Our First Family Disney Trip… Take Two! - May 2024 PTR (Update 5/7 x2 - Planning Update + Day 1 Plans)

[SimplyGoofy]

Where did our ADR go?!
a.k.a. Trip Updates and Frustrations

We’re getting so close… just 16 days to go!

The fact that we only have five characters left on the countdown chain after today blows my mind.

I thought I would include a general trip update to help unload my mental checklist.

Also, do I have a Disney dining story for you!

You may remember my update about finding a pre-party ADR for the Magic Kingdom fireworks after having to settle for the post-party back on my ADR booking day. I booked both of them online and then called Disney to adjust the ADR and get a refund for L’s seat.

Why Disney doesn’t have their dessert parties set up like Cinderella’s Royal Table where you can choose if your party members are adults, children, or infants is beyond me.

Anyhow, this process of booking and calling was annoying but worked just fine for the post-party ADR.

I’m sure you can see where this is going…

A week after booking the pre-party ADR I called Disney Dining and requested a refund for L's seat. The guy I spoke to seemed confused as she was listed on the ADR as a child, but I explained “infant” was not a choice when booking the ADR and I needed to include her*.

*This should have been a tip-off, folks.

He said he would refund the $59 for her seat and I should expect the refund in a few days.

Well.

I saw the refund for $59 come through.

And then the next day I saw another $59 refund as well as a $198 refund.

THEY REFUNDED THE ENTIRE DESSERT PARTY!

My heart rate went up by 50% and I immediately checked MDE. Sure enough, our dessert party reservation was GONE.



And no, I never received any sort of ADR cancellation notification.

I don’t know what that moron** did, but he sure didn’t process the refund correctly. Thank goodness I monitored my refund or I may not have noticed the issue right away!

**Okay, yes, this is unkind. I’m sure it was a training issue and the guy is not a moron. Nonetheless, if you don’t know how to do something then put me on hold, find out how to do it, and then do it CORRECTLY to save me loads of unexpected stress.

With our ADR gone and my stress level at an all-time high, I looked immediately to see if the dessert party still had availability. Thankfully for us (and for Disney, as I was HOT and would’ve called to complain) – there was!

I called immediately rather than dealing with an online booking mess again. And the lovely lady I spoke to easily booked us (again!) for the dessert pre-party.

What is it with this stinking ADR? Why is the dessert party being so difficult? Who knew I’d have to book it THREE TIMES to get this ADR?!



But, WHEW. Monitor your ADRs, folks, especially if you call to modify them!

In much more boring news, our other planning is going very well.

I’ve been an ordering fool and have SO many cute clothes for the girls. I’ve never been an outfit planner for myself (I do buy some new regular shirts and shorts for vacation, but that’s about it), but apparently all bets are off when it comes to my girls. I’ll be sure to include an update about their outfits once I receive the last few things!

I also did a Target run and an Amazon order to collect many of the last-minute things like sunscreen, hand wipes, and a new camera case. I also ordered a portable charger (which I’m already second-guessing – we’ll see if I order another one!)

I bought new sandals for M (she grew two sizes from last year!) and a new hat for L (which is adorable but she doesn’t seem to want to wear). I’m still debating buying a second pair of tennis shoes for me… nothing says “Happy Mother’s Day” like new Hokas, right?

I also submitted room requests, both through David’s Vacation Club rentals (where we rented points) and through Touring Plans. We’ll see how they pan out!

Finally, I’ve been getting L accustomed to the SlumberPod. I made the (horrible) mistake to try and rush her into it before our last vacation… BAD IDEA. Putting her in there and plunging her into darkness completely freaked her out. She wanted nothing to do with it and screamed anytime we went near the SlumberPod.

Don’t do what I did!

I took a step back and we started using the SlumberPod completely open for her naps. It took me twenty minutes and a few tears the first day, but it’s been getting better (with fewer tears) as the days go by. I don’t know if we’ll get to the point of fully zipping the SlumberPod, but I think the shading will still allow us to have a bit of light in the room during naps. She’s usually a great Pack N Play sleeper on vacation, so fingers crossed!

We only have a few tasks left to accomplish before I dive into packing…

• We need to pair our Magic Bands to our phones (and G needs to download MDE).
• I need to cancel our Orlando Stroller Rental reservation as we’re getting our rental stroller from Cast and Crew.
• I need to charge our devices and update the downloads on my iPad and M’s tablet.
• I need to create a grocery list and update the address for our Amazon Fresh order.

In other words… not much***! Yay!

***Except for packing. Oy.

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Day 1 Plans
Thursday, May 23rd

Time to jump into the daily plans!

Today’s Highlights
Travel to Orlando
Check-in to Polynesian Villas
Resort Time

ADR
Dinner – Chef Mickey’s

Our travel day will begin bright and early as we have a very early flight.

My husband and I will wake up before four o’clock to get showered and collect last-minute things. We’ll get the girls up before five, get them dressed, and throw them straight into the car.

We have a short 20-minute drive to the airport. Our airport is on the small side, but it is close!

G will drop us and the luggage off and then we’ll wait for him while he parks the car. We’ll check in and head through security (hooray for TSA pre-check!) and grab some quick breakfast. I’ll probably bring mini muffins and fruit bars for the girls in my carry-on as they’d prefer that to a breakfast sandwich. We’ll do one last bathroom stop before boarding around six.

We’re flying Southwest and I paid for Early Bird Check-In, so we should have no problem getting seats together on the plane. I realize we qualify for family boarding, but I’m used to EBCI and bought it anyway.

We have a brief layover before arriving in Orlando shortly after noon. I’m jealous of those of you who get direct flights to Orlando! (Now you see why we’re taking such a bonkers-early flight with small children! )

We’ll head off to baggage claim to collect our bags. This will be a new experience for me as I’ve bypassed MCO baggage claim for years thanks to Magical Express! R.I.P.

Around this time, we should hear from our town car driver. We hired Cast and Crew Transportation to take us from and to the airport and I’m ridiculously excited about it! I hope it won’t spoil me too much so I’m willing to take a shuttle or Uber in the future. Still, I’m very happy with our decision for this trip given our car seat needs. We’re also getting our rental stroller from them, which is very convenient.

With our noon-ish arrival and direct transportation, I’m hoping to be passing under this sign around 1:00:

We’ll check into the Poly (I still can’t believe we’re checking in at the Poly!) and leave our bags with bell services. I already did online check-in, but I’d love to confirm our room requests and get “First Visit” buttons for the girls. I also want to request they do our “room checks” in the morning so L’s nap is not interrupted. We won’t get room cleanings as we’re staying on DVC points, but I believe the room checks are still done daily.

I won’t lie – I also want the Hawaiian lei. Do they still give those out at the Poly?

Next we’ll want to grab lunch. I’d love to nab a last-minute ADR at Kona Café, but I think a meal at Capt. Cook’s makes the most sense for our family and stomachs. I haven’t ruled out ordering a bread pudding dessert to go, though!

I’m SUPER excited to eat at Capt. Cook’s for the first time after hearing such wonderful things.

I’m sure G will want the pulled pork sandwich, I have my eye on the Thai coconut meatballs, and M would love the kid’s chicken and pineapple skewers. I’ll also purchase one refillable mug – I’m the only coffee and soda drinker so a single mug makes the most sense. If M really wants a mug (she drinks water and milk and very occasional juice), we may cave and get her one thanks to that “we just arrived at Disney” excitement even if she can’t use it for any refill beverages. (She does drink lemonade sometimes, though, so maybe we could use it?)

Once our bellies are full, we’ll have time to kill.

I don’t anticipate getting into our room until after 4:00 as I know rooms are rarely ready early on the DVC side. We may need to find a quiet spot for L to nap (although she may nap on the plane or during our ride from the airport) and I would love to explore the resort. M may demand to swim once she catches sight of that Volcano pool - I plan to pack our swimsuits near the top of our suitcase, just in case.

This may also be an afternoon to try for Trader Sam’s! I know you can get drinks from the outdoor bar, but I’d love a chance to see the inside while we’re so close. We should be done with our lunch by 2:00 but I don’t know if G will be excited to stand in line for an hour on our first day. Perhaps I could stand there with L if she falls asleep in the stroller?

Perhaps we’ll also spot and say hi to @Newsies and her family as they’re enjoying a day of pool and resort time on our arrival day.

No matter how we fill our time (Trader Sam’s, exploring, swimming) I hope to get our room assignment around 4:00 so we can get settled before dinner. We’ll call bell services for our luggage and groceries if we’re not close to the lobby. It would be nice to set up L’s bed, unpack the toiletries, and set out our clothes for the next day before dinner.

Sometime in the 4 o’clock hour we’ll head for our first “ride” of the trip – M and L will get their first ride on the monorail to get to our first Disney table service meal!

M is VERY excited to ride the monorail.

Our destination is a new-to-me restaurant, Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort.

Although I love character meals, Chef Mickey’s has never been a draw for me. I don’t mind buffets (c’mon, my favorite park breakfast is Crystal Palace!), but the menu here never looked great. I will say more recent reviews look more promising and I think we’ll find plenty of good things to eat.

The main attraction, though, is the Fab Five. They are the perfect choice for our first character meet and greets!

They will be our very first autographs in the girls’ new autograph books:

Aren’t these adorable?! Looking for clothes took me down the Etsy rabbit hole and led me to purchasing custom autograph books. Of course, I had to buy the biggest ones available thanks to all the character meals we have planned. M chose the design for her book and I chose L's. I love them both!

M was pretty darn excited about hers:

(And no, that outfit was not staged for the picture! That's what she was wearing the day the autograph books arrived.)

I hope the girls (particularly M) are able to eat with the excitement of characters and finally being in Disney World. M is particularly excited to meet Minnie and I’m looking forward to seeing my main man, Goofy. Frankly, I hope I can eat!

Once we finish dinner, we’ll catch the monorail and head back to the Poly for an early bedtime. It will be a long travel day and we want to be well-rested for our first day in the parks.

 

[pkondz]

Sorry to hear about the pre-party snafu. Glad it got sorted.

 

[ambula603]

I love this detailed plan. A girl after my own heart! Deciding what you may eat and how you may cave and purchase things on day one...you are ready!

 

[vamassey1]

THEY REFUNDED THE ENTIRE DESSERT PARTY!

My heart just sunk too.

I called immediately rather than dealing with an online booking mess again. And the lovely lady I spoke to easily booked us (again!) for the dessert pre-party.

Now my heart feels better. That was scary.

We only have a few tasks left to accomplish before I dive into packing…

Not too bad, you're in the home stretch.

I won’t lie – I also want the Hawaiian lei. Do they still give those out at the Poly?

We ate at Kona's last month and I did see some leis outside where they check bags and inside on the 2nd floor as you entered. If they don't offer them, ask for them.

They will be our very first autographs in the girls’ new autograph books:

Super cute autograph books!

 

[kclark9830]

Day 1 Plans
Thursday, May 23rd

Time to jump into the daily plans!

Today’s Highlights
Travel to Orlando
Check-in to Polynesian Villas
Resort Time

ADR
Dinner – Chef Mickey’s

Our travel day will begin bright and early as we have a very early flight.

My husband and I will wake up before four o’clock to get showered and collect last-minute things. We’ll get the girls up before five, get them dressed, and throw them straight into the car.

We have a short 20-minute drive to the airport. Our airport is on the small side, but it is close!

G will drop us and the luggage off and then we’ll wait for him while he parks the car. We’ll check in and head through security (hooray for TSA pre-check!) and grab some quick breakfast. I’ll probably bring mini muffins and fruit bars for the girls in my carry-on as they’d prefer that to a breakfast sandwich. We’ll do one last bathroom stop before boarding around six.

We’re flying Southwest and I paid for Early Bird Check-In, so we should have no problem getting seats together on the plane. I realize we qualify for family boarding, but I’m used to EBCI and bought it anyway.

We have a brief layover before arriving in Orlando shortly after noon. I’m jealous of those of you who get direct flights to Orlando! (Now you see why we’re taking such a bonkers-early flight with small children! )

We’ll head off to baggage claim to collect our bags. This will be a new experience for me as I’ve bypassed MCO baggage claim for years thanks to Magical Express! R.I.P.

Around this time, we should hear from our town car driver. We hired Cast and Crew Transportation to take us from and to the airport and I’m ridiculously excited about it! I hope it won’t spoil me too much so I’m willing to take a shuttle or Uber in the future. Still, I’m very happy with our decision for this trip given our car seat needs. We’re also getting our rental stroller from them, which is very convenient.

With our noon-ish arrival and direct transportation, I’m hoping to be passing under this sign around 1:00:

We’ll check into the Poly (I still can’t believe we’re checking in at the Poly!) and leave our bags with bell services. I already did online check-in, but I’d love to confirm our room requests and get “First Visit” buttons for the girls. I also want to request they do our “room checks” in the morning so L’s nap is not interrupted. We won’t get room cleanings as we’re staying on DVC points, but I believe the room checks are still done daily.

I won’t lie – I also want the Hawaiian lei. Do they still give those out at the Poly?

Next we’ll want to grab lunch. I’d love to nab a last-minute ADR at Kona Café, but I think a meal at Capt. Cook’s makes the most sense for our family and stomachs. I haven’t ruled out ordering a bread pudding dessert to go, though!

I’m SUPER excited to eat at Capt. Cook’s for the first time after hearing such wonderful things.

I’m sure G will want the pulled pork sandwich, I have my eye on the Thai coconut meatballs, and M would love the kid’s chicken and pineapple skewers. I’ll also purchase one refillable mug – I’m the only coffee and soda drinker so a single mug makes the most sense. If M really wants a mug (she drinks water and milk and very occasional juice), we may cave and get her one thanks to that “we just arrived at Disney” excitement even if she can’t use it for any refill beverages. (She does drink lemonade sometimes, though, so maybe we could use it?)

Once our bellies are full, we’ll have time to kill.

I don’t anticipate getting into our room until after 4:00 as I know rooms are rarely ready early on the DVC side. We may need to find a quiet spot for L to nap (although she may nap on the plane or during our ride from the airport) and I would love to explore the resort. M may demand to swim once she catches sight of that Volcano pool - I plan to pack our swimsuits near the top of our suitcase, just in case.

This may also be an afternoon to try for Trader Sam’s! I know you can get drinks from the outdoor bar, but I’d love a chance to see the inside while we’re so close. We should be done with our lunch by 2:00 but I don’t know if G will be excited to stand in line for an hour on our first day. Perhaps I could stand there with L if she falls asleep in the stroller?

Perhaps we’ll also spot and say hi to @Newsies and her family as they’re enjoying a day of pool and resort time on our arrival day.

No matter how we fill our time (Trader Sam’s, exploring, swimming) I hope to get our room assignment around 4:00 so we can get settled before dinner. We’ll call bell services for our luggage and groceries if we’re not close to the lobby. It would be nice to set up L’s bed, unpack the toiletries, and set out our clothes for the next day before dinner.

Sometime in the 4 o’clock hour we’ll head for our first “ride” of the trip – M and L will get their first ride on the monorail to get to our first Disney table service meal!

M is VERY excited to ride the monorail.

Our destination is a new-to-me restaurant, Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort.

Although I love character meals, Chef Mickey’s has never been a draw for me. I don’t mind buffets (c’mon, my favorite park breakfast is Crystal Palace!), but the menu here never looked great. I will say more recent reviews look more promising and I think we’ll find plenty of good things to eat.

The main attraction, though, is the Fab Five. They are the perfect choice for our first character meet and greets!

They will be our very first autographs in the girls’ new autograph books:

Aren’t these adorable?! Looking for clothes took me down the Etsy rabbit hole and led me to purchasing custom autograph books. Of course, I had to buy the biggest ones available thanks to all the character meals we have planned. M chose the design for her book and I chose L's. I love them both!

M was pretty darn excited about hers:

(And no, that outfit was not staged for the picture! That's what she was wearing the day the autograph books arrived.)

I hope the girls (particularly M) are able to eat with the excitement of characters and finally being in Disney World. M is particularly excited to meet Minnie and I’m looking forward to seeing my main man, Goofy. Frankly, I hope I can eat!

Once we finish dinner, we’ll catch the monorail and head back to the Poly for an early bedtime. It will be a long travel day and we want to be well-rested for our first day in the parks.

Love the autograph books! Back about a million years ago (it feels that way) we made our autograph books with our girls. My mother-in-law had Stampin' Up products galore, and we went to town making the fanciest books . Good memories!

I hate that you had so much trouble with the dessert party rez! With any luck it'll be totally worth it. I hope to do the dessert party when we go next year. Fingers crossed!

 

[awrites]

I was debating it as so many people mention that it’s not necessary at AK… and then I read @awrites ’s trip report and her experience with long lines. No thanks! Considering we can skip the multi-park Genie+ and enjoy a lower cost, I think it will be well worth it to see all much as possible.

Yes, the lines got really bad! I think you’ll like having Genie+ at AK, especially with young kiddos! I hope you have a great time!

 

[SimplyGoofy]

Sorry to hear about the pre-party snafu. Glad it got sorted.

Thank you. I never expected a simple request to become such a racket! Thank goodness there was still availability so a snafu didn’t become a disaster!

I love this detailed plan. A girl after my own heart! Deciding what you may eat and how you may cave and purchase things on day one...you are ready!

Thank you! I love hearing that other people also speculate about menus and plans before their trips - it’s nice that it’s not just me!

My heart just sunk too.

Now my heart feels better. That was scary.

Honestly, I about had a stroke. I had a hunch when I was on the phone that I needed to keep an eye on it - the guy I spoke with seemed hesitant and didn’t seem to understand my request (which was pretty straightforward!). I’m glad I watched for the refund(s) and thank goodness there was still availability! We could’ve made it work without the dessert party but I think it will make the fireworks that much better.

Not too bad, you're in the home stretch.

Thanks! I’m feeling pretty good with where we are! I’m glad I was on top of it and ordered all the clothes/autograph books/ears last month so I’m not frantically waiting for last-minute things.

We ate at Kona's last month and I did see some leis outside where they check bags and inside on the 2nd floor as you entered. If they don't offer them, ask for them.

Great! We don’t need the leis… but I think they’d be a great touch for our first stay at the Polynesian.

Super cute autograph books!

Thanks! I haven’t hassled with autograph books for years (not since my younger sister was eight - she’s 27 now!) but I thought they’d be a fun addition and souvenir for our trip. Plus, we have so many character meals planned that we’ll have no problem filling it!

Love the autograph books! Back about a million years ago (it feels that way) we made our autograph books with our girls. My mother-in-law had Stampin' Up products galore, and we went to town making the fanciest books . Good memories!

Thank you! Yes, it’s been almost 20 years since I helped my sister collect autographs. (Frankly, I was more excited about the autographs than she was - she’s never been a fan of interacting with characters! ) Your autograph books must have been amazing - what a labor of love for your girls!

I hate that you had so much trouble with the dessert party rez! With any luck it'll be totally worth it. I hope to do the dessert party when we go next year. Fingers crossed!

I’ve never had such trouble with an ADR! Honestly, you shouldn’t have much trouble as you don’t have to worry about the “free infant” for your dessert party. Booking the dessert party is very straightforward as long as you only have adults and children. The better news is the only one of the three that’s potentially tough to book is the Seats & Sweets - the post-party should be easily bookable on your ADR booking date and apparently the pre-party can have availability less than a month out.

Yes, the lines got really bad! I think you’ll like having Genie+ at AK, especially with young kiddos! I hope you have a great time!

I really appreciated your honest assessment of AK without Genie+! We’re planning to use Genie+ everywhere else… what’s another 50 bucks?!

I think Genie+ (and ILL) will allow us to see almost everything we want and eliminate the long waits and extra stress. And, thank you!