CHRISTMAS VACATION (The Trip, Not the Movie): 12/19 - We're back, TR link on p. 25

[annnewjerz]

I've been to Disney for Christmas lot. I always loved touring the hotels. Make sure you go in the front entrance of the Grand Floridian. They have (or at least they used to) chestnuts roasting on an open fire and choralers singing. It's wonderful! All the hotels also used to have hot cidar and cookies.

Since you are a December expert, I might as well ask you----is it warm enough to wear flip flops in December? I have read varying reports online and I know weather can be hit or miss....but in your experience, they are something I should pack at least one pair of---right???

 

[chicagoshannon]

Definitely pack some flip flops but also pack what you would wear at home for the winter. I can honestly say that most of the times I've been (from 5th grade through college) at Christmas it was warm enough for shorts. There was one year though that it actually snowed! But I think on that same trip we were swimming. I don't remember a single trip where we weren't able to swim/wear shorts or at least short sleeves most of the time. You'll want to dress in layers because the morning will be cool but by about 10am it should be nice.

 

[khertz]

I'm planning to bring both flip flops and tennis shoes when we go. I did mostly flip flops in October and only one pair of Old Navy ones seemed to cause any trouble (the strap was rubbing on the top of my foot in one spot), so I wore tennis shoes a couple of times to give my feet a break from the straps. I live in south Louisiana and can wear flip flops in December sometimes, so I'm thinking Orlando will be about the same!

 

[chicagoshannon]

I forgot to mention the flip flops I got about 2 weeks ago. They're Speedo flip flops. They are so comfortable! I go them on sale for $10 at Kohls.

 

[annnewjerz]

I forgot to mention the flip flops I got about 2 weeks ago. They're Speedo flip flops. They are so comfortable! I go them on sale for $10 at Kohls.

Thanks for the recommendation---wish I would have caught that earlier, could have run out to look for a pair.

I'm glad to hear that (more oftentimes than not) December is still flip flops and t-shirt weather. We will be packing layers, and even bringing some heavier clothes that I would imagine you'd never need in Florida (gloves, scarves, under armor, etc.) Typically, when we go to FL it's Septemberish so we can just toss in a bathing suit, few pairs of shorts and tank tops and we're set---this will definitely be a different packing experience than usual.

 

[DWGal210]

Hi I'm here! Great start so far!

I am also interested in what people tell you about shoes - I hear ya on the blisters, etc, but my problem is that I have flat feet and so I also need a bit of support in a shoe...so I'll be looking at the recommendations that you get too

Have a good one!
Katie

 

[shordiebecka]

I too ponder the shoe thing- I'm in love with mary jane crocs, they fit my feet perfectly . I wore them for a week straight in the world last year, and i didn't have one blister or aching foot.

 

[annnewjerz]

Hi I'm here! Great start so far!

I am also interested in what people tell you about shoes - I hear ya on the blisters, etc, but my problem is that I have flat feet and so I also need a bit of support in a shoe...so I'll be looking at the recommendations that you get too

Have a good one!
Katie

I too ponder the shoe thing- I'm in love with mary jane crocs, they fit my feet perfectly . I wore them for a week straight in the world last year, and i didn't have one blister or aching foot.

Who would have EVER thought it could be so hard to find a pair of shoes that is comfortable and reasonably attractive for walking around in? Not me!

My biggest concern is if it is warm enough to wear sundresses/shorts/whatever. If it's cool and I wear jeans, they will cover the ugly shoes that I wear----but if I have something short that shows them, that's where I run into the problem.

For now, I'm order a pair of Reefs and we'll see how I like those. I like that they're rubber instead of foam and if for some reason they turn out not comfortable enough to wear all day---I can still use them for the beach this summer.

 

[annnewjerz]

So, one of my main goals for this trip was to cook up a few surprises for my Mom, since this will be her first vacation it what seems like a lifetime (but really, it has probably been about 12 years). With Mother's Day and her birthday coming up---what more perfect an opportunity to surprise her with something for our long awaited trip??

Here is where the internal battle began. I really wanted to show up our first day and have my DH and DM not know what we are doing at all. Only then would I tell them about my plan to go to Cirque du Soleil in Downtown Disney. This is something my Mom has always wanted to do and I figured it would be the perfect chance to do so.

As time passed after thinking up this scheme, I ended up telling DH what I had planned. I mean, it was a surprise for my Mom after all, so what's the harm in telling DH---right? Now that the cat is out of the bag, I am finding it harder and harder to keep it from my Mom. I am HORRIBLE at keeping surprises, it's just not my thing. I have already almost slipped three times, it's really hard to keep calling it "your surprise" instead of "La Nouba" and I just feel like I am going to tell her sooner or later anyway, so I might as well do it in a somewhat special manner.

Here is what I have come up with. For her birthday, I think I am just going to give her a card with a voucher inside. Here is the voucher I designed (it will be cut in half horizontally to make it look more like a ticket) since I can't really buy Cirque tickets until June.

Thoughts???

Should I try to hold out as long as possible in hopes of keeping the surprise, or should I just give in and give her this? Either way, I know she is going to be thrilled and that's part of the reason I want to tell her---I want someone to share in my excitement over the next 8 months!

 

[annnewjerz]

After thinking up the voucher idea for DM's birthday---I also designed one for Mother's Day, since that is right around the corner.

DM is notoriously difficult when it comes to gift buying. Everything we want to get her is "too expensive" or we should "spend the money on ourselves" etc etc. like I'm sure so many other Moms are.

So, I have decided that this year, I'm putting an end to it. She is going to let me buy her admission to the Cirque du Soleil and the Keys to the Kingdom tour whether she likes it or not!!!

Here is the voucher I came up with.

 

[annnewjerz]

So, after all of this planning to come up with surprises for DH and DM, I decided that it was time to plan something FOR ME!

Everyone has their WDW guilty pleasures, right? Well mine is "Living with the Land" in The Land pavillion in Epcot. I think it smells horrible---but for some reason I just have to go on this ride every trip.

This time, I decided that for the $15 or so that it costs, we will take the "Behind the Seeds" tour instead! At first DM seemed to have no interest and actually told me that maybe she'd skip it and just hang out by herself for an hour. That's a no no though, this will be the first day of our trip and it will be spent together whether she likes it or not. She has come around though and decided that she'll do it as well.

On a Sunday morning when we plan to tour the World Showcase from the time it opens until the time is closes, I just figured the tour would be a nice thing to do for an hour before we start our plan to "Eat and Drink Around the World." (more on that later though)

This is, however, the one thing on the trip that I can see changing. I have been really interested in doing it for a while, but considering this will be our first park day, I just don't know if I'll be able to keep myself from running onto the rides as soon as we enter Epcot.

Only time will tell!

 

[khertz]

We're doing a tour for the first time on this trip too! We'll be doing Keys to the Kingdom. I wanted to do Backstage Magic, but that really takes up your entire day, and DH and I will be doing it after our parents go back home. I didn't want to take up a whole entire park day that we have to ourselves for a tour! KTTK fit the bill of what we're looking for, so we're doing that one instead. I'm excited!

 

[chicagoshannon]

So, after all of this planning to come up with surprises for DH and DM, I decided that it was time to plan something FOR ME!

Everyone has their WDW guilty pleasures, right? Well mine is "Living with the Land" in The Land pavillion in Epcot. I think it smells horrible---but for some reason I just have to go on this ride every trip.

This time, I decided that for the $15 or so that it costs, we will take the "Behind the Seeds" tour instead! At first DM seemed to have no interest and actually told me that maybe she'd skip it and just hang out by herself for an hour. That's a no no though, this will be the first day of our trip and it will be spent together whether she likes it or not. She has come around though and decided that she'll do it as well.

On a Sunday morning when we plan to tour the World Showcase from the time it opens until the time is closes, I just figured the tour would be a nice thing to do for an hour before we start our plan to "Eat and Drink Around the World." (more on that later though)

This is, however, the one thing on the trip that I can see changing. I have been really interested in doing it for a while, but considering this will be our first park day, I just don't know if I'll be able to keep myself from running onto the rides as soon as we enter Epcot.

Only time will tell!

We're doing that tour too! 2 weeks from today. My mom LOVES gardening stuff and so does my dad so it's my present for them. Eric is going to go on the Land ride with Madeline while we do the tour.

 

[annnewjerz]

I wanted to do Backstage Magic, but that really takes up your entire day, and DH and I will be doing it after our parents go back home. I didn't want to take up a whole entire park day that we have to ourselves for a tour! KTTK fit the bill of what we're looking for, so we're doing that one instead. I'm excited!

This was my logic exactly and to be honest, I'm still hesistant about giving up 5 whole hours. We have one full day planned in MK with a 3 hour break for resort touring and then almost the whole evening will be parades, fireworks, etc. We have our departure day scheduled for MK as well and this is when we would be doing the tour, but I'm starting to wonder if I should just save the time and enjoy our last day meandering around Main Street and finishing up any attractions we missed. What do you think???

We're doing that tour too!

Looking forward to a review of it when you get back. I wanted to add a few "special" things into this trip that we wouldn't usually do and while the reviews on Allearsnet are helpful, I usually like hearing them from someone I "know" (i.e. someone I can ask a million questions to and see pictures from) Definitely let me know how it goes!!

 

[annnewjerz]

So, in an effort not to write a novel for every single entry---I am going to leave the lengthy entries for stuff I would consider important (i.e. Food, Tours, Itinerary, Food, etc.)

All of the other crap I find popping into my head everyday, I am going to make a "random thoughts" posting for.

Here's the first one:

I have decided that I'm mad at Disney. If they kept the ADR booking window at 180 days, I would be a mere 46 days from booking my dining reservations instead of a whopping 136!!!

WHAT am I supposed to do over the next 136 days to keep myself occupied?? Oh boy...

 

[annnewjerz]

Took some advice off of another thread and ordered some flip flops made by Reef. Zappos had a good deal, get two pairs for $27 with free shipping, so I figured I'd give them a shot. If they aren't comfortable for all-day wear, no biggie---who doesn't need another pair of flip flops for the summer?

Here's what I got. The black for matching with everything and even though typically I hate hot pink, I if they are the color as they appear on my monitor, I don't mind it that much and thought it might be fun for Disney to have a cheerier color than black.

 

[WDWRocksMySocks]

I'm subbing! I saw your link in another PTR I'm following and noticed your dates. My sister and I just decided on doing a December trip last night!!! The first couple weeks of December are the BEST time to go to WDW. It's so beautiful and the crowds are pretty low.

I see you're renting DVC points. I'm doing that for our August trip, and hope to for our December trip as well. Do you know the person you're renting from, or did you find them online? I was amazed at how easy the process was. Plus...we got points cheaper than it was going to cost staying at Pop! I was so excited!! We're staying at VWL in August, and hoping for AKV in December.

You should definitely get some trader pins on eBay. I've quickly gotten sucked into pin trading and I get a ton on eBay to take with me to trade in the parks. Be careful, though. Some sellers have scrappers (or fake pins) on there. I've had some pretty good luck, though. I can give you the names of sellers I've used in the past if you want.

And one more thing before I make this reply a complete novel...I own a pair of those Malindi Crocs. They are really comfy! DH thinks they look hideous, though. Psh, what does he know...right?

Forgot to mention...I think it's cool you're taking your DM with you guys. My Dad passed away back in 2003 and my Mom still has a rough time. She loves when we drag her to Disney with us!

 

[annnewjerz]

I'm subbing! I saw your link in another PTR I'm following and noticed your dates. My sister and I just decided on doing a December trip last night!!! The first couple weeks of December are the BEST time to go to WDW. It's so beautiful and the crowds are pretty low.

Apparently, I've been in early December before. I remember going for POP Warner week (yes, I was one of those kids) but really don't remember any decorations, any special things like the Osborne lights, etc. I'm really excited to go at an age where I can really enjoy it this time.

I see you're renting DVC points. I'm doing that for our August trip, and hope to for our December trip as well. Do you know the person you're renting from, or did you find them online?

We are renting points from someone over on the Photo Board named Laura. She had asked a question about AV cables to review her photos in the Boardwalk and I told her how lucky she was to stay there and that it was our "Disney dream" to do so. She then informed me that she was a DVCer and it was her home resort and competely joking I mentioned renting points to me----well, fast forward a few months and she did just that!!!

It is absolutely dirt cheap to rent them. We booked one night at POP for $90 with AAA discount and then the rest of the nights at BWV for $95 per night, how can you beat it?

You should definitely get some trader pins on eBay. I've quickly gotten sucked into pin trading and I get a ton on eBay to take with me to trade in the parks. Be careful, though. Some sellers have scrappers (or fake pins) on there.

I've purchased 40 pins on e-bay already. I'm no pin expert (in fact, I'm a compete newb) but all of them look authentic to me. I have a few "themes" that I'd like to add to when we go in December and then I'll probably buy some cheapies to trade. Right now, my designated themes to look for in WDW are Haunted Mansion, Tower of Terror, Splash Mountain and Chip & Dale. I also have all of the Vinylmation ones, but since there are only 10 available and I have them---I guess there will be no trading necessary.

I own a pair of those Malindi Crocs. They are really comfy! DH thinks they look hideous, though. Psh, what does he know...right?

I ordered 2 pairs of the Reef flip flops and bought another pair by Vineyard Vines that seems to have some arch support---but I'm probably going to test one more type of shoe out and the Malindi might just be it! What color do you have? DH thinks all of my flats look like Grandma shoes (even the leopard print ones) so I can't really rely on him for fashion advice---plus it's Disney. While I care---I don't care that much

I think it's cool you're taking your DM with you guys. My Dad passed away back in 2003 and my Mom still has a rough time. She loves when we drag her to Disney with us!

Thanks! My Dad passed away three weeks before my wedding in late 2005 and it was really rough, but after 3 or 4 years, it has gotten much easier. There are still days (and always will be) that we miss him like crazy and wish he was still around (he was only 49 when he died) but it is definitely easier than it used to be.

I'm hoping DM will really enjoy the trip. She has been to WDW two times when we were little and loved it and I think with all of the "special" stuff Christmas offers, as well as the extras I have planned---it'll definitely be a trip she'll remember.

Now that I have written my own novel---thanks for hopping on board and hopefully I have some fun stuff to update with sooner or later!!

 

[chicagoshannon]

I like the flops! What material is the strap? You'll have to let us know if they're comfortable!

 

[annnewjerz]

I like the flops! What material is the strap? You'll have to let us know if they're comfortable!

I think the straps are rubber. I'm not a huge fan of the foam-y flip flops, so I went with two pairs of rubbery ones hoping that they might be better if it is wet---like on a wet ride? Who knows! Basically, I liked the colors and I liked the price, only like $12 each pair.

The Vineyard Vines flip flops I picked up yesterday were on clearance for $10 (marked down from $40). They aren't exactly my cup of tea (they're foam with thicker straps and blue, I'm not a big fan of blue)---but they did have built in arch support, which I thought might be good for all-day walking around WDW. Too clunky to wear with a skirt or dress probably.

Here they are (very similar---the strap is blue instead of green, but you get the point):

My one concern now is that I will wear these pairs all summer because I want to break them in and they're comfy and instead---I'll end up wearing them out and need to buy more! Oh well---what are you gonna do, right?