Our First WDW Trip as Parents! December 2012 PTR - 12/19 TR LINK!

[Leshaface]

Hi everyone and welcome to my PTR!

Actually this trip will be a first for many things. Might as well number them off since there are so many!

1) First time - going to WDW when the Christmas decorations are up! I'm so excited about this. I've only seen pictures and my goodness, do the resorts and parks look amazing during this time.

2) First time - staying at WDW using our DVC! We just became members in April with our home resort being AKL. I always told my DH that the next trip we would take to WDW was going to be at a Deluxe resort (our first trip was Pop, then our second was Coronado Springs). Little did we know, that we would be DVC owners by the time we stayed at a Deluxe!

3) First time - going to WDW for my mom. She hasn't been on a plane since 1996 and she was hoping to keep it like that for the rest of her life. However, she had promised me and my DH once, that once we had a baby, she would come with us to WDW. Welp, that time came sooner then expected!

4) First time - going to WDW with a baby! My DH and I are expecting our first child in September and we couldn't be happier about it. His name is Calvin Davis, and as of today, i'm 6 months and 1 day. only 15 weeks and 6 days left to go!

How about some introductions?

First there's me, Alicia

A lover of all things Disney. I've been on two Disney cruises within 7 months (couldn't get enough!) one to the Bahamas, and the last one to Mexico. I've also been to WDW twice, once in 2008 and again in 2010. Disneyland? Don't even ASK how many times i've been. We live about 3 1/2 hours from Disneyland and used to live 20 minutes from there at one time, so we've been numerous times.

Then there's my DH, Dan

We've been together for almost 9 years and married for 6. Crazy how time flys! He enjoys most things Disney. He's not a huge fan of Disneyland but LOVES the cruises and WDW. In fact, he's the one that planned our last cruise to Mexico and was very into planning our last trip to the World. He's super excited for this upcoming trip, mainly for the food. Oh, we love food and drink, by the way. There will be lots of food porn.

My mom, Angie

That's her on the left, in case you couldn't tell. She's pretty much to blame why I love Disney so much. Her and my dad started taking me to Disneyland when I was very little. She loves going to Disneyland, just for the atmosphere. Her two absolute fav rides are Splash Mountain and Indiana Jones.

And may as well introduce the little guy that's still growing, Calvin Davis

Now a lot of people (non-Disney people) think I may be crazy for taking a baby to WDW. But from all the research i've been doing, i've been reading and hearing how much easier it is to take an infant to WDW than a toddler. An infant pretty much sleeps the entire time, which is fine with us. I'm actually really looking forward to taking Calvin and experiencing everything together as a little family Plus, I really want to use our DVC points ASAP. DH is a teacher so the best time for him to go is a few weeks before Christmas or during the Summer eek which, I don't want to take the baby during the Summer when he's so little. There was no way I was going to wait another full year until I returned to the World, so this December it is!

I hope you'll join me in this crazy, first time adventure!

 

[Leshaface]

The Plans
The Daily Schedule
Dining Reservations
MVMCP
The Revised Daily Schedule

 

[Leshaface]

The Plan:

When: Saturday, December 8 - Saturday, December 15, 2012

Staying: First 5 nights at AKL and last three nights at Boardwalk Villas, with a waitlist at Bay Lake Towers. I'm really not getting my hopes up on BLT. It would be amazing if we could get that, but don't think that's going to happen. Originally we were going to be arriving on a Sunday, but DH didn't like that we would be coming in so late (this was after I had made reservations with AKL) and since there was no availability for that Saturday, I had to make a new reservation in a different room within AKL. So this is what it looks like:

Saturday, Dec 8 - 1 Bedroom Value at Kidani Village
Sunday, Dec 9-12 = 1 Studio Savannah View at Kidani Village
Wednesday, Dec 12-15 = 1 Bedroom Pool/Garden View at BWV or 1 Bedroom Lake View at BLT

Tickets: This is my first time ever purchasing tickets through Undercover Tourist, so I hope everything goes smoothly. We have 7 day Park Hoppers. It would have been cheaper to get the base tickets, but I like having flexibility, and with a baby, everything can be unpredictable, so I like having this option:

Food: Originally we were going to be ordering from Garden Grocer but one of the main reasons my DH loves WDW is for the food. So this is what we're doing.

-Saturday, Dec 8 - no dining plan. We'll just pay OOP for a quick service meal at the resort.
-Sunday, Dec 9-12 - Quick Service Dining plan.
-Wed, Dec 12-15 - Deluxe Dining Plan, because we LOVED the Signature Restaurants on our last trip.

As of now, I don't know which restaurants we're dining at, but I have to plan quickly, since our 180 days is on June 11

Parks: I'll be making a plan with Easywdw to see which parks are best for which days. I've gotten started with that and will be posting that soon.

 

[jedijill]

Calvin is going to be a cutie!

Jill in CO

 

[DizNee Luver]

Congrats on your upcoming addition!! Congrats on becoming DVC members......I wish we could!!

We'll be there during the same time you are but staying at the POFQ. So are you changing resorts because of necessity or so you can try out a bunch of places?? We may end up with 3 as well, but that's because we can fly cheaper if we come in the night before our package & stay the night we were planning on going home.....so we'll stay at Pop for the first night & AofA for our last night.....but our package will all be at the FQ. I'm freaking out at the thought of moving luggage around for 7 of us!!

 

[Pinkocto]

I'm here for the new adventure Your plans sounds great! I know you'd really like BLT, but with BWVs you're going to be right near YC and BC which have amazing Christmas decorations, not to mention Epcot, so whatever way it works out I'm sure it'll be great.

 

[disneybarbie]

Subscribing! Looking forward to seeing how your trip comes together : .. not long at all until ADR day too!


Emma x

 

[tinkgurl]

I'm here!

Aww..you guys picked the name Calvin. So cute! And his "picture" is so neat!

How exciting for DVC! We've been members for a few years now and wish we had done it sooner!

 

[holleypie]

Congrats on the baby! We're staying at AKL around that same time for our little one's first birthday. It's our first Christmas time trip too.

If you're doing quick service when you're at AKL you may not be interested, but we really loved the food at Sanaa.

 

[sjs314]

I'm here! We are doing our first Christmas Time trip too but missing you guys by 5 days

Very excited to read all about your plans.

 

[monica23535]

Hi Alicia,

Congrats on becoming DVC members, I am sure you will love ALK, we sure did

I love the name Calvin Davis!

Six months pregnant - wow! It feels like you pregnancy is flying by!

Hope you're feeling well

 

[Destructsean]

Congrats on..well..everything!

Going to WDW around Christmas time is just as amazing as the pictures make it look.

I just started our PTR too, we'll be there around the same time as you guys, maybe we'll bump into each other. Enjoy!!!

 

[TheThomsLuvDisney]

I'm in!!

 

[franandaj]

I'm here too! Yay for having a plan! You won't be too disappointed if you stay at BWV, I know why you chose that as a back up. ESPN zone!

Just be careful of the Boardwalk sweets, very addicting! You're right near Flying Fish....Epcot and Hey! The YACHSTMAN!!!!!

Perhaps they'll let you in after you stood them up last time!

 

[RooRach0906]

Congrats on becoming DVC members and for becoming parents-to-be.

We are going the same time as you guys... its our first time to see the Christmas Decorations and as DVC members as well. We will be at BWV unless our waitlist for BLT comes through...

Can not wait to hear more of your plans!!!!

 

[Dream426]

YAY!! Joining in!!

 

[heathsf]

YAY x4 for all of your firsts!!!

It was your WDW TR that first got me hooked on all of your threads so I'm super excited for this one! Especially since I won't be going back for the foreseeable future... So I'll be living through you

It sounds like it is going to be amazing from what you have planned so far...not to mention all of the things that are going to make it extra special!

 

[MiaBella05]

joining in

 

[Alysa]

Congratulations on all the firsts! Looking forward to hearing more!
Good luck with the Bay Lake, I've always wanted to stay there!

 

[stephielela]

You are going to LOVE the Christmas decor!! It's so amazing! And having een to WDW with a toddler several times now, yes, a baby will be way easier!