First Timer: December

[gr8nurs1271]

Holy cow, I'm so excited! I will be 38 years old and have NEVER been to Disney!
Myself, husband, daughter (first timer), stepdaughter and son (first timer)!
It's so exciting!
Anyway, we'll be traveling in December 3 days after my son's birthday and returning a day before my birthday so I really want to make this a magical trip for us considering our birthday/first time status!

I am looking for any input in planning this trip. I just know it will be so special since our girls are 17 and this will be our last family vacation for a while!

I have only decided on one thing for sure in the itinerary. I MUST be at Cinderella's castle for fireworks on the first night we're there.

Now, on to my questions: How do you get tickets for the parade? What's Mickey's Merry Christmas Party and how do we get into that? What are some of the major MUST SEE'S on your list for a first timer? My son will only be 6 when we go and he's definitely NOT into princesses (he cries whenever I mention Cinderella); whatkind of character dining would be good for him?

We're staying at All Star Music in a family suite and have the Deluxe Dining Plan.

Thanks a bunch for your advice!
Colleen, NJ

 

[JeffZ]

Congrats on your trip!!! So much to see --so little time. Wishes fireworks are excellent-be sure to watch for Tinkerbell flying overhead.
There are great dining choices especially on Deluxe DP. Your son will like Chef Mickey's @The Contemp. or Tusker house @Animal kingdom They have Mickey, Donald ,Goofy etc. Check out wdwinfo.com for all the info on the Christmas party, decorations, food --whatever. And check back here often with any questions ,concerns... --anything . There are any number of Disney fans here that will be more than happy to help out and give advice. Read these boards!!!!--They are invaluable!

Have a Magical Trip!


Congrats on your First post--Welcome To DIS

 

[wishing4PA]

I'm so excited for you! Really! I know how much fun we had, and I just love knowing someone else is about to have a (hopefully similarly great) trip!

And I agree with JeffZ. Read on these boards, and you will learn a lot! I about became obsessed with the DISboards before my trip, and got to experience most of WDW 10 times over (well, via internet) before we even arrived! I did have a slight advantage in that I'd been there many times as a kid, but it was still new planning for the family and a lot has changed in the last 20 years.

I have no specific advice to offer you yet, but I do think it might help others help you if we knew what part of December you are going. Is it the first couple of relatively uncrowded weeks? Or during the school breaks, when you will really want to plan to deal with the crowds (for example, you may want to arrive before park opening "rope drop", especially if you are there during the last couple of weeks of Dec.)

FYI, you should be able to purchase tickets for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas party before you arrive. These will be separate from the tickets you'll use for regular admission -- it's an after-hours event.

 

[gr8nurs1271]

We'll be staying the first week of December (4th-8th). Five FULL, glorious days of Disney fun!!!!!

I definitely think chef Mickey will be my character dining but not sure if it will be breakfast or not. Any ideas on pro's or con's of each?

I didn't realize how expensive the MVMCP is. I just checked out that website. But it doesn't matter. This will be our last family vacation with the girls for a while so I'm saving my pennies so no expense will be spared for them (and me!)

Thanks again for the info! I've been reading the boards and learning SO MUCH!!!! Thanks!

Colleen

 

[wishing4PA]

I'm glad to hear you will be there during the less crowded time. I'll just throw in my 2 cents on a few things, and hope they help. (I can't help much with MVMCP or Chef Mickey's since I haven't been to either. I was there with a 4 year old girl, so our 2 character meals were the princess meals -- castle and Akershus.)

Thoughts: the girls, at 17, might want to decide for themselves which things are "not to miss". Hand them a guidebook and/or a map and direct them to youtube any rides that look interesting. (Unless they prefer total surprise.)

Some of my favorites (but this is all very subjective):
Epcot: Turtle Talk with Crush (with a little kid this was a must), Soarin' -- somehow I missed Club Cool, but would have gone there with two teens!
Rode the Segway for the little demo in Innoventions, too.
DHS: Voyage of the Little Mermaid. Animation Academy (you draw a toon) was fun and a nice change of pace.
AK: well, I just need to go there someday with older kids and try EE and the Lion King show -- neither was happenin' this trip.
MK: ALL of the darn place. I just love it. All except the parades. I'm one of the folks who usually just tries to escape the wall-to-wall crowd and ride rides during parades. Even though I marched in one there once!
Don't miss Mickey's Philharmagic or Space Mountain (unless you are afraid of coasters.) Always, one lunch at Columbia Harbour House upstairs if no one with you has mobility issues.
Gotta look at the murals in the castle.

One highlight of this latest trip: "Tea" at the GF with my daughter (DH skipped out on this meal). We boated over and back from the MK, and it was just so pleasant!

I kept meaning to play mini-golf, but my little family doesn't do the commando style so we just had a real slow, laid-back trip. But Winter Summerland just looks like it would be fun!

Well, those are all my thoughts, such as they are...

 

[X and G's mom]

My first time ever to the World was last year at Christmas time. I was 36! It was so fun and magical. As you can see, I'm going again this year. My mom has never been there. So, we're taking grandma with us! I'm hooked!

For tips: I spent hours on the Disboards. I got the unofficial guide from the library and read it cover to cover. I, like every other fellow DisBoard person, overplanned. Plan, plan, plan, then have a blast!