The OFFICIAL December 2014 - Christmas Magic

[KimBean]

Was up at 5:40, logged in stalking at 5:55 and by 6:10 got all my ADRs for 10 day trip 12/12-12/21 including Narcoosses, Princess dinner at Epcot (never remember how to spell), Chef Mickeys, and CRT!!! So happy. Was so concerned with the way the system wasn't working for some lately.

I'm glad fast passes are a midnight thing. I'm not a morning person.

Did a last minute reorg of our days yesterday (no park hopper) We were able to get 9 out of 10 days lined up as a recommended park on EasyWDW. Only one off is a 2nd HS day with a crowd level of 5 and we won't be staying for Fantasmic.

Super excited. Now it's countdown to FP Res.

 

[mouseaddicts]

I got a dinner ressie for BOG!!!

It was a LAST MINUTE CHANGE to our plans & just in the nick of time!!! DH & I were discussing plans with the kids (teenagers) on Saturday for our Dec trip. Sunday was our 180 for ADR's.

We had been thinking of LTT for dinner on one of our MK days for a couple of reasons - 1. we like "thanksgiving" type food & it's during the holidays and 2. we have a 14 yo DS who eats us out of house & home, so the all you can eat was an appealing feature! Well ...... we sat down Sat afternoon and found the DisUnplugged review of LTT from last year on YouTube & watched .... They gave it HORRID reviews!!! Soooooo ..... what to do???

I knew from reading and hearing all the stories that BOG is almost impossible to get. I knew we were only going for 4 days, so the odds of others with our dates booking ahead of us were pretty great. We were fine with getting a FP for lunch and doing it that way. That was the plan ..... until I found a video tour of BOG on YouTube Sat afternoon! Neither of the kids had seen pics or anything from the restaurant, so it was new to them. DD immediately stated she wants to eat THERE! DS walked through the room with the video playing, stops & watches for a moment and says "Where is this?" I tell him. He promptly responds with "We ARE eating there!" (remember, he's 14!) I explained to both kids the HIGH level of improbability of us actually getting the elusive BOG dinner ressie & said lunch there is our backup plan. "We want to eat dinner there!" was the consensus of opinion from the kiddos (you know - the ones NOT getting up to make ADRs at 6:00 AM!).

We set the alarm. We got up about 5:40 AM. We logged on. We could sorta see the screen through the sleepy fog .... I knew where to start - BOG! I knew I could not hesitate. I could not procrastinate. I could not mess around with dates! DH had us logged in and ready to go. He had to step away from the computer (it's early morning - you figure it out), so I took over the controls..... I made a few clicks around .... it was 5:58 AM ....I got to the BOG page and was ready to go .... at 5:59, our dates opened up on the calendar! I opted to go with Monday 12/15 since that is our last night of this trip - no messing around with earlier dates! I hit "find table" .... got an error message telling me to please try again ....... I hit "find table" ..... blah, blah, blah ... kept getting the same message over & over again. I don't know how many times I hit "find table" .... 10? 15? But, alas, it popped up!!! 5:30 PM or 6:55 PM!!! I quickly snagged the 6:55 and could instantly hear the angels singing!!! WE GOT IT!!! Wooo Hoooo!!! Yes, I was ready to shout it from the rooftops ...... but my neighbors just wouldn't get it!

Sorry - I know this was long, but I was sooooo EXCITED & NO ONE else understands!!!

 

[cajaput]

CONGRATULATIONS! Us here DEFINITELY understand!

 

[mouseaddicts]

CONGRATULATIONS! Us here DEFINITELY understand!

THANKS!!! No one else "gets it"

 

[saysib]

I know the feeling! I may have squealed when I managed to get the 2 hard to get ADRs on our 180 day mark. This was me

 

[mrobsch]

I know how you feel-- we will be at BOG too on the 15th! But earlier. All I could get was 4:50...got it at maybe 6:02.

 

[lam0037]

It's done! It's official! I got BOG!

My BF last night informed me that he really wants dinner at BOG. So, I wake up at 4:15 this morning (CT problems). I have everything ready to go and at 5:00 am I hit the find table button. And nothing happened. Nothing loaded, it just sat on that page. Cue mini heart attack. However, I was prepared in case of emergency with the second laptop.

And it worked. We have a 7:05 BOG on December 21st, our last night. And I got the exact time I wanted for our anniversary dinner at Artist Point , among our other ADRs.

And I looked and they still have tons of availability for parties of 2 and 4 December 20-22 if anyone hasn't gotten theirs yet and is worried!

 

[danceintherain]

I didn't wake up early enough this morning. We haven't planned a trip this far in advance in years, and I kind of refuse to set an alarm clock while my kids are still waking up before 6am (central time at the moment).

Anyways...my goal was the California Grill during the fireworks, but there wasn't anything available between 7:30 and 9:10. The fireworks are either at 9:30 or 10.
Now I have to decide which ADR we'll keep. I have one at 9:10 for December 13th and 7:25 for December 14th.
I'm leaning towards the 7:25, because we're meeting friends there and it's possible my kids won't be up to staying up for the fireworks anyways. In which case, we can leave before the fireworks if the kids get cranky.

I may keep trying for something between 8 and 9, but we'll see.
If I'm up earlier tomorrow morning, then I may try for the 15th instead.

That's really the only difficult ADR I have planned. It was a last minute decision, and we may end up canceling if our friends don't go on their trip. He's deployed right now, so they won't know if they can go until Octoberish.
I want Ohana for dinner too, but I won't be hugely concerned if we don't get it, especially since I've heard rumors that they took the chicken off the menu. We'll eat everything else, but the chicken was my favorite.

I'm happy to see that so many of you are getting the BOG ADRs you want! We did it last year, and it's such a gorgeous restaurant. I'll probably save a return trip for in a few years from now when our baby girl is old enough to enjoy it.

My big dilemma right now is tickets. I don't really want to be limited to just 4 days in the parks, but since it would be almost twice as expensive to forego the military tickets just for an extra day or two, I'm not sure if it would be worth it. We'll easily be able to fill our time with other things.
I'm considering doing a Christmas Party, even though I know we won't want to keep the kids out that late. It would give us a few more hours in the Magic Kingdom though, which may be all we really need.

 

[BDL]

We are officially booked for our December trip now.

We will be staying Wed-Wed 12/10-12/17 at POR. Already can't wait. So far the only thing we have in ink, is going to at least 1 MVMCP and going to Raglan Road on check in day. We will be doing the Holiday rounds. CP, Storytellers, Osbourne Lights, and resort hopping to check out the decorations.

Our ADR wish list is:
Kona (breakfast)
Tusker House (Breakfast)
Liberty Tree Tavern
Le Cellier (Mmmmmm... cheddar soup)
And we will hope to either get France or Japan for the CP dining combo

We will definitely book the MVMCP on 12/13 (haven't decided when the other 1 would be).

Now, I can officially start my PTR.

 

[BDL]

Hello all. The December cancelled ADR thread is now up.

CLICK HERE to follow along.

I've used this before. And it is incredibly helpful and hopeful.

LucyBC80, please add this to the 1st page.

 

[lam0037]

I have one at 9:10 for December 13th and 7:25 for December 14th. I'm leaning towards the 7:25, because we're meeting friends there and it's possible my kids won't be up to staying up for the fireworks anyways. In which case, we can leave before the fireworks if the kids get cranky. I may keep trying for something between 8 and 9, but we'll see. If I'm up earlier tomorrow morning, then I may try for the 15th instead

I know on regular Wishes nights you can still go on the deck if you have your receipt from earlier that day, and I assume it would be the same for party nights, like the 14th. You could always check out the Christmas decorations between dinner and Holiday wishes.

Also I do believe you can be let on the deck early if you have an ADR that starts after the time of wishes. So if fireworks are at 9 and your ADR for 9:10 and you check in 15 min before your ADR you could go on the deck as well. And if fireworks are at 10 then a 9:10 ADR would be fine for watching them, just a little late.

Hopefully you can get better times tomorrow but if not, you still can have both dinner and fireworks!

 

[danceintherain]

I know on regular Wishes nights you can still go on the deck if you have your receipt from earlier that day, and I assume it would be the same for party nights, like the 14th. You could always check out the Christmas decorations between dinner and Holiday wishes.

Also I do believe you can be let on the deck early if you have an ADR that starts after the time of wishes. So if fireworks are at 9 and your ADR for 9:10 and you check in 15 min before your ADR you could go on the deck as well. And if fireworks are at 10 then a 9:10 ADR would be fine for watching them, just a little late.

Hopefully you can get better times tomorrow but if not, you still can have both dinner and fireworks!

Yeah, I saw that, so I'm not hugely concerned. I'm leaning towards the earlier time for a number of reasons. Since it's early on in our trip, our kids will probably still be operating on central time, and thus will be able to handle a slightly later night. But 'slightly' is the key word. Even if things change by then, and they can handle an 8:30 or 9pm bedtime (right now it's closer to 8, because no matter how late we put them down, they still wake up by 6) ideally we'll still be back in our room by 9pm.
My research has indicated that the party fireworks last year were at 9:30, and the hours for December are indicating 10pm on normal nights, so it's a stretch regardless.
The best chance will be having them well fed and hopefully they'll both nap sufficiently earlier.
Also, December 14th is DH's birthday. The whole idea behind this scheme (we could have done something else together) was that both my friend and I want a custom cake, and it occurred to me that if we got one together it would both offset the cost and waste less. If it's DH's birthday cake, then it's even less likely that our husbands will give us a hard time about it.

 

[pigletto]

Morning everyone
I made my ADR's this morning and it went smoothly. I didn't want a BOG, but there were decent times available every day of our trip. So for anyone who makes their reservations soon, don't worry too much.
The system went smoothly and I had no problems. I ended up booking a Le Cellier for dh and I for our date night, but I don't know if that's what we want. It was just time to book something.
It's been a crazy week and I hadn't really decided what I wanted for sure. So I got the ones I know we want and I am sure we can fill in the rest.

 

[jeremeyp]

Well, I need to try to make BOG reservations tomorrow. I doubt I'll get them, though. I am staying off-site (Wyndham Bonnet Creek), so I don't get the benefit of the 180+10. Not very hopeful, I'm afraid it'll be completely booked.

This morning, I wasn't able to make dinner reservations at Le Cellier, but I did get lunch. And I got our MVMCP tix for December 16, so the planning is coming along.

 

[lam0037]

Yeah, I saw that, so I'm not hugely concerned. I'm leaning towards the earlier time for a number of reasons. Since it's early on in our trip, our kids will probably still be operating on central time, and thus will be able to handle a slightly later night. But 'slightly' is the key word. Even if things change by then, and they can handle an 8:30 or 9pm bedtime (right now it's closer to 8, because no matter how late we put them down, they still wake up by 6) ideally we'll still be back in our room by 9pm. My research has indicated that the party fireworks last year were at 9:30, and the hours for December are indicating 10pm on normal nights, so it's a stretch regardless. The best chance will be having them well fed and hopefully they'll both nap sufficiently earlier. Also, December 14th is DH's birthday. The whole idea behind this scheme (we could have done something else together) was that both my friend and I want a custom cake, and it occurred to me that if we got one together it would both offset the cost and waste less. If it's DH's birthday cake, then it's even less likely that our husbands will give us a hard time about it.

That adjustment from central time is the worst, especially losing an hour getting there. But, it is nice to gain an hour coming home (probably one of the only nice things about leaving). And I definitely think your plan for the 14th will work. And most tired kids would wake up at least to see the fireworks (or at least I did). The custom cake idea is genius! I want one for my boyfriend and my anniversary but even a mini cake is 35 which is outrageous to me. Like I'm used to spending 15 at Sam's Club for a cake that serves 12. Hope it all works out!

 

[CinderElsa]

Well, I need to try to make BOG reservations tomorrow. I doubt I'll get them, though. I am staying off-site (Wyndham Bonnet Creek), so I don't get the benefit of the 180+10. Not very hopeful, I'm afraid it'll be completely booked.

This morning, I wasn't able to make dinner reservations at Le Cellier, but I did get lunch. And I got our MVMCP tix for December 16, so the planning is coming along.

Even if you don't get the ADRs you want on your 180 day mark, there's still a good chance something will open up later. Keep an eye on the cancellation thread.

 

[jeremeyp]

Even if you don't get the ADRs you want on your 180 day mark, there's still a good chance something will open up later. Keep an eye on the cancellation thread.

Thank you. Will do. I did get reservations at Cinderella's Royal Table for 3 at 9:10 am. I'll keep an eye out for BOG, though.

 

[Dreaming~of~Disney]

So excited be celebrating Christmas back at Disney World this year. We even talked my MIL, FIL, BIL, SIL and my nephews into going. It will be my 7 year old and 5 year old nephews first trip.

 

[danceintherain]

Right now, I have:
California Grill
Hollywood & Vine
Artist Point

I'll probably be adding Whispering Canyon Cafe, Hoopdeedoo Revue, and Teppan Edo Candlelight Package.

I was hoping to get into Ohana, but now that we're probably doing the California Grill, it may not be in the budget. Since we've done it before, I'm not as upset.

I also need to decide if I want to go ahead and book an ADR at the Magic Kingdom, even though Crystal Palace is the only place we haven't done there. I'm not sure if I want to spend the money on another character meal.

 

[BDL]

Right now, I have:
California Grill
Hollywood & Vine
Artist Point

I'll probably be adding Whispering Canyon Cafe, Hoopdeedoo Revue, and Teppan Edo Candlelight Package.

We're also planning on doing HDDR and Teppon Edo is 1 of our hopefuls for the CP dining pkg.