OFFICIAL December 2009!! Celebrating the Holidays.. ADR list page 41 :)

[Montana Minnies]

I've posted on a couple of threads about when I was going,but can't remember right now, which ones they were, so sorry if I am repeating myself.
Me, my sister and our niece. Nov.27-Dec. 4, 2009. Our trip was booked in August, but my sister ordered our MVMCP tickets yesterday.
First time to stay at the Polynesian and first time to go during the Christmas Season.

I also like to post so I can check out my signiture and see how much longer we have until we go!

 

[duffy]

I booked a room at Port Orleans Riverside for Nov. 29th-Dec. 5th, for myself and my daughter who will be 14, and my sister and her 2 kids. We will have the regular dining package.

My daughter, one of my sister's kids and I were at WDW in Feb. 2008. My sister hasn't been there for at least 12 years, and has never been to the Studios or Animal Kingdom. My nephew has never been.

Can't wait!!

 

[chell]

We will be there the 12th to the 19th. My sisters, 2 nephews, dad and step-mom are going. This will be the first trip I've taken with the nephews. I'm SUPER excited about that! We are staying at the Swan.

 

[chell]

Hi...I am so excited to have found this board. There is a wealth of information at our fingers here. We have booked our first ever WDW vacation for 12/29/2009-1/9/2010. Woo Hoo for us.

My problem is deciding on which resort to stay at. We have a family of 5 which further limits our options.

Right now, we are booked into POR Riverside, will have to stay at Alligator Bayou due to our families size. I love the look of the grounds and the pool (hoping for some downtime to relax) and the boat to DTD. But the room is just kind of bleh.

Another option is to "downgrade" for an additional $700.00 because we are going at Christmas to a family suite at All-Star Musical. The rooms looks adequate, the size, 2nd bathroom and the kitchenette is fabulous, but the grounds are just tacky IMO.

I am a teachers aide so I am looking into the Swan/Dolphin, but they haven't released rates yet for January. Pro's and Con's of this non-Disney property?

Am I just being a snob? I should mention that it is our first EVER vacation with just my husband and the kids, we will be celebrating 2 birthdays and an upcoming high school graduation on the trip, so I want it to be perfect.

I am hoping they will have some kind of a special for the time after New Years since everyone says that is kind of slow. Do you think that might happen?

I haven't been able to find info as to if the Disney Water Parks will actually be open this time of year. I'm thinking no, but would like to know for sure before I buy my tickets without the water park option.

Any and all opinions, insight and experiences are appreciated. Thanks!

Look at all the pictures you can find and see how much that can help you. POR is a great place but like someone said, one bathroom may not be enough for a family of 5. The All Star resorts are a little "tacky" but I think they are fun. Actually of all the resorts I have stayed at on WDW property the All Star Movies is one of my favorites because it is so much fun and I'm 35 years old.

I'm also a fan of the Swan and Dolphin. This year they have a deal listed on their website that you can get a second room for $99, but I don't know if they will extend that to next year. It is a great place to stay! There are only two downsides to stay there verses all the other WDW resorts - you can't charge everything back to your room and you can't be on the dining plan. So if you want to be on the dining plan go ahead and mark that one off your list. But if you don't care about the dining plan really look into the Swan and Dolphin. There is a great thread about those two resorts on the Resorts Board.

Congrats on your first trip! Sounds like you are off to a great start since you are here. Some other great tools are MouseSavers.com, AllEars.net, the Unofficial WDW guide and the PassPorter. I just gave my nephews and my step-mother PassPorters for our December trip.

Any questions you have about anything ask here on the boards because someone will know or they will know where to ask! This place is awesome! Welcome to our little family!

One more thing, don't be upset if you don't get to swim - the weather can go either way, warm or cool.

 

[chell]

I went to Disney last year 12/5-12/13 and we are going the same time this year. It is Pop Warner week, but it was not nearly as bad as what I expected. I like this week because it is not crowded, prices are low, and the Christmas decorations are beautiful.

I need your touring plan then because we must h ave hit every park on the wrong day. It was packed everywhere we went. We were there for our Honeymoon. We are going the next week this year and hope it isn't as crowded.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I need your touring plan then because we must h ave hit every park on the wrong day. It was packed everywhere we went. We were there for our Honeymoon. We are going the next week this year and hope it isn't as crowded.

Pop Warner week is crowded and that is why we switched to the week after. The crowds didn't really start getting heavy until Saturday of that week.

Suzanne

 

[chell]

Pop Warner week is crowded and that is why we switched to the week after. The crowds didn't really start getting heavy until Saturday of that week.

Suzanne

We are doing the week after too because the week of was horrible for us last year.

 

[VikingInMouseEars]

We are hoping for Dec 5th-12th. Just need Disney to have a decent deal or get pin.

 

[njacob]

What is the 40% off code?

 

[Time Traveler]

We're planning to go to WDW November 29th-December 6th, staying at BWI for our first time! Also going to be doing DDP (standard) for our first time and its our first time staying there (as opposed to visiting for the day) during the holidays.

 

[duffy]

What is the 40% off code?

I got an email from Disney in late Dec./early Jan., offering me a room at 40% off. It was only good for certain dates, mostly for late this summer and fall. I booked my room, but got a better code a few days ago.

No, I don't know how I got the code. I signed up at Disney's site to get a free planning dvd, maybe that put me on a list.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

We are hoping for Dec 5th-12th. Just need Disney to have a decent deal or get pin.

Last year hat was the week that was excluded from the discounts because of all the early bookings and Pop Warner week. Good Luck

Suzanne

 

[Dani C]

I will be at POR from Dec. 21-24 and then at POP until Jan.2. Hope to see some of you there.

 

[Donald - my hero]

We are hoping for Dec 5th-12th. Just need Disney to have a decent deal or get pin.

Hey that is the EXACT same week we are going. this tirp is TEN years in the planning. We will be celebrating our 25th anni and since we have been saving for SOOoo long we can afford the Animal Kingdom lodge YIPPEE I can hardly wait. I know it will be during the Pop thingee but i don't care -- we tend to take things slow anyway

Almost frogot to mention we have got FREE airfare AND car rental with airmiles.

 

[dl0015]

Is it possible to get a PIN code if you already have your trip reserved?

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Is it possible to get a PIN code if you already have your trip reserved?

If one becomes available for the time you are going AND they have your category of room available and it is before the 45 day mark. You can sometimes change categories and use one. December codes usually come out in late August, early September for December. They might release something earlier, because codes and discounts are being e-mailed for October and November right now.

Suzanne

 

[barbeml]

...December 10-17 (same exact dates we were there last year). I got the buy 4/get 3 free pin code and it was a no brainer.

Best of all, it is such a great deal that my brother, SIL and nephew are going with us! They have been to WDW, but never for the holidays.

Hope to see some of you there!

 

[duffy]

Hey that is the EXACT same week we are going. this tirp is TEN years in the planning. We will be celebrating our 25th anni and since we have been saving for SOOoo long we can afford the Animal Kingdom lodge YIPPEE I can hardly wait. I know it will be during the Pop thingee but i don't care -- we tend to take things slow anyway

Almost frogot to mention we have got FREE airfare AND car rental with airmiles.

We celebrated our 25th anniversary in Feb. 2008 and stayed at the Wilderness Lodge! I hope you enoy your 25th as much as we did!!

 

[njacob]

Pop Warner week is crowded and that is why we switched to the week after. The crowds didn't really start getting heavy until Saturday of that week.

Suzanne

Hi Suzanne. When you say "Crowded" during POP week, what do you mean? Do you mean it took 90-120 minutes to get on an atraction, 30-45, or 15-20? Were FP issued every hour or every 2 hours? Were you ever there during Spring Break? If so, was it that kind of crowded? I was there 3/08 and attractions actually said wait time 90-120min. or by noon an attraction said "no more FP are being issued today".

Thank you SO much for any answers you can provide. I do really appreciate it!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Hi Suzanne. When you say "Crowded" during POP week, what do you mean? Do you mean it took 90-120 minutes to get on an atraction, 30-45, or 15-20? Were FP issued every hour or every 2 hours? Were you ever there during Spring Break? If so, was it that kind of crowded? I was there 3/08 and attractions actually said wait time 90-120min. or by noon an attraction said "no more FP are being issued today".

Thank you SO much for any answers you can provide. I do really appreciate it!

We didn't go during Pop Warner week last year, so I don't have first hand knowledge, but from what I read from others here, it was almost as bad as Spring Break, 1+ hour waits, FP's gone midday, sold out Christmas Parties. I don't normally use FP's myself, so I don't know how often they were allowing a reissue. The MK was pretty packed on Dec 20 and I have never been when it was that crowded, but in the days before it was very pleasant, wait times were 10 minutes for what we ride, I think Splash was 30 minutes, but I don't ride it.

We went Dec 2006 and it was bad enough then that we avoid that week. It wasn't as bad then though as what I heard from last year. Some of our issues the Pop Warner week we went were the groups of teens were acting out and that really bothered my mom, so we decided not to go during that time. Dec 2008 Pop Warner week also coincided with Mousefest, which is no longer taking place.

Suzanne