The "I've Waited My Whole Life" Christmas Suprise Trip Report-Final/Video Update 2/21

[harleyquinn]

You're doing a fantastic job! Thanks for sharing the video and pics!!

I'm really interested in how busy you felt the parks and resorts were!!?

Keep it up!

 

[MomofCKJ]

excellent illuminations pictures...i just love the fireworks at epcot...i get chills evertime!
question: are the only cruises available for fireworks "grand gathering" events? I would love to try and find one for my boyfriend and I to go on in June, but not sure what would be available to us.

The cruise we got was the regular Epcot Specialty Cruise. I know there are different Grand Gathering cruises but this was not one of them. This one is for up to 10 people. You can certainly do it with just 2, the boat next to us just had 2. The price is the same for the cruise whether you have 1 or 10 people on board.I am sure it would be very romantic for the 2 of you! They book 90 days in advance and start at 7am eastern time, 1-407-WDW-PLAY.

Allyson

 

[MomofCKJ]

You're doing a fantastic job! Thanks for sharing the video and pics!!

I'm really interested in how busy you felt the parks and resorts were!!?

Keep it up!

We followed Tour Guide Mike's plan which worked really great for us. Our average wait time for rides when we stuck to the plan was 10 minutes. When we veered off the plan (bad, bad TGMers) we had a few 20 minute waits and the 30 minute RnR one (but the board had said it was 20 minutes). In the afternoons we saw ride time waits of over 60 minutes at the popular rides. I was really glad we used TGM and were not waiting in those lines!

Walking like down Main Street or on the streets of MGM did feel crowded (though I am sure no where near the week after Christmas!). However again due to TGM we never waited in long ride lines or long CS food lines (we ate early before the crowds).

Our resort did not feel crowded at all. No long waits at the Food Court, we never hit crowds at the pool.

I sound like a broken record but I think TGM played a big part in this. We avoided "them" and so didn't find ourselves in the long lines.

Would I go again the week before Christmas? Absolutely!

Allyson

 

[disneymomej]

I am loving this TR! I have to ask you. Where did you find that darling shirt you were wearing at the spectromagic parade? I have been looking for something disney-ish for our upcoming trip, and I just love that! Please, fill me in on your secret!

 

[RainbowsMist]

I'm hooked and more educated!!!! Looking forward to the rest

 

[mindystar]

Awesome TR! I sent the video to my Sis and BIL and she said they laughed and felt sorry for you! Have to send her the link to your TR. They were there the week between Christmas and New Year's. She said there were arrows and CMs directing normal foot traffic (we've always gone as a family in the summer months and I thought that was busy ) They were also one of those people waiting for four hours for Illuminations on NYE
Can't wait for more!!!

 

[harleyquinn]

We followed Tour Guide Mike's plan which worked really great for us. Our average wait time for rides when we stuck to the plan was 10 minutes. When we veered off the plan (bad, bad TGMers) we had a few 20 minute waits and the 30 minute RnR one (but the board had said it was 20 minutes). In the afternoons we saw ride time waits of over 60 minutes at the popular rides. I was really glad we used TGM and were not waiting in those lines!

Walking like down Main Street or on the streets of MGM did feel crowded (though I am sure no where near the week after Christmas!). However again due to TGM we never waited in long ride lines or long CS food lines (we ate early before the crowds).

Our resort did not feel crowded at all. No long waits at the Food Court, we never hit crowds at the pool.

I sound like a broken record but I think TGM played a big part in this. We avoided "them" and so didn't find ourselves in the long lines.

Would I go again the week before Christmas? Absolutely!

Allyson

Thanks! After reading all the glowing TGM reviews around here lately, I went ahead and subscribed. I can't use much of it right now, but I can tell it'll be very useful later!

 

[MA pigletfan]

The cruise we got was the regular Epcot Specialty Cruise. I know there are different Grand Gathering cruises but this was not one of them. This one is for up to 10 people. You can certainly do it with just 2, the boat next to us just had 2. The price is the same for the cruise whether you have 1 or 10 people on board.I am sure it would be very romantic for the 2 of you! They book 90 days in advance and start at 7am eastern time, 1-407-WDW-PLAY.

Allyson

thank you for that information! I am so happy to hear its a 90 day ressie..i might still be able to make it since i still have 5 months to go! yay!
also..what time does the boat launch? do you need to be there really early?

 

[Vannah]

The Cruise is $275 for those interested. We also had $50 for a tip for our skipper that we would give him at the end.

Is that $275 per person? Or, for a certain amount of people? Or just the amount it costed?

Great installment, by the way. Can't wait to here more.

 

[MomofCKJ]

Is that $275 per person? Or, for a certain amount of people? Or just the amount it costed?

Great installment, by the way. Can't wait to here more.

Oh gosh no! It is $275 for the cruise, you can have up to 10 people on it.

Allyson

 

[MomofCKJ]

thank you for that information! I am so happy to hear its a 90 day ressie..i might still be able to make it since i still have 5 months to go! yay!
also..what time does the boat launch? do you need to be there really early?

It depends on the time of Illuminations. They have you call 2 weeks in advance to get a definate time.

Illuminations was at 9:30 when we went so they told us to be at the marina for 8:30 and that we would leave at 9:00. We decided to get there at 8:15 (we really didn't want to "miss the boat" ) and at 8:45 Scott asked if we were ready to go.

Allyson

 

[MomofCKJ]

I have been reading this, and I have to say I'm loving reading this trip report. It is giving me lots of insight, we are surprising our kids on our next trip!
Anyway, we live in Uxbridge, you guys are all so close!

Whoa! Uxbridge, wow! What a small world! When we lived in Whitinsville I took the kids to the Uxbridge library all the time, so much better than the one in Whitinsville. And I love Cafe Terrazzo!

Allyson

 

[MomofCKJ]

I am loving this TR! I have to ask you. Where did you find that darling shirt you were wearing at the spectromagic parade? I have been looking for something disney-ish for our upcoming trip, and I just love that! Please, fill me in on your secret!

Thank you! I love that shirt too! I got it from a wonderful gal on ebay named Julie. Her ebay ID is unique*kids*with*character and she makes them for adults and kids too. Very nicely made, very friendly seller, quick shipping. I wanted something different but Disney for myself and fell in love with the shirt when I saw it!

Allyson

 

[PrettyInTink]

Hilarious video! Fantastic trip report as well. I love reading Suprise trip reports! They are so much fun. Keep up the great work!

 

[MomofCKJ]

I am going to try and get an installment in tonight but we rented "Little Miss Sunshine" so I guess it depends on if it is good or not!

If not tonight, tomorrow for sure!

Until then here is our 15 second video of the end of Holiday Illuminations:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v696/ally10169/?action=view&current=101_5607.flv

Allyson

 

[kinntj]

Loving the trip report! I'm aching to go, but have to wait until 2008. I notice your ticker is for around then too. We're trying for May, but we may have to settle for June after school.

I love the Illuminations cruise report. We were in Epcot years ago (see sig.) and we were so tired of being at Epcot the whole day, that we left before the fireworks. After that I've been kicking myself for missing it.

We'll have a chance again!

 

[AshClan]

Finally caught up!! You are doing a fabulous job, Allyson. And I'm enjoying all the back and forth MA/Boston accent talk. I agree that people from Western MA don't have quite as much of the Boston accent. I'm from just North of Boston, and most people that I grew up around, including my mother and husband (well, I didn't grow up around him, but you know what I meant) have really strong accents. Me, not so much.

Glad you had fun on your Illuminations cruise. We did one in April of '05 and really enjoyed ourselves.

Hope you liked "Little Miss Sunshine". We just watched it on New Years' Eve. I enjoyed it. My husband didn't. It's a quirky little movie....

 

[javamom]

That cruise looks awesome!!!

 

[wrldpossibility]

It's funny to compare reports and realize Charlie and I were walking around the BW and BC/YC at the same time you were getting to the dock for your cruise. The cruise sounds great. I'll stow that away in my mind for a future trip! It would have been very helpful to get the rundown on what everything in IllumiNations means!

 

[kstgelais4]

Whoa! Uxbridge, wow! What a small world! When we lived in Whitinsville I took the kids to the Uxbridge library all the time, so much better than the one in Whitinsville. And I love Cafe Terrazzo!

Allyson

Yup, we are at the Uxbridge Library every Thursday, (well the 2 little ones and I are) but I have never visited Cafe Terrazzo. I will have to check it out! It is a small world isn't it