Pre Trip Report: The Twelve Days of Disney ..Mama & Ninja’s 2013 Christmas Vacation

[aidensmom31]

I love souvenir shopping and always take a healthy amount to the parks for shopping but I also love catching deals (I take after my mother, we actually try to one up each other all the time ). Whether it is finding things at non Disney stores or catching a good sale/clearance event on the Disney store website or at the outlets I am all for it. So a couple months ago I decided to start getting stuff and will probably continue looking until a couple weeks before we leave. I am going to post as I pick up so that as people read they can see them instead of waiting till I am all done shopping. Knowing me I will find some last minute deal.

 

[aidensmom31]

During our trips we are big water drinkers. We find that if we drink more water than anything else we can go longer and are not as fatigued at the end of the day . We usually buy a bunch of waters either sending them to the hotel before hand or getting them from the grocery store and having them delivered. We then put them in the frig and grab a few to take into the park (we almost always get a locker each day for our coats/purchases/etc, it just works for us). I find carrying a bottle can be annoying so when I saw these for cheap I said why not .

[URL=http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/aidensmom31/media/Disneyland%20Christmas%202013/c2ec1270-4918-4320-8a82-d336eecbd692_zps550594be.jpg.html][/URL]

Mickey for my son and Tinkerbell for me!!

 

[aidensmom31]

We always get a locker, it works for us and since I am the only one that would end up carrying anything it allows me to enjoy the park without baggage. I knew we would need something to carry sweaters, hats, etc to the park in and possibly souvineers back to the hotel but I also knew that I hate unzipping everything through security so I bought the following bag with that in mind. It will spend most of its time in a locker but its cute and it was only $2

 

[aidensmom31]

I know I could have grab this at the park but with no sales tax, a DVC discount, free shipping and left over Christmas GC the deal was too good

 

[aidensmom31]

WE ARE SPENDING CHRISTMAS AT DISNEYLAND Due to this we are celebrating with the family a few days before we leave but I couldnt stand the idea of waking up Christmas morning without Santa presents or something. I love Christmas and I love giving gifts to my son and family that just make them smile. So I decided to get some small things and theme them around our trip

Here is what I have gotten so far:


These are for my son. He started collecting them on our 2011 trip when we went with my mom and sister.


These are for both of us. The 2 on the top left and bottom left are for my son. The 2 on the top right and bottom right are for me.

 

[aidensmom31]

Every trip for the last 2 years I get a new Disney hoodie for my son and me. however, I know how expensive these are at the parks and cant do it. So I continually check online at the Disney store for clearance/sales/promos/discounts . So far every year I have gotten amazing deals This year I only have found one for me at this point. Still looking for one my son gives his on.


Front


Back

Stay tuned in...

 

[aidensmom31]

UPDATEDDecember 24, 2013 - I get off work at 600am (I work graveyard shift the night before). I plan on having everything packed before this so it will all be ready to go. My parents are watching the kiddo and will have him up getting ready by the time I get off. I will take a quick shower and change then my dad is driving us out to PDX. We will check in, drop our bags off, grab some breakfast and get throw security. Depending on how long it takes to get this done (we are flying Jet Blue and I paid extra for the more leg room seats that comes with the ability to go through the 1st class line at security) we will have some time to just hang out, my son will play with his Ipad and I will probably catch a quick nap next to him . Then we will grab some lunch to take on the plane. We depart at 1119am and arrive at Long Beach Airport at 134pm. Once we land we will grab out checked bags and take a luxury towncar (I decided since this was a special trip to go all out as much as I can and while I love using the shuttle wanted something a little more special and just us) to our hotel Best Western Park Place Inn and Suites. We may be making a grocery stop on the way there too, just depends on what I decide to do. Either way by the time we get to the hotel it should be check in time Depending on when we get to check in we plan to decorate our room for Christmas and let me rest for a little while. Then it is off to the parks We have to activate our AP's, get our photopass plus card and just soak in the fact that we are in DISNEYLAND FOR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS We will have dinner at Cafe Orleans which has become a tradition for us, ride some rides and enjoy it all but probably not stay up too late.

December 25, 2013 - CHRISTMAS + DISNEYLAND = So far all I have as a definite plan is to have lunch at Blue Bayou with a waterside table.

December 26, 2013 - Fanatasmic Dessert Package, most likely the first showing. Princess breakfast @ Ariels Grotto (obvisously this is for me)

December 27, 2013 - 1st Character Meal, Breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel @ 700am (may change the date of this depending on the tour). Discover the Magic Tour (my son really wants to do this and this will be the last year that I think it will be for him).

December 28, 2013 - For this day I have reserved a premium tour with Mouse Expeditions . I know some people like them and some dont but for me it really is ideal. This way I can have one day where I dont have to run for FP's with my son, since it is only me and him we have no runner any other day, we always have to do it together. I would totally do a VIP tour through Disney but I just dont have that kind of money at this time. They will also be holding my spot for the fireworks which is something my son and I have never got to see from a good vantage point . Lunch @ Carnation Cafe.

December 29, 2013 - Nothing scheduled at this time. We may do park time or we may do something else in the area like the wax museum or the tar pits or Universal Studios Hollywood. May be a possible day for the Holiday Tour and Parade (made some changes as there is another tour my son wants to do that he heard about from his aunt)

December 30, 2013 - Second Charater Meal Surf's Up with Mickey at the Paradise Pier Hotel @ 700am. Cultivating the Magic tour

December 31, 2013 - Third Character Meal Minnie & Friends at the Plaza Inn @ 710am. Based on how busy it was when we were at Disneyland in 2011 I am figuring that by 600pm my son and I will have done what we want to and will most likely head out of the park for our fourth Character Meal Goofy's Kitchen dinner. We will take our time and enjoy what characters we can, then hit DTD and then most likely call it an early night. We would just rather be in the parks the next morning then sleeping because we were up so late.

January 1, 2014 - Open to enjoy the parks. May be a possible day for the Holiday Tour and Parade (made some changes as there is another tour my son wants to do that he heard about from his aunt)

January 2, 2014 - Lunch @ Carthay Circle . Also probably the day we plan on seeing WOC if we do. I am just not sure we want to do it yet.

January 3, 2014 - Open to enjoy the parks.

January 4, 2014 - Last day So far I know for sure that we will eat lunch at Cafe Orleans (this is also a tradition). The towncar picks us up @ 330pm. We will check our bags, grab our dinner and then wait for boarding. We take off @ 605pm and should be home by 828pm.

 

[RachelleBeaney]

Wow I've never seen someone prepare so much for a Disney trip (and I thought I was organised)...Your son is very lucky to have a mum who loves to plan Disney magic for him Have a great time you guys - we will be there for Thanksgiving this year and i'm a little nervous as i've never had to deal with holiday crowds before! I have some plans but nothing concrete and because it's on the end of our dream Disney trip around the worlds (Tokyo Disney, Walt Disney World and Disneyland) we only have 3 days ! But we plan to make the most of them!

 

[aidensmom31]

Wow I've never seen someone prepare so much for a Disney trip (and I thought I was organised)...Your son is very lucky to have a mum who loves to plan Disney magic for him Have a great time you guys - we will be there for Thanksgiving this year and i'm a little nervous as i've never had to deal with holiday crowds before! I have some plans but nothing concrete and because it's on the end of our dream Disney trip around the worlds (Tokyo Disney, Walt Disney World and Disneyland) we only have 3 days ! But we plan to make the most of them!

Thank you! As I single parent I have to plan since I am the only one in charge, it makes everything less hectic once we get there. A lot of people cant understand why I keep going back and doing all the extras but there is something about Disneyland that is magical. Our vacations alwasy seem like a dream and we have fun no matter what so I go all in. Plus as it is only two of us I have extra money to do more of the extras.

It is crowded during the Holidays but as long as you commit to not letting it get to you and enjoying the magic you will have a wonderful time. We were there New Years Eve 2011 and Busy does not even begin to describe the madness but we told each other before entering the park that no one else mattered on our trip, no matter what we would be nice and respectful to others and anyone who showed rudeness could kiss our Disney because we were at Disneyland to have fun and enjoy each other. It was by far the best day of our trip even with someone stepping on my foot, long lines and all. What I remember most is the silly faces we made at each other in line waiting for rides, my son mumbling under his breath when someone pushed him "its ok its ok its ok" and then shouting to the culprit have a magical day with a genuine smile on his face (A CM saw him do this and gave him a big high five saying he was sure to be a future CM) and just general hilariousness. Get there early and you should have a few hours of decent crowds...by far the afternoons and evenings were generally more crowded.

 

[RachelleBeaney]

Thank you! As I single parent I have to plan since I am the only one in charge, it makes everything less hectic once we get there. A lot of people cant understand why I keep going back and doing all the extras but there is something about Disneyland that is magical. Our vacations alwasy seem like a dream and we have fun no matter what so I go all in. Plus as it is only two of us I have extra money to do more of the extras.

It is crowded during the Holidays but as long as you commit to not letting it get to you and enjoying the magic you will have a wonderful time. We were there New Years Eve 2011 and Busy does not even begin to describe the madness but we told each other before entering the park that no one else mattered on our trip, no matter what we would be nice and respectful to others and anyone who showed rudeness could kiss our Disney because we were at Disneyland to have fun and enjoy each other. It was by far the best day of our trip even with someone stepping on my foot, long lines and all. What I remember most is the silly faces we made at each other in line waiting for rides, my son mumbling under his breath when someone pushed him "its ok its ok its ok" and then shouting to the culprit have a magical day with a genuine smile on his face (A CM saw him do this and gave him a big high five saying he was sure to be a future CM) and just general hilariousness. Get there early and you should have a few hours of decent crowds...by far the afternoons and evenings were generally more crowded.

Thanks for the advice I've looked into the tours and the only one that looks like something i'd really be interested in doing is the Walking in Walt's Footsteps tour! But i've got to see if we have time to fit it in!

We are staying on property so we will have early entry to both parks which we plan to use and we are also planning to hit all the rides in the morning and rest in the afternoon - i've noticed the tour is at 9:30 so i'm think we could possible do it on our last day and with early entry hit a few of our favorites again before the tour! Your right though - it's much more affordable than I thought it would be!

 

[RachelleBeaney]

Have convinced my husband we need to do the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour on Thanksgiving - thanks so much for your advice - i'd always thought Disneyland Tours were super expensive (perhaps I was always thinking about the VIP tours which were the only one's i'd ever looked into!), but we are super excited to try this one out- we love the history behind Disneyland and so I think this is the perfect tour for us! Thanks for giving us information to plus an already amazing trip of a lifetime

 

[aidensmom31]

I am so glad you guys will be able to do the tour It truely is an awesome experience, especially the ability to not only see into Club 33 but also Walt's apartment. Oh and you get a pin as a souvineer that is as my son put "the coolest pin ever"

 

[aidensmom31]

Thanks for the advice I've looked into the tours and the only one that looks like something i'd really be interested in doing is the Walking in Walt's Footsteps tour! But i've got to see if we have time to fit it in!

We are staying on property so we will have early entry to both parks which we plan to use and we are also planning to hit all the rides in the morning and rest in the afternoon - i've noticed the tour is at 9:30 so i'm think we could possible do it on our last day and with early entry hit a few of our favorites again before the tour! Your right though - it's much more affordable than I thought it would be!

When we did the tour we were staying onsite too....I think I picked up my tickets for the day before or that morning right at normal park opening (after riding like 7 or 8 rides during our EE hour) then went and rode a few more before checking in for our tour at 915am. It really was doable with EE to get rides in before. Then we did the tour, ate lunch at the end, went back for a rest at the hotel and then came back early evening and got a bunch of other stuff done. It was so much fun.

 

[aidensmom31]

I have been periodically looking up other hotels and checking rates just to see if I could get a better deal....and today I did. Switch from BWPPI to BW Plus Stovalls and saved over $500 (this includes if we choose to buy ART passes). ART picks up and drops off right at the hotel so if we decide the walk is too much for us (which I dont think will be an issue as we have walked farther) then we can use it. I love saving money!!!

 

[aidensmom31]

Update coming soon....got to add some things

 

[aidensmom31]

UPDATED December 24, 2013 - I get off work at 600am (I work graveyard shift the night before). I plan on having everything packed before this so it will all be ready to go. My parents are watching the kiddo and will have him up getting ready by the time I get off. I will take a quick shower and change then my dad is driving us out to PDX. We will check in, drop our bags off, grab some breakfast and get throw security. Depending on how long it takes to get this done (we are flying Jet Blue and I paid extra for the more leg room seats that comes with the ability to go through the 1st class line at security) we will have some time to just hang out, my son will play with his Kindle Fire and I will probably catch a quick nap next to him. Then we will grab some lunch to take on the plane. We depart at 1149am and arrive at Long Beach Airport at 204pm. Once we land we will grab out checked bags and take a luxury towncar (I decided since this was a special trip to go all out as much as I can and while I love using the shuttle wanted something a little more special and just us) to our hotel Best Western Stovalls Inn and Suites. We may be making a grocery stop on the way there too, just depends on what I decide to do. Either way by the time we get to the hotel it should be check in time Depending on when we get to check in we plan to decorate our room for Christmas and let me rest for a little while. Then it is off to the parks We have to activate our AP's, get our photopass plus card and just soak in the fact that we are in DISNEYLAND FOR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS We will have dinner at Cafe Orleans which has become a tradition for us, ride some rides and enjoy it all but probably not stay up too late.

December 25, 2013 - CHRISTMAS + DISNEYLAND = EXTREME HAPPINESS!! First, lunch at the Blue Bayou is a must on this day. And after going back and forth we decided that we are going to do the Holiday Tour today. We are going to do the one that gets us the seats at the second showing of the parade as we LOVE the parade at night.

December 26, 2013 – We have changed our plans here and are doing Ariel’s Grotto Princess Lunch for me.

December 27, 2013 - 1st Character Meal, Breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel @ 700am. Discover the Magic Tour (my son really wants to do this and this will be the last year that I think it will be for him).

December 28, 2013 - For this day I have reserved a premium tour with Mouse Expeditions . I know some people like them and some don’t but for me it really is ideal. This way I can have one day where I don’t have to run for FP's with my son, since it is only me and him we have no runner any other day, we always have to do it together. I would totally do a VIP tour through Disney but I just don’t have that kind of money at this time. They will also be holding my spot for the fireworks and possibly the afternoon parade depending on if we feel like seeing it then. Also have lunch reservation for Carnation Café @ around 1200pm.

December 29, 2013 – This will be a fairly open day for us. We plan to do lunch at Rainforest Café because I have a gift card for it. Also we have decided to do our Fantasmic Dessert seating for the first show this evening.

December 30, 2013 - Second Character Meal Surf's Up with Mickey at the Paradise Pier Hotel @ 700am. Another tour, my son has decided we should knock them all off our to do list so we are doing Cultivating the Magic @ 1000am. Also plan to do the BTMRR BBQ dinner @ 600pm.

December 31, 2013 - Third Character Meal Minnie & Friends at the Plaza Inn @ 710am. Based on how busy it was when we were at Disneyland in 2011 I am figuring that by 600pm my son and I will have done what we want to and will most likely head out of the park for our fourth Character Meal Goofy's Kitchen dinner. We will take our time and enjoy what characters we can, then hit DTD and then most likely call it an early night. We would just rather be in the parks the next morning then sleeping because we were up so late.

January 1, 2014 – This is probably one of the biggest changes to our trip. We plan to hit the parks till 1100am and then we are heading off to HOLLYWOOD. We are going to eat at the Disney Soda Fountain, visit the Walk of Fame, El Capitan Theatre (possibly see a movie here depending on what is out at the time), Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, and Madame Tussauds. Then head back to DTD for dinner at Tortilla Jo’s and maybe some more park time.

January 2, 2014 - Lunch @ Carthay Circle which will give us our WOC tickets and we are hoping for the first showing.

January 3, 2014 – Actually this is the biggest change to our itinerary and probably our only day we will not see the inside of a Disney park (unless we are not that tired and decide to hit the park for a couple hours before closing) because we are going to UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD. But wait……we are going as VIPS. I am surprising my son with the VIP Experience.

January 4, 2014 – Last park day! Lunch at Café Orleans which is tradition and then just as many rides as we can stand.

January 5, 2014 – I changed our flight day and we fly out @ 845am so it will be a very early morning. We get home around 1105am and then I will be taking a nap because I work at 800pm that night. I know, eww, but I couldn’t resist the extra hours at the parks it got me.

 

[Morgan063006]

Just joined in, sounds like such a special trip! We're also near Portland and 1/2 our group is flying out of PDX while my immediate family is driving (wish me luck with a 1 and 4 year old). We too are staying at the BW Stovall's Inn from 9/24-9/29. We had planned a Christmas time trip but moved it up due to my dads cancer and wanting to be certain he could go while still healthy enough to enjoy!

 

[aidensmom31]

Just joined in, sounds like such a special trip! We're also near Portland and 1/2 our group is flying out of PDX while my immediate family is driving (wish me luck with a 1 and 4 year old). We too are staying at the BW Stovall's Inn from 9/24-9/29. We had planned a Christmas time trip but moved it up due to my dads cancer and wanting to be certain he could go while still healthy enough to enjoy!

Thank you...it is pretty special...its not our first time or anything but it is the last time I get to pay child prices for him So I may have decided to do a lot of extras due to this or at least that is my reasoning. I decided to stay longer and do more extras and stay offsite instead of stay onsite with less days and less extras. For me and my son this time is about doing a bunch of fun stuff and not so much about our hotel being disneyfied (yup made that one up ). However we are bringing our own stuff to make our hotel room more disney.

Christmas is a great time but I agree, it is more important to have everyone able to enjoy it....I am so happy your dad is able to do this while dealing with health issues. Cancer is evil and he will be in my prayers. Cant wait to hear how your trip went, hoping you have lots of Disney magic

 

[aidensmom31]

99 days!!!!!!

 

[mrsw94]

(Outside cover of the book)

My son and I have been during the Holiday season before and knew we would be seeing lots of crowds so we decided that we wanted to find something that we could do in the park but that would not require us to stand in long lines. I searched the internet for ideas and found these instructions to a scavenger hunt. I am not a super crafty person but it seemed simple enough, so I started doing research for questions and quests. Read several books, looked online, went through past trip stuff then created all the pages and took it to Office Depot to have them laminate the cover and bind it. All together it cost me maybe $10 .


(Inside the book)

I did one question per page so that there was space to write the answer, attach items collected and put pictures.

Where did you find your trivia info? I LOVE this idea!!