November 2012 Trip planners #4~almost Disney time! Everyone welcome!

[Smileybug]

I will be staying at the All star music...don't really know if I made a good choice, but the hotel looked nice =). Where can I find that book? Cause I certainly don't know how to go about planning this trip, and the day keeps getting closer and closer! =/

If you are talking about the unofficial guide. You can get it at most book stores and online at Amazon. There are several books for doing Disney with kids.

Major changes in the Miller house hold today.

We just changed our resort to . .. . ..

ANIMAL KINGDOM JAMBO HOUSE

We stayed last year at VWL so after much discussion I got hubby to agree to AoA. I caught him today (closet Disney fan) surfing around and crunching some numbers related to AKL villas. I have to say I am over the moon. I cannt wait to stay at this resort.

Now for that breakfast ressie at Boma oh yes our first day Nov 10th 7:30am yes please

How awesome for ya'll.

 

[Tulles]

Still trying to get an ADR at Le Cellier for lunch cause we don't want to use 2 credits on it next time. Other then that I've started a list of things for our next trip:
See ALL of the fantasyland expansion
Eat at Kona, CRT, Yak & Yeti and Garden Grille
Ride the new Test Track and all the other rides & shows we miss this time
Stay @ a monorail resort and a boardwalk resort

 

[mommyof3princess27]

We were going to surprise our boys, 9 and 6 about a week before our 1st trip to Disney in November, but now I'm starting to second-guess that idea. I wonder if we should surprise them with it in the next few weeks, so they'll get to participate in all the planning and just get in the spirit of going.

All summer they've been bummed out because we didn't go anywhere on vacation, meanwhile, DH and I know why... because we're saving for our trip in November! Hearing them ask why we haven't had a vacation is really wearing me down.

I'd love to hear what you think about surprises for the 1st trip. Is it worth it?

Thanks

thats why we told my girls! We did a scavenger hunt...Ill post it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glnMd6nq-r8&feature=plcp

 

[mommyof3princess27]

Still trying to get an ADR at Le Cellier for lunch cause we don't want to use 2 credits on it next time. Other then that I've started a list of things for our next trip:
See ALL of the fantasyland expansion
Eat at Kona, CRT, Yak & Yeti and Garden Grille
Ride the new Test Track and all the other rides & shows we miss this time
Stay @ a monorail resort and a boardwalk resort

Since we have a family of 5, our next trip will again be at the Poly OR POR....which is fine I guess. I really wanted to stay at AKL.... one day. I have places to eat too and they include Yak and Yeti and Kona too LOL

Im hoping for our next trip to be in 2014(fall)

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

We're surprising out DDs (ages 6, 3, & 1.5) the morning of our trip. It is KILLING me to wait, but I KNOW it will be worth it -- especially since my 6 y/o is quite the drama queen, I know she will makes such a huge show when she finds out

We are planning on putting their suitcases (already packed) in a wrapped box with a note that says "open me" and the box will have Disney balloons in it with attached signs that say "Grab your bags" and "You're going to Disney World TODAY!"

That's not where the surprises end, though... we aren't telling them ANYTHING -- nothing about where we are staying (Finding Nemo suite), any of our character meals or the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique... and best of all, not a word about our "Good Bye" breakfast the day we leave at Cinderella's Royal Table in the castle.

I really can't wait!!!

 

[mommyof3princess27]

Omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Im gonna have a heart attack!!!!! I have been following the dessert party schedule and Low and behold, its offered every night in November!!!! Not yet open but the dates are no longer blacked!!!!!!!!! WOOHOO!

 

[momjeeps]

We were going to surprise our boys, 9 and 6 about a week before our 1st trip to Disney in November, but now I'm starting to second-guess that idea. I wonder if we should surprise them with it in the next few weeks, so they'll get to participate in all the planning and just get in the spirit of going.

All summer they've been bummed out because we didn't go anywhere on vacation, meanwhile, DH and I know why... because we're saving for our trip in November! Hearing them ask why we haven't had a vacation is really wearing me down.

I'd love to hear what you think about surprises for the 1st trip. Is it worth it?

Thanks

Here's my experience and ideas.

We did Disneyland in Spring 2011 and surprised the kids in January I think. The younger ones (we have 4, ages 12-5 at that time) asked us why we told them so soon because it was too hard to wait. So there is that. But this time for WDW they know we are thinking about it, but don't know we have specific dates in mind. I say things like "When we go someday, what would you like to do?" That way I can get their input. I ordered the customized park maps on the Disneyworld website and they have been dreaming along with me.

When we tell them it is official, I'll have a count down calendar for them.

Disney vacations are the best with kids. Have fun!

 

[Divaofdisney]

Erin....I just love the video of your girls and the surprise! It was so cute and precious. The little one looked like she had no clue what was going on, lol!! Times like that are just so dear and to really hold onto. My girls are so much older but they were still really surprised as well. Thank goodness we do have a few more surprises they don't know about like our accommodations upgraded to royal princess rooms and the carraige ride. I am so excited.

Looks like we will be on phone bright and early 19th and 20th- which ever one works!!

 

[vleeth]

Super cute video.

I'm doing a treasure hunt for my big reveal. We were supposed to go in June but had to postpone the trip. So she knows we are going at some point. We talk about it often. I can't wait (but I will) to see her reaction!

 

[zandorian]

We are trying to keep our trip a surprise (DD13,DS10,DD7). Our flight is at 6am ( Will have to get up around 4am) I am not sure how to do the big reveal either.

 

[Divaofdisney]

ok here is our detailed WDW vacation plan and ADR's:

Walt Disney World Vacation: November 14-22, 2012
Day #1- Thursday Nov. 14 Arrive @ Port Orleans Riverside
Dinner- Jiko- Animal Kingdom Lodge -6:05PM

Day #2- Thursday Nov 15 Rest Day & Downtown Disney:
Breakfast- Coffee and Beignets at resort
Lunch- House of Blues- 1pm

**Carriage Ride around resort @ 5:30 PM (Conf.# 422081074625)

Dinner- California Grill @ Contemporary Resort- everyone 7:30pm

Day #3 Friday Nov. 16 Magic Kingdom Park:
Breakfast- Breakfast @ Main Street Bakery
Lunch- Crystal Palace- 12:05pm everyone
Dinner- Cinderella’s Royal Table- 5:15pm (Sarah, and Rachel)
Tony’s Town Square- 5:10pm (Mom and Dad)

**Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – 7PM

Day #4- Saturday Nov. 17 Epcot
Breakfast- grab something at hotel before leaving for EPCOT
Lunch- Coral Reef- 12:20pm
Dinner- Tappan Edo- Sarah and Rachel- 7:10pm
Turf Bar and Grill @ Saratoga Springs Resort- (Mom and Dad) 6:30pm

Day #5 Sunday Nov. 18 Animal Kingdom Park
Breakfast- Donald’s Breakfast Safari Tusker house @ 9:10am
Lunch- Rainforest Café-1:30pm everyone
Dinner- Narcosee’s- Grand Floridian 7:15pm

Day #6- Monday Nov. 19 MGM Studios
Breakfast- Grab quick bite at hotel before leaving for MGM
Lunch- Prime Time Café: 12:35pm
Dinner- Yachtsman’s Steakhouse- Beach and Yacht Club 7:00pm

*Osborne’s Family Christmas Spectacle of Lights

Day #7- Tuesday Nov. 20 Blizzard Beach- fun & rest day
Breakfast- grab bite at hotel before heading to water park
Lunch- grab lunch at Water Park
Dinner- Wolfgang Puck’s “The Dining Room”- Downtown Disney 7:00 PM

Day #8- Wednesday Nov. 21 Magic Kingdom Park/ whatever else-
Breakfast- Kona Cafe – 8:45am
Lunch- Liberty Tree Tavern- 1:30 pm
Dinner- Spirit of Aloha Show- Polynesian Hotel –*show 8PM arrive @ 7:15PM

Day#9- Thursday Nov. 22 Happy Thanksgiving- Leave for Universal Orlando
Be Our Guest- hopefully for dinner at MK

Day #10 Friday Nov. 23- Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure
EPCOT at 4pm
Dinner at Chefs De France @ 4:15pm
**Candlelight Processional at EPCOT- American Adventure Pavilion
Dinner Package- for 6:45PM show with Isabella Rossellini –share the biblical story about the Birth of Christ and also prime seating for Illuminations Fireworks Spectacular!!!

Day #11- Saturday Nov. 24- Universal Orlando/IOA

Day #12- Sunday Nov. 25th – leave for home.

 

[exwdwcm]

I will be staying at the All star music...don't really know if I made a good choice, but the hotel looked nice =). Where can I find that book? Cause I certainly don't know how to go about planning this trip, and the day keeps getting closer and closer! =/

The Unofficial Guide is great- you can get most planning books online at Amazon or most bookstores carry the big ones like the Unofficial guide. All Star Music is great. POP Century I hear is the favorite value among most. How many days are you there and what days? Who all is in the party and what ages for kids? Here is how I start my planning to try and maximize the fun and minimize the wait in line:

• review the park hours and crowd calendar for your dates (try easywdw for a free crowd calendar)
• decide how much time you want to spend at each park. Do you have hoppers or not? (will you want to spend more time at MK with a little one? etc.)
• Then put in any special events you want to do on the schedule- MVMCP? Pirates League?
• Since you are staying on site- will you want to take advantage of extra magic hours? 1 hour before park opens to beat the crowds (we love morning EMH) or some have evening EMH where it stays open 3 hours past stated closing time. We try and take advantage of morning EMH, so that often dictates what park we go to that day.
• Once I use that info to decide which park I am doing in the morning nad night (we have hoppers), then I start booking my dining.
• Dining- any special characters your group wants to see for a character meal?
• any other special events to book?

that can get you started a bit.

We were going to surprise our boys, 9 and 6 about a week before our 1st trip to Disney in November, but now I'm starting to second-guess that idea. I wonder if we should surprise them with it in the next few weeks, so they'll get to participate in all the planning and just get in the spirit of going.

All summer they've been bummed out because we didn't go anywhere on vacation, meanwhile, DH and I know why... because we're saving for our trip in November! Hearing them ask why we haven't had a vacation is really wearing me down.

I'd love to hear what you think about surprises for the 1st trip. Is it worth it?

Thanks

Tough call- surprising them right before is so much fun from videos and photos I've seen. But at the same time, havng them involved in the planning- a countdown chain, movie nights etc. can be fun too. How do your kids handle knowing something great is coming up- do they go a little crazy and it is really hard for them? Or do they get into the planning? maybe look at how your kids are and base it on that? either way, it will be GREAT!

Major changes in the Miller house hold today.

We just changed our resort to . .. . ..

ANIMAL KINGDOM JAMBO HOUSE

We stayed last year at VWL so after much discussion I got hubby to agree to AoA. I caught him today (closet Disney fan) surfing around and crunching some numbers related to AKL villas. I have to say I am over the moon. I cannt wait to stay at this resort.

Now for that breakfast ressie at Boma oh yes our first day Nov 10th 7:30am yes please

yeah for AKL!!! Love it there. Are you doing savannah view?

 

[kerriemiller]

No savannah view but we are staying in a villa at jambo house

 

[PixiePrincesses]

ok here is our detailed WDW vacation plan and ADR's:

Walt Disney World Vacation: November 14-22, 2012
Day #1- Thursday Nov. 14 Arrive @ Port Orleans Riverside
Dinner- Jiko- Animal Kingdom Lodge -6:05PM

Day #2- Thursday Nov 15 Rest Day & Downtown Disney:
Breakfast- Coffee and Beignets at resort
Lunch- House of Blues- 1pm

**Carriage Ride around resort @ 5:30 PM (Conf.# 422081074625)

Dinner- California Grill @ Contemporary Resort- everyone 7:30pm

Day #3 Friday Nov. 16 Magic Kingdom Park:
Breakfast- Breakfast @ Main Street Bakery
Lunch- Crystal Palace- 12:05pm everyone
Dinner- Cinderella’s Royal Table- 5:15pm (Sarah, and Rachel)
Tony’s Town Square- 5:10pm (Mom and Dad)

**Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – 7PM

Day #4- Saturday Nov. 17 Epcot
Breakfast- grab something at hotel before leaving for EPCOT
Lunch- Coral Reef- 12:20pm
Dinner- Tappan Edo- Sarah and Rachel- 7:10pm
Turf Bar and Grill @ Saratoga Springs Resort- (Mom and Dad) 6:30pm

Day #5 Sunday Nov. 18 Animal Kingdom Park
Breakfast- Donald’s Breakfast Safari Tusker house @ 9:10am
Lunch- Rainforest Café-1:30pm everyone
Dinner- Narcosee’s- Grand Floridian 7:15pm

Day #6- Monday Nov. 19 MGM Studios
Breakfast- Grab quick bite at hotel before leaving for MGM
Lunch- Prime Time Café: 12:35pm
Dinner- Yachtsman’s Steakhouse- Beach and Yacht Club 7:00pm

*Osborne’s Family Christmas Spectacle of Lights

Day #7- Tuesday Nov. 20 Blizzard Beach- fun & rest day
Breakfast- grab bite at hotel before heading to water park
Lunch- grab lunch at Water Park
Dinner- Wolfgang Puck’s “The Dining Room”- Downtown Disney 7:00 PM

Day #8- Wednesday Nov. 21 Magic Kingdom Park/ whatever else-
Breakfast- Kona Cafe – 8:45am
Lunch- Liberty Tree Tavern- 1:30 pm
Dinner- Spirit of Aloha Show- Polynesian Hotel –*show 8PM arrive @ 7:15PM

Day#9- Thursday Nov. 22 Happy Thanksgiving- Leave for Universal Orlando
Be Our Guest- hopefully for dinner at MK

Day #10 Friday Nov. 23- Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure
EPCOT at 4pm
Dinner at Chefs De France @ 4:15pm
**Candlelight Processional at EPCOT- American Adventure Pavilion
Dinner Package- for 6:45PM show with Isabella Rossellini –share the biblical story about the Birth of Christ and also prime seating for Illuminations Fireworks Spectacular!!!

Day #11- Saturday Nov. 24- Universal Orlando/IOA

Day #12- Sunday Nov. 25th – leave for home.

We'll be at MGM/DHS on Mon 19, too!

 

[Vabosoxfan]

Omg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Im gonna have a heart attack!!!!! I have been following the dessert party schedule and Low and behold, its offered every night in November!!!! Not yet open but the dates are no longer blacked!!!!!!!!! WOOHOO!

I assume you are talking about the tomorrowland dessert terrace party.....I have tried to make resisies for Nov. 6th for several months but never any luck. Do you think that date is truly not avail or perhaps are they just not taking ressies for it yet....I would think it would follow the 180 day rule that restaurants do but then again I am a DW novice.....I would love to surprise family with that!!!!

 

[ireneryan]

I assume you are talking about the tomorrowland dessert terrace party.....I have tried to make resisies for Nov. 6th for several months but never any luck. Do you think that date is truly not avail or perhaps are they just not taking ressies for it yet....I would think it would follow the 180 day rule that restaurants do but then again I am a DW novice.....I would love to surprise family with that!!!!

It doesn't follow the 180 day rule. The dates for November haven't been released yet, which is why it always says that the time/day is unavailable. It can open anytime from now until about the 2nd week in Sept according to past years when November has "opened". I just keep checking every day and one day it will open up. Of course, you will also hear about it opening here and there is a DIS thread dedicated to the Dessert Party opening up. Good luck! Nov 6 is the date I have picked as well, maybe we'll both get lucky enough to get it together!! I also have some back-up dates in mind in case it sells out before I can get to it.

 

[Eeyores#1Fan]

Hi

I haven't been able to post much and keeping up has been even harder . Dang thing called work been in the way. Hoping to have a break here soon so I can do some planning...it's so close! Luckily we are trying to keep it low key so not really planning much but will definitely be on the phones Aug. 20th. Need at least a reservation for 2 for my mom and sister if I can't get all 8 of us. Going to check out the menu now . Other than that DH And I will take DD5 to have lunch with her friend on Thanksgiving day but no other planned meals.

Glad to see all the other planning going on especially all the surprises. Our friends are surprising their daughter. She thinks they are going to see family in Jacksonville and since she is 6 she won't really know the difference until it's too late.

 

[jgbills]

thats why we told my girls! We did a scavenger hunt...Ill post it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glnMd6nq-r8&feature=plcp

I loved the scavenger hunt! Thank you for sharing the link

 

[jgbills]

Thanks for everyone's ideas about whether to keep the surprise for our boys until just before the trip, or spill the beans now.

I talked to DH and I think we're going to wait until after school starts, and then tell. That way the days will go by faster because they'll have a lot going on, but still will have some advance warning. Our oldest, DS 9, is a big planner and I think might need the extra time to wrap his head around the trip.

Now to find a way to tell them! DH and I are beyond ready to go. Just 88 days! Woo Hoo!

 

[Vabosoxfan]

It doesn't follow the 180 day rule. The dates for November haven't been released yet, which is why it always says that the time/day is unavailable. It can open anytime from now until about the 2nd week in Sept according to past years when November has "opened". I just keep checking every day and one day it will open up. Of course, you will also hear about it opening here and there is a DIS thread dedicated to the Dessert Party opening up. Good luck! Nov 6 is the date I have picked as well, maybe we'll both get lucky enough to get it together!! I also have some back-up dates in mind in case it sells out before I can get to it.

Thanks so much for the info....couple other questions...do they have multiple seating or just one time slot per night...for instance that night..Nov. 6th....no main street parade just wishes at 8pm....so what time would I pick for ressie or would it default to just one time...lastly when do I need to be in line and what time do they start to seat....