If our trip in January actually happens, I think it will have a different feel than our last trip. When we went this past January for our honeymoon we hadn’t gone in over a decade. A lot had changed in that time span (both for us and the parks) and we didn’t know what to expect, how things worked, how much time we had, etc…Also, we needed to see ALL THE THINGS.
If we go this coming January, we’ll know what to expect, how we prefer to do Disney, what’s worth our time and money and what isn’t. And, we won’t need to see everything. Rides that made us nauseous? Toss ’em out. Attractions that aren’t fun? Not this time (and I think I am solely referring to Stitch in this case). Some attractions (particularly shows) you don’t need to see every year. I’m evaluating everything to try to maximize our enjoyment. Of course, there are things we missed that we are going to do next time (Festival of the Lion King) and things we loved (Kilimanjaro Safari) that we plan to do more than once.
So, I’m making an every-growing, ever-changing list of personal goals I might want to pursue in January. I had one of these last time (bride ears, wakeup calls, pin trading) and it went well (except for meeting Gaston).
- Record the Ride Order on a Park Map– I got this tip from a user (SarahDisney) on the DIS boards. It’s hard to remember exactly how your day went when trying to match your photos to a timeline in order to make a trip report or blog about it. By simply recording the order of the rides (by writing a number next to each ride) you can get a clearer view of your timeline. You could also write the date and a couple of notes.
- Eat a Disney Cupcake– Disney is known for its seasonal and specialty cupcakes. We didn’t manage to try any last time. We should correct this.
- Pick-A-Pearl- After watching a YouTube video of it, I’d like to do the Pick-A-Pearl in Japan. It seems like a fun souvenir, it’s my birthstone, and there is a certain randomness to it that appeals to me. Oysters are like the biological equivalent of blind pin bags.
- Get Three New Autographs- I only managed 1 last year, so I’d like to shoot for three
- Get a Pair of Earrings from a Different Country- So last year, I got a pair of earrings from the Mexico Pavilion in Epcot that I adore. This time I hope to get one from a different country.
I have other ideas for this list, so it’ll continue to grow and change up until the trip. By posting it here, I can refer back to it later!
Crazy Cat Nerd 
I love to see these planning posts. So fun to see the thought that’s behind the scheduling.
That’s a great suggestion to note when attractions were experienced.
I also have never had a Disney cupcake =(
The pick-a-pearl thing is AMAZING! I’ve never done it, but I’ve stood around and watched countless times! That store is my favorite in all of the parks.
I was just recently reviewing maps and came to the conclusion I’ve never done a couple things in EPCOT. Since I’m a completionist, I’ll have to try to get to them next trip I make.
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