***Official December 2017 thread!

[FinnsMom7]

I was starting to rough map my December trip, solely based on plans we have our hearts set on (rides, rest, shows hotel visits) and I know until the park hours are out and even some of the crowd calendars nothing is set in stone. Let's be real a week before some things could still change. But I was trying to get an overall feel to the flow of the trip - plus I LOVE Disney planning so it was keeping me sane on a rainy Thursday. Anywho - I was using last year's December hours to help but then thought, what about AK - will they keep having nighttime hours into winter? I am really excited to see AK at night, especially with Pandora being open - any thoughts on what people expect?

And TGIF all!

 

[JennLTX]

I was starting to rough map my December trip, solely based on plans we have our hearts set on (rides, rest, shows hotel visits) and I know until the park hours are out and even some of the crowd calendars nothing is set in stone. Let's be real a week before some things could still change. But I was trying to get an overall feel to the flow of the trip - plus I LOVE Disney planning so it was keeping me sane on a rainy Thursday. Anywho - I was using last year's December hours to help but then thought, what about AK - will they keep having nighttime hours into winter? I am really excited to see AK at night, especially with Pandora being open - any thoughts on what people expect?

And TGIF all!

Given that Pandora is supposed to look completely different at night, complete with bioluminescent footprints, I can't imagine they wouldn't continue keeping AK open later. Maybe not until 1:00am (those poor CMs!!!!), but I would THINK at least until 9 or 10.

 

[FinnsMom7]

Given that Pandora is supposed to look completely different at night, complete with bioluminescent footprints, I can't imagine they wouldn't continue keeping AK open later. Maybe not until 1:00am (those poor CMs!!!!), but I would THINK at least until 9 or 10.

That is my hope because I checked the planned hours for Sept and Oct today and it only shows 7pm which was odd. Maybe they are waiting until Pandora actually opens and they get thru summer.

 

[shanew21]

That is my hope because I checked the planned hours for Sept and Oct today and it only shows 7pm which was odd. Maybe they are waiting until Pandora actually opens and they get thru summer.

I'd be shocked if Animal Kingdom wasn't open until at least 9.

 

[JennLTX]

I'd be shocked if Animal Kingdom wasn't open until at least 9.

Throw in ROL, and there's no reason for them to close earlier.

 

[Miniature Tim]

I was starting to rough map my December trip, solely based on plans we have our hearts set on (rides, rest, shows hotel visits) and I know until the park hours are out and even some of the crowd calendars nothing is set in stone. Let's be real a week before some things could still change. But I was trying to get an overall feel to the flow of the trip - plus I LOVE Disney planning so it was keeping me sane on a rainy Thursday. Anywho - I was using last year's December hours to help but then thought, what about AK - will they keep having nighttime hours into winter? I am really excited to see AK at night, especially with Pandora being open - any thoughts on what people expect?

And TGIF all!

Oh good, so I'm not the only one planning which days we'll be at which parks this far ahead of time! Like you said, things may change but with the release of the dates for MVMCP out, I think we can reasonably map out which days for which parks. Mainly to avoid going to the MK with a park ticket on the days we'll get kicked out at 7, and then to space out the other parks. Plus with ADR coming up at the beginning of June, its never a bad idea to have a loose plan at this point I think.

I'm also of the mind that Pandora will keep AK open at night for the foreseeable future, especially with their whole nighttime transformation and whatnot of that land. Can't wait myself!!

 

[JennLTX]

Oh good, so I'm not the only one planning which days we'll be at which parks this far ahead of time!

You are all my people.

 

[FinnsMom7]

Oh good, so I'm not the only one planning which days we'll be at which parks this far ahead of time! Like you said, things may change but with the release of the dates for MVMCP out, I think we can reasonably map out which days for which parks. Mainly to avoid going to the MK with a park ticket on the days we'll get kicked out at 7, and then to space out the other parks. Plus with ADR coming up at the beginning of June, its never a bad idea to have a loose plan at this point I think.

I'm also of the mind that Pandora will keep AK open at night for the foreseeable future, especially with their whole nighttime transformation and whatnot of that land. Can't wait myself!!

I wasn't afraid to show my "crazy" here, I knew I wouldn't be the only one. People mock me, its months away - my response yes but its DISNEY it takes planning. And I LOVE planning - yesterday I printed a blank December calendar marked my travel dates and put all kinds of color and notes all over it. DH came home and saw it and me anxiously awaiting explaining it and almost went back out the door LOL - I have accounted for mixing up the park visits as best as possible to when we can go to certain resorts for decorations.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

I added this tab to my WDWplanner spreadsheet on January 10th, the day I came back to work from WDW Marathon weekend


so there are definitely a few of us that like to plan early.
I will keep updating it as new information arises.

 

[shanew21]

I'm planning super early as well. Definitely essential for dining reservations I'd say.

Current plan
Day 1 - Should arrive in MCO around 10:30: Hollywood Studios, possibly hit the projected night EMH at Epcot afterwards but don't want to push it too much on Day 1
Day 2 - Magic Kingdom rope drop, ride a ton of stuff before lunch, eat quick service, use fastpasses early afternoon, then go back and nap before hitting MK again.
Day 3 - Animal Kingdom rope drop to close. Flame Tree and Sanaa included.
Day 4 - Epcot rope drop, drink around the world including ADR at Via Napoli, then park hop to TBD. Disney Springs possibility
Day 5 - Probably fastpass for Magic Kingdom, but we'll probably hop a lot this day. Disney Springs a possibility here if we don't go on D4.

Then it's off to Universal Day 6.

 

[mbfaith406]

Is there a Facebook for December 2017?

 

[belle1986]

Hi
I'm tentatively planning at trip for ds and I 12/14-12/17. This will be the first time I've been in December and I'm super excited to see the Christmas decor! I've looked at crowd calendars and this seems to be a good time to go.

 

[vrajewski10513]

Good morning December travelers! I hope everyone trying for free dining this morning was able to get what they needed!!

 

[FinnsMom7]

Good morning December travelers! I hope everyone trying for free dining this morning was able to get what they needed!!

With an added bonus of delirium

 

[shanew21]

Renting points, so no free dining here. It's just 2 of us so even if we weren't renting we'd likely choose the room only discount over free dining.

 

[Miniature Tim]

After doing the number crunching, free dining has the potential to not save us any actual money

• Increase to park hopper
• Probably have to upgrade to a preferred room from standard (only saying this because we couldn't get through, and I always feel it's better to not count on the cheapest option)
  
• Still need to pay for the 3 table service meals we really want to do
• Potential room discount for our 10 night stay
  
• Added taxes due to the increased spending of the park hopper and potential upgrade to preferred room.

If the room discount is 20% like it is for the fall dates that they just announced, then we'll actually save money with that over the free dining. Mind you, we're budgeting the trip without ANY discounts so we aren't surprised, but the historic dates for the room discounts are in our favor.

It's funny, we were really hoping to try the dining plan this time around, but while my wife was busy trying to call, I was crunching the numbers. I asked her to stop after I figured out the above.

All that said though, here's hoping some folks got through and got their free dining!!

 

[shanew21]

After doing the number crunching, free dining has the potential to not save us any actual money

• Increase to park hopper
• Probably have to upgrade to a preferred room from standard (only saying this because we couldn't get through, and I always feel it's better to not count on the cheapest option)
  
• Still need to pay for the 3 table service meals we really want to do
• Potential room discount for our 10 night stay
  
• Added taxes due to the increased spending of the park hopper and potential upgrade to preferred room.

If the room discount is 20% like it is for the fall dates that they just announced, then we'll actually save money with that over the free dining. Mind you, we're budgeting the trip without ANY discounts so we aren't surprised, but the historic dates for the room discounts are in our favor.

It's funny, we were really hoping to try the dining plan this time around, but while my wife was busy trying to call, I was crunching the numbers. I asked her to stop after I figured out the above.

All that said though, here's hoping some folks got through and got their free dining!!

More often than not the Dining Plan is not worth it. Since Disney downgraded the Moderates to Quick Service it's even more difficult to make it worth it over room only unless you've got 4 or more people. We only have 2 people so we looked at all of our options and the only way to make it worthwhile was if we purchased it outright and then ate absurd amounts of food.

 

[dnllmz]

I checked for FD this morning just out of curiosity to see what was available and didn't look like much was left. I hope everyone that wanted it, got it.

 

[karalecia26]

And we are back! (LOL!) My DH can't be away from work the time we were planning in November now (something special at work the Monday after Thanksgiving) so we talked and was able to get a deal with a TA over Christmas so we are booked December 22-29th at POR. I swear this time we are not changing our vacation! DH and I are heading during July for our anniversary (family is taking our kids so we can have a belated Honeymoon-15 years later!) so this one is icing on the cake!

 

[Disneylover99]

Good morning December travelers! I hope everyone trying for free dining this morning was able to get what they needed!!

Yep! This will be our fifth December trip in a row, but first time going for Christmas And New Years!
So excited!!