**Official December 2010 Thread!!**

[BrittLeshea]

okay, the list of travel dates is updated now!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=36267138#post36267138

IF you have a pre trip report going, let me know and I can put a hyperlink to your trip report on your name/dates on this list too for others to find and visit!

Thanks for linking me!! I just finished reading your trip report from Dec '09. It was great! I really enjoyed all the pictures and it looks like you guys had a great time!

 

[Katie & Glen]

Not sure how to post a link to them but you have to check the calendar for each individual park. If you choose a park, then the calendar link it listed on the left side.

Awesome!!! Thank you! the tease having December there is just downright mean.

Don't they know we need the hours so we can stop bugging our husbands with obsessively planning and explaining why it is so very important?

 

[Tinker_Tam]

Awesome!!! Thank you! the tease having December there is just downright mean.

Don't they know we need the hours so we can stop bugging our husbands with obsessively planning and explaining why it is so very important?

I know...It should be against some law to not have those December hours posted for us!!! the real rough part is I feel really teased as we are going Nov 30-Dec 9 so I have 1 day that falls in Nov that I can keep looking at. I need more.....

 

[starstruck93]

Hi! we're also planning to go to MVMCP on December 14th too!

You must be so excited to stay at your home resort... only 7 months to go !

Emma x

Yeaaaa! I hope we get to meet you and your family! LOL! I know.... ONLY 7 more months! I plan contstantly to keep up the excitement! My ADR date is Jun. 14 and I'm already feeling the pressure to finalize! Have a great trip and keep in touch! April

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

The problem I have is that they KNOW the December schedule, they KNOW the Candlelight Processional schedule, and I'm sure they KNOW that they will extend the free dining offer to mid-December. So why don't they just let US know now? It would be sooo much easier to plan! Plus, the weekend we are planning on going (December 9th), may also be the weekend D23 does their Magic & Merriment event. Why hasn't that been released yet??

Too many variables to consider and not enough information!!

 

[Katie & Glen]

I know...It should be against some law to not have those December hours posted for us!!! the real rough part is I feel really teased as we are going Nov 30-Dec 9 so I have 1 day that falls in Nov that I can keep looking at. I need more.....

See now, that is cruel and unusual punishment! I don't know how you do it, dealing with only having one days hours. You are an inspiration to us all.. the restraint you show!

 

[Katie & Glen]

Yeaaaa! I hope we get to meet you and your family! LOL! I know.... ONLY 7 more months! I plan contstantly to keep up the excitement! My ADR date is Jun. 14 and I'm already feeling the pressure to finalize! Have a great trip and keep in touch! April

We were planning on going the 14th as well. We have my unofficial Mom meeting us down there and she wants to go to the party as well. Do I see a December board meet in the making?

 

[Vickis3js]

Looks like we have a few DVC people in the Dec post! Looks like I am not the only one their DH surprised by signing them papers! We went for the first time in Dec 08 for Chrismtas and we decided to get 2 rooms at Pop to save some $$ and still have some reoom, we are a family of 5. Well when we went I thought it was going to be a one time deal for our family or atleast we wouldn't go again for a few years. Well after the first day we talked about coming back the following year. Well after 2 nights at the Pop DH was not happy, it was an ok resort just not us. While at Epcot one day waiting for our Fast pass time to open up we started talking to someone at one of the DVC kiosks. The guy got DH to go to the tour. DH said he was just humoring me and that he would not buy. Morning of the tour he changed his story to we are not signing anything here. After the tour he agreed to talk to a guide and when she said she would give us a minute to talk. I said ok I will call her and tell her we will think about it at home and he said Nope call her and tell her I am ready to sign. We bought 210 pts at AKL. Then the same thing happened in March when we went and he bought me 130pts at SSR at the BLT tours for our anniversary.

Now he loves going to WDW and has agreed to a twice yearly trip. All because of DVC!! LOVE IT!

 

[Vickis3js]

So where is everyone planning on eating? I thought I knew but now we have no clue at all. But then I still have no clue exactly where we are going to be staying. Hoping to get BLT at 7 months but will probably be at AKL. Either way I am happy!

 

[exwdwcm]

Happy Tuesday DIS friends!

So true!

We were watching Sound of Music one night and my four year old said Maria sounded like Mary Poppins. I was thinking, "Noooo! She's too young to figure it out!!" I'm glad we started taking our family when our youngest daughter was 2. I think too many families make the mistake of saying, "I'll take our kids to Disney when they are older." But once they are older, they know it's make-believe. I personally don't mind if my children don't believe in Santa...but not believing in Mickey Mouse or Ariel, now you're pushing it!

so so true!! pure tragedy when they don't believe in Mickey anymore. i agree, take them young, they might not all remember, but my DH and I have those memories and they are cherished.

Thanks for linking me!! I just finished reading your trip report from Dec '09. It was great! I really enjoyed all the pictures and it looks like you guys had a great time!

No problem and thanks for reading our report- it was a fun and crazy trip!!!

I know...It should be against some law to not have those December hours posted for us!!! the real rough part is I feel really teased as we are going Nov 30-Dec 9 so I have 1 day that falls in Nov that I can keep looking at. I need more.....

i know, i agree!!!! that is tough having the one Nov day! makes the ADR planning hard for you too. hopefully they come out late May so you have a little ADR planning time too.

The problem I have is that they KNOW the December schedule, they KNOW the Candlelight Processional schedule, and I'm sure they KNOW that they will extend the free dining offer to mid-December. So why don't they just let US know now? It would be sooo much easier to plan! Plus, the weekend we are planning on going (December 9th), may also be the weekend D23 does their Magic & Merriment event. Why hasn't that been released yet??

Too many variables to consider and not enough information!!

AH, good point, i didn't think about the D23 event. I'd love to do one, but i know tickets sell out so fast.

Looks like we have a few DVC people in the Dec post! Looks like I am not the only one their DH surprised by signing them papers! We went for the first time in Dec 08 for Chrismtas and we decided to get 2 rooms at Pop to save some $$ and still have some reoom, we are a family of 5. Well when we went I thought it was going to be a one time deal for our family or atleast we wouldn't go again for a few years. Well after the first day we talked about coming back the following year. Well after 2 nights at the Pop DH was not happy, it was an ok resort just not us. While at Epcot one day waiting for our Fast pass time to open up we started talking to someone at one of the DVC kiosks. The guy got DH to go to the tour. DH said he was just humoring me and that he would not buy. Morning of the tour he changed his story to we are not signing anything here. After the tour he agreed to talk to a guide and when she said she would give us a minute to talk. I said ok I will call her and tell her we will think about it at home and he said Nope call her and tell her I am ready to sign. We bought 210 pts at AKL. Then the same thing happened in March when we went and he bought me 130pts at SSR at the BLT tours for our anniversary.

Now he loves going to WDW and has agreed to a twice yearly trip. All because of DVC!! LOVE IT!

WOW, that is so cool! yeah for DVC!! too funny how a little magic can change them, isn't it? hopefully the 'add-on-itis' will kick in for DH soon too so we can add a bit more.

 

[exwdwcm]

So where is everyone planning on eating? I thought I knew but now we have no clue at all. But then I still have no clue exactly where we are going to be staying. Hoping to get BLT at 7 months but will probably be at AKL. Either way I am happy!

I was just going to ask the same thing- great minds think alike.

I am really struggling with our ADRS. I WANT to try new places, but get stuck in the rut of our old favorites, plus we are taking my in laws this time, who are newbies, so we want to take them to our faves too. so hard to decide, but knowing we will be back time again with DVC helps a little i guess. Because we are in BLT 1 bedroom, we have a full kitchen, so i want to use it for breakfasts, a few lunches and at least 1-2 dinners to save money and actually utilize it. lol We are not on the dining plan and like to do one sit down meal a day, breakfast in when possible and then a fast food meal maybe mixed in.

so help me decide on a few ADRs- i am certain we want to do these oldies but goodies (we've eaten here multiple times each):

*Le Cellier (lunch or dinner)
*Chef Mickey's breakfast (DS must eat with Mickey and we did dinner last Dec and weren't impressed, so back to breakfast)
*Crystal Palace breakfast (DS MUST eat with Pooh bear, he asks everyday)
*O'hana dinner- done twice with DH, our fave, i was sick with a sinus thing this last trip and could barely taste the food, so we HAVE to go back!

The others we have in mind on the schedule right now are:

• Teppan Edo dinner (new to use, hear good things about it)
• Chefs De France lunch (to see Remy and i do enjoy their soup!)
• Sci Fi dine in (done many times, but DH might want to show in laws- we love the theming and old clips- sci fi freaks, we are!)

The other ones I am considering to possibly replace one or all of the 3 above are:

• New Mexico sit down place (Illuminations seating?)We love Epcot, so we will probably end up with at least 2 more sit down meals there.
• The Wave (we are staying near there after all and would be new)
• Tutto Italia (never tried)
• JIKO (never tried, might save for future trip, since we have Le Cellier already for steak- which is what i would get there!)

I also want to try the Yak & Yeti quick service and maybe somewhere new in DTD- we always end up at Earle and have to do Earle at least once per trip!

So any advice? we will probably try and do the Candlelight processional dinner package with one of our Epcot meals. I don't really see anything i want to try sit down at HS this trip (we've done 50s many times and i used to work at hollywood and vine). Mama Melrose and HBDerby don't particularly interest me this time.

Any other recommendations? I am a PICKY eater. i don't do seafood, don't eat salad- i know, who doesn't eat salad? lol. I do want to expand my horizons and try each restaurant on site at some point. so far, i've done:
boma (breakfast and dinner), Cali Grill (4x), Chef Mickey's (3x- dinner), O'hana (2x), Kona Cafe (1x, love it!), 1900 Park Fare breakfast (2x), Liberty Tree Tavern dinner (3x), Crystal Palace breakfast (5x), Cantina San Angel lunch/dinner (3x), Norway breakfast (2x), Chefs de france dinner (1x), Coral Reef lunch (1x), 50s Prime Time lunch/dinner (4x), Sci Fi lunch/dinner (4x), AK safari breakfast (1x), Cinderella's breakfast and dinner (1x each), Whispering Canyon cafe dinner (1x), various boardwalk eateries (brewing company, flying fish, espn, beaches/cream), Shula's at Dolphin (1x)

i think that almost covers it. so what haven't i done that i MUST try!?????

 

[Tinker_Tam]

Happy Tuesday DIS friends!so so true!! pure tragedy when they don't believe in Mickey anymore. i agree, take them young, they might not all remember, but my DH and I have those memories and they are cherished.

I am so glad someone brought this up. DD will be 4, almost 5 and DS will be 3 when we go to WDW. When I told my family they thought I was NUTS! They said the kiddos wouldn't remember anything. I tried to explain that I wanted to go when they still had the magic in them to believe the characters are real. They are still trying to tell us how my DH and I are WASTING thousands of dollars on a vacation the kid's will remember NOTHING about. This makes me feel a little better. I really do think my kiddos will remember tons. We take them to Hersheypark twice a year for special holiday events, Halloween and Easter. This year we decided to skip Easter so we could save some extra money. The kids started asking about a month before Easter when we were going. So they have to remember something, even on a little place (in comparison) like HersheyPark. At least I feel better now. I know I am not alone in believing the magic will be there and that alone is worth the money for the trip.

 

[PoppyGirl]

I am so glad someone brought this up. DD will be 4, almost 5 and DS will be 3 when we go to WDW. When I told my family they thought I was NUTS! They said the kiddos wouldn't remember anything. I tried to explain that I wanted to go when they still had the magic in them to believe the characters are real. They are still trying to tell us how my DH and I are WASTING thousands of dollars on a vacation the kid's will remember NOTHING about. This makes me feel a little better. I really do think my kiddos will remember tons. We take them to Hersheypark twice a year for special holiday events, Halloween and Easter. This year we decided to skip Easter so we could save some extra money. The kids started asking about a month before Easter when we were going. So they have to remember something, even on a little place (in comparison) like HersheyPark. At least I feel better now. I know I am not alone in believing the magic will be there and that alone is worth the money for the trip.

Children have emotional memories even before they have the ability to remember in words or descriptions. So when we offer them joyful, happy experiences when they are very young, it gets imprinted in their little minds as happiness. And who cares if they don't remember everything??? Like you said, WE remember the joy and the fun of those experiences when they were young! The magic is totally worth it! My friends have been taking their twins at least once a year since they were 6 WEEKS old! And if YOU are joyful and happy on that trip, you communicate that to you children.

 

[PoppyGirl]

I've been driving DH nutty with my nightly "get out the giant notebook and plan something else for our trip" routine.

I look at the hours from last year during the time frame that we are going, use touringplans.com to help with "best parks" for each day...and I have a pretty detailed skeleton plan already....NOW what am I going to do for the next 7 months????? Just kidding! That's what the disboards are for, right?

So, here are the ADRs I'm hoping for:

Breakfasts:
Sunrise Safari
Chef Mickey
Boma

Lunches:
LeCellier
Sanaa
50's Prime Time
Crystal Palace

Dinners:
Boma
House of Blues
Whispering Canyon
The Plaza

 

[Vickis3js]

I was just going to ask the same thing- great minds think alike.

I am really struggling with our ADRS. I WANT to try new places, but get stuck in the rut of our old favorites, plus we are taking my in laws this time, who are newbies, so we want to take them to our faves too. so hard to decide, but knowing we will be back time again with DVC helps a little i guess. Because we are in BLT 1 bedroom, we have a full kitchen, so i want to use it for breakfasts, a few lunches and at least 1-2 dinners to save money and actually utilize it. lol We are not on the dining plan and like to do one sit down meal a day, breakfast in when possible and then a fast food meal maybe mixed in.

so help me decide on a few ADRs- i am certain we want to do these oldies but goodies (we've eaten here multiple times each):

*Le Cellier (lunch or dinner)
*Chef Mickey's breakfast (DS must eat with Mickey and we did dinner last Dec and weren't impressed, so back to breakfast)
*Crystal Palace breakfast (DS MUST eat with Pooh bear, he asks everyday)
*O'hana dinner- done twice with DH, our fave, i was sick with a sinus thing this last trip and could barely taste the food, so we HAVE to go back!

The others we have in mind on the schedule right now are:

• Teppan Edo dinner (new to use, hear good things about it)
• Chefs De France lunch (to see Remy and i do enjoy their soup!)
• Sci Fi dine in (done many times, but DH might want to show in laws- we love the theming and old clips- sci fi freaks, we are!)

The other ones I am considering to possibly replace one or all of the 3 above are:

• New Mexico sit down place (Illuminations seating?)We love Epcot, so we will probably end up with at least 2 more sit down meals there.
• The Wave (we are staying near there after all and would be new)
• Tutto Italia (never tried)
• JIKO (never tried, might save for future trip, since we have Le Cellier already for steak- which is what i would get there!)

I also want to try the Yak & Yeti quick service and maybe somewhere new in DTD- we always end up at Earle and have to do Earle at least once per trip!

So any advice? we will probably try and do the Candlelight processional dinner package with one of our Epcot meals. I don't really see anything i want to try sit down at HS this trip (we've done 50s many times and i used to work at hollywood and vine). Mama Melrose and HBDerby don't particularly interest me this time.

Any other recommendations? I am a PICKY eater. i don't do seafood, don't eat salad- i know, who doesn't eat salad? lol. I do want to expand my horizons and try each restaurant on site at some point. so far, i've done:
boma (breakfast and dinner), Cali Grill (4x), Chef Mickey's (3x- dinner), O'hana (2x), Kona Cafe (1x, love it!), 1900 Park Fare breakfast (2x), Liberty Tree Tavern dinner (3x), Crystal Palace breakfast (5x), Cantina San Angel lunch/dinner (3x), Norway breakfast (2x), Chefs de france dinner (1x), Coral Reef lunch (1x), 50s Prime Time lunch/dinner (4x), Sci Fi lunch/dinner (4x), AK safari breakfast (1x), Cinderella's breakfast and dinner (1x each), Whispering Canyon cafe dinner (1x), various boardwalk eateries (brewing company, flying fish, espn, beaches/cream), Shula's at Dolphin (1x)

i think that almost covers it. so what haven't i done that i MUST try!?????

I'll try and help a bit. For Teppen Edo do you have a Hibachi style restaurant at home? If so then stil to that. We had never been to one when we tried TE and we thought it was good, not worth the 1.5 hour wait with an ADR though. Then we tried 2 different local ones and realized TE is not that spectacular. Portions are tiny and you price is much higher. Not only that but the show is not that special either.

Jiko was ok. I think our server really ruined that meal for us. Steak was good but thought Yachtsmans was much better. Mussells were awesome though and the donut dessert was worth it!

Have you thought of Rose and Crown? DH and I tried it for lunch in March mainly because it was a last minute ADR and it was all we could get in the time we wanted and we both LOVED it. DH had the Scotch egg that he still raves about and the fish and chips, which he though were just ok. I had the salad which was so yuummy and the burger was awesome. Their homemade ketchup was awesome. If you do dinner they say its a great place to watch illuminations if you get an outside table.

We loved Chef De France for lunch. The kids really enjoyed it as well.

Tony's was another one that was really good and surprised me. We did a walk up as soon as they opened for dinner. Food was really good and really hot. The reviews seem to suggest an earlier dinner would be best for food quality.

HTH

 

[Vickis3js]

Like I said before I have no clue where we are going to dine. I know we decided that we are going to try every restaurant on property we can only repeat if we haven't done that meal. So if we did breakfast we have to only try it for lunch of dinner.

I let the kids each pick one meal that they want to do so

DD #1 picked either Mama Melrose, Tony's or Tutto Italia (which one depends on park hours and if we can get a fantasmic package)

DS picked Tusker House for breakfast

DD #2 picked CRT

They all want CM for Christmas dinner not really too excited about that one but oh well its what they want.

We do have Sci Fi on our list of things to try this trip other then that we have no clue. We will be doing DDP and will pay OOP for CRT.

I have 2 weeks before my 7 months opens up so once I know where we are staying I will really work on my ADRs which I will then change 10 times before we leave LOL

 

[exwdwcm]

I am so glad someone brought this up. DD will be 4, almost 5 and DS will be 3 when we go to WDW. When I told my family they thought I was NUTS! They said the kiddos wouldn't remember anything. I tried to explain that I wanted to go when they still had the magic in them to believe the characters are real. They are still trying to tell us how my DH and I are WASTING thousands of dollars on a vacation the kid's will remember NOTHING about. This makes me feel a little better. I really do think my kiddos will remember tons. We take them to Hersheypark twice a year for special holiday events, Halloween and Easter. This year we decided to skip Easter so we could save some extra money. The kids started asking about a month before Easter when we were going. So they have to remember something, even on a little place (in comparison) like HersheyPark. At least I feel better now. I know I am not alone in believing the magic will be there and that alone is worth the money for the trip.

yeah, i remember when i worked in the parks (HS) and i would see the little babies and toddlers all worn out and parents all upset and tired too. I was like - why would you bring such little kids here? but now i get it. no way could i wait 5-6 years to bring my DS to share the magic and my passion. He was 2years and 2 months on our trip in December and had a ball. Did he 'get' everything- no, but we had a blast. He loved the characters, food, the smaller rides and anything with water. we have cherished moments of watching him catch the snow on main street with complete joy in his eyes or playing in a water fountain in the AK for 30 minutes! Just those little things. Things we will never forget! Looking even more forward to this year, he'll have just turned 3 (and 2 months), and now talking up a storm and more familiar with the characters (and not afraid of anything!). so maybe it is a little 'selfish' on my part, but the memories aren't just for him, they are for us too! and to be honest, by taking a midday break each day for a few hours, he was great- rarely broke down (we have a hard time keeping him still for long meals, so that was the only problem times). baby centers make life easier too. It was great and i wouldn't change a thing!

DS now asks us everyday when he can go back to eat with Pooh. He might not remember exactly, but he loves looking at the photo album of the trip and sees all the pics. He can't wait to go back and eat with Pooh again (Crystal palace breakfast).

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

so what haven't i done that i MUST try!?????

I would opt for Tutto Italia and trying the new added expansions in Mexico and Italy (Via Napoli). Also, we have done the character breakfast at Cape May Cafe and enjoyed it.

 

[exwdwcm]

I'll try and help a bit. For Teppen Edo do you have a Hibachi style restaurant at home? If so then stil to that. We had never been to one when we tried TE and we thought it was good, not worth the 1.5 hour wait with an ADR though. Then we tried 2 different local ones and realized TE is not that spectacular. Portions are tiny and you price is much higher. Not only that but the show is not that special either.

Jiko was ok. I think our server really ruined that meal for us. Steak was good but thought Yachtsmans was much better. Mussells were awesome though and the donut dessert was worth it!

Have you thought of Rose and Crown? DH and I tried it for lunch in March mainly because it was a last minute ADR and it was all we could get in the time we wanted and we both LOVED it. DH had the Scotch egg that he still raves about and the fish and chips, which he though were just ok. I had the salad which was so yuummy and the burger was awesome. Their homemade ketchup was awesome. If you do dinner they say its a great place to watch illuminations if you get an outside table.

We loved Chef De France for lunch. The kids really enjoyed it as well.

Tony's was another one that was really good and surprised me. We did a walk up as soon as they opened for dinner. Food was really good and really hot. The reviews seem to suggest an earlier dinner would be best for food quality.

HTH

Thank you Vicki! great feedback and very interesting thought on Teppan Edo too- we do have Benihana here at home, which we haven't taken DS to or been in years, but you are right, it probably isn't much different and we could always try it again on a future trip too. So maybe i will replace that one!

I've never tried Tony's, but have it in the back of my mind too. especially since there aren't a ton of options at MK for sit down.

Rose and Crown might be of interest too- we do enjoy a good beer at the pub! so why not just make a meal of it, right? Do you know what sort of timing is good to try and get patio/illuminations view? I might just add that one on.

Like I said before I have no clue where we are going to dine. I know we decided that we are going to try every restaurant on property we can only repeat if we haven't done that meal. So if we did breakfast we have to only try it for lunch of dinner.

I let the kids each pick one meal that they want to do so

DD #1 picked either Mama Melrose, Tony's or Tutto Italia (which one depends on park hours and if we can get a fantasmic package)

DS picked Tusker House for breakfast

DD #2 picked CRT

They all want CM for Christmas dinner not really too excited about that one but oh well its what they want.

We do have Sci Fi on our list of things to try this trip other then that we have no clue. We will be doing DDP and will pay OOP for CRT.

I have 2 weeks before my 7 months opens up so once I know where we are staying I will really work on my ADRs which I will then change 10 times before we leave LOL

lol, i know how often we will change! We were not impressed with Chef Mickey's dinner this last trip- they sat us in a closed off back area that was hard to get in and out of. The selection was okay, but I just remembered it being better than it was this time. We are hoping breakfast is better (hard to mess up breakfast, right?).

We do enjoy sci fi- the food isn't anything spectacular, but it is fun and they do offer a burger that isn't on the menu. the BLT soup was really good though!

 

[exwdwcm]

I would opt for Tutto Italia and trying the new added expansions in Mexico and Italy (Via Napoli). Also, we have done the character breakfast at Cape May Cafe and enjoyed it.

i left that one off, i have done Cape May breakfast too- just last May before the DIS podcast cruise. it was good, but so crowded with all of us podcast DISers that it was rushed.

so i am now thinking Rose and Crown (DH loves his black and tans!) instead of Teppan. and maybe Mexico or Tutto over Chefs.

Thanks guys, good recommendations!