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

[Lisa F]

LOL what I meant was I hope it doesn't suck that we need to get a FP - if you do it that way will you still have to get to the theatre 1/2 hr before? Thats what I meant. I'm sure the show will be great!

I think with FP it might be even a bit earlier and I have read the FP section can be more crowded and people without FP+ tend to mix in.

All that said this is a lower crowd time of year so I would expect none of that to be a HUGE issue.

 

[LBlovesM&WDW]

@Mintycake Ha ha, well ok then. Most people say that a 4th FP for Fantasmic is usually not that hard to get. You would have to line up earlier than with a Fantasmic pkg, but I'm honestly not sure since we've always done the pkg (never wanted to wait in that line).

 

[Mintycake]

are you really against "brunch" at H&V? or is it not available? 11AM fantasmic package with the disney junior characters then a nice meal at 50's prime time for dinner without cramming too much in?

Actually I love brunch! But the whole purpose of us getting the H&V ressie was to avoid the line up to sign up for Jedi Training which seems pretty ridiculous even at RD. DD will not be able to handle standing in line for 45 minutes to sign up for something she's semi-into. I have to really be careful with lines with her as she doesn't tolerate them well, which is why I also booked Fantasmic package if it means no waiting. I'm thinking it might be good to just pare down the 50s prime time meal (maybe even just do dessert there). Though I really wanted to try the fried chicken! (says the mostly vegetarian LOL)

 

[Lisa F]

Actually I love brunch! But the whole purpose of us getting the H&V ressie was to avoid the line up to sign up for Jedi Training which seems pretty ridiculous even at RD. DD will not be able to handle standing in line for 45 minutes to sign up for something she's semi-into. I have to really be careful with lines with her as she doesn't tolerate them well, which is why I also booked Fantasmic package if it means no waiting. I'm thinking it might be good to just pare down the 50s prime time meal (maybe even just do dessert there). Though I really wanted to try the fried chicken! (says the mostly vegetarian LOL)

haha I have been craving fried chicken something fierce since booking HDDR. it's insane.

I didn't realize you had a PPO. yeah my son is not great with lines either (then why disney?? lol. we managed it really well last time with FPs though, but that is my whole reason for the fantasmic package.

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

I agree that the less time you have, the more you have to prioritize. The more time you have the less you have to because you have so much time to fit everything in.

that said a few things to keep in mind (of course IMO):

1) this is a relatively quiet time of year. Now when I went in September 2014 it was also supposed to be a quiet time of year and there were a lot more people around than I expected. that said even though it felt more crowded than in years past, it was entirely manageable with fastpasses for the attractions that have long lines and all of the attractions that only really have lines when the park is packed. I expect it will be similar in december.

2) I never did an EMH either early or late on my last trip and we did most of what we wanted to do in Saturday to Saturday that included Saturday as a travel day, 1 full day not at the park (KSC) and 1 day for disney springs/rest/pool. I think I had 5 day non parkhoppers and we did one half day at AK with MNSSHP one night, one day each at Epcot and HS and 2 days at MK. This time I have multiple days planned at both Epcot and MK and have parkhoppers so are splitting things up a little different (doing different nighttime shows than daytime activities and doing more TS meals).

3) we were flexible about what we wanted to do. Rode 7DMT once and one and done was fine. Did toy story mania once. did things like tomorrowland transit authority multiple times. Basically being willing to do less popular attractions and shows to fill in times when the other stuff is more crowded led to really nice days. Not being so focused on "e-ticket" attractions with huge waits just made it so much more enjoyable. In a less busy time of year the less popular attractions will have little to no wait even on crowded park days.

I am kind of a zilla (like bridezilla lol) when it comes to planning but my method is to have everything VERY planned out and then be flexible and make changes on the fly day of. I had my phone out a bunch of times to switch fastpasses around a bit too and that is really really helpful to be able to do on the fly.

Yes! This is totally me! The more I have planned out, the better. Even if we don't get to something, though at least I have the guideline to continue the day. Otherwise we would be wandering aimlessly getting nothing done.

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

dumbo is a great choice now because they added a whole second ride and there is also a playground area in the middle of the queue which is a great place to sit down and rest and let your kid burn off some energy on. We did dumbo a couple of times.

I am SO hoping to avoid Dumbo this time around. Lol. My youngest will be 7.

 

[Lisa F]

Otherwise we would be wandering aimlessly getting nothing done.

like I do every other day in my life, lol

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

Yes!! Well I'm waiting for CP so I can get my coral reef ADR (w/o CP). I'm waiting for Florida Homecoming Kitchen and Flying Fish too

That's the last thing I'm waiting for. CR for dinner, non CP package. I have a late lunch and will survive if I can't get later, but figure I will still Try.
I would also like a later (than 3:25) Hollywood and Vine F! package, but I doubt that is going to happen.

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

like I do every other day in my life, lol

Lol! Me too! I need to plan my daily life out as well! I have 3 kids and they spin me in circles when they are all home!

 

[Candycane83]

That's the last thing I'm waiting for. CR for dinner, non CP package. I have a late lunch and will survive if I can't get later, but figure I will still Try.
I would also like a later (than 3:25) Hollywood and Vine F! package, but I doubt that is going to happen.

You never know! Keep trying! It's too bad there's no touring plans reservation finder for fantasmic packages.
I think my Epcot plans right now are all screwed up because I could not find the times I want for garden grill and can't find coral reef and Akershus at all. Hopefully they release more tables when they announce CP

 

[Lisa F]

That's the last thing I'm waiting for. CR for dinner, non CP package. I have a late lunch and will survive if I can't get later, but figure I will still Try.
I would also like a later (than 3:25) Hollywood and Vine F! package, but I doubt that is going to happen.

You never know! Keep trying! It's too bad there's no touring plans reservation finder for fantasmic packages.
I think my Epcot plans right now are all screwed up because I could not find the times I want for garden grill and can't find coral reef and Akershus at all. Hopefully they release more tables when they announce CP

I would put in the time for a regular H&V dinner in touring packages and then instead of following the link when you get the alert, go manually into F! packages and try to pull up that time. I bet it will be there (if someone else hasn't taken it already).

 

[Mintycake]

haha I have been craving fried chicken something fierce since booking HDDR. it's insane.

I didn't realize you had a PPO. yeah my son is not great with lines either (then why disney?? lol. we managed it really well last time with FPs though, but that is my whole reason for the fantasmic package.

We will see how Disney goes. She needs to learn some patience (and sometimes can be really great in lines, but just depends on the day). but we're trying to minimize waits wherever we can go, hence a lot of character meals and RD/FP+ strategy.

 

[Lisa F]

We will see how Disney goes. She needs to learn some patience (and sometimes can be really great in lines, but just depends on the day). but we're trying to minimize waits wherever we can go, hence a lot of character meals and RD/FP+ strategy.

how old is she? in 2014 I took my then 6 year old. waiting is very very hard for him. we did great and he loves disney. Some queues are better than others and disney has been making them more tolerable to be in. the most INtolerable were character m&g lines. My kiddo LOVED the character meals though. Also he has a tough time sitting in his seat for very long and when characters come around there is lots of opportunity for him to be out of it (and also walking to buffet etc even though I prefer family style and to sit my fat butt down to be served). Just be flexible and willing to abandon something with a long wait for something with a short one. that time of year there will be plenty. It's not really "learning patience" as much as a maturity thing and my kiddo has ADHD as well. With planning it is really not a problem though!

 

[Mintycake]

I've been following along the FEA reports today and it sounds like a total clustercuss. I hope it calms down by December!

 

[Lisa F]

I've been following along the FEA reports today and it sounds like a total clustercuss. I hope it calms down by December!

FEA?

 

[Winniebell10]

Hi guys! I just wanted to say hey to my First week of December friends. Now that my 180 ADR date is over, I don't have anything to do. I'm still dreaming Disney all the time, just nothing to hash out right now. Looks like everyone's plans are coming along great!!!!

 

[Candycane83]

FEA?

Frozen ever after! 240min wait!

 

[Lisa F]

Frozen ever after! 240min wait!

oh lol

a friend just sent me a link to kenny the pirate's video with report of the wait. that is NUTS

soarin' right after it reopened was at 210 minute waits and now they are less than a half hour. shouldn't be any worse than the old maelstrom I'd guess.

 

[Mintycake]

oh lol

a friend just sent me a link to kenny the pirate's video with report of the wait. that is NUTS

soarin' right after it reopened was at 210 minute waits and now they are less than a half hour. shouldn't be any worse than the old maelstrom I'd guess.

Maelstrom (bless it, it was fun), didn't have the same princess power as Frozen. I'm scared but will continue to monitor what happens.

 

[Lisa F]

Maelstrom (bless it, it was fun), didn't have the same princess power as Frozen. I'm scared but will continue to monitor what happens.

it didn't but also there were no showstopper attractions in epcot. it predated soarin' and test track etc and even then it was maybe an hour wait at most. usually like 40 minutes. I think it will settle down a lot. Also there were a LOT of ride breakdowns today.