Early January... DVCers pack the house

[Sooze]

I'll be a SSR Jan4-7 with the DH... we had booked a one room villa because friends were going to join us. Then they pulled out.. fools...

Anyway.. I tried to change our ressies to a studio to try to save points... and ALL studios EVERYWHERE are booked already!! I couldn't believe it. I guess that's a popular time to go, eh?

Got put on the waiting list to downgrade to the studio... we'll see what happens!

Anyone else going @ that time?

 

[momofprincess]

I think the WDW marathon is going on at that time in January. Has anyone out there run/walk/crawled it? I'm planning on doing it in 2009 (I'm gonna need some time to um, prepare) and was wondering how it was.

 

[Sooze]

Ah yes... the marathon... you're right! DH wanted me to do the 5K with him I'm still laughing! Maybe next year we can try. I think the marathon is booked already.

 

[Groucho]

This past January, we arrived the day of the half-marathon, and in 2007, we'll be leaving a couple days after it's over... I couldn't have less interest in the marathon, there's enough walking to do just getting around the parks!

I'm on a waitlist for a studio on the 31st, currently we have a one bedroom for the whole stay (12/31 through 1/9.) That first night is murder on points - 36 pts! I'll save 19 pts if I can get into a studio for that night... I can probably handle moving to save that many points (plus it'll give me a chance to compare staying in the studio vs the one-bedroom for our first trip as DVC owners.)

The week after the marathon was really quiet... I'm suspecting that the week before is going to be really, really busy! I warned my traveling companions to expect to wait in a lot more lines!

 

[simzac]

We will be at OKW Jan 1-8, our first trip home

 

[manning]

There may be a good chance to clear the waitlist at SSR.

As they sell points they release more units to inventory.

 

[TEK224]

I'll be at OKW in a 2BR from Jan. 3-9th. I'll be doing the Goofy Challenge that weekend! Glad I'm already booked.

Terri

 

[house_of_princesses]

I tried to get a 2br anywhere for 12/30 - 1/5. No dice. So instead of waitlisting we opted for a cabin at FW. My girls enjoy it there. Especially having the golf cart available to them! (No, they don't drive it.) FW was wide open, as well as CR and POQ. Seems it's only the DVCer's going early January!

 

[reesecup]

We are going the beginning of Jan. but didn't realize it was during the marathon. Staying at HHI for New Year's Eve and then coming in on the first. We may change and do two nights at HHI or may try to come in to WDW on New Year's Eve. Our DD and DS are supposed to be back in school on the third and DD is in seventh and has AG courses so we're afraid to keep her out too many days in a row.

We were going to come at a different time of year b/k we have only ever been during around this time , but that is what our schedule permits and just can't bear to stand in lines during the summer months. Hope it won't be too crowded. We are very excited. Staying at BBW (our first time Home HOME!)

 

[marconat]

We are coming in on the 31st of Dec and staying at Coronado Springs then from Jan 1st - Jan 7th to OKW and from Jan 8th - Jan 15th SSR, maybe we'll see each other there ha! ha!

 

[house_of_princesses]

This isn't meant to hi-jack the thread, but I would like to ask...

Those of you who will be in WDW for New Years Eve, what will you be doing? (I've started my own thread on this and got one response.)

We can't make up our minds and some input may help!

 

[Groucho]

This isn't meant to hi-jack the thread, but I would like to ask...

Those of you who will be in WDW for New Years Eve, what will you be doing? (I've started my own thread on this and got one response.)

We can't make up our minds and some input may help!

Our plans lands at 3:13pm so I know there's no way we could get into MK and probably not Epcot, so we're going to MGM. (I'm also curious about the fireworks there - I've never seen fireworks at MGM.) We have a reservation for Hollywood & Vine that evening, we'll try to squeeze into a Fantasmic viewing, maybe ride a couple rides, watch the fireworks, then join the crowd heading back to SSR afterwards.

It'll be my wife, her two sisters, and my then-21-month-old - I would be surprised if my wife (who may be pregnant again then!) will end up going back to the resort early. We'll see...

 

[ScooterL]

I think the WDW marathon is going on at that time in January. Has anyone out there run/walk/crawled it? I'm planning on doing it in 2009 (I'm gonna need some time to um, prepare) and was wondering how it was.

We did the half marathon in 2005 and the full marathon in 2006. It was actually a lot more fun than I thought - but we stopped to get our pictures taken with the characters anytime we saw any, and weren't concerned with finishing in less than 4 hours or something silly like that!

My favorite part was running through Magic Kingdom - you come in from a backstage area near the hat shop, then run up Main Street, through Tomorrowland and Fantasyland and then through the Castle, past Liberty Square and Frontierland, and exit at the gate by Splash Mountain. That was *so* cool!!! Lots of characters and cheering crowds and cast members. Both the half and full marathon routes take you into Epcot and Magic Kingdom, but to get to AK or the Studios you have to do the full.

It was a lot more work training for the full than the half, though - I think I'm going to stick to half marathons from now on (we're doing the DL Half in September) just because it it such a time commitment to prepare for a full. (Not to mention the wear and tear on the body!)

If you're interested, you can read my half marathon report here: http://allearsnet.com/tp/marath_2.htm
and my full marathon report here: http://allearsnet.com/tp/marath_6.htm, and I'd be happy to try to answer any questions you might have.

Laura

 

[EpiscoDisFan]

Vero Dec 26 to Jan 1, then VWL studio Jan 1 to Jan 7.

 

[Dina]

We'll be there 5th-12th-- my DH is running the marathon! It's our first trip home!!

 

[oldkeywestfan]

Always there in Jan, this year 12/31 to 1/6 in SSR 2br

 

[TreesyB]

BCV on Jan. 3rd - studio ( I just booked this, like half an hour ago and MS listed BCV,SSR, BWV[preferred], and OKW as available for the one night); then cruise on Jan. 4th to 7th, and back to SSR - 1 bedroom from 7th to 10th.

I love going in Jan. because even with the Marathon, the lines are not like they are in the summer!

 

[Copper3]

This isn't meant to hi-jack the thread, but I would like to ask...

Those of you who will be in WDW for New Years Eve, what will you be doing? (I've started my own thread on this and got one response.)

We can't make up our minds and some input may help!

I'm staying at AS Sports and plans are to go to Epcot first and eat lunch at Le Cellier at 12:10, then go straight to MGM and get in line to get in there. Dinner is at 7:10 at Brown Derby and then either stake out a spot for the Fireworks or do maybe a ride or two. I expect it to be wall-to-wall people because that is one of two nights they have fireworks at MGM.

BTW, for those looking for a room AS Sports, POFQ and CB all had rooms earlier this week and the cost wasn't terribly expensive for NYE.

MGM is EMH that night and is open until 3AM for resort guests, MK until 1AM, Epcot until 1AM.