The OFFICIAL December 2014 - Christmas Magic

[bigjrfan88]

So I'm kind of upset that the 1st week of Dec is blacked out, but if you look at the dates, there isnt much that isnt blacked out after Oct. 3. Which tells me they arent focused on Winter yet since the package deals also end on Oct 3rd. I'm unwilling at this point to move my dates. Guess we are holding out hope that maybe a new different free dining deal comes out with more dates after this stuff expires, or just a room or package discount becomes available later on.

 

[Eeyore52]

The Free Dining package for 2014 is available for Disney Visa holders as of today (May 1st). It opens to the general public on May 7th.

Here are the details:

The dates included are:
August 31 - October 3
October 26 - November 1
November 9 - November 20
December 12 - December 23

Disney Value Resorts ~ Quick Service Dining Plan Included

This can be upgraded to regular plan for $18.65 per person per day ($3.20 for children).

All-Star Music Resort
All-Star Sports Resort
Art of Animation (Family Suites)
Pop Century Resort

Moderate Resorts ~ Regular Dining Plan Included

Carribean Beach Resort
Coronado Springs Resort

Deluxe Resorts ~ Regular Dining Plan Included

Animal Kingdom Lodge
Yacht & Beach Club Resorts
BoardWalk Inn
Contemporary Resort
Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Polynesian Resort
Wilderness Lodge

Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts ~ Regular Dining Plan Included

Bay Lake Tower
Animal Kingdom Villas
Beach Club Villas
BoardWalk Villas
Old Key West Resort
Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
The Villas at Disneys Wilderness Lodge
Fort Wilderness Cabins

Some resorts are excluded, such as All Star Movies, Mermaid Rooms at Art of Animation, Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside, Campsites at Ft. Wilderness, and 3-bedroom villas, and Villas at The Grand Floridian. A 3 night minimum stay (14 night maximum) and two day minimum park ticket is required for each person in the party.

Follow the whole thread on the "Free Dining 2014 Discussion" thread. (sorry, I can't post links yet)

 

[kellykaye]

December 9 - 19 2014 at Animal Kingdom. So freakin excited

 

[bigjrfan88]

So whats the deal with Party nights? If it is a night that is more expensive than other nights, is that night expected to be more busy? Say on a Sunday with Tickets costing 71 vs a Tuesday where tickets only cost 67. Also, which is better crowd wise, Sunday or Tuesday party nights? We did a Halloween party on a Sunday about 4 years ago, but that was then and a different party. Sunday is our Arrival day and would love to start off in the Magic Kingdom.

 

[JewelsG]

Count us in on a trip in December too! It's official now because we bought our plane tickets Friday - $873 for 6 people from Worcester, MA to Orlando - couldn't believe the great deal! Although we did have to add a day at the start on our trip - such hardship, I know lol... Have to update my ticker now too

Does anyone know when the park hours for December are coming out? I know they just released the dates for MVMCP but still haven't seen the hours so can't really buy til I know which is a bit frustrating. In such a planning mood & those hours are holding me back lol.

 

[mcorey41]

Does anyone know when the park hours for December are coming out? I know they just released the dates for MVMCP but still haven't seen the hours so can't really buy til I know which is a bit frustrating. In such a planning mood & those hours are holding me back lol.

I am so in the same boat!!! It's killing me!!

 

[CinderElsa]

Count us in on a trip in December too! It's official now because we bought our plane tickets Friday - $873 for 6 people from Worcester, MA to Orlando - couldn't believe the great deal! Although we did have to add a day at the start on our trip - such hardship, I know lol... Have to update my ticker now too

Does anyone know when the park hours for December are coming out? I know they just released the dates for MVMCP but still haven't seen the hours so can't really buy til I know which is a bit frustrating. In such a planning mood & those hours are holding me back lol.

We should have the hours sometime next week.

 

[disfanforlife]

Count us in on a trip in December too! It's official now because we bought our plane tickets Friday - $873 for 6 people from Worcester, MA to Orlando - couldn't believe the great deal! Although we did have to add a day at the start on our trip - such hardship, I know lol... Have to update my ticker now too

Does anyone know when the park hours for December are coming out? I know they just released the dates for MVMCP but still haven't seen the hours so can't really buy til I know which is a bit frustrating. In such a planning mood & those hours are holding me back lol.

Congrats on the great plain fare! Can't wait for SW to open up booking schedule for December. Waiting on that until we can book our airfare.

 

[shetm]

Also waiting on SW here. Going December 14-20 at WL So freakin excited!!!! currently waiting to see if we might be able to rent DVC points to further lower the cost of our trip but excited to go to the most magical place on earth at the most wonderful time of the year!!

 

[ppony]

Wow, I wish I could find airfare that cheap. Right now, it looks like $1100 RT right now for 2 people.

Keep looking. We're also WDW bound in early Dec..
On a whim, I looked last week and found RT from Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) to MCO for $230 INCLUDING TAXES! I haven't paid that little in 20 years! Our last trip 2 years ago was $400 each plus tax, PLUS seat assignments. Some weird sales going on right now. Be prepared to pounce. Read up about when companies put stuff up and who is best to book when. Generally speaking, discount carriers are best to book as soon as they release their dates. Big airlines are better 8-ish weeks out. Mine were on Delta (despite my not caring for it too much), but I didn't have to pay an extra dime to have my whole family seated together which was a huge plus that I'm always paying for. So we can cope w/ that and I prefer the larger of the 2 terminals in MSP anyway.

Good luck everyone!

 

[ppony]

When we got out seating assignments (it was the 4 of us to Disney, the other trips was business and I was on my own), they had us all separated (once with my 4yo by himself 14 rows behind the rest of us, lol). We just went up to the desk and had them re-arrange so that an adult was with each minor. It was no problem either time -they're GREAT at seating.

Is that how they work it w/ early bird check-in? I'm doing a quick WDW trip myself and possibly one of my sons. I already booked my return flight on SW and early check-in. I'll do the same for Nick as soon as I can, but I don't like the idea of him being separate though he'll be 14 so it's not a critical as it would be w/ my7 who is special needs.

 

[ppony]

So whats the deal with Party nights? If it is a night that is more expensive than other nights, is that night expected to be more busy? Say on a Sunday with Tickets costing 71 vs a Tuesday where tickets only cost 67. Also, which is better crowd wise, Sunday or Tuesday party nights? We did a Halloween party on a Sunday about 4 years ago, but that was then and a different party. Sunday is our Arrival day and would love to start off in the Magic Kingdom.

Precisely. The Sunday you were quoting is the end of Thanksgiving weekend, so it'll be more expensive. Otherwise Sundays and Tuesdays are less than Fridays.
I've been watching discussions for the past 6 years about which days tend to be less busy, Sundays or Tuesdays and well as my own personal experiences. For sure, no Fridays. That's a given for us. Virtually no hope of it not being jammed, though some people seem to find themselves in pockets that aren't crazy, but those are few and far between. I've seen a mixed bag between Tuesday and Sunday as to which is busier, so I'm not sure. I'm trying to find out too.

Actually, I think I decided to let weather be my guide. There will be 5 parties going on while we're there and not on the cruise. if I eliminate the Friday one, that gives us 4 to school from. I can check the weather the few days before and decide I think.

 

[selina4disney]

Keep looking. We're also WDW bound in early Dec..
On a whim, I looked last week and found RT from Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) to MCO for $230 INCLUDING TAXES! I haven't paid that little in 20 years! Our last trip 2 years ago was $400 each plus tax, PLUS seat assignments. Some weird sales going on right now. Be prepared to pounce. Read up about when companies put stuff up and who is best to book when. Generally speaking, discount carriers are best to book as soon as they release their dates. Big airlines are better 8-ish weeks out. Mine were on Delta (despite my not caring for it too much), but I didn't have to pay an extra dime to have my whole family seated together which was a huge plus that I'm always paying for. So we can cope w/ that and I prefer the larger of the 2 terminals in MSP anyway.

Good luck everyone!

You must have got the same flights we did for early December...I was amazed to get Delta for that price! And I got the early flight to MCO that gets in at 11:23 am, and a later flight back that leaves Orlando at 5:45.

I bought my MVMCP tickets today too.

 

[ppony]

You must have got the same flights we did for early December...I was amazed to get Delta for that price! And I got the early flight to MCO that gets in at 11:23 am, and a later flight back that leaves Orlando at 5:45.

I bought my MVMCP tickets today too.

HA!!! What dates? We have the same flight time home as you, on the 17th. I love the later return time. We usually have to take earlier ones so your day is pretty much gone. This is a great one. We're getting in at Midnight on the 5th since we were trying to avoid taking the kids out of school for another day (already going to be out for 8 ) but didn't want to miss all important weekend days.

I was shocked too. None of their rates had been below $400...geeze, for years! Sun Country and SW are more! Totally blew my mind so we borrowed form Bank of Mom as this was earlier than we were expecting and I just bought tickets to the Imagination Gala in Sept.. Thank heavens for moms when you're in a pinch. LOL Wait, correct that, thank heavens for MOMs period! <3

 

[selina4disney]

HA!!! What dates? We have the same flight time home as you, on the 17th. I love the later return time. We usually have to take earlier ones so your day is pretty much gone. This is a great one. We're getting in at Midnight on the 5th since we were trying to avoid taking the kids out of school for another day (already going to be out for 8 ) but didn't want to miss all important weekend days.

I was shocked too. None of their rates had been below $400...geeze, for years! Sun Country and SW are more! Totally blew my mind so we borrowed form Bank of Mom as this was earlier than we were expecting and I just bought tickets to the Imagination Gala in Sept.. Thank heavens for moms when you're in a pinch. LOL Wait, correct that, thank heavens for MOMs period! <3

We go Dec 9-20...we flew Sun Country last time but I hate that early flight home! Most of the time we did Air Tran or Delta, I really like being able to hit a park one last time on that last day, and we usually do a character breakfast that last day too. Air Tran stuck us in Milwaukee a couple years ago because they had overbooked the plane and even though we had boarding passes and had been on the flight from MSP to Milwaukee they bumped us...we were supposed to get to MCO at noon and we didn't get there till 8 pm. I felt like they took a day of our vacation! That was the last Air Tran flight we took.

I feel kind of like a newbie this trip...it is the first time out of 15 or so trips we are staying off property, we're going to go to Sea World, do an airboat tour, and go to Gatorland...all things, despite going to Florida several times a year, we've never done. It'll be the first time since 2001 that we rented a car. I am really looking forward to this trip!

 

[AmyKat]

They just did a story about airfare on Good Morning America last week. They said (according to their research) that it didn't matter as much when you booked but more about what days you are traveling. They said Wednesday was the best day to fly out and Tuesday was the best day to fly back. That sounded odd to me because I don't think it would matter to the airline whether you were flying home or away. I mean, some of y'all live in places I would like to fly to visit so I would be arriving in your departure airport.

Anyway, we normally do Wednesday to Wednesday for our trips and always get super deals on airfare. We live close enough that we can drive to Disney but the flights are cheaper than the gas would be.

 

[Niewoe]

A little late in the thread - but I'm joining since I just booked AKL for the second week of Dec!! WOO HOO!!

 

[saysib]

Welcome newbies!!

Woo, a few of us at AKL now! I am so excited to stay there

 

[purpleknightjc]

woohoo! our trip has been booked for quite awhile! staying the first week of december and its our first disney xmas trip! does anyone know if the candlelight processional is daily? if not when do they usually release those dates? i dont want it to coincide with mickeys xmas party!!

 

[figment3258]

woohoo! our trip has been booked for quite awhile! staying the first week of december and its our first disney xmas trip! does anyone know if the candlelight processional is daily? if not when do they usually release those dates? i dont want it to coincide with mickeys xmas party!!

Candle light is every night in December 3 times a night
The narrators will not be announced. Until July or so and that's when the dinner packages will go on sale too
We are also there the first week in December