If you're just going to be in WSC, I totally recommend checking out the attractions (ie the Mexican Boat Ride, Maelstrom, Reflections of China, etc). Go into pavillions and play with the stuff (try on hats, take pics holding swords, etc.) Just those things are a blast!
Lovin' the hat! 
TOOOO CUTE!
He just kept handing stuff to the kids (after testing it himself).
Thank you!
This was actually DH's idea. The kids had a blast... but DH had a bigger blast. He wouldn't let me catch him on camera though.
love it!
When exactly is it normal to receive the ME stuff anyway?
But thats a different story. Things I need to buy include: SD cards, chap stick, Park Bag, moleskin, ponchos!, zip lock bags, hand sanitizer, a notebook, the toiletry bags I love for vacations, wet ones, lysol wipes...and so on. (Have I ever mentioned I'm a total germ freak?) 
(this is what I get for spending a whole weekend watching HP...busy busy busy out of nowhere.) 
And 25 days to do so!
I've actually had it on my computer since before I even knew I was going to Disney. 
I hope it wasnt as bad as I made it seem. Bring it on! 
(For the record...I dont eat them together!) 
There was a thread about this on the theme park/attractions board. Apparently the ME mail is coming later than usual, closer to 20 days than 45. You can still call and check on it! And even if you don't have your packet, you should still be able to go to the desk and they'll take care of you (if I remember correctly, I haven't ME-ed for a long time and it was always as a group!). We haven't gotten ours yet either! And if they don't let you on the bus, we'll have our car and can make a detour
Maybe dedicate a day to getting trip things done? We have one of these planned to just sort of knock on those random errands; it's not for a while because we have to finish our list. But Wal-Mart won't run out of those things! There's plenty of time to pick them up
25 days is lots of time! You'll get your planner worked out just fine and all your errands done
As for the feeling of only having 25 days to get things done......I feel you! I have final exams to study for, Christmas shopping, my ds 1st birthday, Thanksgiving and trying to figure out how to pack for everyone without my oldest ds figuring out we are going to WDW (not surprising him until day of). It's crazy, but it will get done!
I just wanted to say YAY... You're getting so close to your trip.
I am not sure about ME - since I've never done it before.
I Hope you're able to get all your Christmas shopping done... We have to be done by this weekend with the in-laws, because they will be here for TG... We are not going to open any gifts, just exchange them.
Packing scares me, I always pack too much. LOL
Yay for a 3 days work week.
D~
So if I can manage to get all my Christmas shopping done on black friday, it'll all be good. Good thing bags fly free on southwest! Don't worry about ME. As long as it shows up on your reservation (on WDW website or your Mikey Mail) you are good. We arrive the same day and I have yet to get my ME or Mickey mail packet.
I'm starting to worry less and less about ME now. Really time to get stuff done! And ohh final exams! Those are killers when you're supposed to be looking foward to sometime. I'd probably be too exciting to keep my mouth shut! 
Breath in, breath out. I am really bummed because I think I will be missing the opening ceremony for MK and I heard that is one not to be missed.
I can't NOT speak from experience, but I can speak from what I've read...
From my understanding, the main purpose of the ME mail is the tags. So if you are late in getting ME booked (or miss it completely), you can still take ME, but you'll have to collect your own luggage. The ME tags are to be put on your bags and a CM will get your bags for you.
Personally, sit back and enjoy the excitement of your upcoming trip. (Oh, trust me, I know it's much easier said than done.)
You'll get everything worked through. But try to get ME on the phone today to let them know you'll be arriving.
But don't worry if you never get an ME packet ... just collect your luggage yourself and the CMs at the ME check-in can verify your information.
I just recently read a TR where the family forgot their ME mail with the vouchers. NO ISSUES! They got on ME just fine.
So I dont blame you one bit! Woo hoo, I'm all updated!
So first off, SO EXCITED for you that you're so close!! omg, 24 days!!
Second, don't worry too much about your list.
ME: I got my ME stuff two weeks? I think? before my trip. [edit: just looked at my PTR and I actually got it 25 days prior] On my first trip with DH the travel agent messed everything up and didn't even register DH for ME until the day before our trip! And we still got there, so just try to relax on that front, I promise they won't leave you stranded at the airport. The yellow tags help the CMs pick up your luggage, but they picked up DH's without it -- we just had to give a detailed description at the ME desk. They're super easy to talk to on the phone too, so helpful. If you're nervous about it they'd be happy to answer your questions!
Christmas shopping: are you an online shopper? I've got 98% of my Christmas shopping done already and 90% was online! Super quick and easy and mainly stress free. I hate lines and parking and such, so I plunked myself down with some coffee and shopped online. I made a list on a great app I have, it lets you figure out people and your budget for each, but I digress -- the point is for me, I find Christmas shopping easiest when I am drowning in lists. Person, budget, what I want to get them (cost) what I've already got for them (cost) and whether or not I'm finished shopping for them. Keeps me organized and keeps me from panicking. (Because I do panic, so I know right where you're coming from!) [edit: I forgot about your Black Friday, we don't really have that in Canada. Hope you get some good deals then!]
Don't worry about the Wal Mart stuff. You can always get that right up until the day before you leave. Maybe push that stuff to the bottom of the priority list until you get a few other things sorted? That's another thing that keeps me from panicking, I organize my many lists into a priority master list so I know what I reeeally need to get done, and what can wait.
Let's talk video cameras. Do you have a digital still cam? Does it take videos? Just my personal experience here, but when I've taken a video camera to Disney, I rarely used it. More often than not I take videos with my little point and shoot because I don't want to carry more than one camera, and my video cam doesn't do stills well. If you need to buy SD cards anyway, I'd spring for some nice big cards (16g or something like that) and do video with your p&s camera. But that's just my opinion!
If you look at it realistically, calling ME might take you 30 minutes if they're busy. The Wal Mart shopping might take you 3 hours if you take your time and the store is busy. Organizing your mini planner can be a late night watching TV task. You need to make a decision on a video camera, but even if you decide to get one you might need a day to go to different stores and shop around. Christmas shopping... let's be tight with time and say a whole day could potentially get it done. I estimate that once you organize yourself, you can have your whole list done in 3 days. And you have 25.
Hope you get some things crossed off your list to ease your mind! Enjoy this time, it will go by fast but it really is enough time to get things done.
Cant go wrong with a ton of photo's! Once I'm in Florida I think I'll finally be able to. 
Hey there poison apple princess. I introduced myself when you first made your PTR but have not been able to post; however, I have followed you since our trips were so similar. We are both going to our very first Disney trip and we should be there around the same time. My trip is Dec. 16 - 22; staying at POFQ w/ Deluxe Dining.
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know in case if you had not heard or seen on the disboards, the December calendar has been updated and changed. A lot of the parks that were supposed to be opened at 9 is opened at 8 now and the park times are closing later. Also, MK has added the extra night time parade. One will be at 9 and then 11.
I was kind of bummed about the opening early because I had made ADRs for breakfast thinking it would be before park opens and now it won't be
Anyway, hopefully this does not affect you but since I know you are a planner, thought you would want to know.
That is a bummer! Well I guess I'll have to look up this info and figure out a new game plan for those days. Thanks again for the info!
Boo MK opening at 8AM on Crystal Palace day. BUT they added a 3AM close for the 19th which is WAY more important to me. The daytime castle is kind of cheesy during the day, with all the nets of lights everywhere. Nighttime castle is totally cooler
And I really wanted to experience being in Magic Kingdom past midnight! It's just more exciting than being in there pre-rope drop for some reason.
Haha, getting ready for Disney is infinitely easier than all the stuff I have to get done for school in the same time period so I keep hoping we have vacation crises so I don't have to think about school! I'm soooo ready for a vacation
I had no idea!
