Down to the Details

[may12th]

Another question...

For those who normally go to Disney in December. Have you noticed it getting busier during the first part of December? How have things changed? What should I expect? I'm scared of TSM wait but I know it is something my children would like.

 

[elittleton]

eli-- I'm jealous of your longer stay. I wish we could stay longer but it just won't work. Next time we will probably have to go in the summer because our daughter will be in school so maybe we can pull off a longer trip! Have fun! I hope we all have great weather!!! Stay away cold!! I understand why you are keeping Chrystal Palace. If there was a Rapunzel dinner we would have to go to it... maybe twice!

This will be our last trip before my DD5 starts school. Our next trip will have to be during the summer. We normally drive so we lose the first and last day to travel. We also have a 10 - 11 hour trip, or 12 hours if my parents go. Since it's only the 2 of us and Southwest was running their special it's cheaper for us to fly this time. The none stop 1.5 hour flight gives us 2.5 more days.

 

[may12th]

Southwest has a direct flight from our airport to Orlando and I have checked and checked and checked for one of their great $50 rates. They aren't anywhere close to that price. We are going to rent a minivan and drive down. It is cheaper for us to do that and we are looking into buying a van next year so this will give us a week to see how we like it. We plan on leaving on a Friday. DD goes to a half day preschool. So we will pick the van that morning after dropping her off and then take it home and pack it and when we pick her up from school we will do so in the rented minivan. I will have it decorated with some clings and stuff and a sign that says we are going to WDW. Hopefully, I can keep it a secret until then. She knows we are going but doesn't know when.

I am debating on buying a double umbrella stroller that I saw at BRU for about $100 or renting from Orlando Stroller. It will be more to buy the stroller then it will be to rent, but then we will own it. Of course, the ones from Orlando Stroller are a great deal nicer then the one we would buy.


I'm still trying to come up with that last dining reservation. I wish walk up would be a possibility, but I just don't want to chance it. I think I am leaning towards LTT if I can get an ADR.

 

[Missyrose]

Another question...

For those who normally go to Disney in December. Have you noticed it getting busier during the first part of December? How have things changed? What should I expect? I'm scared of TSM wait but I know it is something my children would like.

Even if it is a low-crowd period (like early December usually is), TSM will be CRAZY. Get to DHS for rope drop, head straight to TSM (follow the massive crowd) and get in the standby line, then when you come off the ride, grab a set of Fastpasses for later.

 

[may12th]

Ok. The only dinner show I had any interest in was the Back Yard BBQ. It hasn't been offered in December. I was just looking on the site and it is offered for December 15th. I thought... that's perfect!! I tried to book it but it said there is no time available. Hmmm... Unless I have misunderstood, it wasn't even an option just a few days ago. Do you think they just haven't opened the reservations for that time? Looks like I'm headed to the ADR threads with a question!

 

[elittleton]

Southwest has a direct flight from our airport to Orlando and I have checked and checked and checked for one of their great $50 rates. They aren't anywhere close to that price. We are going to rent a minivan and drive down. It is cheaper for us to do that and we are looking into buying a van next year so this will give us a week to see how we like it. We plan on leaving on a Friday. DD goes to a half day preschool. So we will pick the van that morning after dropping her off and then take it home and pack it and when we pick her up from school we will do so in the rented minivan. I will have it decorated with some clings and stuff and a sign that says we are going to WDW. Hopefully, I can keep it a secret until then. She knows we are going but doesn't know when.

I am debating on buying a double umbrella stroller that I saw at BRU for about $100 or renting from Orlando Stroller. It will be more to buy the stroller then it will be to rent, but then we will own it. Of course, the ones from Orlando Stroller are a great deal nicer then the one we would buy.


I'm still trying to come up with that last dining reservation. I wish walk up would be a possibility, but I just don't want to chance it. I think I am leaning towards LTT if I can get an ADR.

You can sign up for the Southwest Click and Save email. The cheap tickets are normally only available for 2 days if that long. I just received an email for cheap fares but the prices are only good thru Thursday. When I got my tickets I just made the cut off for the good price.

I only need a single stroller so I don't have a suggestion on a double.

Ok. The only dinner show I had any interest in was the Back Yard BBQ. It hasn't been offered in December. I was just looking on the site and it is offered for December 15th. I thought... that's perfect!! I tried to book it but it said there is no time available. Hmmm... Unless I have misunderstood, it wasn't even an option just a few days ago. Do you think they just haven't opened the reservations for that time? Looks like I'm headed to the ADR threads with a question!

The Back Yard BBQ is only Thursday and Saturday for the time we will be at WDW. I looked at going on Saturday which they do have 6:30 time available.

 

[Aunt Bee]

Sounds like fun! My only thought is why wait to go to MK until Wednesday? Our little ones are always the most excited about MK and they can't wait to see the castle, ride Dumbo, etc; to them MK IS Disney. It's always our very first park. After that, everything else is "gravy".

Aunt Bee

 

[may12th]

Thanks for the info! I checked the southwest flights and they did get cheaper, just still not cheap enough for the four of us. I need them to drop to those crazy $50 rates. I don't think that is going to happen!


Hmmm... I just tried again to book Backyard on Dec15th and there was nothing. I tried that Saturday just to see and it had nothing available then either. I am going to look into a breakfast on Friday, but now I've let everything get so booked it is difficult to find anything.

 

[may12th]

The new plan...

Saturday Dec. 10th
Arrive at CSR around 1:00
Epcot
Via Napoli 4:35

Sunday, Dec. 11
Tuskers 8:30
AK
lunch CS in park
leave around 2:00 to rest
leave CSR around 4:00
MK until 6:00 (probably just look at the castle and stuff unless lines are super short)
Head to Poly for O'hana 6:50 (monorail or boats??? advice?)
Dolewhips for Wishes (if kids haven't turned into monsters)
DHS has EMH that night... we should head over there and then we would have hit all four parks in one day HA!

Monday Dec. 12
HS
lunch CS-- probably Pizza Planet
afternoon nap
Sci-Fi 5:45
Osborne lights

Tuesday Dec. 13
Still playing by ear...
Option 1
Epcot in the morning whenever we get there
Akershus 11:00
afternoon naps
MVMCP
dinner at CS in MK
Option 2
Rest at CSR all morning
11:00 Akershus
MK after lunch
dinner cs somewhere (MK/CSR pepper market/somewhere DH wants)
maybe DTD that night

Wednesday Dec. 14
MK day!!
cs for lunch
Cinderella's Happily Ever After 5:00
special order small round cake with chocolate slipper on top

Thursday Dec. 15
Another MK day!
I got rid of all ADR for this day. So we have freedom to hop around if we want. Maybe end up at Fantasmic since I have not been able to work it in yet. That would be a great last thing to do at Disney.
We have 2 cs credits left so we will use them this day for lunch and dinner wherever we end up.



TIA for all the help y'all have given me. Now I just have to wait out the 66 days before we get there! Unless, of course, I do some more changing around

 

[elittleton]

Hmmm... I just tried again to book Backyard on Dec15th and there was nothing. I tried that Saturday just to see and it had nothing available then either. I am going to look into a breakfast on Friday, but now I've let everything get so booked it is difficult to find anything.

Keep checking for the Backyard incase someone cancels. When I first checked for breakfast at the Castle is was booked for the whole week. I kept checking and I lucked up and was able to get an ADR.

 

[may12th]

Still no backyard bbq, but that is fine. I'm getting really excited about Via Napoli! I've been reading some great reviews. I didn't realize it was a fairly new restaurant when I booked it. This is probably the only ADR I have that was chosen on food, so I think it will be a great first meal for my husband.