January 2009. . . Calling all Snowbirds ~ Part II !!!

[overthemoon4mickey]

overthemoon4mickey-

What is the Harvest Feast?

It's the Garden Grill Harvest Feast with Chip and Dale. I copied it down from my calendar and I had it shortened to Harvest Feast. Sorry for the confusion.
I too hope that C and D are there. Otherwise we will be changing dining ressies!
We went to Ak in 2005 and DD then 6 got some great 1 on 1 time with C & D. (no other kids anywhere, they were all waiting to see rafaki, sp?) They were both hugging her and when she asked Chip for his autograph Dale got all sad and pouted until DD went up to him and hugged him. Then he twirled her pigtails and acted like he was SOOOO in love with her...She loved it!


Okay Snowbirds, I'm going to be checking in through out the day while I clean my house.....Right now I'm on the bathroom

Take care,
Becky

 

[danceintherain]

Good morning everyone! It's me again!
I know there was some talk about the characters no longer at the Garden Grill. I think I read somewhere (probably here) that they were still at dinner. I have booked a 5:20 ADR so if that's true, we should be okay. I should probably call Disney to confirm.

So, here's my other dilemma. I've been kind of worried about the crowds during MLK weekend. I am visually disabled and wanted to choose a good week where I don't have to battle with the crowds so much. I can change my reservations to be the 24th-31st (it's cheaper to fly Saturday-Saturday) but then I'm worried about crowds from the super bowl.
What do you think is best?
17th-24th or 24th-31st???

Thanks for any advice!

It's really hard to tell, because nobody knows what the crowds are going to do. The Unofficial Guides touring plans say that the crowds the last week of January should be better than those over MLK weekend. The crowds only go up drastically on the 31st. Other than that they're pretty consistent.
My theory on the matter is that people who are going to the Super Bowl are going to the Super Bowl, they're spending money to do just that, and very few of them will probably extend their stay in Florida in order to visit Orlando and Disney World before or after. MLK is a specific day off that many people get off as a holiday, so I think it would be more likely that people would plan to go during that time, then just for the Super Bowl. Of course I would never take time off work or school in order to go to the Super Bowl, but I would do so for Disney, but that's just me.
Honestly, do whichever works better for you, because you could find that the crowds during either week are worse.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

QOTD:

I don't like Dumbo...I don't understand the fascination with a ride that goes around in a circle for 90 seconds...that you waited 2 hours for. When I have kids DH will have to take them...I will go shopping instead.

I have to agree with you about Dumbo! Wow that is the longest line we have ever stood in at Disney - over an hour. I just kept thinking about what all I was missing by standing in that line. Never again, unless the line is super short!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Okay Snowbirds, I'm going to be checking in through out the day while I clean my house.....Right now I'm on the bathroom

Take care,
Becky

I just got done with the bathrooms! I hate cleaning the bathrooms. It's just gross. Oh well, at least they are done now and super clean. That is, until the boys get home from school!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Can I answer the QOTD twice:

While MS had me fearing for my life, in my opinion, one of the most over-rated rides is Test Track. I think the "fun" part is too short and the rest bores me. (Don't tell my dad....that's what he does for a living! )

OMG ! We LOVE Test Track!! I think it is DH's favorite thing at WDW!!

 

[Pinkdiamond816]

Afternoon Snowbirds!

Hope everyone is having a great day! (Even if it is grouch day!!!!!)

Did anyone else feel the earth stop moving around 7:30am eastern time this morning?????? It was because I got out of my house in time to go to the GYM before work! One morning down, the rest of my life minus holidays to go!

I love hearing everyone's plans for surprising their kids with trips!!! Makes me wish for little ones to surprise....ofcourse I should work on getting a husband first, or at least start with a steady boyfriend. Humph
I'll just have to hope my cousins are allowed to join me!!!!

Good morning everyone! It's me again!
I know there was some talk about the characters no longer at the Garden Grill. I think I read somewhere (probably here) that they were still at dinner. I have booked a 5:20 ADR so if that's true, we should be okay. I should probably call Disney to confirm.

So, here's my other dilemma. I've been kind of worried about the crowds during MLK weekend. I am visually disabled and wanted to choose a good week where I don't have to battle with the crowds so much. I can change my reservations to be the 24th-31st (it's cheaper to fly Saturday-Saturday) but then I'm worried about crowds from the super bowl.
What do you think is best?
17th-24th or 24th-31st???

Thanks for any advice!

I would go for Superbowl weekend! MLK weekend is a holiday weekend which are usually high anyway, superbowl might or might not bring people in. There will still be less locals I bet. even if there are a few more out-of-towners! That was my rational for booking my trip!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I know how you feel! I let my hair grow for several years. It was down to my waist this past spring. Then one day I just had enough and got 12 inches cut off!! It was up above my shoulders. I had so much cut off I was able to donate it to Locks For Love. So that was a good thing! Now it's starting to grow back and it is in the in-between stage and I'm not sure what to do with it! I'm not sure I could pull off a short-short hairstyle!

How cool!! Even if mine was long enough, they wouldn't want it--too stringy!! Ha!! I think yours would be cute in a bob-style cut!! You are so pretty-- you should show off that little face!!! Maybe a short stack in the back..... I am a haircut lover!!! And once it's shorter than shoulder length there are sooooo many ways to cut it.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

QOTD:
Honestly, if I had to pick one.... I think it would be Space Mountain. It's just too jerky for my tastes. I can handle stomach dropping rides, rides with repetitive soundtracks, shows with weird special effects and annoying "hosts," but the jerkiness of Space Mountain gives me a headache and a neck ache. I usually skip rides like it at other theme parks.
This next trip I'll probably ride it once, just so Logan can experience it, but then I'll probably skip it until I have a kid that begs me to go on it with them.

I have to agree with you there about Space Mtn being too jerky! I thought it was just me!! When I rode it for the first time in 2005 I thought it was great. Then in 2007 I thought it seemed a lot rougher. Then this year it was so rough it nearly took my breath away. I asked DS if he noticed and he looked at me like I was nuts and said - no way! So I thought I must just be getting old or something!

I will probably still ride it even though it is so rough and jerky. It's tradition now!

 

[crzyred]

What is the ONE attraction that you don't like?

Umm... I really don't think I could narrow that list down to just one!

It's a Small World - Seriously????? I belive that in some countries it is now a form a torture
ToT - made me sick (never had that happen before!)
The Great Movie Ride - I laughed through
Primeval Whirl - well it's affectionately called Primeval "Hurl" in my family

Really I could continue this list..haha.


It's cold and dreary here today. But I'm at 84 days!!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

How cool!! Even if mine was long enough, they wouldn't want it--too stringy!! Ha!! I think yours would be cute in a bob-style cut!! You are so pretty-- you should show off that little face!!! Maybe a short stack in the back..... I am a haircut lover!!! And once it's shorter than shoulder length there are sooooo many ways to cut it.

Aw, thank you!

I'll probably end up growing it long again and then I can donate it again. Mine is very thick! Great for donating. Not so great in the humidity!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

overthemoon4mickey- Sorry, I thought I quoted you. Your trip sounds fantastic! I can't wait to hear how you decide to suprise the kiddos.

What is the Harvest Feast?



Yay! Hair talk! Mine was down to my bottom this summer. I finally cut it a bit in August and plan on cutting it even more in a few weeks.

They would love for you to donate!!! How much more are you gonna cut? It's so pretty---but I could not stand blow drying that much hair! My moms hair is SUPER thick-even when it' shoulder length it takes forever. My SIL is thick and curly--almost to her waist-she was spending 1 hour every morning just blow drying So, she cut about 5 inches and had some of it thinned out a bit--it's still a TON of hair!! I don't have the patience or time for a one hour blow dry!!

Can I answer the QOTD twice:

While MS had me fearing for my life, in my opinion, one of the most over-rated rides is Test Track. I think the "fun" part is too short and the rest bores me. (Don't tell my dad....that's what he does for a living! )

I liked it--the first time the Big Rig like to scared me to death
Last January we rode it 5 or 6 times-the last 3 rides they didn't even ask us to get out!!

I think I would chance Super Bowl weekend before I would MLK weekend. There probably aren't going to be many schools out during the SB, like there will be for MLK.

We are going the 24th through the 1st--Since the actual game is the 1st, I figured it wouldn't get busy with football people till after the game!! Hope I'm right!!!

 

[crzyred]

I have to agree with you there about Space Mtn being too jerky! I thought it was just me!! When I rode it for the first time in 2005 I thought it was great. Then in 2007 I thought it seemed a lot rougher. Then this year it was so rough it nearly took my breath away. I asked DS if he noticed and he looked at me like I was nuts and said - no way! So I thought I must just be getting old or something!

I will probably still ride it even though it is so rough and jerky. It's tradition now!

Ok so there is this joke in my family from our last trip.

We have said that everything was faster and jerkier than before! (It of course has nothing to do with us being a few years older!)

Reading what you just wrote made me laugh!

 

[Shock13]

It's really hard to tell, because nobody knows what the crowds are going to do. The Unofficial Guides touring plans say that the crowds the last week of January should be better than those over MLK weekend. The crowds only go up drastically on the 31st. Other than that they're pretty consistent.
My theory on the matter is that people who are going to the Super Bowl are going to the Super Bowl, they're spending money to do just that, and very few of them will probably extend their stay in Florida in order to visit Orlando and Disney World before or after. MLK is a specific day off that many people get off as a holiday, so I think it would be more likely that people would plan to go during that time, then just for the Super Bowl. Of course I would never take time off work or school in order to go to the Super Bowl, but I would do so for Disney, but that's just me.
Honestly, do whichever works better for you, because you could find that the crowds during either week are worse.

Thanks for the info. I also checked out UG and saw that it would be pretty crowded on the 31st but we'll be on our way home then so that didn't matter to me. I did book a AAA rate so I hope that will work out again if I decide to change weeks.

 

[Pluto_fan]

Hello Snowbirds!
I'm finally caught up from the weekend!

Madison! Meghan, I noticed that you already updated your signature!

to the new Snowbirds!

Andrea--have you taken the autotrain before? I think that sounds cool. I looked into it, but it was really expensive! Nearly $900 round trip for us and a car. We could fly out of BWI and rent a car for less than that. We're planning to drive...but are considering taking the autotrain one-way back north.

QOTD...we haven't been to WDW since the Stitch attraction opened, but I really disliked Alien Encounter and will probably skip Stitch. I thought AE was really unpleasant.

My DH and I call our trip the "Insurance Policy" that way we can sort of talk about it with out the kids knowing. With all the Hurricane Ike damage and debris in and around our area the kids don't even think it out of the ordinary to have their parents always talking about insurance. The conversations usually go something like this....Me: "Hi honey, I just found out today that the Insurance claim filed for the Liberty will no longer have the claim adjusters" DH: huh, what? Oh! Well then what if we file a claim at another venue that does have claim adjusters....something from the 1900's perhaps? Or maybe a policy without any claims adjusters at all would be nice?"

That is hilarious!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Aw, thank you!

I'll probably end up growing it long again and then I can donate it again. Mine is very thick! Great for donating. Not so great in the humidity!

Your Welcome! I didn't realize y'all have humidity. Thought it was just us poor Southerners!!! Ha!! We need a smilie face with flat humidified hair hanging down!!! Or were you talking Florida humidity?!?!?

Well, I am happy to say that we are at the 12 week mark for school!!(Friday ends the 12th week)--so, only 6 more to go before I 'close' school for the first semester and enjoy Holiday season!!!!! We may have some stuff to finish the first week of Dec-depending on our Thanksgiving plans--then we are out til Jan 5!!!yeah!! We start early-take a long break and then hit it hard again in Jan--working thru till end of April-that's when we start our summer. Then the month of July rolls around and we are back at it again!!

Anyway---back to class!! My computer is in our school room--so I can sneak back & forth!! We are on to Language Arts!!!
Check in with you all later!!!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Your Welcome! I didn't realize y'all have humidity. Thought it was just us poor Southerners!!! Ha!! We need a smilie face with flat humidified hair hanging down!!! Or were you talking Florida humidity?!?!?

Oh no, we have plenty of humidity here in PA. It's just not always the warm humidity like in Florida!

 

[pamouselover]

hi Michelle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I eye balled the list and don't believe I'm on it (can't recall if I posted here before---and wayyy too many subscriptions lol)
January 26-30 with my mom and best friend to CSR Club Level. WOOOT WOOOT!

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

Hello ya'll

I just got caught up on all these posts! Wow...there are a lot of them! All of you that have posted your days got me wondering how many days we had left.....we only have 86 days!!!

We are not telling our kiddos until Christmas afternoon after all the presents and chaos has passed. I have had to be very selective in who and when I can talk about this trip(that's why I love this thread)....I don't want the cat out of the bag just yet! My DH and I call our trip the "Insurance Policy" that way we can sort of talk about it with out the kids knowing. With all the Hurricane Ike damage and debris in and around our area the kids don't even think it out of the ordinary to have their parents always talking about insurance. The conversations usually go something like this....Me: "Hi honey, I just found out today that the Insurance claim filed for the Liberty will no longer have the claim adjusters" DH: huh, what? Oh! Well then what if we file a claim at another venue that does have claim adjusters....something from the 1900's perhaps? Or maybe a policy without any claims adjusters at all would be nice?" Did you follow that? Well, my kids didn't either!

Here are our Insurance Claims:

1-8 Arrive at 7:07 dinner at airport or hotel... depends on kids
1-9 Crystal Palace 8:05am
1-10 Tusker House 8:00am
1-11 1900 Park Fare 4:30
1-12 Le Cellier 4:30
1-13 Chef Mickey 6:30
1-14 WCC 7:00
1-15 Hollywood Vine 8:35am
1-16 Harvest Feast 4:30
1-17 O'Hana 8:20 / Coral Reef 5:30
1-18 Breakfast at a park...Flight at 3:04



Now other than watching and waiting for a code or discount I'm trying to figure out a great way to surprise my 2 kids on Christmas morning. Any ideas? I like the idea of some type of scavenger hunt. I just don't know how to do it exactly. My kiddos are DD 9 and DS almost 3.

Thanks,
Becky

Welcome Becky to the Snowbird Family! Thank you for joining us! Your plans look great! I am sure you will hhave a wonderful time! You had me with the "Insurance Claims" talk! So funny

I can't wait to get HOME! I need to see everyone, to hug the snot out of everyone,

Remind me not to get hugged by Peaches, it sounds painful!

As for the surprise, well this is my plan as of now - Let the kids open all of their Santa gifts. Then there will be a small box wrapped up under the tree clear in the back. We will bring it out last and say something like - well mommy and daddy could only get you guys one gift this year - hope you like it! Then inside will be layers. The first one will say something like - "you might need these" and there will be some Disney shirts. The next layer will say - "and these" and there will be Disney sunglasses. The next will say - "because WE ARE GOING TO DISNEY!!!" and the last one will say - "IN JUST 27 DAYS!!!!!" and it will have a countdown calendar!

Shelly your plan sounds sort of like ours, except we are going to "find a present that we forgot to open" because we are doing the surprise on New Year's Day! It will start with a HUGE box and continue down to a teeny one with messages and gifts all the way through until the last teeny box will have just a strip of paper that says ..."because you are going to WDW in 17 days!"


ATTENTION: ALL SNOWBIRDS - Are you in need of a good laugh today? I stumbled across this really hilarious thread over on the attractions board! OMGosh, talk about funny....here's the link...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1982235

Enjoy!

 

[crzyred]

Aw, thank you!

I'll probably end up growing it long again and then I can donate it again. Mine is very thick! Great for donating. Not so great in the humidity!

Mine is very thick too! I go through phases with mine. I cut it short about 2 years ago and now I want it long again. So in another 2 years I'll cut it. I donate to Locks of Love. I actually have really pretty red hair ( I hate saying that because I think everyone else thinks I'm stuck-up when I say things like that. ). Hmm maybe I should find a picture of myself to post....

 

[Pinkdiamond816]

QOTD: You know I would have to agree on Test Track. The first time it's cool, but frankly I've had more exciting (or terrifying) cabs ride through NYC.

For those of you who can donate to Locks of Love, GO FOR IT! and Thank you! My little cousin was one of the kids to get one of their wigs and it was so great for her! It's such a worthy cause! So is Make-a-wish, one of the reasons I will love Disney forever!!!!