Prove that you are a DEC. itinerary expert!

[cheerbop]

Here is a ROUGH draft of my Dec 11-18 itinerary.

Me DH, DS (8), DS (21 months-still napping)
staying at GF

Sunday-arrive to rooms by 4pm, MGM ONLY for Prime Time dinner and Osborne lights during Fantasmic

Monday-Epcot AM; rest; MGM parade and Fantasmic dining pkg

Tuesday-MK AM; rest; Epcot for CP dining pkg and Illuminations

Wednesday-AK AM; rest; MK for afternoon parade and dinner, Spectro, Wishes

Thursday-rest/easy; MVMCP with LTT ADRs at 5:30

Friday-rest/easy; Epcot

Saturday-MGM; rest; MK, Spectro and Wishes again????

Sunday-pack and breakfst in Crystal palace or Chef Mickeys or something; depart for airport at 12noonish

Sooo....I am open for suggestions!

Anyone?!

Thanks!

 

[marj70]

I am for sure not an expert, but just noticed we are going the EXACT same times, Sun the 11th-Sun the 18th, doing MVMCP on Tuesday.

 

[cheerbop]

I am for sure not an expert, but just noticed we are going the EXACT same times, Sun the 11th-Sun the 18th, doing MVMCP on Tuesday.

I am soooo excited. So, what is your itinerary? What things for the evening are you planning?

 

[marj70]

I'm so glad you asked! I wanted to say but didn't want to hijack your thread! I will be with my husband and son, who has autism and turns 4 in October. We went two years ago at this same time of year and fell in love with Disney in early December! Great weather, small crowds and beautiful decorations. We are staying at Shades of Green (can't beat $99 a night!), although I would switch to AKL if a great code or free dining came back. I would love that dining plan! All ADRs are "I hopes", but I do have a long list of backups since we can't do the 90 + 10 thing. The passes we get through SoG are a little different from the MYW ones and include the plus options.

11, Sun: drive to Orlando and check in (we live about 3.5 hours away), buy Stars & Stripes passes. Head to Epcot WS, get Guest Assistance card for son JUST IN CASE, rent stroller for the week. Hopefully dinner at Alfredo's (if not we will try to get lunch there--I'm worried that with the CP ressies will be tough, a late lunch might be easier to get). Stay for Illuminations if DS can stay up.

12, Mon: MGM Lunch at SciFi (DS adores cars), back to hotel for nap. Back to MGM, plan to grab dinner on the way to Fantasmic, eat during wait.

13 Tues: morning at MK, leave after early lunch. Naps, then back to LTT for dinner and MVMCP (need to change ADRs to earlier, if not will try to switch as ours are too late at 6:35)

14 Wed: AK when we get up and out (DS wakes up at the same time every morning no matter how late he is out, but will need long and early nap). Leave AK after lunch for naps. Dinner at O'Hana, I was hoping to see Wishes and the EWP if it is running from the beach after dinner.

15 Thurs: MK early dinner at CRT, or lunch if we can get it. DH wants to see inside the castle! Early evening (MK closes early this day).

16 Friday: Epcot, FW possible lunch at Coral Reef, naps in the afternoon for everyone. Hiring Fairy Godmother sitter (we always use them, they are great with special needs kids), date night at Pleasure Island, dinner at House of Blues (DH choice).

17 Sat: free day, want to revisit whichever park DS likes best, do a waterpark if weather happens to be warm enough. Would love to try Boma maybe this night...?

18 Sun: MK, lunch at Crystal Palace. Head for home probably around 3.

I'm also grateful for any suggestions. I just noticed I'm not doing much park hopping, but if son is able to stay up later we may go back to the parks for evening activities.

Sorry for the long thread-steal!!

 

[mickeysaver]

Well, we are there from 12/11 to 12/17 and our itinerary is below. Have fun planning! Maggie

December 8, 2005 Thursday
Drive to Savannah
Dinner at Paula Deen's restaurant aka The Lady & Son's
Check into hotel

December 9, 2005 Friday
Drive to Orange City, FL
Check into hotel

December 10, 2005 Saturday
Spend the day with Gabby's Family

December 11, 2005 Sunday
Drive to WDW!
Shop at Downtown Disney
Lunch at RFC
Check into Coronado Springs Resort
Gather Gabby's family at our resort by 3:00pm
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

December 12, 2005 Monday
Sleep Late
Disney MGM Studios
Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights

December 13, 2005 Tuesday
Disney MGM Studios for Extra Magic Hours
Stop at Kona Cafe for Coffee
Magic Kingdom
See Scoop's Pin Talk at 1 pm (fingers crossed that I might get a CTT pin)
Lunch at Pecos Bill's
Pleasure Island
Comedy Warehouse
Dinner at Raglan Road

December 14, 2005 Wednesday
Animal Kingdom
Stop at Kona Cafe for Coffee
Magic Kingdom for evening Extra Magic Hours
Wishes!

December 15, 2005 Thursday
Chef Mickey's for breakfast
Stop at Kona Cafe for Coffee
Epcot
See Santa's and Storytellers
Tree Lighting Ceremony @ 6pm
Illuminations! @ 9:30pm

December 16, 2005 Friday
Magic Kingdom for Extra Magic Hour
Stop at Kona Cafe for Coffee
Epcot
Pin Trading Night @ Contemporary Resort from 7:00 to 10:00 pm

December 17, 2005 Saturday
Drive Home

 

[ccgegg]

Well, our trip is Dec 11-16 and I feel pretty good about my itin after reading all of yours.....

Sun, 12/11-- Early check-in at BWV and walk to Epcot-- Do CP dinner pkg (4:30 dinner at LeCellier and 6:45 CP)-- Maybe try Illuminations, but not likely due to early flight

Mon, 12/12-- MGM all day, then take boat to Epcot for Illuminations

Tue, 12/13-- MK all day-- LTT dinner-- MVMCP at night

Wed, 12/14-- AK in the morning-- Lunch at Flame Tree-- bus to Epcot for afternoon-- monorail to MK for Spectro and EMH

Thu, 12/15-- MK all day-- Dinner at Ohana's-- Bus to Downtown Disney (hot fudge sundae at Ghirardelli's)

Fri, 12/16-- Epcot with PSB lunch and head out around 1:45pm to catch our flight

Looks like we have very similar planning strategies. Now shhhh, don't tell anyone else.

 

[billsfan]

I'll be joining y'all there that week also. I can't wait!!!

Sat 12-10
Arrive @ MCO in am
ME to GF
Dinner at Kona Cafe
MK for Wishes and Spectro

Sun 12-11
EPCOT all day
CP @ 6:45
Dinner @ Teppanyaki
Illuminations

Mon 12-12
AK all Day
Dinner @ Chef Mickey's
watch EWP this night

Tues 12-13
Breakfast @ Whispering Canyon
DTD
BC/YC and Boardwalk
Dinner @ Spoodles

Wed 12-14
MGM all day
Lunch @ 50's PTC
Fantasmic!
Osbourne Lights

Thur 12-15
MK all day
Dinner @ Concourse Steakhouse
MVMCP

Friday 12-16
Keys to the Kingdom tour @ MK
Dinner @ Narcoossee's
Cirque de Soleil

Sat 12-17
Breakfast @ Boma
Fly Home

I tried on our trip to schedule a meal at each one of the deluxe resorts so we could look at the decorations for that resort.

 

[billsfan]

cheerbop
I think you should try to fit going to the Boardwalk sometime in you vacation. Mabey Friday before you go to Epcot take the monorail to MK and then bus it to the Boardwalk and try one of the resturants there. We always enjoy going to the Boardwalk when we go to Disney.

 

[cheerbop]

cheerbop
I think you should try to fit going to the Boardwalk sometime in you vacation. Mabey Friday before you go to Epcot take the monorail to MK and then bus it to the Boardwalk and try one of the resturants there. We always enjoy going to the Boardwalk when we go to Disney.

Thanks..I will heed (sp?) your advice. Never been to the Boardwalk.

I am getting so excited just planning..can't wait to get there

 

[angietuck2]

Excellent choice for Disney at Christmas !!!! Beautiful. MK has wonderful shows (Christmas) Parades and snowing on main street .

Just had to say, that if you have sons (still learning the lingo -- DS) ESPN club at Boardwalk is awesome. A favorite of my two boys and husband.

Also, if coming from out of state watch the weather, SOMETIMES it can get kind of cold here.

Have soooo much fun, we will be at Wilderness Lodge Villas 12/19 - 12/22 and can't wait There is TRULY something MAGICAL about Disney at Christmas.

Also the CP and Fantasmic are AWESOME !!! choices. And the fantasmic dinner package is the way to go.

 

[ccgegg]

Sun, 12/11-- Early check-in at BWV and walk to Epcot-- Do CP dinner pkg (4:30 dinner at LeCellier and 6:45 CP)-- Maybe try Illuminations, but not likely due to early flight

Mon, 12/12-- MGM all day, Osborne Lights at 6pm, then take boat to Epcot for Illuminations

Tue, 12/13-- MK all day-- LTT dinner-- MVMCP at night

Wed, 12/14-- AK in the morning-- Lunch at Flame Tree-- bus to Epcot for afternoon-- monorail to MK for Spectro and EMH

Thu, 12/15-- MK all day-- Dinner at Ohana's-- Bus to Downtown Disney (hot fudge sundae at Ghirardelli's)

Fri, 12/16-- Epcot with PSB lunch and head out around 1:45pm to catch our flight

Maybe one of my fellow mid-Dec DISers can help me figure out how to see the Epcot tree lighting ceremony at 6:00pm. Travelling with DD5, DS2. We have a 7:30 flight Sunday morning, so I can't push our CP back. On Monday, Osborne Lights conflict with the Tree lighting. Tue is MVMCP. On Wed, I'm assuming Spectro will conflict with the Tree lighting. Thu looks like the only opportunity, but we're doing MK that day (closes at 6pm), then dinner at Ohana's (which we REALLY want to try). Not sure where we'd fit a 6pm visit to Epcot in. Any advice?

 

[Viki]

To the OP: the one thing I think you're missing is a trip to DD. I hear it's all decked out, with traveling carolers. Also, have you thought about visiting any of the resorts to see how they are decorated?

 

[hockey mom]

Looks like a few of us will be there the same week.

For us- Dec. 10th to 17th-

Saturday- arrive early- DD for shopping and tour resort decorations

Sunday and Monday- Universal

Monday night- Sleigh ride at WL

Tuesday- MVMCP- Lunch at Fort Wilderness

Wednesday- MGM- Fantasmic then osborne lights

Thursday- Epcot- Tree lighting at 6- dinner at 6:30- last show of CP and hopefully Illuminations.

Friday- AK- then Concourse steakhouse for dinner and pin trading at Contemporary. See you there Mickeysaver.

Sat- home

 

[Viki]

Monday night- Sleigh ride at WL

OK, that's a new one on me! What is it and how do you get it???

 

[hockey mom]

OK, that's a new one on me! What is it and how do you get it???

It is a horse drawn sleigh ride from the WL. The cost is $30. I can't remember how long the ride is- I think around an hour. The sleigh will hold a total of 5- 3 adults and 2 kids.

If you do a search on this you will find more info.

 

[Viki]

It is a horse drawn sleigh ride from the WL. The cost is $30. I can't remember how long the ride is- I think around an hour. The sleigh will hold a total of 5- 3 adults and 2 kids.

If you do a search on this you will find more info.

Thank you, I will!

BTW- is anyone else experiencing technical difficulties with the Disboards today (ie images not showing up, broken images when you try to add icons, connections between links not working)?

 

[keishashadow]

Not to be a wet blanket, but in Feb I couldn't secure res that we wanted at a few popular locations (Yaughtsman, CRT, H&V Fantasmic Pkg). We had to adjust our schedules as to available times, the early/late dinner slots were filled to capacity. For our upcoming trip, the only LTT res we could secure for MVMCP 12/13 was 5:30 p.m. It seems that the MYW Dining pkgs are making obtaining prime PS more difficult.

 

[goodeats]

December 10-17 Wilderness Lodge Just me (27) and my 24 year old sister. Will use Magical Express. Last trip in September 2002.

December 10 - arrive from red eye, will pre-check in, possibly unpack then go to AK for a couple of hours. Nap to follow! ADR-California Grill 7:00 pm

December 11-MK at opening, ADR-Crystal Palace 10:30. Rest/Break Epcot ADR - Chefs De France 6:00 pm followed by Illuminations

December 12 - MGM CS lunch possibly over to Epcot ADR - Artist Point 6:00 pm then Downtown Disney/Pleasure Island

December 13th - Sleep in! Open day/no parks Tour monorail hotels/boat/swim ADR 4:30 or 5 at Kona Cafe then MVMCP!

December 14th - Sleep in! ADR Boma 10:00 then water park. If too cold then shopping at DTD and resort touring. Dinner to be pizza in room

December 15th - Epcot all day, 6:45 CP Package with 8:00ish ADR at Le Cellier

December 16th - Magic Kingdom, 1:30 ADR at LTT, MGM for Osborne Lights, Open dinner

December 17th - Breakfast at Kona and open day until leave for 6:30 flight

Granted these times are all 'hopeful' as the only thing we have in stone right now is the MVMCP tickets. But I'll be on the phone early on August 15th and September 11 (my 90 day mark).

So it looks like we'll be missing the tree lighting. Do you think this is something two 20somethings would like, or is it geared more towards children? We aren't all that into the shows, we will be skipping Fantasmic as we didn't care for it last time (we're from CA and think the DL is much better) but want to see Illuminations and the entertainment at MVMCP. I figure the lights we'll be on all night, so why see a tree lighting? Please let me know if it's something spectacular.

My plan is to buy 7 day park hoppers since they aren't much more than the 5 day. If we have leftover days than I may buy the non-expiring, but since weather in December is so up in the air I'd rather have the extra days as options. If it is warm enought for a water park then we'll buy the 'Plus Pack' and use it for the water park and PI.

Let me know if I'm missing anything!

 

[cheerbop]

OH man!

I didn't even remember about the sleigh ride and the Christmas Tree Lighting at Epcot! ARGH!

Where to put it in?!?! Is it only Epcot that has this or do all the parks have a tree lighting?

I am planning on going to DTD on maybe Friday day time before Epcot in eve...this is in response to someone's suggestion...THANKS!

 

[mermaidlagoon]

Yeah Im with the rest of you doing my best to try to plan this trip during the summer kids vacation. We are staying Poly 14to 19 and beach club 19 to 28 I agree ,if you dont make ressies now you will miss out alot and waste time. We have an 8yr old dd and a 22 yr old son with Downs syndrome. I have 3 main questions I cant seem to find answers for , please help. 1) I need to confirm parade times and tree lighting times at all parks so we can make dinner ressies 2) Is it in any way possible to make lunch ressies for Candlelight package, my son eats very slowly , lets just say he enjoys dining...we went last year to Akershus and dh left 1 hour early to get in line yet we still sat way in back, the dinner seating did not start until 4:45...so im thinking buffet at Germany? 3) my daughters birthday is Dec 26! Im hoping for something at a resort or Epcot or downtown Disney. other than princess storybook at Epcot?????