Dear Santa, I'd like a double-deluxe Disney Xmas!! Dec'12 PTR! Upd 1/20 TR & DR links

[DizNee Luver]

Oh my gosh, 2 sizes since Nov??!!

I am buying everything up a size for the kids, so I know it will all be ok.

In Sept. we picked up fall/winter clothes for them in Size 3T.....most of these items were still hanging loose on Michayla but fit perfectly on Shy. We moved in November & around Christmas started picking up 4T.......well the pants are all about 2" too short, the tops (if not real stretchy) are almost impossible to get their arms in & out of. Some of them are getting to short in torso length as well. It's crazy the growth spurt they've had!!!

 

[debrapagliasotti]

In Sept. we picked up fall/winter clothes for them in Size 3T.....most of these items were still hanging loose on Michayla but fit perfectly on Shy. We moved in November & around Christmas started picking up 4T.......well the pants are all about 2" too short, the tops (if not real stretchy) are almost impossible to get their arms in & out of. Some of them are getting to short in torso length as well. It's crazy the growth spurt they've had!!!

Oh my gosh! My kids have never had growth spurts like that! My oldest DS outgrows his stuff the quickest because he is so tall, but even then that really only applies to pants. Guess I just get lucky with their growth spurts.

 

[debrapagliasotti]

CHANGE OF ADR PLANS...​

Ok, I know, I know...I said I wasnt going to change anything, but...I guess I lied

This whole Mickey's Backyard BBQ has had me thinking. I keep reading how CHAOTIC it is and kids get pushed out of the way (even by parents) and the food is just MEH. Traveling to FW seems like a chore in iteself, and having to be there a good hour before (only to wait around and do nothing...). Anyways, I did a lot of reading and research on the DIS and online about it all, and I decided to NOT do it afterall.

SO, now I needed to pick something else. I read over menus, and over them again, and again, and again. Read lots of dining reports here on DIS. I wanted something special since this would be our last night at WDW. In the end, I did a COMPLETE 180 and I am choosing...

Wait for it...





















CALIFORNIA GRILL

How much different can you go really? Mickey's BBQ...California Grill. So, I am hoping to time it right and be finishing up with dinner a few minutes before Wishes starts so we can go out on the terrace and watch.

I made one other change in our hopeful ADRs. We are doing Yachtsman on our first rest day.

I picked both of these because they were both pretty kid friendly (especially CG). The menus sound good AND it will be a nice change from all the character meals.

So, our NEW hopeful ADR list looks like this...

Dec 18 - late lunch/early dinner @ Tony's before MVMCP
Dec 19 - b - Club Level / l - San Angel Inn / d - Garden Grill
Dec 20 - b - H&V / l - Sci Fi / d - 50's PT
Dec 21 - b - Cape May / l - T Rex / d - Yachtsman
Dec 22 - b - CP / l - LTT / d - 1900 PF
Dec 23 - b - Rainforest Cafe / l - TH / d - WCC
Dec 24 - b - CRT / l - we will do snack credits / d - Ohana
Dec 25 - b - Akershus / l - Coral Reef / d - Tutto Italia
Dec 26 - b - Club Level / l - QS @ Beaches N Cream (OOP) / d - SOA
Dec 27 - b - TH / l - Yak & Yeti / d - CG
Dec 28 - b - Club Level / l - Big River Grille

We are trying to do different places than our BONUS trip in Oct. Just a reminder, here is what we are doing there...

Oct 17 - l - QS @ Contempo / d - Ohana
Oct 18 - b - Kona / l - QS @ Capt'n Cooks / d - QS @ MK before MNSSHP
Oct 19 - b - Ohana / l - F&W / d - Via Napoli
Oct 20 - b - Chef Mickey

So, I think between the 2 trips, we will have a nice mix (other than repeating Ohana, it will all be different).

We have about 3 weeks until our ADR date, but I should be hearing something from BW IPO in the next week or so. Hoping for some magical pixiedust

 

[DizNee Luver]

BBQ to California Grill is a bit of a difference.......but I guess you're upgrading and not downgrading or settling.......lol

Great mix of meals between the two trips......sounds delicious!!!

 

[debrapagliasotti]

A few random updates​

So, SW released Dec flight schedules yesterday. By the time I checked them all the prices were about what I've been seeing in researching our Oct trip (which we STILL have not purchased airfare for ...its on my long list of things to do at the beginning of July). I did find one morning flight that was just over $100 one way for our Dec trip ...departs at 840a and arrives 215p. Since it was so cheap, I went ahead and booked it, so we have our outbound flight booked. I guess if I dont book a return, we will have to live at WDW...how bad could that be really?? I will keep checking and see if they have any discount on fares when SW anniversary approaches later this month, if not, we will purchase the return flight at the beginning of July.

Since the flight gets in at 215pm AND this is the night we are going to MVMCP, I think we will just grab something from Chick Fil A in the airport and eat on the ME, head to the hotel to check in and get over to MK ASAP. By eating on the ME, we wont have to waste time eating upon arrival at MK. We were originally going to eat at Tony's, but we will just move this to another MK day for lunch (their lunch menu looks pretty light, so I think it will work better).

I've also been doing some reading on Garden Grill (which was supposed to be our CP restraunt). I know the character interaction is supposed to be great, but the food...well, it gets lots of bad reviews. So, I think we are going to try for Coral Reef (which we had planned on another day...therefore I need to move stuff around).

The days I have moved hopeful ADRs around, now look like this...

Dec 19 - bkfst CL / lunch San Angel Inn (dessert somewhere else) / dinner Coral Reef (CP package)

Dec 24 - bkfst CRT / lunch Tonys / dinner Ohana

Dec 25 - bkfst Akershus / lunch Le Cellier (1st choice) or Via Napoli / dinner Tutto Italia

Dec 28 - bkfst Captains Grille (might cancel this one if we take a later flight home and eat lunch at Big River Grille...they dont accept ADRs there anyways)

I think thats about it for the updates. Not sure if I am purchasing MVMCP tickets this month, or if I will wait until next month. I may purchase our MNSSHP tickets this month because I still need to do that too.

I will start the park updates again once I get ADRs settled later this month, so in the meantime I will post some more shopping posts until then.

 

[DizNee Luver]

We keep looking at flights & haven't purchased them yet......the biggest reason is because we don't have the money right now. But I'm thinking of going with different companies to & from.........pricing out separately with time frames we'd like to be in is actually cheaper than doing a round trip with the same airlines. Hopefully we'll get some money here soon to book our flights. Might have to book one direction at a time......but with a big group like ours, might be the best way to go.

We're keeping our Garden Grill.....hoping we luck out on the food......but we're pretty easy to please. Burgers & dogs are pretty normal fare for us.......lol

 

[debrapagliasotti]

We keep looking at flights & haven't purchased them yet......the biggest reason is because we don't have the money right now. But I'm thinking of going with different companies to & from.........pricing out separately with time frames we'd like to be in is actually cheaper than doing a round trip with the same airlines. Hopefully we'll get some money here soon to book our flights. Might have to book one direction at a time......but with a big group like ours, might be the best way to go.

We're keeping our Garden Grill.....hoping we luck out on the food......but we're pretty easy to please. Burgers & dogs are pretty normal fare for us.......lol

I really hope that money comes in soon for you guys. I read in your PTR the plan you came up with to save money on airfare AND stay longer. I really hope that works out for you guys!

I'm soooo back and forth on that Garden Grill thing! I really should just quit researching anything online. When I do that, I change my mind like crazy! I am just going to keep it all set the way it is now.

 

[DizNee Luver]

I really hope that money comes in soon for you guys. I read in your PTR the plan you came up with to save money on airfare AND stay longer. I really hope that works out for you guys!

I'm soooo back and forth on that Garden Grill thing! I really should just quit researching anything online. When I do that, I change my mind like crazy! I am just going to keep it all set the way it is now.

I know what you mean......I've been reading reviews and made adjustments to our plans.....but once I set those ADR's.....that's it......no changes!!!! So now I'm looking at the food porn.....lol

We're sticking with the Garden Grill because we're trying to do most of the character meals. We're skipping Hollywood & Vine.....not thrilled by the character choices (even though we watch Disney Jr.) the kids just look kinda creepy (and the reviews of the food aren't good).....so I felt confident in skipping this one!!

 

[debrapagliasotti]

More trip updates...​

Several new things to mention since my update yesterday...

Heard from BW IPO yesterday afternoon. They sent me an email with my planning paperwork. Filled all that out last night and faxed it back in this afternoon. They contacted me again after receiving the fax and let me know that they will make all the ADRs on my booking date and I will hear from them that morning. Gave them our room request (we are requesting the 4th floor to be near the CL lounge...5 of the deluxe rooms are on the 4th floor, 5 are on the 3rd floor), also gave them our outbound flight info so they could contact ME for us.

Today I also purchased...

MVMCP tickets!!! I wasnt sure if I was going to purchase them this month or next month, but I decided to get it out of the way.

Not a big update, but an update.

15 days until ADRs...

195 days until Christmas trip...

133 days until October bonus trip...

 

[DizNee Luver]

WOO HOO for the MVMCP Tickets!!!!!

 

[DsnyMama]

Subbing in!! Gotta go back and catch up!

 

[debrapagliasotti]

Subbing in!! Gotta go back and catch up!

Welcome!! Nice to have a new reader

WOO HOO for the MVMCP Tickets!!!!!

I feel the same way!!

Hoping for even more excitement come ADR day!!

 

[debrapagliasotti]

Subbing in!! Gotta go back and catch up!

I just saw in your signature that you had a holiday trip report from last year. I am going to sub and go back and read it this afternoon while my little boys are sleeping

Again, welcome to my Christmas PTR

 

[debrapagliasotti]

Slight change in plans...​

Last night I decided to change up two of our days and switch them around. I was looking at park hours again on WDW and looking at Touring Plans and Easy WDW for numbers and decided our first MK day would be the same day as the last MVMCP. We had originally planned on a rest day Fri 21st and going to MK on Saturday 22nd, but of course crowd levels were listed at 9 and MK was a park to avoid. We had planned on dinner at 1900 PF about 730pm that night and with MK closing at 10pm, we wouldnt really have much time to go back and do anything.

The new plan is to go to MK on Fri 21st (much better numbers for crowds!) and leave close to 7pm when MVMCP starts and head over for our ADR at 1900 PF. Epcot has PM EMH that night, so we may head over there via monorail. *** We originally did not have Park Hoppers, but I have added them this morning. Since we had so many days already, it was rather inexpensive to do. PLUS, we can take advantage of MK PM EMH on an AK day.

I have already contacted BW IPO to have them switch around the hopeful ADRs.

Park plans look like this now (no change was made to ADRs, so I am not listing them again)

Dec 18 - MVMCP (already purchased)
Dec 19 - Epcot
Dec 20 - HS
Dec 21 - MK / Epcot for PM EMH
Dec 22 - Rest day -- DDD & swim if weather cooperates
Dec 23 - AK / MK for PM EMH
Dec 24 - MK
Dec 25 - Epcot
Dec 26 - Rest day -- swim if weather cooperates / HS for PM EMH
Dec 27 - AK
Dec 28 - Departure day

 

[debrapagliasotti]

Will I EVER quit changing my mind on these ADR choices ​

With the addition of the park hoppers yesterday, I began to...RETHINK MY ADRS...again

It's a sickness I tell ya!

Not rethinking many of them, mainly just that first HS day. I'm not over the moon excited about any of the places there. We have eaten at H&V before and, well, its breakfast and you can ideally get into the park pre-opening. We chose that one because of the Disney Jr characters for the little boys.

Hunter really wanted Sci Fi, so I will keep that one for lunch.

Dinner I had planned on 50's PT. I wasnt jumping up and down about this one, but HBD didnt appeal to me, and DH was pretty adamant on NO QS in the parks for this trip.

So, HS closes at 8pm that night. We will have a pretty good chunk of time after our lunch ADR, so we can catch Osbourne lights for a while, then head over to Epcot for dinner as they close at 930pm. So, I am going to try for an 8/830pm ADR.

I know Le Cellier chances are pretty slim on Christmas day for lunch (thats my first choice) and Via Napoli was originally going to be second choice, followed by dinner at Tutto Italia. But, now I am going to have us do Via Napoli that evening of HS. My second choice for Christmas day will now be Chefs de France. Setting up this ADR we will ideally get something around the time Remy comes out. From what I read though, Remy tends to "miss work" every so often, so I wouldnt even bother telling the kids he was there and just let them be suprised.

Now, Chefs de France...DH will think I have LOST MY MIND because we have never eaten French food, nor has it ever sounded like something we would eat. In reading over the menu and all sorts of reviews on Dis, I think he could actually really like the place. He did tell me to pick whatever I wanted because he could find something ANYWHERE.

I am waiting a few days to turn this new list over to IPO just in case I should decide to change anything...again. I've said no more changes about 10 times now over the last few months.

 

[DizNee Luver]

You are not alone in making changes..... Since I wasn't able to book our lunch & dinner at Epcot on the 8th of Dec. due to Disney Dining holding them hostage for the CP thing......I started reviewing my choices for that day & for the CP. Well.....in doing so, I've made 2 changes: Dropped Garden Grill (we're doing 9 other character meals) and replaced with San Angel Inn. We're huge Mexican food fans!! I've decided to try for Coral Reef with the CP package and booked Chefs de France (funny how we both looked at the menus & went YUMMO!!) for our lunch. So now, everything's booked BUT the CP package. I dropped LeCellier to plan B & Rose and Crown to plan C for the CP.

 

[debrapagliasotti]

You are not alone in making changes..... Since I wasn't able to book our lunch & dinner at Epcot on the 8th of Dec. due to Disney Dining holding them hostage for the CP thing......I started reviewing my choices for that day & for the CP. Well.....in doing so, I've made 2 changes: Dropped Garden Grill (we're doing 9 other character meals) and replaced with San Angel Inn. We're huge Mexican food fans!! I've decided to try for Coral Reef with the CP package and booked Chefs de France (funny how we both looked at the menus & went YUMMO!!) for our lunch. So now, everything's booked BUT the CP package. I dropped LeCellier to plan B & Rose and Crown to plan C for the CP.

See, thats how I felt about Garden Grill too. We had so many other character meals, that I wasnt feeling too bad about dropping that one. San Angel has been one we have had in the mix for a while now. The ambiance looks so neat and we love Mexican food too. Coral Reef is another one that has been in the mix from the beginning. The kids love the idea of the fish tank.

I am having IPO book Chefs de France for me next week for Christmas day lunch. I didnt even mention Le Cellier to them b/c I know it wont be available yet. I am completely ok not eating at Le Cellier too. We had ADRs there last time we were at WDW and ended up cancelling. The 1 thing I really want is the cheddar cheese soup, and we can get that at Food & Wine in Oct. I hear the meat portions are quite small for lunch. Wait a minute...am I talking myself our of Le Cellier?? Sounds that way huh?? I think it depends on what day you ask me.

We are still hoping for Coral Reef for dinner with the CP package (late show), so...dinner around 5-530pm-ish. I need to figure out a back-up plan since we have 1 specific date we want to go. Ugh, back to the menus I go

 

[DizNee Luver]

See, thats how I felt about Garden Grill too. We had so many other character meals, that I wasnt feeling too bad about dropping that one. San Angel has been one we have had in the mix for a while now. The ambiance looks so neat and we love Mexican food too. Coral Reef is another one that has been in the mix from the beginning. The kids love the idea of the fish tank.

I am having IPO book Chefs de France for me next week for Christmas day lunch. I didnt even mention Le Cellier to them b/c I know it wont be available yet. I am completely ok not eating at Le Cellier too. We had ADRs there last time we were at WDW and ended up cancelling. The 1 thing I really want is the cheddar cheese soup, and we can get that at Food & Wine in Oct. I hear the meat portions are quite small for lunch. Wait a minute...am I talking myself our of Le Cellier?? Sounds that way huh?? I think it depends on what day you ask me.

We are still hoping for Coral Reef for dinner with the CP package (late show), so...dinner around 5-530pm-ish. I need to figure out a back-up plan since we have 1 specific date we want to go. Ugh, back to the menus I go

Ummmmm, yes, it does sound like you're talking yourself out of LeCellier.

We're hoping for Coral Reef for our CP too.....would like the middle show, late show then early show for times. I'll be disappointed if we can't get this restaurant.....but I do have back ups.....just don't want to use them!

 

[debrapagliasotti]

Tonight I am meticulously trying to get a plan in place for CP. I saw the early list of narrarators on Allears...

November 23 to November 25, 2012 - Isabella Rossellini
• November 26 to November 29, 2012 - Neil Patrick Harris
• November 30 to December 1, 2012 - Whoopi Goldberg
• December 2 to December 4, 2012 - TBA
• December 5 to December 7, 2012 - TBA
• December 8 to December 10, 2012 - TBA
• December 11 to December 13, 2012 - Jodi Benson
• December 14 to December 16, 2012 - Olivia Newton John
• December 17 to December 19, 2012 - TBA
• December 20 to December 22, 2012 - Trace Adkins
• December 23 to December 25, 2012 - Gary Sinise
• December 26 to December 28, 2012 - TBA
• December 29 to December 30, 2012 - Marlee Matlin / Jack Jason

The date we have chosen...Dec 18...we have the awesome TBA as our narrarator. In all honesty, I hear he is quite good I think anyone would be good, but I am still anxiously awaiting who we will have.

I am reading, and re-reading and re-re-reading menus and trying to figure out a plan. Hopefully I can get something figured out tonight or tomorrow, then I will post our CP plan and backup plan and backup-backup plan.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Good luck!!! I'm thrilled with our narrator~~Olivia Newton-John!!! At one point we were looking the CP the first weekend we were there (and that's one of the TBA) but super happy that we chose to do it on our last night in the parks!!!