The Surviving Deployment Trip Report, Updated 10/18 COMPLETE!! - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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The Surviving Deployment Trip Report, Updated 10/18 COMPLETE!!
I haven't been to WDW in FOUR years! OH MY! It is about time I get back there. I could go multiple times a year, but my DH on the otherhand...
This trip came about for several reasons:
1. I NEED to visit my Happy Place again.
2. My DD needs to visit, too.
3. Disney has a great military deal going on right now that simply can't be passed up.
4. My DH is deployed to Iraq. Now, we were actually hoping he would be able to join us, but alas, his R&R didn't work out, and he won't be able to go. So, it will be just my DD and me.
So, the non-deployed people on this trip are:
Me (Laura) - 38. I've loved everything Disney my whole life.
DD (Victoria) - 14. Brought up on everything Disney.
WHEN: September 14 - 22, 2009
Victoria and I will be experiencing a lot of firsts on this trip:
1. We get free dining which we've never done before.
2. With that, we are eating at a lot of brand new restaurants for us.
3. We are also going to MNSSHP for the first time. We went to the one at DLR and loved it and know that WDW's will be even better.
4. We are also staying at Pop Century for the first time.
5. We have always driven to WDW, but it would be a two-day drive now that we've moved to Texas. So, we are flying for the first time.
6. Therefore, we are using DME for the first time.
7. The biggest new experience is this will be the first time going without my DH. It will be strange without him, but it will be a great opportunity to get away with my DD during daddy's deployment. Hopefully it will break up these longs months without him, and we'll be able to share our vacation with him through our pictures and videos.
As for our plans:
September 14 - Fly out of San Antonio and arrive in Orlando at 10:47 a.m. Take DME to Pop Century and see if our room is ready. I doubt it will be, but it will be worth a try. Today is going to be a day exploring resorts and DTD. We'll have lunch at Wolfgang Puck Express and have ADRs at 1900 Park Fare at 5:55 p.m., for dinner. Both of these restaurants are new for us!
September 15 - Once again, we are going to enjoy resort hopping and DTD and probably some miniature golf. We'll have lunch at Earl of Sandwich and dessert at Beaches and Cream. We have ADRs for Kona at 5:10 p.m., for dinner before we go to MNSSHP. However, if they let us into the MK at 4 p.m., for MNSSHP, we will skip Kona and eat CS in the park. Here's crossing my fingers.
September 16 - As part of the active military, we get to go to Busch Gardens or Sea World free once a year. Since we have never been to Busch Gardens, we are going there. We'll get up and get our rental car and drive to Tampa to spend the day at Busch Gardens. Since I didn't have to buy tickets, I bought an All-Day Dining Deal. You get an armband and can grab an entree, side or dessert, and a drink each time you go through the line at a participating restaurant. I thought that was a really good deal, even if we just grab a drink when we go through the line. I think it will be well worth the money. We'll drive back from Tampa straight to the Contemporary where we have ADRs for Chef Mickey's at 7:50 p.m. Have I mentioned that this entire day will be a brand new experience for us...from Busch Gardens to Chef Mickey's.
September 17 - Finally, we are spending time in the WDW parks! Today is our Hollywood Studios day. We'll eat TS somewhere for lunch and then have an ADR for 50's Prime Time at 5:15 p.m., for dinner. 50's PT is one of the few places we have been to before.
September 18 - EPCOT day! We plan on getting chocolate from every country. We have a lunch ADR at 12 p.m., for Chefs de France and dinner at 8:45 p.m., at Tutto Italia. However, I also have an ADR for Tutto Italia at 5:30 p.m. I don't know if it's enough time between noon and 5:30 p.m., to eat again. I have to decide what to do.
September 19 - This day is up in the air. DHS has EEH at 8 a.m. It is really up to Victoria as to which park she'd like to do. We'll eat CS whichever park we're in. But, we have 4:10 p.m., ADRs at Coral Reef. We've never eaten here before.
September 20 - Today is AK day! EEH is 8 a.m. Unfortunately, we'll be headed back to EPCOT for dinner since it was the only day we could get Le Cellier. Our ADR is for 4:15 p.m. But, I am stoked about Le Cellier since we've never been, and I only here the best of reviews of this restaurant.
September 21 - MK day! I wanted to end our trip at MK. We have ADRs at 8:05 a.m., at the Crystal Palace (This will be out of pocket unless we miss Kona on the 15th.) and dinner at 5:10 p.m., at CRT (I'll pay for this out of pocket.)! We have never been to CRT, and I am so looking forward to it. We really enjoy CP as it is one place I can hang out with my beloved Eeyore. Spectromagic will be on this night, too, and we have never seen it.
September 22 - We fly home today. We'll have breakfast at Everything Pop, and then we have lunch ADRs at T-Rex for 11:30 a.m. I have a gift card to use there. Our flight doesn't leave until 5:55 p.m., so we can enjoy DTD for just a little while longer.
So, those are our plans. Unfortunately, I couldn't get Boma during this stay. We've never been there either, and I was really looking forward to it. Oh well! It will have to be another time unless I can snag an ADR somehow.
It will be very weird traveling without my precious husband. We've only taken short trips without him, and he will be dearly missed. But, the place he said he wanted to go after he got home from his deployment is Disney! So, we are planning a trip for 2010!
Sounds like great plans for you and DD and some much needed Disney therapy.
Getting chocolate from every country around the world is a great idea, I'll be stealing that one. While DH is drinking himself around the world I'll be going on a sugar high
I would go for the later ADR for Tutto, after a sit down lunch at noon I don't think I'd be hungry enough to enjoy my dinner at 5:30. Keep trying for a Boma reservation, that's one of my favorite restaurants.
Look forward to reading about your trip, we'll be getting to WDW for our trip just as you're heading home.
Have you started planning out the 2010 trip that you'll be taking with your DH when he gets home from his deployment?
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.
I would go for the later ADR for Tutto, after a sit down lunch at noon I don't think I'd be hungry enough to enjoy my dinner at 5:30. Keep trying for a Boma reservation, that's one of my favorite restaurants.
Have you started planning out the 2010 trip that you'll be taking with your DH when he gets home from his deployment?
I talked with my DD about Tutto, and she agreed with the later ADR. I'll be canceling the early one.
Yes, I have started planning the 2010 trip. Woo hoo! I had thought it would be to DLR, but if I can get free dining again next year, we may do this again, but this time with my DH. Then, I'd like to go to DLR in March 2011 for our anniversary. I hope it all works out!
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I hope that you and your dd have a magical time at the world
__________________
Heather - "I'm Tinkerbell's biggest fan!"
WDW - August 1997 Off Property
WDW - January 2005 AKL
WDW - May 2006 Pop Century
WDW- november-dec 2007 pop century
WDW- dec/jan 2009/2010 pop century
WDW- oct/nov 2012 art of animation
WDW- sept 2013 port Orleans riverside
WDW- july 2015 beach club
Sounds great! Hopefully you will be able to communicate with your dh each day so you can share your experiences with him. I'm sure it will be a fun trip just the two of you!
I have made changes to our ADRs. This time, they are firm. I did some tweaking and moving around so hopefully it works with our days better. So, here are the updated ADRs.
September 14 - 5:55 p.m., at 1900 Park Fare (no change)
September 15 - I had an ADR to Kona for 5:10 before we go to MNSSHP. I have canceled this ADR, and we'll get to the MK at 4 p.m., and eat CS in the park.
September 16 - Previously: Chef Mickey's at 7:50 p.m. I canceled this ADR to go to Kona at 9 p.m. This gives us a little more time to drive back from Tampa.
September 17 - I added another ADR for 11:10 a.m., at Sci Fi. We love Sci Fi, and I can't imagine not eating here at all. We are still going 50's Prime Time at 5:15 p.m., for dinner.
September 18 - Chefs de France at 12 p.m., and 8:45 p.m., at Tutto Italia. I canceled the 5:30 p.m., ADR. I talked to Victoria, and she thought the later meal would be better.
September 19 - Previously: 4:10 p.m., at Coral Reef. I canceled CR and changed it to CRT at 8:55 p.m. I'm pretty excited about closing out the park and being one of the last in the park.
September 20 - 4:15 p.m., Le Cellier (no change)
September 21 - 8:05 a.m., at Crystal Palace, and I added a 1 p.m., lunch at Chef Mickey's. I previously had CRT at 5:10 p.m., but canceled that one. We'll eat CS for dinner.
September 22 - 11:30 a.m., T-Rex (no change)
So, those are our new ADRs, and I feel really good about them now. I did all the changes online and got to search and search and pick and choose, and I LOVED being able to do this. Then, I called Disney Dining and canceled the ones I didn't want. There are a couple I'm paying for OOP because we really want to go.
Hopefully, that's all the changes in our dining plans.
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.
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It will be strange without him, but it will be a great opportunity to get away with my DD during daddy's deployment. Hopefully it will break up these longs months without him, and we'll be able to share our vacation with him through our pictures and videos.
I thought that was a really good deal, even if we just grab a drink when we go through the line. I think it will be well worth the money. We'll drive back from Tampa straight to the Contemporary where we have ADRs for Chef Mickey's at 7:50 p.m. Have I mentioned that this entire day will be a brand new experience for us...from Busch Gardens to Chef Mickey's. 
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