MinnieDaisy
Minnie Fangirl
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2013
- Messages
- 78
We're going to Disney for Christmas!!! This is our second trip, so we're eminently qualified to deal with peak pricing, holiday crowds, capacity closing, FP+ and Magic Band madness, right???
Our trip dates are: December 22-26, POFQ and December 26-27, Universal
We are:
Me, Suzanne, mom to Jonah and wife to Eddie. I recently went back to work in the Prospective Students Office at the college my husband and I have both worked at for over 10 years, after being a SAHM to Jonah.
My Faves
Park: Epcot
Movies: The Little Mermaid, Beauty & The Beast, Toy Story, Mulan, The Lion King
Characters: Minnie, Daisy, The Evil Queen, Belle, Aladdin
Eddie, college professor, too tall for a Stormtrooper and my husband of 20+ years. We'll be celebrating Eddie's birthday this trip (Dec 30) along the completion of his PhD coursework!
Eddie's Faves
Park: Magic Kingdom
Movies: Beauty & The Beast, Toy Story 3, The Lion King, Wall-E, Aladdin
Characters: Aladdin, Ursula, Goofy
Jonah, age 5 (pictured at age 3.5) huge fan of Lego Star Wars, the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Splash Mountain. Totally ready to wear matching embroidered t-shirts with his parents at the 'World.
Jonah's Faves
Park: Magic Kingdom
Movies: The Princess and the Frog, The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, Tangled, Wall-E
Characters: Tiana, Ariel, Peter Pan, Daisy Duck, Sofia (this will be subject to change in 30 minutes)
Our reason for traveling: Eddie and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary with our first trip to Disney World in May 2012. It was a short trip (necessitated short by a college administrator's 12 month contract -- no summer break for us!) and we skipped Animal Kingdom, most of the shows and almost all of the attractions at DHS (we arrived too late for Toy Story Mania and Jonah was too short then for many of the others). I really wanted to plan a do-over SOON, and a death in the family, some upheaval in our lives (Jonah starting kindergarten, going back to work for me) lead me to book a Christmas trip waaaaay back in January 2013.
Our plans: We're driving, leaving on Dec 20th from Oklahoma City and stopping in Memphis, TN to stay with family. Then on to Mobile, AL for lunch with friends, then stopping in Tallahassee, FL before driving to Downtown Disney for lunch, shopping and waiting for our room to be readied. We flew to FL during our spring 2012 trip, so we're looking forward to the road trip (we'll be spending time on our way back in Ft Walton Beach, FL, where my husband lived until he was 12).
Our May 2012 trip, we stay at the POFQ and visited the Magic Kingdom for two days, half a day at DHS and a day at Epcot. We were there during the Flower & Garden Expo at Epcot and it was gorgeous. We ate at the ABC Commissary (won't make that mistake again, LOL), The Crystal Palace, 'Ohana, The Rose & Crown, Chef Mickey's, Casey's Corner, Earl of Sandwich and Wolfgang Puck Express.
This trip, we have the following plans:
Dec 22
Lunch: T-Rex in DTD
Shopping (including new earhats for the 3 of us)
Checking into POFQ
Late arrival at MK
FP+ for The Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear
Dinner: Be Our Guest
Characters: The Frontierland Hoedown because Eddie and Jonah are obsessed with finding Clarabel Cow
Dec 23
Rope drop at DHS (rope drop is no big deal for us; Jonah's a natural early riser and I grew up on a farm and Eddie grew up in a military household).
Sign-ups for The Jedi Academy
Lunch: Mama Melrose (Fantasmic! package)
FP+ for Toy Story Mania, Star Tours, Tower of Terror
Dinner: Sci-Fi
Fantasmic!
Characters: Sofia the First (we're hitting Disney Jr Live which was a big hit for Jonah last year)
Dec 24
Rope drop the Animal Kingdom
Breakfast: Tusker House
FP+ Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safaris, FOLK (I realize FOLK probably doesn't need a FP even on Christmas Eve, but it's not like I can get 2 for EE)
Lunch: Snack credit
Characters: Pocahantas for me, Baloo for Eddie and Safari Daisy for Jonah
Leaving early after FOLK
Touring monorail resorts for decorations
Nap
Dinner: Yachtsman Steakhouse (Jonah's going the Sandcastle Club at the Beach Club Resort)
Dessert: Beaches and Cream after we pick up Jonah
Dec 25
Open stockings
Pre-rope drop Epcot
Breakfast: Akershus
FP+ Soarin', Test Track, Mission: Space (I *randomly* booked our FP+ the DAY before the Epcot tiers were introduced -- I never got an email from WDW that we were eligible for FP+, I just kept checking)
Lunch: Snack Credit
Los Tres Reyes and possible other Christmas storytellers
Dinner: The Garden Grill (CP package)
Candlelight Processional with Steven Curtis Chapman
Illuminations
Characters: Chip'n'Dale, Jasmine and Aladdin, all the princesses at Akershus
Dec 26
Rope drop at Magic Kingdom
Breakfast: Snack credit
Rope drop most of Fantasyland
FP+ Enchanted Tales with Belle, Splash Mountain, hopefully Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime parade (FP+ not avail for Dec parades yet)
Lunch: Liberty Tree Tavern
Afternoon relaxing at Tom Sawyer's Island
Dinner: Cinderella's Royal Table
Characters: All the remaining princesses (except maybe Rapunzel, will depend on the line) stalking Tiana who is Jonah's favorite.
Dessert: Fireworks Dessert Party
Checking out and heading to Universal's partner hotel, the Comfort Inn and Suites Orlando
Dec 27
Islands of Adventure
Early entry to Wizarding World of Harry Potter (came with package)
Butterbeer
Buy a wand
Ride Forbidden Journey with child swap
Suess Landing as long as Jonah enjoys it
Eventually ride Spiderman with child swap
Buy a scarf from each house of Hogwarts
More Butterbeer
Ride Forbidden Journey again
Cry as we leave.
Dec 28-29
Drive home to Oklahoma, stopping in Ft Walton Beach, stopping Atlanta to celebrate Eddie's bday with friends, stopping in Little Rock to visit the Clinton library because we are giant NERDS.
Things to be thankful for:
And now...we wait! 39 days and counting!!
Our trip dates are: December 22-26, POFQ and December 26-27, Universal
We are:
Me, Suzanne, mom to Jonah and wife to Eddie. I recently went back to work in the Prospective Students Office at the college my husband and I have both worked at for over 10 years, after being a SAHM to Jonah.
My Faves
Park: Epcot
Movies: The Little Mermaid, Beauty & The Beast, Toy Story, Mulan, The Lion King
Characters: Minnie, Daisy, The Evil Queen, Belle, Aladdin
Eddie, college professor, too tall for a Stormtrooper and my husband of 20+ years. We'll be celebrating Eddie's birthday this trip (Dec 30) along the completion of his PhD coursework!
Eddie's Faves
Park: Magic Kingdom
Movies: Beauty & The Beast, Toy Story 3, The Lion King, Wall-E, Aladdin
Characters: Aladdin, Ursula, Goofy
Jonah, age 5 (pictured at age 3.5) huge fan of Lego Star Wars, the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Splash Mountain. Totally ready to wear matching embroidered t-shirts with his parents at the 'World.
Jonah's Faves
Park: Magic Kingdom
Movies: The Princess and the Frog, The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, Tangled, Wall-E
Characters: Tiana, Ariel, Peter Pan, Daisy Duck, Sofia (this will be subject to change in 30 minutes)
Our reason for traveling: Eddie and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary with our first trip to Disney World in May 2012. It was a short trip (necessitated short by a college administrator's 12 month contract -- no summer break for us!) and we skipped Animal Kingdom, most of the shows and almost all of the attractions at DHS (we arrived too late for Toy Story Mania and Jonah was too short then for many of the others). I really wanted to plan a do-over SOON, and a death in the family, some upheaval in our lives (Jonah starting kindergarten, going back to work for me) lead me to book a Christmas trip waaaaay back in January 2013.
Our plans: We're driving, leaving on Dec 20th from Oklahoma City and stopping in Memphis, TN to stay with family. Then on to Mobile, AL for lunch with friends, then stopping in Tallahassee, FL before driving to Downtown Disney for lunch, shopping and waiting for our room to be readied. We flew to FL during our spring 2012 trip, so we're looking forward to the road trip (we'll be spending time on our way back in Ft Walton Beach, FL, where my husband lived until he was 12).
Our May 2012 trip, we stay at the POFQ and visited the Magic Kingdom for two days, half a day at DHS and a day at Epcot. We were there during the Flower & Garden Expo at Epcot and it was gorgeous. We ate at the ABC Commissary (won't make that mistake again, LOL), The Crystal Palace, 'Ohana, The Rose & Crown, Chef Mickey's, Casey's Corner, Earl of Sandwich and Wolfgang Puck Express.
This trip, we have the following plans:
Dec 22
Lunch: T-Rex in DTD
Shopping (including new earhats for the 3 of us)
Checking into POFQ
Late arrival at MK
FP+ for The Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear
Dinner: Be Our Guest
Characters: The Frontierland Hoedown because Eddie and Jonah are obsessed with finding Clarabel Cow
Dec 23
Rope drop at DHS (rope drop is no big deal for us; Jonah's a natural early riser and I grew up on a farm and Eddie grew up in a military household).
Sign-ups for The Jedi Academy
Lunch: Mama Melrose (Fantasmic! package)
FP+ for Toy Story Mania, Star Tours, Tower of Terror
Dinner: Sci-Fi
Fantasmic!
Characters: Sofia the First (we're hitting Disney Jr Live which was a big hit for Jonah last year)
Dec 24
Rope drop the Animal Kingdom
Breakfast: Tusker House
FP+ Expedition Everest, Kilimanjaro Safaris, FOLK (I realize FOLK probably doesn't need a FP even on Christmas Eve, but it's not like I can get 2 for EE)
Lunch: Snack credit
Characters: Pocahantas for me, Baloo for Eddie and Safari Daisy for Jonah
Leaving early after FOLK
Touring monorail resorts for decorations
Nap
Dinner: Yachtsman Steakhouse (Jonah's going the Sandcastle Club at the Beach Club Resort)
Dessert: Beaches and Cream after we pick up Jonah
Dec 25
Open stockings
Pre-rope drop Epcot
Breakfast: Akershus
FP+ Soarin', Test Track, Mission: Space (I *randomly* booked our FP+ the DAY before the Epcot tiers were introduced -- I never got an email from WDW that we were eligible for FP+, I just kept checking)
Lunch: Snack Credit
Los Tres Reyes and possible other Christmas storytellers
Dinner: The Garden Grill (CP package)
Candlelight Processional with Steven Curtis Chapman
Illuminations
Characters: Chip'n'Dale, Jasmine and Aladdin, all the princesses at Akershus
Dec 26
Rope drop at Magic Kingdom
Breakfast: Snack credit
Rope drop most of Fantasyland
FP+ Enchanted Tales with Belle, Splash Mountain, hopefully Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime parade (FP+ not avail for Dec parades yet)
Lunch: Liberty Tree Tavern
Afternoon relaxing at Tom Sawyer's Island
Dinner: Cinderella's Royal Table
Characters: All the remaining princesses (except maybe Rapunzel, will depend on the line) stalking Tiana who is Jonah's favorite.
Dessert: Fireworks Dessert Party
Checking out and heading to Universal's partner hotel, the Comfort Inn and Suites Orlando
Dec 27
Islands of Adventure
Early entry to Wizarding World of Harry Potter (came with package)
Butterbeer
Buy a wand
Ride Forbidden Journey with child swap
Suess Landing as long as Jonah enjoys it
Eventually ride Spiderman with child swap
Buy a scarf from each house of Hogwarts
More Butterbeer
Ride Forbidden Journey again
Cry as we leave.
Dec 28-29
Drive home to Oklahoma, stopping in Ft Walton Beach, stopping Atlanta to celebrate Eddie's bday with friends, stopping in Little Rock to visit the Clinton library because we are giant NERDS.
Things to be thankful for:
- Being able to afford a Disney Christmas on educators' salaries
- A 5 year old boy who loves princesses and tea cups as much as he loves Star Wars and Splash Mt
- A Christmas bonus for *both* of us for the first time in 5 years, which meant new car for road trip!
- After 21 years of marriage, 15 years of infertility, and losing both of my parents, a family who loves Disney as much as I do!
And now...we wait! 39 days and counting!!
