Monday, August 14, 2017

Disney 2016 Planning Part 1

It may have come across previously that I take my job as the Where Will We Go Next Guy seriously, or perhaps obsessively. 
 My daughter encourages this by actions such as her white board decoration above.

Some may ask how I could possibly start planning for a Disney World trip three years, one month and twenty-two days before arrival.

The answer is simple:
Three years, one month and twenty-three days before arrival, I was far too busy enjoying being in Disney World to plan for the next visit.



Our last trip was Anabelle’s first time old enough to be hands on with the planning, giving it a momentous lift off type feeling, leading to a “T minus” countdown.

The one before that was the first time I planned a multi-family army visit, yielding a military “D minus” nomenclature.

Based on work, Up the Lake and other happenings driving desperate need for a vacation this time around, “W minus” is the only way to do it.

To maintain a level of narrative suspense in this mostly unrelated list of Disney happenings, the reveal of the “W” word will be held off until the end.



September 12, 2013
W minus 1148
Me:  You probably would have loved the Rock and Roller Coaster
Anabelle:  I know.  I’ll come with you next time; I just wanted to make sure you didn’t die.


September 13, 2013
W minus 1147
Giant Villain party in MGM the day after we leave, How rude!  Hopefully its massive success will spark a return of the bad guys and gals to the streets of fake Hollywood.


September 18, 2013
W minus 1142
Princess Fairytale Hall opens.  Now it’s two FastPasses to see four princesses instead of one to see three, but it’s in a new decorated Royal Hall with the glass slipper and other props. I still think we’re losing out on the deal.


October 1, 2013
W minus 1129
Son of a monkey!  There’s a privately rentable salon in the Living Seas for parties and such. That explains the “mystery window” I’ve never been able to figure out when I saw it through the tank.  I always assumed it was refraction confusing me about the Coral Reef restaurant.


October 9, 2013
W minus 1121
Walt Disney World stops their existing, and highly abused, Guest Assistance Card program for disabled guests, and institutes the Disability Access Service (DAS) Card which will function more like FastPass, providing return times based on wait lengths.  Maybe this will slow the rising tide of scooters?


October 10, 2013
W minus 1120
More is revealed about Avatarland in Animal Kingdom, along with several other shows and changes that seem geared to keeping the park open later.  That’s going to change the “only need one day” there mode of planning I use.  Will this make the wait longer on Everest because of more people in the park, or shorter, because Avatarland will draw everyone away from it?


October 15, 2013
W minus 1115
Fifteenth Anniversary of Fantasmic marked by “Glow with the Show Ears.” Mickey hats that light up in sync with Fantasmic, and also Wishes, and Celebrate the Magic in the Magic Kingdom.  Between these, and the Magic Bands, pretty soon Disney will beam the entertainment directly into our brains.  Makes you kind of wonder - what kind of folks will buy more expensive than standard signal receiving headgear just to entertain others?


October 30, 2013
W minus 1100
EPCOTs Club Cool switches up their offerings of international soda.  Peruvian Inca Kola makes the cut.  We’ll have to figure out where that is now.


November 5, 2013
W minus 1094
A new four disc set of Disney Classic music includes Modern, Timeless, TV and…Theme Park classics. The last disc has several of the awesome Sherman Brother’s original EPCOT songs that can no longer be heard.   Is this the first signs of the return of Dreamfinder and the Kitchen Cabaret? 
I doubt it, But I CAN DREAM DANG IT!


November 8, 2013
W minus 1091
“Jingle Cruise” debuts. A Christmas version of the Jungle Cruise. Now with corny holiday jokes. Will it have “the back side of snow?”
No it will have decorations on line, an outfit for Trader Sam and some new old jokes.  
Alas.


November 19, 2013
W minus 1080
Horizons 30th Anniversary shirts available in the parks.  Do they really care about these long gone attractions, or are they just catering to us old Disney geeks?  Does it really matter?


November 20, 2013
W minus 1079
The princesses from Frozen debut across from Akershus in Norway.  That’ll help the crowding in the plaza from the princess meal gang.


November 26, 2013
W minus 1073
Frozen stuff on display in the Stave Church Gallery area.  Finally, something new to completely forget to check out there.


November 27, 2013
W minus 1072
The last turnstile closes.  Magic Kingdom switches its last one over to touch point entry. The glowing green Mickeys are everywhere.  The Disney RF chip in your head can’t be too far behind now.


December 4, 2013
W minus 1065
Dreamfinder returns!  Um,

On a t-shirt,

Dressed as Santa. 

Hey, it’s something.


December 23, 2013
W minus 1046
Sofia the First and Doc McStuffins added to Play and Dine and MGM.  Relevant characters combined with excellent food and a chocolate fountain may mean the Sci Fi Dine in has just dropped a notch on the must eat list.


January 4, 2014
W minus 1034
No more sharing dreams. The Celebrate a Dream Come True parade passes for the last time.  Since they’ve recycled the floats through a couple parades, it’s time for a full swap out.


January 5, 2014
W minus 1033
The last day for Camp Minnie Mickey, and the Lion King show until summer…stupid giant cat smurfs.


January 30, 2014
W minus 1008
Looks like FastPass Plus is replacing regular FastPass completely.  The advantage for staying on property is now only that they can be prebooked, which is still a pretty big honking advantage.  Sadly, it will make it harder to minimize the time my wife is waiting for my daughter and I on thrill rides. 
Change baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.


February 6, 2014
W minus 1001
Limited time Magic True Love Week brings all the Princes (and Bert) out of hiding to appear at meet and greets with their ladies.  Makes me wonder where they stuff them the rest of the year?


February 22, 2014
W minus 985
Dinoland Dance Party in Animal Kingdom. Bugs Life and other long homeless characters can now play with guests.  Looks like everyone else liked the dance party idea as much as we did.


April 20, 2014
W minus 928
Anna and Elsa move to Fairytale Hall in the Magic Kingdom with a FastPass Plus, fathers of the world, rejoice. Rapunzel moves in with Cinderella, Snow White booted to Main Street again. (Don’t feel too bad, she’s got a Mountain coming soon.)


May 28, 2014
W minus 890
The Seven Dwarves Mine Train opens.  Hopefully by the time we get back there, the size of the Magic Kingdom will cut the crowds a bit. (75 minute wait in post midnight Extra Magic Hours!) Because, in Disney tradition, the line is a big part of the attraction’s appeal.

Also, Starbucks at Downtown Disney!


June 15, 2014
W minus 842
More bad news from the giant Cat Smurfs, Avatarland construction means the end of the awesome Jammin’ Jungle Parade.  Well, poop.

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