***January 2022 Thread*** - Kicking Off 2022 with WDW!

[EmilyGahr]

I keep getting my mouse dining notifications at 3:30 - 4:30am and since I use my airpods when I go to bed, it's a bit frightening to hear Siri read my texts in my ear when I'm sleeping LOL
I tried getting both of those reservations but by the time I logged in, they were gone so the alert was pretty useless.

Still trying to get a better time for Ohana and get reservations for Yak & Yeti and Homecomin'.

I found that the Touring Plans alerts work better than mouse dining

 

[disney-inspired]

I found that the Touring Plans alerts work better than mouse dining

They only allow me to hold two alerts at I need them both for Ohana since we have a large party and would need to book two reservations.

 

[TexasKel]

We just booked a trip 1/23-1/29. Staying at POR this time. Magically, I was able to get all my "Must Do" dining reservations. Not necessarily the times I preferred, but I was just happy to snag them on such short notice!

 

[ralphie]

We're in! Caribbean Beach 1/8 thru 1/22.

 

[disney-inspired]

We just booked a trip 1/23-1/29. Staying at POR this time. Magically, I was able to get all my "Must Do" dining reservations. Not necessarily the times I preferred, but I was just happy to snag them on such short notice!

We'll be neighbors! We're staying at POFQ from 1/22 - 1/25 then transferring to the Poly.

 

[nurseberta]

any thoughts on a discount this to the end of the year???

 

[Faithful Raider]

Days 5 and 6 of ADR booking:

Last 2 days have felt a little like I'm starting to lose my mind. No luck on any of our Must Do's, so instead I have been working on trying to see what our days look like with our current ADR's and moving some around to better times. Right now I'm certainly wishing we booked on-site (though that almost $8000 we didn't have to pay does help my mood a little). Here's the current ADR list:

1/28 (AK/MK) - 10a Tusker, 4:45p Be Our Guest
1/29 (HS) - 10a Oga's, 11:30a 50's Prime Time, 2:50p H&V (w/Minnie), 9p Bull and Bear (date night)
1/30 (EPCOT) - 9a Homecomin', 3:50p Teppen Edo
1/31 (MK/HS) - 11:50a Chef Mickey, 2:20p Sci-Fi, 3:45p B&C, 7p Story Book Dining
2/1 (HS) - 8:55a H&V (w/DisJr), 2p/5p Brown Derby (will only keep 1), 9:50p California Grill (possible 2nd date night)
2/2 (EPCOT) - 11:30a San Angel Inn, 2:30p Teppen Edo (backup for 1/30), 3:50p/7:50p Via Napoli (will only keep 1)

So here's my concerns.

1) Our H&V lunch being on 1/29 means we have to do our first HS day ahead of what I would like. I will be looking to move that reservation to another future day. Would love 2/1 to be our 1st HS day. If that doesn't work, this will be our shows day and maybe MMRR, depending on how DD6 does.
2) 1/30 is our EPCOT day. A little worried about crowds since its a festival weekend. But this is our "go easy" EPCOT day so it shouldn't matter much.
3) 1/31 was looking pretty good - until DD15 saw we had Sci-Fi (which I was going to cancel). Would love to hit all 4 of these reservations but it means we are only going to MK for 3 hours and no other park stuff that day, which I don't like. If I can't get a Chef Mickey breakfast or Sci-Fi for another day (which is already not looking good) this day might just end up a huge mess.
4) Grabbed that California Grill knowing it's at a post-firework time. That actually would work ok if its just me and the misses, but might just be too late in the end.
5) 2/2 is my "Drinking Around the World" day and honestly my plan was to do no reservations that day and just snack and drink as we go around. Grabbed the Teppen Edo in case something happens and we change our 1/30 EPCOT day. Others are just in case we want them. One thing I did notice is that this was going to be our Coral Reef restaurant day but pretty sure those haven't opened yet (none available our whole trip but plenty the weeks prior). So I'll have to try and snag one when those go live...just another thing I can't take off my To Do list yet. Also wanted to try for a Space 220 Lounge spot that day but looks like they haven't opened up yet either.

Only 3 days left to book and I'm certainly starting to feel the crunch. Not counting the CRT and Topolino's rezzies we haven't been able to get, and the Coral Reef that I haven't seen yet, we still want to do Liberty Tree Tavern, Whispering canyon, Wine Bar George, and Boathouse. Fortunately all those are fairly easy to get and actually line up with how we want to wrap up our days (heavier MK days for rides and some trips to Disney Springs for shopping and treats). But looking back I worry we are overbooking ourselves with ADR's and not giving ourselves enough time in the parks for rides. My original plan of rope dropping a park, taking a hotel break for a few hours and coming back with G+ passes and finishing with fireworks isn't working out on paper how I imagined. But I prefer rides. This vacation is meant to be slower paced, more focused on dining, treats, shopping, exploring, and letting our 6DD experience WDW at her pace. Guess actually planning our trip to mirror that is freaking me out a bit. But our last DL trip was so "go go go MaxPass gogogo" that my wife didn't enjoy it. Happy wife, happy life I guess.....

For the last 3 days we will need to do at least 1 MK day and 1 AK day. I want to do MK on 2/3 and AK on 2/4 but thinking my almost certain hangover will have me wanting to just stay in bed! Anyway here's what I see:

2/3 - MK full day, Liberty Tree tavern lunch, Whispering Canyons dinner?
2/4 - AK w/ Boma breakfast, Wine Bar George lunch, hop to MK/EPCOT?
2/5 - Catch up day (likely MK morning with an afternoon DS trip for Boathouse and shopping then back to MK)

One final thing. I haven't figured out what's going on with the time our ADR's open up. Last night woke up at 5am EST (3am my time) and my times were already open. Checked before bed around 1am EST and for sure they were not open yet. This is the 2nd time I've noticed our times are open significantly ahead of the 6am EST window. Not that it helps much - this morning at 5am EST everything that was a valued ADR was already gone. Stayed up until 6am EST just in case some spots opened up but no luck. I'm wondering if this is some strange issue with the ADR system and my "good-neighbor benefit but not 60+10 eligible" hotel choice, since I can see all my dates in blue but any day in the future shows no available reservation times. Who knows at this point?

 

[PirateNovelist]

No luck on Space220 Lounge...

Trying now to plan out Giddeons... Never been to Disney Springs.
I want to get to Giddeons, but I am not sure where the Mears taxi will drop my party off at!

 

[nurseberta]

was looking for mid morning oga’s and found this if anyone is looking for Jan 22nd!!
10:55 and 11:20! perfect time but not my day

 

[mmsportsmom]

We will be there 1/22-1/29. Rented DVC points and staying at Kidani Village. Our first visit when my kids were young (20 years ago) was Animal Kingdom Lodge, right after it opened. This will be hubby and I, oldest son, his wife (who we took one time before), their kids 3 and 1 (first trip!), daughter in law's mom (first trip!), daughter in law's sister and hubby (been once but didn't do Disney like I do) and our youngest son. This trip was originally scheduled for May 2020, hoping it happens and everyone stays healthy!

 

[cjlong88]

We will be there 1/14 - 1/18 staying at Beach Club! Will be me and my husband accompanied by three of our closest friends. It’s our first all-adults trip and we couldn’t be more excited. Two of them have never been to WDW but have always wanted to go.

We have reservations for Ale & Compass (breakfast), Oga’s (after HS park close), and Wine Bar George (lunch). Still looking for Beaches & Cream, but otherwise will plan to eat a ton at Festival of the Arts.

The last time we visited in January was 2019 and the weather was perfect. Even during the holiday weekend that crowds were not bad at all. Hoofing for similar luck, but we know we will have a blast regardless because it’s WDW in (what I consider to be) the second worst month of the year.

 

[pryzeless]

I'm hoping they are overestimating. Don't kids go back to school on The 3rd ?

Depends on where in the country they are. Some college kids go back the week after.

 

[DaniellePoppins]

So I just saw DL announced a return of after hours events in 2022. Thoughts on WDW doing the same? In time for our January trips? Thoughts on if you'd go or not (it is an upcharge event)?

I wouldn't be surprised at all to see these return to WDW in 2022, but I question on the when. I would guess with the return of the trams Disney is starting to hire (back) staff. This may lead to more offerings in park such as the after hours, entertainment, and possibly more available dining slots? That's what I'm hoping for. A friend of mine said someone she knew went a couple of weeks ago and even with reserved dining the waits for a table could be as long as an hour past their time. Most things I hear about Disney these days just seems to point to staff shortages.

If they did offer after hours events again at WDW in time for my trip I would probably do one. I really enjoyed them the last time I was there. If they offered it at more than one park I'd have to decide which would be worth the money the most. I'd lean more towards HS I think, but I wouldn't rule out MK.

 

[mdguy429]

So I just saw DL announced a return of after hours events in 2022. Thoughts on WDW doing the same? In time for our January trips? Thoughts on if you'd go or not (it is an upcharge event)?

I wouldn't be surprised at all to see these return to WDW in 2022, but I question on the when. I would guess with the return of the trams Disney is starting to hire (back) staff. This may lead to more offerings in park such as the after hours, entertainment, and possibly more available dining slots? That's what I'm hoping for. A friend of mine said someone she knew went a couple of weeks ago and even with reserved dining the waits for a table could be as long as an hour past their time. Most things I hear about Disney these days just seems to point to staff shortages.

If they did offer after hours events again at WDW in time for my trip I would probably do one. I really enjoyed them the last time I was there. If they offered it at more than one park I'd have to decide which would be worth the money the most. I'd lean more towards HS I think, but I wouldn't rule out MK.

If they did, I would be surprised if it was in time for January. The first DL date isn't till February.

 

[DaniellePoppins]

If they did, I would be surprised if it was in time for January. The first DL date isn't till February.

True, but as those are "theme nights" they tended to work out that way before in DL. I remember the Sweethearts nights from previous years. DL also does the Lunar New Year event to draw people in during January. With WDW pausing sales of most APs, would an AH Event appeal to locals that time of year? Festival of the Arts is nice, but not as widely appealing.

 

[Jennifer S]

Depends on where in the country they are. Some college kids go back the week after.

Yes. I have a college kid going back the 10th. I meant high school and younger.

 

[mdguy429]

Bad news for all of us (unless you're really early January):

https://www.wdwmagic.com/attraction...tain-closing-in-january-for-refurbishment.htm

 

[disney-inspired]

Bad news for all of us (unless you're really early January):

https://www.wdwmagic.com/attraction...tain-closing-in-january-for-refurbishment.htm

With the temps, I'm okay with not getting on a water ride that could possibly drench my pants.

 

[EmilyGahr]

So sad about Splash

 

[DaniellePoppins]

Bad news for all of us (unless you're really early January):

https://www.wdwmagic.com/attraction...tain-closing-in-january-for-refurbishment.htm

Darn! I was hoping they weren't doing it this year. I've actually never been on, but have want to ride for a long time. Oh well. Fingers crossed it won't be closed for my September trip.