any graduation party for her, being that any friendships we would potentially be making would be very new and not at all the same as friends and family in our former community. We’d been talking about making new traditions for things like holidays, so it didn’t surprise me when my husband said something like we would need to come up with a new way to mark those achievements. He continued this line of though by saying something like, “Maybe you and she could go on a mother-daughter vacation or something,” to which she and I both keenly heard, “You and she should go to Disney World.” I mean - that’s what YOU heard, too, didn’t you?

But then we moved. And life got very lifey. And the house we are in is weird. And our tax money was very taxey. And, well, we really never talked about it again.

Meanwhile, our family DID decide to do our first ever Universal Studios trip for May 14-24. and anything that sounds anything like a mother-daughter WDW trip has not been spoken of again.

Or has it?

Regular readers and the awesome Open Thread crowd has been answering questions for me this week.

And, though DD doesn’t know it yet, I have booked and am in the process of planning a graduation trip for the two of us! So - yay!

I don’t even know how many times I’ve been to WDW. I think twice as a kid. The first trip I planned was in 1994, and in all our trips we’ve never stayed on property. I’ve also only once taken a trip with just two people - back in 1999.
And then there is Genie+.
And LL.
And - well - I know there is a lot I don’t know.
But that’s what Liner friends are for.

So while I may be an Old Cat… I need to learn some New Tricks!

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Current plan:
June 23-27 - YES - FAST TRIP

Drive from greater Greenville, SC area.
Staying at All Star Movies
We will have our own car.

While park hours are not available yet, I am tentatively planning arrival and departure days at HS, and one full day at each of the other parks. I have the following reservations.

23 - HS hope to be there by 3
24 - AK
25 - MK
26 - EP
27 - HS plan to leave around 3

And - that’s it. Those are my plans. I picked this property because it is the cheapest category and we are trying to make this as cheap as possible. I realize there are much nicer places, but I must underscore I have almost no fun money for this trip. Boo.

Already I am playing logistics around in my head and questions are popping up.

Should I request any particular area at All Star Movies?
What is the best abbreviation for All Star Movies?
I truly suspect we will only be there to sleep and shower. We will do rope drop to closing.
She loves the movie Fantasia - would it be cool to request a room there?

I hope I can make a reservation for Oga’s for after park closing on our first day for no reason other than to make the day last as long as possible and get night time photos. (@Broph1988 - copying you!)

If I drive directly to HS from home, but don’t go to the hotel first, and I pay parking at HS, will they also have me pay for that night’s parking at the hotel?

If I check in online, do I register my car then (for parking fee)?

Oh my goodness I have a lot of questions! And I am sure there is so much I don’t know.

The plan is to keep this a secret from DD until after her graduation ceremony on 5/6. I want to wrap up mouse ears as her gift that night. She’s my resident Disney lover, so not talking it over with her is killing me. But it will be worth the wait.

Please tell me all the things.

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Undoubtedly!!

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Oh boo!
We don’t arrive until the 28th :-1:t3:

ASMu

If you’re not spending any time there it might not matter much. You’d see the Fantasia pool when passing through the lobby building.

Double check with someone else but I don’t think you need to be checked in to get free park parking as a resort guest. I’m doubting my info though.

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ASMu.

You shouldn’t pay for parking at the parks even on arrival day. I guess you won’t have magic bands if you’ve never stayed onsite so I’m not sure how it will work though. Maybe you will have to pay and get a refund at the hotel or guest services.

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No you’re right but I don’t know how you prove you’re a resort guest.

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Clearly

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MDE on her phone, most likely. That’s how they will tap in, too.

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I do have magic bands from 2019 when we rented a campsite as well as a rental house.
Will they still work?

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This is terrible.
And I won’t overlap @JustKeepSmiling either

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Yes. They may not work for ride photos, though.

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How would I do those now if bands aren’t a thing?

Ok biggest question I have is are you staying at Music or Movies? The Fantasia pool is at Movies and the 3 Caballeros is the feature pool at Music. You can pool hop between the resorts so you can check it out either way. Standard rooms at Music are all far from the main building, but you can park close to the buildings.

I think this is an awesome idea for a graduation present and I’m sure she’ll love it. Ears are the perfect gift to announce the trip. I can’t wait to follow along!

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:woman_facepalming:t4: I totally missed that.
Well spotted :face_with_monocle:

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If they’re active on MDE along with your resort reservation then they’ll be good for parking :+1:t2:

Sorry you’re missing Melissa too :frowning::-1:t3:

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Oh my goodness. I keep DOING that.
Movies.
All Star Movies!!
THANKYOU!

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SO does this mean All Star Movies ASMo?

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ASMo!!

They’re so easy to get mixed up. Especially since Fantasia is very musicy!! :rofl:

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I would use ASMo for Movies and ASMu for Music.

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