Snow-Wigd and the Christmas Elves, a December pre-trip!

[wigdoutdismom]

I hadn't even thought about buying resale. I need to look into that.
Any suggestions on home resorts? /quote]
Disney will offer you a deal, like enough points for an extra stay, in our case they were developer points. It sounds great at the time but the deals out there with resale will get you more points in the long run for every year that you are a member... Does that make sense? You can go on a wait list to buy sold out resorts from Disney and I think you will pay about $103 per point. Buy that same resort on re-sale and you could be looking at around $88 per point.
We have stayed at Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, and Beach Club so far. In my opinion it's all about location. Saratoga Springs is very close to DTD. Old Key West is just a boat ride away from DTD. Beach Club is a less than 5 minute walk from World Showcase and a 15 minute walk to the Studios. It's a much smaller resort and we like that. Also staying at Beach Club has somthing that you can't get elsewhere and can't use if you aren't a guest, Storm Along Bay. It's awesome! One more plus to the Beach Club is that the Boardwalk is just a short stroll and a fun place to spend an hour or two.
We have not stayed at Kidani yet but I know we are going to enjoy it very much. I'll imagine though we will continue to love our Beach Club home the best. The great thing is that we haven't stayed at a DVC resort that we haven't really liked a lot! They are all very nice.

It's so exciting that you get to actually be there for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. You're going to have such a great time!

We can't wait! I'll bet we are elbow to elbow to people though, don't you think it will be packed?

I'm so glad you now have a FES-free home, Anita. I'm mad at that little twit for taking what could have been an awesome experience for Baylor and ruining it.

You know, Baylor has asked it we could try it again next year......
I almost choked, NO couldn't have flown out of my mouth faster.

Good luck with your Christmas Eve restaurant decision. I don't know. I think Biergarten is a fun place to eat and there's no country more "Christmasy" than Germany. The food didn't "wow" but I thought there was quite a lot of variety, even for picky diners. Granted, this was a few years ago, but I remember buttered noodles and sausages going over well with my girls.

Of all the choices we have from the bottom two tiers Biergarten is my first pick. I'm going to have the girls take a look at the menu. Then we will talk it over with Baylor to make sure he is happy.

Nine Dragons could be a nice choice also. Do the waiters sing, "Deck the Halls?"

Oh. it's so hard to make everyone in the group happy, isn't it? Good luck with your ADR decision! Chinese for Christmas dinner sounds very memorable!

I know, it's probably impossible to make everyone happy, but it's also impossible not to at least try. So we shall see....

Okay, you always choose MDs, but any other time I ask you to choose you won't....

I think she will be a darling goth Alice, kind of like a Tim Burton character....

I thought I would supply a few examples and the last dress is actually for sale on ebay for $170.00 + shipping!

That is a darling dress, really it is!

Yikes!!! Why can't my little girl just go for the traditional Disney Alice???

Hmmmm, well, I'm thinking the goth Alice is going to be very cool...... Chelsea is at that very cool age, especially when dressing up for Halloween. Embrace it Jackie! I can't wait to see the pictures!

Glad to hear the move with the FES went smoothly and you have your home back to normal.

It's such a good feeling and we have had so much fun this weekend!

That is sooooo funny! Avoid Red Rider BB Guns, lamps that look like legs, and fuzzy bunny pajamas and you should be ok...

I'm looking forward to hearing if you able to snag LeCellier. That would be my complete ideal place if my pocketbook agreed!! YUM!

The LeCellier would have cost us $52 per person, besides we have another meal there earlier in the trip. They also offer the package with R&C but we have an evening ADR there hoping to catch Illuminations from the patio.
Right now I'm thinking that we are going to be at Biergarten if we can find something for Baylor to eat on the buffet.

 

[Native NYer]

It'll be crowded, but it's Disney at Christmas. You'll have a good time no matter what

Love the Alice costumes. Now I'm rethinking the Disney costume I ordered

 

[wigdoutdismom]

It'll be crowded, but it's Disney at Christmas. You'll have a good time no matter what

Love the Alice costumes. Now I'm rethinking the Disney costume I ordered

We will have fun, it's our first time with a stroller so I'm just a bit worried getting it through the crowds.
That Alice dress on ebay is just perfect!

 

[jillyb]

Hey Jackie...what about this one?

http://www.costumeexpress.com/Alice-Tween-Costume/62245/ProductDetail.aspx

Or maybe you can get her to be the Mad Hatter!

http://www.costumeexpress.com/Mad-Hatter-Pre-Teen-Costume/32752/ProductDetail.aspx

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Hey Jackie...what about this one?

http://www.costumeexpress.com/Alice-Tween-Costume/62245/ProductDetail.aspx

Or maybe you can get her to be the Mad Hatter!

Jilly that Alice costume is pretty cute!

 

[shannn]

Hey Jackie...what about this one?

http://www.costumeexpress.com/Alice-Tween-Costume/62245/ProductDetail.aspx

Oooooo... I like that one!

 

[vamassey1]

We did Biergarten on our June trip. For me it was just okay. I'm glad I've done it but I don't think I'll repeat it. The girls had trouble finding stuff they liked, but we did enjoy the entertainment.

I ordered Danielle a costume from the place Jilly mentioned. I'm waiting for it to come in. She's going to be the pink Ninja.

 

[Wrexie]

Christmas at Disney sounds like so much fun! I've never been to the Biergarten and won't end up trying it when I'm there in January, because buffets=bad idea for my will power.

However, it sounds like an awesome choice for Christmas, because I'm betting they'll have a live "oompah" band playing Christmas music and that will make things so festive. Buffets are always fun at the holidays too--you can relax and eat as much as you want and have seconds on the things you like the best.

I've been to the Hoffbrauhaus in Munich-- http://www.hofbraeuhaus.de/en/index_en.html -- which is the quintessential biergarten. The beer there comes in liter mugs! We were horribly jetlagged, but my husband and I somehow managed to drink two liters each. I'm still not sure how we did that and walked back to our hotel, but I remember feeling better than I had felt all day!

While I don't recommend drinking two liters of beer on a family vacation, Christmas in a biergarten sounds awfully fun!

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Oooooo... I like that one!

I wish I could dress up as Alice and not look like a fool.....

Christmas at Disney sounds like so much fun! I've never been to the Biergarten and won't end up trying it when I'm there in January, because buffets=bad idea for my will power.

If I were taking off the pounds I'd be wary of the buffets too!

However, it sounds like an awesome choice for Christmas, because I'm betting they'll have a live "oompah" band playing Christmas music and that will make things so festive. Buffets are always fun at the holidays too--you can relax and eat as much as you want and have seconds on the things you like the best.

I do think it will be very festive there, my wish would be to get a good table and everyone find something to eat that they enjoyed.

I've been to the Hoffbrauhaus in Munich-- http://www.hofbraeuhaus.de/en/index_en.html -- which is the quintessential biergarten. The beer there comes in liter mugs! We were horribly jetlagged, but my husband and I somehow managed to drink two liters each. I'm still not sure how we did that and walked back to our hotel, but I remember feeling better than I had felt all day!

That looked like a very cool place to go! I can't believe you were able to walk back to your hotel, are you sure they didn't carry you?

While I don't recommend drinking two liters of beer on a family vacation, Christmas in a biergarten sounds awfully fun!

No, there will be no two liter beer drinking, for me anyway!

 

[Happydog]

Hey I saw your note about the stroller -- if I could manage it on the 4th of July I am sure it will be fine. Actually helps you move through crowds! Not like you are running over people, but it helps "forge the path!" I am thinking we will bring ours ONE more time... Or at least the single. I found it peace of mind in crowds. I knew where they were...

 

[Charleston Princess]

Cute Alice costumes! I showed them to Chelsea, but she said one of her friends is now going to be Goth Alice after Chelsea talked about it. I like the Mad Hatter one, too, but it isn't in Chelsea's size.

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Hey I saw your note about the stroller -- if I could manage it on the 4th of July I am sure it will be fine. Actually helps you move through crowds! Not like you are running over people, but it helps "forge the path!" I am thinking we will bring ours ONE more time... Or at least the single. I found it peace of mind in crowds. I knew where they were...

Thanks, that makes me feel much better about pushing one, but I have no idea how well Harper will ride in it with so many people around. This is going to be very interesting....

Cute Alice costumes! I showed them to Chelsea, but she said one of her friends is now going to be Goth Alice after Chelsea talked about it. I like the Mad Hatter one, too, but it isn't in Chelsea's size.

Her friend stole her idea, now that's just wrong.....

 

[Charleston Princess]

Her friend stole her idea, now that's just wrong.....

I think so, too. I told her that whatever she thinks up next not to say anything to anybody.

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Boy talk about lesson learned.... I'm sure she will think of something else but that was such a cute idea....

 

[Lady Lallie]

Why are girls so mean to each other!?! Ugh! You couldn't pay me a million dollars to go back to that age.

 

[Charleston Princess]

Why are girls so mean to each other!?! Ugh! You couldn't pay me a million dollars to go back to that age.

Me neither. Mean, mean, mean. I was miserable my 7th grade year.

 

[Lady Lallie]

Me neither. Mean, mean, mean. I was miserable my 7th grade year.

Middle school was not fun but my senior year was worse. UGH. I couldn't graduate fast enough that year let me tell you.

 

[wigdoutdismom]

My memories of Jr. High were not the best either. Such a tough time to get through. Jackie, you must see it every day with your age group.

 

[Happydog]

High School isn't much better!!! But she could always be a BETTER Goth Alice.....

 

[wigdoutdismom]

Actually I'm thinking that her little friend needs to have her hair pulled,just a tad, but not by Chelsea......
OH and I didn't just say that.......