***Official Planning Thread -DECEMBER 2024 - Welcome all!***

[Disturbia]

I just want a picture with me, my husband and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. I don't even know if they are at Christmas party!
I know they are at Halloween.

Those characters are at Jollywood nights I believe.

 

[Disturbia]

I just noticed several candlelight processional packages available for booking today! Our Epcot day is December 5th and there were numerous restaurants available. I didn’t think you could book them until next week but they were there!

I booked one for Chefs de France at 2:30 for the 5pm show! My oldest has wanted to try that place for awhile now! It’s under “E” for Epcot and you’ll see the dining packages.

Where are you seeing those? It says they will open Oct 29

Edit: just read that it was a glitch

 

[Disturbia]

View attachment 906274

Looks like a glitch but last time it happened with Fantasmic and those of us who booked were still ok, but I would also screenshot the confirmation number if you need to talk to IT.

 

[japanese maple]

Those characters are at Jollywood nights I believe.

I googled and they were at the 2023 Christmas party!

 

[jenna1212]

Is there lots of ADR availability left for the Christmas holiday weeks? Or is getting to be slim pickings already? I'll be looking for things like Skipper Navigation, Sci-Fi, Storybook, etc

 

[Disturbia]

Is there lots of ADR availability left for the Christmas holiday weeks? Or is getting to be slim pickings already? I'll be looking for things like Skipper Navigation, Sci-Fi, Storybook, etc

What day are you looking for sci fi and storybook and what party size?

 

[jenna1212]

What day are you looking for sci fi and storybook and what party size?

7 people, Jan 1 or 2, dinner 530pm+ at Storybook. Sci-fi would be Dec 28 or Jan 3. When I looked last I couldn't quite see that far.

 

[Disturbia]

7 people, Jan 1 or 2, dinner 530pm+ at Storybook. Sci-fi would be Dec 28 or Jan 3. When I looked last I couldn't quite see that far.

Wow 12/28 has only a few openings for sci fi. I’ll delete the screenshot once you see it. I can’t see past 12/31 when we check out


On 12/31 storybook dining is wide open

 

[Thoreauaway]

I would setup a dining alert. A few days leading up to Christmas breakfast is open until 1 pm. Also keep an eye on the Dec cancelled ADR thread

We have the dining plan and we will pay out of pocket for Topolinos because of the menu. Our son has dairy/egg allergies and they offer him muffins, vegan eggs, vegan pancakes. We are going at least twice on our trip. Service has always been great as well.

They really need to have better food quality at QS restaurants at deluxe resorts. We used to love the fish sandwich at Gasparilla grill (taken off the menu). Ohana has the worst cuts of beef and captain cooks is just ok. Kona had really bad food with long waits 2 years ago. We will avoid at all costs.

There was a great shrimp curry that was offered (special) at ABC commissary which we never saw again.

I agree, though my experience from a few years ago was that the Epcot deluxes in general had better quick/affordable table service food, while the MK deluxes have great signature/fine dining options, but kind of meh QS/regular TS. We have mostly stayed at the Grand Floridian which is particularly bad for that-- everyone talks about Narcoosee's and Citricos and obviously V&A, but if you want to eat affordably the options are somewhat limited. Gasparilla Island Grill is solidly meh, and if you're not into character dining (or character dining prices...) that just leaves Grand Floridian Cafe-- which used to be good but apparently has been slipping lately.

 

[Disturbia]

Rope dropping Christmas Day 2019 (Nate arrived at 4 am but didn’t line up until 5 am for a 6 am opening).

 

[MermaidMommy]

I currently have the DDP but debating whether I should keep it or pay OOP. Will Disney go up on food prices before December trip? Or have they already? Paying OOP for appetizers and tips makes it even more. Any thoughts? Are you using DDP? Why or why not?

Food prices went up today, actually. You never know with Disney, of course, but that make it unlikely they'll go up again before December.

 

[Disturbia]

We are keeping the dining plan (we booked our package with free dining; most room discounts end 12/25). You can enter which restaurants you are planning on going to to get an estimate of whether it is saving $$$ or not. It does get tiring to do dining with LLMP/Genie+. If I had the option I would choose resort discounts instead

You can google Disney Dining plan calculator:

https://www.distripplanner.com/

 

[jenna1212]

What day are you looking for sci fi and storybook and what party size?

Thanks for the screenshots. That helps give me an idea. When I make my list of ADR wants, I always choose a back-up date just in case. My window opens this Saturday. So excited.

 

[jenna1212]

Curious what most choose to do especially when travelling with larger groups during the busy season...do you schedule ADRs or is mobile ordering at quick serve your friend?

 

[japanese maple]

Christmas party treats!!!
https://disneyparksblog.com/wdw/dis...mas-party-2024/?CMP=SOC-DPFY25Q1wo1024240005F

 

[Artygal90]

Curious what most choose to do especially when travelling with larger groups during the busy season...do you schedule ADRs or is mobile ordering at quick serve your friend?

My first couple Disney trips (World and Land) I was insistent on making ADRs for most days to try all the must-do restaurants (These are for parties ranging from 2-6 adults) With a little more experience under my belt now, I’m more interested in quick service more. Sit down meals are expensive and I prefer to focus my time on the atractions and not having to stop what I’m going to go to a restaurant.

Of course, during busy times it might be hard to even find a spot to sit down with a large group while doing quick service, which makes daily ADRs more appealing.

 

[japanese maple]

Curious what most choose to do especially when travelling with larger groups during the busy season...do you schedule ADRs or is mobile ordering at quick serve your friend?

No matter with who or when, we do a sit down most days. We used to do quick service only and would get burnt out pretty quick. Now most days we do a dinner, a couple days we will do a breakfast instead if we will be at a party that night.

I need to relax with a glass of wine. I actually find it easier to schedule sit down dinners during December because MK is closed early a lot during the week, AK closes at like 7 and Epcot we can go to after dinner because it's open late!

 

[Thoreauaway]

Curious what most choose to do especially when travelling with larger groups during the busy season...do you schedule ADRs or is mobile ordering at quick serve your friend?

I like to make at least one ADR per day (and will be doing exactly this on my Christmas/NYE week trip this year) because it's nice to have at least one guaranteed sit down meal a day where everyone can get out of the heat, sit down and relax for a bit, and not have to wait too long for food to come out.

For the other meal we'll do QS, with the expectation that the waits are LONG. (That said last time I went mobile order was not yet a thing so I'm hopeful that that'll make things a bit easier - though finding seating is still a struggle in some places.)

 

[Disturbia]

Post Genie+ we also stopped doing 1 TS every night (got extremely stressful esp at HS) but have free dining on our upcoming trip. We do have 2 signature dining (CRT and Boathouse). QS (in park) is really good now (Pecos got updated). Resort QS food quality is going down even at deluxe resorts.

 

[Disturbia]

Cake bake shop opened today!!!