***1st Week of December Thread ADR Plans, Park Hours, and dealing with Pop Warner***

[Talby]

Ohhh...those are great @Mintycake! I just adore the nostalgia aspect. I imagine your daughter will be beaming when she makes her purchases; a lot of pride in that! I love all the little things!!

 

[BDFmom]

Personally, SDFP isn't something we're going to utilize. Not a judgement by any means! I mean, I'm the mom who is taking my HS senior and 8th grader out of school for 6 days for this 10-day vacation. This, according to some, means my parenting is questionable because I don't value my children's education. Live and let live, I say. It's mostly about not wanting to think very hard!

Mine will be missing 6 days of school as well! I've told my daughter that we can still cancel the trip if her college applications are not all done ....
Our district I really good about giving the kids the work they will miss. My daughter can help my son with anything he will need. Thanks to to age of the internet we can send completed assignments to the various teachers ...

My argument is that Disney can be very educational especially the world show case.

 

[Talby]

Mine will be missing 6 days of school as well! I've told my daughter that we can still cancel the trip if her college applications are not all done ....
Our district I really good about giving the kids the work they will miss. My daughter can help my son with anything he will need. Thanks to to age of the internet we can send completed assignments to the various teachers ...

My argument is that Disney can be very educational especially the world show case.

Haha...fabulous argument, love it! Our district is great too about making up missed work. It's truly a nonissue. If it were, we wouldn't be going at that particular time. It's all good! We sure are lucky to be living in the age of the internet...well, for all sorts of reasons! Everything from school assignments to shopping online to obsessing with others about Disney vacations!

 

[Lisa F]

When my kids were little a must-do was the wonderland tea at the GF. It's not a widely advertised event. The kids go solo and have tea with Alice and the Mad Hatter. While the kids enjoyed their tea I would go and get a massage.

Now... we don't have any in particular. I'm not sure I will even be able to ride small world this year. It was my Mom's favorite ride and have memories from all the way back to 1978.... She passed almost five years ago. I have to call Disney a few weeks ago while on hold they played the song. I broke down in tears....

that kind of thing takes a long time to get easier. I am so sorry for your loss. Hopefully there are a bunch of other rides are happy, and someday you can ride small world and the happiness will be greater than the sadness.

 

[Lisa F]

I didn't see the promotion on the regular Disney store (shop app is not available outside the US) but I checked out the magic bands available and the Dooney and Burke one is so nice (and expensive) lol! I'm wondering if I should splurge on that...

There are some that makes sounds right? I'm guessing those are not available in the website?

I bought a D&B magicband. I have um... a little bit of a disney purse addiction. They are sold out now though I think. here is mine and the kid's ready to go. I also am having them send me his AP band and one set of bands from one of our stays (I am entitled to 2 more each but declined them - two backups for him and oen for me is enough I think!) I did put "phantom" people on my DVC reservation for the first night so they will send me 2 MBs to use for SDFPs. Before anyone starts accusing me of being a slimy thief I kind of figure since I am entitled to 4 more magic bands, I'm just swapping around where those go. Disney is already up by 2 not to mention how much I have embarrasingly spent on the two "vanity" magicbands. I have them sending red (for me) and green (for the kid) for the SDFP bands, and I will decorate them up with christmas stuff (not sure how yet lol). We'll wear the designer bands and I will keep the back up "clones" in my backpack. I am determined not to have "my child forgot his magicband so we had to go back to the room" anywhere in my trip report, lol.

 

[Lisa F]

You can only use the plastic tickets if they are not linked to your reservation. Assuming they are unlinked then on all non party days they can be used at the kiosk for SDFP. From my understanding you'll only be able to make the 30 FP reservation for the party night. You can only make 30/60 day FP reservations that have a valid ticket attached.

I am by no means an expert and have never tried any of this before.... that's just what I understand from the SDFP thread.
http://www.disboards.com/threads/everything-sdfp-second-set-fp-long-faq.3520747/

I know I am far behind but I would say read it, digest a day or two, read it again, digest again and read it a third time. Maybe it is single mom working fulltime brain but it took a while for it to click but once it did I felt powerful lol

 

[Lisa F]

So we've talked a lot about FP, ADRs, and touring styles. We're speculating and (sorta) patiently waiting for the release of December park times and nighttime activity schedules. We've even planned a Star Wars PAR-TAY (it will forever be that to me now thanks to @Lisa F! lol) Here's what I've been thinking about lately. There's a thread somewhere about the little must-dos you have at Disney, and it got me wondering if this great group has any? Those little things that are special to you or that are considered must-dos?

I think it was in that thread that I learned about Talking Mickey, so he's on our list to see. I want to have a silhouette made of my kids on Main Street. We definitely have some new-to-us snacks we want to try. I'm giddy about it snowing on Main Street during MVMCP. First MK ride must be Splash Mountain and the last must be Space Mountain. On our last trip, we had this family hug moment at the end of Wishes on our last night right before exiting MK and looking back at the castle that is a special memory and we will be we repeating that this trip.

What are some of your "little" things (often some of the best things!) or must-dos for you and your family/travel group?

something old: carousel of progress. I don't know why but this attraction is just completely nostalgic walt for me. I have to go on it every time. luckily there is 1) no wait and 2) the kiddo loves it. Also spaceship earth. I guess I just love the ride-through rides talking about our accomplishments as a civilization. also Illuminations. my favorite nighttime show ever. Saw it the year after we bought into dvc when it was brand new and still makes me cry. Same theme as the other two I think. I'm a sap.
something new: star wars fireworks with dessert party.
something borrowed: was the MSEP
something blue: lunch at the coral reef

I hope my marriage to the mouse still works out even though I no longer have something borrowed. lol. I crack myself up. But it actually did work!

also honorable mention: the christmas stuff is a must-do and the whole reason for planning this trip this time of year. MVMCP, santas around the world, candlelight processional (showed the kiddo a video of it on youtube to be sure he would be into it and he was).

 

[Talby]

@Lisa F Anything in here pique your/your son's interest?

http://www.magicyourband.com/index.php/magicband-skins/christmas-holidays-magicband-skins.html

I know I am far behind but I would say read it, digest a day or two, read it again, digest again and read it a third time. Maybe it is single mom working fulltime brain but it took a while for it to click but once it did I felt powerful lol

And this very well could be my issue. I might try that; put it on the back burner for a little bit then revisit it with a rested brain! I love the planning so, so much but admittedly there are times I get overwhelmed by it.

 

[Lisa F]

@Lisa F Anything in here pique your/your son's interest?

http://www.magicyourband.com/index.php/magicband-skins/christmas-holidays-magicband-skins.html



And this very well could be my issue. I might try that; put it on the back burner for a little bit then revisit it with a rested brain! I love the planning so, so much but admittedly there are times I get overwhelmed by it.

omg we are totally gonna skin up the SDFP bands. I picked red and green but I will let him pick his color and pick a skin. how fun! I had thought of actually buying christmas bands. last year the MVMCP bands ended up at the outlet and I almost got one but I figured the battery would be dead in a year. I'm looking on etsy now too lol.

 

[Lisa F]

I've read through some of the SDFP thread and it just doesn't feel worth it to me. I do happen to have one magic band that isn't tied to anyone, so I could conceivably create a new profile for that one and just try it out. We'll see.

It's worth it to me because although I can't remember my name some days, my mind retains and keeps straight these details for some reason. figure that out. I also can remember which of the 3 supermarkets I frequent (2 are local family owned, one is stop and shop) has the cheapest prices on everything I use. It's my mutant power and most of the time makes more work for me but I get a little rush out of it too, lol. I will be able to retain the information pretty easily I think. If I were traveling without my kiddo I'd probably not bother. Disney queues are not really boring and they move pretty quickly and give you time to just chat in the shade and get excited about the ride. a 20-30 minute queue doesn't bother me as an adult but to my son it feels like hours so anything I can do to minimize that, I do. Though in september I did find without it, we just FPed the big ones and everything else didn't have much wait. The parks FELT very crowded (as in tons of people) but there were plenty of 0-15 minute wait things to do in between our FPs and we got to do almost everything.

 

[Lisa F]

Hmm the little things I would like to include... I think I have a bit of that
The talking Mickey is on my list too! Riding the Main Street vehicle, move it shake it party, want to see a little of the entertainment at Disney springs, seeing some of the santas around Epcot, hoping to catch some of the regular shows at WS too. Generally for us everything will be new for us with DS2 so I'm looking forward to everything I just hope DS2 likes Disney as much as I do!

I think it is genetic.

here's my son when he was your son's age at the MSEP:

on pirates of the caribbean:

on the safari (he slept when he was tired)

with tigger at CP (yes he was giving tigger a big wet kiss on the nose)

I could go on but obviously the child had a great time I ran across the pictures looking for something else and remembered just how amazing the trip was when he was 2. it was right before my divorce and the last time we went until he was 6.

I also have tons of pics of him with other toddlers. I had forgotten how many opportunities there are for kids to just play and run around. Don't miss out on that stuff, be flexible enough to let him stop and just "make new friends" wherever he feels like it

 

[Lisa F]

Personally, SDFP isn't something we're going to utilize. Not a judgement by any means! I mean, I'm the mom who is taking my HS senior and 8th grader out of school for 6 days for this 10-day vacation. This, according to some, means my parenting is questionable because I don't value my children's education. Live and let live, I say. It's mostly about not wanting to think very hard!

10 days is also a nice long vacation. not that 7 days isn't but I still feel a day or two short. but if I had 10 days I might still feel a a day or two short!

Story of my life... a day and a dollar short ALWAYS.

 

[Lisa F]

Mine will be missing 6 days of school as well! I've told my daughter that we can still cancel the trip if her college applications are not all done ....
Our district I really good about giving the kids the work they will miss. My daughter can help my son with anything he will need. Thanks to to age of the internet we can send completed assignments to the various teachers ...

My argument is that Disney can be very educational especially the world show case.

Haha...fabulous argument, love it! Our district is great too about making up missed work. It's truly a nonissue. If it were, we wouldn't be going at that particular time. It's all good! We sure are lucky to be living in the age of the internet...well, for all sorts of reasons! Everything from school assignments to shopping online to obsessing with others about Disney vacations!

A lot of people on the vineyard primarily make their money during the summer and can not vacation anywhere from memorial day to columbus day. Because of that, the schools are extremely lenient about taking kids out of school at non vacation times. the other nice thing they do is we have the february break that most states don't have (a whole week, I think just some east coast schools do it) but because it can be a busy travel time, they actually make their break the week AFTER all of the other schools have it. I think our next trip may be during that break. it is a quiet week at disney.

 

[Talby]

10 days is also a nice long vacation. not that 7 days isn't but I still feel a day or two short. but if I had 10 days I might still feel a a day or two short!

Story of my life... a day and a dollar short ALWAYS.

Lol...I know!. I can't imagine what that number of days actually is where I'm not wishing just ONE more day! That's the story here too; I hear you loud and clear!

 

[Talby]

something old: carousel of progress. I don't know why but this attraction is just completely nostalgic walt for me. I have to go on it every time. luckily there is 1) no wait and 2) the kiddo loves it. Also spaceship earth. I guess I just love the ride-through rides talking about our accomplishments as a civilization. also Illuminations. my favorite nighttime show ever. Saw it the year after we bought into dvc when it was brand new and still makes me cry. Same theme as the other two I think. I'm a sap.
something new: star wars fireworks with dessert party.
something borrowed: was the MSEP
something blue: lunch at the coral reef

I hope my marriage to the mouse still works out even though I no longer have something borrowed. lol. I crack myself up. But it actually did work!

also honorable mention: the christmas stuff is a must-do and the whole reason for planning this trip this time of year. MVMCP, santas around the world, candlelight processional (showed the kiddo a video of it on youtube to be sure he would be into it and he was).

You totally crack me up too! Love your wedding theme, lol. Really great stuff!

Those pictures of your son are priceless. What a doll!

 

[jillyh]

Ok.....took me a while to read the SDFP thread, and when done I ordered 2 mb from disneystore.com. @Lisa F I want to thank you for posting about this originally, and am sorry anyone would make you feel guilty about this in the least!

Lisa F - also if you have a disney purse addiction - just want to let you know on main street there is a store that sells vera bradley disney purses that aren't available anywhere except disney. My husband bought me one on our last trip and I use it all the time and get so many comments on it! I'm hoping he buys me another this trip (I'll drop some hints!

As far as the little Must Do's - there are soooo many! going to tom sawyers island (even without kids in tow), PP and IASW are very nostalgic for me. This trip we are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. My husband proposed to me with a disney coin (6 months after the trip to DL). On that first trip together we danced near the hub there they had a dance floor. It was very romantic. I wish I could find someplace like that at disneyworld. We are staying at the boardwalk and I know there is a dance place there, but have heard it is pretty dead. We are going to MVMCP and I think there may be a dance party? maybe it's really for kids? anyone know anything about this?

 

[Talby]

@jillyh Congratulations on your 25th wedding anniversary! The die-hard romantic in me just swoons over that sort of milestone. I hope someone here has some info for you about finding a dancing spot! Really enjoying reading about everyone's must-do's and little things!

 

[Mintycake]

Mine will be missing 6 days of school as well! I've told my daughter that we can still cancel the trip if her college applications are not all done ....
Our district I really good about giving the kids the work they will miss. My daughter can help my son with anything he will need. Thanks to to age of the internet we can send completed assignments to the various teachers ...

My argument is that Disney can be very educational especially the world show case.

My daughter will miss a week of school. She's in grade 1 so I'm not worried. Parents in her school pull kids out all the time, it's really common. She's also bright so I don't worry about it.

 

[Candycane83]

I think it is genetic.

here's my son when he was your son's age at the MSEP:

on pirates of the caribbean:

on the safari (he slept when he was tired)

with tigger at CP (yes he was giving tigger a big wet kiss on the nose)

I could go on but obviously the child had a great time I ran across the pictures looking for something else and remembered just how amazing the trip was when he was 2. it was right before my divorce and the last time we went until he was 6.

I also have tons of pics of him with other toddlers. I had forgotten how many opportunities there are for kids to just play and run around. Don't miss out on that stuff, be flexible enough to let him stop and just "make new friends" wherever he feels like it

These pictures are so precious! What a cute kid! I'm going in with a full plan I need to be able to throw away at any time but if I get such great memories and pictures, I'll be one happy mommy thanks for sharing these I'm looking forward to my trip even more now!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Lisa, those pictures of your son are adorable.

Oh that's so great to hear! Is there anything in particular in Epcot you can recommend or liked more than others? visiting the different resorts is on our list too!

We saw two of the storytellers last time, but I would like to see them all if possible. I also completely forgot to check out the different Christmas trees that are supposed to be in each country. I want to take the time to see them this trip. We enjoyed the singing group that sang in front of that big fountain near the Electric Umbrella. And we like to listen to the Candlelight Processional while sitting in front of the American Pavilion, watching people go by. We would never have the patience to stand in line to get into the sitting area, so standing outside has to be good enough for us. If the Candlelight Processional dinner package guaranteed you a seat without waiting in line, then I might consider it. But to sell the package without guaranteeing you a seat is just wrong.

I keep reading about the Chinese acrobats in Epcot. @Wood Nymph (or anyone else too) have you seen them?

We've never stopped to watch them, only kind of looked at them if they were performing as we walked by. We really need to stop one day. I've slowly been able to get my husband to stop and watch more of the shows. He tends to want to just walk around.

I'm one step closer to booking my ADR's for this trip. I just made an ADR for Tony's for lunch on our arrival day. When we stay at an Epcot resort we like to go into Epcot and get Yorkshire Fish and Chips. When we stay in the MK area we usually go into the MK. And we haven't eaten at Tony's in years but it sounded like a good option.