Need opinions for 1st Christmas Trip!

[gcphil]

We are taking our 1st Christmas Trip Dec 20 to Dec 26. It is a surprise trip for my DD(9) & DD(8). Still undecided if we will tell them at the airport or upon arrival to Orlando. We have been to WDW at the end of June (2005) and the middle of July (2001), so we have experienced crowds with Florida heat. Need advice on our schedule for this trip.

DEC 20:
Arrive at MCO at 9:05
Use ME from MCO to POP & checkin at POP at 11:30
Lunch and rest
Tour CR, Poly, & GF from 2-4
MK at 4 for MVMCP
Dinner at LTT at 8:05

DEC 21:
Late start
Downtown Disney - lunch at Earle of Sandwich
Tour Boardwalk, BC, & YC from 4:30-6:30
Kids to Sandcastle club at 6:30
Dinner at Yachtsman at 7 then Jellyrolls

DEC 22:
MGM - counter service?, Holly Day Parade
walk to Epcot
Dinner at LeCellier at 4:40
?Tree Lighting?
CP at 8:15
?Illuminations?
Epcot EMH

DEC 23:
Breakfast at Boma at 8:30
Tour AKL
AK - counter service?, Jingle Jungle Parade
?MGM for Osbourne Lights?

DEC 24:
Princess Storybook Breakfast at 10:30
Epcot WS - Holidays around the world
Dinner at WCC at 5:40
Tour WL

DEC 25:
Breakfast at OHana's at 8:30
Seaworld - we have free passes

DEC 26:
???????????
Flight leaves MCO at 7:50PM

 

[GoofyLover13]

. Heres what i did. We were driving down to the airport and i asked them "oh, would you like to go to disney world?" They said yes. Then i said ok. They were like really . I told them just as we arrived at the airport. Good Luck

 

[Goofy DS]

We will be there for our Christmas surprise at almost the exact same time!
We leave on the 21st and return on the 26th.

We are waking the kids up on the 21st and telling them that they can open 1 Christmas present early cuz' were leaving for "Grandma's" later that day when Dad gets home from work (wink, wink).

Then when they open the gift.... it will have a inexpensive Digital camera (on their Christmas list and great to take on the trip), and a bunch of Disney stuff. The box will also have personalized shirts that we ordered, that have a Disney Christmas theme and the writing.......

SURPIRSE!!
CHRISTMAS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
2005

We can't wait to see their faces when we tell them to go and pack we're leaving in a couple of hours!!

 

[3for Me]

my only comment is that your ADR at 8:05 during MVMCP will waste alot of your evening there. I would change that to an earlier ADR, and if you can't get LTT, consider going somewhere else. (Unless you have your heart set on it!)

 

[Pats Dragon]

sounds like a neat trip to me. There is sooooo much to see Christmas, you won't believe how ab solutely neat it is.

 

[gcphil]

Thanks so much for all of the replies! I am so excited about spending Christmas at WDW. It has been killing me to do all this planning and not share the excitement with the kids. 1 month and 2 days!

 

[shellbelle]

Hi gcphil,

I would do 2 things different. First of all, I would arrive on Dec 19. It is still value season instead of holiday season prices. Second, I would not waste my party time with your ADR at LTT. We did something similar to this for MNSSHP this year and I regret wasteing that time.

Have a magical trip!

Shelly

 

[gcphil]

Hi gcphil,

I would do 2 things different. First of all, I would arrive on Dec 19. It is still value season instead of holiday season prices. Second, I would not waste my party time with your ADR at LTT. We did something similar to this for MNSSHP this year and I regret wasteing that time.

Have a magical trip!

Shelly

Sadly the soonest that we can arrive is early on the 20th due to my work schedule and the kids school schedule. With these dates they are only missing 1 full day and 1 1/2 day. Really the 1/2 day is only a party and they probably won't do too much on the last full day either. I got a great rate on our room - 6 nights at POP for approx. $50 a night. I am still debating the ADR at LTT - general consenus is to drop it or make it earlier. I do want to try LTT and the 20th is our only day at MK so I am still undecided. My thoughts are that DH will not wait for a spot for the parade so I hope to catch the later parade in a less crowded spot and the amount of time that we would stake out a seat for the parade we can use to eat at LTT.

 

[shellbelle]

$50.00 a night..good for you! That's a great rate. You may want to save LTT for next trip, if your not going to go at Christmas again soon. Your schedule looks great. We are considering going next Christmas. I might take notes on your schedule for our trip.

Shelly

 

[Darth Eisner]

We were in the same predicament on the same night. I had LTT for 7:40pm during MVMCP. Having eaten at LTT before I realized that at the very least this would, pardon the pun, eat up at least an hour of our evening. As busy as a party night at a restaurant can be it is possible we could wait till near 8pm to actually be seated. In short, we cancelled and made late afternoon ADRs for 1900 Park Fare. Whispering Canyon at WL would be my first backup but we're eating there on 12/17.