*-Official February 2015 Thread-*

[leholcomb]

Everyone that set up FP forever ago is lucky. I can't do it till day of. I hope we can get some good times on our park day.

Why can't you buy tix in advance?

 

[captaindavidhook]

But Bonkers (yeah, totally nuts) seems to be the only gear I drive the week before a vacation! We can store itineraries on MDE?? I had no idea. Giving yourself a couple weeks to not go crazy is sound advice. Hopefully the binder works out well for your Universal day!

(*He says it's paying DSis and I back for putting out lives on hold to help him and mom after major health issues.)[/QUOTE]

Yes you can store any info on your itinerary that u like. Helps me with meals that are cs or just little notes here and there. I think the binder is going to work out well. I got enough stuff I can put in there. Sorry to hear about Mom and dad health issues. Hope all is well.

 

[xtremebodydrop]

Why can't you buy tix in advance?

My dad is a cast member so we don't have to buy tix. We just can't set anything up till we get there.

 

[leholcomb]

My dad is a cast member so we don't have to buy tix. We just can't set anything up till we get there.

Ahhh! Gotcha. Good luck!

 

[Susiequsie60]

My bands are coming. My bands are coming.

NOTE: Read the above like a little kid would sing it . . .

 

[hops&dreams]

I'm late to the party, but I'm here! We were dithering between Jan and Feb, and over Thanksgiving we booked Feb. I forgot to join a thread for our time frame!

It'll be me, DH, and DD11. We're arriving late on Jan 30, and staying until Feb 4... then we go to Universal for a couple of days.

We're staying at CSR, our first time not at WL It'll be a different experience, we're looking forward to checking out a new resort, but I will miss the boats to MK and the interior hallways.

This will also be our first experience with magic bands, FP+, and seeing the new Fantasy land. Last time we went, they were just moving Dumbo, and there were walls everywhere.

Also, this will also be our first time driving down. We're planning to stop in Pensacola on the way there, spend a day at the Naval Air Museum, and then continue on. We have a backup plan in case weather (snow/ice) impedes our drive... if it looks bad, we can delay for a day and cut our the Naval Air Museum. If it still looks bad, we'll bite the bullet and buy last minute plane tickets and cab it from Disney to Universal and then back to the airport to catch a flight home.

After our stay at Disney, we will head over to Universal Orlando for 2 nights at the Hard Rock Hotel - we'll have 2 park days with express passes! Excited to see all the Harry Potter stuff. It'll be our first time leaving Disney property in Orlando (as adults).

We have what parks on what days planned, ADRs booked and FP+s, and even a BOG lunch FP. ADRs are at Hoop Dee Doo Revue (a favorite of all of ours), 'Ohana, Coral Reef (new restaurant for us), and Boma (new restaurant for us).

And in the midst of all this planning/organizing, I'm planning to leave my job of 7.5 years for a new one... I have a phone interview this week, with an in-person interview to be scheduled at the end of the phone interview. Whew! My current employers don't know yet. Only time will tell if it pans out...

Ok... so sorry so long... but Hi!

 

[captaindavidhook]

My bands are coming. My bands are coming.

NOTE: Read the above like a little kid would sing it . . .

Actually you sound like Paul Revere when he used to yell "the British are coming, the British are coming" threw town. So Happy to hear this news. Great way to start the day!

 

[captaindavidhook]

I would like to know does everyone use up all there DP credits during their trip? Weather it would be CS or TS? Just curious.

 

[Guatemommy]

We will use them all - DH is also not one who will eat cereal or a bagel for breakfast so we will likely spend a lot on eggs in the AM when not at a character meal.

Last time in 2010 we bought from Garden Grocer but this time we decided to skip that cost and just pay for the few extras. We will try to get milk as a drink and fresh fruit for dessert when possible and use the next morning with cereal we will bring from home for DD and I. We were very stingy with using snack credits last time and since we had a stash of stuff from GG, we didnt need them as much in the parks. We ended up with way too many extra snacks at the end so we plan on being wiser with those this time around.

If you are not on free dining (which I didnt think was an option for Feb) and not using all your credits, then it is a waste of money. We go to a lot of character meals so with S/P/D, we make good use of the dining plan cost. We also are there for 8 full days but only 7 nights so only 7 days of DP so we will certainly use all our meals. Sometimes DD and I split a CS meal and use her meal for bfast the next day or something, but we def use them all.

 

[mmounsey]

We are back and recovered from our Miami trip (with multiple pitstops to WDW areas...DTD, BW, and a quick Monorail resort tour) and I am more than ready to get back!

I know once February hits, it will be a whirlwind of activity (2 birthdays (mine!), Valentine's, oh, and Mardi Gras madness!)

These past couple of weeks have already flown by...I hope we have warm weather while we are there...we were spoiled in Miami with perfect flip flop weather!

Just finished updating my little excel spreadsheet...basically empty since I have no ADRs, and no clue where we will be yet...scary, but it will fun since it will be the first trip back since the Disneymoon where no small children will be involved. Feels weird not having the entire family on this one...but after this quick trip, we can start planning the next one!

 

[limpy]

Uggggh! I am trying to snag a pre park CP on Feb 17 and one just popped up! But the website reloaded after I clicked on it - and then it was gone!

 

[JoTheBookish]

I would like to know does everyone use up all there DP credits during their trip? Weather it would be CS or TS? Just curious.

We are food people (like, REALLY food people) so I anticipate that we will use it all (and then some!).
We have ADRs every night but one, and one of those nights is at Le Cellier, so we use two TS credits for that. We are staying CL at BWI, so we plan to eat breakfast there every day, but we're early risers, so we'll end up eating a snack and lunch in the parks.

I am not as worried about losing $ on the DP because we had rebooked with the DP after a deal came up that was better than our original price, and now with the DP it is actually costing up less than we would have paid without (by about $300). Also, because we're not really on a tight budget, we will probably eat more than the plan allows for, especially with wine and apps at dinner. It made sense for us.

In other news, after several phone calls (and after learning that the original ones had been sent to an old address) our Magical Express luggage tags finally arrived yesterday!

Now, if only those Magic Bands would come...

 

[captaindavidhook]

We will use them all - DH is also not one who will eat cereal or a bagel for breakfast so we will likely spend a lot on eggs in the AM when not at a character meal.

Last time in 2010 we bought from Garden Grocer but this time we decided to skip that cost and just pay for the few extras. We will try to get milk as a drink and fresh fruit for dessert when possible and use the next morning with cereal we will bring from home for DD and I. We were very stingy with using snack credits last time and since we had a stash of stuff from GG, we didnt need them as much in the parks. We ended up with way too many extra snacks at the end so we plan on being wiser with those this time around.

If you are not on free dining (which I didnt think was an option for Feb) and not using all your credits, then it is a waste of money. We go to a lot of character meals so with S/P/D, we make good use of the dining plan cost. We also are there for 8 full days but only 7 nights so only 7 days of DP so we will certainly use all our meals. Sometimes DD and I split a CS meal and use her meal for bfast the next day or something, but we def use them all.

Thank you both! The reason why it is difficult filling in CS meals, is that I am spending two days at Universal. So neither one of those days I am planning on eating at Disney obviously. When I come from Universal I am eating a TS meal at DTD and the next time I do it, I am eating over at City Walk. Just trying to finalize everything today. Thanks again!

We are food people (like, REALLY food people) so I anticipate that we will use it all (and then some!).
We have ADRs every night but one, and one of those nights is at Le Cellier, so we use two TS credits for that. We are staying CL at BWI, so we plan to eat breakfast there every day, but we're early risers, so we'll end up eating a snack and lunch in the parks.

I am not as worried about losing $ on the DP because we had rebooked with the DP after a deal came up that was better than our original price, and now with the DP it is actually costing up less than we would have paid without (by about $300). Also, because we're not really on a tight budget, we will probably eat more than the plan allows for, especially with wine and apps at dinner. It made sense for us.

In other news, after several phone calls (and after learning that the original ones had been sent to an old address) our Magical Express luggage tags finally arrived yesterday!

Now, if only those Magic Bands would come...

And good luck on getting your Magic Band. I don't have them either. Soon I hope for us all.

 

[Dreamport]

Uggggh! I am trying to snag a pre park CP on Feb 17 and one just popped up! But the website reloaded after I clicked on it - and then it was gone!

Keep trying! The same thing happened to me for the 23rd but the next day something opened up and I managed to snag it! Someone must have gotten to it just a hair before you. Make sure you log in before searching for any meals and the reloading/making you sign in again doesn't seem to happen as often. Good luck!

 

[hops&dreams]

I would like to know does everyone use up all there DP credits during their trip? Weather it would be CS or TS? Just curious.

We've used all of ours on our past trips and will probably do the same for this trip.

TS - we have enough ADRs to use all of ours... we do one each day, except for our last day, which is a travelling day. That means one of our days uses 2, which we use for a signature or dinner show (we always choose the same dinner show - Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue, because we love it, and it comes with booze included).
CS - these are a little more tricky... we get 3/day (one for each of us). We bring our own breakfasts to eat in the room - pop-tarts, granola bars, bagels. For lunch or dinner (whichever is NOT our TS meal that day) we go for a CS meal, and usually get 1 or 2 meals. We share those between the 3 of us. Those "leftover" credits, we will get a "midnight snack" when we get back to the resort - maybe one whole CS meal to share between the 3 of us, or we might use 1 or 2 to get a breakfast on our last morning at the CS place in our hotel - mickey waffles - yum!

The thing we always have leftover are snacks! Last trip, we had 13 leftover on our last day! I got 13 bags of craisins, brought them all home and baked with them!!!

I think we are just used to eating much smaller meals then WDW serves, so we are always stuffed when we go to WDW!!! Between the CS meals and the TS meals, we just aren't HUNGRY for snacks, although there are some that just can't be missed... hello, Dole Whips, I'm talking about YOU!

 

[limpy]

Keep trying! The same thing happened to me for the 23rd but the next day something opened up and I managed to snag it! Someone must have gotten to it just a hair before you. Make sure you log in before searching for any meals and the reloading/making you sign in again doesn't seem to happen as often. Good luck!

Thanks Dreamport! Apparently I was being rather melodramatic, because I was able to grab an 8:25 res just minutes after writing that. The same thing happened when I complained about not getting BOG. Go figure.

Anyone know what time we can get into the park for an 8:25 res? Park opens at 9 that day. Trying to time our arrival.

 

[KayW]

Finally got an A and E FP today!! It's not until 8:30 at night but I will take it. It sure beats the 11:30 PM I saw originally.

 

[pwdebbie]

Hi. Popping in here to ask a question on behalf of my daughter who is making her first WDW trip the first week of February.

Is it warm enough for sandals on the kids?

 

[kiltclan]

Hey all! I'm still fairly new to the boards, but DH and I are going to be heading up Feb 9-11 for a celebration extravaganza. We're going to be staying in the FW Cabins (loop 2300 if all goes according to plan) and still plan on kilting up for the days.
We hope we get to meet some of y'all while we're there though!

 

[nancy155]

Hey all! I'm still fairly new to the boards, but DH and I are going to be heading up Feb 9-11 for a celebration extravaganza. We're going to be staying in the FW Cabins (loop 2300 if all goes according to plan) and still plan on kilting up for the days.
We hope we get to meet some of y'all while we're there though!

I think you will love the FW cabins. I have stayed there before and so nice and quiet! In the wooded area is so peaceful. Sorry to say but my last day at WDW is on the 6th. Have a wonderful trip!