Traveling: me (39, turning 40 on the trip!) and DH (43)
NOT traveling: our three kids (8, 6, 3) who are staying home with Grandma and Grandpa!
Dates: April 24-27, flying home in the am April 28
Lodging: Polynesian! Three nights for two people is pretty much the only situation in which we could afford it. We're checking out on the 27th and staying at Pop for our final night. It was cheaper to stay an extra night there, with no park ticket and no dining plan, than pay the airfare difference to leave the night of 27th.
Parks/activities: Roughly a day at each park with a few extras. We got hoppers just in case. We'll be doing Early Morning Magic in Fantasyland on 4/26, and Wild Africa Trek on 4/25 (mah berfday!)
Previous trips: besides childhood trips, we went as a family in 2017 and 2019, hoping to go again in 2021, but maybe 2022 is more realistic.
FP's I want: Test Track, Mission Space, Spaceship Earth, Flight of Passage, Kilimanjaro Safari, Dinosaur, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Jungle Cruise, Slinky Dog Dash, Toy Story Mania, Alien Swirling Saucers. Biggest priority is Slinky Dog Dash! On our last trip, the kids wanted to ride with Daddy (someone had to stay with baby) so I didn't get to ride. So sad.
Eating: since it's just the two of us--and we like to eat--we went whole hog and got the deluxe plan. We have ADRs at Teppan Edo, The Coral Reef, Tusker House, Hoop Dee Doo, Liberty Tree Tavern, Storybook Dining at Artist Point, 50s Prime Time, and Ohana
Current plan:
Fri 4/24: Landing around 10am, planning to hit the ground running and get over to Epcot ASAP. We always like to start with Spaceship Earth, which will hopefully still be open. Then we'll enjoy Flower & Garden and World Showcase, two things we haven't really been able to fully "experience" with the kids. On our last trip, we ended up on a death march through World Showcase on a 100 degree day with my 8-year-old begging to be carried (because the other two were already smushed into the stroller). We'll make our way back down for FPs at Test Track and Mission Space, then have dinner at Coral Reef, and browse attractions in that area. We need at least one ride on Soarin', DH's favorite thing in all of WDW, and Living with the Land. We'll see how tired we are, and maybe see what else we can do, or just head back to the Poly.
Sat 4/25: My 40th birthday! We're starting with morning extra magic hours at Animal Kingdom, and we'll be aiming for Safari for first. We have breakfast at Tusker House, and then Wild Africa Trek, which I am super duper excited for! Afterwards, we're hoping to have an FP for FoP, but if we can't get it, we're not going to stress. We haven't ridden it yet, so we don't know what we'll be missing. If it works out, we'll have an FP for another safari. Then we'll have an FP for Dinosaur, and check out It's Tough to be a Bug, both things we've missed out on on previous trips. Because we're getting fed on the Wild Africa Trek, we're not planning to eat lunch anywhere else. The goal is to leave AK by 3:30ish so we'll have time to rest and shower before my birthday dinner at the Hoop Dee Doo. After dinner, we want to get over to Magic Kingdom and see Happily Ever After. See, I love fireworks, but our oldest has some sensory issues, and is especially frightened by fireworks, so we have never been able to see any of the shows at WDW. I'm really excited to finally see it!
Sunday 4/26: We're beginning this day with Early Morning Magic at Magic Kingdom, where I'll ride 7DMT as many times as possible. We may actually start with Peter Pan's Flight and then Winnie the Pooh, since most people will be going to 7DMT first. Then we'll spend the rest of the time on 7DMT. We want to rope drop Space Mountain at 9, then jump on Buzz Lightyear, and get our breakfast at around 9:45. We have back to back to back FPs for Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain, and Jungle Cruise, and we'll squeeze in whatever we can in between. After, we have lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern, and we'll just see what other FPs we can get. We have dinner reservations at Artist Point, and after that we may go to a park that's open late, or check out Disney Springs. Or just enjoy the Poly!
Monday 4/27: This is our Hollywood Studios day, so who knows how it will go. We'll be there at rope drop to try to get a boarding group for RotR, and will probably head to Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railroad on standby first. Our goals for the day are the single rider line at Smuggler's Run, lunch at 50s Prime Time, and our FPs in Toy Story Land. Other than that, I'm looking forward to having time to just stroll and take in the sights without cranky hot kids begging to do a ride or go to the pool. Our dinner is at Ohana, so we'll enjoy that and then leave the evening open. At some point, we have to head over to Pop, probably via an extended ride on the Skyliner, and check in.
Tuesday 4/28: Not much here. Wake up, check out, bus to airport, fly home, hug children.
New things: almost everything! Besides being at WDW without the kids, we're trying almost all new restaurants (50s Prime Time and Hoop Dee Doo are nostalgic favorites). The biggest "new" thing for me is getting over my fear of roller coasters. Seriously, I am a ride wimp. On our last trip, I had grin and bear it for even the Barnstormer. Missing out on SDD was kind of a mixed blessing because I didn't chicken out, but I really was pretty nervous about riding it. So, since I'm turning 40 and it's a milestone, the time is ripe. We're using our Early Morning Magic time to just ride 7DMT over and over and over again, even if I'm scared to death the first (few) times. Eventually, the Barnstormer was fun, so I'm hopeful that once I get over it, 7DMT will be too! After EMM, we plan to rope drop Space Mountain, another ride that terrifies me right now. And then, we can move on to that Thunder Mountain FP, and I will be cured of my roller coaster fear! And if not, well, I gave it my best and will have nothing to be ashamed of.
Looking forward to: everything? I'm really, really excited to push myself outside my comfort zone and try those "scary" rides (hey, they're scary to me, ok??). Also looking forward to the undivided attention time with DH and being able to enjoy the visual side of WDW.
Shopping I still have to do: not much, if anything!
Our first return to FQ was in Sept and we did Halloween Party and dressed up; will do Villains AH this time, debating about dressing up. (Don't want it to feel too much like a repeat!)
