2009 Discussion-We'll make time fly by!

[arkansas mom]

Ooooh, Maddie2, look at your ticker! Next week it will say less than one year!!!!!!
We're such calendar dorks over here! This is the first time I've planned a trip that was more than 9 months out! And now I'm like, 16 months!!!! WooHoo!!!!!!!!

 

[GeminiAngel]

Our plan is to go to WDW with our ENTIRE family....so Disney might not be the only thing I am addicted to by the time I'm done planning this trip!

I too am the master planner in our grand gathering. We are just about 12 months away. Boy is this work!

 

[arkansas mom]

I had to bump us up, we were half way down the page!

 

[Maddie2]

Ooooh, Maddie2, look at your ticker! Next week it will say less than one year!!!!!!
We're such calendar dorks over here! This is the first time I've planned a trip that was more than 9 months out! And now I'm like, 16 months!!!! WooHoo!!!!!!!!

I know, isn't it exciting?? I've never planned a Disney trip this far out either. Last time it was 4 months. I am trying not to delve into it too much yet, but I am scoping out the Character meal options. When we've gone to character breakfasts in the past, we've gone really early so we could then get to the parks at a decent hour. This time I think we'll push our ADR's as late as possible -- use the early morning hours at the parks, leave for a character breakfast/brunch option and then return. We can grab a granola bar in our room before we leave in the a.m. One more meal later in the day, and that'll be plenty.

Eventually I plan to join the TourGuideMike service -- when you are trying to pennypinch and save $$, the fee seems not worth it -- but when you spend THAT much to go on a vacation, the fee isn't much. This may very well be our last WDW trip -- so I want it to go as smooth as possible.

My other planning right now is financial. Save, save, save -- and charge everything else to the Disney Visa -- love those rewards!

 

[candizfan]

Now that I would believe! Once a box sits for a while, it becomes part of the room. In fact, I'm looking at a box of DH's old baseball cards right now. He was going to move it up to the attic, but it's been sitting in this room for three months. I really don't think he even sees it anymore.

SEE! I think he is the same as mine is!

 

[tikkipoo]

I too am the master planner in our grand gathering. We are just about 12 months away. Boy is this work!

I am also a Gemini - must be something in our personalities!

I used TGM for our last trip and was happy with the money spent. I'm sure I will use him again.

 

[Mrs Grumpy]

So any of the 2009 people actually booked a room yet???? I am still over 500 days (603 to be exact but who's counting) so I can't but I think I am going to just wait it out until the packages come out later this summer. Going to be a long wait though.

 

[tikkipoo]

Nope, I haven't yet. I will probably wait a little while and save my $200

 

[Micka Mouse]

I'm waiting, too . I always feel like a dork after I talk to one of the CM's. I ask all of the 'basic' questions, then I ask more questions. Then I ask their opinion. Luckily I have you guys now, so I can have more of a plan when I call .

On the flip side...In 1 year I'll be able to call for my ADR's!!!! I have all these 'breaks' lined up: In 7 months, I can make reservations......12 months until I can make ADR's. Time passes quicker for me when I think of it in spurts

 

[Piglets Mommy]

Hi! Can I join you all? We are looking at a Dec. 2009 trip. We just got home a little under 2 months ago and i'm homesick for Disney already! this is gonna be a very long wait!

 

[Mrs Grumpy]

I'm waiting, too . I always feel like a dork after I talk to one of the CM's. I ask all of the 'basic' questions, then I ask more questions. Then I ask their opinion. Luckily I have you guys now, so I can have more of a plan when I call .

On the flip side...In 1 year I'll be able to call for my ADR's!!!! I have all these 'breaks' lined up: In 7 months, I can make reservations......12 months until I can make ADR's. Time passes quicker for me when I think of it in spurts

I do the samething with the timeline. My first "happy dance" is when I can finally officially book the trip. Then it will really feel like it might happen. Then I will probably book our airfare followed by our ADR's. After that it will be time to worry about hurricanes since we are going in September.


Anyone else planning on going to MNSSHP in September 2009?

 

[sandym718]

I'm a happy camper today. I just booked our Myrtle Beach condo for August of this year. That's done, and really no more advance planning to be done for that - now I can concentrate on Disney!!!

Re: Restaurants. Character meals - we loved both Crystal Palace and Chef Mickey's. Crystal Palace dinner was really good, restaurant itself is beautiful, very convenient right in the park, and who doesn't love Winnie-the-Pooh??? I only hope my kids don't say they're "too big" for Pooh Bear next year. I highly doubt it, they're both still really into it now. Chef Mickey's - we did a "brunch", one of the last breakfast seatings, which worked out very well. Hit MK at opening for some rides with no/little lines, then monorail-ed (nice word!) over to the CR for brunch. Enjoyed all the food, and it was our "big" meal for the day, we used CS credits for dinner. Of course the characters were awesome - great place to see the biggies!! I still haven't decided if we'll do "brunch" again or dinner, it probably depends on what I decide/get for CRT (see more on that below!)

Other restaurants - my absolute faves were LeCellier and Kona. Great filet mignon, potatoes, dessert and smoothies at both. They are absolute must-do's for us!! Micka- LeCellier would make a nice adults-only meal if you want to keep it to one TS credit each. Tons of great Signature places, too, I'm sure!

On our last trip we also did Whispering Canyon and Wolfgang Puck Cafe. WCC - it was OK. I love BBQ and it just wasn't as good as some I can even get here. We had terrible service, so I think that played into my disappointment. We won't return here. WPC - very good, really enjoyed this and would definitely go back, but I think we'll be trying something different for 2009.

The two new places I think we'll be trying for 2009 - Ohana and Mama Melrose. Ohana gets such good reviews, and I know my DH will love the all-you-can-eat meat aspect!!! We went to a Brazilian restaurant here with a similar concept and both loved it. Plus, this is right at the Poly and has games for the kids, so we definitely want to try it!!

Mama Melrose - I know this gets mixed reviews, but we want to do Fantasmic this time (DD was too scared of fireworks last time, but got over that watching them from the Poly). We all enjoy Italian and the menu appeals to us. Any thoughts/opinions on Mama's?

OK, now onto Princess meal!! This will be an OOP meal for just DD and I. I debated Norway vs. CRT. DD's favorite princess CURRENTLY is Belle - in yellow dress. So, I was thinking Norway, but honestly the menu - eh... Plus, I think she will LOOOOVE the castle aspect, it's just so special! So, now I"m thinking CRT. She's starting to get into all the other Princesses and is talking possibly Cinderella for Halloween this year (I"m encouraging)! I'm thinking we'll do CRT in a Cindy dress for the portrait and the castle experience. We'll also take her Belle dress and see her in Toontown like on last trip. But... I still haven't decided Breakfast or Lunch. We are really not big breakfast people (hence the brunch at CM). Lunch would be my definite preference (DH and DS will do CS, no problem), except for the "get into the park early for great photos" aspect. I've seen some fabulous photos taken when the park is nearly empty and would love that. But that would also mean an EARLY breakfast, which I really don't like. I guess I'm leaning towards lunch, which I think is also a LITTLE bit easier to get, right? Any opinions on my CRT debate? Basically our whole itinerary will have to be "on hold" until this is booked, especially if we do lunch. That will obviously be a MK day. I'm also considering doing a later dinner at CM on the same day, I think I'd like to try that for dinner this time. Can't figure out when I'd fit a CM brunch in with us doing an early (either breakfast or lunch) meal at CRT. Our 3 MK days will likely be first day (brunch not an option, we do Kona dinner, plus I'd never get them to leave MK!), whatever day we get CRT and then probably last day (we'll go to whichever park we really want to do), which is our LeCellier dinner day. So, I'm thinking CM dinner this time.

Anyways, I'm rambling, sorry!! Love this planning stuff!

 

[Maddie2]

Isn't it heartwarming to read other people rambling on too? :<)

We've never done a castle meal -- though I would LOVE to! We have 2 boys and that hasn't even been an option. Guess I'll have to hope for grandDAUGHTERS someday! I would like to try Crystal Palace -I love the architecture of the building. Our kids are really too old for the Pooh characters, but hopefully I'll be able to get away with it .... thank GOODNESS none of their friends will see them .... at least that's the line I'll probably use! ;<) I'd also like a meal at the Grand Floridian -- or if not a meal, at least a walk through the building. With more days this time, I am really hoping to explore a bit more -- and not just run ourselves ragged sun-up to sun-down at the parks. Last time we went to WDW, SeaWorld & Universal in 10 days -- too much! This will be a WDW only vacation.

We LOVED Mama Melrose. DH had salmon, I had chicken parm, DS12 had a flatbread and DS9 had kid's pizza. The appetizers were WONDERFUL and the desserts were light, just right. We all had different desserts and tried each. All delicious. The food was very good and the atmosphere was okay -- nothing fabulous, but the food was so good, we were very focused ON the table and not the surroundings so much.

We tend to go with the brunches as we always know that we ALL will like the menu. While not overly picky, both of our kids are certainly "selective". :<) I am allergic to shellfish -- so most of the time, we choose restaurants that don't have any on the menu at all. Anything with shellfish, anything cooked on the same grill, in the same oil etc can be contaminated. Disney chefs are VERY good at explaining they use separate food prep areas, etc .... but even then, we just try to avoid it. The reaction is just too scary -- and who wants to chance that on vacation?

Chef Mickey's is fun too. I can't say that the food is so great (compares to most buffet places in cities around the country), but the atmosphere is certainly a high point. We've done the O'hana breakfast and dinner -- breakfast with the characters was fun -- and we liked the food. Dinner was eh, okay. Looking back, that was the night DS9 started coming down with Influenza B -- but we really aren't huge meat eaters anyway. SO much meat! A little meat is good -- but this is wow, a lot.

For counter services, it's nothing fabulous, but we like Casey's Corner at MK -hot dogs and fries. We like to get them and then find shady place to relax and watch people. The CS at Pop Century is actually pretty good too -- a huge selection and even some choices that on the healthy side!



I would have lots of moving smilies in my posts, but they don't show up on my entry page! Sorry for my manual smiles -- but it's that or nada!

 

[2ScottishPrincesses]

Okay folks, now that we're obsessing about ADR's I want to be part of the fun . We (that we contains me, DH, DD(will be 13 at the time) & DD(will be 4 at the time) are going 27Jun until 11Jul for my 40th on 7/7. We keep changing our minds where we are staying, I should ammend this to I keep changing my mind where we're staying DH & DD have decided on YC/BC but I'm drawn to Poly. I have a list as long as your arm of ADR's I want to make but for a few I'm not sure if it should be b/fast, lunch or dinner so I'm looking for some opinions. Here goes Chef Mickeys b/fast or dinner, Akershaus b/fast or lunch, CRT b/fast or lunch, 50's Prime Time lunch or dinner, Kona Cafe b/fast lunch or dinner. Also looking for opinions on the Hoop Dee Doo Review....sorry about all the questions but if I can't ask here who can I ask ?
Other meals we're thinking of are O'hana's for dinner (there's been mixed reviews for this but I'm still interested), Cape May breakfast (if we stay at YC/BC then this will be on our first morning), WCC lunch, Califonia Grill dinner, Biergarten lunch (not sure), Tusker house lunch (not sure) and Rose and Crown dinner. I have still to think about ressies at DTD and BW and would also quite like to go to AKL for dinner one night.
For the day of my b/day the plan is b/fast @ CP, BBB for youngest (still debating about older DD and myself), dinner at 1900PF and then hopefully a Wishes Cruise .

Hope I've not scared you all with my crazed ramblings

 

[Micka Mouse]

Isn't it heartwarming to read other people rambling on too? :<)

That's why I feel so comfortable here !!!

 

[Micka Mouse]

I would have lots of moving smilies in my posts, but they don't show up on my entry page! Sorry for my manual smiles -- but it's that or nada!

Have you checked your "Additional Options" at the bottom of the page (when you are replying, look at the bottom of the page). One of the options is "disable smilies in text". Is yours checked? If it is, that may be why you don't get any smilies.

 

[POOHLUV69]

We did Crystal Palace last June and loved it. Will definitely do that again, kids will probably be too old by then, but it's not like they're going to run into anyone. We also did Liberty Tree Tavern and Planet Hollywood and will probably do those all again. We went to Sci-Fi Diner and won't go back again. Service and food were both bad.

I'd like to do Chef Mickey's for breakfast, but realistically it just wouldn't happen. We are not morning people. I'm waiting to see what the DDP looks like for 2009. If it's not going to save us money, I doubt we would buy it. If we didn't, we may only do 1 or 2 table meals.

On a different note, I don't think I'm going to book a room only reservation. The kids want to stay at CBR again and that's fine with me. I don't think I'll have any problem getting a reservation.

Happy planning.

 

[DisneyGuess]

Hi all!
We have decided to postpone our Dec. '08 trip to an Oct. '09 trip, due to baby-making plans.
It feels so far away.....but, more time to plan and more time to save more money!
I hold on to that so I don't go nuts waiting, lol.
Anyone else planning an Oct. '09 trip?

 

[Maddie2]

Have you checked your "Additional Options" at the bottom of the page (when you are replying, look at the bottom of the page). One of the options is "disable smilies in text". Is yours checked? If it is, that may be why you don't get any smilies.

Thank you so much for trying to help me solve this problem -- but, alas, I don't have that option within my "Additional Options" section at the bottom of the page. :<( Even THAT isn't showing up.

I have only -- a Misc Options box w/Show signature & Automatically parse links...

Then, in the Thread Subscription box/Notification Type w/choices

Then, a Rate Thread box/ If you like, you can add a score, etc w/choices

And that is all.... do you see much more than that??

I've posted this problem on the tech thread, but so far, no one has been able to figure out why I don't have these options. I"ve lived without them this long, guess I'll just have to continue ... but THANK YOU for trying! :<)

 

[Maddie2]

Hi all!
We have decided to postpone our Dec. '08 trip to an Oct. '09 trip, due to baby-making plans.

Have fun working on your project!! :<)