Just Back with Impressions from relative newbies

[Broncobilly83]

Ok, my now fiance and myself just got back from a 7 day trip at WDW, arriving on 12/26/09 and checking out this morning. I plan to do a more detailed trip report, as a lot of the tricks we learned came from these boards, so I want to share my experiences to help others in the future.

We stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter and were on the Disney Dining Plan. The last time I went was in 2000 and the last time she went was in 1986. We had park hopper passes, but did not use that feature, and I decided to get into pin trading for the experience to see what it was like and let me tell you, that is addicting

The beyond excellent:

• Candlelight Processional w/ Edward James Olmos
• Fantasmic!
• Dinner on 12/30 at Contemporary's California Grill (worth the 2 credits per person on the dining plan)
• The special merchandise credit of $1000 for $695 (have $.86 left!)

The good to great:

• Park Levels and ride lines (planned parks based off suggestion from here)
• Pin Trading (some hiccups that I will have in a detailed post)
• The Crystal Palace Character Buffet
• Osborne Family Christmas Lights
• Christmas decorations at the resort and parks seemed just fine to me
• Le Celliar Steakhouse, Canada Pavilion
• Rose and Crown Pub, England Pavilion
• Cast Member attitudes and interactions

The Needs Work (in my opinion, of course):

• Holiday Pins, as I checked in on 12/26 and not a single 2009 Christmas pin was to be had, anywhere, including our hotel pin!
• 2009 merchandise - our trip was basically 12/26/09 to 01/01/10, so I would want stuff like picture frames, albums, etc that had 2009 on it, not 2010 on it, but all 2009 was clearanced a few weeks earlier and sold out.
• Hollywood and Vine Dinner Buffet w/ F! package - mass chaos with alternate lines closing at random. Wait staff in disarray and mgmt basically clueless
• No baggage check-in for Southwest Airlines at the resorts!
• No Scrooge McDuck ANYTHING!!! I mean, it is the holidays, you have him in the daily parade, and that is it?!? No character showings, no merchandise, no pins, nada. That just seems weird to me.

 

[bas71873]

subbing . POFQ is at the top of my list for our October trip so I'm anxious to hear your review

 

[vettechick99]

Great review, thanks!!

 

[syko]

Scrooge McDuck was at the Christmas tree lot in the MK for photos.
He takes it in turns with Donald.

 

[Broncobilly83]

Scrooge McDuck was at the Christmas tree lot in the MK for photos.
He takes it in turns with Donald.

See, I asked at MK, DHS, and Epcot Guest Relations and every person told me, Scrooge does not do photos with guests.

 

[syko]

I saw him, my Dd wanted to get a photo, but we where in the line for the Pooh ride.
Every year you will find him and Donald at the tree lot, before Christmas.

 

[f15robyn]

See, I asked at MK, DHS, and Epcot Guest Relations and every person told me, Scrooge does not do photos with guests.

Sorry to hear you got bad information at the parks. I had read here on the DISBOARDS about Scrooge McDuck being at the tree farm. He's my husband's favorite.

Thanks to all contributors for the great info you can find here.

 

[sandym718]

That really stinks there was no 2009 stuff - I'd have wanted that too! And with $1000 to spend....

 

[mommy2allgirls]

Subbing in! I want to hear more details

 

[heidig]

subbing . POFQ is at the top of my list for our October trip so I'm anxious to hear your review

I stayed at POFQ in Sept and it was fab. The food court had good food, staff was overly nice, pool was nice and the entire place was very clean. I highly rec it for a moderate. We are going back in 3 days and staying at AKL and can not wait!

 

[Millermom0606]

I stayed at POFQ in Sept and it was fab. The food court had good food, staff was overly nice, pool was nice and the entire place was very clean. I highly rec it for a moderate. We are going back in 3 days and staying at AKL and can not wait!

We stayed at AKL Jambo in a Villa and it was SO nice..... I'm sure you will LOVE it, its amazingly submersive as far as an experience goes

 

[amzking]

We saw the CP on the 24th with Edward James Olmos too. It was our first time seeing it and I hope to make it an annual tradition, it was fantastic and a nice substitute for the Christmas Eve church service we usually go to.

My DH took lots of pics of "eddie", here is one where we swear he may be crying:

I had to wonder how much was acting though - guess that's just jaded-with-hollywood me.

Great event though. The one event where the real meaning of the season is put out there loud and clear.