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shgluck's picture
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New to boards and only a few days to go!

My first trip back to WDW since 2005! This time with my HUSBAND! We have both been to WDW on many trips, however, we have not traveled together! We are making this our Early 2nd Wedding Anniversary trip as we are unable to make it to WDW for March 2013!

Hopefully this site will help me prepare the next few days! I am looking for some tips and tricks to manage the parks!

Thank you.

Suzanne

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JoAnn C's picture
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Welcome! Where are you staying? Tell us about your trip.

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DisneyDee27's picture
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Hello and welcome awesome

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Member of the 6 castle club and working to pay for my next Disney vacations: 1/5-10/18, September 2018 for my 50th and 2018 the year of Disney cruising.

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stars Welcome stars

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disneydoc's picture
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Welcome! Congrats on your anniversary, and your upcoming trip to WDW. mickey

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Allie's picture
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Welcome and congrats, can't wait to hear all about your plans! Where are you staying at? How long will you be there? Any ADRs? Anything you're especially looking forward to?

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Welcome welcome welcome!!!

Glad ya found us here! Can't wait to hear about your upcoming trip!

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- 2013 Trip Report!
- My Int3ractiv3 Trip R3port '12 - CLICK HERE!
[url='http://www.wdwforgrownups.com/forum/pick-mases-dinner-disney']- My Interactive Trip Report '11[/url]

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welcome Suzanne to the best Disney blog there is. We love to read about each others plans and believe me the tips that will be passed on will be the best!

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stars
SO glad you found us!!
congrats
And Congratulations!!!

You are going to love it here, and we will all support and enable every one of your Disney Obsessions!! awesome

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stars Welcome! stars

What do you have in the works so far?

shgluck's picture
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WOW! I am overwhelmed with all the friendliness! Thank you everyone!!

We will be Departing Cold NY on Sunday at 6 am and arriving at 8:45 to MCO! We will be staying Sunday 12/16- Friday 12/21.

We are booked at the POP Century! (I have stayed here a couple times before). My husband knows I will run him ragged so we opted to stay at a value resort as we will not be spending a ton of time at the hotel!

Our Itinerary:
Sunday 12/16- Check into Pop Century and heading right to Hollywood Studios (Dinner: 50's Primetime Cafe)
Monday 12/17- Magic Kingdom (Dinner- The Plaza Restaurant)
Tuesday 12/18- Epcot (Dinner- San Angel Inn)
Wednesday 12/19- Animal Kingdom (Dinner- House of Blues)
Thursday 12/20- Universal Studios- Island of Adventure (only) - Dinner: TBD (pending how long we will be at IOA)
Friday 12/21- OPEN DAY! (Whatever park we want to finish up) Breakfast- Ohana- Heading home on an evening flight Sad

I am looking forward to:
1. seeing the new fantasyland... perhaps doing a quick service meal at Be Our Guest (I have tried for a long time for reservations but no success for dinner... I actually changed my trip in October from Christmas week to this week... long story).
2. Test Track!
3. Toy Story Mania (never experienced this)
4. Tower of Terror (my favorite)

Any suggestions?!?! Any strategies in the parks, especially since we probably will not get to Hollywood Studios on Sunday until the afternoon..

Thank you!!!

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shgluck's picture
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Allie wrote:
Welcome and congrats, can't wait to hear all about your plans! Where are you staying at? How long will you be there? Any ADRs? Anything you're especially looking forward to?

What is ADR? Sorry... new to this lingo! wink

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Allie's picture
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Advanced Dining Reservations....sounds like you have several of your meals planned already! Have an awesome trip!

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Hi! Suzanne and welcome to WDWFG, so glad that you found us.

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MrHub's picture
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Hello & welcome to WDWForGrownups! Sounds like you have a great trip planned.

Jess's picture
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Welcome to the best Disney board around. Congrats on your upcoming trip and anniversary. Can't wait to hear all about it Smile

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Magic Mirror's picture
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yeah yeah stars congrats stars yeah yeah

On your early celebration! Happy Anniversary!

I have not been to Hollywood Studios at Christmas time......
So not sure what the crowds will be like...
I'm usually a firm believer in walking the parks
counter-clockwise....but if you aren't going until
later in the day it might be better to go clock-wise...
anyone else have thoughts on park strategy?

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Hi and welcome awesome

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Member of the 6 castle club and working to pay for my next Disney vacations: 1/5-10/18, September 2018 for my 50th and 2018 the year of Disney cruising.

Mase's picture
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shgluck wrote:
WOW! I am overwhelmed with all the friendliness! Thank you everyone!!

We will be Departing Cold NY on Sunday at 6 am and arriving at 8:45 to MCO! We will be staying Sunday 12/16- Friday 12/21.

We are booked at the POP Century! (I have stayed here a couple times before). My husband knows I will run him ragged so we opted to stay at a value resort as we will not be spending a ton of time at the hotel!

Our Itinerary:
Sunday 12/16- Check into Pop Century and heading right to Hollywood Studios (Dinner: 50's Primetime Cafe)
Monday 12/17- Magic Kingdom (Dinner- The Plaza Restaurant)
Tuesday 12/18- Epcot (Dinner- San Angel Inn)
Wednesday 12/19- Animal Kingdom (Dinner- House of Blues)
Thursday 12/20- Universal Studios- Island of Adventure (only) - Dinner: TBD (pending how long we will be at IOA)
Friday 12/21- OPEN DAY! (Whatever park we want to finish up) Breakfast- Ohana- Heading home on an evening flight Sad

I am looking forward to:
1. seeing the new fantasyland... perhaps doing a quick service meal at Be Our Guest (I have tried for a long time for reservations but no success for dinner... I actually changed my trip in October from Christmas week to this week... long story).
2. Test Track!
3. Toy Story Mania (never experienced this)
4. Tower of Terror (my favorite)

Any suggestions?!?! Any strategies in the parks, especially since we probably will not get to Hollywood Studios on Sunday until the afternoon..

Thank you!!!

Left! Left! Left!

Can never say it enough. The only time this doesnt apply is Hollywood Studios because of either Toy Story Mania, or the Strip with Tower and Rockin.

Basically anytime you can go left... go for it. Use to be... back in the day before the Fast Pass... they would have 2 lines. Since most people are right handed... they naturally go right. So we read that somewhere and started going left. 9 times out of 10... always shorter and quicker.

But a quick tip since you havent done Toy Story Mania. Hit HS on rope drop. I know ya said you wont be able to hit it till the afternoon.... but by that time... Toy Story Mania may not have a fastpass... and you could end up waiting a couple hours for it.... but in the morning... Grab a fast pass first for it, then hop in line. You will wait in line for maybe an hour... but by that time... you should be close to being able to go on it again with your fastpass.

__________________

- 2013 Trip Report!
- My Int3ractiv3 Trip R3port '12 - CLICK HERE!
[url='http://www.wdwforgrownups.com/forum/pick-mases-dinner-disney']- My Interactive Trip Report '11[/url]

shgluck's picture
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Thank you! My goal if all goes planned... JetBlue, Magical Express, Check-in/Drop off bags, bus to HS. My flight arrives 8:45 am to Orlando so hopefully everything is on time! I plan to check-in Friday online to the hotel! I am actually going "carry-on" for the first time in my life! It is a miracle haha! I usually over-pack, but I am so eager to get to the parks I want to optimize my time! Also, my husband and I agreed that we DO NOT want to do anything fancy, not even a fancy dinner in Disney, which helped with the packing situation (one pair of flip flops/ wearing sneakers). Our past few vacations (Honeymoon to Greece, Arizona, Las Vegas and Aruba) we have had many fancy dinners and events and now it is time to relax (well not really because we will need a vacation from this) but you get the gist! It also helps that many of the Asian/ Japanese inspired restaurants (some that are fancy) were not options as my husband is allergic to soy (I noted this for my dining reservations) and I have recently grown an allergy to some fishes (sea bass, yellow tail, snapper)...

Anyway! Keep the advice coming! I was also told my my mother and aunts (my moms younger sister is a travel agent who booked this for us-- all three went to WDW for my moms older sisters 60th in October) to get a fast pass for TSM and then wait on the line because we will want to do it again.

The day we go to each park, I planned it so we can take advantage of the Magic Hours. HS is opened late Sunday. If we still need to finish it we will go back Friday!

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Kris1971's picture
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Welcome! Sorry I'm late to the party. It sounds like you have a great trip planned!

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crazycatperson's picture
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If you can get to Hollywood Studios before rope drop, you shouldn't have to wait an hour in the Toy Story Mania standby line - at least, I didn't in October. That early in the morning, the FastPass line hasn't opened yet so the standby line, although long, moves fairly quickly. One morning I went through the standby line TWICE between rope drop and 10:00 a.m. Then rode on my FastPass, and then got another FastPass for much later in the day.

shgluck's picture
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crazycatperson wrote:
If you can get to Hollywood Studios before rope drop, you shouldn't have to wait an hour in the Toy Story Mania standby line - at least, I didn't in October. That early in the morning, the FastPass line hasn't opened yet so the standby line, although long, moves fairly quickly. One morning I went through the standby line TWICE between rope drop and 10:00 a.m. Then rode on my FastPass, and then got another FastPass for much later in the day.

Unfortunately based on Magic Hours and our travel plans, we will not be arriving to MCO until 8:45 am if all goes as planned. Therefore, we will not be able to get to HS until mid afternoon. However, we can say until park closes / magic hours which is 11. If need be, we can go back on Friday!

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shgluck's picture
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mrhub wrote:

Thank yoU!

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Nancy D's picture
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Welcome and Happy 2nd Anniversary, shgluck!! We're excited you found us!!

Have you checked out [url=Unofficial Guide to Disney ]www.touringplans.com[/url]?? Very good park strategy advice there.

Also, Disney Food Blog just released a new e-book about touring Disney during the holidays, which you can load onto your ipad or other device and tote it around the park with you! [url=Disney Food Blog]http://dfbminiguides.com/holiday[/url]
When I went to grab this link for you just now, I noticed they're running a sale on this...$4 off when you use the code GINGERBREAD, so this may be a good thing for you to grab on the cheap before you go!

Cool that you're going to be at DHS after dark to see the Osbourne Lights....I hear they're spectacular!!

Have a WONDERFUL time and enjoy your vacation!!

shgluck's picture
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Nancy D wrote:
Welcome and Happy 2nd Anniversary, shgluck!! We're excited you found us!!

Have you checked out [url=Unofficial Guide to Disney ]www.touringplans.com[/url]?? Very good park strategy advice there.

Also, Disney Food Blog just released a new e-book about touring Disney during the holidays, which you can load onto your ipad or other device and tote it around the park with you! [url=Disney Food Blog]http://dfbminiguides.com/holiday[/url]
When I went to grab this link for you just now, I noticed they're running a sale on this...$4 off when you use the code GINGERBREAD, so this may be a good thing for you to grab on the cheap before you go!

Cool that you're going to be at DHS after dark to see the Osbourne Lights....I hear they're spectacular!!

Have a WONDERFUL time and enjoy your vacation!!

Thank you! I will check out that site! Also I had no clue DHS has the Osbourne Lights... I need to find out more info!!!

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Allie's picture
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welcome

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welcome Martin and Merry Christmas Santa mickey

MrHub's picture
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I think Martin might be a spammer. Verdict is still out on him!

disneydoc's picture
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agreed Mr. Hub. A real Disneyfile would know that there are parks in Europe and Asia already. mickey

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