Pre-Trip Report: Our Dream Disneymoon (12/16-23) COMPLETED - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
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There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
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So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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Our Party
Just the two of us! Future DH (FDH) and I met in college, and we’ll have been together for 9 years in December (whoa!). He’s a secondary history teacher, and I’m an editor in the public relations department of a small college. We’re finally tying the knot on Oct. 10, and heading out on our Disneymoon about 8 weeks later.
We’ve been on lots of trips together (ski trips, road trips, family vacations), but this is our first WDW vacation together! We’ve both been to WDW before: me at age 4 and again at age 17; him at age 7 and again at age 16. He’s stayed on property; I never have. Needless to say, this is going to be AWESOME!!!
Our Journey
We’ll be flying in to Orlando International on 12/16 and using Disney transportation for the entirety of our trip. Buses, boats, monorails … here we come! We have to fly back out on 12/23 to make it home in time for the family holiday celebrations.
Our Rooms
Initially, we booked 5 nights at the Contemporary (DCR) in the Garden Wing. We were looking for a hotel with as little theming as possible for my first stay on property—I was worried about having a place to escape from Disney overload. Now that I’ve done some research and started to get excited, I think next time I might like to stay in Wilderness Lodge or maybe the Poly. That said, I still think we made a great choice—something about DCR just feels like home to me.
Later, when we were able to add free dining to our package, we decided to take the money we saved and pour it right back into Disney. We probably could have been smarter with the money, but you only honeymoon once, and I wanted to make sure we had enough time to do everything. Those 2 extra days have really come in handy in terms of planning!
Once we made that decision, I called Disney and tried to add a couple of extra nights at DCR, but they were all booked. So I ended up booking 2 additional nights at Pop Century Resort. FDH has only ever stayed in All Stars, so we’re both looking forward to being able to compare the two experiences for our future visits (and there will be future visits…in fact, I already got FDH to agree to a 5th Anniversary Trip, and I am already making “must do” notes for that one!).
I can't wait for the trip, and I am so grateful that I found these boards! You are all so helpful and wonderful. I'm looking forward to sharing my first WDW planning with you and hearing what you think--please feel free to offer advice!! I can use all of the help I can get!!
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
We’ll only be in the World for about 6 1/2 days, which is hardly enough time to see everything!! As we started to plan, I did a lot of research (I didn’t remember much from my past trips) before we discussed our “musts.” Initially they were:
Staying on property
At least 1.5 days each in Epcot and MK
Explore DTD and AKL (me)
La Noba (FDH)
Plenty of time in Future World (FDH)
Breakfasts. Yummy, delicious breakfasts (me--it's my favorite meal)
Lots of transport by boat (FDH)
Fireworks whenever possible, bonus points if it’s romantic (me)
My initial thought was that we should go Disney Commando, subscribe to touring plans and ridemax and go whole hog. After thinking about the trip that way for a few days, I realized how exhausting and un-romantic that would be.
FDH and I are both young (we’ll both be 27 when we leave) and fairly energetic (he’s in better shape than me, but I can walk for a good long time without a break). In fact, when left to our own devices, we will goandgoandgo until we’re both starving and cranky. I knew that wasn’t ideal, so I wanted to find a way to structure our days, force ourselves to slow down.
Initially, I thought that might be by parkhopping. Morning at MK, lunch at a resort, evening in Hollywood seemed appealing for a couple of days ... until I realized how long it was going to take us to get around the property without a car.
Instead, we opted for a looser, more sustained approach. We studied the park hours and special events for each day we’d be there, and then we set our day-by-day “schedule.”
When we started literally all we had was “Sunday – Epcot.” We plan to spend full, long, un-planned days in the park of the day—allowing us to ride rides, people-watch, shop and relax as the mood strikes us. Great, but not much structure.
Since we’re total foodies, I decided DINING would provide the best and most logical structure for our day … a chance to sit, refuel, get out of the heat … and that’s when I realized that Disney is kind of a mecca for amazing food! Clearly, we were going to have to book a dining plan.
FDH and I have been on a crazy-strict diet all summer in preparation for our wedding (my dress is a bit snug, and he’s working so hard to fit into a vest with a back instead of a ‘bib’ vest), so we decided to go with the DDxP for the Contemporary portion of our stay and the DDP for the Pop portion. A splurge, yes. But we do love to eat. And you only honeymoon once (notice a pattern?).
FDH and I used the menus on AllEars.net, the advice on DisneyFoodBlog.com and The Unofficial Guide to WDW for Grown-Ups to decide where we were going to eat. We even made a spreadsheet with a bunch of restaurants we liked and what meals we’d eat there if we could go right now … a VERY fun exercise for an evening, plus it confirmed for us that we’d be saving money on the DDxP (versus paying OOP).
By the time 180-days-out rolled around, we already knew exactly which restaurants we wanted, and at the stroke of midnight, I was on the computer booking our meals. Using the online system as a first-timer was completely thrilling--I can't even imagine doing it with a CM over the phone. And I got everything I wanted!! Well … sort of.
About three weeks later, while we were perusing the maps and making an initial list of “must-do” attractions, FDH mentioned that he loves the Living Seas, and he was surprised to find out that there’s a restaurant where you can sit next to the aquariums.
As soon as I had some time to myself, I started trying to rearrange our schedule to fit in Coral Reef as a surprise for my FDH. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get an ADR that didn’t conflict with something we weren’t willing to miss (like Le Cellier and Illusions). Bummer.
Luckily, FDH does have one surprise coming his way … on Day 5 of our trip, we’re having dinner at the Grand Floridian, and I’ve called and pre-ordered a mini-wedding cake (only $30?!?). Perfect for two!! Happy Disneymoon!!!
So far, I haven’t planned any other surprises for him, so if any of you have any suggestions for little things I can do for him during the trip, please do share!
Wonderful start my dear and best wishes, My hubby surprised me with the Wishes dessert party, it is a great place to watch the fireworks at Disney and have yummy desserts, that would be a fun romantic night, in my opinion.
Great start! Congratulations on the upcoming wedding. It's so cool that you guys upgraded to the Deluxe plan for part of the trip. What a great Disneymoon!
Also, THANK YOU for posting about Disney Food Blog. Don't ask me how, but I never knew about it!!
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Great start! Congratulations on the upcoming wedding. It's so cool that you guys upgraded to the Deluxe plan for part of the trip. What a great Disneymoon!
Also, THANK YOU for posting about Disney Food Blog. Don't ask me how, but I never knew about it!!
Thanks, Wolfy!! Disney Food Blog is, like, the BEST THING EVER. I am trying to convince AJ to let me blog our meals during the trip ... we shall see ...
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Wonderful start my dear and best wishes, My hubby surprised me with the Wishes dessert party, it is a great place to watch the fireworks at Disney and have yummy desserts, that would be a fun romantic night, in my opinion.
Cassie, it's a great idea--thank you for the suggestion!
We looked into the Wishes Dessert Party as a possible upgrade to our trip, but we eventually decided against it. The price was a little too much for us, and with the DDxP (not to mention the surprise mini-cake), we were already getting plenty of desserts!!
Great start, Melissa Sue! I can't think of a more magical place to begin your new life together! Disney is a wonderful place to eat, so I think your splurge on the Deluxe Dining Plan is well worth it. Be sure to keep checking for the Coral Reef ADR... people change their plans all the time and you may get lucky. Looking forward to hearing more about your plans.
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Congrats on your upcoming wedding! 
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