Need Help with quick planning...Please :)

[ericjdaniels]

I am preparing a trip to Disney on 12/18-12/23. It is a bit last minute, and has been over 10 years since I was there.

I am getting all the books, and reading as much as I can, but there are some thing that are time sensitive I think (booking meal reservations...shows, etc??)

Would anyone be willing to run off a list of things that I should do absolutely right away before it is too late? I am sure I will discover those things as I read, but it may be too late.

Brief rundown. It will be my wife and I. We are 27. We love culture, have travelled lots of places around the world (favorite was Rome). We are into fun nightlife, but not necessarily crazy nightlife. So we will do PI a lot, but not lots of drinking.

That is us. I know this is a cheap question to ask, but I would hate to miss out on something purely because of time.

Thanks so much. The people on this board are really amazing.

Thanks again,

Eric

 

[ericjdaniels]

Oh yeah, I have our room, tix, meal plan, etc. I am just looking for what we will do when we actually get there.

I hope I didn't forget anything else.

THANKS!!

Eric

 

[Stacy's a freak]

Call 1-407-WDW-DINE ASAP for ADR's! (in english: call the Disney Dining hotline and make some reservations for your sit-down meals). They are filling up fast so I wouldn't waste another second. Sadly, I've been trying to get an ADR for Le Cellier for sometime in "my week" and I've had NO luck at all

 

[blondie7]

You may want to conside tickets to MVMCP (Mikey's Very Mery Christmas Party ) at the MK. It is a lot of fun if you can still get tickets. Oh and check out Jelly Rolls on the Boardwalk it is a Piano Bar and a lot of fun.
Have a great trip

 

[SaraMc]

If you like culture and stuff like that , take some time in Epcot through World Showcase.

 

[ericjdaniels]

I really appreciate the help! Great suggestions....

One question, how can we decide quickly where we would want to eat? I guess what I mean is, where is the best place to get a description of all of the restaurants (which accept the meal plan), their menus, where they are, etc.?

Then I will call to make reservations ASAP! Thanks again!!

Eric

 

[twocat]

Try here:
http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm

 

[spiceycat]

disney doing December is GREAT!!!

all the christmas stuff is up at all the parks

here a list of stuff from the Dis home site
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/events.htm


i can personally recommend - MVMCP at the MK and Candlelight Procession at Epcot.

if you life culture you will probably "christmas around the world" at Epcot.

where are you staying?

if on WDW property - remember that EMH are still going on - they generally aren't in Dec because of MVMCP.

 

[ericjdaniels]

Well, I am trying to understand your post Spicey cat...but I have to admit I am not used to WDW lingo (I'm getting there though).

"if on WDW property - remember that EMH are still going on - they generally aren't in Dec because of MVMCP."

We are staying on a WDW property (Pop Century)...but I am not sure what EMH means.

Well, I hope I'm not coming off to dumb...amazingly I am in Grad school!!

Anyway, thanks for the help...I will check out everything you suggested and look forward to going from this:


To this:


Thanks again!!

Eric

 

[Mama Twinkles]

As you no doubt know, you shouldn't expect high culture at WDW, and most things with an "international" flavor there are to the real world what Tex-Mex is to Mexican cuisine. But you might really enjoy Cirque du Soleil (requires reservations) and catching various musical acts throughout the day in the World Showcase at Epcot. I think the best advice is to prepare to bite off a delicious hunk of tacky Americana. Ride Dumbo at night and just be like kids at a carnival the whole time. Otherwise you might get grossed out by the overmanicured falseness and soullessness and commercialism and white-bread lack of grittiness and intellectualism there. Disney is at its best (and great, great fun) when you accept it on its own terms and don't look too hard beneath the veneer.

 

[ericjdaniels]

Thanks for the advice...it is a good point. Plus, we are coming off of a trip to Rome, so I guess we ought to start realizing that there is only one Rome out there, and one Paris, etc. But there is only one WDW too! I think?

Anyway, thanks for the advice, I'll be careful. And I'll try to start thinking Goofy (pun intended)

Thanks again,

Eric

 

[Mama Twinkles]

A few other recommendations:

1. Dinner at Boma (buffet) or Jiko (table service) at Animal Kingdom Lodge
2. Dinner with wine at California Grill at the Contemporary Resort around sunset or around fireworks time
3. Illuminations at Epcot
4. Jellyrolls piano bar on the Boardwalk

Your idea to spend a lot of time at Pleasure Island sounds great.

Oh, and you're welcome! Saw your last post after posting this one. Have a marvelous time.

 

[spiceycat]

I am so sorry!!!

lately I have not been explaining myself properly.

EMH - extra magicial hours - WDW is open at one park either early for one hour or late for 3 hours. just for WDW resort guests. It is a great extra!!! Espeically doing CHristmas when everything is decorated.

I am sorry I disagree - I don't thing many people in this country know about Christmas in the other countries. I found it interesting. This is told by a native of that country.

You might not - everyone has a different opinion.

here in another site - tells about the hours and when the EMH is happening in each park and I think it explains EMH.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours.htm

I loved Pop Century.

I know you say you and your wife don't drink. but pop has an outside pool bar that is pretty fun. try it.

I would ask for the 50's building. (60's is the preferred) - but I like the 50's better. I would also ask for a lake view.

 

[spiceycat]

for meals I like the resorts better.

You can get on the resort monrail at the MK and eat at Polyn. Kona Cafe is open for lunch. Polynesian,Contemporary, Grand Floridian are the MK resorts on the resort monrail. (remember resort monrail not the express one)

at Epcot or studios - you can get to the Epcot resorts - BC,YC, BWV, D/S.
Beach Club, Yacht Club, Broadwalk, Dolphin/Swan

I like Beaches/cream at BC for lunch it is walkable from Epcot out the International gateway (between France/Great Britian in World Showcase).

although I think it might be closed???

there are several restuarants along BW (broadwalk) that are hard to get at night - but at lunch you can sometimes just walk in them.

BW is the area when the Epcot resorts are located.

here is disney link to BW
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/moreMagic/moreMagicLanding?id=BoardwalkLandingPage

oh I forgot sometimes Disney changes their hours in the last few weeks so be sure to check here before you leave
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...darHome?id=MKCalendarParkHoursMonthlyViewPage

 

[okapi]

Ditto on everyone else's advice.
I'd just add to "bone up" on FastPass and USE it, it'll save you standing in line.
You might also want to consider:
Candlelight Processional Dinner Package. You can get details on it at the Disney site. We attend it every year - they have different orators on different days.
Buon Natale & Felice Anno Nuovo (a little italian for you)

 

[TDC Nala]

Many folks are so into Jellyrolls, I really have to try it sometime.

But that would mean I would have to spend an evening away from here:

http://www.allearsnet.com/btp/faq_adv.htm