This is my first post to disboards (though I've been lurking around a bit ...)
MY DW, DD, and I are planning a trip to WDW in December 2008 for the Christmas, Hannukah, and other Winter Solstice-type festivities, so I'd best start by introducing the Main Cast of Characters:
Me - Joel - age 48 (going on 12 ... especially when we're at WDW!) ... The picture is from our trip to WDW last May (well, I couldn't insert the picture - have to work on that ... and I can't wait to take Danielle on Soarin! now that she's tall enough!!) I'm a research scientist with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, play drums and percussion in my FIL's Klezmer band (... we were up for a Grammy this year!! ... ... but didn't make the final five ... ), and am an avid every-other-day runner ... Also, "Chief WDW Planner" for this crew.
Vicki - my DW (whose age shall remain a secret ...) She loves WDW, too (especially Boma!!), and seems to get something stuck in both eyes everytime she tells someone about our May trip, resulting in blurred vision ... She's a Planner with the Ocean County Department of Planning, does some web site design on the side (see the Odessa Klezmer site above ... couldn't insert the web site URL either ... something else to work on), and will be amazed that I could somehow manage to insert pictures and Smilies into this post ... (she thinks I don't know how to use a computer too good - but I think I know more than she thinks I thinks she thinks I know ...
And last - but not least - (but the shortest, youngest, and best looking ) is
Danielle - our beautiful DD - who wants to be Princess, but knows she's not (though most times she really is!!) Last year she was crazy about Cinderella, and was so awestruck when we went to Cindy's Castle for lunch that she couldn't bring herself to meet her ... but eventually did after some wonderful words of encouragement from the Fairy Godmother
She'll be turn 5 in November - and our December trip will be a birthday surprise for her (and I guess that's a good enough reason to let her whear a WDW Birthday button ...)
Time for a short break - gotta put the laundry in the drier ... (really - and so I get to use another Smilie ...)
Anyway, so far for Halloween she's been (1) a Philadelphia Phillies cheerleader (my idea ...), (2) Belle, (3) Cinderella, and (4) Sleeping Beauty ...
Our basic plan is to travel to WDW on December 6, and somehow manage to drag our butts back to Jersey on December 13. This is from the weekend after Thanksgiving weekend (which is late this year - November 27) to the weekend before the weekend before Christmas (when I suspect WDW will be CROWDED!!!) And if you go to the WDW web site and check out the listed "Great Times to Visit", this week is highlighted in yellow as being a "Great Time to Visit" ... why? I don't know ... but I'm guessing (and hoping) it's because the crowds will be smaller than usual ...
We're thinking of spending the first 4 nights in a Value Resort (probably Movies - Danielle likes the pictures she's seen ...) and then move over to a Deluxe Resort for 3 nights (probably AKL or WL). This turns out to cost about the same as 7 nights at a Moderate (we stayed at POFQ in May and LOVED it!! but want to branch out this trip ...)
So the first question I have for you disboards folks is: Of the two resorts - AKL or WL - which has the "better" holiday theming (decorations, "spirit", etc ...)?
I'm leaning towards AKL - because it is beautiful (we had dinner at Boma last May ...) and we plan to hit Boma for dinner the next trip, too
but I've been reading some great things about WL, too - and it may be more conducive to a 5-year old girl ...
So - what do you think?? Movies and AKL? Movies and WL? Movies and one of the other Deluxe Resorts?
I'll be back ... (there's still a bunch of Smilies I haven't used ...
MY DW, DD, and I are planning a trip to WDW in December 2008 for the Christmas, Hannukah, and other Winter Solstice-type festivities, so I'd best start by introducing the Main Cast of Characters:
Me - Joel - age 48 (going on 12 ... especially when we're at WDW!) ... The picture is from our trip to WDW last May (well, I couldn't insert the picture - have to work on that ... and I can't wait to take Danielle on Soarin! now that she's tall enough!!) I'm a research scientist with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, play drums and percussion in my FIL's Klezmer band (... we were up for a Grammy this year!! ... ... but didn't make the final five ... ), and am an avid every-other-day runner ... Also, "Chief WDW Planner" for this crew.
Vicki - my DW (whose age shall remain a secret ...) She loves WDW, too (especially Boma!!), and seems to get something stuck in both eyes everytime she tells someone about our May trip, resulting in blurred vision ... She's a Planner with the Ocean County Department of Planning, does some web site design on the side (see the Odessa Klezmer site above ... couldn't insert the web site URL either ... something else to work on), and will be amazed that I could somehow manage to insert pictures and Smilies into this post ... (she thinks I don't know how to use a computer too good - but I think I know more than she thinks I thinks she thinks I know ...
And last - but not least - (but the shortest, youngest, and best looking ) is
Danielle - our beautiful DD - who wants to be Princess, but knows she's not (though most times she really is!!) Last year she was crazy about Cinderella, and was so awestruck when we went to Cindy's Castle for lunch that she couldn't bring herself to meet her ... but eventually did after some wonderful words of encouragement from the Fairy Godmother
She'll be turn 5 in November - and our December trip will be a birthday surprise for her (and I guess that's a good enough reason to let her whear a WDW Birthday button ...)
Time for a short break - gotta put the laundry in the drier ... (really - and so I get to use another Smilie ...)
Anyway, so far for Halloween she's been (1) a Philadelphia Phillies cheerleader (my idea ...), (2) Belle, (3) Cinderella, and (4) Sleeping Beauty ...
Our basic plan is to travel to WDW on December 6, and somehow manage to drag our butts back to Jersey on December 13. This is from the weekend after Thanksgiving weekend (which is late this year - November 27) to the weekend before the weekend before Christmas (when I suspect WDW will be CROWDED!!!) And if you go to the WDW web site and check out the listed "Great Times to Visit", this week is highlighted in yellow as being a "Great Time to Visit" ... why? I don't know ... but I'm guessing (and hoping) it's because the crowds will be smaller than usual ...
We're thinking of spending the first 4 nights in a Value Resort (probably Movies - Danielle likes the pictures she's seen ...) and then move over to a Deluxe Resort for 3 nights (probably AKL or WL). This turns out to cost about the same as 7 nights at a Moderate (we stayed at POFQ in May and LOVED it!! but want to branch out this trip ...)
So the first question I have for you disboards folks is: Of the two resorts - AKL or WL - which has the "better" holiday theming (decorations, "spirit", etc ...)?
I'm leaning towards AKL - because it is beautiful (we had dinner at Boma last May ...) and we plan to hit Boma for dinner the next trip, too
but I've been reading some great things about WL, too - and it may be more conducive to a 5-year old girl ...
So - what do you think?? Movies and AKL? Movies and WL? Movies and one of the other Deluxe Resorts?
I'll be back ... (there's still a bunch of Smilies I haven't used ...