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

[Iowamomof4]

I saw availability for 1 in 12/6. I also saw some avaialbility in November... (very little)

I gave up my reservation for 6 on that night. Now that we've switched our flight (to the tune of $200), we needed to cut something. Hope everyone finds what they need!

 

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

Do you know if anyone has successfully booked it online? I'm seeing no availability for any night I've checked so far.

I randomly checked for 4 people about 15 minutes ago and Dec. 8th showed availabilty. When I just checked again for 4 people I got nothing available. IIRC I think you are still looking right? If so, at least you can check when it's more convenient for you rather than calling. Still a bummer about the 3rd but maybe something will open up.

 

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

Speaking as someone who is arriving the week after current availability for JBJB. Can someone tell me why in Goofy's name they would only load availabilty up until Dec. 10th rather than the full schedule to Dec. 31st. Was it just to appease the Pop Warner crowd as their final day is Dec10th?

 

[rasadkowski]

I've spent the last 4 hours going through my plans! How can that be when I'm this far along? I'm excited, but I'm exhausted!! Tweaking the plans is harder than deciding what to do.
Can I ask your professional timing opinions?
If I were to watch the mk parade at 3 at frontierland, would we be able to leave after, get back to the poly, change, and get to 1900 park fare for 515 dinner?
Is the parade always at 3?
I saw that it's only 15 min, but I also read conflicting websites whether it starts on Main Street Or fantasyland......

 

[Iowamomof4]

Speaking as someone who is arriving the week after current availability for JBJB. Can someone tell me why in Goofy's name they would only load availabilty up until Dec. 10th rather than the full schedule to Dec. 31st. Was it just to appease the Pop Warner crowd as their final day is Dec10th?

My guess is they might be planning to alter park hours for the last few weeks of December and want to wait to release the dessert party until they have the hours firmer.

 

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

My guess is they might be planning to alter park hours for the last few weeks of December and want to wait to release the dessert party until they have the hours firmer.

Well whatever it is, IT NEEDS TO STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just had to get that out.
Ok I feel better now.

 

[Candycane83]

I've spent the last 4 hours going through my plans! How can that be when I'm this far along? I'm excited, but I'm exhausted!! Tweaking the plans is harder than deciding what to do.
Can I ask your professional timing opinions?
If I were to watch the mk parade at 3 at frontierland, would we be able to leave after, get back to the poly, change, and get to 1900 park fare for 515 dinner?
Is the parade always at 3?
I saw that it's only 15 min, but I also read conflicting websites whether it starts on Main Street Or fantasyland......

Parade is always at 3pm right now and starts at frontierland. unfortunately, I'm not too sure about timing... I think it would be enough time. I'm leaving after FoF too and am wondering if I could beat the parade to exit the park or wait it out... I think the parade should reach Main Street by 3:40? I'm guessing.

It's hard to plan!! There's so much I want to include! Like the dapper dans, mickey's royal friendship faire, move it shake it party, trolley show and this is only MK!!

 

[Candycane83]

Well whatever it is, IT NEEDS TO STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just had to get that out.
Ok I feel better now.

I feel for you, it's right when your trip starts too! Eek.

And we know how u feel... ahem... ROL

 

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

I guess they loaded more into the system because.
Nov. 27th, 29th, 30th
Dec. 1st, 6th, 7th, 8th

All showing availabilty for JBJB dessert party now. I didn't check any earlier in Nov.

 

[Candycane83]

I guess they loaded more into the system because.
Nov. 27th, 29th, 30th
Dec. 1st, 6th, 7th, 8th

All showing availabilty for JBJB dessert party now. I didn't check any earlier in Nov.

That would explain the almost non existent availability! Lol! Maybe they will have more for Dec 3?

 

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

I feel for you, it's right when your trip starts too! Eek.

And we know how u feel... ahem... ROL

Yes ma'am all true. I thought about rearranging our arrival day (Dec.10) to go to HS but I have our anniversary dinner booked that night along with a cake order. I can't justify turning everything upside down and inside out for this dessert party. I'm fairly confident I can grab one for Dec. 13 or 16 which are 2 days where it would fit in nicely.

I have made a pledge to myself not to let Disney mess up my Disney plans.

 

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

Parade is always at 3pm right now and starts at frontierland. unfortunately, I'm not too sure about timing... I think it would be enough time. I'm leaving after FoF too and am wondering if I could beat the parade to exit the park or wait it out... I think the parade should reach Main Street by 3:40? I'm guessing.

It's hard to plan!! There's so much I want to include! Like the dapper dans, mickey's royal friendship faire, move it shake it party, trolley show and this is only MK!!

Well
If you want to get out of there quickly after the parade just bring a sash and one of twirling batons and fall in line after the last float. Follow the parade right to the train station and exit left and your home free.

 

[Candycane83]

Yes ma'am all true. I thought about rearranging our arrival day (Dec.10) to go to HS but I have our anniversary dinner booked that night along with a cake order. I can't justify turning everything upside down and inside out for this dessert party. I'm fairly confident I can grab one for Dec. 13 or 16 which are 2 days where it would fit in nicely.

I have made a pledge to myself not to let Disney mess up my Disney plans.

Haha I think I saw a similar post by @serenitynow today I think this teaches us all to go with the flow! I'm booked for Dec 3 but hoping to catch the show without the dessert party either the 9th, or 11th... but the time right now is not exactly ideal. It's weird since DHS closes at 9pm on 9th n 10th but the show is at 6:45... secretly hoping they would add a second show

 

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

Haha I think I saw a similar post by @serenitynow today I think this teaches us all to go with the flow! I'm booked for Dec 3 but hoping to catch the show without the dessert party either the 9th, or 11th... but the time right now is not exactly ideal. It's weird since DHS closes at 9pm on 9th n 10th but the show is at 6:45... secretly hoping they would add a second show

Yes that's something to consider. For my week, Dec 16th DHS is open until 10pm with EMH. I wonder if they will adjust the time JBJB (probably not) or possibly add a second F!.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Okay, we're half-way through October now. I think it's time for them to fill in the remaining Candlelight Processional schedule.

 

[Lisa F]

Just some clarifications...people staying offsite can book EMM. I am staying offsite and we are doing EMM. We stay offsite because my in-laws have a timeshare through Westgate. So of course it makes sense to use it. I would say we have a generous budget and don't eat in our condo room, except for some breakfasts or when we want to take some time away from the parks. We aren't there for a free dining week, but because it's the week we like to go. Perfect weather, Christmas decorations are up and my kids have an extended break from school so we can have a 12 day vacation and they only miss 3 school days.

I'm sorry if I offended you. I'm not sure I explained myself correctly. Disney does a lot of things to keep people onsite and spending the money there rather than offsite. It's the reason a 5 day parkhopper is only a few $$ less than a 7 day parkhopper for instances... because Disney knows that it will encourage people to not go to universal when they can add 2 more days in disney parks for $20 vs. $300 to go off site for 2 days to universal. of course people still do, but disney does everything they can to discourage it. And once you leave the disney bubble, suddenly the appeal of paying $20 for a burger, fries and drink goes through the floor. If you are staying in an offsite condo you are much more likely to go to off site restaurants where the prices are real world prices rather than highly inflated Disney prices. Maybe you do stay off site and give every other vacation dollar to Disney, but most people who stay off site do not.. they check out other florida attractions, outlets, universal, other restaurants (some of which are quite good and are not "cheap" but are considered by many to be a better value for the dollar vs. those with the "disney tax" on them). In my experience folks who stay on site fall into two categories... those who are completely disney obsessed and follow sites like this one and those who have travel agents who book them and their travel agents get news before it makes its way to the general public. So it is my feeling that most special events are mostly (but obviously not completely) booked by onsite people because they are in the disney bubble, drinking the kool-aid, connecting mickey directly to their wallets through room charge and magic bands, already spending a ton of money to be there so what's another $xxx for whatever special event that they want to do. Obviously there are exceptions and people make vacation budget choices based on their own preferences.... my parents own at westgate also and would never in a million years dream of staying in an onsite hotel room because to them it is a huge step down from a condo. Even if I could afford to put them up in a larger DVC unit, except for OKW they are still smaller and more hotel like than the off site condos are and no matter how I feel about staying onsite, to them it's a bit like living in the ghetto on vacation... why would they do that when they can have 4 bedrooms, tons of bathrooms, a huge kitchen, huge TVs etcetc. But they also (when they go every 10 years or something) do not give all of their money to Disney and although Disney is a big part of their trip, they do not plan like I do and it's not the ONLY part of their trip. It's just a trend that I've noticed not just in my own experience but after reading these boards for the past 15 years or something... most (but of course not all) of the people who obsessively plan tend to stay onsite. the 180+ window is considered a major benefit to score coveted ADRs (and of course it is possible to score them later), the 60 day FP+ window even more key when new attractions like 7DMT and FEA come online. They just seem to mostly (but obviously not entirely) go together. It's just a trend I have noticed and not an insult to anyone's vacation, their budget or where they stay. And lower budget was not meant to imply that you could not afford to spend more if you wanted to but any stay offsite is going to cost less than onsite because accommodations are so much less... and also once you burst the disney bubble and venture offsite there are tons of other ways to get a lot more value for your money. I didn't mean "lower budget" like b-grade movie or anything, I meant it just costs less overall. I've had some great vacations with my parents, ate at great restaurants, way overindulged... just a non insignificant portion of it was outside the disney bubble vs. within it.

So my point was mostly just that because a certain overpriced special event (and let's face it, I just spent $108 for me and the kiddo to eat dessert and watch fireworks... overpriced by anyone's standards!) sold out very quickly before news of the event was even really made public or bookable online, I would say it's not reflective of what the overall crowd level is going to be during that time. I think it is reflective MOSTLY of high onsite resort occupancy and a huge demand among those people for awesome christmas entertainment due to the timing of other incentives by disney to get people into the disney bubble and keep them there.

 

[Lisa F]

Yes that's something to consider. For my week, Dec 16th DHS is open until 10pm with EMH. I wonder if they will adjust the time JBJB (probably not) or possibly add a second F!.

it is later in the evening during the busy parts of november when the park is open later. I'm not sure what they are going to do for shows where the park hours are adjusted to be open later but they already scheduled fireworks at the end of the night for earlier hours but I suspect leave them where they are. The park they seem to adjust the hours of the most is MK and I don't think they change wishes from 10pm to 11pm or midnight when they expanded the hours. They might add a second F! but I think that will depend on how crowded they anticipate it to be... I would guess they might only do it really the week between xmas and new years and a few days before based on their pattern lately. You are right on the cusp of exciting things happening. I know crowds start to tick up a little bit historically that week but with the expanded hours I think you're going to have a great time

 

[Lisa F]

I noticed that today! I will be dropping my previously PPO BOG now. Glad I decided to do EMM!

boo. I'd like to say this is why I never do PPO but to be honest it is because I can't get my lazy butt up that early. morning EMH our first few days is going to be rough, much prefer the days when we don't have to get moving so fast!

12/10. I have a BOG PPO now for 12/6 2 ppl, need 3. But I think I would prefer to move my chef Mickey's to 12/6. (Would like to catch the welcome show once this trip) But gotta look take a closer look at everything tomorrow when I'm back at work can't concentrate when I have to pay attention to my toddler but can pay attention when I'm working

lol that's just like me. work is very busy right now (which is great news for me as I am partially commission based) but it is highly interrupting my disney planning. I'm glad I was paying attention the day JBJB was released. I could just as well have not been!

 

[areno79]

boo. I'd like to say this is why I never do PPO but to be honest it is because I can't get my lazy butt up that early. morning EMH our first few days is going to be rough, much prefer the days when we don't have to get moving so fast!

lol that's just like me. work is very busy right now (which is great news for me as I am partially commission based) but it is highly interrupting my disney planning. I'm glad I was paying attention the day JBJB was released. I could just as well have not been!

I hear you...I am not a morning person either; except when I'm at Disney. I think I have FOMO (or maybe just excitement) because it's not uncommon for me to wake up before my alarm and be ready to go.
We are doing EMH and then EMM the first 2 days; after that we sleep in a little and get to the parks at 9am RD. Towards the end of the trip we'll be tired and will need the extra sleep, I think.

 

[PlutosUnDr8d]

wow 477 pages on a thread for the first week of December. There goes my thought I would be the only one in the parks. LOL

If this is my experience in the park in December, I will be thrilled! Great group of people on here--we will all be in good company!