January 2013

[letthewookiewin]

Good morning everyone! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

We are all one day closer to our trips!

WOOOO HOOOO!!!
We're not only a day closer to our January trip, but a day closer to our June trip. If things go as planned, we'll be leaving our driveway in 50 days and 53 days until the surprise check in at the Pop Century!!!! Honestly, I stay up every day until just after midnight, so I can see the countdown on my iPhone go down one day. Well actually I usually lay in bed until as late as 2 AM listening to my "night-night" music (soundtrack from the movie Queen of the Danged, don't think I can use real last word) and playing Solitaire on my iPhone.

We've talked about a vow renewal at wdw but then I price it out and decide not to. Maybe for a really big anniversary.

14 days sounds awesome!!!!

I would love to do one for a big anniversary. I would love to do it for our 25 th anniversary b/c that will be in 2020. If (when) we do it, it'll be the smallest package. My DH could just wear shorts and a green Polo and I could wear a simple sun dress. Maybe by then, both DS will be old enough to eat at V&A's and we can eat there after at the Chef's Table.

 

[ButterflyJen]

Think we may head to Pass A Grille Beach before we head to WDW. Friends in Tampa recommended it so we're checking it out. It's just for one day of beachcombing since the girls have never seen the ocean - ANY ocean!! So now I'm all excited about that.
We also found a good hotel for our way down - in Elizabethtown KY. We should get there around midnight & then leave right away in the morning (free continental breakfast, too!) . Lots of exciting trip stuff going on!!
Did I mention that the Easter bunny must know we're driving? Both girls got travel neck pillows in their Easter baskets - DD1 got a frog, DD2 got a monkey (their favorite animals) . They are very excited to try them out soon!

 

[letthewookiewin]

Think we may head to Pass A Grille Beach before we head to WDW. Friends in Tampa recommended it so we're checking it out. It's just for one day of beachcombing since the girls have never seen the ocean - ANY ocean!! So now I'm all excited about that.
We also found a good hotel for our way down - in Elizabethtown KY. We should get there around midnight & then leave right away in the morning (free continental breakfast, too!) . Lots of exciting trip stuff going on!!
Did I mention that the Easter bunny must know we're driving? Both girls got travel neck pillows in their Easter baskets - DD1 got a frog, DD2 got a monkey (their favorite animals) . They are very excited to try them out soon!

For our January trip, we're not going to make any hotel ressies on the way there or on the way home. The plan is to just get in the car and drive until we feel like we need to stop.

Those pillows sound so cute!! I have thought about getting the boys some new travel pillows, but I'll probably just get the plain $5 from Wal Mart.

 

[dawnhaze]

I'm definitely taking a solo trip January 2013... My dates aren't firm yet but I definitely know I want to be there on the 16th (which is my birthday). I'm thinking about staying at Pop or AoA - leaning towards AoA but we'll see.

I'm thinking either the 10th-17th, 11th-18th, or 12th-19th. Flight prices will make the ultimate decision for me, but I think I'd rather be there for Marathon than any part of MLK Jr weekend. Opinions?

I have a loooooong list of ADRs I want to get - I rather want to do deluxe dining, since I'm a bit of a food enthusiast and I also want to do a lot of character meals (I don't think you're ever too old to love princesses and Mickey Mouse, lol). If packages aren't bookable yet by the 180 day mark, is it a good idea to book room-only in order to take advantage of the +10 period? Is it easy to convert that to a package reservation without losing ADRs?

I've got my fingers crossed for free dining in January to save me at least a little money on the dining plan, haha. But I want deluxe either way.

 

[Michelle1125]

We're going the 12-18 and staying at the Animal Kingdom Villas.

 

[letthewookiewin]

I'm definitely taking a solo trip January 2013... My dates aren't firm yet but I definitely know I want to be there on the 16th (which is my birthday). I'm thinking about staying at Pop or AoA - leaning towards AoA but we'll see.

I'm thinking either the 10th-17th, 11th-18th, or 12th-19th. Flight prices will make the ultimate decision for me, but I think I'd rather be there for Marathon than any part of MLK Jr weekend. Opinions?

I have a loooooong list of ADRs I want to get - I rather want to do deluxe dining, since I'm a bit of a food enthusiast and I also want to do a lot of character meals (I don't think you're ever too old to love princesses and Mickey Mouse, lol). If packages aren't bookable yet by the 180 day mark, is it a good idea to book room-only in order to take advantage of the +10 period? Is it easy to convert that to a package reservation without losing ADRs?

I've got my fingers crossed for free dining in January to save me at least a little money on the dining plan, haha. But I want deluxe either way.

& added
I hope that they have the packages out by the time we hit our 180 day out. We're doing the DlxDDP for this first time this June. I hope to do it again in January. Like you, there are just so many places that I want to try. I really really hope that we get FD for our dates as well. We are a family of 4 Disney Adults, so it really is the best discount. More than likely, we'll just upgrade to the DlxDDP from whatever DDP we get depending on which resort that we stay at.

 

[Michelle1125]

I'm definitely taking a solo trip January 2013... My dates aren't firm yet but I definitely know I want to be there on the 16th (which is my birthday). I'm thinking about staying at Pop or AoA - leaning towards AoA but we'll see.

I'm thinking either the 10th-17th, 11th-18th, or 12th-19th. Flight prices will make the ultimate decision for me, but I think I'd rather be there for Marathon than any part of MLK Jr weekend. Opinions?

We had to make that decision too and from what I've read, Marathon weekend is less crowded.

 

[letthewookiewin]

We're going the 12-18 and staying at the Animal Kingdom Villas.

& added

WOO HOO!! Another DFW girl!!

 

[dawnhaze]

We had to make that decision too and from what I've read, Marathon weekend is less crowded.

That's what I've read as well, too. I would imagine a lot of Marathoners are busy doing the Marathon rather than seeing the attractions, haha.

& added
I hope that they have the packages out by the time we hit our 180 day out. We're doing the DlxDDP for this first time this June. I hope to do it again in January. Like you, there are just so many places that I want to try. I really really hope that we get FD for our dates as well. We are a family of 4 Disney Adults, so it really is the best discount. More than likely, we'll just upgrade to the DlxDDP from whatever DDP we get depending on which resort that we stay at.

I really hope they do release packages for booking in June again. I will have far fewer worries if they do.

I think I could eat at least 2 meals a day just in Epcot and be happy with the food for several days, haha. Deluxe dining seems like the least stressful way to go about it. Plus I did the math and I will save about $150 vs what I would order OOP, without taking snacks into account, so it seems like a good idea.

 

[ButterflyJen]

Those pillows sound so cute!! I have thought about getting the boys some new travel pillows, but I'll probably just get the plain $5 from Wal Mart.

The Easter bunny may have found them for $8 apiece at Target a few weeks ago

 

[QTrunninglady]

I'm there!!

January 9 - 16, 2013

 

[ButterflyJen]

I'm there!!

January 9 - 16, 2013

 

[Marshay]

We had to make that decision too and from what I've read, Marathon weekend is less crowded.

But remember they moved the Marathon weekend to one weekend later (Jan 10-13), which puts it closer to MLK weekend (Jan 18 - 21) for those people who will stay at WDW for 7+ days, they will probably overlap both weeks.

I'd still choose Marathon weekend over MLK, too, but I think we will see folks blending the two together, which is what we are doing.

Also, remember to pay attention to which parks and roads are going to be used for the Marathon and what times.

We went in May and there was an Ironman race going on and we got stuck on the road outside of AKV for 35 minutes!! They stopped all traffic to let the bikers go by. It was a mess when we specifically chose to do RD that morning. Needless to say, we didn't make it!

 

[pkf4bucs]

Have you added for the 10 - 13. If you want to add a resort, just let me know. I would love to some day run the 1/2 marathon.[/QUOTE]

We are booked at the Pop for the 11th - 13th. Has to be a quick trip as the kids are in school.

 

[daisy_77]

Good morning everyone!!

TGIF!!
Any Disney planning going on today?

 

[Michelle1125]

But remember they moved the Marathon weekend to one weekend later (Jan 10-13), which puts it closer to MLK weekend (Jan 18 - 21) for those people who will stay at WDW for 7+ days, they will probably overlap both weeks.

Crowds will still be fairly low though, right? We usually go the 3rd week of October for our anniversary. Last year we went the first week of December during Pop Warner. I kept reading not to worry because they don't affect the crowd level, but we thought they did. I think last time we went in January we arrived the weekend of MLK on Sunday and it was pretty busy that day and Monday. After that it was great. Now I'm wondering if we should go the last week of January. Really we're going in January for the cooler temps. October was actually too warm for us the last 2 times we went, despite the fact that we live in Texas.

 

[Michelle1125]

& added

WOO HOO!! Another DFW girl!!

Thanks!

 

[letthewookiewin]

That's what I've read as well, too. I would imagine a lot of Marathoners are busy doing the Marathon rather than seeing the attractions, haha.




I really hope they do release packages for booking in June again. I will have far fewer worries if they do.

I think I could eat at least 2 meals a day just in Epcot and be happy with the food for several days, haha. Deluxe dining seems like the least stressful way to go about it. Plus I did the math and I will save about $150 vs what I would order OOP, without taking snacks into account, so it seems like a good idea.

I know the first ADR rought draft I had made, had us going back to Epcot almost every night for dinner. There are just so many places there that I really want to try. The DH is thinking that for our June trip, we may end up using at least one snack credit on something for breakfast, like some fresh fruit. I think I would rather eat a breakfast bar and save the snack credit for goodies like a Dole Whip.

The Easter bunny may have found them for $8 apiece at Target a few weeks ago

I looked them up on their website and John came in and caught me. He saw the monkey and said that he would rather have a cat, but he would like the monkey as well. His nickname is chunky monkey, or just monkey.

I'm there!!

January 9 - 16, 2013

& added
I hope you don't mind, but I got your resorts for your trip off of your siggy.

Have you added for the 10 - 13. If you want to add a resort, just let me know. I would love to some day run the 1/2 marathon.

We are booked at the Pop for the 11th - 13th. Has to be a quick trip as the kids are in school.[/QUOTE]

Got ya updated.

Good morning everyone!!

TGIF!!
Any Disney planning going on today?

I wish. Today is my grandmother's 89th birthday, and we are supposed to go see her tomorrow for it. I have a Psych and U.S. History paper and quiz that all have to be done and turned in no later than 11:59 PM on Sunday. Plus Sunday is my fil's birthday, so we will have a house full of family for that and they are talking about us all going out to eat and to watch the Three Stooges movie tonight. I didn't get to sleep until after 3 AM and then I woke up when the DH came to bed at almost 4 AM. Then I was back up getting the DSs off to school at 7:10 AM. Well that's when the first alarm went off. I didn't get out of bed until 7:50 AM. Luckily the bus driver was there right at 8:30, so I went back to bed. I haven't been up but for an hour, so I'm going to eat lunch really quick and get started on the school work. No plannin for me today, and probably no knitting either.

 

[Marshay]

Crowds will still be fairly low though, right? We usually go the 3rd week of October for our anniversary. Last year we went the first week of December during Pop Warner. I kept reading not to worry because they don't affect the crowd level, but we thought they did. I think last time we went in January we arrived the weekend of MLK on Sunday and it was pretty busy that day and Monday. After that it was great. Now I'm wondering if we should go the last week of January. Really we're going in January for the cooler temps. October was actually too warm for us the last 2 times we went, despite the fact that we live in Texas.

I think January is the new secret time to go! We went the last week in January and loved it!

Comparing to 3rd week of October (2,3, 5s), you will find the crowds for both January weeks busier than October.

The Thurs to Monday forecasts

Marathon weekend: 3, 4, 7, 7, 5s

MLK weekend: 5, 5, 7, 6, 6s

Park hours for MK are longer on MLK w/e (staying open until 12am with EMH until 3am!! and even regular open until 1am).

The last week of January is 3, 4, 5s.

Hope that helps!

 

[Michelle1125]

I think January is the new secret time to go! We went the last week in January and loved it!

Comparing to 3rd week of October (2,3, 5s), you will find the crowds for both January weeks busier than October.

The Thurs to Monday forecasts

Marathon weekend: 3, 4, 7, 7, 5s

MLK weekend: 5, 5, 7, 6, 6s

Park hours for MK are longer on MLK w/e (staying open until 12am with EMH until 3am!! and even regular open until 1am).

The last week of January is 3, 4, 5s.

Hope that helps!

Thanks that does help!