NOVEMBER 2012 Trip Planners Part 2~yes there IS another!

[mommyof3princess27]

Southwest. Our flight is 615am and arrives at 815ish... we fly out 11/25[/Q

That is rate for only 1 way....not roundtrip...it would be costly for the 3 of us to fly. I have never been able to find a decent fare on SW for any place we've ever gone, kinda sad

well i thought $150 pp was a good price for Thanksgiving weekend. Maybe not

 

[mydisneyobsession]

Well, we would continue to go to DisneyLAND, but it would be a 3,042 mile trek over 50 hours to get to WDW from Oregon!

We love Disneyland, and wish we were closer! My kids prefer a lot of the rides there to the WDW versions.

 

[mommyof3princess27]

We love Disneyland, and wish we were closer! My kids prefer a lot of the rides there to the WDW versions.

We have never been... one day though!

 

[silverhaze269]

I can't believe the price that some of your are getting your airfare for! I wish we could get those kinds of deals up here...a good deal for us is $500 pp (round trip), and even that's hard to find now. The best deal we ever got was $350 pp, and that was in 2006...I don't think we'll ever see those prices again.

I'm starting to wonder if it might actually be cheaper to drive to Maine and fly out from there...makes me want to check (we have our flights already, just curious)

 

[mommyof3princess27]

Anyone ever eat at Hollywood and Vine breakfast? I see they have an 805 pre RD available. Is it good?

 

[natter]

SW flights $143, I have a feeling they will be coming down. I know I may be nuts but not booking just yet

 

[GMU MOM]

well i thought $150 pp was a good price for Thanksgiving weekend. Maybe not

I think you got a good fare for a holiday weekend! When it comes to travelling around the holidays, I like to play it safe.
Also, if the fares do go down, you can always rebook and get the difference in a credit for future travel.

We're travelling first week of Nov which is why I think fares could still go down. I worked as a corporate TA or 7 years and we saw crazy things happen to airfare within 24 hours.

 

[ThreeAngels]

Maybe I should have been watching that rather than sitting here with a box of tissues watching The Notebook. Only took me 2 hrs to watch an hour of it between cooking dinner and the kids.

Yeah you should have been watching the funny videos, too. I remember when I read The Noebook, DS1 (who I think was about 15 or 16 at the time) came in after school just as I was finishing the book. Well, I was crying (and I mean SOBBING) as I finished it. Poor kid was like "MOM! Are you OK?!?! I thought I scarred him somehow after that. it's hysterical now, though! And yeah, the movie makes me cry,too! I'm a wuss, though....

I dont know about skipping dinner altogether maybe having a CS or snack before hand. Well peak times are Christmas through new years and maybe Thanksgiving week.

We'll be there Thanksgiving week.. DH seemed to think $179.95 wasn't too bad (yay!), so I think we'll try and go for it! And you said you did it on a party night, right? That will have to be one of our options....

I was thinking the same thing. It will come in handy on my trip to Dallas with DD.



I got the Symphony of Hues. I liked that it has a lot colors in the pattern so it will go with anything I wear.

I say go for it. Hands free is the definitely the way to be in Disney, and why not look cute with your new VB hipster doing it!?!? Yes, I'm a bad influence!

Oh, NO! I looked at the website and now I'm pretty sure I MUST have a Hipster in Lime's Up! Love it! Your pattern is pretty, too.

Can someone fill me in on what's so bad about Chef Mickey? I've never been there before, but read so many bad reviews.. is it the food? The service? What?

I was thinking about going there this trip since we've never gone before, but am worried about all of the awful reviews...

We've only done CM once, for DD's 7th birthday breakfast. It wasn't bad. We've not been inclined to go back, but we didn't regret going there, either. Just didn't wow us in any way...

Good morning ya'll.

Good Morning All

Anyone else anxiously waiting for SW to release those darn November flights

Good evening to both of you. After reading all the flying posts, I'm just even more glad we just have an 8-hour drive!

Thank you! The teen was afraid her pic would end up on FB so she was trying to hide her face, lol!

How funny a teen NOT wanting her pic to end up on FB!

Aghhhh!!! Decisions are so hard!! Although, I'm having a blast with all the planning, wouldn't it be great if someone made all the hard decisions for us.....

But then WHaT would we over planners do!

Just wanted to confirm my dates with you all and join in the fun! We (me, Dh, DS13 and DS12) will be traveling from the 16th through the 24th. Actually my DH is checking in on the 15th becasue we were lucky enough to get the free dining code !!

I've been sitting here at the computer debating on our flights on Southwest. Actually the flight down is good ($158) and good times, it was the return that was giving me fits! The price is really high ($263) and I couldn't decide on the times. Finally the boys decided for me, bite the bullet, pay the money and come home later then I would normally (8pm).

So there you have it, now to start planning the dinners. Yes I know I really need to get on that. The only reservation I made was for Thanksgiving day at Cape May.

Welcome! We'll be there the 15th thru the 24th. Where are you staying? We'll be at POR and we'll being dining at 'Ohana on Thanksgiving Day!

Now Ohana Character Breakfast OR Kona cafe? I wanted Tonga Toast(never tried it) and I know they dont serve it... is it goofy to get it from Captain Cooks beforehand-just to try? Or should I switch our ressie to Kona cafe? Itll be 8 adults, 1 disney adult and 2 kids

Kona, Kona, Kona!

WOOHOO! Got FDing for my Grandparents!

Congrats!

FREE DINING FOR THE CREW!!!!!!!!!!

Finally...pixie dust was sprinkled my way!

Gotta love those Disney fairies.......

Congrats to you!

Congrats! I'm still calling everyday with no luck

I hope you get it SOON.

Thought I would give you guys an update. I was on the phone with Disney for over an hour Friday night. They could see where I called on Tuesday and was told about the pin, however they said I did not have a pin. I spoke with a manager and she checked as well. She was nice about it, but I still a little pissed about it. Oh well, hopefully a public offer will come soon.

Ugh! I'm really sorry....

We're officially going to Disney Thanksgiving week! Yay! (11/18-11/23) Even though it seems like Disney, United, and Southwest are all conspiring against me, I've got it somewhat figured out. That means driving 16 hours and hoping we'll eventually get a FD pin.

I was hoping to get a LTT reservation on Thanksgiving, but they were all gone. I know, I know. We just decided to go the day before since I'm sure we'll be in the holiday mood the entire week. I finally filled my last blank ADR with Tusker House on Thanksgiving for a late breakfast. They start serving lunch 30 minutes after our reservation, so unless they seat us right away we'll be going into lunch. Does that mean we have half breakfast and half lunch? Has anyone been there between the transition from breakfast to lunch?

Welcome! I DO think you'd get to have lunch offerings, too, but we have never been there to know for sure.

Well, we would continue to go to DisneyLAND, but it would be a 3,042 mile trek over 50 hours to get to WDW from Oregon!

Wow! My head's spinning just at the THOUGHT of a 50+ hour drive!

 

[boysrus2]

We love Disneyland, and wish we were closer! My kids prefer a lot of the rides there to the WDW versions.

I went to disneyland years ago and I still talk about the Indiana Jones ride. I would love to go back someday!

 

[momto2inKC]

SW flights $143, I have a feeling they will be coming down. I know I may be nuts but not booking just yet

Nope, you're not nuts! Every trip (Disney and non-Disney) we've taken the last several years we've never gotten good prices when they are first released. Best time to buy is about 6 weeks out That's when the biggest price drop usually happens.

 

[boysrus2]

I can't believe the price that some of your are getting your airfare for! I wish we could get those kinds of deals up here...a good deal for us is $500 pp (round trip), and even that's hard to find now. The best deal we ever got was $350 pp, and that was in 2006...I don't think we'll ever see those prices again.

I'm starting to wonder if it might actually be cheaper to drive to Maine and fly out from there...makes me want to check (we have our flights already, just curious)

Airfare out of Bangor was very expensive, ($400-$600) so we are going to fly out of Portland Maine for $281 taxes included per person roundtrip. We'll have a 2 1/2 hour drive, but I couldn't pay Bangor prices. When I first looked into it awhile back flights from Bangor were $323, I wished I grabbed it. Good luck!!

 

[Happy Mom2]

Anyone ever eat at Hollywood and Vine breakfast? I see they have an 805 pre RD available. Is it good?

It was probably our least favorite breakfast out of CTR, CP, & TH. It wasn't bad, but not great either. Just the normal breakfast offerings...mickey waffles, eggs, sausage, fruit, etc.

We had an 8:05 ADR and were done by 8:45! There was hardly anyone there and the characters came by a few times. DD loved Jane from the Little Einstiens.

 

[ekatiel]

We're officially going to Disney Thanksgiving week! Yay! (11/18-11/23) Even though it seems like Disney, United, and Southwest are all conspiring against me, I've got it somewhat figured out. That means driving 16 hours and hoping we'll eventually get a FD pin.

I was hoping to get a LTT reservation on Thanksgiving, but they were all gone. I know, I know. We just decided to go the day before since I'm sure we'll be in the holiday mood the entire week. I finally filled my last blank ADR with Tusker House on Thanksgiving for a late breakfast. They start serving lunch 30 minutes after our reservation, so unless they seat us right away we'll be going into lunch. Does that mean we have half breakfast and half lunch? Has anyone been there between the transition from breakfast to lunch?

If you'd like free dining, you'll need to arrive on 11/15. All the current PIN offers have 11/16-11/22 blacked out. If you arrive on 11/15, though, you can get free dining for your entire stay (assuming that the same offer goes public). I'm pretty sure they've always blacked out Thanksgiving week for FD, so arriving the week before is the only way to get it. We're set to arrive on 11/15 for this very reason. Could you move your dates back a few days? --Katie

 

[GMU MOM]

Would it be crazy to book an ADR at CRT with 2 boys (11 and almost 5). Right now for our 2nd MK day we are booked at GFC but if BOG opens then we will switch.
But now I'm thinking if BOG isn't open it would be cool to try CRT. This is our 3rd trip and we never even considered CRT as an option with 2 boys.

If we book CRT, we would pay OOP at SciFi to use the credits for CRT?

What do you all think? Also...this would be our Pirate's League day.

 

[ThreeAngels]

If you'd like free dining, you'll need to arrive on 11/15. All the current PIN offers have 11/16-11/22 blacked out. If you arrive on 11/15, though, you can get free dining for your entire stay (assuming that the same offer goes public). I'm pretty sure they've always blacked out Thanksgiving week for FD, so arriving the week before is the only way to get it. We're set to arrive on 11/15 for this very reason. Could you move your dates back a few days? --Katie

Yep we're checking in 11/15 for the same reason. Even though I HATE my kids missing 2 days of school , I can't help being thrilled about free dining AND extending our Disney time by 2 days!

 

[ThreeAngels]

Would it be crazy to book an ADR at CRT with 2 boys (11 and almost 5). Right now for our 2nd MK day we are booked at GFC but if BOG opens then we will switch.
But now I'm thinking if BOG isn't open it would be cool to try CRT. This is our 3rd trip and we never even considered CRT as an option with 2 boys.

If we book CRT, we would pay OOP at SciFi to use the credits for CRT?

What do you all think? Also...this would be our Pirate's League day.

I think EVERYONE should eat at the Castle at least once! I'd book that now, though, and cancel if BOG opens. (fingers crossed here, too!)

 

[Happy Mom2]

Just saw this was already mentioned.

 

[Happy Mom2]

I think EVERYONE should eat at the Castle at least once! I'd book that now, though, and cancel if BOG opens. (fingers crossed here, too!)

I couldn't agree more!

 

[pmama]

Booked half of my SW tickets today I usually only book one way so if they do down in price I can used the credits for the return. It's the most I have ever paid to go to Orlando.

Did the same but opposite. I thought I was quite clever but guess I'm not the only one. We booked the return because it was the day after Thanksgiving and I know that will go up before our departing flights. We also decided to apply for the SW credit card with free credits. The credits should pay for the flight out with 4 people. We now just have to hold our breaths that the specific flight we want does not sell out before we get our reward credits. Could be 6-8 weeks.

Agree with others that purchasing the tickets makes it feel real!!

 

[mommyof3princess27]

It was probably our least favorite breakfast out of CTR, CP, & TH. It wasn't bad, but not great either. Just the normal breakfast offerings...mickey waffles, eggs, sausage, fruit, etc.

We had an 8:05 ADR and were done by 8:45! There was hardly anyone there and the characters came by a few times. DD loved Jane from the Little Einstiens.

I think we may do it. alot of ppl say its bad BUT I see alot of ppl that actually like it. And to get a pre RD breakfast? YAY!

Do the buses run that early? Like 7-715?