Christmas Comes Early PTR Nov 27 - Dec 3 2011 **What's YOUR Opinion?**

[mphalens]

Wow! Sorry I haven't updated in a while everyone!!!!

I've been hanging out in the Disboutiquers thread ... I feel like my hands are a little tied in the planning process right now, so might as well learn how to make all these cool outfits, right?

So anyway! For now I'm going to go on the assumption that we WILL upgrade to the Deluxe Dining Plan ... and make my ADR's accordingly ... and if we have to cancel some, or pay out of pocket, we'll cross that bridge later.


Now, for some questions!!!! What is the best, most reliable place to get the park hours, EMHs, crowd levels from??? I got a touringplans.com membership ... but is EasyWDW better? Does Disney post hours, EMHs themselves too???

I want to figure out the crowd levels, etc. so I can "finalize" my 1st choice ADRs ... and I also sort of want to figure out a rough guideline for the outfits I want to make before I find myself drowning in Disney fabrics

So ... help me out everyone!!!! Pretty pretty please?

 

[PixieMama]

Disney does post park hours (including EMHs) on their website.

This is my first experience with looking at crowd predictions to base what park we'll visit each day. In the past, I've based this on what parks had EMHs (since we stayed on-site). Sorry, I am of no help!

 

[MARsMama]

Sounds like I might have to check out the DISboutiquers thread! lol
I only used easyWDW for crowd levels. Not sure how accurate it is, but I don't have touring plans and I usually avoid EMHs anyway, so I took a chance and went with it. Sorry, I'm not much help.

 

[mphalens]

Sounds like I might have to check out the DISboutiquers thread! lol
I only used easyWDW for crowd levels. Not sure how accurate it is, but I don't have touring plans and I usually avoid EMHs anyway, so I took a chance and went with it. Sorry, I'm not much help.

Definitely check out the Disboutiquers thread!!! It's awesome! Everyone is so encouraging and has great ideas ... I actually sewed some Decoupage Jeans for my little guy (well, upcycled them ) ...

I need to figure out how to use the Numbers program on my MAC so I can make myself some planning spreadsheets....

 

[mphalens]

So, I decided to figure out how to use Numbers (I have a Macbook) tonight and make a planning chart . . .

Whatcha think?

The December dates are in Purple because they haven't been released yet (I'm using Touringplans.com for my info) . . .
Suggestions? Things I could add or change????

Color blocks are:
Green: Best park
Yellow: Neutral park
Red: Park to Avoid

 

[blessedmom4]

May I ask what Template you used on your Macbook from numbers, it looks great! (I am SOOO not computer literate).

We used Tourguide Mikes in the past and I learned a LOT from there about crowds and which parks to avoid on what days...

 

[mphalens]

May I ask what Template you used on your Macbook from numbers, it looks great! (I am SOOO not computer literate).

We used Tourguide Mikes in the past and I learned a LOT from there about crowds and which parks to avoid on what days...

I started in the "travel" template, but made my own new table ... it had 6 rows across and I think 16 rows down when I started ... I have to say, if you've EVER used Excel, Numbers was WAY more user friendly ... It just took me a little bit of trial and error to get it mostly the way I wanted ...

Hope that helps ... I'm horrible about explaining things like that

 

[mphalens]

And since I've told y'all about the jeans I made for Sheriff Shortstuff ...

Here they are!

I still have to learn how to applique so I can make him a shirt to go with them ... but they were lots of fun to make and I have visions of making Mickey Mouse jeans for the boys and Minnie & Mickey for me ... pairing them with t-shirts from the Disney Store = cute outfit for the parks!

 

[afwdwfan]

Hi there!

Just stumbled across your PTR when I was looking for others going at close to the same time we are. We're planning a trip from 11/28 - 12/3. I'm still on page 1 trying to catch up, but enjoying it so far!

 

[mphalens]

Hi there!

Just stumbled across your PTR when I was looking for others going at close to the same time we are. We're planning a trip from 11/28 - 12/3. I'm still on page 1 trying to catch up, but enjoying it so far!

Welcome!!! Glad to have ya!

 

[afwdwfan]

Ok, I'm caught up... a few thoughts...

As far as the dining plan goes... I chose QSDP for our trip for the simple fact that I don't like planning everything around ADR's and I felt like the deluxe plan would just be way too much food. We'll do a few TS meals, but if we just want an appetizer and a salad or something like that we won't feel like it is a waste of money. Also, there really is a lot of really good counter service food that is more than just a greasy cheeseburger (although I will eat my fair share of those too) I do agree that you should probably stick with SSR for your group.

Another thing to comment on, I've been using TGM and touringplans. I really like touringplans, myself. One thing you might want to be mindful of as we await the Dec. schedule, it looks like they are only doing 1 or 2 nights/week of MSEP/Wishes and Fantasmic! So make sure you keep that in mind as you plan if you intend to see them (the pictures of your chart are blocked on my computer at work, so maybe you've already thought of that).

And the Disney Visa... well, I finally just signed up for one last month. I have another Visa (also a Chase Visa with rewards) and we pay for just about everything on the card and pay it off each month. We've been using both cards for about a month and already have 11 Disney rewards points. I'd say if you're going to be making purchases anyway, you might as well get the card and earn some rewards. As long as you pay it off each month, there really is no extra cost to it. You shouldn't have a problem getting some points to use by the time the trip rolls around.

 

[mphalens]

Ok, I'm caught up... a few thoughts...

As far as the dining plan goes... I chose QSDP for our trip for the simple fact that I don't like planning everything around ADR's and I felt like the deluxe plan would just be way too much food. We'll do a few TS meals, but if we just want an appetizer and a salad or something like that we won't feel like it is a waste of money. Also, there really is a lot of really good counter service food that is more than just a greasy cheeseburger (although I will eat my fair share of those too) I do agree that you should probably stick with SSR for your group.

Another thing to comment on, I've been using TGM and touringplans. I really like touringplans, myself. One thing you might want to be mindful of as we await the Dec. schedule, it looks like they are only doing 1 or 2 nights/week of MSEP/Wishes and Fantasmic! So make sure you keep that in mind as you plan if you intend to see them (the pictures of your chart are blocked on my computer at work, so maybe you've already thought of that).

And the Disney Visa... well, I finally just signed up for one last month. I have another Visa (also a Chase Visa with rewards) and we pay for just about everything on the card and pay it off each month. We've been using both cards for about a month and already have 11 Disney rewards points. I'd say if you're going to be making purchases anyway, you might as well get the card and earn some rewards. As long as you pay it off each month, there really is no extra cost to it. You shouldn't have a problem getting some points to use by the time the trip rolls around.

Thanks for your thoughts!!!! I really appreciate them!!!
Question about the Disney Visa and the rewards points ... What do 11 Disney rewards points equal? $11? We've definitely been thinking about the Disney Visa ....

 

[momabaarjo]

I love touring plans. I used them last summer...we did everything we wanted and then some. I am looking at the predicted hours and crowd levels for my time frame...I am wondering how accurate they are right now since WDW has not officially announced the hours in my time frame.

Love the jeans!

 

[blessedmom4]

Thanks for your thoughts!!!! I really appreciate them!!!
Question about the Disney Visa and the rewards points ... What do 11 Disney rewards points equal? $11? We've definitely been thinking about the Disney Visa ....

Thank you for telling me how to start using the Template. I LOVE those jeans...and your painted toes...I notice the details, sorry. You are so talented!!

As for the Disney Visa...Love mine, I put everything on it that I can pay off each month. 11 points is 11 dollars. You call them when you want to spend that dollars and they put it on a Gift Card for you.Make sure you sign up with a promotion where you get extra money after your first transaction (Like a a $50 gift card)! Let me know if you need a code and I will see if I have one.

 

[afwdwfan]

Thanks for your thoughts!!!! I really appreciate them!!!
Question about the Disney Visa and the rewards points ... What do 11 Disney rewards points equal? $11? We've definitely been thinking about the Disney Visa ....

As for the Disney Visa...Love mine, I put everything on it that I can pay off each month. 11 points is 11 dollars. You call them when you want to spend that dollars and they put it on a Gift Card for you.Make sure you sign up with a promotion where you get extra money after your first transaction (Like a a $50 gift card)! Let me know if you need a code and I will see if I have one.

Yep, good explanation on the Visa... you get 1 point for every $100 you charge, so you're basically getting 1% back on all your purchases. Not much, but if it is a purchase you need to make anyway, might as well get something back for it. There are also the perks that you can get into the Disney Visa character place in EPCOT and you get a discount if you spend over $50 at a Disney Store. I *think* that is true for some of the merchandise stores at WDW too, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

 

[Monknmom]

I love the jeans and the template! You are much more talented than I am! I am going to just iron on a transfer to a shirt and call it a day with some jeans!

 

[mphalens]

Thank you for telling me how to start using the Template. I LOVE those jeans...and your painted toes...I notice the details, sorry. You are so talented!!

As for the Disney Visa...Love mine, I put everything on it that I can pay off each month. 11 points is 11 dollars. You call them when you want to spend that dollars and they put it on a Gift Card for you.Make sure you sign up with a promotion where you get extra money after your first transaction (Like a a $50 gift card)! Let me know if you need a code and I will see if I have one.

It's all about the details, isn't it? Otherwise, most of us probably wouldn't be here on The DIS anyway, right?

Yep, good explanation on the Visa... you get 1 point for every $100 you charge, so you're basically getting 1% back on all your purchases. Not much, but if it is a purchase you need to make anyway, might as well get something back for it. There are also the perks that you can get into the Disney Visa character place in EPCOT and you get a discount if you spend over $50 at a Disney Store. I *think* that is true for some of the merchandise stores at WDW too, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

Thanks to both of you for the Disney Visa explanation... we have a Chase card already, so this is definitely something to look into

I love the jeans and the template! You are much more talented than I am! I am going to just iron on a transfer to a shirt and call it a day with some jeans!

Lucky(? ) me, DS's BFFs do entire family matching/coordinating outfits, so my boys expect big results Of course, that would also require them to leave me ALONE long enough to learn how to MAKE what they want Somehow, they don't seem to get that part of the deal

I'm definitely planning on doing some iron-on T's too... no worries

 

[MARsMama]

The jeans look great!! I think I will have to stick with the iron on transfers for t-shirts, I'll be lucky if I can figure out all of that!!!
Great template for your itinerary as well
We can't get a Disney Visa here in Canada, so I don't know anything about that. We use American Express whenever we can to rack up air miles!

 

[mrsksomeday]

Those jeans are adorable. I wish I had a little one around (grandchild not one of my own ) to do stuff like that for. Great job.

 

[Monknmom]

Lucky(? ) me, DS's BFFs do entire family matching/coordinating outfits, so my boys expect big results Of course, that would also require them to leave me ALONE long enough to learn how to MAKE what they want Somehow, they don't seem to get that part of the deal

I'm definitely planning on doing some iron-on T's too... no worries

Oh I see they want everything to go together! Well at least you can try to make that happen! I can't wait to see the other projects and the shirts! Where did you get the shirts to ddo the iron ons? I am having a little of a hard time with that!