January 2010. . . Anyone else going???

[Monny2AE]

Let’s See where everyone is eating…

Krissy04
Dec 31 GF Cafe
Jan 1 Hoop Dee Doo Revue
Jan 2 Ohana
Jan 3 Play n Dine at Hollywood and Vine
Jan 4 Chef Mickey
Jan 5 LeCellier
Jan 6 Akershus Princess Breakfast
Jan 7 Whispering Canyon
Jan 8 Teppan Edo
Jan 9 1900 Park Fare Breakfast

BTDTGB
Jan 1 Captain’s Grill 6:45pm
Jan 2 Coral Reef 6:10pm
Jan 3 Cape May Café 5:30pm
Jan 4 Chef Mickey’s 8:30am
Jan 5 Le Cellier 6:35pm

Stitchaholic
Jan 3 WC breakfast GG supper
Jan 4 Kona breakfast Boma dinner
Jan 5 Cape May's breakfast
Jan 6 Le Cellier
Jan 7 Mama Melrose Fantasmic Package
Jan 8 T-Rex

Kalice
Jan 4 Le Cellier Dinner
Jan 5 CRT Breakfast Hoop-de-doo Review 7.15 show
Jan 6 SciFi Dinner
Jan 7 Fantasmic Dinner Package Mama Melrose
Jan 8 Libertry Tree Taver Dinner
Jan 9 Whispering Canyon Cafe Dinner

Buzz638
Jan 2 Garden Grill
Jan 3 50's Prime Time
Jan 4 Les Chefs de France
Jan 5 Chef Mickey's
Jan 6 Donald's safari breakfast
Jan 7 Le Cellier
Jan 8 Ohana Breakfast

Carol17
Jan 3 Sci-Fi Dine in 3:30
Jan 5 Le Cellier 7:00
Jan 8 Shula's 6:00

 

[Carol17]

Hello all! I thought I would join the long list! We are from Ontario and are heading down January 3-9 2010. We were originally booked at WL club level, but when the 4/7 deal came out, we had to switch to BWI in order to stay club level(the deal wasn't available for CL at WL apparently). We just hit our 90 day mark and got all of or requested ADR's.

January 3-Sci-Fi Dine in(3:30)
January 5-Le Cellier(my birthday dinner!)7:00
January 8-Shula's 6:00

Because we are staying club level(our first time) we had our ADR's booked for us. That may be the reason we actually got in to Le Cellier for the first time! We usually have the dinning plan, but decided to go without it this time.

I agree with many of you in that this is a great time to go. This is our third year going at this time. We manage to get there for the last day or two of the Osbourne Lights and seeing the castle lit up as well as the wonderful decorations. Can't wait!

 

[Monny2AE]

Hello all! I thought I would join the long list! We are from Ontario and are heading down January 3-9 2010. We were originally booked at WL club level, but when the 4/7 deal came out, we had to switch to BWI in order to stay club level(the deal wasn't available for CL at WL apparently). We just hit our 90 day mark and got all of or requested ADR's.

January 3-Sci-Fi Dine in(3:30)
January 5-Le Cellier(my birthday dinner!)7:00
January 8-Shula's 6:00

Because we are staying club level(our first time) we had our ADR's booked for us. That may be the reason we actually got in to Le Cellier for the first time! We usually have the dinning plan, but decided to go without it this time.

I agree with many of you in that this is a great time to go. This is our third year going at this time. We manage to get there for the last day or two of the Osbourne Lights and seeing the castle lit up as well as the wonderful decorations. Can't wait!

Congrats on getting LeCellier...and for your birthday at that...well done! I'm hoping to get ressies for my DH's birthday!

 

[buzz638]

Thank you for the update Monny2AE, and for the dinning list as well

Buzz

 

[cheryterese]

We arrived the day after MLK day (on a Tues) and stayed for a week. We went to MK that Tues evening thinking it would be empty (it was very cold) and that we would catch some rides before Wishes. Well I think we did 2 rides. The lines were significant. We went back to MK on Wed at opening (the high was only 50 that day - so it was in the 30's that morning) and it was a very slow day! Thurs we went to DHS. What a nightmare!! It was packed! Like I've never seen before. Brazilian tour groups everywhere, and just crowds in-general everywhere. For example - Star Tours has always been a walk-on on our past trips. The wait was nearly an hour! So things like RNRC and TSMM were over 1 1/2 hour waits. Fri we went to AK. It wasn't too bad in the morning. Not crowded, but certainly not empty. It got busier in the afternoon. We went to MK on Sat afternoon for Spectro, it was packed. Sun we were at the Boardwalk for dinner and thought we would walk over to Epcot for a few rides that evening. Got there and Soarin was 90 minutes and TT was 30, so we got in the TT line and waited well over an hour and then we just left. Mon we got to Epcot at opening. It was fair, not crowded, but not empty. Overall I would say that our May trips were less crowded. But like I said before - we went to DHS on Fantasmic day and MK on Spectro day, so we will not do that next time! We did enjoy the January weather and not being so hot the whole time. Since the kids weren't dragging from the heat like they normally are we still got more done, even with larger crowds.

Hope that helps!

You say it was most crowded when you went to the parks on their show days (MK for Spectro and DH for Fantasmic) but we WANT to see these shows. Arghh!!! I guess we'll just have to put up with the crowds those days and make the best touring plan we can to beat the lines for those two days. Since Epcot shows Illuminations every evening is it not one of the more crowded parks during January?

 

[Mndisneygirl]

We were there in 2009 about the same dates as you're going. We found the crowds very manageable, but surprising. Some days there was nothing. Some were busier. We saw a big crowd for Spectro and Fantasmic (even though it was raining). DHS was nuts for TSMM.
I thought Epcot was pretty light, but it might be because it was bigger!
We didn't do a lot of headliner rides like Space Mtn or TOT or Soarin, so I can't comment on wait times for those, but we walked on Pirates, IASW etc. and didn't have more than 15 minute waits for other rides. We used FPs too.

You're not going near any holidays, so it should be good. The only problem is that they don't have shows/parades every night or even every other night, so they do draw crowds. Good luck!

 

[greewe]

We decided to add acouple of days to our trip. We are now going Jan 7-13th. My kids are running in the 5k for Marathon weekend. We have 7 going and we are staying at the THV.

 

[kanderson89]

Pooh, Euyore, and Tigger visit the UK toy store in Epcot often. We were there and didn't have our camera and they told us they visit every few minutes. You'll see an area in the back of the store where they come in to get pictures with the kiddos. That was in 2006. Hope they still visit there.

Also I read that Remy (the mouse), visits the tables at Chef de France every day at lunch (except Sunday). We aren't going to do lunch though because I noticed the beef tenderloin I want to try is only on the dinner menu.

We can't make our ADR's until the 26th. So just a couple weeks until we can call.

Here's what we are hoping for:
Sci-Fi Theater
Mama Melroses (new one for us)
Rose & Crown
Chef de France (new one for us)
Le Cellier
50's Primetime Cafe

plus....breakfast at Whispering Canyon Cafe (oop) first time there too.

I wanted Coral Reef, but decided to try Chef de France this time for something new.

Also I read the snack thread and typed up a list of every snack I want to try! I have them divided according to what park they are in! Ha! My favorite snack is the kakigori near Japan. Yum.

Thanks, Hoosier Mom, for the great tip on where to find my Pooh friends. Now I just have to figure out what was going on with Narcoosee's....can't believe it would be booked already.....

 

[irisesareblue]

I'm taking step-daughter to WDW on January 2nd and we'll stay overnight for one night at the Best Western Lakeside before checking into Pop Century on January 3rd, where we will be until January 9th! I have a fridge through a swap and I am SO EXCITED!!!!

Reached my 90 day window on Monday and booked the following:
Sunday, January 3rd - lunch at Tony's Town Square (hoping to catch a good seat near the window to watch the 3 pm parade!)
Tuesday, January 5th - character breakfast at Cape May Cafe
Thursday, January 7th - Fantasmic dinner package at Hollywood & Vine

Others will be counter service - we're trying to keep this on a budget!

 

[buzz638]

Made our ADR's yesterday, here it is

Jan 2nd - Garden Grill (first time)
Jan 3rd - 50's Prime Time (first time)
Jan 4th - Les Chefs de France ( one of our fav.)
Jan 5th - Chef Mickey's (DD fav. even at 16 years old...)
Jan 6th - Donald's safari breakfast (first time)
Jan 7th - Le Cellier ( first time and much anticipated by moi ! )
Jan 8th - Ohana Breakfast ( a classic for our familly, always ending our trip there )

We really wanted Crystal Palace on the 2nd but it was booked solid all day, i figured it's because it's the last day before refurb !?



Well,well,well, look at that!!!
Just for fun i went on the Disneyworld web site to check availability at Crystal Palace and...voila ! Got a 5h50pm reservation on January 2nd

Needless to say, we are very happy
And surprise

Buzz

 

[LoveKermit]

I'm just excited to see our name finally in the Snowbird list. Car is rented. Plane tix "bought" (using miles). Now just to decide on ADRs..... Such a problem to have.....

 

[robinbutterfly]

I love seeing everyone's ADRs! Keep them coming!

 

[DrmWvr1299]

Whooo-hooooo...100 days

 

[Saturn23]

Is there anyone who went the same week in Jan 2008 and 2009? I'm wondering what kind of effect the 4/3 deal had on number of people in the parks. I went the last week of January 08 before they offered that deal and the parks were great but we skipped 09.

 

[MelXThree]

Whooo-hooooo...100 days

YEAH!!

 

[Firedad]

We are coming back Jan. 15-20th for the third Jan. in a row!! In 08 and 09 the crowds were morderate to heavy at MK since this is MLK weekend. HS and Epcot were not bad. All in all I thought the timing was good since no line was horrible and the kids were out on Monday anyway. I am hoping for a room only deal to come out soon, if the holiday doesnt black it out. The flights and tickets are bought so our time are not flexible. This trip is going to be a huge surprise xmas present for my 15 and 13 year old daughters.

 

[Krissy04]

Is there anyone who went the same week in Jan 2008 and 2009? I'm wondering what kind of effect the 4/3 deal had on number of people in the parks. I went the last week of January 08 before they offered that deal and the parks were great but we skipped 09.

We were there the last week of January in 08 and in 09 (no football that week so I have my DH's full attention ) I have to say that we did notice a difference in the two years, the parks were much more crowded in 09 and most of the people I chatted with while on line were there on the 4/3 deal.
That being said it was by no means 'crowded' wait times were 20-30 min where in 08 they would have been 10-15 minutes. We still got to do plenty and it is our favorite time to go.

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

Also keep in mind that 4/3 or 5/2 deal just isn't as good as last year. NO GIFT CARD! It may not attract quite as many people this year.

 

[coltink]

We're still going in January but I have an ADR question. My apologies in advance if this isn't the most appropriate place but I know that you guys would know just about anything.

We are staying BWV and we are having 2 breakfast's in the mornings before the parks open.
Chef Mickey's and Boma. I know that we will have to take a bus to the nearest park and then from the park to the resort. The buses start 1 hour before the parks open but what if we need to be at the resort more than an hour before the parks open? For example AK opens at 9. How do we get to AKL for an 8 am ressie?

Thanks in advance!!!!

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

We're still going in January but I have an ADR question. My apologies in advance if this isn't the most appropriate place but I know that you guys would know just about anything.

We are staying BWV and we are having 2 breakfast's in the mornings before the parks open.
Chef Mickey's and Boma. I know that we will have to take a bus to the nearest park and then from the park to the resort. The buses start 1 hour before the parks open but what if we need to be at the resort more than an hour before the parks open? For example AK opens at 9. How do we get to AKL for an 8 am ressie?

Thanks in advance!!!!

They will tell you that the busses start one hour before park opening, but they usually start earlier just to get people to their ADR's. I have never had trouble with that. Just be out at the bus stop extra early.