PART TWO *December 2012 Roll Call* Holidays, FLE & MVMCP!! A very, merry thread!

[PhoenixStrength]

Test Track to reopen December 6th!!!

Of course, since I'll be there a week prior.

 

[jwgm2012]

Of course, since I'll be there a week prior.

us too!!! we come back home on the 5th???!!!!!

dang - I was soooo excited about this!!!!!!!!!

 

[PhoenixStrength]

Does anyone make a Disney binder/folder or your trip? How do you keep everything organized (party tickets, photopass, reservation #s, driving directions). I want to make a binder so that I can keep everything together and add souvenir type stuff along the way like maps or menus. Would love to hear others ideas

I do!!! I'm working on mine for this trip now. I got a ton of ideas from a thread all about Disney Planning Binders. Let me find that thread and get a link to it.

Edit: My Disney Planning Binder

 

[PhoenixStrength]

us too!!! we come back home on the 5th???!!!!!

dang - I was soooo excited about this!!!!!!!!!

I leave on the 4th. Maybe they will do a soft opening prior to the 6th?

 

[molitva]

Test Track to reopen December 6th!!!

So sorry for those of you who will miss it! And sorry for those of you who were trying to avoid the crowds at MK on Dec 6 by going to Epcot

Two parts, one grand opening, one reopening. Will be a busy day in the World on Dec 6.

 

[yolie912]

Guilty! I make a binder for EVERY trip we go on. Sissy used to laugh, until the info in that binder saved our rear ends on more than one occasion! I use little sticky notes as makeshift tabs to keep things organized. Pretty much EVERY scrap of information related to the trip goes into the binder. I'm so anal I even including a list of everything I packed in case the airline looses my luggage and I have to file a claim with my travel insurance. I figure if I'm always prepared for the worst case scenario it'll never happen - right????

Usually I organize the binder in the chronological order I'll need things to make them easy to get to. You know - air confirmation for the flight down, rental car confirmation (if we rent a car), hotel confirmation, touring plans and ADR confirmations for each park day, etc., etc. The stuff I'll probably not need at all (like the travel insurance policy) goes in the back. I always take copies of the backs of our park passes and put those in the binder too (in case we lose a pass).

I have a Garmin app on my iPhone, so I don't usually print directions off anymore, unless I know the Garmin is going to give me directions I won't want to take for some reason.

One tip - if you hole punch a big envelope and include it in the binder it makes a great place to stuff all your receipts at the end of each day to keep track of your spending. Packing an empty 2 gallon zip lock bag gives you a great place to stick park maps, postcards, etc. that you want to keep for crafts or mementos.

Oh, and DON'T pack the binder in your checked luggage (and yes, I learned that one the hard way)!!!

All I have to say is WOW! =)

 

[mom2travel]

Test Track to reopen December 6th!!!

My DD is going to be so happy to hear this!! that is our arrival day. We were just talking about TT yesterday

 

[ksromack]

Does anyone make a Disney binder/folder or your trip? How do you keep everything organized (party tickets, photopass, reservation #s, driving directions). I want to make a binder so that I can keep everything together and add souvenir type stuff along the way like maps or menus. Would love to hear others ideas

I do! I print out my spreadsheets (I include estimated costs of meals and tips plus transportation methods), menus to the restaurants we 're eating at. I like having the food descriptions, especially if I decide to do a food report. I printed out some stuff regarding the MVMCP so that's in there too. My mousekeeping envelopes are in there too.

 

[LisaTC]

Guilty! I make a binder for EVERY trip we go on. Sissy used to laugh, until the info in that binder saved our rear ends on more than one occasion! I use little sticky notes as makeshift tabs to keep things organized. Pretty much EVERY scrap of information related to the trip goes into the binder. I'm so anal I even including a list of everything I packed in case the airline looses my luggage and I have to file a claim with my travel insurance. I figure if I'm always prepared for the worst case scenario it'll never happen - right????

Usually I organize the binder in the chronological order I'll need things to make them easy to get to. You know - air confirmation for the flight down, rental car confirmation (if we rent a car), hotel confirmation, touring plans and ADR confirmations for each park day, etc., etc. The stuff I'll probably not need at all (like the travel insurance policy) goes in the back. I always take copies of the backs of our park passes and put those in the binder too (in case we lose a pass).

GUILTY PARTY #2! Binders for each of our vacations - they turn into pseudoscrapbooks! I'm anal, too...I confess

 

[alorac]

So sorry for those of you who will miss it! And sorry for those of you who were trying to avoid the crowds at MK on Dec 6 by going to Epcot

Two parts, one grand opening, one reopening. Will be a busy day in the World on Dec 6.

I hope all those local Floridians don't come crowd up the parks on the only week of the year I get to be there! haha

 

[BDL]

I don't do binders, per se. But I do have certain collections of printouts stapled together.

 

[ksromack]

Hey JWGM2012!! Did you see that SW is having a sale today?? Use promo code BIGDEAL40 and get up to 40% off of your flights. I know you were looking for a deal to fly out of San Antonio. Unfortunately I am already booked on Jet Blue but the rate out of Houston would have only been $100 more than the rate we got to fly out of Austin. UGH!

Includes travel from 11/xx/12-12/12/12 and again in January. So for us, travel TO Orlando on 12/8/12 went from $141 to $89! The return trip is the same $141 since that falls after the end of the first leg of the promotion. I'm happy to save $104 Thank you for posting this! I hadn't noticed the email. I wonder how long this promotion will run and I wonder why it ends on Dec 12th? You wouldn't think Christmas travel would start in the middle of December as schools around here go sometimes until Dec 22!

 

[ksromack]

One tip - if you hole punch a big envelope and include it in the binder it makes a great place to stuff all your receipts at the end of each day to keep track of your spending. Packing an empty 2 gallon zip lock bag gives you a great place to stick park maps, postcards, etc. that you want to keep for crafts or mementos.

Oh, and DON'T pack the binder in your checked luggage (and yes, I learned that one the hard way)!!!

Brilliant! I will definitely be doing this. I want to save all receipts so I can calculate what we would have spent had we NOT been on the DDP.....I'm so bad about saving receipts so this is the perfect solution!

 

[molitva]

Includes travel from 11/xx/12-12/12/12 and again in January. So for us, travel TO Orlando on 12/8/12 went from $141 to $89! The return trip is the same $141 since that falls after the end of the first leg of the promotion. I'm happy to save $104 Thank you for posting this! I hadn't noticed the email. I wonder how long this promotion will run and I wonder why it ends on Dec 12th? You wouldn't think Christmas travel would start in the middle of December as schools around here go sometimes until Dec 22!

Woho! Great to save some money

I always found that the prices increased right as I was getting out of college classes. I always assumed they jacked up the prices to squeeze the last dime out of college kids. At least that's what it always felt like

 

[Tltorrez]

That is great news. But they will wait to see how he does at their house in Florida before they decide whether or not to make the trip to WDW? At least things are progressing in the right direction!

Yes. Honestly up till now I don't think they've been thinking about anything beyond flying to FL.

I do know their big concerns right now are (a) he's still having trouble swallowing and (b) he can't sleep more than a couple hours at a time. I suspect both will be resolved by our trip but it will likely be a question of how strong and capable he feels by then.

And they're supposed to come back for Thanksgiving and fly to WDW from here. But fortunately that plan has always been tentative. That's why she booked on SWA so that she could change if she wants to.

Overall I'm still optimistic. And I have now booked everything I can to cover both plans. The only thing at risk is a few ADRs (since I can't double book). But nothing we can't live without. So I've just been checking things off my list and pretending everything's under control. This week I booked puppy boarding and ordered binoculars and night-vision goggles for AKV. I also bought DS's Halloween costume and sent out birthday invitations. Honestly, these things are getting in the way of my important planning.

 

[Tltorrez]

Quick question: Do you wear sunglasses in the park? Yes, no, or waiting on the weather to decide? I hate squinting (and I do a lot if there's any sun) but I also don't want to constantly be messing with them as we go in/out doors and on rides. If I decide to wear some, I need to go buy a new pair

Always. Although now that I wear glasses full time, I have no idea what I'm going to do. I can see without them but its nice to actually be able to see things clearly. And I don't want to carry 2 pair.

Ugh! No something I wanted to think about.

 

[ksromack]

Always. Although now that I wear glasses full time, I have no idea what I'm going to do. I can see without them but its nice to actually be able to see things clearly. And I don't want to carry 2 pair.

Ugh! No something I wanted to think about.

Terri, I went to Walmart and bought the clip on sunglasses. They have tons of them in the eye department ( only at the Walmarts with eye care). I think it was $15, well worth it to me. When indoors I just slide the attachment off. It IS nice to be able to see!

 

[Tltorrez]

How much does everyone leave for mousekeeping tips in the resorts? Does it matter if you stay in a value vs a deluxe resort? Do you leave it daily for them or how often? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!!

We generally leave $5. But we're usually in a 1-bedroom suite with a kitchen, so that's a different consideration. We do leave it everyday because although you generally get the same person, it might change.

 

[Tltorrez]

Does anyone make a Disney binder/folder or your trip? How do you keep everything organized (party tickets, photopass, reservation #s, driving directions). I want to make a binder so that I can keep everything together and add souvenir type stuff along the way like maps or menus. Would love to hear others ideas

Evernote in the Cloud.

I do take a couple 12x12 scrapbook paper organizers. Basically plastic pockets that fasten for bringing home all the paper souvenirs.

 

[yolie912]

Hello guys,
I am having a hard time deciding if I should go to MVMCP.
What do you guys think?