They Let Anyone In these Clubs Now! An Aug. 2017 PTR * TR link! 8/17!*

[xlsm]

We did try this on our very first August trip in 2014 but by the 2nd day we were back at the resort going, "now what do we do?" Kids didn't want to swim, none of us wanted to rest, so we toughed it out all day in the parks and managed to have fun. However the boys are older now and like downtime, more than need downtime. Between that and the club level offerings I decided we'd go for the breaks again and if we don't like it, we just cut those out!

I love our afternoon breaks, but the hardest part for me sometimes is getting back out and back into a park. Not so much when we're all together, but it was REALLY hard when i was by myself.
I'm so anxious to see how your CL experience goes, especially b/c you'll be at WL. I know I've mentioned before that I hem and haw about booking it b/c I'm afraid I will worry too much about making sure we get value out of it. After going solo, I feel like I really would have appreciated it during my week alone! I think I'm as excited about your upcoming trip as you are - I love having your experiences to draw from.

I'm dying to see the retro design inside!

Another thing I'm looking forward to seeing when you get to the TR afterward

Sorry it's a weird picture but I don't have these on my computer so I took a picture of the picture in my photo book

Aw, they're little!! This is adorable.

Yes boys and girls, we're staying in the middle of Construction Central!!

I got an email with a really good rate here for summer dates...I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sort of considering it

 

[buzzrelly]

Wow! All caught up on your roller-coaster trip report! Hard to believe that school sports has turned another one of your trips on it's head, but you're really good at making lemonade out of lemons I don't know if I would be quite as understanding

Congrats on getting VWL Club Level I think it's super smart that you're trying to schedule some resort time so you can enjoy it!

 

[Jfsag123]

Yay for break time! We love our parks (of course), but we value the resort time almost as much. I think it's great that you're trying something new despite the construction. Maybe you'll like CBR enough to want to return once it's a gondola resort.

Love the mini golf pictures! We're hoping to try that for the first time next trip, but you've got me a little scared saying it was kind of hard for Chris at 10, as mine will just be 10 and 8 next year. Regardless, it looks like fun. Good luck with FP booking!

 

[disneyAndi14]

I hope you give Splitsville a try, Andi and I use to go each trip to bowl and eat. The loaded fries there are delicious.

We stayed at CBR in April 2016, no construction at that time, we liked it, just very large and spread out. A couple nights should be fine!

I hope you got the FP+ you wanted!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

How did booking fast passes go?

 

[Denamac]

I have to say, WL CL is my picky husband's favorite CL! He much prefers it to AKL CL. I enjoyed AKL CL but I will try more exotic foods. I know you guys will love WL CL!

 

[thumper*]

I'm along for the ride and what a rocky ride, only 2 pages in and already having to change your dates. got some good plans going. Oh club level I can't wait to read your TR. While researching our CL trip on the CL thread I've read about AKL CL isn't getting the best reviews. Looking forward to your dining review of Geyser Points food. We'll probably eat there before our sleigh ride.

 

[wdwnut61]

Hope your FP day went well. I think that's a great idea to save money and stay at CB. It's great your club level stay is at the end.
Also good you're planning on mid day breaks. We have suffered through many hot August trips and always try to be out of the parks by noon.
The mister fans really help too. I wished we had them a few weeks ago.
Looking forward to hearing about what fp's and dining you've selected.

 

[Tracy161]

I'm here!!! And... I started reading this morning and had quoted a bunch of stuff. Then had to run to get to work on time because I was so caught up in reading laughing then promptly came home a bit ago and started quoting on my own PTR and realized I'd inserted all the quotes for your PTR into mine! So, I just deleted them because right before leaving this morning realized that most of them were irrelevant now anyway since you changed your dates. I'm so excited that you'll still get to make a trip work - and you deserve special kudos for working with Ricky's schedule which, by the way, I'm exhausted just reading about - but I'm bummed our trips will no longer overlap! I was so excited to try to make a meet happen. But... with last night's purchase of my Annual Pass... perhaps our paths will cross in the future

WHERE: Wilderness Lodge, Club Level

WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!

I wanted to try something we haven't done on our last couple trips - breaks in the middle of most days and even some-blasphemy!-resort time.

Breaks? In the middle of the day? I don't understand. Do people do this? It does make a lot of sense, especially if the boys like their down time. I'm a parks sun-up to sun-down type of gal, but I would probably really benefit from getting a little R&R midday! My mid-day breaks typically consist of the same things as my mid-morning breaks, mid-afternoon breaks, mid-evening breaks, mid-night breaks, etc. FOOD! But that typically also requires sitting, so... that counts, right?!

Excited to read more about your trip!

 

[ariane37]

You can enjoy Geyser Point as well!

I can't wait to get back there! We loved it in March, and I think the boys will like swimming, getting something to eat/drink, swimming again.

I find it hard enough planning for just Nathan and I, and he's super easygoing, so I don't envy you having to think about 4 different people's wishes in your planning!

I have come to thoroughly enjoy NOT planning for our adults only trips, outside of a general outline of what parks on what days and a couple ADR's, and some idea in the back of my head of other restaurants we may make same day ADR's for. And I love changing up our plans on the fly, which is easier without the kids since it doesn't matter as much to the two of us if we ride rides, or just a couple rides, whatever. Undoubtedly with the 4 of us, whether we're in a park, eating, or at the resort chillin' someone won't be happy

Depending on whether you booked through Disney or through your company, etc, were they still offering the $75 gift cards to make up for the inconvenience when you booked?

I booked with the AP discount since I can only book one more resort with my TA discount this year and this is only 2 nights, and they stopped offering the GC back in March. Rates aren't THAT bad right now although you'd think they'd be even lower, so basically if you booked after the GC offer went away you don't get any compensation. They're giving a little breakfast-type "welcome" bag upon check-in and they have little extras like a Pirate band and Mariachi band playing at night, but that's it.

I didn't want to be somewhere with an awkward food situation on our one and only honeymoon.

I don't blame you! The buffet is getting good reviews but it closes at 10 and doesn't change day to day from what I understand. The food trucks I hear are "eh" and the rooms in each section don't have many offerings. So again, ok for a couple nights but for a longer stay, and on your honeymoon, you definitely need something better

Good luck with FP day tomorrow!

Thanks, I did pretty good! Couldn't get one particular ride when we wanted it but I made it work. I'll be updating with that asap!

I'm not really a fan of bowling, but I would like to eat there.

I don't LOVE bowling but the boys enjoy it, and they like doing something other than the parks at least once while we're there. So combining that with the fact that it's going to be blistering hot, I think doing something inside will be good. I hear good things about the food also which of course doesn't hurt!

We've also never done mini golf there.

See now I much rather bowl than play mini golf but I have to say Disney's mini golf courses are themed so cute! And again, it's a nice break from the parks IF you have kids who are happier when you throw something non-park in the mix. If it weren't for them I'm sure Steve and I wouldn't have ever done the mini golf either lol.

Good luck! It's only 2 days so it shouldn't be too bad, but WL was a lot worse than I had heard. It's made me a little wary of the resorts with a lot of construction going on. I'm glad I ditched our CBR reservation for September but that was for our whole trip.

I feel horrible about your experience at WL! I swear in our 2 stays during construction, both before and after yours, NO noise, no problems due to it at all. We stayed at the Poly while some construction was going on and there was a soft goods refurb the first time we stayed at AKL, but we were never bothered. I'm sure it'll catch up with us at some point and it just may be at CBR!

I think a trip to Splitsville would be a lot of fun. You need something do to if it is too rainy to swim.

Very true. Also, while Chris could swim for hours and hours, an hour is about all Ricky's good for and definitely not every day. So this would make them both happy and I'll be happy staying cool

You may be surprised at how much you enjoy down time with the lounge to hang out in.

That has gone through my mind! One of the things I'm anxious to discover - no matter which way it goes - on this trip

If DH wanted to nap and the boys wanted to play on their Ipads, I could grab my book and head up to the lounge for some R&R and yummy snacks too.

In our case it would be the boys on their phones and Steve at the pool, while I go to the lounge with my book. Regardless of where they are, reading in the lounge mid-day sounds good to me!

For two nights I'm sure it will be entirely manageable. Plus it's kind of nice to check another resort off your list.

Yes and yes. If the construction is bothering us we know we're soon leaving.

Im following along! I love all of your reports.

Hello and And, thank you for the nice compliment Glad to have you along!

 

[ariane37]

OMG Ariane! Your plans make my head spin-LOL!

They make mine spin, too! And I keep misplacing my list/chart of plans so I tried making a spreadsheet like I've made for clients and somehow I messed it all up Better mine than a clients' but I'm going to have to keep referring back to this PTR to see where we're going when

My daughter Ali runs track and it literally starts in January and runs (like how I did that) until the end of the school year.

I do like how you did that Also nice to hear someone else who understand having to plan their other life activities around school sports.............

Ash refuses to miss school (even for Disney). Go figure...

It's crazy right? Although since 7th grade Ricky hasn't wanted to miss too many days due to school, either. In 6th grade he missed 4 days and felt he missed a lot of work, even though he had no trouble catching up. 7th grade we didn't take him out but in 8th he missed 3 days and since he was in honors he had a fit. This year was only one day last Nov. since he and Steve came down later, but we asked them if they wanted to come last month and since he'd miss 3 days he said no way. Honors math/science is too much plus even if they miss P.E due to illness or have a Dr. note due to an injury they have to make it up during 0 period, which is 6:00 AM It's ridiculous!

I'm with you but...yeah...the heat is gonna be bad...and I am trying to build in breaks too. It's hard when there is so much you want to do...but I think it will be worth it if you plan it this way. Then at least you don't feel like you are not accomplishing as much as you'd hoped.

It's brutal in August, and like childbirth I forget once I get home until we go back the next year Even though we didn't like our breaks the first summer we went down, with the boys being older and liking to chill more I do believe they'll prefer the breaks. But yes, hard to plan on just......being at the resort when the parks are calling to you!

I love our afternoon breaks, but the hardest part for me sometimes is getting back out and back into a park. Not so much when we're all together, but it was REALLY hard when i was by myself.

It's much harder for Steve and I if we happen to take a break mid or late afternoon other than to change clothes!

I'm so anxious to see how your CL experience goes, especially b/c you'll be at WL. I know I've mentioned before that I hem and haw about booking it b/c I'm afraid I will worry too much about making sure we get value out of it.

Yup, exactly why we cancelled our BC CL for last month with just the 2 of us during F&G. We thought about it more and knew we'd be struggling to get our $$ worth and didn't want to force ourselves to spend time there. However with garbage disposal boys during a really hot month I'm thinking it'll work good? Without CL if I still planned breaks we'd only really have RF and GP as options and might get tired of them quick, so besides being a better time to try it with the boys along I think a summer month is also a good time. And if we don't find it worth it at least we've tried it at the best resort ever

I think I'm as excited about your upcoming trip as you are - I love having your experiences to draw from.

LOL, well I'm excited about your Oct. trip since you get to do MNSSHP I'm going to have to finally get all up on Instagram, follow you religiously, and pretend I'm "S" the night your at the party

I got an email with a really good rate here for summer dates...I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sort of considering it

I know quite a few people who got that but of course we didn't! I'm not sure when your boys go back to school but, if you could swing a trip somewhere around 8/5-8/12, I say use that rate

Hard to bier that school sports has turned another one of your trips on it's head, but you're really good at making lemonade out of lemons I don't know if I would be quite as understanding

Oh it was tough, believe me. Just consider me an lol!

Congrats on getting VWL Club Level I think it's super smart that you're trying to schedule some resort time so you can enjoy it!

I've always wanted to try CL and it's just a no-brainer with my discount,but it also makes much more sense to try when we have the boys along!

 

[ariane37]

I think it's great that you're trying something new despite the construction. Maybe you'll like CBR enough to want to return once it's a gondola resort.

You know I used to love riding the skyway in MK with my grandmother, one of the 4 attractions I remember riding with her However in my old age, while I can go upside down, sideways, really fast, and ride pretty much any coaster I can't do things like extremely high ferris wheels and even the Astro Orbiter freaks me out a bit, so I think the gondola might be out for me when it finally arrives.

We're hoping to try that for the first time next trip, but you've got me a little scared saying it was kind of hard for Chris at 10, as mine will just be 10 and 8 next year.

Well before you get too concerned keep in mind that Chris is a HUGE whiner and complainer when things don't go his way, as well as the worst sore loser ever lol. Yes, it's more difficult than WinterSummerland. Ricky was fine doing it and it's not that Chris couldn't do it, but it took him a bit longer than Ricky which of course didn't go over well. So other than possible teasing between your two if that does indeed ever happen) it might just make for a long afternoon!

Good luck with FP booking!

Thanks, it went well! I should be posting about it this weekend.

I hope you give Splitsville a try, Andi and I use to go each trip to bowl and eat. The loaded fries there are delicious.

Oh good, then let me ask you a question I can't seem to find an answer to! When you've gone,have you made reservations for bowling and then been able to get food at your lane? Or made a dining reservation, eaten and bowled after, or before? Or not made any reservations, gotten a lane and then been able to order food brought to the lane lol?? I don't want to pay in advance for the lanes and I think I'd like to eat at the lane, just can't seem to figure out if I can do that w/o a dining reservation. Even my fellow TA's aren't sure!

How did booking fast passes go?

Had a little trouble getting Flights of Passage when I wanted it but all is good

I have to say, WL CL is my picky husband's favorite CL! He much prefers it to AKL CL.

Nice to hear, thank you for telling me I thought some of the offerings at AKL CL sounded interesting but the ones at WL sounds equally as good, and actually better for the boys.

I'm along for the ride and what a rocky ride, only 2 pages in and already having to change your dates.

Hi Glenda, glad you're here Yup I started off with a bang lol

While researching our CL trip on the CL thread I've read about AKL CL isn't getting the best reviews.

I haven't posted over there yet but I've been keeping up with the thread, and I've seen those reviews about AKL CL. On the other hand the "new" WL Club lounge seems to be getting consistently positive reviews. So excited!!

Hope your FP day went well.

All good!

The mister fans really help too. I wished we had them a few weeks ago.

Ugh, our first Aug. trip in 2014 I bought not only Frogg Togg towels but 4 misting fans. Nobody wanted to wear the towels and nobody wanted to carry or wear the fans so the first couple days I either ended up carrying the fans or they were all in the backpack By day 3 they stayed in the room!

I'm here!!!

Yay! Tracy!!

I started reading this morning and had quoted a bunch of stuff. Then had to run to get to work on time because I was so caught up in reading laughing then promptly came home a bit ago and started quoting on my own PTR and realized I'd inserted all the quotes for your PTR into mine!

OMG you know how many times I've done this?? I'll insert quotes, have to go, then forget I've done it and either quote one of my reports or someone else's and mix them all up

and you deserve special kudos for working with Ricky's schedule which, by the way, I'm exhausted just reading about

If I post his practice/game schedule whenever we get it THAT will be confusing! Not sure if you've ever seen the "mom" calendars, but they have a space for you to write what each member of your family has to do each day. Mine looks like a toddler scribbled all over it most of the year!!!

but I'm bummed our trips will no longer overlap! I was so excited to try to make a meet happen.

I know, one of the top 3 things that are bumming me out about switching our dates are all the Dismeets that could have been

But... with last night's purchase of my Annual Pass... perhaps our paths will cross in the future

Whoo, congratulations!! I love having an AP. Makes you feel special I'd be lying if I said Steve and I haven't been discussing our next adults only trip

Breaks? In the middle of the day? I don't understand. Do people do this?

seriously!! We do NOT take mid-day breaks. I really dislike being in the room when I can be at a park, I get back there and I'm like However when you know it'll most likely work best for the kids, you just suck it up and do it. Plus if we really don't like taking them we just do what we did on our first summer trip, and simply cut them out

 

[chunkymonkey]

ack for some strange reason the Dis was not give me updates on your PTR! But now I'm here and caught up!

4. I will hopefully still get to meet up again with @ChunkyMonkey!!

YESS!!

WHERE: Wilderness Lodge, Club Level
WHEN: 8/7-8/12

Steve is happier to be at WL than he was to be staying at AKL, although if he had it his way we'd be here or near here:



as the Epcot area resorts are truly his favorite.

I know...I mean I love the Poly and all with it being a cross between Hawaii and Disney, but I must say after staying at BWV, it's sooooooo nice to be able to walk to Epcot. I loved it. We will be staying at Yacht Club for 2 days in Sept and I'm really looking forward to that too!

Friday, 8/5: plane gets in at 8:20
Saturday: 8/6: MK morning, break, back to MK at night
Sunday, 8/7: AK for EMH, break, Epcot WS at night
Monday 8/8: resort time, HS by 4, stay till close
Tuesday, 8/9: Epcot FW, DS, MK at night
Wednesday, 8/10: resort time, AK by 3 until close
Thursday, 8/11: MK for EMH, possibly break depending, HS at night
Friday, 8/12: HS, MK, DME around 5:15-5:30

Hmm...I think 8/11 and 8/12 are Friday and Saturday because we arrive on the 11th and it's a Friday! (I hope)
8/12 is is our only chance to meet up again and we'll probably be around MK most of the day so we'll see you there! Can't wait!

 

[ariane37]

Hmm...I think 8/11 and 8/12 are Friday and Saturday because we arrive on the 11th and it's a Friday! (I hope)
8/12 is is our only chance to meet up again and we'll probably be around MK most of the day so we'll see you there! Can't wait!

Um.......would you believe I was just testing everyone? Trying to see who would pick up on my mistake first and......congrats! You win Lol yes the 11th is Friday and the 12th is Sat, the day we leave. The important thing is we'll meet up in MK

 

[chunkymonkey]

Um.......would you believe I was just testing everyone? Trying to see who would pick up on my mistake first and......congrats! You win Lol yes the 11th is Friday and the 12th is Sat, the day we leave. The important thing is we'll meet up in MK

I passed the test! Woohoo!!!
Cos I was confused there for a sec...LOL
But all that matters is that we're gonna have another DISMeet!! Yay!

 

[disneyAndi14]

I don't know how to just capture your question to reply w/o getting the whole post in there, I will learn one of these days oh well. We just showed up each time and we were able to get a lane for bowling and we ordered at our lane. The price was very reasonable in 2013, it really started climbing after 2014, it was 20.00 for 1 hour of bowling, shoes included the first time we did it, awesome price! I believe it is up to 40.00 an hour now and I can't remember if shoes still included. I do remember before 12:00 the price was less. We usually went around 11:00 for an early lunch and bowling. We never needed a reservation at that time, however if you all go later, because with teen boys, they may not want to bowl and eat early lol! It maybe more busy. It is huge in there, bowling is on two levels so many lanes. I think you get a coupon in the booklet Disney sends when staying with them. Do they still send that? The food is good there and many choices.

 

[cstorm65]

I changed things around about 5x because that's what a good Dis'er does, and because after thinking more and more I wanted to try something we haven't done on our last couple trips - breaks in the middle of most days and even some-blasphemy!-resort time.
​

That is exactly what a good Dis'er does!! We think we are going to try to fit in a Christmas trip and are approaching ADR day and with that in mind I've been trying to figure out an itinerary and like you, I'm on about the fifth iteration!

Also, we LOVE resort time, but we have young kids unlike you, so it is kind of a necessity. Hope it works for you all as well!

However the boys are older now and like downtime, more than need downtime. Between that and the club level offerings I decided we'd go for the breaks again and if we don't like it, we just cut those out!

As a HS teacher I'm convinced all kids need downtime! This could still help with attitudes and such, so hoping it goes well for you. I know me and DW even feel better as adults after we've had an afternoon break!

​

Friday, 8/5: plane gets in at 8:20

An 8:20 AM arrival!!! Lucky You! We are lucky to get in by 1:00 PM from our small market airport and there isn't another major airport with less than a three hour drive, so our airport it is in most circumstances. We did snag a nonstop flight on this next trip to Orlando, but it is still just a 12:30 arrival. Enjoy your early arrival!!!​

Saturday: 8/6: MK morning, break, back to MK at night
Sunday, 8/7: AK for EMH, break, Epcot WS at night
Monday 8/8: resort time, HS by 4, stay till close
Tuesday, 8/9: Epcot FW, DS, MK at night
Wednesday, 8/10: resort time, AK by 3 until close
Thursday, 8/11: MK for EMH, possibly break depending, HS at night
Friday, 8/12: HS, MK, DME around 5:15-5:30

Looks like a great plan! Love your late nights in the parks. We don't do that much now with the ages of our kids, but I'm sure we will some day!

Another thing they'd like to do which we've done before is mini-golf. I don't mind at all but it'll be HOT, so maybe in the morning or if we choose not to stay at a park late one night. We've done Fantasia Gardens by the Beach Club back in 2015:

​

We tried mini golf on our last trip and while fun it was SOOOOOO Hot like you mentioned. So, we'll try again, but not this summer as my idea of fun isn't chasing a toddler around a mini golf course in 100 degree Florida heat! ​

Before I go, in light of tomorrow being FP day I finally booked us a resort for our first 2 nights! Just in the nick of time lol. Now some of you might ask yourselves why I chose where I did if you think about our past stays and what's going on at this particular resort right now. But since we can't get those nights CL at WL we figured we might as well save some $$, and also since it's only 2 nights if it isn't a place we love it'll still be ok. Plus I wanted somewhere we hadn't stayed before if possible, so I went with the least expensive moderate that was available:

Yes boys and girls, we're staying in the middle of Construction Central!! I've been quite surprised in reading the CBR thread over on the Resorts forum, the reports since the construction started haven't been nearly as negative as I thought they'd be. I do know someone that recently stayed for 3 weeks and said the food situation kind of sucks and the resort is a mess. I expect the mess and I'm prepared for a not ideal food situation, again for 2 days I don't think it'll impact us much. Right now all I know is we're good to go with our resorts and I know what I want for FP's tomorrow, and I think the boys will be ok with my daily plans. It's so much easier going with only Steve, not used to all this thinking ​

Hope Caribbean Beach works for you. We are again trying to do a Christmas trip since we'll have AP's and would really like a moderate, but just not sure of the price. We need to stay on a budget and no room discounts are out yet so it's kind of hard to plan. Caribbean Beach being the cheapest moderate is a draw, but don't know if we can handle the construction. Hopefully it works well for you!

Can't wait to read more of your plans!​

 

[Tracy161]

OMG you know how many times I've done this?? I'll insert quotes, have to go, then forget I've done it and either quote one of my reports or someone else's and mix them all up

Glad I'm not alone! I really do think we'd get alone swimmingly

Not sure if you've ever seen the "mom" calendars, but they have a space for you to write what each member of your family has to do each day.

I'm sure yours looks like air traffic control charts on a busy day!

I know, one of the top 3 things that are bumming me out about switching our dates are all the Dismeets that could have been

I'm sure

I love having an AP. Makes you feel special

Yes, it really does! As soon as I purchased it I texted my dad (an Florida AP holder) and said "I'M OFFICIALLY IN THE CLUB!!!!!!!!"

I'd be lying if I said Steve and I haven't been discussing our next adults only trip

I really dislike being in the room when I can be at a park, I get back there and I'm like

Right?! I can relax at home, let's get moving is my motto!

However when you know it'll most likely work best for the kids, you just suck it up and do it.

Yes, this is very good motivation While I don't have kids myself, I got a taste of this on my trip with my niece and nephew in January. You kinda play by their schedule, especially when they're 2 and 4 It doesn't end well when you don't

Plus if we really don't like taking them we just do what we did on our first summer trip, and simply cut them out

Excellent plan!

 

[ariane37]

, I will learn one of these days oh well. We just showed up each time and we were able to get a lane for bowling and we ordered at our lane.

. We usually went around 11:00 for an early lunch and bowling. We never needed a reservation at that time, however if you all go later, because with teen boys, they may not want to bowl and eat early lol! It maybe more busy.

for this info! We'd most likely get there early afternoon so it may be more crowded, if possible maybe we could eat and then bowl, we'll see. Oh, and it doesn't matter how early, teen/pre-teen boys will eat anytime lol!!!

I think you get a coupon in the booklet Disney sends when staying with them. Do they still send that?

They do still send the booklet, but no coupon for bowling It would be nice if that took the place of the DisneyQuest coupon since that will soon be no more.

The food is good there and many choices.

I've heard the food is good! That's why I figure we'll eat there

That is exactly what a good Dis'er does!! We think we are going to try to fit in a Christmas trip and are approaching ADR day and with that in mind I've been trying to figure out an itinerary and like you, I'm on about the fifth iteration!

Ooh, Christmas time in Disney, love it The closest we've come is Thanksgiving but at least we've seen everything all decorated, it's gorgeous! Good lucking working on our plans!

An 8:20 AM arrival!!! Lucky You! We are lucky to get in by 1:00 PM from our small market airport and there isn't another major airport with less than a three hour drive, so our airport it is in most circumstances.

Sadly that's 8:20 PM We both prefer getting in earlier, and last Nov. and in March we were in MCO by 9:15am. However given our limited days due to sports plus trying to get good flights, not only are we going out of Hartford which is almost 90 minutes away but our flight doesn't leave until like 5:35. And that's checking 6 airports, including one 20 minutes away, one 45 minutes and 4 less than 2 hours away!

Love your late nights in the parks. We don't do that much now with the ages of our kids, but I'm sure we will some day!

I remember when the kids were young I couldn't wait until they were older and could hang later in the parks! But now, as Ricky is finishing up his first year of high school and I realize he'll be driving next year and going away to college soon, I'm wishing for those days again.....................

Hope Caribbean Beach works for you. We are again trying to do a Christmas trip since we'll have AP's and would really like a moderate, but just not sure of the price. We need to stay on a budget and no room discounts are out yet so it's kind of hard to plan. Caribbean Beach being the cheapest moderate is a draw, but don't know if we can handle the construction. Hopefully it works well for you!

We've booked under regular rates and then switched to the AP rate when it comes out; stinks they don't release them until just a few months ahead of time. Not sure I mentioned it in my update but our CBR stay is with the AP rate. Have you looked at the CBR thread in the resorts forum? Maybe check in with that every once in awhile and keep up with what people are saying about the contsruction, might not be so bad!

While I don't have kids myself, I got a taste of this on my trip with my niece and nephew in January. You kinda play by their schedule, especially when they're 2 and 4

Yup, and when they get older you do what you can to keep them happy, and if they refuse to be happy you leave them behind in the room

 

[ariane37]

FP's, Field Trips and Bears, OH MY!

It's all good, guys! FP day was Tuesday and unlike most trips, I was on line to book them right at 7am. I've done this for both our Thanksgiving trips but that's about it; for our adults only trips I've been known to make FP's as close as 2 weeks out, and even before our 2015 Thanksgiving trip I didn't make them right when I could for a couple trips with the kids. However nowadays I'm up at 6 with Ricky for school, so why not? Luckily my 6am alarm ends Monday since it's his last day of school Still, even being on right at 7 I couldn't get one FP when I wanted it and had to move it to another day. Not a huge deal but I'd still prefer to have gotten it when I originally wanted it.
Here's what our FP's look like right now:​

Sunday, 8/6
BTMRR
Splash
7DMT
all done by 12:40 . We'll be returning to MK at night so I'll get a 4th for something before we leave.
Monday, 8/7
Na'vi River Journey*
KRR
EE
again done by 12:40, going to Epcot at night so we'll see what's available there.
*I had wanted FoP here but none were available until 3 and after, and we won't be at AK by then. I did get it another day so as I said no biggie, I'd just wanted the kids first ride experience in Pandora to be FoP since Na'vi isn't exciting*
Tuesday, 8/8
TSMM at 3
Frozen Sing a long*
ToT,
*yeah, the boys won't be thrilled with the sing a long. But we're only getting to the park around 3 that day so we'll be there while it's hot and it'll be nice to sit inside, plus we've all only seen that once and there really aren't any other tier 2 attractions we like. I love VotLM but Steve and I saw it last month so for ME, and really I'm the most important, I rather do Frozen. *
Wednesday, 8/9
Test Track
Spaceship Earth, bowling and going to MK later on so we'll get more FP's there.
Only 2 because again, not really anything else tier 2 we need one for and I plan to be out of here to bowl by noon the latest.
Thursday, 8/10
FoP at 3
Safari
EE in the dark
Friday, 8/11
Space for Steve and I/Buzz for boys
BTMRR
Splash, done by 1:50 so we can get more here if we don't take a break and later try for some at HS
Saturday, 8/12
RnRC for Ricky and I/ TSMM for Steve and Chris
TOT, done by 11:30 to hit MK one more time and get more FP's before we leave.

I don't expect to change any of them unless I find FoP for Sunday morning. Nice to have at least one thing I know I won't mess with 100 times! That's really all to report now on the trip. I'm debating our decision to stay at CBR but not because of construction; it's due to what food will be available when we arrive around 10pm or possibly later. If I read correctly the buffet and food trucks close at 10 which would leave the grab and go locations in each section and that will NOT satisfy any of us. I did read they're building a makeshift pseudo QS location out by the Pirate rooms and it should be open by Aug. so I could wait and see what that's all about and it's hours........gotta think some more. Food is VERY important to us!!
​

In non-Disney news I went with Chris and his class on a field trip to Bear Mountain Zoo this past Thursday. Bear Mountain is right next to West Point Military Academy, so military plains were constantly flying directly over us super low; it was neat. We're used to that because the airport that's 20 minutes from here used to be a military base and still has military planes flying in and out all the time so we see them quite often. Bear Mountain is a park with a small zoo, hiking trails (not for me!), a big public pool, a small restaurant, gift shop, really big playground, and boats to rent. Our main focus as I said was the zoo but it's pretty small so the kids also got to spend a good amount of time on the playground and checking out train tracks down by the Hudson River, as well as in the "geology" building which had examples of some rocks indiginous to the area and other artifacts that have been found dug up, like old plates, pipes, etc. It was about a 40 minute ride from school and we spent about 4 hours there. Very nice that it was unstructured since kids don't get much unstructured time in school anymore!

The "Inn", which had the gift shop, restaurant, and rest rooms in it:





Quick picture of Chris and some of his friends right off the bus. I know pretty much all of these parents so it's OK I posted this picture, but I won't post the other ones I have as there are kids in those that I don't know all that well.



Notice the paper tie Chris is wearing? The previous day, some girls had made these for him and a couple of his friends. The tie is supposed to signify which Harry Potter house you're in - Chris is in Ravenclaw I believe? So he told the girls he'd wear it on the trip Most of the girls wore theirs but only one of the other boys did, yet Chris refused to take his off and also wore it the next day for Field Day. Notice too his socks, which have $$ signs and money all over them, along with his shirt that says "RIP Harambe", a picture of Harambe and the dates he lived on it. Harambe was the gorilla who had the unfortunate luck to have a child fall in his enclosure last year and was then killed. I don't think anyone will be asking Chris to walk the fashion runway anytime soon Love that he has his own style though and doesn't care what others think, nor do his friends care what he wears!

Scenery on our walk to the zoo; that's the Hudson River and we ate lunch on the picnic tables:



Most of the animals in the zoo are rescue animals and most have plaques telling you how they got there. One of these foxes was hit by a car and the other one, who has 3 legs, was rescued from a trap:



Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Where Is Your Butt?



Here It Is!



Check out all the Turkey Vultures hanging with the bears:



Moved on to the birds:



Thought this guy looked pretty cool!



After hiking a trail that was super steep and was taking us down way too far, we turned everyone around and went down by the train tracks. Really nice views; that's the Bear Mountain Bridge which I don't expect many, if any of you to be familiar with:




This was a board you could press buttons on to "hear" different bird calls. Right by this was a fountain. Just a plain fountain, but the kids dubbed it the "Chubby Dead Mouse Exhibit". You can probably guess what was laying at the bottom of the fountain



All this was before lunch, and we passed by the Bear enclosure again on our way to eat. You know I had to take a picture of this guy letting it all hang out for us:



He figures if you're going to stand there and watch me, you're going to watch ALL of me lol! My friend even told me to stand it a different spot to get a better view..........stuff like this is no less funny in your 40's!

We had perfect weather after some unseasonably chilly and wet days, followed by another great weather day Friday for their Field Day. Today is over 90 and it's going to stay that way through Wed. so I'm inside where humans belong when it's that hot out - unless you're in Disney of course! Thanks for letting me share!​