Please Help Me With My December Trip!!

[janer03]

Okay, we are flying in on Friday 12/8 in the evening or 12/9 early am and flying out on 12/16 sometime. (just waiting for Southwest to post rates past 12/10!) We have 7 day hoppers. We are staying at the ASMovies. We are doing the dining plan. It is me, DH, DD (turning 10 on Dec, 13th) twin DS's who just turned 5 and my in-laws who are the best! We last went 10/02 and we didn't do ADR's and it was crazy with the whole family (19 of us). And, the time before that was our honeymoon 4/94 and no planning that time either! Now I am the sole planner and it took me forever to decide on this much! Going by all you great people here, I am not planning to do EMH's. I am going by touring plans and am thinking of this:

Sat 12/9 MK

Sun. 12/10 AK

Mon. 12/11 MGM

Tues. 12/12 MK

Wed. 12/13 MK or MGM? DD's 10th birthday!!! I want this to be FUN!!

Thurs. 12/14 Epcot

Fri. 12/15 open....go where everyone wants to.

Okay, I need suggestions for my meals please! My daughter eats everything, the boys are really picky....chicken nuggets and french fries, pizza, pasta, hot dogs, possibly hamburgers, milk or water.

Also, with everything to see and do, when should I fit in (which nights do you think work best) MVMCP, CP, and what is at MGM - fantasmic?? What is spectromagic and wishes? Oh, and my MIL is scheduling Cirque one of the weekday nights! What else?? We also don't need to be out late every night either....

Thank you for making it this far

This board has been great!

Thanks,

Jane....okay, taking a breath now.....

 

[mousebit]

I can't give my opinions on touring since I mostly use Tour Guide Mike's plans, but often even tweek the plan against his advice (sshh...don't tell) to try to do what I think is best for my family. I will say that, tho', that I am not afraid to do EMH in the mornings if we've had an early night before. Getting to the parks so early, we often feel we've got the place to ourselves and we get so much done in the first 2-3 hours. BUT, you have to be willing to get out of that park before lunch and use your park-hopper to go to another park or activity.

As far as ADRs - it sounds like your family would really enjoy the character meals. IMHO, since you're on the dining plan and using a point system for meals, you really get the best deal by going to dinner, rather than a lot of character breakfasts. My DGD loved Chef Mickey for her 10th BD dinner. There's plenty of good stuff for both kids and adults. And it's just really a fun place to celebrate - napkin twirling, etc.

The one character breakfast I would plan for is Crystal Palace. The food is yummy and the Pooh characters are great. But the best part is if you can get a really early ADR (around 8:00am) you are allowed into the MK before park opening. Walking down a nearly empty Main St. is an awesome experience! (No stangers in your castle pictures!) Then, if you don't spend too much time in the restaurant, you can be at rope drop and do everything in FantasyLand in just a couple of hours.

You'll be at WDW the same week as us - just me and DGD11 this time! It's our first holiday trip so lots of DISing for me too! Hope you have a great time. Happy planning!

 

[golden1]

Just for comparison my itinerary is this:

12/8: Arrive MCO 10:15am, ME to ASMu Suites
Rest, MK for a few hours, HDDR

12/9: MK, CRT Breakfast, Spectro 8pm

12/10: Epcot - Move to BWV - Le Cellier Dinner, Illuminations

12/11: MGM, Playhouse H&V Breakfast, Mama Melrose FDP Dinner, Fantasmic

12/12: MK, Crystal Palace Lunch, Wishes 6pm

12/13: AK, Boma Dinner, La Nouba

12/14: MK, Perfectly Princess Tea with DD

12/15: Epcot until 2pm - Fly home 5:20pm

 

[janer03]

Thanks, Mousebit - I was thinking of mostly dinner ADR's.....you recommend Chef Mickey's for my DD B-day dinner? I have heard it was better for breakfast?! I was thinking of Crystal Palace for dinner on her birthday - I believe you are doing that for breakfast. hmmmm.....



Thank you also, golden1! Question for you - you are doing Spectro and wishes at MK - what are those? What are the Illuminations at Epcot? Is that different that CP?

See, I told you all I needed help

 

[mousebit]

Just to let you know, I do think CP is really good for either breakfast or dinner. I just like the get in the park early bonus at breakfast time, but the dinner buffet is scrumptious. I know...decisions, decisions.

 

[DeeDeeDis]

Jan

when you make your adrs for your daughter's b'day make sure you tell them its her 10th birthdayand then remind them when you check in at the restuarant. And Crystal palace should be a great place for her to celebrate especially if she likes winnie the pooh.

I've heard that Coral Reef at EPCOT is a great place to eat with young kids becuz the aquarium keeps them amused while they are waiting to eat or for you to finish eating.

One of our favorites is Liberty Tree Tavern (family style turkey dinner with all the fixings plus mac & ch, roast beast and ham). Your see goofy, minnie, chip & dale. This is a great place to eat if you are going to the MVMCP, try for around 5:30 since the park closes from 6:00 to 7:00 these nights to clear the park of day visitors leaving only the party goers left in the park. This is really fun but pretty late night so be sure to rest/nap during the day. You can enter the park with your party passes as early as 4pm.

the best thing about going to charactor dinning is that the charactors come right up to the table so you can get pictures without having to stand in a line and they all take the time to greet everyone at the table and pose for pictures.

checkout mousesavers.com and click on dinning. this is a great website to see all the menus, prices and even "kid friendly" restuarants in wdw.

Wishes is what they call the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. Spectro Magic is the parade at Magic Kingdom, all the floats are lite, its beautiful. The parade during the MVMCP is the one that you see on tv on christmas day - i love the wooden soldiers- another great parade.

Fantasmic is the firework show that is at MGM. Its set in an arena where you are able to sit to watch the show on concret bleachers. This show includes water, fireworks, fire. Its all the disney villians, its really amazing but may be alittle scarey for the 5 year olds as there is a fire breathing dragon in the show. the also have osborne lights at MGM. You won't believe how many house lights they have on the buildings.

Illuminations is the firework show at EPCOT which has lasers, fireworks, music its beautiful.

All three parks (MK, EPCOT & MGM) have different firework show and all our a MUST SEE. They're all special and all fantastic.

Keep in mind that it can get COLD in December so make sure you pack clothes that can be layered. and bring gloves and hats or buy the charactor santa hats, they keep your head really warm and are fun when you look back at your trip pictures (around 24.00 each), we bring them back with us every year. Two years ago it was down in the thirties and forties almost everynite last year it was warmer (50's)

Have fun - if you have any questions, i'd be happy to try to help just pm me
deb

 

[janer03]

DeeDeeDis, Thank you for your detailed response! This is why you are the veteran and I am still earning my ears!

Questions:

@ MGM, can you see Fantasmic and Osborne Lights on the same night?

@ MK, Spectro Magic is the parade during the day? Wishes is what they would have on non-MVMCP nights?

@ Epcot, are the Illuminations after the CP?


Okay, off to read all the menus........

 

[DeeDeeDis]

Mgm - yes you can see both in the same nite - if I remember correctly it will be dark by 5:30 and Fantasmic starts around 7pm. The lights are beautiful but i dont think it will take you an hour to walk thru the streets so there is plenty time to catch both.

EPCOT - Each nite there are a few showings of the CP, I believe the last showing ends 15 minutes before Illuminations start (i wouldn't wait that long to find a viewing area for the fireworks) I believe the first CP show is at 5:45
Illumination starts at 9:00pm. All the firework shows are unique and amazing but i think EPCOT's Christmas fireworks are the best, I am awestruck EVERY time i see them.

MK - wishes is the name of the firework show at Magic Kingdom (like in "When You Wish upon a star"). The Spectro Magic Parade is the regular night time parade that runs all year at the MK EXCEPT during special events like MVMCP. All the floats are illuminated - its really beautiful. During the MVMCP they run the special christmas day parade twice, once at 8pm then again at 10:00pm, at 9:00pm they do the fireworks, these are still what they call "Wishes" but they do enhance these fireworks with more holiday themes. Stand infront of the castle to watch the fireworks, its a little crowded but well worth it to be able to see them from this vantage point.

So where are ya gonna eat???

 

[janer03]

Just bumping.....

And, trying to decide now if I should spend the extra money on MVMCP or just go to the Spectromagic evening parade - if it is offered during my stay. I have only seen a day parade so this sounds nice and I won't have to spend the extra money?!

any thoughts, anyone??


Thanks, Jane

 

[DeeDeeDis]

the MVMCP is a really great time and the parade that night is totally different then the Spectro Magic Parade so if you have the time you could go to the MK two nights.

 

[sarehm]

Janer03 I am going those same dates and our days are even planned out the same. I just called to make ADR's last week and everything I wanted I got no problems, Le Cellier, San Angel, Sci Fi, and Tony's. Times that I wanted were all still available. I thought maybe I'd have troubles but not at all! I think we'll be doing MVMCP on either the 12th or 14th.

 

[janer03]

bump