*12/13 Some News* 39 and Going Back at Christmas! A Dec. PTR

[shannn]

So, the December hours are out and I've made a few plans.

OPTION 1:

Sat. 12/19 staying at Holiday Inn DTD and driving in/ DTD

Sun. 12/20 MK at RD until lunch at The Wave
move into OKW at lunchtime
MK EMH counter service dinner

Mon. 12/21 Epcot at RD until lunch at Chefs de France
counter service dinner
Wishes Cruise

Tues. 12/22 DHS at RD until lunch
drive home



OPTION 2:

Sat. 12/19 staying at Holiday Inn DTD and driving in/ DTD

Sun. 12/20 Epcot at RD until lunch at Chefs de France
move into OKW at lunchtime
MK EMH counter service dinner

Mon. 12/21 MK (sleep in b/c we will have closed down MK the night before)
lunch at The Wave
Wishes Cruise

Tues. 12/22 DHS at RD until lunch
drive home

OPTION 3:

Sat. 12/19 Holiday Inn DTD
DHS Osborne Lights

Sun. 12/20 Epcot at RD until lunch at Chefs de France
move into OKW at lunchtime
MK EMH counter service dinner

Mon. 12/21 MK (sleep in b/c we will have closed down MK the night before)
lunch at The Wave
Wishes Cruise

Tues. 12/22 DTD
drive home


OPTION 4 (Add a day to our tickets)

Sat 12/19 Holiday
DHS Osborne Lights

Sun. 12/20 Epcot at RD until lunch at Chefs de France
move into OKW at lunchtime
MK EMH counter service dinner

Mon. 12/21 MK (sleep in b/c we will have closed down MK the night before)
lunch at The Wave
Wishes Cruise

Tues. 12/22 DHS at RD until lunch
drive home


Things to Consider:
1) Right now we have a 3 day pass thinking about Sun, Mon, Tues (until we leave) originally as park times
2) I'd love to see a park at night, the Osborne lights, etc.... but I don't want my friend to miss the big rides because we don't make rope drops
3) I think the PM EMH would be fun but don't know if it would be disgustingly crowded because of it being Christmas week
4) I picked The Wave & Chefs de France because those are restaurants I'd love to visit but I'm feeling guilty that I'm not planning on taking her to any "fun" (character type) meals
5) I probably shouldn't spend any more money, but I'm tempted to add a day to our tickets to get us another night
6) I purposely got us a DTD hotel so that we could go to DTD and it's not that convenient to going to the park. And I'd have to pay for parking twice.

 

[lmillercrew]

Just joining in and loving all your VB bags. I'm a newbie to the Vera. At first I thought they looked like quilt bags, but they grow on you!
Your Oct plans sound great! I wish that my kids had a fall break. My sister, in Omaha, has a four day weekend in the fall and then another four day weeked in Feb. Kinda breaks up the school year, but doesn't really give them time do go anywhere.
Some questions about your friend. Has she been there before? If not, and you can afford it, I would add an extra day. There is just SO much to see and do.

 

[Happydog]

Ugh... these are the decisions that cause sleepless nights!!!!

Gee... Well Chef's I'd do, definitely. Re The Wave, would you do California Grill instead? Are you doing the DDP? Are your choosing TS for lunch vs. dinner for a reason? Just trying to get background here...

 

[shannn]

Just joining in and loving all your VB bags. I'm a newbie to the Vera. At first I thought they looked like quilt bags, but they grow on you!
Your Oct plans sound great! I wish that my kids had a fall break. My sister, in Omaha, has a four day weekend in the fall and then another four day weeked in Feb. Kinda breaks up the school year, but doesn't really give them time do go anywhere.
Some questions about your friend. Has she been there before? If not, and you can afford it, I would add an extra day. There is just SO much to see and do.

I really love my Veras. I love how easy they are to wash and how many pockets they have.

We've always had a week fall break and this year they changed it to a long weekend. But I had already made my plans, so we're going anyway.

My friend hasn't been since she was a small child. My only concern about adding a day is that we're staying at a DTD hotel Saturday night and I don't know how much of a pain it would be to go to the parks from there.

Ugh... these are the decisions that cause sleepless nights!!!!

Gee... Well Chef's I'd do, definitely. Re The Wave, would you do California Grill instead? Are you doing the DDP? Are your choosing TS for lunch vs. dinner for a reason? Just trying to get background here...

Tell me about it!!! I have planned this out so many different ways!!! I wish I could just ask her.

Yes, we're doing the dining plan. But it's just 2 nights so that's why I was staying away from the Signature places. I thought about 1900 PF so because it's supposed to be fun, but the food at buffets just seems so yech. I would love to see the stepsisters though. I was only choosing lunches rather than dinners because I'm so torn on what we'll do each night and I thought it would give us more choices for her to change the itinerary once she knows. But it doesn't have to be that way. I'm really torn about the evening EMH. I don't know if it will be so crowded that it won't be fun, but I've always thought it would be soooo cool to be in the MK after midnight!

I'm trying to get a Wishes cruise for Sunday night so I'm trying to work around that too

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Let me know what night you decide on for the wishes cruise. We are still trying to figure out our ADRs and park days/nights....
My problem is that I really want to be at MK for Wishes on Sunday night, it's a tradition for us to spend that first night in front of the castle.

 

[shannn]

Oh, I said that wrong. I'm still thinking about the cruise on Monday night if that's what you want to do. Let me know if that works with your plans. (I could do it Saturday, but I don't think you'll be there yet? or on Sunday if those work better.) I'll work around your schedule. It's my top priority.

 

[Happydog]

Let me know what night you decide on for the wishes cruise. We are still trying to figure out our ADRs and park days/nights....
My problem is that I really want to be at MK for Wishes on Sunday night, it's a tradition for us to spend that first night in front of the castle.

Oh, I said that wrong. I'm still thinking about the cruise on Monday night if that's what you want to do. Let me know if that works with your plans. (I could do it Saturday, but I don't think you'll be there yet? or on Sunday if those work better.) I'll work around your schedule. It's my top priority.

I am having as much trouble with this, too!!! I don't think the wishes cruise will work for us, I think we are going to try the pirate cruise again for the boys, but I am really worried about getting the ADRs that I want, so I am still up in the air.... trying to make plans this weekend!!!

I do think the lunch ADRs make sense, then, b/c like you say, it gives you more flexibility for what to do, and don't forget QS at DTD is really good for dinner...

 

[ladybugmom]

Hi!! I'm all caught up! I hope school is going well. I LOVE the Gymbo you bought during tax-free weekend!! I'm a Gymbo addict!! Can't wait to read more!

 

[lmillercrew]

Maybe you can hop on the ferry over to POR or PORQ and take the bus from there?

 

[shannn]

Hi!! I'm all caught up! I hope school is going well. I LOVE the Gymbo you bought during tax-free weekend!! I'm a Gymbo addict!! Can't wait to read more!

School is doing well. We have so much flu going around that I've had between 5-8 kids absent every day for the past 2 weeks. Our teachers are getting it too so I have my fingers crossed that I won't get it. My friend Courtney actually has it.

Oh, I am a complete Gymbo addict. I've gotten two more BIG boxes since then. My daughter might as well be a commercial for them.

 

[ladybugmom]

School is doing well. We have so much flu going around that I've had between 5-8 kids absent every day for the past 2 weeks. Our teachers are getting it too so I have my fingers crossed that I won't get it. My friend Courtney actually has it.

Oh, I am a complete Gymbo addict. I've gotten two more BIG boxes since then. My daughter might as well be a commercial for them.

Glad school is going well! Uggh on the flu! Not fun! I hope you don't get it either.

Yes, and with 2 girls to shop for--I spend a lot of $ there!!

 

[shannn]

As for gymbo, we have a whole bunch from the "Popstar Academy" line, one outfit from "Halloween Harvest", and a couple from "All about Buttons." I've got my eye on the "Purrfect Autumn" stuff now, but I'm waiting for Gymbucks or COF before I buy.

As for Disney, I just cleaned out etsy.com. They're loving me tonight. I ordered these:

for Narcoosee's and California Grill.

And these:

for DHS.

And these:

(not birthday)

for our two MK days.

WHEW!!! What do y'all think??

 

[Happydog]

Hello! Those are cute shirts! I am confused? You didn't make those patches did you? What are they made of? Custom?

 

[shannn]

Nope, I didn't make any of them. I bought them on etsy from three different sellers:

kimsstitchintime
glitzysisters
amacim

Etsy is kind of like ebay, but it's only for people who make things. There are the cutest things on there!!

 

[ladybugmom]

I LOVE everything you chose!! Etsy is a favorite of mine!! Beautiful, handmade items and they are normally cheaper than what you find on Ebay!! NICE!!

 

[shannn]

I love Etsy too! Such great stuff!! I can't wait to get all my loot so I can start picking out bows!

So, advice needed.
I got a chance to talk to Courtney about Disney last weekend when we went on a short road trip together. She started playing with my Disney map apps on my Iphone and I got her started talking about what she would do on a trip. She said "be a big kid!" We also talked about restaurants and she mentioned "any kind of seafood." Based on those things, I'm thinking of trying Coral Reef. I know it gets mixed reviews, but it's a 1TS seafood place. I also think I should do a character meal, probably Chef Mickey's. So I need advice on when I should try and get for these meals.

Here's my tentative itinerary. Please please give your advice.

12/19 DTD ADVICE: Should I get an ADR or just do counter service? Our dining plan won't have started yet

12/20 EP RD
back to OKW, check in and rest
Epcot and then hop to MK for PM EMH
ADVICE: Should I do Coral Reef for lunch and CS for dinner or the other way around? Time I should try for?

12/21
Sleep in
MK
Hopefully wishes cruise
ADVICE: Should I try for Chef Mickey's for lunch (if they have it during Christmas time) or for dinner? Time for dinner if doing a Wishes cruise??

12/22 DHS RD
Counter service lunch and on the road back to TN

Thanks in advance for any advice. I have to make ADRS on 9/21 and I'm soooooo nervous about it!!

 

[lmillercrew]

Cute stuff from Etsy! My bff sells stuff on that site, but I'm not sure what her seller name is. Hmm...

 

[Happydog]

I guess I would say to do one TS meal as Dinner. Chef Mickey's is outside the park, so at least you don't have to commit to being at a specific park for dinner that evening... And it is an easy get to from the Poly...

 

[wigdoutdismom]

We need to figure out the cruise! Do we book it when making ADRs on Monday?

 

[shannn]

I found this on wdwinfo here:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/recreation/fireworks.htm

All cruise reservations can be booked by calling
1-407-WDW-PLAY

Is this a different number than the dining number?? I've never called before. I've always had a travel agent. Now I'll be getting up this morning at 3AM to try online!! What about you?

Also, I'm trying to get us a reservation at California Grill that night. Would it be okay for the cruise to leave from the Contemporary?