Wow! Things are getting so real now " I am writing my 1st ever WDW Pre trip report!!!!! EEEEKKKKK
I suppose I had better start with the who I am and where I come from bit...
Hi I'm Ruth and I'm mad about Disney. I am *ahem* 35 *ahem* and live in the south of England. I have been planning this trip for a long time now and my plans seem to have gone from Plan A to Plan Z and back again over the last few years. The biggest heartache for me was that my DS who is soon to be 17 will not be coming with me, he is Disney mad too and we have had a lot of great times in Disneyland Paris over the years, but we both decided it was for the best on the condition that I attempt to bring back my own body weight in pins!
So with that decided 18 months ago I booked my 1st ever trip to Disneyworld. I have never been away alone and only ever flown into Europe, so this is a massive adventure for me, I am so excited it's unreal. I am loving the fact that I am going solo, I have always preferred my own company and I am happy to talk to anyone and everyone (I work in Business development and I've always had jobs that involve meeting and talking to a lot of people). The best bit about the going solo? I can OCD plan my little heart out and I can eat/ ride/go/ see and do exactly what I want when I want. I am seeing this as a huge adventure. To that end I have started up a planning notebook that will turn into my journal while I am away, I live and die by this book right now and it's lucky I am using pencil the amount of tweaks I am making..... I have had a huge amount of help and support from friends and reading forums like this one, I am so grateful as I never knew Disney could be a mission of epic proportions, it's so lucky I love planning, and it seems to have only built up the excitement levels. My Family think I am crazy and my favourite quote from my Mum was:
"Um there is an awful lot of ADMIN involved in a Disney holiday"
To which my reply was "Of course but it means I can have so much fun for months before I go"
I am also pin trader, I am lucky enough to have attended 2 of the big trading days in Paris last year and they were amazing, so I am hoping to get some trading time at WDW while I am there.
I love so many characters I honestly can't name my favorite, it's like trying to say which one of your children is your favorite (even though I only have 1) same goes for Disney films " when asked I can give you a list of the best ones but don't ask me to pick! Saying that there will always be a special place in my heart for the following....
The Jungle Book " This was the 1st film I ever saw at the cinema, so also carries the memories of my 1st bag of popcorn ect.
Mary Poppins " This was the 1st thing my Mum ever recorded off of the TV for me, I also had the read and sing along LP. I used to watch the video or listen to the record over and over again, until my mum got so sick of it she recorded over it!!! I cried for DAYS!!!! I was 4 at the time but I can still remember it, and I will never let my Mum forget either hahahaha.
Onto the plans:
I have upgraded to the Disney Dining plan, which has been a great help, at least I know it's all paid for and I have booked all of my table service meals in advance. I also have a fairly good idea of which counter services I want to try in each Park.
I have also purchased the Memory Maker, this I hope will be a godsend as I won't need to ask endless amounts of people to take my photograph, I was delighted to hear that they now include ride photos and I was over the moon to hear that you get a video on Tower of Terror (I love that ride for so many reasons)
Day 0: Pre Travel day
Last minute stressing, check house is tidy and that I have everything I need before heading off to Gatwick.
Check into Hilton Gatwick, drop my bags at twilight check in, go to the bar for a swift G&T (or 3), treat myself to some room service or a hotel picnic (to be decided) before attempting to sleep (yeah right I'm going to be like a kid on Christmas eve!!!)
Day 1: Travel Day
Get up, attempt to look human ish.
Hotel Breakfast, I love hotel breakfasts and I never eat breakfast at home so it's a bit of a treat.
Trot on over the walkway to the terminal and grab any last minute essentials while waiting for my flight (cue excessive fidgets!)
11:15 " FLY, I have requested a seat at the back of the bubble which I hope I still get when I check in. I have bought ear planes as I really suffered once before when flying to Cyprus for work (could not hear for 12 hours) hope they work.
15.25 - Land at MCO, do the scary airport thing before hopping onto the magical express.
Arrive at Caribbean Beach resort. Check in to room, explore a bit, photos ect....
Get taxi or Bus to Walmart for snacks, breakfasts, drinks and random bits and bobs.
If not too exhausted go to Downtown Disney, or get my planning and bits sorted out for the morning, more exploring of the resort, find bus stops ect.
Day 2: Hollywood Studios/ Epcot
Fastpasses booked for: Tower of Terror, Little Mermaid and Toy Story Mania
ADR booked: 50's Prime Time (will ask for a TV table)
Change to Epcot to see Richard Marx (A hero of mine, as Hazard was one of my fave songs growing up)
Day 3: Epcot
Fastpasses booked for: Turtle Talk, Test Track and Mission Space (Is it the orange one that is tamer???)
ADR booked: La Hacienda (I love Mexican food!!!!)
Watch Billy Ocean (Another fab artist)
Day 4: Typhoon Lagoon
ADR booked: 1900 Park Fare Breakfast (I hope to meet a certain person who is practically perfect in every way)
This will be the 1st water park I have ever been to, and after a very bad experience with a kayak and a work conference I hope to work up the courage to try out everything. (I have given myself a goal of each slide once!) and I also figure that I can practice getting brave before hitting Summit plummet later in the holiday.
I have booked fastpasses in Magic Kingdom in the evening but I am still undecided as to where or when I am heading to after TL - I am not a huge one for lazing about so I figure I will be out of here fairly early.
Day 5: Magic Kingdom
Fastpasses booked: Seven Dwarves Mine Train, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain
ADR booked: Paradiso 37
I think this is a MNSSHP party night so I will be leaving MK by 7pm and I thought this would be a good chance to have a good explore of Downtown Disney and possibly Disney Quest.
Day 6: Hollywood Studios
Fastpasses booked: Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania and Indiana Jones, watch fantasmic!
ADR booked: Hollywood and Vine
Day 7: Animal Kingdom
Fastpasses booked: Kali River Rapids, Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest
ADR Booked: Yak and Yeti
Day 8: Blizzard Beach/Epcot
Goal " Attempt Summit Plummet!!!!
Fastpasses booked: Spaceship Earth, Meet and Greet, Illuminations
ADR Booked: Teppan Edo
Watch Smashmouth "OMG I love this Group!!!!!!!! Maybe watch twice!
Day 9: Hollywood Studios/ Magic Kingdom
Fastpasses booked: Star Tours, Great Movie Ride, Muppet Vision
ADR booked: Sci Fi Dine in
Go back to room and get changed for...
Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party. I am going as Aurora. I have always wanted to try Halloween USA style because over here it is just not the same. I plan to party the night away and I hope to get time to go to the Diamond Horseshoe for a boogie with the Villains.
Day 10: Magic Kingdom
Fastpasses booked: Seven Dwarves Mine train, enchanted tales, Meet Anna and Elsa
(I am going to admit here that I am not a huge frozen fan and do not get the hype however I have watched the film again and the songs are catchy, I also would like loads of character photos) changed my little mermaid fp for enchanted tales as I already had one for that.
ADR booked:Crystal Palace
Day 11: Epcot
Fastpasses booked: Journey into imagination, The Seas with Nemo, Soarin'
ADR booked: Coral Reef
Day 12: Water Park/ Hollywood studios
This will be based on which one I liked best or did not get to try everything..... I managed to push my ADR back so that I can pop into the studios and watch Fantasmic!
Fastpasses booked: Frozen sing-along,Tower of Terror, Fantasmic!
ADR booked: Whispering Canyon (this is where I ask for ketchup! - thanks guys)
Day 13: Animal Kingdom
Fastpasses booked: Dinosaur, Finding Nemo, Primevil Whirl
ADR booked: Character lunch at Tusker House
Day 14: Hollywood Studios/ Magic kingdom
Fastpasses booked: Star Tours, Stunt Show, Beauty and the beast
ADR booked: Be our guest
Day 15: Epcot/ Magic Kingdom
Fastpasses booked: Test Track, Turtle Talk, Mission Space
ADR booked: Cinderellas Royal Table
I also hope to catch the 5pm Wilson Phillips concert, but as it is my last night I am also wanting to get over to Magic Kingdom, this ADR is so exciting, I should be finishing up around the time that wishes starts.
Day 16: Downtown Disney
No parks today so will have time to go to DTD for a last minute shop and wander around. Grab lunch and visit Goofy's candy company for some flight snacks 
The Magical express is set to pick me up at around 5pm to whisk me off to the airport.
Flight home 9pm (I missed my booking day so I missed requesting a bubble seat grrrr)
I have not included any evening EMH park switches in here because I will make those choices depending on how tired I am.
The Bucket List:
As it is my 1st Disney trip I have decided to put together a bucket list of all the things I hope to get around to while I am there. I know I won't see or do everything WDW has to offer but I want to give it a really good try!
* Try each ride/ attraction once (I will be using the park maps as a check list)
* Play a game of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom
* Get a Photo with all 7 Dwarves, and the hitchhiking ghosts and Maleficent (the more Villains the better) (EDIT: looks like I won't get Maleficent as I'm not prepared to pay for the dessert party)
* Get Photos with Stitch and Mary Poppins
* Eat a Funnel Cake and a Dole Whip and many other snacks recommended by you guys including the mickey shorts kitchen sink and a handmade treat from Goofy's candy company.
* Do some pin trading
* Get as many Memory maker photos as I can
* Brave the big water slides in Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard beach
* drink a grey goose slushy and a Singapore sling
* Get a FP for Be Our Guest at lunch
I would love any advice or tips as to how to refine my plans, all suggestions are gratefully received. Well I think that is it for now... that is until I log onto MDE in a bit and play about with my plans (AGAIN!!!!) hahaha
So exciting! Are you flying with VA? If so, i would highly recommend that you do online check-in at the 24hrs point in order to secure that bubble seat that you have reserved.
and I do love ice cream. To the point I was considering the original kitchen sink at beaches and cream, that is still to be decided on the day 
I ended up tossing some and just washed the bowl out. It is rather expensive also, but I wanted the bowl.
I will need a session on the printer to sort out all of my documents, that is a job for this weekend....