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

[areno79]

This is so thoughtful of you...thanks so much!! Looks like everyone on the list is aware. School starts here next week. We've been up at the kids' schools getting schedules and locker assignments and all that good stuff, school supply shopping, out to lunch and then to "Sky Zone" (trampoline place). Yesterday we were at South Haven for the day, a great little beach town on Lake Michigan. These last couple days were sort of our last little hurrah before school starts. Which is always bittersweet.

BUT...I work from home and am here SO much and wouldn't you know it today was the day for so many exciting announcements!! I also got an alert for a H&V Holiday Dine that I was able to get so I'm stoked about that! That has been the trickiest ADR for me to get, even over BOG/CRT!

@Candycane83 I need to go over MK's entertainment options in much greater depth, but the Move It Shake It party is definitely part of our plan. I need to figure out our plan for shows too. I know DD has her heart set on Beauty and the Beast.

Loving all the cute shirts! (@Lisa F that sparkly one really caught my eye!) I think matching is so fun for a party or special dinner.

@pigletgirl your plans look positively fabulous!

*~*~*THIS IS THE BEST THREAD EVER!!*~*~*

@Talby thanks so much for continuing to look for the rest of us! I'm so glad you got your H&V dinner! The sad thing is...I already have a F! H&V dinner booked on 12/3, but I'd much rather move it to 12/6 so I can do the SW dessert party on 12/3. I also have a 6:20 H&V dinner (non-F!) booked on 12/6 , but that's just too late to catch F!, and 12/6 is really the only night I can fit that in. I feel bad for holding onto an extra ADR, but I'm still waiting for them to announce SW dessert party days/times.

Does anyone here think Epcot gets noticeably busier after 4:00 on MVMCP days? I was thinking Epcot is the most logical place for people with hoppers to go when they aren't planning to do the Christmas party. Maybe just as many people spend the day at Epcot before hopping to MK for the party though, so perhaps it evens out.

I have heard that the other parks (especially Epcot) are busier during MVMCP nights, but I've never been to witness it. Maybe if ROL is open at AK, that will help alleviate some of the potential Epcot crowd. Also, I think I missed that you're staying at AoA...so are we! I'm not going to lie, pretty psyched that I am staying in a Little Mermaid room. LOL

So, now that I FINALLY got my HDDR , I'm only waiting on 2 ADR's. I currently have H&V and 'Ohana booked, but the days/times just don't work out for our plans. Really hoping to switch my 'Ohana dinner from 12/6 to 12/8 so we can go before MVMCP, and then hoping to switch my F! H&V from 12/3 to 12/6.

I talked to DH tonight about EMM, and he's very much on the fence like I am. They are offering it on 12/4 (which was our planned MK day anyway), but I'm just having a hard time justifying the money for only 3 rides. I wish they opened up the rest of Fantasyland, then it would be a no-brainer.

 

[areno79]

We plan to go to MK on Sunday, Dec 4th, hoping to get there early enough to walk on a bunch of rides. Is that going to be an Extra Magic Morning? I was hoping that it wouldn't be too crowded that morning since it is a party night.

Yep, looks like 12/4 is going to be a EMM day. That's our MK day too, and we were planning to be there prior to rope drop. Hoping it doesn't make too much of an impact since we always head to Fantasyland first anyway.

 

[BDFmom]

We plan to go to MK on Sunday, Dec 4th, hoping to get there early enough to walk on a bunch of rides. Is that going to be an Extra Magic Morning? I was hoping that it wouldn't be too crowded that morning since it is a party night.

Yes.... 12/4 is an EMM day. It should not effect crowds to much. It's limited to 250 people.

@Mintycake all reports say that the EMM crowd does not impact the PPO peeps.

 

[pigletgirl]

Found a lunch at BOG for 11/30! So, instead of HS, we'll head over to MK for lunch whenever we get up that morning. I'm also hoping to find my MVMCP ears too! Yay!

 

[areno79]

Found a lunch at BOG for 11/30! So, instead of HS, we'll head over to MK for lunch whenever we get up that morning. I'm also hoping to find my MVMCP ears too! Yay!

There were so many cute ones on Pinterest! I'm going to have to control myself with the ears; it becomes an obsession! LOL

 

[TiggerManiac]

it doesn't affect you at all. You will not be allowed to go on the EMM rides until regular RD though but other than that no. Go and enjoy your PPO reservation!

Thanks, Lisa! As long as I can get over to 7DMT and get in line just ahead of rope drop people, I'm totally happy.

I don't plan on doing EMM because I dn't need/want to ride just those 3 rides over and over again. If all the Fantasyland rides were open, though, I might do it.

 

[Mintycake]

Thanks, Lisa! As long as I can get over to 7DMT and get in line just ahead of rope drop people, I'm totally happy.

I don't plan on doing EMM because I dn't need/want to ride just those 3 rides over and over again. If all the Fantasyland rides were open, though, I might do it.

Samesies!

 

[TiggerManiac]

Samesies!

Now we just have to figure out if we want to do MVMCP, and which night. Thursday, 12/1, we have the Keys to the Kingdom tour at 8:00 am and dinner at 1900 Park Fare at 5:30. Sunday, 12/4, we have BOGPPO at 8:00 and dinner at 5:45.

Thursday is forecast to have much lower wait times/attendance than Sunday. I'm thinking maybe Thursday for the party.

I wish I knew how many party tickets they have available each night.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Now we just have to figure out if we want to do MVMCP, and which night. Thursday, 12/1, we have the Keys to the Kingdom tour at 8:00 am and dinner at 1900 Park Fare at 5:30. Sunday, 12/4, we have BOGPPO at 8:00 and dinner at 5:45.

Thursday is forecast to have much lower wait times/attendance than Sunday. I'm thinking maybe Thursday for the party.

I wish I knew how many party tickets they have available each night.

Don't we all? I've seen speculations that run anywhere from 20,000 - 30,000. It's frustrating that we don't know, though I understand it from Disney's perspective.

 

[rasadkowski]

Woohoo! Congrats to all of us for getting the ressie thanks to @rasadkowski again thank you so much!

Yey!! So glad to help!! Youve all helped me so much!!

 

[SilSprBea]

I love reading through all these messages! Such a fun group! I can't wait for the time for us to be able to book fast passes. I feel like I'm in planning limbo until then (of course, I still check for the few ADRs I'm missing-- earlier Chef Mickey dinner for 4 on 12/4, my PPO BOG for 4 on 12/5, Ohana breakfast for 6 on 12/10) but I'm not so hopeful of being able to snag those before people start dropping ADRs once their fast passes are booked! As much as we'd like, I don't think my family is going to do any of the other things--- EMM, dessert party, HDDR or Christmas parties-- i feel like my kids are really too young (or too short!) to either get much out of it to stay up late! I'm enjoying living vicariously through your planning and keep looking into all these suggestions. I'm totally going to have to keep these all written down for a future December trip when the kiddos are older!

Here's how our trip is shaping up. I think i have it pretty flushed out and just hope to perfect it with FP+ and a few more ADRs, but at this point I can't imagine changing too much around. It's obviously not final since it includes plans for some ADRs that I don't have yet:

Sun 12/4 (Magic Kingdom):

• Arrive in Orlando around 1pm from Cocoa Beach; check in and head over to MK
• Spend a few hours in MK using some FP and SDFP!
• Dinner at Chef Mickey (current res is at 8:30 so if we can't move it earlier we'll go back to the hotel and drive back to Contemporary). If we can move it up to 7/7:30 we'll just walk over to Contemporary from MK
• If we score the earlier Chef Mickey, we might stay and watch the Wishes Fireworks from the Contemporary since we're not doing a Xmas party

Mon 12/5 (Magic Kingdom):

• Dream ADR is a PPO BOG breakfast, but thinking that is highly doubtful!
• RD MK (yes, it's the busy day but we'd already planned our days before adding in Sunday at MK). FP and SDFP in the am, book any additional 4th FPs for evening!
• Leave around lunch time for a LONG break at our hotel
• Back to MK for 7:10 BOG dinner
• Few rides and Fireworks

Tues 12/6 (Hollywood Studios):

• Late arrival at HS due to late MK night (10:30ish)
• Rides (will probably FP TSMM, and possibly Star Tours
• Disney Jr. Lunch at Hollywood & Vine
• Rides
• Fantasmic if our kids last!

Wed 12/7 (Epcot to celebrate DD's 5th birthday!):

• RD Epcot
• Spend AM in Future World
• Leave around lunch time for a LONG break at our hotel
• Back to Epcot for Akershus birthday dinner
• Meet Ana & Elsa and FEA (hopefully will score this FP+)
• Illuminations

Thurs 12/8 (Animal Kingdom):

• Late arrival at AK due to late night at Epcot. My best friend and her DD join us for this part of our trip, so our foursome becomes a sixsome!
• Tour AK
• Dinner at Tusker House
• Hopefully see RoL or some nighttime lights at AK. If not nighttime activities may due lunch at Tusker instead of dinner

Friday 12/9 (Magic Kingdom):

• RD MK for EMH
• Lunch at Crystal Palace
• Rides
• Evening at Disney Springs

Saturday 12/10:

• Breakfast at 'Ohana (hopefully will find this!)
• Hang out at resort or Disney Springs
• Autotrain home!

Some days have naps/breaks and some have later starts because I couldn't figure out how to factor in long breaks on the days the parks aren't open late. I'm crossing my fingers and toes my DS doesn't have a meltdown without the break and can just nap in the stroller!

 

[Maryemcd]

I love reading through all these messages! Such a fun group! I can't wait for the time for us to be able to book fast passes. I feel like I'm in planning limbo until then (of course, I still check for the few ADRs I'm missing-- earlier Chef Mickey dinner for 4 on 12/4, my PPO BOG for 4 on 12/5, Ohana breakfast for 6 on 12/10) but I'm not so hopeful of being able to snag those before people start dropping ADRs once their fast passes are booked! As much as we'd like, I don't think my family is going to do any of the other things--- EMM, dessert party, HDDR or Christmas parties-- i feel like my kids are really too young (or too short!) to either get much out of it to stay up late! I'm enjoying living vicariously through your planning and keep looking into all these suggestions. I'm totally going to have to keep these all written down for a future December trip when the kiddos are older!

Here's how our trip is shaping up. I think i have it pretty flushed out and just hope to perfect it with FP+ and a few more ADRs, but at this point I can't imagine changing too much around. It's obviously not final since it includes plans for some ADRs that I don't have yet:

Sun 12/4 (Magic Kingdom):

• Arrive in Orlando around 1pm from Cocoa Beach; check in and head over to MK
• Spend a few hours in MK using some FP and SDFP!
• Dinner at Chef Mickey (current res is at 8:30 so if we can't move it earlier we'll go back to the hotel and drive back to Contemporary). If we can move it up to 7/7:30 we'll just walk over to Contemporary from MK
• If we score the earlier Chef Mickey, we might stay and watch the Wishes Fireworks from the Contemporary since we're not doing a Xmas party

Mon 12/5 (Magic Kingdom):

• Dream ADR is a PPO BOG breakfast, but thinking that is highly doubtful!
• RD MK (yes, it's the busy day but we'd already planned our days before adding in Sunday at MK). FP and SDFP in the am, book any additional 4th FPs for evening!
• Leave around lunch time for a LONG break at our hotel
• Back to MK for 7:10 BOG dinner
• Few rides and Fireworks

Tues 12/6 (Hollywood Studios):

• Late arrival at HS due to late MK night (10:30ish)
• Rides (will probably FP TSMM, and possibly Star Tours
• Disney Jr. Lunch at Hollywood & Vine
• Rides
• Fantasmic if our kids last!

Wed 12/7 (Epcot to celebrate DD's 5th birthday!):

• RD Epcot
• Spend AM in Future World
• Leave around lunch time for a LONG break at our hotel
• Back to Epcot for Akershus birthday dinner
• Meet Ana & Elsa and FEA (hopefully will score this FP+)
• Illuminations

Thurs 12/8 (Animal Kingdom):

• Late arrival at AK due to late night at Epcot. My best friend and her DD join us for this part of our trip, so our foursome becomes a sixsome!
• Tour AK
• Dinner at Tusker House
• Hopefully see RoL or some nighttime lights at AK. If not nighttime activities may due lunch at Tusker instead of dinner

Friday 12/9 (Magic Kingdom):

• RD MK for EMH
• Lunch at Crystal Palace
• Rides
• Evening at Disney Springs

Saturday 12/10:

• Breakfast at 'Ohana (hopefully will find this!)
• Hang out at resort or Disney Springs
• Autotrain home!

Some days have naps/breaks and some have later starts because I couldn't figure out how to factor in long breaks on the days the parks aren't open late. I'm crossing my fingers and toes my DS doesn't have a meltdown without the break and can just nap in the stroller!

@SilSprBea
Even without the extras like MVMCP, you still have some great plans (Tusker, Akershus!). We'll be in Epcot on Wednesday and AK (most likely) on Thursday too.

 

[Maryemcd]

Some MVMCP crowd information:

Undercover Tourist says in the week of December 4th, the 6th or 8th would be the best dates.

Touring Plans gives their predictions based on waits for rides, which is helpful but doesn't always measure the overall crowds at parades, fireworks, and in general. They have good historical information for 2015: http://blog.touringplans.com/2016/04/07/least-crowded-disney-world-christmas-party-2016/

WDW Prep School says Tuesdays are usually less crowded than other days of the week.

 

[rasadkowski]

I'm sure some of you saw this too, but someone just posted that hoop Dee doo reservations just opened up for November. Are there people here looking for those? I'm not on my computer but maybe more December dates opened too?

I just noticed @Talby hasn't been on! Is she looking for this?!

 

[Candycane83]

I just noticed @Talby hasn't been on! Is she looking for this?!

I remember her saying she couldn't do this because her kids are sold on spirit of aloha show. but maybe she would change her mind when she sees availability? @Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL not sure if you're going to look for another day...

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

I remember her saying she couldn't do this because her kids are sold on spirit of aloha show. but maybe she would change her mind when she sees availability? @Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL not sure if you're going to look for another day...

Thanks for tagging me! So nice of you to remember. I actually got a Touring plans alert and was able to book it for Dec. 17!!! Now I just have to stalk a BOG late lunch/early dinner for MVMCP day on the 15th and I'm set.

We arrived at Hershey PA late last night for a couple days of "practice" for the "big show" in December. We're curious to see how our DS2 does after a day in Hershey Park today as a way to gauge if our DW plans are realistic or not. DD8 is so excited to be here. She went to sleep at 1:00am last night and when DW and I woke up this morning at 6:00am she was showered, dressed, shoes on, sunscreen on and sitting eating Lucky Charms at the table. She's ready to rock!!!

 

[Candycane83]

Thanks for tagging me! So nice of you to remember. I actually got a Touring plans alert and was able to book it for Dec. 17!!! Now I just have to stalk a BOG late lunch/early dinner for MVMCP day on the 15th and I'm set.

We arrived at Hershey PA late last night for a couple days of "practice" for the "big show" in December. We're curious to see how our DS2 does after a day in Hershey Park today as a way to gauge if our DW plans are realistic or not. DD8 is so excited to be here. She went to sleep at 1:00am last night and when DW and I woke up this morning at 6:00am she was showered, dressed, shoes on, sunscreen on and sitting eating Lucky Charms at the table. She's ready to rock!!!

That's great!! Glad you got the ADR! For BOG, you can try breaking up the reservation to smaller groups n see if you can get everyone within 15 mins if each other. Since it is lunch n CS you can sit wherever you want anyway

Wow! That's so great! She's all ready for Disney! hope your DS2 does well too and enjoy your mini vacation

 

[Maryemcd]

haha, they must be updating the system. I am stalking MK EMM and just noticed that the entire description on the page is referencing HS! Star Tours, etc... https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/early-morning-magic/

same description is on the HS EMM page too: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/hollywood-studios/morning-magic/

 

[Lisa F]

I feel so much uncertainty in my plans.

@LisaF assuming we get enough of us to on 12/3 for the SW dessert party. There should be no issues with you having to juggle food and drinks by yourself with kiddo. We'll have lots of helping hands.


@1437disney I'm sure with your large group and all the kind people in Disney your daughter is going to have a magical time. You may want to get the DAS just to have it. I may give you peace of mind just having it even if you never use it. It's never easy having a child with special needs. I think Disney tries to go above and beyond accommodating all kinds of needs.

You all are going to meet him and think I am nuts. He really is fine most of the time lol. I will say that the stress of QS was the worst part of our last disney trip, so I've eliminated it! But I'm sure he will be fine holding a little plate of dessert and a drink and he will be being careful unlike at home when it is sometimes one "oops" after another (we have a rule, no open cups for anything but water!) I think the kid just wants to eat droid cupcakes (bb8 and r2d2) and will be happy. He never got juice or soda so will probably end up not liking anything but water anyway!

Is the uncertainty in your plans like a disturbance in the force?

IMO uncertainty isn't necessarily bad. Uncertaintly = flexibility. I would be more that way if I was traveling alone... well.. maybe not. because I'm a planner. But I have been at times in my life and it is just fine too!

 

[Lisa F]

I'm in the same boat

no boat to be in, truly. This won't affect you at all. By the time the RD lets you through to 7DMT the EMM people will be barfing in the bushes after riding it 12 times in a row.