Such an Odd Trip

[BamaJenn]

So nearly a year ago, my mother and I decided we were going to plan a big family trip to the World. It would be me, my son, DH, her and my step-father. As the months went buy it got more real and reservations were made for a 2 bedroom Villa at the Wilderness Lodge. When we hit our deadline we called to make ADRs for the whole family and a tour reservation for DH and I.

Now I'm in limbo... there is a very good possibility that my mother won't be able to swing the trip next month after all. She went in October and is there now (well, she's on her way to the airport to come home). I can't imagine she can afford a 3rd trip just over a month from now.

We had already decided that if she wasn't going to be able to come (she had mentioned a potential financial concern a month or so ago) that we'd still go. We'd have to cancel our tour reservation and change our ADRs but we'd go. We figured we'd just get us a room at ASMo or something.

Mom has since told us that even if she can't come, she'll be getting us a room at the Wilderness Lodge Villas for a Christmas gift.

So now we're even more in limbo. We can't make any specific plans. I've never had a trip to Disney so planned but so not. It's such an odd feeling. It's like... I know we're going... and it's only a little over a month away... but have no clue where we're staying, where we're eating or who we'll be with.

Figured this would make a lovely pre-trip report for everyone to enjoy and have a good laugh at my expense. *picks hair up off the floor that she's been pulling out*

[elvistelth]

Just go with the flow. You might find it's even more enjoyable when everything isn't planned out.

[Keasmom]

So nearly a year ago, my mother and I decided we were going to plan a big family trip to the World. It would be me, my son, DH, her and my step-father. As the months went buy it got more real and reservations were made for a 2 bedroom Villa at the Wilderness Lodge. When we hit our deadline we called to make ADRs for the whole family and a tour reservation for DH and I.

Now I'm in limbo... there is a very good possibility that my mother won't be able to swing the trip next month after all. She went in October and is there now (well, she's on her way to the airport to come home). I can't imagine she can afford a 3rd trip just over a month from now.

We had already decided that if she wasn't going to be able to come (she had mentioned a potential financial concern a month or so ago) that we'd still go. We'd have to cancel our tour reservation and change our ADRs but we'd go. We figured we'd just get us a room at ASMo or something.

Mom has since told us that even if she can't come, she'll be getting us a room at the Wilderness Lodge Villas for a Christmas gift.

So now we're even more in limbo. We can't make any specific plans. I've never had a trip to Disney so planned but so not. It's such an odd feeling. It's like... I know we're going... and it's only a little over a month away... but have no clue where we're staying, where we're eating or who we'll be with.

Figured this would make a lovely pre-trip report for everyone to enjoy and have a good laugh at my expense. *picks hair up off the floor that she's been pulling out*

So the glass is half full and yet, it is half empty? If you are getting Wilderness Lodge villas, that is great since everyone reports that is an awesome place to stay and our very own Gae, loves that place.

So, the rest is a challenge and maybe someone here knows how to fix some of that. Maybe ressies for meals can be made and then the room switched or does that throw the whole thing off?

I am like you in that I like my plans a little more firm then this, but maybe you can have some fun rearranging and that will be like getting to plan another trip, right? (okay that is a stretch)

I couldn't laugh at this cause I know how hard the ressies are to get. Keep the report going, it may help some of the rest of us with latre changes or late plans.

Good Luck, Jenn.

[BamaJenn]

Well we at least now know definitively that my mother and step-father won't be joining us. Now however we're kind of going back and forth on how we want to work all this... being that mom has offered to pay for the room. We're seeing if we can change plans a little and keep the same "budget" from her end.

I think other than a potential location change, the biggest change is our ADRs for the second day we're in the parks. I think that day, neither of the ADRs we made, I'll be keeping. The ones for the first day though, I probably will.

I'll keep everyone posted here in my mini pre-trip report! Hopefully I'll know what the trip will actually consist of soon! LOL!

[Keasmom]

Great, at least you don't have to try to redo the entire trips ADR's, much easier if it is just one or two days. Can't wait to see the pics from this one, little ones grow so fast.

[elvistelth]

Personally, I hate being so regimented on vacation. I follow a tight schedule at work...the last thing I want on vacation is to do the same thing. I like the flexibility of not having reservations. We may decide to park-hop and then you're stuck waiting around for lunch, or dinner. I'm not a big fan of patronizing table service restaurants at Disney so maybe this advice doesn't apply to your philosophy of enjoying yourself but; do you really need reservations?

[BamaJenn]

Oh don't get me wrong elvistelth... I also do not like a regimented vacation but with a 2 year old, you sometimes have to plan a little bit, especially when it comes to meals. Unfortunately he's a bit more susceptible to his schedule being off when it comes to meal times than a typical adult is. Besides, I'm all about table service restaurants at Disney. To me that's part of the experience. More over, it's ultimately knowing where I am going to SLEEP that is sort of important.

[elvistelth]

I can't argue with that. Our toddler days are over so flexibilty comes easier for us.

[BamaJenn]

Ok so... plans are official...

3 Nights at a 2 Bedroom Villa at the Wilderness Lodge

Monday 1/26 - Magic Kingdom
Tuesday 1/27 - Epcot

ADRs for Monday: Crystal Palace (Breakfast) and Whispering Canyon Cafe (Dinner)
ADR for Tuesday: 'Ohana (Breakfast)

I think Sunday night we may try to get into TRex for dinner. Hoping we can. I know my son would love it.

[Cinderella2]

Oh gosh Jenn!
This was very similar to my trip last week.
I had no clue where I would be sleeping and what I would be doing! It was a bit crazy and very maddening so I feel your pain.

But... now you know where you will be and if you can get ADR's out of the way those can always be changed at the last minute. I just kept trying to remind myself that I was at WDW and that was the best place to be!

Have fun!!

[harra]

Personally, I hate being so regimented on vacation. I follow a tight schedule at work...the last thing I want on vacation is to do the same thing. I like the flexibility of not having reservations. We may decide to park-hop and then you're stuck waiting around for lunch, or dinner. I'm not a big fan of patronizing table service restaurants at Disney so maybe this advice doesn't apply to your philosophy of enjoying yourself but; do you really need reservations?

Elvistelth,

I'm with you in my regimented life at work. I live and die by timetables and my company has a reputation of beating expectations so we are always having to top ourselves on project deliverables.

But, life has gotten such that you cannot go to WDW without intense planning if you want to sit down and eat anywhere.

We went to MouseFest with no ADRs and even Beaches & Cream had close to 2 hour waits to get in (Beaches & Cream doesn't take ADRs).

I would be all for any changes Disney would propose that would take us back to the days where reservations were encouraged but not necessary. I love to just go wherever the urge hits us. So now we have to rent cars so that we can still feel that we can go to whatever park we want and still make it to restaurants in time for ADRs.

Heck we have 407-WDW-DINE programmed into our cellphones so that we can basically try and find a place to get in.

But, one things we've noticed....breakfast at Boma always seems obtainable. We got in during MouseFest making an ADR 1 hour before sitting. Plus, it has some of the best juice in the resorts and I believe one of the best buffets and it's really close to Animal Kingdom and makes it a good choice when you are wanting to go to that park and it fills you up because I don't like eating at any of the quick services at that park (unless I'm getting ice cream)