Our First Disney Christmas Vacation!!!

[disneydad861]

Ok, I decided to do a trip report. I have been lurking in the shadows enjoying everyone’s trip reports. So I decided to write one so (Hopefully) everyone can enjoy mine as much as I have enjoyed theirs. First a little back ground, sorry it’s kind of long

Prologue and Introductions
Pre Planning and Schedule
My Budgeting (for those that are looking for budget ideas)









This is our second trip to Disney World. We will be going Dec 10th – Dec 17th 2008. I did not have a lot of time to plan this trip. Let me explain. I work in Iraq so therefore I am away from home for extended periods of time. I try to think of something fun and special for us to do while I am home. So I was sitting at work one night (early October 2008) trying to think of somewhere for us to go see Christmas lights since this was going to be the first Christmas I have been home for, in three years. Well I surfed the internet looking and looking when all of a sudden Disney World popped in my head. I know DW wants to go during Christmas to see all of the decorations.

I thought about it, and it was the Holidays, and my family is real close, and I know I want to spend time with my parents as well. Then I get the idea Mom & Dad have wanted to go to Disney World with the Grand Kids. They would surely love to go. Mom & Dad haven’t planned on going this Christmas. Well how can I convince them to go with us? So I call Mom & Dad and talk to them about it. They say but we are planning on going in Oct 2010 with all of or kids and grand kids. I say I know but you guys need a vacation just to get rid of all the stress and y’all don’t have to worry about anything. I will do all of the planning and I will pay for everything. So there is no way you can say no to an all expenses paid vacation to Disney World. Can you believe I had to sell them on that Idea too!! They didn’t want me paying for everything.

You see I have always wanted to do something Special for them because they have given me everything in the world. Whenever I need something they are always there. They are truly the best parents in the world even though it took me until I was an adult to realize that. I will give them whatever they want whenever it is possible and if its not possible I will find a way to make it possible.

After Two days of talking to them I finally convinced them everything was ok and that I really want to do this. They finally say yes. Whew thank goodness. Now I haven’t said anything to DW because I didn’t want to get her hopes up and then say we weren’t going because Granny and Grandpa are not going. I called DW and told her that we were going and Granny and Grandpa are going with us and we are paying for it all. DW knows how much they have done for us when we needed help, so she says “Really, we are going to Disney World for Christmas oh how cool. Remember last year I said I wanted to go during Christmas to see all of the decorations.” Ok so we are going! Do we tell the kids or surprise them? We surprised them last year so this year we decide to tell them so they can have the feeling of the anticipation and excitement of waiting to go!!! Yes the kids will miss school for six days but we have talked to the schools and since I work over here and im only home three times a year they are ok with it. And will let them make up the work!!!


Our first trip was Oct 21st – Oct 28th of 2007. Unfortunately I did not know about DISboards then. We basically went with no plan at all just went and enjoyed our trip it wasn’t busy so we were lucky and pretty much got to do everything we wanted to!!!


On to the introductions for this trip:

(Me) DH I am 29 years old, I work overseas as a government contractor in Iraq. Oh, I will have my 30th b-day on our last day at Disney World!

DW she is ## years old. My wife of 10 years. She is a stay at mother and takes care of everything at home while I am gone!

DD10 is a little grownup! I am so proud of her! She makes the principals’ list every semester. She is a Princess Tomboy.

DD8 is a true girly girl Princess. She makes the principals’ list every semester just like her sister! She is my special little princess! She has always dressed as a Disney Princess!

DS5 is my little man! Oh, and he is a big boy now so he only wants big boy toys for Christmas. He also makes principals list every semester! “Even though I’m not sure what that entails in kindergarten” He is such a good little boy. He hardly ever cries or gets upset. He is such a good natured child and very funny.

(Grandpa) DGP my father, the best father in the world. But he is pessimistic about everything. We kind of just ignore that part. He loves his grandkids and loves being around them.

(Granny) DGY my mom, the strongest and most loving woman I know.

“ Next Up the pre planning and what I have Scheduled for us!!!”

I am trying to get some pics uploaded so please be patient.

 

[tazdev3225]

Great start. I went around that time two years ago with my DH and DGS and we loved it. It starts to get a little crowded but go with the attitude that what you see is great and what you miss gives you a reason to have to go again. Do not miss the Osbourne light show it is absolutely beautiful. I'm looking forward to more of your plans.

 

[disneydad861]

Now where did I leave off? Oh yeah The Pre planning and what I have planned for us! First thing I need to do is decide on the dates that we are going to go. That’s a little tricky because I have to make sure everything is able to be booked and everyone is able to go on the dates. Mainly DGP & DGY since DW is a stay at home mom. I will be home on the 7th of December through the 26th of December so we have to go in-between those dates We all agree that we don’t want to be there the week of Christmas because that is a time when all of our family gets together. We were thinking the 11th – 18th would work. Then I discover that’s it is a lot cheaper to fly on Wednesday than it is to fly on Thursday so we decide to go the 10th – 17th. I find our flights and they put us in Orlando at 12:30 in the afternoon. Our flights are round trip and $149 a piece with Northwest. Sweet!!!
(Paid Cash!!!)

Ok, travel is taken care of now for the hotel! We don’t stay on Disney property because we save a whole lot of money staying off property. (and I did check into staying on property and for a family of five they were only offering moderate and deluxe resorts and the only thing they had for us was the poly and the stay would have cost us $5,000 for the seven nights then I still had to get my parents room as well.) So I booked an offsite hotel for two rooms (that is at the corner of world drive and 192 just across the street from the Value Resorts) and it only cost me a little over $700. We don’t go to our room to hang out and swim at the hotel; we are going to Disney World for just that, to go to the Theme Parks which is what Disney World is all about. If we wanted to hang out at the pool and go to the beach every day then we would have booked a beach resort on a real beach. Sorry I just can’t justify spending that much on a place to lay my head down and get clean. So all we need is a clean comfortable place to sleep at night and take a shower in the morning. Sorry for the ranting that’s just my opinion. Another great part of being off site is the great coffee I get at Starbucks, and Dunkin Doughnuts every morning (which is within a 5 minute walk or a 1 minute drive from the hotel) There are also a lot of good restaurants all around the hotel area within a 5 minute drive that cost half the price of Disney food and taste a lot better than most.
(Paid Cash!!!)

I rented two full-size cars from budget rental car with unlimited mileage for $410 and that includes all of the tax and extra charges they tack on. I figure at most $140 for gas at the most. So that should be about $550 for everything. I really don’t like Mass transit systems waiting on a bus, being someone else’s schedule, cramming into a bus that is standing room only with a bunch of sweaty stinky strangers. Sorry no not for me. I like to be able to travel at will and go where I want to when I want to.

I bought all seven Disney World 6 day magic your way base tickets. I don’t buy the park hoppers because you waste so much time going from park to park. People complain about the crowds being so heavy and the waits being so long to do an attraction but they go to two or three parks a day and transfer time between parks is at least an hour; with leaving a park waiting for a bus or a boat then travel time then walking into the park; its at least an hour. (Sorry for the rant. Again….) So its base tickets for me. One park a day and stay there all day. I also bought seven MVMCP tickets for the 16th which just happens to be my birthday. So Mickey will be throwing me a B-day party that night!!! LOL for all of that it was right at $2,000.
(Paid Cash!!!)

This seems to be becoming a tradition of ours but when we go to Disney World I book us dinner at Medieval Times Dinner Show. We all had such a good time there last year I wanted DGP & DGY to go and see the show as well. I know we are stoked about going and seeing the show again. This time I bought the Kings Royalty tickets which guarantees’ first row center stadium seating. These cost me $500 but for my family; its worth it because we love the show!
(Paid Cash!!!)

Now for the Schedule:

Day 1: 10-Dec
Travel Day; We will go to Downtown Disney for a few hours and we will kick of our Vacation going to Medieval Times for dinner!!!

Day 2: 11-Dec
Magic Kingdom!
Park hours: 9am – 7pm
We have to start our Disney world Vacation at the Magic Kingdom it sets the mood for the rest of the vacation. (I know that this park has extra magic hours this day but the rest of our schedule we will be at the parks on the days that they DON’T have extra magic hours. Thanks for that tidbit of info DIS) No dining reservations, we will eat breakfast off property. While we are at the park we will snack and eat a counter service meal. We will eat a late dinner off property.

Day 3: 12-Dec
Animal Kingdom!
Park hours: 9am – 5pm
I plan on getting fast passes to EE and then going to Kilimanjaro safari first thing. We will eat breakfast off property. While we are at the park we will snack and eat a counter service meal. I have ADR for the Rain Forrest Café @ 5:15pm. (Just after the park closes)

Day 4: 13-Dec
EPCOT! – Experimental Prototype City Of Tomorrow
Park hours: Future World 9am – 7pm World Showcase 11am – 9:30pm
We will eat breakfast off property. While we are at the park we will snack and eat a counter service meal and I also have ADR at Akershus the dinner with the Princesses.

Day 5: 14-Dec
Just a day to RELAX!!! We will probably drive to Cocoa Beach just to see the Ocean and to see the Famous Ron Jon Surf Shop! We will go back to the hotel early and catch up on some sleep!!!

Day 6: 15-Dec
Disney Hollywood Studios! (A.K.A. MGM)
Park Hours: 9am – 8pm
We will eat at Ohana's Breakfast at the Polynesian with Stitch and Mickey Mouse!!! While we are at the park we will snack and eat a counter service meal. We will eat a late dinner off property.

Day 7: 16-Dec
Magic Kingdom!
Park hours: 9am – 7pm
No dining reservations, we will eat breakfast off property. While we are at the park we will snack and eat a counter service meal. Maybe eat a counter service meal for dinner but we will try to get a walk in table service meal.

MVMCP
Hours: 7pm – Midnight
Mickey will be throwing this party for my birthday! He might not know it but he will be!

Day 8: 17-Dec
We may go to DTD or DQ im not sure but our flight is not until the evening so we should have time to do a little something before we leave.

Well, that’s all I have for now but I’m sure I have forgotten something. However that’s my plan of attack for the greatest place on Earth.

 

[disneydad861]

What I plan for spending since im not doing the Disney Dining Plan.
For all food (Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks, Dinner) I have figured $50 per person per day for eight days.

For souvenirs’ and anything else someone might want (I.E. Extra Snacks, Bottled Water) I am giving each of the four adult $300 for pocket money for the duration of the trip, and each of the three children will get $100 Disney Dollars.

I have paid cash for everything except the food, the rental cars, and the spending money!

So I figure my trip for seven People for eight days including travel days cost:

Seven round trip air tickets and two hotel rooms $1,800
Disney World Tickets and MVMCP tickets $2,000
Medieval Times Dinner $500
Two Rental Cars $550
Food $2,800
Souvenirs’ and incidentals $1,500
Parking $120

Grand Total: $9,270