So basically I've screwed up this trip!?!?

[disneydude365]

Yes don't fret! I went December 21, 2010 and it was glorious! Especially midnight and later- streets were almost completely empty in the last few hours. You will have an amazing time! Go in with that attitude and I promise you will find magic easier.

ETA: it sounds like you are celebrating a few things- stop by guest services or at hotel check in tell them and get a button to wear that says "I'm celebrating" or I think there's one that says celebrating a personal triumph.

I'll have to remember the button! Hopefully they will think everything's worth celebrating

 

[J and R's mom]

Congrats on the milestones you've reached!

Definitely get the button! They will GLADLY give it to you.

Awesome advice from fellow Disers on the past 4 pages.

Merchandise: We just returned from a stay at Bay Lake Towers (attached to the Contemporary). The Contemporary shops have most of the same seasonal merchandise that we found at the park stores. You might be able to buy everything you want before you even make it to MK.

Crowds: If the crowds wear you down in the afternoon, go back to the hotel for a couple of hours that evening and return later that night refreshed. I also read on another thread that the concierge desk at the hotel can help you with making some FP+ reservations, especially when they are more last-minute like yours might be.

Dining: I might have missed this while scanning all of the previous pages, but don't forget that Be Our Guest offers a FP for lunch now. It opens up for booking around 27 days out from the day you're wanting to book. (HERE IS A LINK). Assuming you choose this option, the system will pick a few random times for you. If you do not like those times, keep hitting the refresh button on your computer until it offers up a time you like. I'm not sure of the latest seating, but maybe somewhere around 2pm or 3pm would work for you. (ETA: just remember that the system will keep telling you there is no availability if you log on prior to the window opening. Don't get discouraged. It will open up for you around the last week of November.)

For other hard-to-get dining reservations, be sure to subscribe to THIS THREAD LINK. (Begin at the end of the thread for the most recent cancellations). ALSO, when searching for a dining reservation, search for at least a party of 2. You will have better luck. You can always call and cancel the "extra person" later if you need to.

Best wishes!

 

[Vernie822]

Great post ^^ very helpful!!

OP - I'm just here for moral support lol, everyone else has given you advice for all other aspects. I'm a positive thinker - so if you go into your trip thinking "Man, I'm only spending 10 hours in MK, I'm gonna miss out on so much.." you'll end up thinking that way the entire trip. Instead think of it as this.. "I am so lucky to be in WDW!! I get to go to the Magic Kingdom and ride all of my favorite rides!!"

Keep positive, and enjoy your time in WDW!!! It will be magical!!

 

[disneydude365]

ok so our holiday season was not so stellar, and this disney trip has been hit a few times during it

to start with my friend who's coming called me up and will be going skiing the week before the trip and decided to just fly down and meet us there, which I'm so grateful he's still going because i was scared he was bailing out to go ski when i first read the text, but he's gonna fly down then get a cab to the resort, leaving me to ride down all the 10 hour drive with mom and step dad

next bullet my mother has been arguing with my step dad horribly and something snapped her and she got really upset and hurt, she came out of her room announcing that she was no longer in the holiday spirit, and she was out of the disney trip. this hurt me on many levels top priority i didn't know how i could help her feel better or what was going wrong. secondly.. if she didn't go that would mean step dad would not go leaving me to drive 10 hours by myself which is not a good idea for anyone. so i was looking at airline tickets and was on the verge of tears as after buying id be out of almost all my budgeted money for shopping and splurging.

lastly
finally she came around and decided she would still go but she's made it clear if she's triggered again she'd want to go home then... I'm just like this is kinda not fair seeing how me and my friend have put so much money into this trip and its like every day a new bullet comes hurling at me. i wanna be there and just lose all my worries

I'm thinking that if worst comes to worst me and friend can stay and try to get plane tickets home. Seriously need some relief

 

[sndral]

If your friend is staying on property s/he can use DME from the airport to the hotel, no need to pay for a taxi, just call and arrange for it once your friend has their flight information.
Your mom is probably just feeling overwhelmed, a lot of people feel very anxious before a big trip and think about backing out - it's fear of the unknown mostly. Plus, everyone is in overdrive preparing for the holidays which adds more stress.
Usually once you are on your way or once you arrive the fear of the unknown disappears and things mellow out.

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

OK, breathe... Obviously not a skill taught at home (sympathy, not sarcasm) so let's do this together: Breathe in filling top, middle then bottom of lungs 'til you're about to burst - hold, 2, 3, 4; and slowly let the air out. Repeat at least twice.
Mom is not being fair, but I don't know if you have the power to do anything about that. Consider, during a moment of relative calm, saying something like; "Mom, I really am looking forward to this trip and your part in the trip for me. I ask that you please try very hard, regardless of step-dad, to be able to come on this trip for me. I will go regardless, but it will be a much better trip if you can join me." I don't know if that's the kind of request that would soften or anger your mom - you've got to figure out that one.
I find that driving from even farther away than 10 hours is shorter and less stressful than the process of flying. I realize that 10 hours on your own would be less than ideal; but if you can break up the drive or do other things to make the drive safely - do so. Don't give up because others are being difficult. We stop regularly on our drives to FL to stretch our legs and change the music/book-on-CD at rest areas along the drive. We also take ourselves a nice picnic lunch and try to find either a rest area with nice picnic tables or a city park not far off our route. Just ideas...
Finally, we aren't getting to MK 'til 6:30 p.m. on the 20th and we plan to have a great time. Our strategy is to enjoy some of the entertainment that is unique to the holidays or will have a holiday flair (Dapper Dans, Celebrate the Season, Frozen Holiday Wish) and we are going to try to ride BTMRR during the fireworks. If we are in-line or just off the ride for fireworks, that's OK too - it will be an interesting view either way. We expect to fit the Jingle Jungle Cruise in between the castle lighting (Frozen Holiday Wish) and going to BTMRR. It might not be a lot of rides, but I think we will get a lot of holiday atmosphere for our time and it will really set a good tone for our trip. If you can stay up late then you should get your other mountains in after fireworks without much or a problem. I've heard you can even get on 7DMT late at night! Remember that late at night the posted wait times are often inflated and that you only have to be in line before park closing not off the ride by park closing. I don't know exactly what your priorities are, but I hope you can find a strategy that works for your preferences.
As far as dining, one of our must-do TS ADRs is right there at your resort - The Wave is fabulous and we consider it a hidden gem - look at the menus and see if anything there makes your mouth water. We think it's a special experience at a good price/value. We also have both a breakfast ADR and a lunch ADR a mono-rail ride away from you at Kona Cafe. Often, we enjoy a hearty late breakfast or a lunch much better than a dinner when we are either tired after a day of touring or anxious to get to evening touring - and there is more availability and cheaper pricing at those times!
It's hard not to get discouraged when it feels like things keep smacking you in the head , but try some of the ideas here in this and other posts to pick yourself up and keep on planning. Soon you will be enjoying the amazing holiday atmosphere that is only found at Disney and the difficulties you faced to get to the magic will be a fading memory.

 

[disneydude365]

If your friend is staying on property s/he can use DME from the airport to the hotel, no need to pay for a taxi, just call and arrange for it once your friend has their flight information.
Your mom is probably just feeling overwhelmed, a lot of people feel very anxious before a big trip and think about backing out - it's fear of the unknown mostly. Plus, everyone is in overdrive preparing for the holidays which adds more stress.
Usually once you are on your way or once you arrive the fear of the unknown disappears and things mellow out.

he will be staying with us and yes we are at disney resort on site (best way to do disney if you stay more than a day) I’m not sure if its offered at his airport, he said something about flying into one of the other orlando airports? I’m not sure but I’m trying to push I’m into the disney way!
i really hope you’re right about things mellowing out, and i have to admit it always seems that once your there things sorta float away

OK, breathe... Obviously not a skill taught at home (sympathy, not sarcasm) so let's do this together: Breathe in filling top, middle then bottom of lungs 'til you're about to burst - hold, 2, 3, 4; and slowly let the air out. Repeat at least twice.
Mom is not being fair, but I don't know if you have the power to do anything about that. Consider, during a moment of relative calm, saying something like; "Mom, I really am looking forward to this trip and your part in the trip for me. I ask that you please try very hard, regardless of step-dad, to be able to come on this trip for me. I will go regardless, but it will be a much better trip if you can join me." I don't know if that's the kind of request that would soften or anger your mom - you've got to figure out that one.
I find that driving from even farther away than 10 hours is shorter and less stressful than the process of flying. I realize that 10 hours on your own would be less than ideal; but if you can break up the drive or do other things to make the drive safely - do so. Don't give up because others are being difficult. We stop regularly on our drives to FL to stretch our legs and change the music/book-on-CD at rest areas along the drive. We also take ourselves a nice picnic lunch and try to find either a rest area with nice picnic tables or a city park not far off our route. Just ideas...
Finally, we aren't getting to MK 'til 6:30 p.m. on the 20th and we plan to have a great time. Our strategy is to enjoy some of the entertainment that is unique to the holidays or will have a holiday flair (Dapper Dans, Celebrate the Season, Frozen Holiday Wish) and we are going to try to ride BTMRR during the fireworks. If we are in-line or just off the ride for fireworks, that's OK too - it will be an interesting view either way. We expect to fit the Jingle Jungle Cruise in between the castle lighting (Frozen Holiday Wish) and going to BTMRR. It might not be a lot of rides, but I think we will get a lot of holiday atmosphere for our time and it will really set a good tone for our trip. If you can stay up late then you should get your other mountains in after fireworks without much or a problem. I've heard you can even get on 7DMT late at night! Remember that late at night the posted wait times are often inflated and that you only have to be in line before park closing not off the ride by park closing. I don't know exactly what your priorities are, but I hope you can find a strategy that works for your preferences.
As far as dining, one of our must-do TS ADRs is right there at your resort - The Wave is fabulous and we consider it a hidden gem - look at the menus and see if anything there makes your mouth water. We think it's a special experience at a good price/value. We also have both a breakfast ADR and a lunch ADR a mono-rail ride away from you at Kona Cafe. Often, we enjoy a hearty late breakfast or a lunch much better than a dinner when we are either tired after a day of touring or anxious to get to evening touring - and there is more availability and cheaper pricing at those times!
It's hard not to get discouraged when it feels like things keep smacking you in the head , but try some of the ideas here in this and other posts to pick yourself up and keep on planning. Soon you will be enjoying the amazing holiday atmosphere that is only found at Disney and the difficulties you faced to get to the magic will be a fading memory.

thank you for this! i did the breathing exercise, it helped and no its honestly not taught in our house. its not fair but I'm scared if push too hard she might out of spite pull the plug all together we've talked about it and she's decided that everyones still going but she's holding the right to end it during the trip if she feels obligated to.
as for travel alone id personally like flying over driving solo as i have medical conditions, not major but by myself they could turn fatal (yes my friend knows about them even taken me to hospital several times) with flying i feel a little safer when i go by myself driving too long i get paranoid I'm gonna get hit. but i agree taking time and breaks when you do drive are life savers.
i love WDW at christmas i one day drove down and just visited the hotels one day all the resorts for the holiday season it was really nice and fun and i had a great dinner in DTD we've been trying to get some ADR but now with schedules so crazy will have to wait till day of to try :? i know thats not best plan but will be easier to accommodate i think. I've heard of the wave it looks interesting!! still keeping fingers crossed for a 1900 park fare though
thank you again for helping try and calm me down!

 

[hiroMYhero]

Closing: the OP began this thread 2 years ago.