*** New Official February 2013 Thread ***

[Kathymford]

Thinking about what holder I"ll want for my park passes. I bought tickets through Undercover Tourist. They're not the size I expected (thinking it would look like a sporting event ticket). Won't they add my park pass to my room key so the only thing I'll need is a room key? Are you bringing any special lanyard or pass holder to protect and make visible your passes?

You can have your tickets added to your KTTW card.

I have the thick, hard plastic card holder with a clip. I like that I can I put more than one item in there for easy access. So I put my ID, passes, most used cc. You get the idea.

 

[Kathy Z]

We've still got 2 more holidays to celebrate in the coming week, then I'll get back into full Disney planning mode.

New Year's day we'll finally celebrate Christmas with our son and 4 grandchildren. The grandkids were with their mom and other grandparents for Christmas; sad, but I know many families are in the same spot.

January 2nd is our 48th anniversary and DH is taking me to our favorite local restaurant for dinner. Our next dinner out will be arrival day at WDW in 44 days! So, like a previous poster I really look forward to eating all my meals out when we are at WDW. Soarin' is my must do attraction and we catch all the parades and fireworks.

Even though our actual anniversary is in January we continue to celebrate our anniversary down there

 

[aaarcher86]

Hey there!
Can't belive i didn't look for this board sooner! I've been having too much fun looking at the creative boards.

We're staying at POP Feb. 6-12



Questions:

What is the reservation for Wishes some have referred to? I thought this was just another show we grab on Main Street?

Why are some paying in full now? Thought you would pay off the hotel when you check in.



AND...what are you packing to make your tirp extra special? what have you made for the kids/yourself? Are you decorating your window? Special surprises for the kids?


Most importantly, what clothes do you plan to pack considering weather changes?

Wishes is the fireworks show at the end of the night at Magic Kingdom. There is a dessert party that you can reserve in advance, for a fee, that gives you a great spot. You can absolutely pop a squat on the curb though! It's now called the Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party I believe, and reservations haven't opened for February since I checked a day or two ago!

If you have a package your balance is due in full 45 days before you arrive. If you have a resort reservation only, your balance is not due until you check in and would have required a 1 night room stay deposit.

I haven't decided if we'll decorate the room at all - but I'm sure we'll have a bunch of stuffed animals for the kids. Maybe the maid will do something fun with them!

We pack a variety of stuff. We always wear jeans though. But we'll have T-shirts with a few sweatshirts and maybe one tank top. Always sneakers for us!

ETA: Looks like I'm late to the party on your questions! lol

 

[moopdog]

I've had water shipped to our resort in the past, but am thinking of going a step farther and ordering our breakfast and snack foods (for in room), a case or two of water and maybe a case of gatorade or something. I am just not sure WHEN to place the order and if people generally go with Walmart or Amazon, or another website. When I did it before I used Staples, but I like the variety of Walmart. Anyone do this before??

 

[DisneyKrazyKel]

How many WDW goers set to arrive Feb 1-7 and where are you staying? Where are you traveling from?


Me- arrive Feb 1, POP, New Orleans, LA

We will be at POFQ Feb 2-8, coming from southern Indiana. Hoping for some warm weather!

 

[aaarcher86]

I've had water shipped to our resort in the past, but am thinking of going a step farther and ordering our breakfast and snack foods (for in room), a case or two of water and maybe a case of gatorade or something. I am just not sure WHEN to place the order and if people generally go with Walmart or Amazon, or another website. When I did it before I used Staples, but I like the variety of Walmart. Anyone do this before??

I think Walmart and the Garden Grocer are the popular choices. I've never done it, but I think you can input your delivery date with a rough time frame. They'll hold any food for you if you aren't there yet They'll hold anything up to 2 weeks before arrival.

 

[RN2disney]

What is the weather like in Feb.

 

[pigletto]

I've had water shipped to our resort in the past, but am thinking of going a step farther and ordering our breakfast and snack foods (for in room), a case or two of water and maybe a case of gatorade or something. I am just not sure WHEN to place the order and if people generally go with Walmart or Amazon, or another website. When I did it before I used Staples, but I like the variety of Walmart. Anyone do this before??

We've ordered many times from Garden Grocer. You go to their website, set up an account and "shop". Once you've added everything you want to your list (there are prices, pictures and sizes for everything you can think of), you pay and select your delivery time. You input the resort you are staying at as your address and any special instructions. I didn't have to even look for the resort address as they have them on the site.
Our special instructions are always "leave with Bell Services, and please refrigerate cold items". Bell services has refrigeration available and they put away your freezer items and items that must be kept cold.
You never even see the delivery person and I've always selected to pre-pay and pre-tip so that's done.
When I check in, I wander over to Bell Services, they grab my grocery bags and we take it up to the room. It's really simple and we've never had a problem in using them 5 or 6 times.
My only small complaint is that I wince at some of the prices compared to home but they aren't that bad.. just a little higher. Once you add in delivery and the tip we usually end up with close to 80 or 100 dollars for breakfast, drinks and snacks. But when you think of it, those same items will cost you way way more if you pay for them at the parks or resort so it's a great way to save your dining money or credits for lunch and dinner and have things on hand.

One tip.. think about what you will really use. I always have leftovers. Always. I am an over planner and really it would be much easier to order less and just run to the store if there's something we run out of. Maybe I'll learn my lesson this time

 

[aaarcher86]

What is the weather like in Feb.

February is always kind of a mystery. I feel like lows in the 40's with highs in the 60's - 70's.

We're in Columbus, OH and most days we walked around in jeans and T-shirts but had sweatshirts for the cooler mornings and evenings.

I have pictures in a tank top during the day - it really depends on your body temperature. We were never in hats and coats or anything.

 

[pigletto]

We've only done one February trip. Some days got near 80. Most were around 70. We needed sweaters and pants in the evenings and I distinctly remember needing a jacket and pants on our Hollywood Studios day. It poured buckets all day and we were soaked despite our ponchos so we headed back to the room to change and not be miserable. So in short.. check the weather right before you leave and pack for just about everything.
I am glad the airline we are taking has free luggage because it's going to amount to an extra suitcase to bring all this stuff!

 

[melissarose]

oh my gosh. i am so overwhelmed, i need some support lol. i got the unofficial guide to walt disney world for christmas, and having spent the better part of today going through it i am now panic-stricken! i have already pretty much planned everything, made ADRs, planned out our days, etc. just reading through the book i am worried i am doing things wrong. then i checked the touringplans.com website and some of the park days i have scheduled are not recommended. how much stock should i put into the crowd calendar for early february? i am going from feb 2-8, which from what i have read is a pretty slow time! anyways, i guess i just wanted to vent. now that the trip is coming up, i am so worried i will do something wrong, i just want to have fun! has anyone used the touring plans from the unofficial guide before?

 

[Kathymford]

oh my gosh. i am so overwhelmed, i need some support lol. i got the unofficial guide to walt disney world for christmas, and having spent the better part of today going through it i am now panic-stricken! i have already pretty much planned everything, made ADRs, planned out our days, etc. just reading through the book i am worried i am doing things wrong. then i checked the touringplans.com website and some of the park days i have scheduled are not recommended. how much stock should i put into the crowd calendar for early february? i am going from feb 2-8, which from what i have read is a pretty slow time! anyways, i guess i just wanted to vent. now that the trip is coming up, i am so worried i will do something wrong, i just want to have fun! has anyone used the touring plans from the unofficial guide before?

My DBF rolls his eyes at me whenever I talk about the "best park" stuff. He says, we're in WDW, the crowds are going to be what they are. No going back now; we're here. And guess what? He's right (ssshhh! Don't tell him). I still look at that stuff, but I don't put huge stock in it. And actually, I use it to help plan which rides to do when, but as far as which park, I made my plan that way for a reason, and I stick to it.

Just.....breathe......

 

[melissarose]

My DBF rolls his eyes at me whenever I talk about the "best park" stuff. He says, we're in WDW, the crowds are going to be what they are. No going back now; we're here. And guess what? He's right (ssshhh! Don't tell him). I still look at that stuff, but I don't put huge stock in it. And actually, I use it to help plan which rides to do when, but as far as which park, I made my plan that way for a reason, and I stick to it.

Just.....breathe......

Thanks!! I think the book just overwhelmed me! I talked to my boyfriend and he said pretty much the same thing yours does! We've made all these plans for a reason, no sense changing them all now. I think I will live, but the book is massive and full of tips and I was just wondering if I should start from scratch! Lol but you know what, I think I like my plan! So I'm gonna stick to it. Just had a little anxiety attack and needed some reassurance lol.

 

[Kathymford]

Thanks!! I think the book just overwhelmed me! I talked to my boyfriend and he said pretty much the same thing yours does! We've made all these plans for a reason, no sense changing them all now. I think I will live, but the book is massive and full of tips and I was just wondering if I should start from scratch! Lol but you know what, I think I like my plan! So I'm gonna stick to it. Just had a little anxiety attack and needed some reassurance lol.

That's what we're all here for! LOL. I bought that book for my first trip too and it is very overwhelming. I think I skimmed the WDW stuff and said forget it and got must of my info off the DIS. The most I read from it was the Universal stuff just because I was also planning on doing Potter (and hadn't found that part of the DIS yet).

Hang in there. It's all worth it in the end.

 

[pigletto]

Those books are important and helpful when you are starting from scratch with absolutely no idea what an ADR is or what each park has to offer etc. Just think of them as a reference guide. I pay attention to crowd recommendations if it's going to be really busy but otherwise we make a loose plan and go with the flow.
I don't think you'll run into any huge crowd problems by going the first week of February! It will be manageable everywhere you go.

 

[GinChicago]

Melissa Rose, I am I the same boat as you and with same dates too! After doing all my planning and ADRs, idealized later that half of my days are I the EMH parks, and Easy WDW recommends you don't visit those! Then I thought, it's too late to switch my ADRs, what have I done? ... Unofficial WDW says that low crowd days aren't bad and others say that if you're there at park openings on EMH you'll be fine... Now I'm sticking with the fact that we're early to bed and early to rise and it's only February so stop worrying!

 

[pigletto]

And don't forget if you are in a not recommended park and find it a zoo you can always add park hoppers while you are there. After 7 family trips in the last 5 years I can assure you that if you hit rope drop you will be more than fine. Promise!!

 

[aaarcher86]

A crowded park in February is still amazing uncrowded Avoiding EMH parks, crowd calenders, etc are great during those months when things are just packed busy or during special occasions... but on a normal week with no extras during the slow time you'll be fine wherever you go.

Just do the basics - utilize your FP, make ADRs, do the popular things first, and you'll be fine!

Now just wait and see if they change February hours to really get you hyperventilating!

 

[moopdog]

A crowded park in February is still amazing uncrowded Avoiding EMH parks, crowd calenders, etc are great during those months when things are just packed busy or during special occasions... but on a normal week with no extras during the slow time you'll be fine wherever you go.

Just do the basics - utilize your FP, make ADRs, do the popular things first, and you'll be fine!

Now just wait and see if they change February hours to really get you hyperventilating!

WHAT?! The hours may change at this point in the game? I guess it doesn't affect me too much as long as they would only extend hours and not shorten them.... That would stink.

 

[kksmom92]

Hi Everyone!! It looks as if we might be joining you soon! (just have to hear back from the guy we alway rent a house from)

We've enjoying going in Feb the past few years and didn't think we would be able to swing it this year, but now it looks as if we might even if it is for only 3 days! (We will be flying into TPA.. renting a car and staying off site. We will be spending 3 days at Disney and then driving up to Orange Beach, AL where we will be staying with my parents for 4 days and then flying home from Gulfport/Biloxi to Grand Rapids, MI! I know... crazy schedule, but you do what you can do to go to Disney right?!?

We will be at Disney Feb 3, 4 & 5th