IS this doable.....( in the car???)

[geffric]

We have just found out that the Family is not getting together for Xmas...

no grandma and grandpa etc they are all busy....so

we have AP's
DH and DS's are off school/work
I have to work until noon on Christmans eve

we live 20 hours from WDW by car - in good weather

If we leave Tuesday the 23rd at 4:30 when i get off work, drive until midnight, then on wednesday drive all day...

I can work Wednesday by checking in at work via cell and wireless McD's for email... so we get to WDW at 8 or so pm...
spend 3 lovely days at the world...see MICKEY for Xmas ( if you can 't have Grandma and Grandpa MICKEY is best)
low budget since it is unbudgeted trip... eat lots of pb&J, stay Cheap...go to Golden Coral or ponderosa...
Have 1 PS at Chef Mickey's for XMas , if we can get in...then leave Saturday at 6pm... drive until midnight, drive Sunday all day arrive home at 11 pm or so... I have to leave for work by 6:25 am the next day, DH and DS's sleep in...


Is this doable or am I too Disney crazy

or We stay home.. I cook, clean and bake ...
is this a choice?????

 

[Karel]

Do you think you'll be able to get a hotel? I think that would be your first stop on the to do list. I'm not sure you'll be able to get a sit down for Christmas.

If you are all up for it - since it's a whirlwind - I say go for it and have fun. We planned a trip four days before Thanksgiving week once and it was one of our best trips.

 

[Kallison]

That would be so cool, miss all the holiday madness and drive to Disney. Go,go, GOOOOOOOOOOO.

 

[Pop Daddy]

stay home

 

[Dan Murphy]

Whhhhhheeeeewwwww!!!!

 

[nativetxn]

I would do it. Hope you can get a resort room. I'll bet you can get a room offsite, anyway

 

[Cruisin]

I wouldn't go without a room reservation, but if you can find a reasonable priced room, I would say go for it.
We went to Florida for Christmas last year, stayed longer though, it was kind of nice. Avoided some family get togethers, you know the kind where you only see the people once a year. It is just Hi, How's work and then there is nothing else to talk about.
Mickey sounds like much more fun.

 

[geffric]

thanks, i will be checking for a room...i am thinking offsite since it is less expensive and with the AP I have free parking at the parks.

 

[rbuzzotta]

Go For IT!! DH and I did it 2 years ago. He called me the day before Christmas from work. I was having a house full of guests that evening!! He said to call WDW and book a room. WE left after the girls opened their Santa presents.............we arrived in WDW on the 26th. WE enjoyed the holidays there very much!!! WE stayed 5 nts and headed back home in time for New Years Eve!!!!!

Have fun............

 

[DisneyObsessed]

It sounds like a lot, but hey, ya only live once

 

[jx3smom]

I sure would go for it. Only if you get a hotel ressie.

 

[FOJMO]

I'm with PopDaddy and Dan Murphy -- certainly not MY cup of tea. But, if you can do it and you can get a hotel ressie, more power to ya!

 

[Micca]

I don't think 4 days of driving for three days at WDW is worth it. The whole resort will be packed to the gills. Strain on finances...nah take a pass.

 

[geffric]

Micca - We have AP's so no cost for park admission, we can bring pb & j sandwiches and snackers with us. Breakfast in the room....

I think this is an Annual Pass disease... once I get them, I just want to use them, over and over and over again.

I checked with CRO and can get a room at All Stars or Pop Century..and lots available rooms off site - we get free parking at the parks with the AP...?????

 

[crazyforgoofy]

while ye may. Those annual passes mean you'll be saving money, right?

Not to bring anyone down (sorry that's my sixties speak rearing its head) but I'll give you my reason for saying "YES, GO!" My brother died this year from melanoma and one of the last conversations we had was about how he wished he'd taken more vacations and spent more time enjoying life. He told me he envied my "take every chance you can to have fun" attitude and understood more now that he was at the end of his life.

If going to WDW rather than staying home and wishing you were there is what you and your family really want to do then GO! Have a wonderful time. Wish we could be there too. This holiday I have a hole in my heart for my big brother and while nothing can fill it I think being in the Disney magic would help.

Enjoy your holiday.
Mary Alice

 

[DisneyObsessed]

Yep. Well said. After my mom died, I told my dad all I could remember about her, was her being sick in the nursing home. I couldn't get beyond that. I told him I wanted to start making some memories with him so that wouldn't happened when he was gone. Well, we took our first ever trip to WDW and what was the first thing he said? "Boy, I wish I brought your mother here, she would have loved this." I just lost him in June, and I have such fun memories, it's completely different than with my mom, and I'm so thankful for that. When my father turned the house over to me, we started remodeling. We were putting a slider and a deck off the family room. My dad couldn't get over the money we were spending on it. Thought we were so foolish. Who was the first person sitting out on the deck before it was completely finished, with tears in his eyes, saying "your mother would have loved this."

That being said, life is so short. Shorter than any of us take time to realize. Do what you can, while you can. Enjoy life...that's why we're here.

 

[Micca]

For those of you pro taking the trip I'm with you in spirit, but I detest long car trips. For me to make the 20 odd hour trip via auto(probably 2-2 1/2 days) I'd want to stay at least a week. The ratio of 4 days driving to 3 days park wouldn't work for me. If that's entertaining to you go do it and have a fantastic time.

 

[bsnyder]

If you don't mind the driving (and I'm one who doesn't) then I say go for it. You'll have a grand, merry Christmas! And if the parks are too crowded, there are lots of other things to do in WDW! Just being on vacation, away from the routine is wonderful in and of itself!

I hope you go for it! I know I would!

 

[geffric]

Obviously there are lots of things to consider..

About the Drive - we do it every year but then we stay for 2 weeks.. so will it be a problem to do the drive to WDW for only 3 days???

On the other hand, i am the one working on the day we will leave and DH is resting and doing the car packing and sandwich making.. so I can drive the more early and then he can take over for the 8:30 - midnight shift..

We will get to WDW on Wednesday evening, I know the parks are a zoo but We will avoid MK, (been there, done that at Xmas and not going to do that again) but Epcot and Ak , IMHO, should be okay...

So stay in Chi Town - snow, wet cold and clean the house, cook meals for the boys, do laundry, watch DVD's and sit on my 'puter at the DIS

or Have a few long days of driving, watch/ listen to movies part-time with the kids on the DVD in the car, then... warm, sun, someone else cooks, cleans.. I relax with MICKEY


still a toss up... we are most concerned about the weather driving down and back... if it is all ice on the highway or a snow storm through central ILL,KY, that could be very dangerous.. and slow.. I wouldn't want to spend Xmas in a ditch..on the other hand, that's how memories are made.. Maybe the kids will tell their kids-- 'let me tell you about my CRAZY MOM, one year she made us drive to WDW for 3 days.. but we got stuck in a snow storm and had to spend XMAS at a McD's in TN between Nashville and Ruby Falls..." At least we got to see the Chattanooga Choo choo..