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

[DisneyBelle27]

Well I did it. Cost me $132 to make the change but I did it. I talked to kiddo's dad and he said he did great waking up at 4am, in fact he was up first and woke all of them up. He was definitely flagging during fireworks though (they went to watch the Disney Studios fireworks from outside, the old fireworks where you could do that - they did not have parkhoppers). Which is fine, I will keep my 6:45 Sanaa dinner which will be perfect if the merry member mixer ends at 5:30 (which is when it always has before) and then after dinner we will go to the room and relax and chill and he will go to bed at his regular time (8:30 or so) and be up at our normal wakeup time (6-6:30am or so) for EMH at AK the next day.

Also having the extra time at Epcot means that we can probably just RD soarin' and maybe do it twice, have breakfast at garden grill and get an earlier start at MK on our switchover day.

What sent me over the edge was finding a very cheap hotels at the airport. Now I am just trying to decide if I want to do a "park sleep fly" or get up and move my car to the economy lot.

Yeah, def asking the wrong group of people, lol. I've flown on some ridiculously early flights, before the butt crack of dawn, to get more time in Disney, lol.

 

[Lisa F]

Yeah, def asking the wrong group of people, lol. I've flown on some ridiculously early flights, before the butt crack of dawn, to get more time in Disney, lol.

I don't think this one is TOO bad especially with staying at the airport the night before. My head is completely SPINNING though with what I'm going to do with the extra time now.

would it be batpoop crazy to park at the TTC first, go to MK for a while and get acquainted with the Sorcerers of the MK thing (and having the opportunity to get an extra set of cards), grab whatever SDFP I can (it is a friday and a party day but also I think EMH day so not sure what the crowding situation would be), have lunch there, do a couple of rides and the sorcerers game and then head over to Epcot for the merry member mixer via monorail before returning to the TTC and driving to AKL or too much hopping in one short day?

I have read the merry member mixer is best if you show up about an hour in because there is no line then, you get the freebie ornament and cookie and stuff and then can leave lol. It's all I am super interested in doing in Epcot.... I'd rather more MK time to be perfectly honest!

or maybe just skip the merry member mixer and just do the MK. In fact if we do the MK that day I can probably reassign my MVMCP tickets and not worry about getting extra plan ahead FP+.

argh mama wants to do MK first day!

 

[SilSprBea]

So it looks like the frozen holiday lighting is now at 6:30 every night through January 2nd. Yeah!!!

http://www.kennythepirate.com/2016/...rst-cinderella-castle-lighting-of-the-season/

This does throw a wrench into my 6:55 dinner at Chef Mickey. Ugh. What's the grace period for ADRs? Usually 15 minutes, right?

 

[DisneyBelle27]

So it's my turn to do the trip-is-paid happy dance! My resort was paid months ago since I rented points directly from a DVC member, but I only just bought my airfare and park ticket with my credit card last week. Just paid my credit card balance for the month, so balance back down to zero, and that means my trip is officially paid for!!! Woohoo!!!



Now I just need to be really good for the month of November, since October was a biiiggg expense month for me (In addition to the trip expenses I had over $500 in vet bills! ). I think the only purchases I'll be making this month will be my shoulder sling bag, which is cheap, and an Etsy order that I am desperately trying to keep under control (I think I have 19 items currently saved in my cart ).

 

[JamieOak]

I guess the road blocks aren't quite over yet for us. DH just left the doctor because his knee swelled up overnight. They are sending him to an orthopedic, but he probably can't get an appt there until at least Thursday. Really hoping that it's nothing major, but have no idea what the cause could be. And there goes that overtime pay I was hoping for, and his missing time this week will be unpaid.

On the plus side, today is our 30 day mark until we leave.

 

[Lisa F]

So it looks like the frozen holiday lighting is now at 6:30 every night through January 2nd. Yeah!!!

http://www.kennythepirate.com/2016/...rst-cinderella-castle-lighting-of-the-season/

This does throw a wrench into my 6:55 dinner at Chef Mickey. Ugh. What's the grace period for ADRs? Usually 15 minutes, right?

I have heard 15 minutes. How long does the holiday lighting thing last? do you have to be right up on the castle to see it or can you watch from the end of main street? I think that if it lasts about 10 minutes, you are at the end of main street you will be at most 5 minutes late to your ADR but probably right on time.

 

[Lisa F]

I guess the road blocks aren't quite over yet for us. DH just left the doctor because his knee swelled up overnight. They are sending him to an orthopedic, but he probably can't get an appt there until at least Thursday. Really hoping that it's nothing major, but have no idea what the cause could be. And there goes that overtime pay I was hoping for, and his missing time this week will be unpaid.

On the plus side, today is our 30 day mark until we leave.

oh no, I hope it's nothing that a little rest won't help. sucks about the pay too but YAY for 30 days!

um, i'm kind of flying right now with my extra MK day! I checked FP+ for the kiddo - it won't let me make more FP+ for me yet but there were two slots for 7DMT available...I grabbed it for kiddo and will try to modify at 30 days when my MVMCP ticket goes active. hopefully that will work and I will be able to make more FP+

 

[Mal6586]

Gahhhhhhhhhh I'm so excited. I've been trying to add a day at the beginning of our trip for a while now, but there was no more availability for our room type at our resort, but today it was there! Just got off the phone getting it added! (I couldn't modify myself because I'd already done online check-in) We are now checking in on Dec 3rd and out on Dec 11th. I just texted roomie and said, "We are staying at Disney for 8 nights. EIGHT NIGHTS! That's so many nights!"

 

[jillyh]

Um I am having a completely crazy moment. Totally crazy.

We are flying out at 2pm on Friday Dec 2nd getting in at 5pm. All I have planned for that day is dinner at Sanaa at 6:45pm.

There is really no great time to fly out earlier, the next earlier flight is at 6:25am, getting in at 10am. it is also expensive, I suspect it would cost me $150 to ugprade to it, maybe a bit more (for both of us) and is probably a much more crowded flight given that it is the most expensive one of the day.

but

I have 7 Day PH but am only using 6 of the days
I also cannot fit in the DVC merry member mixer at Epcot but I would be able to go to the one on Friday December 2nd if I took the earlier flight
I have already made my ferry reservation and it is for the day before


cons
we'd have to get up stupid early to get to the airport on time - I am giving a whole day to travel but at the same time we don't have to get up very early.... I'm guessing I'd need to also spring for a room at an airport hotel and still be up by 4am or maybe 4:30.
extra expense of hotel room at airport (that I was originally planning on anyway but eliminated by going a day early and not flying at a stupid time).

basically i have some extra money in my vacation account and i have an extra day on my PH both burning a hole in my pocket, but worried about the impact of getting the kiddo up so early... though if we end our day with dinner at 6:45 it might not be SO bad. right? right? someone talk me down from the ledge?!

there would be no FP+ and nothing much planned, maybe hit the outlets on the way in then to Epcot for QS lunch @morocco, the merry member mixer, maybe ellen's energy adventure because I want to do it and know i can get on it with no wait or maybe grab some SDFP or whatever then back to the resort on the earlier side to check in and freshen up for dinner, then an early night in anticipation of morning EMH the next morning at AK.

FWIW - I think you did the right thing Lisa. If you look at your per day cost for WDW it makes sense to maximize each day! Your kiddo will probably be so psyched to be at disney he will have no trouble making it to the evening

I guess the road blocks aren't quite over yet for us. DH just left the doctor because his knee swelled up overnight. They are sending him to an orthopedic, but he probably can't get an appt there until at least Thursday. Really hoping that it's nothing major, but have no idea what the cause could be. And there goes that overtime pay I was hoping for, and his missing time this week will be unpaid.

On the plus side, today is our 30 day mark until we leave.

Will Keep your DH in my thoughts today. Hopefully he will just need to stay off it for a few days and be fine after that. I have my husband doing core exercises as on our last trip he was having back trouble and it really impacted our trip.

 

[Mintycake]

I'm so jealous!!! I think my TA said I wouldn't get mine until 2 weeks before we leave

And us canadians don't get them at all I think

 

[Lisa F]

can I just say BOOYAH!!! ?
I transferred my MVMCP ticket back to the primary holders and because we are staying on site it opened up another FP+ day for me.

Guess what I scored? NOT BAD AT 38 DAYS!!!!!!!!

omg I am going to bounce right out of my seat! Like seriously what a perfect FIRST DAY AT DISNEY! Honestly I was sad that because of my split stay that MK was all at the end. It felt wrong. Now I have an afternoon in the MK right when we get there.

SO EXCITED!!!! feeling very very good about my decision now. and screw the merry mixer lol. mama needs to ride some coasters! (actually if we do PP right at 2:55 and leave we can probably make it to the merry mixer by 4:30. maybe I could even walk to contemporary and uber to boardwalk and come in the back way and be closeby then monorail back to the car)

 

[Mintycake]

So it looks like the frozen holiday lighting is now at 6:30 every night through January 2nd. Yeah!!!

http://www.kennythepirate.com/2016/...rst-cinderella-castle-lighting-of-the-season/

This does throw a wrench into my 6:55 dinner at Chef Mickey. Ugh. What's the grace period for ADRs? Usually 15 minutes, right?

Thinking same thing. Can I make it to 1900 park fare for 715?

 

[Lisa F]

FWIW - I think you did the right thing Lisa. If you look at your per day cost for WDW it makes sense to maximize each day! Your kiddo will probably be so psyched to be at disney he will have no trouble making it to the evening

Thanks, I am REALLY feeling it now that I was able to make FP+ for that day. I try to avoid early mornings or late nights at MK when I am not at the MK resort and Epcot/DS when I am not at Epcot area resorts, but since we are coming in late and leaving early it is pretty much the perfect time to fit in a little extra MK time. we'll just drive to the parking lot and then when we leave head to the resort for our 6:45 dinner. IF we feel like it we can leave early for the member mixer, we'd need to leave by about 3:30 I think to get there by 4:30 but if we feel like staying we will stay.

I HAVE A PLAN!

I am seriously about to lose my mind with joy right now! Thank you all for encouraging me, I really feel like I am getting HUGE value out of the extra day. NOW my trip feels 100% complete, RoL be darned lol.

 

[Lisa F]

Thinking same thing. Can I make it to 1900 park fare for 715?

you should be able to if you are exiting the park right at 6:45, but I might try to grab the boat to GF rather than the monorail since I'm pretty sure the monorail goes the opposite way and GF is the last stop leaving MK, first stop before getting to MK.

 

[SilSprBea]

can I just say BOOYAH!!! ?
I transferred my MVMCP ticket back to the primary holders and because we are staying on site it opened up another FP+ day for me.

Guess what I scored? NOT BAD AT 38 DAYS!!!!!!!!

omg I am going to bounce right out of my seat! Like seriously what a perfect FIRST DAY AT DISNEY! Honestly I was sad that because of my split stay that MK was all at the end. It felt wrong. Now I have an afternoon in the MK right when we get there.

SO EXCITED!!!! feeling very very good about my decision now. and screw the merry mixer lol. mama needs to ride some coasters! (actually if we do PP right at 2:55 and leave we can probably make it to the merry mixer by 4:30).

I can't see your image! What did you score?

 

[Lisa F]

I can't see your image! What did you score?

does that work? I can see it but maybe no one else can!

 

[DisneyBelle27]

does that work? I can see it but maybe no one else can!

That's awesome! So psyched for you!!! I totally feel you on the importance of starting a trip with MK. It's gonna feel weird to me on my trip having my first park day be Epcot, lol.

 

[SilSprBea]

I have heard 15 minutes. How long does the holiday lighting thing last? do you have to be right up on the castle to see it or can you watch from the end of main street? I think that if it lasts about 10 minutes, you are at the end of main street you will be at most 5 minutes late to your ADR but probably right on time.

I think we want to watch it up close so she can see and hear Anna, Elsa, Kristoff. It's more about the little Frozen show for us. I understand it's 7 minutes long. if it starts at 6:30, it should be over by 6:40 at the latest. How long does it take to walk from the castle to the entrance, and then over to Chef Mickey? I suppose we could see it too on Monday evening before our Be Our Guest dinner (it's at 7:10) but I was thinking Monday would be more crowded than Sunday...

 

[SilSprBea]

does that work? I can see it but maybe no one else can!

Oh my! I can see it now. Those are AWESOME fast passes!!!!!!!

 

[Lisa F]

Gahhhhhhhhhh I'm so excited. I've been trying to add a day at the beginning of our trip for a while now, but there was no more availability for our room type at our resort, but today it was there! Just got off the phone getting it added! (I couldn't modify myself because I'd already done online check-in) We are now checking in on Dec 3rd and out on Dec 11th. I just texted roomie and said, "We are staying at Disney for 8 nights. EIGHT NIGHTS! That's so many nights!"

YAY!

there is some serious pixie dust up here in this thread today!