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

[aylinb]

Hi!!!

While we're anxiously awaiting the 180 day mark..and park hours to be released..

Let's strategize our ADRs, Park days, MVMCP, and other fun trip info!!




ROLL CALL

1437disney 11/26-12/10 CSR

TigerManiac 11/27-12/5 CBR

Darlbylaine 11/28-12/5 AoA

TiggerManiac 11/26-12/5

lsbarton 11/27-12/3

chasingthedream08 11/30-12/7 POR

dreaminginplaid 11/30-12/4 CBR

myhoney 11/30-12/6 POFQ

nicynot 12/1-12/7 POFQ

etzmn123 12/1-12/5 OKW

mintycake 12/2-12/9 BC

2009can 12/2-12/11 AoA

jillyh 12/3-12/9 BWI

CynBeth 12/2-12/11 YC

Wood Nymph 12/3-12/7 BC

Winniebell10 12/3-12/9 CR

Lisa F 12/3-12/7 BWV 12/7-12/10 Poly

brittanidp 12/4-/12/8 AK Kidani Village

DisneyBelle27 12/6-12/11 SSR/OKW

I was wondering on a couple of things for the first week we are going on November 30- Dec 4th for my daughters birthday! WHYYYYYY can't i get anything other than pop century? I so badly wanted Art of animation (any theme room she loves everything Disney) Also Cinderellas royal table is impossible Should i give up?

 

[Iowamomof4]

I was wondering on a couple of things for the first week we are going on November 30- Dec 4th for my daughters birthday! WHYYYYYY can't i get anything other than pop century? I so badly wanted Art of animation (any theme room she loves everything Disney) Also Cinderellas royal table is impossible Should i give up?

People book Disney vacations VERY far in advance. I booked this trip back in March? April? Something like that. Anyway, the dates you're looking at include people who booked free dining back in the spring (like me) so there is much less availability now than there was a few weeks/months ago. Try adjusting your dates a bit, because if there has to be availability for your entire trip or it will show as completely booked. How many people do you have in your party? I don't think you need to give up, but you might need to be flexible about where you stay and where you eat if you want to plan a last-minute trip like this. CRT books solid at 180 days before, but then people cancel all the time and you'll see reservations pop up once in awhile but you have to be looking for them. I *think* the touringplans reservation finder will work for CRT but I'm not 100% sure since it's a pre-paid meal.

 

[aylinb]

People book Disney vacations VERY far in advance. I booked this trip back in March? April? Something like that. Anyway, the dates you're looking at include people who booked free dining back in the spring (like me) so there is much less availability now than there was a few weeks/months ago. Try adjusting your dates a bit, because if there has to be availability for your entire trip or it will show as completely booked. How many people do you have in your party? I don't think you need to give up, but you might need to be flexible about where you stay and where you eat if you want to plan a last-minute trip like this. CRT books solid at 180 days before, but then people cancel all the time and you'll see reservations pop up once in awhile but you have to be looking for them. I *think* the touringplans reservation finder will work for CRT but I'm not 100% sure since it's a pre-paid meal.

Iowamomof4: Ok excellent is that a website? We booked it a while ago but she didn't want to eat there until end of last month and I was not going to pay for something she did not want. 8 year olds are difficult when they are girls. i have been looking everyday I guess I will keep on it til the day of Thank you so much!

 

[SilSprBea]

never mind on my update on River of Light. Just deleted. It wasn't from today!

 

[LBlovesM&WDW]

I'm doing the same, except 1 week before you. And with Epcot open until 11:30pm on Tuesday night, we'll have 3 late nights in a row.

We are also doing these 3 late nights the week after you. I hope my sleepyhead can hang.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Iowamomof4: Ok excellent is that a website? We booked it a while ago but she didn't want to eat there until end of last month and I was not going to pay for something she did not want. 8 year olds are difficult when they are girls. i have been looking everyday I guess I will keep on it til the day of Thank you so much!

Yes, touringplans.com. You don't need a subscription but you do need to make an account in order to use their reservation finder.

 

[Candycane83]

yeah and I will just FP+ soarin for 11-12 and maybe grab a SDFP for the same time period for living with the land and by then we should have done pretty much everything we want to do at Epcot. I assume both TT and Soarin' will be doable during EMH. I can even FP+ TT I would think since I'm not booking any FP+ at HS... we'll maybe do some SDFP activity between dinner and F! if there is time.

12/3 I will RD EMH dinoland rides and tough to be a bug, FP+ everest (just in case kiddo will ride it) KS, Lion King,
12/4 I will RD EMH Jedi Training Academy TSMM x 2, great movie ride, SDFP star tours and indiana jones, FP+ RoL late show (here's hoping)
12/5 I will RD Soarin', FP+ FEA for after dinner, Spaceship Earth and Figment, SDFP whatever else I can, maybe even TT if I can
12/6 I will see what SDFP I can get for between dinner and F! (or just walk on to something or maybe explore launch bay or something) and FP+ Illuminations at Epcot before doing EMH to try to get the big rides done again, maybe even hit FEA on the way out
12/7 I will FP+ Soarin' for 11-12 (one last time before we go) SDFP livin' with the land for the same time period and whatever else we still want to do. After my soarin FP expires I will book two more FP+ for the MK for that evening, for 7:30-8:30 and 8:30-9:30 or something (hoping I can get space mountain and buzz), EMH
12/8 I will book FP+ 7DMT, PP, Pooh and a 4th fantasyland FP+ not sure what yet (using MVMCP tickets for the second two)
12/9 I will book FP+ splash mountain, BTMRR, jungle cruise, SDFP magic carpets of aladdin, pirates, haunted mansion.

NOW comments?

sounds like a solid plan... so you're spending the whole day 12/4 at DHS and whole day 12/5 at EPCOT, then 12/6 at DHS again? I know you have it so your hotel is closer to the park you are visiting.

 

[Lisa F]

We are also doing these 3 late nights the week after you. I hope my sleepyhead can hang.

now we are too (same week as you). I've thought it through and think it makes a lot more sense!

 

[Talby]

Great thanks! It seems buses are possible, but taxi/uber will be less stressful on us.

I love the quote from you in that thread about your daughter loving animals more than people. That's so me!

Personally, I feel like taxiing/ubering takes the timing concern right off the table and that holds such an appeal for me. I completely get your deep love of animals and think it's so awesome. I imagine you'll be in heaven at AK!!

That's great you got everything the way you want it now! If I only had so much decisiveness in me!

Are you sort of implying I'm decisive? I have no way of really knowing at this point, and even though it would probably be an embarrassingly high number, it might be entertaining to know just how many times I've switched things up! I think my sanity will benefit from having our plan all tidied up before FP. I've only made some concrete decisions based on self-inflicted pressure! lol

so settle! I'm settled except for waiting for star wars fireworks and HOPING I can fit in RoL (it would have to be after 5pm CA Grill dinner and I would burn my FP+ for it for sure). Keeping fingers crossed if it opens there are two shows and one is late enough that I can make it. damn early sunset

So close, so close!! The latest monkey wrench was switching party nights. Ended up needing to completely switch a couple of park days, which also meant ADRs, as well as Pirates and Pals. No availability for the new date I wanted at first, but I checked every day for a week and just got that rebooked yesterday. My final snags are waiting for SW fireworks and RoL. Then I *THINK* we should be pretty much set!! I should repost my latest incarnation soon to get some valuable input!

 

[Lisa F]

sounds like a solid plan... so you're spending the whole day 12/4 at DHS and whole day 12/5 at EPCOT, then 12/6 at DHS again? I know you have it so your hotel is closer to the park you are visiting.

I am spending the day until about 3pm at DHS, then back to the hotel to change for CA grill
whole day 12/5 at epcot
rest day 12/6, the only thing at DHS is dinner at 4:30 and then F! (maybe with star tours in between) and then to Epcot for though there might be time to grab a ride or two before illuminations. It's ideal time to try out the illuminations FP+ spot because it is closest to future world.

 

[Lisa F]

for everyone who is worried about the fact that there is not tons of availability at WDW resorts during our week and the impact on crowds, this is a quote from easywdw about occupancy (it is actually about extra magic hours):

Disney is very good about keeping the occupancy rate at its resorts high. Over the last four quarters, Disney resort occupancy has hovered between 80% and 82%. If occupancy is down, Disney offers discounts to fill the rooms. In other words, when the crowd calendar lists a 7 or higher as the overall crowd level, the crowds are coming from outside of Disney World. On-site occupancy is relatively stable throughout the year. Since only people staying at Disney-owned resorts, Swan, Dolphin, Shades of Green, and the Downtown Disney Hilton can take advantage of Extra Magic Hours, there are always about 68,000 people (assuming three people per room and 80% occupancy) that can take “take advantage” of them, even if the overall crowd level is rated at just a two or three.

so really you can NOT predict crowd level from disney resort occupancy. it's the people who come from offsite that raise or lower the crowd levels.

 

[Talby]

On our last trip we watched Wishes from the middle of Fantasyland. While not the typical castle view, it was really cool, and something I think everyone should see once!!

I now have this on my handy-dandy spreadsheet under Things I Want To Do But Will Forget If I Don't Get Them Down On Paper section! Really looking forward to seeing Wishes from this perspective!!

 

[rasadkowski]

Are any of you waiting or searching for any more adrs that you have sketched into your final plans? I am really excited about fp coming up soon, and I am up in the air about what I should do...
I am for the most part all set with my park days, and I do have some flexibility with things like Rol, but I would like to plan my fp around one adr that I am hopeful to get. ( it would mean switching up park days) There is quite a bit of time between now and the trip that I really do think something will come up. But, if it doesn't, that would stink. What do you think? Plan fp around missing adr?

 

[Candycane83]

Personally, I feel like taxiing/ubering takes the timing concern right off the table and that holds such an appeal for me. I completely get your deep love of animals and think it's so awesome. I imagine you'll be in heaven at AK!!

Are you sort of implying I'm decisive? I have no way of really knowing at this point, and even though it would probably be an embarrassingly high number, it might be entertaining to know just how many times I've switched things up! I think my sanity will benefit from having our plan all tidied up before FP. I've only made some concrete decisions based on self-inflicted pressure! lol



So close, so close!! The latest monkey wrench was switching party nights. Ended up needing to completely switch a couple of park days, which also meant ADRs, as well as Pirates and Pals. No availability for the new date I wanted at first, but I checked every day for a week and just got that rebooked yesterday. My final snags are waiting for SW fireworks and RoL. Then I *THINK* we should be pretty much set!! I should repost my latest incarnation soon to get some valuable input!

More decisive than I am at least! LOL I thought I was ok already then started thinking... hmmm... maybe... It's great you have things more or less done. I have a few things on my list in limbo just like you... namely ROL and SW dessert party. I thinking about cancelling HDDR for another night at AK if ever hours gets extended and ROL is available. SW dessert party for my first night... and BOG earlier time for MVMCP day. FOr now, I'm ok with these plans but who knows...

 

[Lisa F]

also from easy wdw regarding epcot evening EMH


Evening Extra Magic Hours at Epcot


Epcot’s evening Extra Magic Hours are from 9pm to 12am during most of the year and 9:30pm to 12:30am during Holidays Around the World in November and December. Historically, the lines to Epcot’s attractions are the longest on days with evening Extra Magic Hours scheduled for the reasons outlined above. While you won’t be wasting Park time visiting Epcot at night if no other Parks are open, the morning after evening Extra Magic Hours at Epcot is almost always a better time to tour than evening Extra Magic Hours the night before. Nonetheless, Epcot is fun to tour in the dark and if you know you won’t be able to make it to the Park by 9am anyway, evening Extra Magic Hours are a viable alternative. I would still only recommend it if you can Park Hop over in the evening or if you can stay until the very end of the night. Otherwise, you’ll be battling heavier crowds during most of the afternoon and evening.


The trick to a night with short waits is to spend the first two hours of evening Extra Magic Hours at The American Adventure, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, Captain EO, Journey Into Imagination With Figment, Maelstrom, the Seas with Nemo and Friends, and Spaceship Earth. Because thousands of people will be headed to Soarin’ and Test Track after IllumiNations, lines are routinely 60+ minutes until after 11pm when people begin to give up and depart. Save Test Track and Soarin’ for the last hour and you’ll find waits that are shorter than any other part of evening Extra Magic Hours. You may also be able to sneak into Test Track and Soarin’ from 8:30pm – 9:15pm while the great majority of people are in World Showcase, intent on seeing IllumiNations. Actual wait times are often shorter than what’s posted outside the attraction. If you’re willing to forgo seeing IllumiNations and don’t think you’ll make it to 12am or 12:30am, you may want to consider this approach.

This is obviously old info because the hours are longer but if the waits at Soarin' and TT are that high I might actually be better off sticking to my original RD plan

 

[JamieOak]

This is obviously old info because the hours are longer but if the waits at Soarin' and TT are that high I might actually be better off sticking to my original RD plan

I know it's supposedly a lower crowd right now, but maybe try scoping out the wait times next Tuesday night?

 

[Candycane83]

I am spending the day until about 3pm at DHS, then back to the hotel to change for CA grill
whole day 12/5 at epcot
rest day 12/6, the only thing at DHS is dinner at 4:30 and then F! (maybe with star tours in between) and then to Epcot for though there might be time to grab a ride or two before illuminations. It's ideal time to try out the illuminations FP+ spot because it is closest to future world.

Sounds pretty good to me! It all really works out for you especially having not so early mornings.

My plans right now are:
12/3 early dinner at Biergarten and SW dessert party (FP+ TSMM)
12/4 DHS AM EMH and AK PM (FP+ Safari, Character Spot and leave one blank for ROL)
12/5 AK AM EMH and DHS PM (F!) (FP+ Safari 9-10am, then make same day FP for TSMM and Frozen after I tap for safari)
12/6 MK (FP+ Mickey, PP and Jungle Cruise, SDFP Tomorrowland Speedway, Pooh/ IASW, Haunted Mansion)
12/7 EPCOT AM PPO (try to ride FEA then straight to Baymax/ Joy Sadness), MK PM EMH (FP Jungle Cruise, Pirates, 7DMT/ Pooh) watch wishes from Fantasyland and maybe see the castle lighting.
12/8- WL/ Disney Springs AM, nap, enter MK at 5/ 5:30pm and head to BOG (still trying to look for an earlier ADR)
12/9 late morning, DS lunch, rest, flying fish for dinner, EPCOT or DHS (FP+ FEA, ??)
12/10 RD MK, rest, HDDR or Tiffins for dinner (depending on ROL) FP+???
12/11 brunch, MK, dinner... ???
12/12 MK PPO, fly home...

My last 3 days are blanks! thoughts?

 

[Candycane83]

Are any of you waiting or searching for any more adrs that you have sketched into your final plans? I am really excited about fp coming up soon, and I am up in the air about what I should do...
I am for the most part all set with my park days, and I do have some flexibility with things like Rol, but I would like to plan my fp around one adr that I am hopeful to get. ( it would mean switching up park days) There is quite a bit of time between now and the trip that I really do think something will come up. But, if it doesn't, that would stink. What do you think? Plan fp around missing adr?

I would plan without it and change plans after... but this only applied for anything other than FEA and 7DMT. But for those, I would take what I can get.

 

[Talby]

More decisive than I am at least! LOL I thought I was ok already then started thinking... hmmm... maybe... It's great you have things more or less done. I have a few things on my list in limbo just like you... namely ROL and SW dessert party. I thinking about cancelling HDDR for another night at AK if ever hours gets extended and ROL is available. SW dessert party for my first night... and BOG earlier time for MVMCP day. FOr now, I'm ok with these plans but who knows...

Haha...I do find it to be an endearing quality of yours (in a non-creepy way! ) I think the obvious solution here is we all just extend our trips by...say 2 weeks or so? Although I imagine there would still be some tough calls to be made no matter what the length of stay!

 

[Candycane83]

I wou

Haha...I do find it to be an endearing quality of yours (in a non-creepy way! ) I think the obvious solution here is we all just extend our trips by...say 2 weeks or so? Although I imagine there would still be some tough calls to be made no matter what the length of stay!

l would say the solution is to move to Orlando and work for Disney!