Christmas week!..are we crazy?! - a pretrip report

[mom0299]

This trip has been planned to be the Grandest of Gatherings for my family .
It is being planned by me, the self-professed Disney-planning fanatic who is addicted to the DIS.

Cast of Characters:
me: self-professed, Disney-planning fanatic, addicted to the DIS
DH: loves Disney, NOT a self-professed planning fanatic, and who thinks I spend too much time on the DIS.
DS10: Glad to be eating on the adult menu this time
DD8: Looking forward to seeing SOMETHING, ANYTHING to do with HSM 1 and 2.
This will be the fourth trip for the four of us since 2004. DH and I spent our Honeymoon in WDW as well.
My DBro: What can I say, he's a great dad taking his four kids to Disney
My DSIL: Great mom taking her four kids to Disney
My DNephew9: Roller-coaster lover (sort of)
My DNiece7: Princesses all the way
My DNephew5: "Are we going to see any PowerRangers, Aunt Anne?"
My DNiece2: Along for the ride and is going to love Mickey
This will be the second trip for most of the family. The littlest didn't make it on their family trip in 2005, unless you count trips in-utero.
My DDad: We like to call him Eeyore.
My DMom: Trying hard to be Tigger and help Eeyore find his happy place.
This will be their first trip with everyone. They haven't been to Magic Kingdom since 1976. They saw Epcot in 1989. They have never been to MGM or AK.
That makes 12 of us in all.

Where: Pop Century. First-time for any of us at this hotel.

When: Dec. 29-Jan.5 - Yes, we are THAT crazy.

What are we expecting? Gee, crowds, crowds, and more crowds, I think. New Year's Eve in Epcot will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most of us and we can't wait. I'm betting half of us won't make it to midnight. We have lots of ADRs and a Safari Celebration Dinner.

Will you see us? You just might. Look for the crazy family with matching blue t-shirts at Epcot.

 

[PrincessEeyore]

have fun!!!
and having 12 along for the ride will make it that much more fun =)
make sure to take plenty of pics, i need to be held over until November of 08! Can't wait to hear how the trip goes, 32 more days and counting!

 

[OhMari]

I heard the crowds are really thin on Jan. 1 in the parks. I guess everyone stays up late on NYE. So if you can't stay up late, get to a park early and enjoy no crowds.

 

[mom0299]

I heard the crowds are really thin on Jan. 1 in the parks. I guess everyone stays up late on NYE. So if you can't stay up late, get to a park early and enjoy no crowds.

Thanks for the tip. I was actually considering sleeping in too, but I might reconsider. If we got up early and then took an afternoon nap we'd be refreshed for the evening at MK and BBB.

 

[Sooze]

Well, this could be a VERY interesting trip report! 12 PEOPLE?!?!

Yes, DO take lots of pictures! I am looking forward to hearing how this Grand Gathering works out!!

 

[mom0299]

Today is Christmas Eve, Mon. December 24, 2007. We are leaving on Friday for our Grand Gathering.
As if Christmas isn't crazy-busy enough, we are trying to pack and will have to de-Christmas the house before we leave. DH is on his second round of anitbiotics for strep throat and doesn't seem to be getting much better,so we are also in constant prayer that he improves by Friday. The kids and I are on immunity boosting vitamins and are staying away from DH as much as we can. That's the one thing I don't like about traveling this time of year - someone is always sick. Last year we went for a few days just before Christmas and DD got a hacking cough and felt pretty bad on our last day at Epcot.
I packed all of our snacks, drinks, and breakfast items in the cooler today and I've been doing a ton of laundry. Thank goodness the grandparents got everyone socks for Christmas. I was worried we'd run out. I don't like to do laundry on vacation.

Here's our schedule:
Fri. Dec. 28 - arrive in Orlando and stay on off-site hotel for the night.
Sat. Dec. 29 - Check in to Pop Century in am and head to a park. Be at Epcot for late afternoon ADR at LeCellier.
Sun. Dec. 30 - the rest of the party arrives. AK or MK in am. ADRs at MGMs Hollywood and Vine with Fantasmic dinner package
Mon. Dec. 31 - Epcot all day - commando because of NYE. ADRs at Garden Grill
Tues. Jan. 1 - sleep in or get up early depending on how late we stayed out on NYE. BBB for DD and DNiece in MK, ADRs at 1900 Park Fare that evening
Wed. Jan. 2 - AK in am, MK in pm. ADRs at 'Ohana
Thurs. Jan. 3- MK in am, AK in pm - Safari Celebration Dinner that night
Fri. Jan. 4- kids choice of park. We leave that evening and drive to Jacksonville. The rest of the party stays another day w/ ADRs at Crystal Palace.
Sat. Jan. 5 - We'll back home and missing WDW, I'm sure. We don't have another trip planned yet.

Stay tuned for the Trip Report.

 

[Sooze]

I was beginning to wonder where you've been! Have a wonderful Christmas and many hopes for a happy and healthy vacation!

Looking forward to hearing all about it!

 

[mom0299]

We are back home and I've started my TR. Check it out:
7 days, 12 people, and a Million Dreams.