The *Official* February 2011 Thread - Happy Dance Time...The Park Hours Are Out!

[DLB]

I can't believe how fast the days are passing now

I am at a total loss as to what to pack this time- probably because I am waiting till the last minute to pack since it all depends on the weather

I bought my kids cute disney long sleeve shirts, dress, hoodies, etc.
I have this feeling that it will be
super warm and sunny, and I will
have to go out a few days before
the trip and buy them both new
warm season clothes (they have
both grown out of their summer
things)
Ponchos- I bought the kids nice
ones from target a few months ago (princess and star wars of course)
and I am wondering if I should just
buy DH and I the dollar store ones,
or just buy the mickey ones when
we get there if needed- thoughts?

I feel like there is so much to do and time is flying by! I just printed out my packing list today. I have no idea what to pack as far as clothes. The weather could go so many ways it will be hard to be prepared. My thoughts are layers? Jeans, hoods with a tshirt underneath? I will pack a few pairs of shorts for wishful thinking? Bathing suits just in case it is warm?
Ponchos? I just bought them at the dollar store. While I was there I also found collapsible boxes to help keep the room some what organized, ziplock bags that you can vacumn the air out of for easy packing on the way home, clothes pins, mesh bags for laundry, power cords for all tge electronic chargers, Disney themed
workbooks and card games for the
plane and a mini sewing kit!!!

I would really like to make us matching shirts too!

 

[DLB]

Marlynmik: that shirt is adorable!! Where did you find it?

 

[Marlynmik]

This is the link the the Etsy seller's shop (more specifically her Disney collection)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PetiteBellesandBeaus?section_id=6258250

 

[scrappinmom]

I can't believe how fast the days are passing now

I am at a total loss as to what to pack this time- probably because I am waiting till the last minute to pack since it all depends on the weather

I bought my kids cute disney long sleeve shirts, dress, hoodies, etc. I have this feeling that it will be super warm and sunny, and I will have to go out a few days before the trip and buy them both new warm season clothes (they have both grown out of their summer things)

Ponchos- I bought the kids nice ones from target a few months ago (princess and star wars of course) and I am wondering if I should just buy DH and I the dollar store ones, or just buy the mickey ones when we get there if needed- thoughts?

We always buy he dollar store ones...I hate trying to refold the nice mickey ones....the dollar ones I just toss in the trash

Looking to visit February 12-17. What would you suggest for one good character meal with traditional characters. Any suggestions? Kids dd 5 and ds 4.

Chef Mickeys is one of our favorites!!

This is the link the the Etsy seller's shop (more specifically her Disney collection)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PetiteBellesandBeaus?section_id=6258250

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this shirt

 

[MistressMerryweather]

One month! One month! Woohoo! Just 30 more days until DH and I are heading off alone for the first time in 8 years. I'm super nervous to leave the kids for 6 days, but super excited too. Oddly enough, we won't be completely kid-free as I will be carrying around our little 21.5 week bean.

 

[lamb616]

so what exactly will I be getting in the mail -- just ME tags? And when should I get them - 2-3 weeks before?

 

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

In the mail you will get your ME tags (I got mine a little over a month out) and you will get mail from Disney (if you are staying on site) that has all of your package details and coupons (arcade voucher, spa discount, etc)- still havent got mine yet- hoping on today

 

[LovinPooh]

If I recall correctlly, the package from Disney gets sent out about 30 days before arrival???
Thats when it all seems real!
Now I am trying to just keep everyone healthy and in one piece lol.

 

[LovinPooh]

How log can you wait? my final payment is due Today....but wowsers I'd love to postpone it until we get paid next????

I have heard that you have up until 30 days before they cancel trip. My payment was due on the 11th. But I have been stressing like crazy since the day I booked to get this paid off. It was such a good feeling.
Now dont quote me on that day 30 thing. Give them a call, but I have read over and over that there is a grace period. But definetly call them, and hey, you get to hear the Disney music while you wait

 

[srauchbauer]

I am so overwhelmed. We are DL lovers been a couple of times and could plan that trip in a week. But wow DWD is a different story and I only have a month plus a little to plan a great vacation (a little stress) Please please help me. This will be our first time to DWD (okay I went 30 years ago that does not count) we want to see it all but I know that in 6 days that is not possible could you please recommend some must see items for a family of 4. Kids are ages 5 and 3 our three year old boy (okay four in Feb) loves Mickey will not leave the house without some type of Disney clothes. Five year old Daughter is totally into Princesses. Boy am I babbling just so excited but don't know where to start.

 

[LovinPooh]

You aint kidding! When someone asks me whats involved with Disney trips, I laugh and tell them to sit down and take notes LOL! Its months of planning. The one thing I added to my trip this time to take some ease of the planning was park hoppers. I found the hardest thing was coordinating ADRs and EMHs, and closing times and show and parades. So the hopper has given me flexibilty. My kids are 14 and 11. So it works good for us. One loves the TOT, and the other loves MK. As far as restaurants... I would say that if you little one loves Mickey, then try try try to get an ADR for Chef Mickeys!!!! If the other loves princesses try for Cinderellas Royal Table in the castle. that is pretty pricey. But 2 credits on dining plan, which I completely recommend. I have done WDW without and wont again. But if CRT is out of the question, try try try for Askershus! Now those restaurants are both hard to get. So start trying now. There is also Tusker House breakfast with Mickey which is pretty great, or 1900 Park Fare with princesses. I cant think of other restaurants...
I like meeting characters at restaurants. They come to your table for pics and all that. Saves time in the parks.
Hope I have helped a little bit!
Are you staying on Disney property?

 

[lamb616]

yes, I would say before you do anything else, see what ADRs you can get (if you're even interested in character meals). There are still alot available (except maybe CRT) but you may not get exact time and day you want, but if you're flexible you should be fine. I have a 3 and 7 year old. We're doing:

Tusker House
Chef Mickeys
Askherus Princess
CRT
Crystal Palace
Hollywood & Vine (Playhouse Disney)

 

[TheFTs]

Newbie on here, from the UK, but will be 2nd time to Orlando for us... but really wanted to know about all this planning you guys seem to do??? what are we nmissing??? we just get our tickets... and... sort of turn up??? help? Am I being VERY dense here????

 

[lamb616]

Ha ha, that's how my husband would do it if he had his way -- just book the room and then....show up and figure out what we're going to do when we get there, lol. He was horrified when I was booking our ADRs 6 months ago -- he was like "How the heck do I know what and when I'm going to want to eat 6 months from now!?!?!"
If you're not obsessive planners, (which you're probably not) then you should be fine.

 

[TheFTs]

Oh, no, not that bad... we've doing it the villa way this time, but as for Parks etc, we'll decide which to go to, and when, when we get there! So now worried that I'm missing something amazing by not having a printed out schedule or similar? eeek!

 

[srauchbauer]

You aint kidding! When someone asks me whats involved with Disney trips, I laugh and tell them to sit down and take notes LOL! Its months of planning. The one thing I added to my trip this time to take some ease of the planning was park hoppers. I found the hardest thing was coordinating ADRs and EMHs, and closing times and show and parades. So the hopper has given me flexibilty. My kids are 14 and 11. So it works good for us. One loves the TOT, and the other loves MK. As far as restaurants... I would say that if you little one loves Mickey, then try try try to get an ADR for Chef Mickeys!!!! If the other loves princesses try for Cinderellas Royal Table in the castle. that is pretty pricey. But 2 credits on dining plan, which I completely recommend. I have done WDW without and wont again. But if CRT is out of the question, try try try for Askershus! Now those restaurants are both hard to get. So start trying now. There is also Tusker House breakfast with Mickey which is pretty great, or 1900 Park Fare with princesses. I cant think of other restaurants...
I like meeting characters at restaurants. They come to your table for pics and all that. Saves time in the parks.
Hope I have helped a little bit!
Are you staying on Disney property?

thank you thank you thank you - we are staying off property gives us a little more spending $$ and the ability to have of some meals in the room.

Another quick question: At DL you can bring in snacks and small sandwiches (PB&J) and water is that acceptable at DWD?

 

[lamb616]

Oh, no, not that bad... we've doing it the villa way this time, but as for Parks etc, we'll decide which to go to, and when, when we get there! So now worried that I'm missing something amazing by not having a printed out schedule or similar? eeek!

well, I think a lot of us planned which parks we were going to by looking at Tour Guide Mike & Touring Plans recommendations and crowd calendars. And so then we had to coordinate our meals to match up to those parks.

 

[Gina]

It's great to see so many people new to WDW! How exciting!! I know it's overwhelming trying to plan, though, and most of us spend months and months and months doing it. I can't even imagine how overwhelming it would be to try to pull it all together in a month.

For first-timers, with as little time as is left, I would first hit the website www.**************.net. Really great site, tons of info, easy to understand. Then I would just be at these boards as much as possible, at the topic-specific sub-boards, to help you narrow down what you want to see and where you want to eat. As far as dining is concerned, I love Deb Wills' AllEars site as a reference: http://allears.net/din/dining.htm

It's really hard for anyone to recommend "must sees" for anyone else, because everyone's tastes are so different. The best thing is to just gather as much info as you can and maybe sit down as a family to narrow down your options. If you're going in the latter part of February, you'll definitely need a plan of attack -- just wandering into a park without knowing if it's the best park for that day, and going in with no idea of what you're going to ride when will give you a very different experience from those who have some sort of touring plan figured out beforehand.

You could also visit your local library and check out some WDW guide books, taking notes as you go. The more you plan, the better experience you'll have!

 

[srauchbauer]

Hello again I have spent my morning reading this great thread I am on page 21 and have been reading about the FD plan did not see that in any of the deals this past week. Is it still available and when are the dates?

TIA for such great people.

 

[Gina]

Hello again I have spent my morning reading this great thread I am on page 21 and have been reading about the FD plan did not see that in any of the deals this past week. Is it still available and when are the dates?

TIA for such great people.

Unfortunately, you would have had to have booked by 12/20 (I believe) to get in on free dining. There were some %-off codes for the general public out there, but I believe they expired 12/31.

If you go to the official WDW page and click on "special offers" at the bottom, there are some discounts there, but only for after 2/17. The biggie right now is the "kids stay and play for free" promo -- details at that same special offers page. Good luck, hope one of the discounts works out for you!