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

[mphalens]

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!

I used to get the Garanimals (sp?) ones from Walmart b/c I couldn't beat $3.50 a shirt ... but now that my older DS has sized out of those, I've had a bit harder time...

Hobby Lobby has their T-shirts on sale for 50% off this week... I got adult shirts for $1.99 each and kids shirts for less than that ...
JiffyShirts.com has blanks too... but I'm not a fan of the RabbitSkins brand, so I haven't ordered from them...

Michael's & ACMoore also sell plain T-shirts ... I like the Gilden(sp?) brand ones ... they hold up well (I have some silkscreened Gilden brand shirts from college still that have been through the wash 100s of times and they're still in good shape

 

[Monknmom]

I used to get the Garanimals (sp?) ones from Walmart b/c I couldn't beat $3.50 a shirt ... but now that my older DS has sized out of those, I've had a bit harder time...

Hobby Lobby has their T-shirts on sale for 50% off this week... I got adult shirts for $1.99 each and kids shirts for less than that ...
JiffyShirts.com has blanks too... but I'm not a fan of the RabbitSkins brand, so I haven't ordered from them...

Michael's & ACMoore also sell plain T-shirts ... I like the Gilden(sp?) brand ones ... they hold up well (I have some silkscreened Gilden brand shirts from college still that have been through the wash 100s of times and they're still in good shape

Thank you! I am not leaving for a while, but I am going to be buying a few at a time and just putting them away until my son goes back to school in Sept- I don't want him to see me printing and making them they are going to be a surprise!

 

[petals]

joining in. I will be there same time as you. Will come back tomorrow to read your ptr properly

 

[Monknmom]

Hey I don't have time to read and won't get on until Monday again, but I hope that you have a VERY happy mother's day!

 

[blessedmom4]

I hope you have ENJOYED your day!!!

 

[mphalens]

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.

LOL I hope you're having a fabulous time right now!!!! So jealous you're there!!!!

Thank you! I am not leaving for a while, but I am going to be buying a few at a time and just putting them away until my son goes back to school in Sept- I don't want him to see me printing and making them they are going to be a surprise!

I just made 6 shirts for two BigGives and I have to tell you about the iron-on transfer paper I bought ... you HAVE to get some for your shirts!!!!
www.amymickey.com (She's on the DIS, but I know with the rules she can't post about it) It is the BEST iron on paper I've ever used!!!! And it shipped SUPER quick (and we don't usually have quick postal service here)!!!!

joining in. I will be there same time as you. Will come back tomorrow to read your ptr properly

After I post I'm off to read yours!!!! Yay! for the week after Thanksgiving!!!

I hope you have ENJOYED your day!!!

Thank you so much!!!! That post was a bright spot in my day on Sunday! You're so sweet!



I'm completely stressed lately (nothing to do with Disney, just the rest of life ) ... I think I need to do some Disney planning or reading or something to get me back to a happy place!

We're going to Miami, FL in two weeks for my cousin (but he's more like a brother)'s wedding ... my boys have already asked if we'll see Mickey while we're there (and were not very happy with me when I told them "Not this trip!" )... after that we pack up the car and head to Rhode Island for a big chunk of the summer ... I can't wait to get to the beach and to feel like I can relax a little ... AND I can finally start some of my sewing projects for this trip!!!

 

[momabaarjo]

I'm completely stressed lately (nothing to do with Disney, just the rest of life ) ... I think I need to do some Disney planning or reading or something to get me back to a happy place!

That sounds like a great remedy for a bad mood...maybe I should try it. I sure need to find a happy place right now!

 

[mphalens]

So I've been working on plans again this week ...

I'm trying to decide about MVMCP . . . my dear friend Amber had a brilliant idea of how to finance it - just give up a day of park tickets ... since we need to drive home on Saturday the 3rd anyway, we could just have 6 day park tickets and use the extra day's money on MVMCP tickets!!!!

But - which night to go???

Tuesday, November 29th or Friday, December 2nd???
It might be a wonderful way to end our trip by going on the Friday night, but will it be much more crowded???

I've made some changes to my planned ADRs too . . .

I'm thinking about adding Mickey's BBQ and getting rid of Whispering Canyon for dinner ...

So now my ADRs would be:

Sunday - Crystal Palace breakfast
O'Hana dinner

Monday - none (this is the only night the Electrical Parade is at MK)

Tuesday - Tusker House breakfast

Wednesday - Hollywood & Vine (not sure whether to do Breakfast or Lunch)
Rose & Crown dinner

Thursday - Mickey's BYBBQ dinner

Friday - 1900 Park Faire breakfast
Garden Grill dinner

Opinions? Words of advice??? ideas for counter service meals???

 

[afwdwfan]

ADR's look good to me!

I'm planning to go to MVMCP on 11/29. I've looked at the schedule, and for what we're planning to do, it just seems like it will work best that night. It was between the 29th and the 2nd though, and the Friday night one had me worried. I figured it would be a bigger crowd being a Friday, but I also read somewhere that the MVMCP the night before the taping of the Christmas parade tends to be very crowded and sometimes a sell out... that would likely be the night of 12/2 this year. That said, 12/2 would just about be ideal for you if you're not doing any parks on Saturday. It would be nice to just sleep in for a couple of hours after the late night and then head home.

I'm pretty bummed about the fact that the MSEP is going to be on a limited schedule. We'll be checking in Monday and our hands are basically tied with going to MK that afternoon since we want to see it. I'm afraid of what the crowds will be like since it will be MSEP, Wishes and EMH that night.

 

[momabaarjo]

The only place I have eaten at on your list is Rose & Crown and I loved it. I had the silten salad, fish & chips, and the sticky toffee pudding. My food was great and the waitress was out of the world ( a cute little British College student, that we 2 educators struck up a conversation with about her education and experiences...she ended up getting almost a $30 tip on less than $60 check). We had outdoor seating about 8:00 (Illuminations was at 9:00), great view of the fireworks from our table and we were offered to go down closer to the water to a private viewing area for only R&C patrons.

 

[PixieMama]

The only one of your ADRs I've done is CP... we love the breakfast there!

Mickey's BBQ sounds like fun... and it looks like it has similar food to WCC (ribs, BBQ chicken, corn on the cob, etc). The only thing I can see that might be a negative is that it's in an open-air pavilion... even Florida can be chilly in December.

Columbia Harbour House and Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe are good QS places in MK. And Sunshine Seasons at Epcot is outstanding!

 

[mphalens]

Ack! ADRs are TOMORROW!!!!!
What's best? Calling or online??? And what the heck time can I start????

 

[Reese'smom]

Subscribing! We are going the same week. I'm stressing about ADRs in the morning too. I plan to try online first (6am) and then calling (7am) if I have trouble online. Here's what we've planned. I use TGM to plan my days.
Sun- DTD, then Chef Mickey's for dinner
Monday- Epcot, quick dinner and to MK for parade
Tuesday- CRT breakfast, MK day
Wednesday- HS, dinner at Boma
Thursday- AK, then to Epcot for Coral Reef dinner
Friday- MK

 

[MARsMama]

When we hit our 180 day window I got up for 7am (6am EST) and made all the reservations online, with the exception of the F! dining package, which we phoned in and got that one. It's so easy online, I would go ahead and try online first, if you have problems then do the phone thing...which is an hour later opening anyway
Good luck with your ADRs!!!

 

[mphalens]

Subscribing! We are going the same week. I'm stressing about ADRs in the morning too. I plan to try online first (6am) and then calling (7am) if I have trouble online. Here's what we've planned. I use TGM to plan my days.
Sun- DTD, then Chef Mickey's for dinner
Monday- Epcot, quick dinner and to MK for parade
Tuesday- CRT breakfast, MK day
Wednesday- HS, dinner at Boma
Thursday- AK, then to Epcot for Coral Reef dinner
Friday- MK

Welcome!!!!

I think my final (Let's hope we get what we want!!! ) is:
Sun - Crystal Palace (but just the 4 of us) breakfast
Ohana dinner
Mon - Epcot then MK for the parade (CS meals only this day)
Tue - Tusker House early breakfast then late afternoon to MK for MVMCP
Wed - HS (I see you too!) and I'm booking Hollywood & Vine breakfast but don't know if it's a 100% go and then Epcot for Rose & Crown for dinner
Thur - MK and then Mickey's BYBBQ
Fri - 1900 Park Fare breakfast, not sure which park in the morning and then I'm hoping for a Garden Grill Candlelight Processional seating for dinner
Sat - we leave, but I want a lunch at Raglan Road before we do

Good luck in the morning!!! I'm going to read your PTR in a few!!!

When we hit our 180 day window I got up for 7am (6am EST) and made all the reservations online, with the exception of the F! dining package, which we phoned in and got that one. It's so easy online, I would go ahead and try online first, if you have problems then do the phone thing...which is an hour later opening anyway
Good luck with your ADRs!!!

Thanks! I think that's my plan! Online and then call if I can't get what I need Fingers Crossed!

 

[mphalens]

Phew! I just wrapped up an hour and a half phone call with a SUPER nice CM! I was up at 4:30, 5:15 and finally gave up and got out of bed and came downstairs at 5:35am ...

As soon as 6:00am hit, I was off ... I was able to get:
1. Ohana at 8:00pm on our first night (11/27)
2. Rose & Crown at 7:45pm but wish it was later (11/30)
3. Tusker House at 8:00am (11/29)
4. 1900 Park Fare at 8:35am (12/2)
5. Crystal Palace at 9:15am (11/27)
6. Hollywood & Vine Play & Dine at 8:00am (11/30)
7. Raglan Road 11:00am (12/3)
8. Garden Grill at 7:45pm (12/2) - I'm holding it for now, but want a Candlelight Processional Seating for the 2nd show that night . . . I figure worst case we could do stand by for the 1st show and then go have dinner afterwards

At this point, the system locked up on me and I couldn't do anything else ... it kept telling me that I was more than 180 days from when I wanted to book and to login (already had ) ... so at 6:59 I dialed WDW DINE ...
Don't you know as soon as I was connected to the automated system, Sheriff Shortstuff woke up and didn't want to walk downstairs by himself. My parents don't have a cordless phone (heck, the phone I dialed on still has PULSE dialing instead of TONE ) so I was not putting down the phone to go get him - he could see me, he can walk just fine, and these were dining reservations we were talking about

I was finally connected (my estimated wait time was 2 minutes, my actual wait time was more like 10 ) and got a fabulous CM ...

With her help I was able to also get:
Mickey's Backyard BBQ for 12/1
Tony's Town Square at 5:20pm (11/28) - not sure if we'll keep this, but it'd be perfect timing to walk out and get a spot for the Electrical Parade that night!
Hollywood & Vine Play & Dine for lunch for just Mimi, the boys & I at 11:30 (12/1)
Raglan Road for an early dinner before MVMCP 4:00pm (11/28)
Sci Fi Dine In 12:30pm (11/30)

So, the only one of those I had on my original plan was MBYBBQ, but since our plans are still up in the air, I thought those lunches & early dinners might work well depending on how our plans actually work out ...

Okay! Opinions, comments, thoughts - throw 'em at me!

One thing I would love to know - have they done away with the Electric Water Pageant??? I was trying to time my Ohana reservation to see Wishes and then walk down to the dock to see the Pageant . . . but the CM couldn't find any times on the Pageant

 

[afwdwfan]

Looks good! I get to do ADR's tomorrow.

As far as I know the electical water pageant is still going on. I've seen the times on it, but I forget what time it is at the Poly. I want to say sometime around 9pm, but don't remember what the exact time was.

 

[Monknmom]

Oh my your a lucky duck to get the ADR's out of the way! I am so nervous to call mine in on the 6th! I was looking for the water pageant too but can't find any information on it! Your going to be leaving the day that we get there! By the way.... which site did you use for your days? Disney doesn't release official park hours when you have to submit the ADR's?

 

[PixieMama]

I don't know anything about the Electric Water Pageant, sorry.

Congrats on getting all the ADRs you wanted. I've never booked mine at the 180 day mark, it's always been well after that's passed and luckily haven't had any problems!

Of your ADRs, I've been to CP, Sci-Fi and Tony's. Breakfast at CP is great and we love Sci-Fi... I can't say the same for Tony's! Although, it's been 3 years since we've dined there and it may have changed for the better since then.

I'll be trying R&C and 'Ohana for the first time on my September trips... looking forward to both of those!

 

[Villainess]

I'm joining in - we'll be there 11/25 - 12/4!

We're contemplating MVMCP on 11/29, and possibly 11/27 or 11/30 if we want to do it a 2nd time (not definite though); we are staying away from 12/2's party since 1) we don't get the DVC discount that night and 2) I'm worried that the crowds may be higher with locals since it is the weekend.