PTR: Holiday trip for 3? Err, 5? Wait… 9?? Oh, 7..ish? - Page 2 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Great start to your PTR. I like your second set of plans much better. You're go, go, go when you need to be but you've also put in some going slow time (and when you'll need it the most too )
I try to get us equaled out a bit. If we have big crazy days, I want us to be more laidback to follow, especially with our 4 year old in the mix. If not, we run the risk of meltdowns due to being overstimulated or just plain exhausted. (And it won't always be the 4 year old.)
Update: My sister-in-law just messaged me on facebook to say that she's going to have to let her girls go with us. She admitted that she didn't want to let them go without her, but she realized that she can't take this opportunity away from them. We have set up rules between us adults that the teenagers aren't yet aware of, but will agree to in order to go on the trip. They will do their school work, and if a set amount isn't done before bed each night, it goes to the park with them and they'll have to sit out on rides/fun until it's done. I'm forseeing most of it being finished before they make it to Orlando. (They will have 15 hours in the car, after all!)
I have a very happy child, now that she knows they are coming along. My bank account won't be quite so happy (as that just added 1 adult 5 day Disney ticket and 1 adult 1 day Universal ticket to our budge), but that's ok. We can deal.
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Disney World Trips So Far: 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015a, 2015b, 2016a (2016b in planning)
Glad to hear your plans are now a solid 7 - and I totally agree, the girls will most likely have the homework done. And if they don't get it done, the first ride missed will be incentive to get it done.
Glad that your plans are settled now that you know the girls are coming, it will be such a great trip and I am sure that their homework with be done before they even step foot in Orlando
I'm sitting here, staring at my computer with my passporter and planning notebook spread out on my desk and my excel files open behind this window. I realize that the trip is still 4 months ago, but I can't help it, I want to plan plan plan. I know there are things I can figure out, but right now, I'm not sure what to hit next. Oh, shows, I should maybe try to put a 'priority list' together for shows so we know what we should aim to see this time around.
Now that we know how many folks will be going on the trip, we know how many tickets we need to buy, but we don't know how many days/parks just yet. I need to speak to my MIL, which I prefer to do via texts or email (I hate the telephone, really), to find out about Universal. My husband really wants to go to the original park because he wants to ride the Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket, and thinks that someone from this group will go with him. Not I. Maybe his nieces, or his mom or dad. The problem is that the area there Joc really loves is at IoA. The part I really love is at IoA. I don't see the point of all of us having park-to-park tickets (I think that's what they call 'hoppers' there?) when it's only one day and most of us are only interested in one park or the other. Me, I'm ok with us splitting up and doing the park of our choice, or maybe a couple of people doing park-to-park while the rest of us stay at one park. Though, in all honesty, I'd rather we ditch the Universal idea completely and just do Disney. It would save us $300 to do that, or more if they want multi-park tickets for that day (an extra $35 or so per person for that). That is NOT a small chunk of change.
This is my planning dilemma every time, regardless of whether it is just the three of us or if family is tagging along. I worry too much about making everyone else happy. The selfish part of me is screaming about how if I have to do all of the work I should be able to do things my way. The please-everyone side of me would rather stress me out from how until the trip is over while I struggle to please everyone. Can't I listen to the selfish part of me for a change? But... I understand that Ken wants to ride that ride with someone, and since I'm so never stepping foot on it, I guess he needs to go to Universal with someone. Bleh.
I do like being the one that makes the plans, because then I know that we can be sure to do things that Joc, Ken and I want to do. Also, I hate feeling as though I don't know what's going on or if things will be taken care of in a timely fashion. However, I hate it when I'm trying to make plans and people can't give me answers about what they want so that I can make those plans. I will feel better when tickets have been ordered and I have handy confirmation numbers in hand. Until then, I'm going to drive everyone a little bit crazy. Mostly myself.
Blah-blibby-blah. I blame the weather for making my brain muddled. If anyone made it through this pointless mess, I apologize.
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Disney World Trips So Far: 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015a, 2015b, 2016a (2016b in planning)
I made it through. Welcome to the world of planning - that's a lot of what I go through. I ask for suggestions and I get "whatever you plan will be fine" but I'm another one who wants a plan that pleases everyone. I do finally get to the point that I sit everyone down and say point blank "If I have to do all the planning with no input from anyone else, then I'm going to plan what I want to do. If you want something in specific, speak up now or you lose out." Suggestions start coming then I can tell you - and while some of it makes planning difficult (because usually it was something I was hoping to skip) at least everyone is on the same page (for a day or two at least ). Good luck with your planning
I made it through. Welcome to the world of planning - that's a lot of what I go through. I ask for suggestions and I get "whatever you plan will be fine" but I'm another one who wants a plan that pleases everyone. I do finally get to the point that I sit everyone down and say point blank "If I have to do all the planning with no input from anyone else, then I'm going to plan what I want to do. If you want something in specific, speak up now or you lose out." Suggestions start coming then I can tell you - and while some of it makes planning difficult (because usually it was something I was hoping to skip) at least everyone is on the same page (for a day or two at least ). Good luck with your planning
Wow, I'm amazed anyone did, as I was pretty rambly there! I'd give you a gold star if I had any!
And yes on the getting no information back. Ken and his entire family are incapable of making decisions without being forced to, but you can be sure they will let me know of their unhappiness to skip this or that or however it plays out. I'm so my less stressed planning for my 'little family' of 3 than I am for the big group of 7. I'm always the one that does the planning, and have been pretty good at it the last 4 years or so (4 trips in that time), but it definitely doesn't make the stressing over making everyone else happy go away.
I can't wait to hear about your actual, trip, though! I hope you have a fabulous time.
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Disney World Trips So Far: 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015a, 2015b, 2016a (2016b in planning)
Will this one do ? (It's on the bottom of the smilie page down near the pixies)
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I'm always the one that does the planning, and have been pretty good at it the last 4 years or so (4 trips in that time), but it definitely doesn't make the stressing over making everyone else happy go away.
I agree with that - nothing helps except having the planning done - but good luck
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I can't wait to hear about your actual, trip, though! I hope you have a fabulous time.
I visited US/IoA last October after oh, probably 9 years. Honestly, you could do both parks in one day IF you take a minute to look over a guide book and/or Universal's website (be forewarned, their website is NOTHING like Disney's and for the uberplanner in all of us it's downright pitiful) and pick the attractions you would like to see, a multi park pass would be enough. We were done with each park in a few hours.
My only piece of advice for a large party is this: go ahead and plan for your family, if everyone else is wishy washy about committing to your plans, post your schedule up in the hotel (we used the fridge) this way, everyone can go at their own pace (ie late sleepers) and not feel like they HAVE to adhere to the schedule. They will know where you'll be, they can meet up with you when it suits them. I actually used the e-worksheet for Park Hours. It showed EMH/parade times/fireworks/fantasmic. I just noted ressies on it by hand. With 13 people rushing in and out over 8 days, it was great. Some days we were all togther, others we went in seperate directions. Hope this helps.
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Will this one do ? (It's on the bottom of the smilie page down near the pixies)
Haha, I was just thinking of stickers, didn't even think to look in the smilies. Duh.
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Originally Posted by jennie622
I visited US/IoA last October after oh, probably 9 years. Honestly, you could do both parks in one day IF you take a minute to look over a guide book and/or Universal's website (be forewarned, their website is NOTHING like Disney's and for the uberplanner in all of us it's downright pitiful) and pick the attractions you would like to see, a multi park pass would be enough. We were done with each park in a few hours.
My only piece of advice for a large party is this: go ahead and plan for your family, if everyone else is wishy washy about committing to your plans, post your schedule up in the hotel (we used the fridge) this way, everyone can go at their own pace (ie late sleepers) and not feel like they HAVE to adhere to the schedule. They will know where you'll be, they can meet up with you when it suits them. I actually used the e-worksheet for Park Hours. It showed EMH/parade times/fireworks/fantasmic. I just noted ressies on it by hand. With 13 people rushing in and out over 8 days, it was great. Some days we were all togther, others we went in seperate directions. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the idea of posting it in the room/condo. That's a good idea. I am keeping my MIL posted on plans as I make them, but if they're hanging in plain site as well, they can't give me excuses. I'm working on planning mostly for the three of us (other than ADRs), or at least figuring out what we absolutely want to do. I'll let Ken's family know what the schedule is and they can roll with it or not. I do need to know for certain about what we're doing for Universal before we can buy tickets, though, as we have to pay for one of the niece's tickets. I want to buy them now so they'll be paid for before we hit Disney in November! It is good to know that it is do-able to do both parks in one day. Personally, still not interested in doing both for myself, but I'm a-ok with doing park-to-park for the people that want to do both and then hanging out in Seuss Landing and WWoHP until they make it over to IoA.
My biggest wonder is this, though: If they don't make it out the door when I say it's time to go for our pre-park-opening reservations, will they let only part of the party into the park or are we stuck waiting for them to show up?
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Originally Posted by Colexis Mom
Great start and plans Jaime!
Thanks!
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Originally Posted by Cam22
Great plans! So nice to have your nieces along!
Joc is really excited that they're coming, and that's what matters the most! (Hey, I'm her Mom, I worry about what makes her the happiest!)
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Disney World Trips So Far: 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015a, 2015b, 2016a (2016b in planning)
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It sounds like you are going to have a great trip. I would say, though, that if you are doing all the planning work--don't plan for them, plan for you! If you would prefer to do IOA, do IOA.
It sounds like you are going to have a great trip. I would say, though, that if you are doing all the planning work--don't plan for them, plan for you! If you would prefer to do IOA, do IOA.
That is a great idea. Sadly, it's my husband that wants to do the other park so he can ride the Hollywood Rip Roar....whatever Rocket coaster. I want IoA. I don't know if we should do park to park for those of us (Joc and I for instance) that don't want to do the other park. Hmm... Can you upgrade from a base 1 park/1 day ticket to a park to park at Universal? So we could buy the tickets now and that wouldn't be a huge expense if we decide to do that later?
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Disney World Trips So Far: 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015a, 2015b, 2016a (2016b in planning)
If your ADR is before the park opens you have to check in with a CM (the one with the clipboard ) that's lurking around the turnstiles. It's a perfect opportunity to get some photos before the crowd shows up. If your party is incomplete, just let the CM know. If they are going to be really late, I'm not sure but they may have to sit at another table. Call Dining to confirm. don't lose out on your ressie due to the tardiness of others.
I believe you can upgrade the US/IoA tix at the park (you can upgrade to an annual pass and/or dining plan so why not a multi park tix?). There are kiosks to pick up tix. We paid online and just entered our confirm # into the system and out popped our tix! You could probably purchase online and still upgrade online or call at last minute. As long as you're shelling out the dough, I'm SURE they will accomodate you .
BTW, I could hang out in Seuss Landing and WWoHP all day. I do like to wander around the Studios too. I actually prefer the themeing of US over IoA - with the exception of WWoHP but Hogsmeade gets pretty crowded and I needed a break.
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So nice to have your nieces along! 
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