Auntie and Me take on an all new Disney PTR 7/26 - 8/1 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Auntie and Me take on an all new Disney PTR 7/26 - 8/1
Hello there and welcome to my Auntie and Me Pre Trip Report!
Our basic trip details - My mom, step-dad, niece, and I will be going to Florida from July 26th to August 1st. We'll be staying at our home resort at Wyndham Bonnet Creek and my niece and I plan to spend two days at Epcot and two at the Magic Kingdom.
I tried to write a TR many years ago, but life got in the way and I was unable to finish. I reading about other's trips and adventures and would like to share my experiences as an off site guest, so I'm going to try this again!
The Cast of Characters:
Our cast this year is pretty small compared to past trips. Every summer my mom and step-dad reserve a stay at Bonnet Creek and all four adult kids and their families are invited. We do our own thing during the day and at night we eat dinner or hang out at the pool together. Usually at least two of the families are there to join in on the fun. This year, though, there are just four total on our trip.
We'll start with me: Julie - 34 - "The Auntie" I'm pretty laid back and quiet. I love photography, crafting, travel, and being Aunt Julie to 15 kids. I grew up loving all animated movies (especially Disney) and hoped to be an animator when I grew up. Life had different plans, because now I work with numbers and accounting. * My first trip to WDW was a college graduation present in 2003 and up until 2010, I was lucky enough to go at least once or twice a year. Because of job loss and lack of vacation in my new job, it's been four long* years since I've been able to come on the family trip and I am beyond excited to return 'home.'
Some of my favorite characters are Donald(and all the ducks), Giselle, Bolt, and Scar. One of my favorite things to do at the parks is to watch and visit with the Characters and their handlers. I do some freelance/charity mascot work, so it is always exciting to watch and learn from the pros.
A photo of me, my niece Kenzie, Mom, and Mickey in 2009:
My mom - Deonna - Went to DLR with her brother, aunt and uncle as a child and has been going to WDW since about 2000. Her favorite character is Sorcerer Mickey. She says that even though we don't go there often, she loves Animal Kingdom because of the beautiful flowers and scenery. One of her favorite vacation activities is to go to the pool early in the morning and enjoy her coffee and newspaper. She also loves being at the main resort pool and eating at the grill while chilling with the family. When we're not doing pool time, mom and I love to check out the nearby outlet malls!
Step-dad - Jim - He loves to laugh and joke and hang out with his family - especially his grandkids. His favorite park is Epcot and loves Mickey Mouse. After marrying my mom, he's introduced us to the timeshare life and given us many wonderful vacations at Walt Disney World.
A photo of Jim, little Kenzie, and me in 2008:
My niece - Kenzie - 8 - "The Me" She's pretty easy going and is always happy to hang out and do almost anything with us. She's been to Disney at least once or twice a year since she was born! Such a lucky girl! Kenzie loves being in dance class and also is a big animal lover. Her favorite princess of the moment is Elsa. When I get to visit her, we are almost always doing some kind of craft project.
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Mom, Jim and Kenzie live in the St. Louis area and will drive overnight with an arrival on Saturday afternoon. I'm flying out of Dallas and should arrive at MCO in the early afternoon. From there, I'll take the Super Shuttle to the resort since I arrive everyone else.
We are staying at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort. Our first stays at Disney were at Star Island out on Highway 192. The second time I was there, we all went to the timeshare presentation and were invited to go look at the new WBC properties. We all fell in love with it and made it our new Disney home. I'm very curious to see how this resort has grown over the past few years and especially looking forward to hanging out at the new (to me) pirate ship pool with Kenzie.
In addition to the new stuff at WBC, I'm looking forward to seeing all the new changes at Disney. Specifically new Fantasyland and all of the new technology. This will be the first time that Kenzie and I will be touring the parks without other family, and I have a feeling that this will be an experience in itself She's also quite a bit older than on my previous trips, so I am hoping to take her on some thrill-ish rides this year.
As for tickets and parks we will visit - Kenzie already had a few single day no hopper passes, so I bought a 4 day no hopper for me. It will be weird to stay at only one park each day, but I'm hoping this will give us a chance to immerse ourselves there, and maybe even ride some rides more than once. For this same reason, I decided we will only visit MK and Epcot. It won't be easy to skip AK, though I suspect we will be having too much fun to even notice
Here are a few of my favorite resort photos:
Hot air balloons in the early morning - 2008
View of Epcot while waiting for the fireworks - July 4 2007
They've changed many times since December, but here's the most recent plans:
Saturday - Arrival day. Unpack, dinner out, and a grocery run. DTD? It's a Saturday night in July so... we shall see.
Sunday - Magic Kingdom. 9-5, dinner with mom, pool time.
Monday - Epcot. 9-5, dinner with mom, pool time.
Tuesday - Chef Mickey's for late brunch and K's birthday, Monorails to Epcot, stay for Illuminations.
Wednesday - Pool day and shopping!
Thursday - Pool in the morning/or explore AoA, Magic Kingdom in the afternoon, stay for Wishes.
Friday - Possibly explore a resort or two, chill at the pool, then head for home.
ADRs:
You've probably already noticed that there's only one. And that's actually the first one I've ever made in my entire Disney going life! I know a lot of you are making this face right now ---> but in the past it's just worked best to grab a quick lunch, then have dinner outside the parks or at our resort. I think next year, I'm going to try out a few table service meals. Everyone's food photos in their TRs look so amazing!
My Purchases Wishlist:
Scrapbook kit
Autograph pen
Postcards for family
2014 pin
Randall pin
Magic Bands for myself and Kenzie
Soaps at Basin
Mini Mickey Kitchen Sink Ice Cream
Great start and great plans.
Hope you have a great time!!!
I am not too far from you. I live in the Oklahoma City area.
We have friends who live in Frisco and try to visit them often. My family lives in Durant, so we do a lot of shopping in Allen and Frisco, at least when I can get away and get down there!
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About This Page: 
I 
reading about other's trips and adventures and would like to share my experiences as an off site guest, so I'm going to try this again!
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Pixie Dust
Kenzie makes a wonderful Elsa! 
PassPorter Guide Author
and Thanks everyone!
I'm very curious to see how this resort has grown over the past few years and especially looking forward to hanging out at the new (to me) pirate ship pool with Kenzie. 
She's also quite a bit older than on my previous trips, so I am hoping to take her on some thrill-ish rides this year. 
but in the past it's just worked best to grab a quick lunch, then have dinner outside the parks or at our resort. I think next year, I'm going to try out a few table service meals. Everyone's food photos in their TRs look so amazing! 
Liz 
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