January 2009. . . Calling all Snowbirds ~ Part V

[trixiequilts]

Answer of the Day:

Le Cellier
Raglan Road
'Ohana
Grand Floridian Cafe

Those are my definites...at least for today!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

ADRs: Le Cellier
Rose and Crown
Nine Dragons
Garden Grill (kids fave-one likes the atmosphere, one likes food, one likes characters there)
Biergarten (kids didn't like much,tho, but loved desserts)
Cinderella's Royal Table
Beaches and Cream !!!
The character breakfast at OHana was great!

Kids want to redo the HDDR.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Shelly, we were there in May of 07, I think like the 19th - 25 or something like that...it was nice, kinda warm on a couple of days. But, we really enjoyed that pool at the BC. the lines weren't bad, and it did seem to me that this Jan was as busy as that trip was! I dont think it rained at all on that trip.

We were there May 13-19 2007. I think we had an hour of rain one evening. Very low crowds. Some lines would say 20 minutes, but it would be more like 5! That's why we went again in May 2008 (10th-17th), it was a little more crowded (still not bad) but miserably hot, that's why we decided to try January this year. DH and the kids were a lot more cooperative with the cooler weather!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I would like to try end of Feb into March as well, I bet that's slow. Anyone been then that can tell us?

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I would like to try end of Feb into March as well, I bet that's slow. Anyone been then that can tell us?

I think that's peak season, isn't it?

 

[Mndisneygirl]

We had a rough couple of weeks. My grandmother's health declined over the last weeks and then she died last week. It was good to see family from around the country at her services. I miss her.

My planning for our August Disney trip has been on hold, and now I am anxious to get busy in planning!

So sorry for you and your family! Maybe some Disney fun will help ease your pain.

It's May 15th! It will be weird this year, we have spend the last 2 anniversaries ( 9th & 10th ) at Disney!!

Ours is on May 10th - this will be 12 years.

Fun Question: If you could make ADR's today, what would you make?

(I'm in planning mode this morning. Can you tell?)

Ours- Akershus Dinner, O'Hana, Yak & Yeti, CRT Breakfast

Ya'll, I'm so excited about taking Belle that I could burst into tears!!!!

Hope you have waterproof mascara!
I would do repeats at LeCellier and CP and new ones would be SciFi, Kona and Tutto Italia (in fact we will do at least a couple of these in December!) I would like to eat in the castle even though I've heard the food can be "so-so", just to say I did it. Don't know that anyone else in our group wants to this trip (my DDs would).

I would like to try end of Feb into March as well, I bet that's slow. Anyone been then that can tell us?

we've only gone in early Feb and had NO CROWDS! It was prior to President's day. But we did have at least one really chilly morning (and I'm from MN, so you know I mean COLD for you southerners!) It was below 40.

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

When will you all book your trip for next January? I know that packages won't come out until the summer (so it will be room only), so I was just wondering what my fellow Dissers do.

What are the pros and cons to booking now, rather than waiting?

Soleil! I booked our RO for January in March of 2008. Lucky thing I did cause when I went to book the package, POFQ was completely booked solid! We ended up switching to WL when the 4/5 came so it didn't end up mattering anyways.....

I would like to try end of Feb into March as well, I bet that's slow. Anyone been then that can tell us?

I think that's peak season, isn't it?

Yes it is Peak Season....however, I had a friend who went with her Family the first week of March this year and she said the crowds were really good! She said they didn't wat more than 25 mins for ANYTHING!

QOTD

Here is my "Dream List"

Le Cellier
Biergarten (we loved it - sat with a great family from Louisiana)
CRT breakfast (very yummy - loved the eggs!)
Crystal Palace breakfast 8:05am - can't beat the location for 9am RD!
O'Hana - supper! Our family fave!
50's PTC - My DH's fave! We love "Cousin Mikey"
Chef Mickey's breakfast
Raglan Road
Mama Melrose
The Plaza

 

[Kazooie01]

We usually wait to make our plans until the packages come out in late Oct/Nov. We haven't had any problem with getting what we wanted the last three years. And as far as the best time to go, we will always stick to January.

There seems to be two experiences out there for this past January. Those who thought it was crowded and those who thought it was dead.

Personally, we never had one single wait over 10-12 minutes the whole 8 days we were there. We actually walked on several big rides on certain days (ToT, Buzz Lightyear, Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, Pirates, Safari, and Everest among others). Of course we used FastPasses for the big "A" ticket attractions, but that was it (other than avoiding HS when Fantasmic was showing). Because it was chilly early in our stay, EMH were a blessing. We killed the parks during EMH, too cold for most.

It was absolutely the slowest January in the three years we have gone (2007, 2008, 2009) (all trips have been within the dates of 1/21-2/6). I don’t know? Maybe we just got lucky with which parks we hit each day.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Oh, I forgot to answer Soleil's question.
We booked our December 2009 trip in April this year. We know we're not changing based on any offers, since we did get some military deals for it. I think we booked our January trip around that same time - we just modified it when the 4/3 deal came out. It was no big deal.

 

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

YIPPEE...QOTD!!
Each year I try to get new ones on the list, but hubby says we have to go to others because they're "tradition", so here's some of ours:
O'hana-tradition
Biergarten-hubby's fam is German, so it's of course "tradition"
WCC-another tradition
I think we'll trade our usual Tusker House b'fast for Crystal Palace. I'd love to see Main Street before opening, however that means two mornings at MK because we HAVE to watch the rope drop at MK!!!
I'd like to try Sci-Fi, Big River Grille, Coral Reef, Tutto, Teppen Edo (looks like we'll have to spend alot of time in Epcot AND STAY FOR NINE DAYS)!!! YIKES! I better start saving!
I'm sure hubby will want Cali Grill which is definately our fave, but my cheapness sets in and I don't want to use 2 meal credits OR pay OOP!
Decisions, decisions...

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I know once Pres. Day comes we do jump out of value pricing, but seeing as there are no major holidays that first week, I was curious-our schools start letting out for spring bread around March 9th, so I thought about the week or week and a half before that should be good.

For us, we did see the crowds increase this year. Definitely up from last Jan. I really thought with the $$$ thing and people losing jobs, the crowds would be lower, but the 4 for 3 really helped a lot of people. Our slowest day was sun, feb. 1st. I know lots of people were prepping for the Super Bowl.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

The crowds were definitely more than we expected. I guess we just thought January was the slowest time so we expected it to be even slower than May. The only real slow day we saw was on Wed. Jan 21st at MK, and of course it was only 30 degrees when we got there at opening and about 50 for the high!

 

[EPCOT is a verb]

How do you all get from the airport (MCO) to Disney? Does anyone have experience with a towncar company?

For our August vacation, we are thinking about going down a day early and staying one night at Swan/Dolphin, which doesn't do ME. I am looking at a couple of towncar companies and would love a recommendation if you all have one.

 

[Northern Disney Girl]

The crowds were definitely more than we expected. I guess we just thought January was the slowest time so we expected it to be even slower than May. The only real slow day we saw was on Wed. Jan 21st at MK, and of course it was only 30 degrees when we got there at opening and about 50 for the high!

Shelly, which "plans" did you use? Just curious, because I followed the crowd calendar from touring plans and found that to be spot on! The crowds for our first week were incredibly easy! The only "crowded" days we had were the EMH morning we were at the MK (by noon, Tomorrow land felt like a can of sardines!) and our second day at DHS (it was our "unplanned day")! We had been at DHS for the first time on that really cold day (Ithink it was the 21st) DHS was totally dead! Either that or everybody was riding TSM all day! Our second day (actually we just went for the morning on the 26th) we were at the gates at exactly the same time lined up to get in and there was a significant number more people than the wednesday before! We changed our plans for our last 3 days so I had no idea what "number" DHS was supposed to be that day! At any rate, I found the crowd calender was very accurate at predicting the crowds!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Kim, I tried to go by the plans for crowds too-using the unofficial guide. They were accurate about most days. A few days we had to switch up and go to parks that were going to be busy, and they were! But, we had to for our ADRs, like Cinderella castle, and the lunch my husband had with the Imagineers. Which by the way, ya'll should try to do !

I really think it's just busy always! I don't mind that, it's when its crowded that bothers me, people get so cranky in those lines. I am amazed thought that Peter Pan is still soooooo long. Lord, I rode that in the 3rd grade. Which, I think should be the next ride up for rehab--poor Wendy's paint is so peeled you can see it when she's on the gang plank!Bless her little quivering heart.

Did anyone ever find out why Mickey's Philharmagic was closed? It hasn't been open that long....did they just add songs and make it longer or what?

 

[Hoosier Mom]

Someone asked about going ahead and booking......

I went ahead and booked a room only. I wanted a standard room for WL. I was afraid if I waited, then the standards would be gone and I'd be forced to pay more per night.

I was thinking that last year, that was the case with WL, that the standard rooms were all gone when the packages started selling for Jan. Not sure.

Anyway, we have a room. The last two years, we got an email about a discount offered in January to the general public. I hope that is the case again. If so, I am toying with the idea of upgrading to deluxe dining.

 

[drakes]

It is so nice to read others planning their trips. I have to leave for the UK today on business. In my carry on I have my disney Mommy and Me prices so I'll have a few hours to contemplate and read all about it!
The more I read about summer trips the more worried I become. I was planning August to get the 4/3 deal, but we've been spoiled only going in January!
I then thought I'd prefer Jan, so why not go then? She'll be adult price by then, but it gives me more time to save. I love the saving with 4/3 or even free dining.
I also would love to go in Oct for MNSSHP, but that seems to have picked up business as well.

So is everyone set on Jan 2010? maybe peer pressure will win over

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

So is everyone set on Jan 2010? maybe peer pressure will win over

Should I add you to the list???


January 2010 Snowbirds


Bellasoleil Jan 2-8 POP
Peanut1 Jan 9-15 THV
Kazooie01 Jan 20-27 CSR
Lizziejane Jan ??? BWV
Momto2prncchrmgs Jan 23-30 POP
Dancegrl624 Jan 23-30 ???
Momof2disneyboys Jan 23-31 ???
Disneymommy3 Jan 23-31 ???
Hoosiermom Jan 25-30 WL

 

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

The crowds were definitely more than we expected. I guess we just thought January was the slowest time so we expected it to be even slower than May. The only real slow day we saw was on Wed. Jan 21st at MK, and of course it was only 30 degrees when we got there at opening and about 50 for the high!

That's exactly what we thought too! Our days at AK and HS were just as crowded, if not more so (lots of tour groups) but then our days at MK and Epcot were much better, especially Epcot. Toward the end of the day we sat on the curb by UK eating fish and chips and it was one of the most relaxing parts of our vacation. There was hardly no one around, the temp was in the low 70's...it was exactly what we'd pictured our Jan. trip to be like. The other days was much hotter (not that I'm complaining since we had several inches of snow back home), but just not what I expected!

 

[Momto2PrncChrmgs]

It is so nice to read others planning their trips. I have to leave for the UK today on business. In my carry on I have my disney Mommy and Me prices so I'll have a few hours to contemplate and read all about it!
The more I read about summer trips the more worried I become. I was planning August to get the 4/3 deal, but we've been spoiled only going in January!
I then thought I'd prefer Jan, so why not go then? She'll be adult price by then, but it gives me more time to save. I love the saving with 4/3 or even free dining.
I also would love to go in Oct for MNSSHP, but that seems to have picked up business as well.

So is everyone set on Jan 2010? maybe peer pressure will win over

We're definately set on Jan, maybe early Feb (but will forever be a January Snowbird! PEER PRESSURE...), but that doesn't mean I wouldn't take a free dining trip too if I suddenly came into some extra cash!