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

[Mintycake]

I know many of us use Josh's crowd calendars to try to help determine our park days and touring strategies. I wanted to link to a thread I found that was started recently where he responds a couple times explaining his thinking about crowd calendars and why he hasn't been doing new ones for a couple months now.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/easywdw-crowd-calendars.3542001/

I saw that. Basically it's a crap shoot.

Same here. I booked my time off from last year!

My hubby is on contract so he can't book until contracts extend because we are never 100% sure if he will be working. He has usually a 3 month heads up but we never know if it will be approved. So we plan as far ahead as we can. For me I just do not take contracts beyond a certain date because I have no idea how long I might work with a family.

 

[rasadkowski]

Hey guys! I was wondering, I've been seeing that some of you are debating booking a second mvmcp night. We haven't booked any yet ( I think it'll be too late for us ) but I was just curious as to why you'd be interested in second one ?

 

[BDFmom]

Hey guys! I was wondering, I've been seeing that some of you are debating booking a second mvmcp night. We haven't booked any yet ( I think it'll be too late for us ) but I was just curious as to why you'd be interested in second one ?

Because my kids are night owls! And the first party night we have a 7:15 CRT... dropping that is non-negotiable. Most likely I will not add another night.... just really considering it.

 

[rasadkowski]

Because my kids are night owls! And the first party night we have a 7:15 CRT... dropping that is non-negotiable. Most likely I will not add another night.... just really considering it.

That makes total sense! I was actually surprised with how many parties there are! If you don't go to one, it kinda stinks having to leave before 7 every night

 

[Iowamomof4]

My reason for thinking about a 2nd party (though we'll never be able to afford it unless we cut out some other things like EMM) is that we've never been to one before and I'm afraid we'll do it "wrong" the first time and I'll want a do-over!

 

[Talby]

Hey guys! I was wondering, I've been seeing that some of you are debating booking a second mvmcp night. We haven't booked any yet ( I think it'll be too late for us ) but I was just curious as to why you'd be interested in second one ?

Personally, I've tossed the idea around due to the lack of (so far at least) evening activities in other parks. There are so many party nights during our stay, it's a way to get more night MK time. I have teens though!

 

[rasadkowski]

My reason for thinking about a 2nd party (though we'll never be able to afford it unless we cut out some other things like EMM) is that we've never been to one before and I'm afraid we'll do it "wrong" the first time and I'll want a do-over!

I would feel the same way!! I already do about just the days at MK! That's why more than one is essential for us!

 

[BDFmom]

11/26 - Arrival 3:20 MCO
Get settled either head to DS for dinner or monorail resort.
8:30 check in for Wishes Cruise

11/27- RD MK
11:15 BOG lunch
5:00 'Ohana Dinner after dinner either head to Illuminations or stay on poly beach for Fireworks.

FP - 7DMT, Space mountain, PP


11/28 - DHS
3:15 H&V with F! thanks to @Talby
FP - Toy Story, Tower of Terror, Star Tours

After F! Either head back to the resort, walk over to EP to catch Illuminations.

11/29
EMM MK
Either stay in MK or head to Epcot around noon.
FP- I don't know

8:15 Sanaa Dinner
10 pm Twilight Safari

11/30 Late start
Head to Epcot
FP- Soaring..

Head to MK at some point for 5pm Skipper dinner
8 pm Wishes Dessert party.
Stay till close with EMH

12/1 rest morning... pool or DS
4pm head to MK for MVMCP
7:15 CRT dinner

12/2 - MK or Epcot am
Evening waiting to see schedules

12/3 - AK morning EMH
11:15 Yak & Yeti lunch
Evening waiting for schedules

FP- safari

12/4- Epcot
FP- FEA
7:30 pm Chef de France Dinner or
6:15 BOG dinner and add MVMCP

12/5 - AM kids Park of choice... where ever they want more park time.

3:15 CP lunch... YAY!
Finish the last night in MK.

Our flight departs at 7:15 on 12/6.... I've been stalking the 6:00pm departure for price. That would add a whole day to the trip.

 

[Candycane83]

Personally, I've tossed the idea around due to the lack of (so far at least) evening activities in other parks. There are so many party nights during our stay, it's a way to get more night MK time. I have teens though!

Same here but instead of teenagers I have a two year old! Lol! Honestly the reason for me is just because I want our last night to be at MK which happens to be a party night I thought it would be more magical but DH seems opposed to attending two parties

 

[JainaAlice]

We are doing 2 parties too. My kids can stay up pretty late and still be in good moods. Vacation is the one advantage to non sleeping children.
We are hoping by doing 2 parties we can get in some of the party stuff and take advantage of low crowds at the rides(hopefully).

 

[rasadkowski]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts everyone! It makes total sense! Kinda like how we are really early morning people, so EMM and ppo breakfasts were high on our list. I never thought of it that way!

 

[Talby]

Love back up plans!



We took a 7:15 CRT on our party night 12/1. I know it will take party time... but this is a special night.
Our last trip DD 8 DS 6, I was unable to get a CRT booking. This will their first. I ate their as a child when it was still King Stephen's Banquet. Ha... now I'm dating myself.

Still searching for an earlier ADR

@ Talby ask the kids which they would like more and keep searching for the Chef Mickey's .

Has anyone considered the Starwars party for 12/2? I really really really want to join the Disers for the party. My DD thinks 12/2 would be better so we can take advantage of the EMH after the party.
I'm on the fence....

I'm sooooo close to adding a second MVMCP on 12/4...

I asked and they surprised me a little bit by both saying The Wave. Well, that certainly makes things easier! I'll have more time to stalk for ADRs everyone is looking for! 12/3 and 12/7 are our HS options. Your DD makes a really good point though!

I've been thinking about this multiple party thing since it was brought up. What if we choose a color, say it's lime green for ease of discussion. Whoever wants to can tie a lime green scarf or ribbon to their stroller, bag or backpack so we can identify each other in the parks (totally not my idea--I read it on the board somewhere). I know it's so hard to get our own individual plans just the way we want them, so trying to coordinate a group is even more challenging, but at least we can easily identify others from this thread. Anyone up for that?

 

[Mintycake]

That makes total sense! I was actually surprised with how many parties there are! If you don't go to one, it kinda stinks having to leave before 7 every night

This at why we are doing early mornings early nights. Also dd can stay up until about 930 without melting down - but that's her limit! It makes the Xmas party not worth it for us.

 

[Talby]

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious plans @BDFmom!

@Candycane83 I have a thing about being in MK our last night too. It worked out ours is a non-party night! It's verrrryyy tempting to do 2 parties though!!

@Mintycake I think knowing your kids' limits and keeping true to those are going to make for the happiest vacation all the way around!

 

[Tattylou]

My kids tend to have the ability to make it to 9 and then they get cranky, but I still got Christmas party tickets. We have always gone in April and the point of this long weekend trip is to see it at Christmas time. So, I'm just going to take my chances and hope that we can get a lot done before they crash....hoping I can bribe them with cookies, balloons, whatever it takes to get to the fireworks! Lol. I can't wait to see the world at the holidays. It's been on my bucket list since I was a kid. Other than the party, I'm ok with us taking it easy, sleeping in, long breaks, etc. Although there's a reason I waited until they were 6 and 8 to do this bc in earlier years they just wouldn't have made it that late regardless of the bribes!
I hadn't even considered a 2nd party night, but now I am!! Although I don't think I can justify the cost since this was supposed to be a "quick long weekend to see it all at xmas and keep it cheap"...yeah right....lol....that's what I told DH since I booked it like 2 min after we were home from WDW in April!

 

[Lisa F]

My kids tend to have the ability to make it to 9 and then they get cranky, but I still got Christmas party tickets. We have always gone in April and the point of this long weekend trip is to see it at Christmas time. So, I'm just going to take my chances and hope that we can get a lot done before they crash....hoping I can bribe them with cookies, balloons, whatever it takes to get to the fireworks! Lol. I can't wait to see the world at the holidays. It's been on my bucket list since I was a kid. Other than the party, I'm ok with us taking it easy, sleeping in, long breaks, etc. Although there's a reason I waited until they were 6 and 8 to do this bc in earlier years they just wouldn't have made it that late regardless of the bribes!
I hadn't even considered a 2nd party night, but now I am!! Although I don't think I can justify the cost since this was supposed to be a "quick long weekend to see it all at xmas and keep it cheap"...yeah right....lol....that's what I told DH since I booked it like 2 min after we were home from WDW in April!

When I took kiddo in 2014 he definitely had a preference for the early rise but we still got our money's worth out of the halloween party tickets. We did show up right at 4, did touring with FP+ for 3 hours (the parks seemed quite quiet) during which time we had a QS dinner at columbia harbor house or cosmic rays (we did both and I don't remember which night we did what) and into the party. We did a lot of ToT in the party before lining up for parade and fireworks. After fireworks he was done and we left. it was an awesome night.

HOWEVER if you are not into the parade or special fireworks then there are other ways to successfully tour the MK without it. You can also see the special fireworks from afar which, while not the same, are nice to see. I like to see it once from in the parks and once from afar. we stayed at BLT last year and had a "lake" view room where we could actually see the fireworks and watched it a few times from our room. This is what the 360 fireworks look like from afar:

 

[Lisa F]

ugh everyone. I just tried to catch up. It has been a very harrowing few days for me! Got the kiddo back and went to a party and was terrified about this weather event and cancellation of ferries. turned out to be much ado about nothing and we're home and I am exhausted. I was up most of the night so stressed and had to get up at 4am to drive the boyfriend to his flight this morning which then got delayed 3 hours, but we got home thankfully. I feel pretty wrecked right now, I am TOO OLD to be functioning on 4 hours of sleep (i did take an hour nap before and hoping it gets me through the rest of the afternoon). BOOO.

I am not sure I could even absorb what most were saying, but @BDFmom I'm not sure there is a whole lot that is appealing to me after hours at HS. Half a day is enough for me to do what I want to do, lol. I think you should come to the PAR-TAY. my unbiased opinion!

(seriously you should do what is best for your family. for me I am going to seriously limit interaction with others even though I am tempted to meet this one here and that one there because this trip is about me and the kiddo and our time together. It is sacred. A meetup at the party would be great because it is already a crowd situation so knowing some people would be nice I think).

 

[Candycane83]

@Talby i agree... So tempting! But we might end of with Epcot on our last night if we don't go for a second party. I have to make sure my son gets a long nap in the middle of the day though! Lol

 

[Tattylou]

When I took kiddo in 2014 he definitely had a preference for the early rise but we still got our money's worth out of the halloween party tickets. We did show up right at 4, did touring with FP+ for 3 hours (the parks seemed quite quiet) during which time we had a QS dinner at columbia harbor house or cosmic rays (we did both and I don't remember which night we did what) and into the party. We did a lot of ToT in the party before lining up for parade and fireworks. After fireworks he was done and we left. it was an awesome night.

HOWEVER if you are not into the parade or special fireworks then there are other ways to successfully tour the MK without it. You can also see the special fireworks from afar which, while not the same, are nice to see. I like to see it once from in the parks and once from afar. we stayed at BLT last year and had a "lake" view room where we could actually see the fireworks and watched it a few times from our room. This is what the 360 fireworks look like from afar:

Those are good suggestions!! Thx. I plan to get there at 4!! I totally want to see the parade and be there for a party - already bought tix for 12/1.

 

[Tattylou]

Is there a list someplace of what night we are each going to be at the parties? I like @Talby idea of having an identifying item that we all have to wave and say hi.