**December 2012 Roll Call** Holidays, FLE Opening & MVMCP!! A very, merry thread!

[Phatoomch]

Man, my head is spinning. With the "announcement" that Free Dining will be released soon I have been weighing my options.

As it stands now:
12/2 - 12/10 | 8 nights
$880 Airfare
$685 Hotel (we have a 30% off Room Only)
$904 6 day Hoppers
$185 MVMCP
$1200 Food Budget (OOP)
= $3854

If I change our booking & return our UT tickets we end up with something like this:

11/29 - 12/9 | 10 nights ( DD & I would go down 2 days early and "relax" )
$880 Airfare
$2340 Hotel, 7 Day Hoppers, Free Quick Service
$185 MVMCP
$45 Return Ticket Fee to UT
= $3450

If I upgrade Free Dining to Regular it makes it $3848 + about $200 in tips for the TS meals.

I really don't know what to do. I don't want to spend more than our $4,000 budget. And all of these fall within that budget give or take.

The pro's to keeping it how we have it....don't need to hassle with changing everything, we can all fly down together, we aren't constrained to eating on the plan.

The pro's to changing it...we get "more for our money", 2 additional nights stay, 1 additional day for our park pass, if we upgrade to DDP than we'd actually we could have 1 TS a day (which we actually had skipped a couple days).

HELP ME!!!!!!!

If it were me, and the budget was do-able for me then YES - I would do it

 

[Leger13]

Don't forget to put your date in for the Christmas Party on the calendar that JLa01844 kindly created for us! Christmas Party Attendance

oooo I just did!

 

[Tltorrez]

Has anyone started their touring plans?

Of course we've started! I mean, we only have 5 months left to get them done.

I have plans for every park but apparently TP doesn't fill in the expected schedule times for shows and performers this early. I can't imagine why not. So they're all still a little rough.

Trying to catch up on the boards here. 5 days without power and I'm a little out if touch. Any other locals without power this week?

 

[Tltorrez]

I have and they keep changing LOL It's difficult trying to figure out how much time everything will take when you've never been there before! I don't want to run us like crazy, but I want to do everything LOL

Touring Plans has new optimized planning. So you can use their plans or customize your own and it will estimate wait time, ride time and time to run between things. Also plots things on the map.

Of course, the last time I checked it wasn't listing show times for Dec so it decided the MK opening show would take several hours.

 

[Tltorrez]

Do you guys write out your plans or use some sort of app/program and get all technical? I have a vague idea of what we are doing (not specifically in the parks but just meals, which parks, things like CP and MVMCP). But im also still waiting on Wishes and Pirate and Pals to fill in the last of the major details! Of course I don't have my plan here at the moment but I did decide last night we are going to do TWO nights of MVMCP! That way my 3yo can get lots of autographs and we can also fit in some rides without feeling too pressured for time I hope!

I use TouringPlans.com. I've always customized my own so I love the new optimizer features.

 

[Tltorrez]

I do the same thing and everyone gets a copy. The guys just leave it in the room or throw it away at some point. But at least they have seen it so there is no surprise when I say it's time to hop to MK for this event or we're stopping to eat here. I feel a little less like a tyrant that way.

My family Is usually content to follow along but I'm taking the inlaws this trip. So I'm thinking about making small spiral-bound books with the high-level itinerary, ADRs, maps and little details to look for in the parks. (Minus the surprises of iurse.) Thinking it might be a fun creative exercise to keep me occupied now that everything else is done.

 

[JLa01844]

I've decided to try and keep my planning on my iPhone. I can take advantage of the apps for park & event times, load my ADR's. I will probably Make a notepad doc for each day's plan (on my comp an then sync with my phone)

 

[abreynol]

My family and I will be taking our first vacation to WDW Dec 3-7! Myself, DH, DS6, DS2. My husband and I went as children, and have few memories. We will be staying in a LM room at AoA. Yay for a December board! So excited!!!

 

[finishline413]

Merry Christmas, everyone!

We will be checking into BLT on December 20! We will check out on December 23. We are excited to be going on the Dream from the 23 to the 28 with our family, we have four rooms!

 

[levenhopper]

I've decided to try and keep my planning on my iPhone. I can take advantage of the apps for park & event times, load my ADR's. I will probably Make a notepad doc for each day's plan (on my comp an then sync with my phone)

I just got the Lines app, and am quickly realizing how useful it'll be once we get to the park! I'd recommend checking it out...I think it's worth the subscription fee.

 

[Tltorrez]

I love TPs Lines app. That way you can check wait times without having to run across the park. Also wait times are more accurate than the official ones. Disney has been known to inflate wait times for various reasons.

Just downloaded the DIS app to my iPad. It's much faster than Safari. This could be dangerous. ;-)

 

[txtara]

Just booked the CP package at Coral Reef for Christmas Eve. We will see Gary Sinise. So excited! Kids will love eating in there and what a great way to spend Christmas Eve....we also get VIP viewing of Illuminations. Does anyone know where that is located?

 

[cybrkitn]

Wowi feel really behind! We are going Dec 9-13th and dont have a thing planned! We went march 2011 and I had it all planned out: rides and everything to a -T-. Better get a move on!

You're not the only one. The only thing we have done was book our package with out TA. With the GP offer for FD available next week, I will be calling our TA to have that applied.

I've already started looking at and printing some of the dining menus from allears.net so that we can go over them with my mom and brother. Once we decide the dining, we then have to figure out what parks we will be visiting on what days so we can make our ADRs.

I'm still hoping the Wanna Get Away fares from Southwest will drop soon as well. Although, right now we aren't even ready to book that.

 

[levenhopper]

Just booked the CP package at Coral Reef for Christmas Eve. We will see Gary Sinise. So excited! Kids will love eating in there and what a great way to spend Christmas Eve....we also get VIP viewing of Illuminations. Does anyone know where that is located?

Is it worth it to book a CP package? There's a spot open at Le Cellier for lunch for the day we're thinking of being in EPCOT. As of now, we have an ADR at Le Cellier that day, but not part of the CP package. Is it worth switching to the CP?

 

[txtara]

Is it worth it to book a CP package? There's a spot open at Le Cellier for lunch for the day we're thinking of being in EPCOT. As of now, we have an ADR at Le Cellier that day, but not part of the CP package. Is it worth switching to the CP?

The package is very worth it to me. I do not want to have to wait in line for 4 hrs to see CP as we are doing this Christmas Eve. This will guarantee we see Gary Sinise! It will also give us VIP viewing to Illuminations that night. We actually just changed from Coral Reef to Biergarten....my in laws are German and think they would enjoy that more.

 

[Phatoomch]

Welcome to all our latest roll-call friends

Don't forget to use the calendar if you are going to the Christmas Party I'm Gonna Mickey-on-Down on ....

 

[Phatoomch]

Oooh we have a lot of people at MVMCP on 12th ... look out for me, I'll have my LGMH with my username clipped on me somewhere

 

[pequele]

Welcome to all our latest roll-call friends

Don't forget to use the calendar if you are going to the Christmas Party I'm Gonna Mickey-on-Down on ....

thanks, I put our 2 days in!

 

[ksromack]

Ksromak. I don't see you are doing Osborne Lights at HS. They do have snow for that. It is really cool and a not to be missed.

16-Free morning and afternoon! Go to Hollywood Studios to catch Osborne Lights in the evening. It's EMH at HS, they are open until 11pm.

I didn't realize they had snow for the Osborn Lights....but we definitely plan on seeing them! See above. I've seen them before but my hubby has not so i just know this entire vacation will amaze him!

 

[mom2rtk]

I added our 2 days!