From the Frozen Tundra to the Flurry of Disney...a December 2011 PTR!

[sunnysideup3]

Don't give up hope on Coral Reef. It, along with Le Cellier and Rose & Crown, is blocked out right now while the details of the Candlelight Processional dinner packages are finalized. Hopefully some non-package times will open up when the packages times are set. We're probably going the week before you, coming home to frosty Michigan (by then anyway, not now when it is still 90 at 11pm!) the day you're arriving in Orlando, and the situation with Coral Reef is the same every day starting 11/25 when the CP starts for the season.[/QUOTE]

Thanks, the CM didn't tell me exactly what the "issue" was, but I figured it probably had something to do with that, since the exact same 4 restaurants had no availability at the same time all week.....

Michigan! Ahh, neighbors to the north and east Do you have the cold weather that we have today? I went to bed sweating, wanting it to be cool out and woke up to 53 degrees...brrr, but refreshing
I read your dining report (before lunch..which made me HUNGRY!) and it all looked SO good!

 

[mphalens]

Soft Woody should be his own "cast member" in this PTR. He travels everywhere with us and it's always one of those heart-stopping moments when you can't find him. I'm sure you will see him throughout the TR.

I had to laugh at this comment ... We have "Baby Buzz" that my younger DS usually has with him ... he purchased him on our last trip (Jan 2010) and when we first got back, Baby Buzz was the 5th wheel to our family My heart totally stopped and I became the crazy mommy at the mall the day he vanished from the stroller between the car and the mall entrance
Since those Disney Babies can only be purchased at the parks, I did everythin I could (including going to security and begging them to look for him ) to try to track Baby Buzz down. When I realized it was useless, I posted on my cousin's wall (she happened to be in WDW that day) on Facebook begging her to call me because I had a "Disney Emergency" ... her boyfriend saw it and called her telling her to call me ... luckily by the time she called me back I had already figured out how to get another Baby Buzz (a friend of a friend who totally understood the level of panic I was in happened to also be at Disney that week) ...
So yes, I completely understand the heart-stopping moments of panic

 

[sunnysideup3]

When we first bought "Soft Woody", we went back to the same TRU a couple days later and were walking around when DH said "we should really get another one, just in case" I hesitated, but I am so glad we did. It's still in mint condition, hiding in our guest bedroom drawer. The original "Soft Woody" has been washed after a puke incident, so all details that were on him have pretty much been washed off, but he looks "well loved". Hopefully we never need backup "Soft Woody", but it's assuring to know he's there...

 

[Colleen27]

Michigan! Ahh, neighbors to the north and east Do you have the cold weather that we have today? I went to bed sweating, wanting it to be cool out and woke up to 53 degrees...brrr, but refreshing
I read your dining report (before lunch..which made me HUNGRY!) and it all looked SO good!

Ugh, the weather this year is making me crazy. We went from frost/freeze advisory to a heat advisory last week, and then from a record high on Tuesday to long pants and light coats today. My poor garden doesn't know what to think and the leaves on the very top of the big old maple in my front yard are starting to turn colors like it is fall!

One of the first lessons I learned when I starting posting on the DIS was "Never read trip reports hungry." Nothing you find in your kitchen will measure up! We do love to eat around the 'World' and my husband is so spoiled by the deluxe plan that he can't imagine doing Disney any other way.

 

[sunnysideup3]

After some scouring, I was able to book Coral Reef on 12/5 at 9:05pm. Later than we like to eat dinner, but we can manage. If we don't get an earlier Coral Reef ressie, I think we will just reverse our lunches (I have a ADR for Les Chefs at 1:00pm that day, and we can do CS on Thursday).

Here's how it looks now:

12/3
Wolfgang Puck's Cafe @ 6:00pm (most likely will cancel and go with the original plan of Earl of Sandwich)

12/4
Crystal Palace @ 8:10am
Grand Floridian Cafe @ 5:35pm
Raglan Road @ 7:30pm

12/5
Les Chefs de France @ 1:00pm
Biergarten @ 6:30pm
Coral Reef @ 9:05pm


12/6
none

12/7
Sci-Fi @ 12:10pm
California Grill @ 7:30pm

12/8
Les Chefs de France @ 12:20pm
Le Cellier @ 7:45pm

12/9
Chef Mickey's @ 8:10am
'Ohana @ 6:30pm

12/10
Kona Cafe @ 10:00am. I couldn't not make this reservation after seeing the pictures of Tonga Toast (my mouth is watering now...)

 

[sunnysideup3]

Yay! Everything is coming together! 141 days out and I just booked airfare today.
My parents were getting nervous about not having flights yet, so I booked today. They had come down in price a little bit since we first looked at them.

We are flying AirTran from Milwaukee to Orlando, now leaving Friday, December 2nd (yay, makes for a whole day in the World on the 3rd!!), arriving at 7:58pm. ME to POR.

Here's what the plan looks like now:

12/3
Park: Hollywood Studios (if we want to do a park that day).
Leisure time, walking grounds, pool.
Downtown Disney
Dinner: Earl of Sandwich

12/4
Park: Magic Kingdom
Crystal Palace @ 8:10am
Raglan Road @ 7:30pm

12/5
Park: Epcot
Coral Reef @ 6:55pm


12/6
Park: Animal Kingdom
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

12/7
Park: Hollywood Studios
Sci-Fi @ 12:10pm
California Grill @ 7:30pm (Date Night for Hubby and I!)

12/8
Park: Epcot
Les Chefs de France @ 12:20pm
Le Cellier @ 7:45pm (Date Night for Mom and Dad!)
Possibility of Hubby and I taking Eli to Magic Kingdom and doing the Wishes Dessert Party, but that would be a surprise

12/9
Park: Magic Kingdom
Chef Mickey's @ 8:10am
Liberty Tree Tavern @ 12:50pm (at the request of my parents!)
'Ohana @ 6:30pm

12/10
Kona Cafe @ 10:30am

Depart Orlando at 6:10pm on AirTran...


I'm so excited how everything is coming together.

One of my favorite things to do right now when I have downtime at work is to read the posts/blogs about the secret things hidden around the parks, like the wedding ring in the cement coming out of Haunted Mansion, and the "a net full of Jell-O" (Annette Funicello) in the waiting room of the Muppet 3D show at DHS. It's getting me excited to know these things and to be able to pop out random trivia to everyone when we're there.....

 

[sunnysideup3]

YAHOO!! I was lucky enough to be able to call in this AM (up at 5:55am after not sleeping well at all last night) and I got our DDP switched to FREE DINING!!

We saved over $1500 between the two packages we have....that's such great news

Anyone else have great luck with the new promo?

 

[sunnysideup3]

100 DAYS AWAY!

 

[MickeyMoguls]

Just read your PTR. We are oging to be at WDW the same time from Dec 2nd- 9th and going to MVMCP the same night as you all. Hopeyou have a magical trip and can't wait to read all about it!

 

[sunnysideup3]

Just read your PTR. We are oging to be at WDW the same time from Dec 2nd- 9th and going to MVMCP the same night as you all. Hopeyou have a magical trip and can't wait to read all about it!

GREAT! Are you getting excited? I really am now. Starting to buy the little things that we need and have our Disney planners all up to date! Where are you staying?

 

[sunnysideup3]

This is what appears to be our FINAL schedule. Anyone that travels enough knows that you can plan and plan and plan, but something is bound to come up. But here's the schedule I hope to stick to.

Friday, December 2nd
Arrive MCO 7:17pm.
ME to POR
If we're lively enough, there's EMH at Epcot from 9:30p-12:30am

Saturday, December 3rd
Park: Hollywood Studios
DTD
Dinner: Santa Angel Inn

Sunday, December 4th
Park: Magic Kingdom
Breakfast: Crystal Palace
Brother arrives at MCO at 4:49pm
Dinner: Raglan Road
EMH: HS 8-11pm

Monday, December 5th
Park: Epcot
Lunch: Sunshine Seasons
Dinner: Coral Reef
EMH: MK 8-11pm

Tuesday, December 6th
Park: Animal Kingdom
Breakfast: Tusker House (Contemplating cancelling...)
MVMCP

Wednesday, December 7th
Park: Hollywood Studios
Lunch: Sci Fi Dine-In
Dinner (Jillian and Nate Date Night): California Grill

Thursday, December 8th
Park: Epcot
Lunch: Chefs de France
Dinner (Mom and Dad Date Night): Le Cellier
Brother leaves MCO at 12:26pm

Friday, December 9th
Park: Magic Kingdom
Breakfast: Chef Mickey's
Lunch: Liberty Tree
Dinner: Ohana

Saturday, December 10th
Open Day
Breakfast: Kona Cafe
Depart MCO at 7:50pm

Things I'm Dying to Do:
MVMCP. I did this in 2009 and it was my favorite part of my vacation. I love it.
The carrot cake cookie at Writer's Stop.
Buy Christmas Ornaments.
Take Eli on the "big kids rides" he's been dying to go on. He watches them over and over again on the Disney: Behind the Scenes video on Netflix.
A cupcake at Starring Rolls.
Ride my FAVORITE Ride: Tower of Terror.
Be in the "Disney Bubble"...

 

[kmedina]

We were at AK on 12-06-11. Did you keep Donald's Safari breakfast? I wonder if we were there at the same time.

 

[sunnysideup3]

We were at AK on 12-06-11. Did you keep Donald's Safari breakfast? I wonder if we were there at the same time.

No we ended up cancelling that and eating at the POR food court

 

[kmedina]

No we ended up cancelling that and eating at the POR food court

I saw your PTR link for December 2011 on Shannon's trip report. When I saw your dates and plans, I wondered if we were at breakfast at the same time. The DIS really brings the small world together. It is still possible that we passed you in the park.

 

[sunnysideup3]

I saw your PTR link for December 2011 on Shannon's trip report. When I saw your dates and plans, I wondered if we were at breakfast at the same time. The DIS really brings the small world together. It is still possible that we passed you in the park.

It's crazy! There's a girl on here, Jess, she's writing her TR now from her December trip and she was at the same resort and same MVMCP that we were at. We were even apparently across from each other at the parade (I have pictures with views from one side, she has some from the other..) It's so crazy!

I need to plan some DISMeets next time

 

[kmedina]

It really is crazy. I also ran into someone that was at HS the same day we were.