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

[Tltorrez]

The only times I have been to WDW and needed a rental car, was when me and my friends budgeted a Universal Studios day. So, if you are planning on going to US, or Sea World or into Orlando proper, it might be worth it to you. But, everything else on property can be reached either by Disney transportation or a < $20 cab ride. Even the town car services down there are reasonable in regards to cost. Try to get a few business cards when you get to MCO.

On our first trip we did a cab to and from Discovery Cove. It's not that far and we didn't need the car for anything else.

 

[Tltorrez]

We drive down so its easy for us to use our car plus, my Mum is an ECV user so she prefers not to use the transportation system - she feels like she holds people up - but for the most part, I read great reports about the system.

It can be slow if you have to load the scooter but the driver's are great about it. DSis uses a wheelchair and can transfer, so we usually fold the chair up. They still load us first (and unload last) so we can tie the chair down, but it's a lot less hassle for everyone if you have that option.

 

[Valgoof]

Here's another link, I think by the same dude, on the best spots for photographing Wishes! I will add to post #2 as well.

That is so neat to see the same firework flash from each different spot. I wish he had done it from the Dessert Party spot.

 

[Tltorrez]

I'm thankful this has been your experience. I was just reading a thread on TPAaS this morning and there are some real horror stories about the wait times. We'll be driving down but my plan is to park the car and forget about it.

I'm not quite sure why I'm so adverse to driving on Disney property. I just can't see how there wouldn't be car queues leaving the parks at closing times or time wasted because I took a wrong turn.

So keep singing the praises of Disney transport :

I think this is one problem with getting info from places like the DIS. People post about the time the bus broke down, or it was really crowded, or someone threw a baby at the bus driver, or they missed their CRT ressie. But they don't post about the million times they rode a completely empty bus with no issues. You have to take the horror stories with a grain of salt. Stuff happens.

And you're right, at peak times the traffic getting out of the parks is no better than the bus line. In that case, it's about what you're most comfortable with.

 

[Tltorrez]

For those doing dinner at BoG....which dessert are you going to pick?

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcake
Vanilla Sponge Cake, Strawberry Mousse Filling, and Cream Cheese Icing

Triple Chocolate Cupcake
Chocolate Sponge Cake, Chocolate Mousse Filling, and Chocolate Ganache

Lemon Meringue Cupcake
Vanilla Sponge Cake, Lemon Custard Filling, Flamed Meringue Icing, and Crunch

Chocolate Cream Puff
filled with Chocolate Mousse topped with Whipped Cream

Passion Fruit Cream Puff
filled with Passion Fruit Mousse topped with Whipped Cream

Lemon &#150; Raspberry Cream Puff*
filled with Lemon Custard
*Dessert is Gluten Free and No Sugar Added

I think the strawberry cream cheese cupcake is calling my name!!!

How many people are in your party? Seriously we're the kind of family that orders everything and passes it around. Why try one dish, when you can try four.

 

[Tltorrez]

I just added this to Post #2--

Check out these great tips for photographing Disney during the holidays!

Thanks for compiling all this BTW. When people ask for holiday info, I send them here. It's the most comprehensive Disney holiday info on the Internet.

 

[DisneyGuess]

For those doing dinner at BoG....which dessert are you going to pick?

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcake
Vanilla Sponge Cake, Strawberry Mousse Filling, and Cream Cheese Icing

Triple Chocolate Cupcake
Chocolate Sponge Cake, Chocolate Mousse Filling, and Chocolate Ganache

Lemon Meringue Cupcake
Vanilla Sponge Cake, Lemon Custard Filling, Flamed Meringue Icing, and Crunch

Chocolate Cream Puff
filled with Chocolate Mousse topped with Whipped Cream

Passion Fruit Cream Puff
filled with Passion Fruit Mousse topped with Whipped Cream

Lemon – Raspberry Cream Puff*
filled with Lemon Custard
*Dessert is Gluten Free and No Sugar Added

I think the strawberry cream cheese cupcake is calling my name!!!

I will be trying the strawberry cream cheese cupcake. My DH isn't a big sweet eater, so I'm sure I'll just take his & maybe I'll get the chocolate cream puff.

 

[moozle]

I think this is one problem with getting info from places like the DIS. People post about the time the bus broke down, or it was really crowded, or someone threw a baby at the bus driver, or they missed their CRT ressie. But they don't post about the million times they rode a completely empty bus with no issues. You have to take the horror stories with a grain of salt. Stuff happens.

And you're right, at peak times the traffic getting out of the parks is no better than the bus line. In that case, it's about what you're most comfortable with.

This is so true - you will mainly read the bad stories. We travel to Disney every December (during crowded times) and one of the my favorite thing about a disney trip is that we get to park our car and not look at it again until we check out. For me, it doesn't feel like a vacation if we have to drive everywhere, navigate parking, directions, etc. Then it feels like we're home

We have never had a problem with the bus systems at all. Yes, at night there is a line when you leave the park after Wishes. But we're always so tired by that point that sitting on the ground in line for 10 minutes is really not all that bad. The kids wind up falling asleep 1/2 the time. We always stay at POFQ and have never shared a bus with another resort. Ever. But we also don't travel mid-day - just peak times of morning and evening. I really don't think we have EVER waited more than 15 minutes - and that would be leaving MK at 10pm. Must of our waits were about 5-10 minutes.

Plus, there is something to me about riding on the bus, seeing the Disney signs on the walls, and hearing the Disney voice welcoming you to the park as you pull through the gate.

 

[moozle]

Originally Posted by tofubeast
For those doing dinner at BoG....which dessert are you going to pick?

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcake
Vanilla Sponge Cake, Strawberry Mousse Filling, and Cream Cheese Icing

Triple Chocolate Cupcake
Chocolate Sponge Cake, Chocolate Mousse Filling, and Chocolate Ganache

Lemon Meringue Cupcake
Vanilla Sponge Cake, Lemon Custard Filling, Flamed Meringue Icing, and Crunch

Chocolate Cream Puff
filled with Chocolate Mousse topped with Whipped Cream

Passion Fruit Cream Puff
filled with Passion Fruit Mousse topped with Whipped Cream

Lemon – Raspberry Cream Puff*
filled with Lemon Custard
*Dessert is Gluten Free and No Sugar Added

I think the strawberry cream cheese cupcake is calling my name!!!


So is anyone willing to get me a dessert plate? Hahaha maybe i should have snagged an ADR for there...

Tofu- wishing your husband good luck at his new job!!!

And wow there is a lot of posts today--- I can't keep up! Taking a break for the moment though my littlest has been plotting against me all morning....

So I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new camera bag for WDW- I am bringing my DSLR for the first time and needed something slightly more compant than my backpack! It should deliver by October 3rd... I miss amazon prime!!

I plan on ordering the Chocolate Cream Puff. But, with 6 in our party, I plan on TASTING all of them.

 

[mom2travel]

This is so true - you will mainly read the bad stories. We travel to Disney every December (during crowded times) and one of the my favorite thing about a disney trip is that we get to park our car and not look at it again until we check out. For me, it doesn't feel like a vacation if we have to drive everywhere, navigate parking, directions, etc. Then it feels like we're home

We have never had a problem with the bus systems at all. Yes, at night there is a line when you leave the park after Wishes. But we're always so tired by that point that sitting on the ground in line for 10 minutes is really not all that bad. The kids wind up falling asleep 1/2 the time. We always stay at POFQ and have never shared a bus with another resort. Ever. But we also don't travel mid-day - just peak times of morning and evening. I really don't think we have EVER waited more than 15 minutes - and that would be leaving MK at 10pm. Must of our waits were about 5-10 minutes.

Plus, there is something to me about riding on the bus, seeing the Disney signs on the walls, and hearing the Disney voice welcoming you to the park as you pull through the gate.

I agree! We've had good experiences and not-as-good experiences, but it doesn't make or break a trip. Things happen at Disney just like they happen in real life. We've never driven at WDW even when we've had a car with us. Just park it and forget it.

We have taken taxis though for our convenience. Like when we have an early morning ADR at another resort. It gives us a few extra minutes in the morning to not need to go to a park and switch over for the resort.

 

[Valgoof]

I think this is one problem with getting info from places like the DIS. People post about the time the bus broke down, or it was really crowded, or someone threw a baby at the bus driver, or they missed their CRT ressie. But they don't post about the million times they rode a completely empty bus with no issues. You have to take the horror stories with a grain of salt. Stuff happens.

And you're right, at peak times the traffic getting out of the parks is no better than the bus line. In that case, it's about what you're most comfortable with.

It's true. No one ever starts a thread for "What's the shortest time you have waited for a bus?" And people probably couldnt remember anyway. We seem to remember and talk about the bad way more than the good.

 

[TruBlu]

Wow. That's less than I thought. We werent going to do DTD at all, but now we are going to Disney Quest. Might look into this too.

Where can I find the info.? This thread is crazy long!!!

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

 

[tofubeast]

How many people are in your party? Seriously we're the kind of family that orders everything and passes it around. Why try one dish, when you can try four.

It will be DH and I, plus a DD yelling for "cupcake". hehe

Thanks for compiling all this BTW. When people ask for holiday info, I send them here. It's the most comprehensive Disney holiday info on the Internet.

THANK YOU!

That is so neat to see the same firework flash from each different spot. I wish he had done it from the Dessert Party spot.

Yeah. I've stood near the dessert spot (against the rail of the bridge to TL). It is a great viewing spot.

 

[SAT887]

It's true. No one ever starts a thread for "What's the shortest time you have waited for a bus?" Any people probably couldnt remember anyway. We seem to remember and talk about the bad way more than the good.

So true!! It goes that way with almost everything. We recognize and talk about the negative far more than the positive.....

I think the car thing is a personal preference, for me it so much easier than a bus. But two little kids, double stroller, cooler, diaper bag etc etc etc the car is easier. Plus we don't mind driving and I have a distaste for mass transit from other parts of the country. It works for some, not all, and I have done trips with a rental sitting in the parking lot all week (pre kids) and gone disney bus/monorail system. It's not a broken system, its not always perfect but it works well.

Moozle - that is a brilliant idea... We are sharers in my family as well.

 

[Valgoof]

Where can I find the info.? This thread is crazy long!!!

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

Yes, yes it is. There wasnt really info on here about it, just the article that says it is coming back. You can find info on the dis under DTD Westside. I tried to link it, but it didnt work.

 

[TruBlu]

Yes, yes it is. There wasnt really info on here about it, just the article that says it is coming back. You can find info on the dis under DTD Westside. I tried to link it, but it didnt work.

Thanks!!!

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

 

[SAT887]

Thanks!!!

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

http://behindthethrills.com/2012/09/characters-in-flight-at-downtown-disney-readies-for-reopening/

I also saw an article on wdwmagic. Hope it helps!

 

[Tangelders Ahoy]

In anyones opinion, if you had to choose between HDDR or Trails End for dinner, what would you do? It will be my DS (5), my husband and myself. We have rented a golf cart for the night to tour around FW (never been there) and we are trying to decide which to do for dinner. It is the 1st week of December that we will be there also....

If you think HDDR, please let me know what is the better seating/time.

Thanks for your help!

 

[TruBlu]

In anyones opinion, if you had to choose between HDDR or Trails End for dinner, what would you do? It will be my DS (5), my husband and myself. We have rented a golf cart for the night to tour around FW (never been there) and we are trying to decide which to do for dinner. It is the 1st week of December that we will be there also....

If you think HDDR, please let me know what is the better seating/time.

Thanks for your help!

Well, since my family calls it one of two names...
1) Hoop-Dee-Doo-Doo
OR
2) Hoop-Dee-Don't
I guess you can guess what my vote is!!!!

Sent from Tracey's iPhone using DISBoards

 

[SAT887]

In anyones opinion, if you had to choose between HDDR or Trails End for dinner, what would you do? It will be my DS (5), my husband and myself. We have rented a golf cart for the night to tour around FW (never been there) and we are trying to decide which to do for dinner. It is the 1st week of December that we will be there also....

If you think HDDR, please let me know what is the better seating/time.

Thanks for your help!

I think it depends what you're looking for. HDDR is so corny and cheesy but fun! It's really lively fun old school family entertainment. I think any seating is fine, the group is very interactive. However we went with category A. I would look at the seat chart, pricing and see what you think. To me, the extra expense was worth the seats upfront for our big family trip. I would suggest the 4pm show, then you can drive around FW and potentially stop by for the Chip & Dale campfire sing a long and movie!