How much Christmas can we squeeze into 3 days? Nov/Dec 2015 TR *NEW TR Link 5/18!*

[ashw100]

Sounds like a great morning. The huge drawback to JTA is missing out on RDing a ride and when you have people who want to do TSMM and RNR, it's a HUGE pain. It will be worth it though they will love JTA. Yay for some solo mommy time in the parks.

 

[hokieinpa]

Do yourself a favor now. In preparation for our March trip (When I will have relatives also traveling to Orlando ) I discovered a bit of a gem of advice, The 10 a person cancellation fee only counts if no one on the ADR shows up. It does not however kick into effect if you say make an adr for 10 and only 7 show. All of this to say, Do yourself a favor now. Make all of your adrs for the highest number of people that could join you. If/when they decide to spring a "Hey can we join" you can respond with a Sure! instead of a stressed out fight. If they don't join you just let them know when you check in that a few didn't show.

Such a good idea! I need to go and see what I can get since I have all of our ADRs made. I think the only one they may join us for is Ohana dinner one night but I'll start looking for an ADR for 9.

Yay for first! good job!

It felt like we were a step behind during our first trip so I was happy to start out on time!

Not bad for a 3 year old!!! Pretty impressive actually!

I was impressed with his score!

We totally used this fact on our trip. In fact they also don't charge you if you make 2 reservations and less then the number of people for the first reservation show and none for the second. There was one day when we had a reservation for 11 and a reservation for 5 and we only had 5 show. We had another day with a reservation for 11 and a reservation for 2 and only 6 showed. As long as someone shows they will count it. They will also be happy to seat you together if you have 2 reservations at the same general time (we had a couple up to 15 minutes apart and it was no issue).

I'll keep my eye open for a reservation for 9 for the one resort ADR we have - Ohana. Better safe than sorry!

Glad you were able to leave the hotel the time you wanted to!

Love all the early morning and TSMM pics!

Nice getting to meet Mickey with no wait! And great pics with Buzz & Woody!

I was really happy that we were all ready to go so quickly - I felt like we were always running behind on our last trip.

And we had great character meets to start out our day!

Love how excited the boys were for TSMM, "stretching out their shooting arms"!

Adorable Buzz and Woody shots! I always find at Disney that people are so friendly and chatty in the lines. I love it when you meet people like that.

TSMM was serious business for them!

And I love how friendly everyone is in line (for the most part) and that you can just chat away to pass the time. These ladies were super nice and very sweet to the boys!

 

[hokieinpa]

GOOD on them! (Mine were never late, but they were never early either. )

I may have put a little touch of fear into them before the trip.

So by that you mean 10,000 more awesomer, right? (I was never a hat fan...)

Agreed - seeing is now the hat was really awkward there. I love the view now!

BAHAHA! That kid!

They don't mess around at TSMM!

CUTE! And look at your super-cute customized Minnie ears!

I was in love with them! And that I could just wear the bows stand alone too. I need to order some for May ASAP!

Bahaha! SHAMEFUL!

Right? I need to step up my game before our next trip!

SAY WHAAAAAAAAT!

Such great photos!!

Right? No one knew Sorcerer Mickey was back there. The sign was super small and the Times Guide was totally wrong. Fine by me since we saw him so quickly! And it was a really cute meet!

This is a really cool photo, that was super sweet of her to offer!

I really like this picture too! Very silly which is perfect. And those ladies were AMAZING! They let the boys get all over their pins and kept them entertained for a long time.

It was heaven! And a nice preview for October!

Great pics and it looks like the boys were really enjoying themselves. I honestly think Buzz and Woody is the best M&G because they always seem so in character and really do interact with the guests.

We've always had great interaction with Buzz and Woody! They do a great job playing off each other and that makes it more fun!

Loving your TR so far Jamie. Glad to hear the dinner went well with your in-laws, but I can't wait to see how the next one goes..

Thank you! And oh boy, the headaches...

I laughed wayyyyy too hard at this, haha!!!

I feel like T-Rex sometimes gets negative reviews because it's a pretty kid-themed restaurant not really known for its food. I've read quite a few reports with positive things to say about T-Rex! Not sure that we'll get there all that soon but it's definitely a place worth checking out in the future.

I read lots of reviews - ok food, fun but loud, etc. But e had a really good time. The food was really good and you can't find a better place for 3 boys to have dinner!

I love this stage area now! It was definitely crowded that night, holy moly.

Disney Springs looked totally different than our last trip. And it was very busy. I need to plan a visit on a non-weekend maybe?

OMG, that is awesome!!!! How cute. What a nice surprise!!

It was a very nice way to end our first night! I love Disney CMs!

Ahahahahaha... grandma didn't stand a chance!!

They have the system all figured out!

That is awesome!! I think we've managed to rope drop to TSMM ONE time.. but that's probably my favorite "rope drop" ride to do.. 15 minutes is not bad at all, and the queue is actually fun so it flies by.

It was worth it for the short wait! I'm going to miss getting to this at RD next trip when we go for JTA!

Sounds like a great morning. The huge drawback to JTA is missing out on RDing a ride and when you have people who want to do TSMM and RNR, it's a HUGE pain. It will be worth it though they will love JTA. Yay for some solo mommy time in the parks.

I hate giving up that RD for an attraction. But I know they will have a blast at JTA. Now I'm just worried about getting a spot! I've heard there are lots more spots now since the refurb and added stage. And the solo time was soooo nice!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Such a good idea! I need to go and see what I can get since I have all of our ADRs made. I think the only one they may join us for is Ohana dinner one night but I'll start looking for an ADR for 9.

Have you tried logging in to MDE and seeing what that "Modify reservation" button does? I thought I heard that you can change the number of people on there now. If you do look at it let me know its actual purpose! I'm curious.

 

[hokieinpa]

Have you tried logging in to MDE and seeing what that "Modify reservation" button does? I thought I heard that you can change the number of people on there now. If you do look at it let me know its actual purpose! I'm curious.

Ok I tried this when I was adjusting a few ADRs last week. It seems like the change/modify button is just another search feature. It will search the ADR system just like going into the dining section of MDE. It will only allow you to search for available ADRs, not change the party size or time to whatever you want. Boo!

 

[hokieinpa]

One Man's Dream


***I'm just going to jump in here before the update and say that I have happy (for me) news! Remember how my SIL and BIL dropped in for ADRs, etc. without notice during this trip. They're moving from Cocoa to Georgia! They will be moving before our May trip. Of course, I'm really happy for them as it's a good career move for BIL. And maybe just a little bit happy since that means the likelihood of them joining us for any ADRs is slim to none since they will be several hours away. ***


After meeting our first round of characters, it was time for our group to split up. I needed to head over to Guest Services to upgrade my ticket to an AP and purchase a Tables in Wonderland card.

I sent everyone over to the Disney Junior Live show that was starting in about 15 minutes.



And I headed up to the front of the park to Guest Services. I met an awesome CM Stephanie who did a great job upgrading my ticket and making sure all of my ADRs and FP+ transferred.

With my shiny new AP and TiW cards in hand, I headed out for a little solo time before the Disney Junior show let out. I'll admit that I was a little giddy! I could do ANYTHING I WANTED! Not something that happens often when you're used to touring with 6 other people. It was a nice preview for my solo adventure in October!

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My first stop was Starbuck for a treat! I also picked up 3 of the Christmas Castle mugs for me, my mom, and a Secret Santa exchange at home.

Mommy solo time selfie!



So where would I go with my few minutes of alone time?

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Time for a speed drive by at One Man's Dream!

I was really excited - with all of the rumors of One Man's Dream closing to make way for Star Wars/Toy Story Lands I knew that I wanted to see it at least once.

Side note - I was surprised at the number of people walking up and asking the CM at the entrance "What is this?". I don't know if it's because I'm so involved in planning and here on the DIS but I am continually amazed at how many people seem to go to WDW with almost no clue!

Now I could have easily spent over an hour in here reading every little detail. I tried to speed read and hit the highlights with my limited time so here you go!

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I loved this model of the inside of the audio animatronic Abraham Lincoln!

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One of my favorite quotes!

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Sigh. Even in miniature, it's perfection.

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And that was that. I'm not sure of the future on One Man's Dream. I keep hearing rumors but I think it's still open as of now. I'll be spending more time here if it's still open in October!

I got a text from my mom saying they were getting out of the Disney Junior show. I headed over to meet them so we could head to our next show to see our favorite Mermaid!

I also forgot to post a PP shot that we got as we entered the park that morning!

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Next up - Random Hollywood Studios Fun[/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url]

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Yay for some Mommy time!

Ok I tried this when I was adjusting a few ADRs last week. It seems like the change/modify button is just another search feature. It will search the ADR system just like going into the dining section of MDE. It will only allow you to search for available ADRs, not change the party size or time to whatever you want. Boo!

Well what the heck is the point in that?

Of course, I'm really happy for them as it's a good career move for BIL. And maybe just a little bit happy since that means the likelihood of them joining us for any ADRs is slim to none since they will be several hours away. ***

I don't know if it's because I'm so involved in planning and here on the DIS but I am continually amazed at how many people seem to go to WDW with almost no clue!

I always feel the same way. I just don't understand how someone could spend that much money without doing their homework first.

 

[Vernie822]

***I'm just going to jump in here before the update and say that I have happy (for me) news! Remember how my SIL and BIL dropped in for ADRs, etc. without notice during this trip. They're moving from Cocoa to Georgia! They will be moving before our May trip. Of course, I'm really happy for them as it's a good career move for BIL. And maybe just a little bit happy since that means the likelihood of them joining us for any ADRs is slim to none since they will be several hours away. ***

YEAH!!

With my shiny new AP and TiW cards in hand, I headed out for a little solo time before the Disney Junior show let out. I'll admit that I was a little giddy! I could do ANYTHING I WANTED! Not something that happens often when you're used to touring with 6 other people. It was a nice preview for my solo adventure in October!

HAHA, I love the Anna insert.. too stinkin funny. I love solo time at WDW, just to soak it all in.. get a Starbucks.. take a look around.. ah.

Time for a speed drive by at One Man's Dream!

YAAA! I love One Man's Dream! So awesome that you got to take a spin through on your own and take it all in, I've heard it's going away too but we'll see.. It's probably one of the best things at HS. So much history there!

Now I could have easily spent over an hour in here reading every little detail. I tried to speed read and hit the highlights with my limited time so here you go!

The Readers Digest version is just as good.. so much to see there!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

***I'm just going to jump in here before the update and say that I have happy (for me) news! Remember how my SIL and BIL dropped in for ADRs, etc. without notice during this trip. They're moving from Cocoa to Georgia! They will be moving before our May trip. Of course, I'm really happy for them as it's a good career move for BIL. And maybe just a little bit happy since that means the likelihood of them joining us for any ADRs is slim to none since they will be several hours away. ***

I don't blame you for feeling that way at all.

I also picked up 3 of the Christmas Castle mugs for me, my mom, and a Secret Santa exchange at home.

I also got one of those, so cute!

 

[taymorel]

Loving your trip report so far!

 

[DonnaBeeGood]

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[missangelalexis]

Yay for solo time! I'm glad you got to spend some time at One Man's Dream

And I'm glad to hear that the May trip should hopefully see no additional guests

 

[hokieinpa]

Yay for some Mommy time!

It was sooo nice!!

Well what the heck is the point in that?

I think it's so that you can go just to your reservations page to try and alter ADRs rather than searching/canceling from different pages? But wouldn't it be nice if you could just change it to suit you from the modify page?

I agree!

I always feel the same way. I just don't understand how someone could spend that much money without doing their homework first.

I know that planning can be overwhelming but it's something I really enjoy and love every minute! But it baffles me that some people go in with so little knowledge!

YEAH!!

Right?? No more surprise guests!!

HAHA, I love the Anna insert.. too stinkin funny. I love solo time at WDW, just to soak it all in.. get a Starbucks.. take a look around.. ah.

That Anna GIF is my favorite by far! And the little bit of solo time was amazing! So relaxing to be able to take a minute and just enjoy. And I found out it's so much easier to get around with no stroller!

YAAA! I love One Man's Dream! So awesome that you got to take a spin through on your own and take it all in, I've heard it's going away too but we'll see.. It's probably one of the best things at HS. So much history there!

I was so happy I got to spend a few minutes looking around One Man's Dream. I really hope it's still around in October because I could spend much more time reading through everything!

The Readers Digest version is just as good.. so much to see there!

It worked for me this time for sure!

I don't blame you for feeling that way at all.

The job change and move is good for all of us for different reasons! Mine just might be a little more selfish!

I also got one of those, so cute!

I love that mug - I think I used it almost every day between my trip and Christmas!

Loving your trip report so far!

Thanks for following along!

Can everyone say "silver lining"...

Yes! It's good for everyone all around!

Solo time!

I'm pretty sure I looked like that dancing banana guy as I was walking up to Starbucks!

Did you see the movie? DD15 wasn't feeling the movie, but I did enjoy looking at the rest of the exhibit!

I was really sad it wasn't the Walt movie! It was a 10 minutes preview of the Good Dinosaur so I skipped it this time.

Yay for solo time! I'm glad you got to spend some time at One Man's Dream

And I'm glad to hear that the May trip should hopefully see no additional guests

My few minutes alone were so nice and really different! And I'm so glad I got to see One Man's Dream. I hope it will stick around until October but if not at least I saw it once!

And I think their move to another state is good for everyone...I just may have more selfish reasons!

 

[KathyM2]

Because we need more stuffed animals in this house.

I had to laugh at this...same thing happens in my family...grandma buys them whatever crap they want and it clutters up the house. With my MIL we have a rule, "you can buy them whatever you want, but it lives at your house" lol

Full on pirate gear for each boy - bandana, eye patch, and sword.

How awesome!!!

Mornings really are my happy time, especially Disney mornings!

The best!!! When you have a whole Disney day ahead of you!!

After meeting Buzz and Woody and seeing one of the Green Army Men, it was time for a little split. I needed to head up to Guest Services to upgrade to an AP. And maybe for a little Mommy alone time?

What could be better than that!!! So awesome...Disney alone time...I don't know what I would do with myself!

 

[MissMaryQC]

Yay for mommy solo time!!

I love One Man's Dream so much. I hope that when it's closed its moved and expanded. Walt is the beginning of all these magical things, and I love being able to follow along in his life and see all his wishes come true.

And yeah, I'm still shocked at how clueless some people are when it comes to vacationing. It's not just in WDW. My cousin just did a semester abroad in Spain where he heard two people complaining that everyone only spoke Spanish...? Seriously? With so much information just a click away you'd think people would do a little research.

Can't wait to see what's next for you guys!

 

[oceanmarina]

I'm catching up on your last two posts. LOVED the sorcerer mickey picture ! - I didn't even know he came out at Hollywood Studios , i'll put that on my bucket list for next trip. Along with the army men, have never seen them while lurking around TSMM

Looking forward to reading your next update!

 

[kastoney]

We followed the crowd back to Pixar Place and got in line for our first ride on Toy Story Midway Mania. We had a FP+ for this later in the day but I wanted to squeeze in two rides. I know that we will most likely try for Jedi Training Academy in May so we won't be able to hit TSMM at Rope Drop. Jedi Training Academy was closed for refurb during our trip so I know the boys will be excited to try it in May!

Have your boys done Jedi Training before? Think we're gonna try it for our daughter in April and just wondering how crowded it really gets since we aren't a family that is very good at moving early in the morning.

Of course I asked, "What are you doing?" And he replied, "Hold on, I'm stretching my shooting muscles!"

After our spin on Toy Story Midway Mania, the plan had been to meet Buzz and Woody. But as we were gathering up the stroller I noticed a CM standing next to a sign saying Sorcerer Mickey was meeting in the alley right behind TSMM. I asked her if the wait was long and she said it was empty! We hustled over and met our first Mickey of the trip with no wait!

SCORE!!!!! We happened upon Mickey on our last trip too and were shocked there were so few people there.

Seriously, could they be having any more fun??

I don't think so

***I'm just going to jump in here before the update and say that I have happy (for me) news! Remember how my SIL and BIL dropped in for ADRs, etc. without notice during this trip. They're moving from Cocoa to Georgia! They will be moving before our May trip. Of course, I'm really happy for them as it's a good career move for BIL. And maybe just a little bit happy since that means the likelihood of them joining us for any ADRs is slim to none since they will be several hours away. ***

Love that your family moving further from Disney is good news.

With my shiny new AP and TiW cards in hand, I headed out for a little solo time before the Disney Junior show let out. I'll admit that I was a little giddy! I could do ANYTHING I WANTED! Not something that happens often when you're used to touring with 6 other people. It was a nice preview for my solo adventure in October!

Ahhh, alone time. What is that? Don't think I've experienced any semblance of it for 5 years and certainly not at disney. Good on ya.

And that was that. I'm not sure of the future on One Man's Dream. I keep hearing rumors but I think it's still open as of now. I'll be spending more time here if it's still open in October!

Great usage of your time. We did it on our last trip too for the same reasons. Hoping they are in fact just rumors though.

 

[hokieinpa]

I had to laugh at this...same thing happens in my family...grandma buys them whatever crap they want and it clutters up the house. With my MIL we have a rule, "you can buy them whatever you want, but it lives at your house" lol

The toy situation is out of control here. We have a playroom, basement, and living room plus a few things in their rooms and we still have extra toys in storage. I am so over the toys!

How awesome!!!

It was such a special, only at Disney moment.

The best!!! When you have a whole Disney day ahead of you!!

Disney magic! I wake up at Disney like a chipper little bird or something!

What could be better than that!!! So awesome...Disney alone time...I don't know what I would do with myself!

I hardly knew how to handle it! I felt like a little kid running away or something!

Yay for mommy solo time!!

Yes! It was sooo nice to get a few minutes alone!

I love One Man's Dream so much. I hope that when it's closed its moved and expanded. Walt is the beginning of all these magical things, and I love being able to follow along in his life and see all his wishes come true.

I really enjoyed One Man's Dream. I really hope it stays around in some form. I honestly got tears in my eyes walking through. I'm glad I got the chance to see it!

And yeah, I'm still shocked at how clueless some people are when it comes to vacationing. It's not just in WDW. My cousin just did a semester abroad in Spain where he heard two people complaining that everyone only spoke Spanish...? Seriously? With so much information just a click away you'd think people would do a little research.

I just have to shake my head at house clueless some people are! Crazy!

I'm catching up on your last two posts. LOVED the sorcerer mickey picture ! - I didn't even know he came out at Hollywood Studios , i'll put that on my bucket list for next trip. Along with the army men, have never seen them while lurking around TSMM

Looking forward to reading your next update!

Thanks for following along!

And it was a great meet with Sorcerer Mickey - especially with no wait! And the Army Men are really fun!

Have your boys done Jedi Training before? Think we're gonna try it for our daughter in April and just wondering how crowded it really gets since we aren't a family that is very good at moving early in the morning.

No, we've never done JTA. We line up for it...once. Waited in line for almost 30 minutes and Nate decided that he didn't want to do it at the very last minute as we were selecting our time slot. So...we'll see how it goes this time. And I do think you need to be there right at rope drop to get a spot. I know there are more spots now with the double stage but I think they still go quickly.

SCORE!!!!! We happened upon Mickey on our last trip too and were shocked there were so few people there.

I don't think it's well publicized and there is so much going on around with TSMM that it gets overlooked.

I don't think so

We are huge Buzz and Woody fans!

Love that your family moving further from Disney is good news.

Kind of backwards, right? But better for my sanity!

Ahhh, alone time. What is that? Don't think I've experienced any semblance of it for 5 years and certainly not at disney. Good on ya.

Right? A trip to the grocery store by myself is a treat around here so this was like heaven!

Great usage of your time. We did it on our last trip too for the same reasons. Hoping they are in fact just rumors though.

It was the perfect activity for a little solo time. I hope it stays around for a little longer!

 

[hokieinpa]

Random Hollywood Studios Fun

**Before I get started, another fun announcement! If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you'll know what I'm talking about! I don't want to post too much here due to the rules of the boards but I just signed a contract with an agency to be a travel specialist. I'm going to get to help people plan their Disney vacations and it's a job!! I've been looking for something to do at home and this is so perfect. I'm EXCITED!!



When we left off, we had just reunited after my solo trip to One Man's Dream and the others had seen the Disney Junior show. Seeing the Voyage of The Little Mermaid was a high priority for this trip. I know rumors are circulating that it will be going away to make room for the new Star Wars and Toy Story lands. That list of "at risk" attractions is pretty big!

The Little Mermaid was the first movie that I saw in theaters and is my favorite princess movie. So I was excited to see this show!



Nate agreed to see a "girl" show for me. "Because you're a girl, mom. And we can see this for you." So kind of him to accommodate me!

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Forgive his mouth stuffed with fruit snacks!

I really enjoyed the show - short and sweet! I think we can skip it in May but if it's still around in October I know I"ll see it again.

Our next destination was a place for the boys to burn off some energy! We headed back over through Pixar Place to the Streets of America.

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I liked seeing all of the lights, just ready and waiting for that night! We enjoyed checking out some of the decor along the way.

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Mr. Gold's! I had to take a picture!

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Jake and Mommy selfie!

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We stopped in a little shop. I think we got each boy a Star Wars shirt here. And Nate was dying to get these R2D2 ears but since he still has the Buzz ones I said no. He settled for a picture instead!

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And I think these were Han Solo in carbonite keychains?

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Finally, we made it to our destination!

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The boys had a blast here last trip and they were so excited to play. I was happy they would get a chance to run. Sounds like a win win, right? Let's just hold onto that feeling for a minute...because it didn't last long.

It all started out well enough. They were all having a great time, see?

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And that's where the pictures stop. Because the next 5 minutes were the scariest moments of my entire life.

I was with Colin, sitting inside one of the many tunnels. He said he wanted to go somewhere else and I said "Ok, wait for me to get up!" And did he wait?

No, he promptly took off. I got up as quickly as I could but I was cut off by some kids climbing the other way in the tunnel. I made my way out and Colin was nowhere to be found.

I looked EVERYWHERE. But that place is a literal zoo. I found my parents and Jim and we all split up looking for him. My heart was beating like crazy and I was in full panic mode. I was just about to go find a CM when I looked up at the ropes course.

And who was up there, jumping around like he didn't have a care in the world?

I did the mom yell, you know the one? And he came down right away. I took him out of the play area and we had a long and hard talk about what had just happened. It was not pretty, I promise.

So, for me, the closing of the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground is not such a bad thing.

Once I was able to breathe normally again, we found our strollers and decided to move on with our day. But no worries, happy times ahead!


Next up - Lunch and Hollywood Studios hits


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[DonnaBeeGood]

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