That was fun, let's do it again! - TR Link added - 12/11

[petals]

that pic of your DS giving his new little sis a kiss is super cute

 

[amandaw]

Sounds like the plans are coming together nicely! I hope y'all get an ADR for Be Our Guest so that I can live vicariously through you.

 

[KatMark]

Hello! Hello! Is anyone home?

How's the baby? What's happening in your world? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[afwdwfan]

that pic of your DS giving his new little sis a kiss is super cute

Thanks... and so far he still loves her.

Sounds like the plans are coming together nicely! I hope y'all get an ADR for Be Our Guest so that I can live vicariously through you.

Well, the plans might be coming together... or unraveling at the seams. I'm really not sure at this point.

Hello! Hello! Is anyone home?

How's the baby? What's happening in your world? Inquiring minds want to know.

Kathy... now this is a PTR. Sometimes there just isn't much going on worth talking about. You know I don't waste any time when there's actually something to write about.

Ok, so, here's a picture of me with the kids on Memorial Day. I actually meant to post this that morning as we were sitting there, but as you can see, I kind of had my hands full and then I just forgot to do it later on. I'm pretty proud of this picture just because DD is sleeping peacefully in my arms. More often than not, when I hold her, she is screaming.

She is doing very well, growing and getting strong. She still isn't a great sleeper, but we can finally put her down and she'll sleep without being held for a couple of hours so it is a huge improvement. We can make it through most nights just waking up 2 or 3 times,



Now for a trip related update prepared just for Kathy...

My mom and sister and I have been working together to plan days/ADR's we want to book for the trip. We sat down and talked and I gave my input on a tentative schedule a few weeks and I assumed that mom was going to take care of the final decisions and when it is all said and done, we'd do what she wanted. This is really her trip anyway.

I spoke with her Saturday and asked what day she would be able to make the ADR's. She said Friday. I then asked which ones she ended up deciding on and on what days. She told me that she hadn't really looked at the information we'd all put together a couple of weeks ago, but she didn't really care what we do. She has since given me all the confirmation numbers and now I will be booking ADR's for everyone and I essentially have very little input from about half the people going. I know my BiL and dad will be happy, because any place I'd want to eat, I'm sure they will, but my sisters might be another issue. They're more picky than my 2 year old. I'm hoping to get some feedback from them before I book anything.

Also, since that conversation with mom this weekend, I have gone back to look at the tentative plans I submitted to her. I'm thinking about modifying things and right now I'm scrambling to see where everything can fit so that we can catch all of the evening entertainment that we'd like to see on the various nights that everything is offered.

I also want to change Whispering Canyon from Sunday to another day. My sis and BiL likely will not be there by the time we'd eat lunch there, and I know they'd love it. One of the few things I know she will enjoy is BBQ. They actually had pulled pork for the meal at their wedding reception and they rode into the reception hall on stick horses when the DJ introduced the wedding party. Kathy, I know you don't like WL or anything else there, but now you see why I want my BiL and sis to eat there.

I'm kind of struggling with my days now. I have noticed that DHS, which was shown to close at 5pm and 7pm on Wed and Thurs the week we are there on Touringplans is now being shown to close at 8pm. I know that Pop Warner will be there that week, so I don't know whether to take this as an indication that the Pop Warner party isn't happening this year, or whether it is a case where they just haven't actually scheduled it yet. I wish Disney would release official hours 6 months out since they expect you to schedule meals this far out.

I guess this was more of a vent than an update, but it's all I have at the moment. I need to get back to work and figure out what we're going to do. Upon further review I have discovered that mom was wrong and our ADR day is actually Monday, so I have a couple of extra days, but I've still got to get to work and put an official plan together, fast!

 

[amandaw]

What a sweet picture of you & your little ones! Glad to hear everything is going well with the new little princess.

As for the trip plans.....

After taking a family trip back in 2004 Ed & I decided we would NEVER do Disney with family again. It's so much fun to be there with everyone but can be such a headache too. I hope people start giving you some input....at least before Monday. But, if they don't, then they can't complain about the ADRs you book. And I understand picky people.....my sister & her family are that way. I dread any time I have to cook a meal for them. Hope it all comes together & I can't wait to hear what you end up booking!

 

[afwdwfan]

What a sweet picture of you & your little ones! Glad to hear everything is going well with the new little princess.

Thanks!

As for the trip plans.....

After taking a family trip back in 2004 Ed & I decided we would NEVER do Disney with family again. It's so much fun to be there with everyone but can be such a headache too. I hope people start giving you some input....at least before Monday. But, if they don't, then they can't complain about the ADRs you book. And I understand picky people.....my sister & her family are that way. I dread any time I have to cook a meal for them. Hope it all comes together & I can't wait to hear what you end up booking!

It will work out... my sisters just like to keep their mouths shut and then complain when they don't like something. They'll get over it. I've had 26 years worth of getting used to it.

I've actually asked them a couple of specific questions and got answers back, so that helps some. I've re-arranged some park days/ADR days to fit in some of the more important activities and meals on the agenda, but it puts us in some "parks to avoid" based on both EasyWDW and Touringplans. Not too excited about that, but we'll do what we've gotta do to fit everything in.



Anybody have experience or opinions about evening EMH at Hollywood Studios?

 

[amandaw]

Thanks!

As for the trip plans.....


It will work out... my sisters just like to keep their mouths shut and then complain when they don't like something. They'll get over it. I've had 26 years worth of getting used to it.

I've actually asked them a couple of specific questions and got answers back, so that helps some. I've re-arranged some park days/ADR days to fit in some of the more important activities and meals on the agenda, but it puts us in some "parks to avoid" based on both EasyWDW and Touringplans. Not too excited about that, but we'll do what we've gotta do to fit everything in.



Anybody have experience or opinions about evening EMH at Hollywood Studios?

That's good that they're giving some answers now.

I wouldn't worry too much about being in "avoid" parks. I think, given the time y'all are going, it won't be as necessary to avoid those parks. We've always gone at the beginning of December & never really had problems with crowds. On Reid's 1st trip, I didn't even bother looking at crowd calendars. It was such a short trip that I just had us go to the parks we wanted to go to.

We did evening EMH at DHS on Reid's 1st trip in Dec. 2010. Other than being unbelievably cold, it was fine. It wasn't ridiculously crowded. We left just because I was so miserably cold & it was our last night so I still had to pack us up.

 

[KatMark]

I love the picture of you with the two sweeties. Why does she scream when you hold her? Are you pinching those cute cheeks too hard again?

I love when you ask someone for input and then they really don't bother giving it.

I can certainly understand WHY you must go to that dreadful WCC considering the family members, wedding, etc.

Please update us after you make your ADR's on Monday and let us know what you finally decided on.

And since Tim isn't around, and Mark's not updating his PTR, and I'm not doing a PTR, I have to pick on someone. Guess who?????

 

[khertz]

Good luck with making all your ADRs! Hopefully you can figure out the best way to fit them all in. It seems like it has not been quite as hard to get most ADRs this far out, so even if you maybe have to do some changing around later on, you probably won't have any issues doing so. I have been able to change a couple around and even scored a Le Cellier lunch reservation for 3 months from now (for a possible quick anniversary trip! ) and was shocked there was actually anything available!

Love the pic with the two kiddos and glad to see that the little princess is becoming a better sleeper! We struggled with Paxton's napping habits for so long. For the first few months unless I was holding him, he wouldn't nap for longer than 20 minutes at a time. So every day, I'd grab my Nook and a pillow and spend 3 hours sitting in the recliner holding him so he could get a good nap and reading! It's so nice now to put him down for a nap and be able to accomplish something instead. Hopefully she will start sleeping for even longer stretches & make it a little easier on you & mom.

 

[afwdwfan]

That's good that they're giving some answers now.

I wouldn't worry too much about being in "avoid" parks. I think, given the time y'all are going, it won't be as necessary to avoid those parks. We've always gone at the beginning of December & never really had problems with crowds. On Reid's 1st trip, I didn't even bother looking at crowd calendars. It was such a short trip that I just had us go to the parks we wanted to go to.

We did evening EMH at DHS on Reid's 1st trip in Dec. 2010. Other than being unbelievably cold, it was fine. It wasn't ridiculously crowded. We left just because I was so miserably cold & it was our last night so I still had to pack us up.

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't too sure how much I should try to avoid the "avoid parks." I really tried to avoid them last year. I thought it was very noticeable in the parks on a "lower" crowd day vs. a "higher" crowd day, but we really didn't have any trouble doing all we wanted to do.

I love the picture of you with the two sweeties. Why does she scream when you hold her? Are you pinching those cute cheeks too hard again?

Thanks... and apparently she is smart enough to realize that my chest isn't the one she's looking for.

I love when you ask someone for input and then they really don't bother giving it.

Well, at least I'm getting something back now... very little but better than nothing.

I can certainly understand WHY you must go to that dreadful WCC considering the family members, wedding, etc.

That, and unlike you, I love the resort.

Please update us after you make your ADR's on Monday and let us know what you finally decided on.

That's the plan!

And since Tim isn't around, and Mark's not updating his PTR, and I'm not doing a PTR, I have to pick on someone. Guess who?????

Um, hello! We still have Barry!

Good luck with making all your ADRs! Hopefully you can figure out the best way to fit them all in. It seems like it has not been quite as hard to get most ADRs this far out, so even if you maybe have to do some changing around later on, you probably won't have any issues doing so.

I hope not. I was a little bit ticked off last year when I needed to change a few and couldn't. Then again, I was trying to change them after they changed some park hours and started offering free dining.

I have been able to change a couple around and even scored a Le Cellier lunch reservation for 3 months from now (for a possible quick anniversary trip! ) and was shocked there was actually anything available!

Gotta love those AP's!

Love the pic with the two kiddos and glad to see that the little princess is becoming a better sleeper! We struggled with Paxton's napping habits for so long. For the first few months unless I was holding him, he wouldn't nap for longer than 20 minutes at a time. So every day, I'd grab my Nook and a pillow and spend 3 hours sitting in the recliner holding him so he could get a good nap and reading! It's so nice now to put him down for a nap and be able to accomplish something instead. Hopefully she will start sleeping for even longer stretches & make it a little easier on you & mom.

She is definitely sleeping much better. We did the whole "sitting in the chair for 3 hours to let her sleep" thing for a few weeks, but she's letting us put her down for a while once she falls asleep now. If we could just get her to learn how to put the pacifier back in when she spits it out, we'd be in great shape!

 

[CandleontheWater]

Good luck on getting your ADRs! I hope your family gives you the input you need before then. Isn't traveling with family stressful? When we first started traveling with my extended family I made the mistake of asking for input, and it was a nightmare! Now I just plan what I want and everyone seems more or less happy. Sometimes I think it is just easier when you don't give people choices!

I'm also happy to hear that the little one is sleeping better! She is adorable!

 

[glennbo123]

I agree with you on how aggravating it is that the park schedules aren't released in time to help with ADR planning. But you can't wait to make your ADRs. A neighbor on my street is going to WDW the week before we're there and she only made her ADRs a month or two ago...she was surprised that she had trouble booking Sci-Fi and had to take a mid-afternoon time. (Yeah, coulda told you that.) The last time they went they didn't know to make ADRs ahead of time, so you can imagine how that went. Okay, it seems like I've gotten off onto a tangent....have fun planning and good luck on "ADR Day"!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Ok, so, here's a picture of me with the kids on Memorial Day. I actually meant to post this that morning as we were sitting there, but as you can see, I kind of had my hands full and then I just forgot to do it later on. I'm pretty proud of this picture just because DD is sleeping peacefully in my arms. More often than not, when I hold her, she is screaming.

Cute picture! You look so happy to be there!

Actually, you look like the daddy of a baby that doesn't sleep real well.

And since Tim isn't around, and Mark's not updating his PTR, and I'm not doing a PTR, I have to pick on someone. Guess who?????

I don't even have a PTR. Why are you yelling at me? Sheesh.

 

[KatMark]

i don't even have a ptr. Why are you yelling at me? Sheesh.

and why the heck not?????????????????????????????

 

[afwdwfan]

ADR's have been... well, a trial, to say the least. I finally got 4 booked yesterday, but am not happy with the time of one of them and might look into changing it. I think I'm just going to wait for the 180 days on the rest and forego the 180+10.

Good luck on getting your ADRs! I hope your family gives you the input you need before then. Isn't traveling with family stressful? When we first started traveling with my extended family I made the mistake of asking for input, and it was a nightmare! Now I just plan what I want and everyone seems more or less happy. Sometimes I think it is just easier when you don't give people choices!

I'm also happy to hear that the little one is sleeping better! She is adorable!

I did get some good input, but more or less, I'm just scheduling what I think will make everyone happy. I think it will be ok. If not, I don't care, I'll be at Disney World.

I agree with you on how aggravating it is that the park schedules aren't released in time to help with ADR planning. But you can't wait to make your ADRs. A neighbor on my street is going to WDW the week before we're there and she only made her ADRs a month or two ago...she was surprised that she had trouble booking Sci-Fi and had to take a mid-afternoon time. (Yeah, coulda told you that.) The last time they went they didn't know to make ADRs ahead of time, so you can imagine how that went. Okay, it seems like I've gotten off onto a tangent....have fun planning and good luck on "ADR Day"!

I remember the days when you could actually walk up and get a table... doesn't seem that long ago.

Cute picture! You look so happy to be there!

Actually, you look like the daddy of a baby that doesn't sleep real well.

That would be an accurate observation. It was just after DS woke up and came downstairs. DW was still asleep and I had been rocking DD since about 3:30 am because she decided she wanted to watch the sun rise.

I don't even have a PTR. Why are you yelling at me? Sheesh.

Habit?

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

and why the heck not?????????????????????????????

I understand. Everybody else does it.

That would be an accurate observation. It was just after DS woke up and came downstairs. DW was still asleep and I had been rocking DD since about 3:30 am because she decided she wanted to watch the sun rise.

*shudder*

Habit?

 

[KatMark]

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo....did we make any ADR's?

All of ours for December were made by Nicki. The only one we couldn't get is one at Epcot because they've not released restaurants for CP yet.

 

[afwdwfan]

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo....did we make any ADR's?

All of ours for December were made by Nicki. The only one we couldn't get is one at Epcot because they've not released restaurants for CP yet.

Yes... I have 4 at the moment. I've still been trying to see where I could fit a couple of others in... so far I haven't booked anything for those though.

And yes, still waiting on them to open up ADR's so we can get our lunch at Le Cellier.

 

[afwdwfan]

Well, it has been a while since I've updated anything here, so I guess I should probably do something. Things have been busy around here this month, so aside from making our ADR's the trip has kind of been "out of sight, out of mind" for the most part. Maybe if I post our current version of the tentative plan with the ADR's we have right now it will get me back on track and into trip planning mode.

Here is our tentative schedule, which I'm sure will change a few more times over the next 5+ months, especially as park hours come out and/or change.

12/1, Sat - Start driving at or before midnight, arrive mid-afternoon, check in at CSR. Probably head to DHS to see the Osborne Lights or maybe EPCOT or maybe just stay at the resort. Depends what we feel like doing. Sis 1 is planning on riding down with my mom and dad and Sis 2 if she can get off work Saturday.

12/2, Sun - Morning in MK --Break-- Possibly a Fantasmic dinner package at Mama Melrose and then evening EMH at DHS or an evening at EPCOT. They aren't booking Fantasmic packages for Dec yet, but we don't know if that's what we want to do anyway. BiL wouldn't be able to make it for Fantasmic if we go with that plan, but he will fly down Sunday afternoon, so he would be able to join us for EMH if we go to the Studios.

12/3, Mon - Universal Studios -- possibly a visit to MK afterwards for EMH if anyone feels like it.

12/4, Tues - Morning will likely be DHS or MK, whatever we feel like doing. We'll take a long break then return to MK for an early dinner ADR at Liberty Tree Tavern and stay for MVMCP. With any luck, we hope to replace the LTT ADR with one at Be Our Guest once they open it.

12/5, Wed - Morning at DHS --Break-- 5pm ADR at Whispering Canyon followed by MK for MSEP and Wishes. I'm a little worried about being able to make it from dinner at WL to MK in time to see the parade at 7, but we want to eat at WCC, and we want to see MSEP and our options are very limited.

12/6, Thur - EPCOT all day We'll plan to take a mid-day break, hopefully after a lunch at Le Cellier if I can secure an ADR next week. We'll probably see Illuminations either Thur or Fri.

12/7, Fri - Morning at AK --Break-- Evening at EPCOT with a dinner ADR at Via Napoli. Evening EMH in EPCOT.

12/8, Sat - Morning at MK - Late breakfast (lunch) ADR at Chef Mickey - We might start driving back north at this point, but could make a visit to DTD, EPCOT or DHS for a few hours if we choose to.

Well, that's the plan for now... as always subject to change. Any thoughts or ideas I might be missing would be appreciated.

 

[amandaw]

I think your plans sounds really great so far!

I really hope they open up Be Our Guest so you can get an ADR there. I would love to hear about it.

And I see that you have your beloved Via Napoli on this year's trip schedule as well.