The NEW Official November 2010 Countdown & Planning Thread ~ Come join us! (Part 1)

[Px4]

QOTD: Disney Jobs

As a few of you said, a Photopass Photographer. That would be my first pick. Others would be a Monorail Pilot, Haunted Mansion CM, or Concierge CM. Being part of the Dream Team would have been pretty fantastic too!


Question for those of you previous November travelers... When do the Characters switch to their Christmas clothes? Is it after Thanksgiving or will we get to see them in their Holiday gear?

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I haven't been on here for some time, you know, life, buys, that stuff. In fact right now I am out of town visiting my grandparents. I am stripping wallpaper, painting, etc. Anyway, I saw the thread pop up again and wanted to say hi and share my news!

So free dining came out and we missed it by 2 days. Uggg, so I ran the numbers and if we added 2 more day to the start of our trip we'd get free dining. So we now are staying 11 magical nights and took our rates down over $1000 on 2 rooms!

Here is the breakdown for our room (oldest DD is on my grandparents' room so she is not included here.)

Originally we booked 9 nights for 2 adults, plus one Disney adult and a child. We had a value resort, QSDP and 6 day tickets. Rack Rate was $3050.67
Then we allpied a small room only pin and took it down to $2934.97
We added 2 nights so now 11 nights, free QSDP, still 6 day tickets though we plan to add one and our rate is $2345.63 So our room alone we saved $600 to add 2 nights!!!
Needless to say I am still pretty excited. An 11 day vacation seemed like only a dream and now we are doing it. My DH can't get that much time off work normally so he will have to work more then usual (he always has to work when on vacation anyway) but he said he's OK with sitting poolside with a cold drink on his laptop then stuck back at the office anway, and to save money while doing it...yeah, he's good with that!

Sounds like you got a good deal!

I hope your DH doesn't have to work too much on vacation. My DH doesn't usually have to do any actual work, but he does take and make some work related phone calls while there. The kids and I always take bets on if/when he will be in the phone!!

I went for my renal ultrasound today, the Dr will have the results this afternoon, hopefully all will be well and I won't get a phone call from him.

Keep your fingers crossed for me

Hope it's good news!

QOTD: Disney Jobs

As a few of you said, a Photopass Photographer. That would be my first pick. Others would be a Monorail Pilot, Haunted Mansion CM, or Concierge CM. Being part of the Dream Team would have been pretty fantastic too!


Question for those of you previous November travelers... When do the Characters switch to their Christmas clothes? Is it after Thanksgiving or will we get to see them in their Holiday gear?

Last year we were there the 7th-15th and didn't see any of the characters in their holiday attire. So I think the only way to see them that early in it is to go to MVMCP.

 

[MAGGIED]

I haven't been on here for some time, you know, life, buys, that stuff. In fact right now I am out of town visiting my grandparents. I am stripping wallpaper, painting, etc. Anyway, I saw the thread pop up again and wanted to say hi and share my news!

So free dining came out and we missed it by 2 days. Uggg, so I ran the numbers and if we added 2 more day to the start of our trip we'd get free dining. So we now are staying 11 magical nights and took our rates down over $1000 on 2 rooms!

Here is the breakdown for our room (oldest DD is on my grandparents' room so she is not included here.)

Originally we booked 9 nights for 2 adults, plus one Disney adult and a child. We had a value resort, QSDP and 6 day tickets. Rack Rate was $3050.67
Then we allpied a small room only pin and took it down to $2934.97
We added 2 nights so now 11 nights, free QSDP, still 6 day tickets though we plan to add one and our rate is $2345.63 So our room alone we saved $600 to add 2 nights!!!
Needless to say I am still pretty excited. An 11 day vacation seemed like only a dream and now we are doing it. My DH can't get that much time off work normally so he will have to work more then usual (he always has to work when on vacation anyway) but he said he's OK with sitting poolside with a cold drink on his laptop then stuck back at the office anway, and to save money while doing it...yeah, he's good with that!

Wow... sounds like a great deal... I usually have to work a little first thing inthe morning and then after dinner... usually just returning calls... the kids used to get angry but now that they are older they realize that my work pays for their vacations so they are okay with it

 

[sjs314]

Last year we were there the 7th-15th and didn't see any of the characters in their holiday attire. So I think the only way to see them that early in it is to go to MVMCP. [/QUOTE]



Bummer , I too had high hopes of the characters in Christmas Attire since the MK would be decorated for the Christmas Parade perhaps DHS and DAK would have them too. I keep thinking I should have kept with my original plans of going after Thanksgiving but I know by being able to attend the F&W plus MVMCP and OL this is still going to be a great vacation,

FYI- Disney Parks Blog is reporting that Via Napoli will be opening early , Next Month instead of September, so they should open up for Reservations soon, I keep checking every day since I am trying to get a 7:30pm for Rose & Crown on one of our Epcot days so If I see it I will let everyone know

 

[cyndiloveswalt]

We've been down twice after Thanksgiving so far (once the week of and once the first week of Dec) and the only time I've seen characters in Christmas attire is at the MVMCP. This is not to say it doesn't happen, but I sure didn't see it. After Thanksgiving the Santas come out in WS and they are very cool.
Shelly- You should definitely try and convince your DH on a Disney cruise, they are so much fun, especially if you love Disney! Tha characters and shows are amazing, and the island is the best place on earth as far as I'm concerned. I'll try to post a few pics.

 

[mousescrapper]

If you could work at WDW, what job would you want?

I'd love to be a tour guide on one of the special Disney behind the scenes or family Magic tour

Also, I've been trying to follow the Question of the Day since I first joined this thread, and there have been a lot of questions for you experienced Disney-goers to answer - any chance a question could be: What is your best piece of advice for a first time Disney vacationer? I'd love to hear your responses!

a basic bare bones plans at least of dining choices and main goals or musts for each family member before going and having a somewhat idea of which park you may want to go to each day....really cuts down on the confusion and/or wasting good touring time "deciding"

other things...pace yourself, look and enjoy the little things, take time for the characters it is worth it, have color themes for clothes w/ little kids easy to remember what everyone is wearing and getting dressed in the morning

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Bummer , I too had high hopes of the characters in Christmas Attire since the MK would be decorated for the Christmas Parade perhaps DHS and DAK would have them too. I keep thinking I should have kept with my original plans of going after Thanksgiving but I know by being able to attend the F&W plus MVMCP and OL this is still going to be a great vacation,

FYI- Disney Parks Blog is reporting that Via Napoli will be opening early , Next Month instead of September, so they should open up for Reservations soon, I keep checking every day since I am trying to get a 7:30pm for Rose & Crown on one of our Epcot days so If I see it I will let everyone know

Don't worry, you are still going at a great time of year. You will get to do and see so many amazing things!

Thanks for the update on Via Napoli. Let us know if you find anything else out. So is it confirmed that it will be TS? I know we had read some conflicting things on that. Some articles let on like it would be a CS. . .

Shelly- You should definitely try and convince your DH on a Disney cruise, they are so much fun, especially if you love Disney! Tha characters and shows are amazing, and the island is the best place on earth as far as I'm concerned. I'll try to post a few pics.

Well actually, we were out to dinner last night and I casually said. . . Do you know what I would like for my 40th birthday? And DH of course asked what (looking at me like I was crazy because it's 3 years away!!). . . Then I planted the seed. . . He looked a little surprised. I think because I haven't really talked about it for awhile and he knows that I am content going to WDW every year. It would be neat to take a vacation in the spring (my birthday is in April), we never go to WDW that time of year because of spring break and Easter.

 

[sjs314]

Good Morning Everyone,

Shelly-From this article in the Disney Blog it reads that Via Napoli is a 300 seat restaurant, there is an update about the menu too

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/07/via-napoli-opens-next-month-at-epcot/

 

[sjs314]

I am wondering of any of you have purchased your park tickets from Undercover Tourist?

I have read you can have them added to your KTTW card at check-in and since Disney normally raises ticket prices in August I was just priceing the cost now and seem we can save roughly $17 a ticket by buying through Undercover Tourist rather than Disney

In years past we have always bought our tickets as part of a Disney package or purchased the tickets at check in, so I am wondering whether to try Undercover tourist to save a few bucks

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Hello ladies!! I am borrowing dhs laptop this morning!

DH colasped when he got home from work today, fell outside cut his knee etc....I called 911 since he was not coherant any how the emt took his bp and it was 90/50 and he was cold and clamy instead of hot and sweaty if it was heat related so to be safe they took him up to the hospital. I stayed with Dmil and dog DS and his wife are up with DH who is in having a CAT scan right now , don't know if they will keep him or not
I wanted to go but with my Asthma and the heat wave I did not risk it for fear I would end up in a bed next to DH

July is not a good month for me , My Mom and son both passed away in July , well just needed to talk to someone while I wait here to hear what is going on

Thanks for listening

I am so sorry this is a bad month for you for those reasons! I will be thinking of you and lifting you up in prayer during the month!! Keep us posted!!!! July is my birthday month,but unfortunately, our weather makes it the hardest for me!! It's hot, humid, and just rotten here during my bday week--which is typically the hottest week of the year for us...so I stay in and suck up the AC!!

I haven't been a frequent poster, but it's been fun reading everyone's experiences and seeing photos of everyone's trips in this forum! It's such a great way to keep excited about a trip that's been in the works for what seems like forever!

I had a couple of questions. I had seen the mention on here before about the blackout dates in November for the Monster Pin and the Free Dining - our dates fall in that period. I've been kind of freaked about that, because I wanted to pick a week that would have low crowd levels. Then I saw someone else mention the golf tournament down there, as a possible reason for the early closing of MK that week and a possible reason for the blackout date. So I'm wondering, is the tournament a good thing or bad thing in terms of crowd levels at the parks? I'm thinking that if rooms are booked up with people going to the tournament (and not the parks), that's got to be a good thing, right?

Also, I've been trying to follow the Question of the Day since I first joined this thread, and there have been a lot of questions for you experienced Disney-goers to answer - any chance a question could be: What is your best piece of advice for a first time Disney vacationer? I'd love to hear your responses!

Yay for your first trip!!! Advice: enjoy it!! Get a good guide book, Birnbaums or Passporter are great--I love their maps and ride/event/restaurant descriptions. You need one to be familiar with where things are and how to see what things you think your family really wants to try to do on this trip. You can NOT do it all...so just try to pick some highlights and then work in what else you can. Keep asking questions...it was our first trip one time too!!!!

Hello November travelers...thanks to Shelly for the invite to your thread... I am a fellow Snowbird... we are heading to WDW Nov 5th -12th to visit our daughter who will be there working the College program...

details....

Staying at Yacht Club ( possibly transferring to SOG mid trip to watch golf). It will be myself, my DH Tim, our DS Daniel, his girlfriend Lauren. Then joining us but staying at POP are friends Liza and Chris and their two little girls Edena and Sadie... and just recently added are her mom and dad... My sister and her husband who live in the Tampa area will join us for the first weekend and so might my dad ... so it looks like we have a big group for the 21st birthday celebration...

Hey Wendy!!! glad you are here!! How is your dd doing?
Shelly..I will be 36 in a few weeks and I am not wanting any attention drawn to it! I too wanna do Disney for my 40th...but dang it's too hot!!! So...maybe I will just do a 7 day Disney cruise!! Hee Hee!!! Might be more than I want to spend...have to start checking on that!!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Good Morning Everyone,

Shelly-From this article in the Disney Blog it reads that Via Napoli is a 300 seat restaurant, there is an update about the menu too

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/07/via-napoli-opens-next-month-at-epcot/

Thanks for the info! Sounds yummy!

I am wondering of any of you have purchased your park tickets from Undercover Tourist?

I have read you can have them added to your KTTW card at check-in and since Disney normally raises ticket prices in August I was just priceing the cost now and seem we can save roughly $17 a ticket by buying through Undercover Tourist rather than Disney

In years past we have always bought our tickets as part of a Disney package or purchased the tickets at check in, so I am wondering whether to try Undercover tourist to save a few bucks

Sorry, can't help you there. . . Maybe someone else knows. . .

Shelly..I will be 36 in a few weeks and I am not wanting any attention drawn to it! I too wanna do Disney for my 40th...but dang it's too hot!!! So...maybe I will just do a 7 day Disney cruise!! Hee Hee!!! Might be more than I want to spend...have to start checking on that!!

Hey Shawna ~ Long time no "see"! Hope you get that laptop back soon. Looks like you have an extra year to plan that big 40th celebration!! I did price out Disney cruises once and about passed out. Guess we better start saving now!

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Shelly...I like what Wendy said on the other thread about our weeks being blacked out...I think because of F&W that makes an impact..and it runs to Sunday, so they dont offer for the whole week...maybe...just trying to come up with a reason so it doesn't cause us to panic! Ha!!

 

[Hmom]

Wow, you have all been chatty! We've been in Washington DC for a few days & then a stay-at-home vacation (sort of) week, so I've been away for a bit.

To everyone & their families with health issues I hope you are all on the mend!

Sjs314 - I am buying our tickets from Undercover Tourist little by little. From everything I've read, they work out just fine & are added to your KTTW at check in. Gotta save where you can!

Momof2DisneyBoys - I was probably up near you this week My son was at zoo camp all week at the Pgh Zoo. While he was at camp, I took the opportunity to shop where I don't normally have the chance - Ross Park Mall, Wholefoods, Trader Joes, Talbot's Outlet, etc...

To the younglings under 40 - It isn't so bad on the other side As DH says - it is just a number

A general zoo question - at the National Zoo in DC, we saw a huge number of mice in the various animal areas. I have never noticed this before in another zoo. The mice were so used to people that they just stopped to look at us! They weren't out in the people areas or pathways, but behind the glass with the animals, eating their food. Has anyone noticed this at other zoos?

Happy weekend!

 

[Hmom]

I am wondering of any of you have purchased your park tickets from Undercover Tourist?

I have read you can have them added to your KTTW card at check-in and since Disney normally raises ticket prices in August I was just priceing the cost now and seem we can save roughly $17 a ticket by buying through Undercover Tourist rather than Disney

In years past we have always bought our tickets as part of a Disney package or purchased the tickets at check in, so I am wondering whether to try Undercover tourist to save a few bucks

I did a little research on about 6 or 7 ticket resalers (or whatever they are called) when I was initially planning our trip. Since we are renting DVC points, there really wasn't a package deal to do. Of those that I researched, Undercover Tourist consistently had the most positive comments & seemed to have the best refund/return policy. Every few months, I buy another ticket for one of us so it doesn't hit all at once. I've also been buying Disney gift cards over the last year to pay for our dining plan & souvenirs.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Shelly...I like what Wendy said on the other thread about our weeks being blacked out...I think because of F&W that makes an impact..and it runs to Sunday, so they dont offer for the whole week...maybe...just trying to come up with a reason so it doesn't cause us to panic! Ha!!

Yes, I am trying not to panic about my dates being left out of FD. I keep telling myself that it is going to be as awesome as last year!

I'm actually hoping that FD not being during my week is going to cause people to change from my week to another week that is included!!

Momof2DisneyBoys - I was probably up near you this week My son was at zoo camp all week at the Pgh Zoo. While he was at camp, I took the opportunity to shop where I don't normally have the chance - Ross Park Mall, Wholefoods, Trader Joes, Talbot's Outlet, etc...

Hey there! Yep, you were not too far from us at all! How did your DS like the PGH zoo? PGH is great for shopping that's for sure!

 

[Evette]

I am wondering of any of you have purchased your park tickets from Undercover Tourist?

I have read you can have them added to your KTTW card at check-in and since Disney normally raises ticket prices in August I was just priceing the cost now and seem we can save roughly $17 a ticket by buying through Undercover Tourist rather than Disney

In years past we have always bought our tickets as part of a Disney package or purchased the tickets at check in, so I am wondering whether to try Undercover tourist to save a few bucks

I have used Undercover Tourist twice now, including the tickets for this November. I saved about $21 dollars a ticket and the tickets arrived safely and promptly in the mail. I bought mine ahead of the possible price increase the beginning of August. I also added the tickets purchased from Undercouver Tourist to our KTTW cards at checkin during our September 2009 visit

 

[rock*mom]

I am wondering of any of you have purchased your park tickets from Undercover Tourist?

I have read you can have them added to your KTTW card at check-in and since Disney normally raises ticket prices in August I was just priceing the cost now and seem we can save roughly $17 a ticket by buying through Undercover Tourist rather than Disney

In years past we have always bought our tickets as part of a Disney package or purchased the tickets at check in, so I am wondering whether to try Undercover tourist to save a few bucks

I have purchased my tics from undercover tourist, I did not have them deliver to me I picked them up on our arrival day and had no problem putting them on our KTTW cards. Hope this helps.

 

[sjs314]

Thanks for the feed back on Undercover Tourist, I am going to give them a try since you all seem to have had a good expierence with them

 

[Hmom]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS]
[FONT="Comic Sans MS"]Hey there! Yep, you were not too far from us at all! How did your DS like the PGH zoo? PGH is great for shopping that's for sure! [/FONT]

He loves zoo camp! This is his second year for a week long camp. We did the mom/dad & me classes for a year or two until he was old enough for camp. They have some wonderful programs.

I took the week off to shuttle him back & forth. He does a morning session then in the afternoons we play at the Carnegie Museum (dinosaurs, of course!), Science Center or Children's Museum. He is already looking forward to next year

If your guys have never done one of their programs, they are completely worth it.

 

[DisneyBoundinDec]

Hello November travelers...thanks to Shelly for the invite to your thread... I am a fellow Snowbird... we are heading to WDW Nov 5th -12th to visit our daughter who will be there working the College program...

Welcome! we will be there the same time! the 5-13.

Good morning ladies!

All this talk about turning 40 has really got me thinking. I have been trying to put it out of my head - like that will keep it from happening. DH had a huge surprise party for me when I turned 30. And a surprise dinner for me when I turned 35. And after that I told him to not even think about any kind of surprise party for my 40th, I just want to be left alone!!

But now you all have me thinking that I should get something good out of it! Maybe that Disney cruise I've been wanting to go on and he has been reluctant. . . It will be my 40th birthday, so he can't say no, right?!

Hmm. . . I'll have to start thinking about that one. . . I have a ways to go yet.



Congrats on the airfare and saving money!!

go for it! We LOVED the cruise we just went on.. granted it wasn't Disney, but it was a blast! We are going to wait a few years, probably until our 3 year old is about 6 or 7.. then we are going to go on the Disney one!

I haven't been on here for some time, you know, life, buys, that stuff. In fact right now I am out of town visiting my grandparents. I am stripping wallpaper, painting, etc. Anyway, I saw the thread pop up again and wanted to say hi and share my news!

So free dining came out and we missed it by 2 days. Uggg, so I ran the numbers and if we added 2 more day to the start of our trip we'd get free dining. So we now are staying 11 magical nights and took our rates down over $1000 on 2 rooms!

Here is the breakdown for our room (oldest DD is on my grandparents' room so she is not included here.)

Originally we booked 9 nights for 2 adults, plus one Disney adult and a child. We had a value resort, QSDP and 6 day tickets. Rack Rate was $3050.67
Then we allpied a small room only pin and took it down to $2934.97
We added 2 nights so now 11 nights, free QSDP, still 6 day tickets though we plan to add one and our rate is $2345.63 So our room alone we saved $600 to add 2 nights!!!
Needless to say I am still pretty excited. An 11 day vacation seemed like only a dream and now we are doing it. My DH can't get that much time off work normally so he will have to work more then usual (he always has to work when on vacation anyway) but he said he's OK with sitting poolside with a cold drink on his laptop then stuck back at the office anway, and to save money while doing it...yeah, he's good with that!

SWEET! nothing like staying longer AND saving money!

I went for my renal ultrasound today, the Dr will have the results this afternoon, hopefully all will be well and I won't get a phone call from him.

Keep your fingers crossed for me

fingers and toes crossed for you!