March 10, 2025
H minus 69 Days
Park hours are already visible on the App for the beginning of the trip.
This is crazy.
Also, Parade schedules and other hours on the website are further out but not incredibly so. This is crazy.
I update the Extra Magic Hour Half Hour available attractions on the Back Side of the grid, moving it closer to finality. I forgot those are every day for every Park, making Park selections MUCH easier. YAAAY!
While I remembered Animal Kingdom closes WAY earlier than the other parks, I forgot it opens an hour earlier too. We will likely be napping on rides at the dawn of this trip.
(Foreshadowing- Or bagging a rope drop or two.)
Me-Disney World sent us an email telling
us that there are FOUR theme parks. They’re so adorable.
Rosa and Anabelle- *Both laughed*
Me- You can book “single ride pay”
FastPass one week before the trip. We’ll have to decide about Rise of
Resistance and Tron.
(Foreshadowing- Yes and “Can we do Mine Train instead?” respectively.)
Quick Service meals on the plan do not have desserts anymore. Not really a problem for us, but that added to the “back down to one snack a day” thing means when we grab a soda or other drink here and there it may make more sense to buy it than Meal Plan it, at least till we see how the count goes.
(Foreshadowing- The count went pretty well for a change, and it did usually make sense to “Meal Plan it” for hydration.)
Anabelle- Thank Christ. That was so annoying. I don’t like dessert enough for that foolishness.
Me- They haven’t had it since the last time there was a Meal Plan, but they added a second snack which is gone.
Anabelle- Ah.
Rosa- Second Snack?
Me- When they first took out the Quick Service dessert, they upped snacks to two a day. It was great for grabbing PowerAde or sodas.
Rosa- But now just one?
Me- Yeah, it went back but the dessert didn’t come back.
Rosa- *goofy face*
Anabelle- Gotcha.
March 11 2025
H minus 68 Days
Kim pointed out the AARP discount for WDW tickets over in the “Y” countdown. I called last night to check and spoke to Awesome Happy Disney Sharmain, who’s name I would have thought was unusual if I hadn’t spoken to Chardonnay two days before. It's just like the AAA one we checked on other trips. You have to buy the whole package through them, nullifying all the discounts we get by going to the source.
Also, Parade schedules and other hours on the website are further out but not incredibly so. This is crazy.
I update the Extra Magic Hour Half Hour available attractions on the Back Side of the grid, moving it closer to finality. I forgot those are every day for every Park, making Park selections MUCH easier. YAAAY!
While I remembered Animal Kingdom closes WAY earlier than the other parks, I forgot it opens an hour earlier too. We will likely be napping on rides at the dawn of this trip.
(Foreshadowing- Or bagging a rope drop or two.)
Rosa and Anabelle- *Both laughed*
(Foreshadowing- Yes and “Can we do Mine Train instead?” respectively.)
Quick Service meals on the plan do not have desserts anymore. Not really a problem for us, but that added to the “back down to one snack a day” thing means when we grab a soda or other drink here and there it may make more sense to buy it than Meal Plan it, at least till we see how the count goes.
(Foreshadowing- The count went pretty well for a change, and it did usually make sense to “Meal Plan it” for hydration.)
Anabelle- Thank Christ. That was so annoying. I don’t like dessert enough for that foolishness.
Me- They haven’t had it since the last time there was a Meal Plan, but they added a second snack which is gone.
Anabelle- Ah.
Rosa- Second Snack?
Me- When they first took out the Quick Service dessert, they upped snacks to two a day. It was great for grabbing PowerAde or sodas.
Rosa- But now just one?
Me- Yeah, it went back but the dessert didn’t come back.
Rosa- *goofy face*
Anabelle- Gotcha.
H minus 68 Days
Kim pointed out the AARP discount for WDW tickets over in the “Y” countdown. I called last night to check and spoke to Awesome Happy Disney Sharmain, who’s name I would have thought was unusual if I hadn’t spoken to Chardonnay two days before. It's just like the AAA one we checked on other trips. You have to buy the whole package through them, nullifying all the discounts we get by going to the source.
The Birnbaums Guide has arrived. Tradition dictates we get it. Tradition also dictates the first things I see when I flip through it are incorrectly represented as being there when they are permanently closed. (Tipsy Topsy Triceratops and Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy) However, there are always a couple of tidbits I get from it, plus the pictures are fun and exciting!
That is, except for the Castle, but even that one has many available on day a full Sixty days out, and that’s a Saturday. Starting with Cinderella we should be in good shape. Fingers crossed!
Anabelle- Yippee! That’s literally a week from tomorrow. Tee Hee! Happy One Month and One Week!
(Foreshadowing- It is really two months and one week. We all need more sleep.)
Me- The menu lists are about a month and a half away, but since these won’t change, I found the booth listings from the Flower and Garden Festival if you want to start getting culinarily excited.
Anabelle now that you’re twenty-one, do I need to list all the beverages in the menu file?
Anabelle- Eeeee! I saw. I don’t think you need to put the drinks in the menus.
(Foreshadowing- I should have put some drinks on the menus.)
March 12, 2025
H minus 67 Days
Me- Wednesday May 21 (the day we said we may hop to EPCOT for dinner at night if we get bored with MGM) EPCOT closes at 5:30 for a private event. So, I’m thinking that’s the night we target going Downtown. Make sense?
If we are truly "bored with MGM" we could go over just to do Muppetvision and another thing or two on the final day, then hop over to the EPCOT festival to finish up.
Anabelle- NOOOOO MY EPCOT NIGHT! Yes, That’s fine. Sounds good. Wait, I just saw your email. Why am I kind of rocking with finishing at EPCOT. We’ll see how it goes when we get there.
(Foreshadowing- It went very well.)
Me- I have added a possible last day Hop on The Grid.
Pulled pork jelly donut is gone…but gluten free churros are still at the Nomad Lounge!
Rosa- *Seven partying happy face emojis.*
(Foreshadowing- Perhaps that was too many.)
[Note- Sometimes there will be actual emojis, sometimes I will describe them because emailing text messages to myself to place here means I’m turning into my Mom too quickly.]
Anabelle- yas
Me- It is comforting to know that if we wanted to go to the Snow White dinner TODAY, we could.
Anabelle – Wait, slay. That is so comforting.
Me- This is true for everywhere else we want to eat, except the Castle. Here’s hoping.
Rosa- ohhhhh
March 13, 2025
H Minus 66 Days
Me- The menu lists are about a month and a half away, but since these won’t change, I found the booth listings from the Flower and Garden Festival if you want to start getting culinarily excited.
Anabelle now that you’re twenty-one, do I need to list all the beverages in the menu file?
Anabelle- Eeeee! I saw. I don’t think you need to put the drinks in the menus.
(Foreshadowing- I should have put some drinks on the menus.)
H minus 67 Days
Me- Wednesday May 21 (the day we said we may hop to EPCOT for dinner at night if we get bored with MGM) EPCOT closes at 5:30 for a private event. So, I’m thinking that’s the night we target going Downtown. Make sense?
If we are truly "bored with MGM" we could go over just to do Muppetvision and another thing or two on the final day, then hop over to the EPCOT festival to finish up.
Anabelle- NOOOOO MY EPCOT NIGHT! Yes, That’s fine. Sounds good. Wait, I just saw your email. Why am I kind of rocking with finishing at EPCOT. We’ll see how it goes when we get there.
(Foreshadowing- It went very well.)
Me- I have added a possible last day Hop on The Grid.
Pulled pork jelly donut is gone…but gluten free churros are still at the Nomad Lounge!
Rosa- *Seven partying happy face emojis.*
(Foreshadowing- Perhaps that was too many.)
[Note- Sometimes there will be actual emojis, sometimes I will describe them because emailing text messages to myself to place here means I’m turning into my Mom too quickly.]
Anabelle- yas
Me- It is comforting to know that if we wanted to go to the Snow White dinner TODAY, we could.
Anabelle – Wait, slay. That is so comforting.
Me- This is true for everywhere else we want to eat, except the Castle. Here’s hoping.
Rosa- ohhhhh
H Minus 66 Days
A lot of planning here in the future is
by texting, like those above and the following exchange. (With some spelling, grammar and order
corrections, because otherwise it would be even more incoherent.) To get the
full effect of this exchange about the Flower and Garden Festival booths,
imagine multiple times in between where I pass the information on to Rosa and
she says, “Whatever, you two decide.”
That method of Anabelle and I planning together would later be titled, “Scheming.” I find this ironic since the two of them were “Scheming” for this whole trip without telling me… or each other... for MONTHS before I knew what was happening.
Anabelle- The German beers are crazy
words
Me- Always
Anabelle- So many of the drinks have elderflower. #winning
Me- Flower and Garden festival. Or maybe they’re Arsenic And Old Lace fans
Anabelle- One of the ones in the UK has BLACKCURRANT
I literally might brave a gin drink because I’m obsessed with blackcurrant
(Foreshadowing- She did… TWICE. YAAAY!)
Me- I really hate gin but go for it.
Anabelle- Elderflower and blackcurrant go really well together- fun fact. But I do like them separately
Me- If we get the Seven PM Snow White dinner Magic Kingdom is next door and closes at
Ten. (Anabelle agrees)
Anabelle- Maybe we can watch the Pageant!!!
(Foreshadowing- We did, accidentally, a different day, but didn’t even try that day.)
Me- Sweet. It runs outside the park at about that time, I think.
Anabelle- Moroccan spiced lamb? Hello
Epcot food >>>>>>>>> Excellent pairing 😝
Anabelle- Nooo : (but my outfit is coordinated to go to Magic Kingdom after) My tightrope ears
Me- We can go wherever you want
Anabelle- sigh
I like the plan where we go to EPCOT again on the last day. We will have time for that right?
‘Cause we will have two whole EPCOT nights and I feel like flowers will be better in the day anyways.
ME- Fair point. Yeah. Depends on how much MGMing you wanna do on day two there.
Anabelle- Muppets.
Me- Yes. That’s why it’s the last day.
Anabelle- Does Muppets open with the park?
Me- Um…
Hold please…
Anabelle- Or did you not look at that yet?
Me- It’s on page two of the grid. I’m brushing my teeth
It’s not part of Extra Magic Hour Half Hour.
Anabelle- rats …
So we fart around, perhaps ride Tower of Terror or something.
(Foreshadowing- Not “or something.”)
Watch Muppetvision like 3 times
Leave
See flowers
Go back to hotel
Me- But it said it opened at 9 today which is normal park opening
Sounds like a plan
Anabelle- We are definitely going to MK after Animal Kingdom that day
since we only have one full MK day
The second day I mean
Me- Good point
Even stealing an extra hour there Monday night. MK has the most stuff
Anabelle-What color should I make downtown Disney?
Me- What are the other four?
Anabelle- Blue purple red and green. Hotels are orange. So maybe pink?
Me- Yellow doesn’t work? That’s the only rainbow color you’re missing
Anabelle-I don’t have a yellow pen, *laughs* I did pink
Do you think we can explore the Polynesian instead on Monday?
We can take the monorail. We never get to go and I’m like obsessed with it.
Me- Whatever you want. But we’d have to take a boat there. The monorail doesn’t go to the Wilderness Lodge.
Anabelle- Oh yeah 😶🌫️
Me- Sure. I’ll put it on tomorrow’s Grid update.
Polynesian is where the Pageant starts. If fireworks are at Nineish it’ll be there 9:20.
(Foreshadowing- We, however, would not.)
Anabelle- YIPPEE
Me- Birnbaums still lists Magical Express on the “getting from the airport” page. And then says it doesn’t exist anymore. Way to rub it in.
Anabelle- bruh
wtf
Me- Yeah. I guess the change is still new to some people
Anabelle- L
Me- Yes. I’m trying to really read the book this time. But it’s hard and a lot doesn’t apply. Think I’ll go back to looking at pictures.
Anabelle- hahaha! Is there still trivia in it?
Me- I didn’t get that far. I’ll look. Ooh. Pretty fold out map of THE WORLD in the back cover
They have a Hidden Mickeys list and a “Where in the world” photo quiz for each section.
(Anabelle approves)
Anabelle- I’ve decided to use my Up
ears instead of my Black and White ones for MGM. They are more Muppety I feel.
Colorful and stuff to match my rainbow Kermit shirt and the flowers when we
jump ship to EPCOT.
(Foreshadowing- The Flower Shirt got moved to a full EPCOT day and worked excellently, finally making the trip after YEARS of just missing.)
Me- Groovy. Birnbaum’s does not list Nomad Lounge at all and still lists the pulled pork donut. Pictures it is.
Anabelle- *laughter and good night*
Me- Follow up. Grid updated with suggested hopping and Polynesian farting around. I’ll send a new one in a couple of days when all the tentative park hours are listed. And you can get to EPCOT from MGM by bus, removing the need for forty minute boat ride or Hanging Sky Death Thing.
Anabelle- Yippee!
(Foreshadowing- We did not bus, we walked. Because we are insane.)
Me- Converse has a 30% off sale that
FINALLY includes customs.
Anabelle- I’m ordering my heart Converse literally right now. Are you kidding? Lunch time came in clutch those have been sitting in my cart for ages. I’m so excited to stomp around Disney together in our crazy shoes.
(Foreshadowing- Alas.)
Oh no! the Main Pool of our resort is
closed…
Wait. From January to April 2026, why are some things listed so far in advance and the stuff I print out changes a week before we go?
Chardonnay half lied. There are $10
discounted Magic Band Plusses available before the trip. As always selection is
limited. Or, more accurately described, selection is awful.
Me- Impressions de France runs
for a half hour in the morning and then an hour and a half at night, the rest
of the day it’s the Beauty and the Beast sing along. That film just
won’t die.
Rosa- *laughs*
Anabelle- That is crazy. OK But we’re rallying China movie.
Me- I love that one.
Anabelle- We are seeing it both EPCOT days.
Rosa- *winks*
Anabelle- I travelled back in time and told myself that, so now to keep the timeline intact we have to. I don’t make the rules.
Rosa and I- *laughs*
(Foreshadowing- We did not see it both days. However, the second day had Anabelle pull at epic sprint into the China movie lobby from Norway to finish her “see all the princesses” side quest.)
To be fair to Birnbaums, the Disney
World website still lists the Pulled Pork Jelly Donut on the description for
the Eight Spoon Café even though it is off the menu.
That method of Anabelle and I planning together would later be titled, “Scheming.” I find this ironic since the two of them were “Scheming” for this whole trip without telling me… or each other... for MONTHS before I knew what was happening.
Me- Always
Anabelle- So many of the drinks have elderflower. #winning
Me- Flower and Garden festival. Or maybe they’re Arsenic And Old Lace fans
Anabelle- One of the ones in the UK has BLACKCURRANT
I literally might brave a gin drink because I’m obsessed with blackcurrant
(Foreshadowing- She did… TWICE. YAAAY!)
Me- I really hate gin but go for it.
Anabelle- Elderflower and blackcurrant go really well together- fun fact. But I do like them separately
Me- If we get the Seven PM Snow White dinner Magic Kingdom is next door and closes at
Ten. (Anabelle agrees)
Anabelle- Maybe we can watch the Pageant!!!
(Foreshadowing- We did, accidentally, a different day, but didn’t even try that day.)
Me- Sweet. It runs outside the park at about that time, I think.
Anabelle- Moroccan spiced lamb? Hello
Epcot food >>>>>>>>> Excellent pairing 😝
Anabelle- Nooo : (but my outfit is coordinated to go to Magic Kingdom after) My tightrope ears
Me- We can go wherever you want
Anabelle- sigh
I like the plan where we go to EPCOT again on the last day. We will have time for that right?
‘Cause we will have two whole EPCOT nights and I feel like flowers will be better in the day anyways.
ME- Fair point. Yeah. Depends on how much MGMing you wanna do on day two there.
Anabelle- Muppets.
Me- Yes. That’s why it’s the last day.
Anabelle- Does Muppets open with the park?
Me- Um…
Hold please…
Anabelle- Or did you not look at that yet?
Me- It’s on page two of the grid. I’m brushing my teeth
It’s not part of Extra Magic Hour Half Hour.
Anabelle- rats …
So we fart around, perhaps ride Tower of Terror or something.
(Foreshadowing- Not “or something.”)
Watch Muppetvision like 3 times
Leave
See flowers
Go back to hotel
Me- But it said it opened at 9 today which is normal park opening
Sounds like a plan
Anabelle- We are definitely going to MK after Animal Kingdom that day
since we only have one full MK day
The second day I mean
Me- Good point
Even stealing an extra hour there Monday night. MK has the most stuff
Anabelle-What color should I make downtown Disney?
Me- What are the other four?
Anabelle- Blue purple red and green. Hotels are orange. So maybe pink?
Me- Yellow doesn’t work? That’s the only rainbow color you’re missing
Anabelle-I don’t have a yellow pen, *laughs* I did pink
Do you think we can explore the Polynesian instead on Monday?
We can take the monorail. We never get to go and I’m like obsessed with it.
Me- Whatever you want. But we’d have to take a boat there. The monorail doesn’t go to the Wilderness Lodge.
Anabelle- Oh yeah 😶🌫️
Me- Sure. I’ll put it on tomorrow’s Grid update.
Polynesian is where the Pageant starts. If fireworks are at Nineish it’ll be there 9:20.
(Foreshadowing- We, however, would not.)
Anabelle- YIPPEE
Me- Birnbaums still lists Magical Express on the “getting from the airport” page. And then says it doesn’t exist anymore. Way to rub it in.
Anabelle- bruh
wtf
Me- Yeah. I guess the change is still new to some people
Anabelle- L
Me- Yes. I’m trying to really read the book this time. But it’s hard and a lot doesn’t apply. Think I’ll go back to looking at pictures.
Anabelle- hahaha! Is there still trivia in it?
Me- I didn’t get that far. I’ll look. Ooh. Pretty fold out map of THE WORLD in the back cover
They have a Hidden Mickeys list and a “Where in the world” photo quiz for each section.
(Anabelle approves)
(Foreshadowing- The Flower Shirt got moved to a full EPCOT day and worked excellently, finally making the trip after YEARS of just missing.)
Me- Groovy. Birnbaum’s does not list Nomad Lounge at all and still lists the pulled pork donut. Pictures it is.
Anabelle- *laughter and good night*
Me- Follow up. Grid updated with suggested hopping and Polynesian farting around. I’ll send a new one in a couple of days when all the tentative park hours are listed. And you can get to EPCOT from MGM by bus, removing the need for forty minute boat ride or Hanging Sky Death Thing.
Anabelle- Yippee!
(Foreshadowing- We did not bus, we walked. Because we are insane.)
Anabelle- I’m ordering my heart Converse literally right now. Are you kidding? Lunch time came in clutch those have been sitting in my cart for ages. I’m so excited to stomp around Disney together in our crazy shoes.
(Foreshadowing- Alas.)
Wait. From January to April 2026, why are some things listed so far in advance and the stuff I print out changes a week before we go?
Rosa- *laughs*
Anabelle- That is crazy. OK But we’re rallying China movie.
Me- I love that one.
Anabelle- We are seeing it both EPCOT days.
Rosa- *winks*
Anabelle- I travelled back in time and told myself that, so now to keep the timeline intact we have to. I don’t make the rules.
Rosa and I- *laughs*
(Foreshadowing- We did not see it both days. However, the second day had Anabelle pull at epic sprint into the China movie lobby from Norway to finish her “see all the princesses” side quest.)
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2 comments:
ohhh i'll brave a gin drink she says
this would have VERY intense consequences for about 90 minutes
Gin drinks will do that.
Thanx for playing!
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