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

[lamb616]

19 days for us!

Photopass -- I have not done it before, but am doing it this time. You can order it now for $99 and when you get back - if you don't like the # or quality of pics that you got, you can cancel and they will refund your money.

Quick service for toddlers - I think any counter service places will be fine. Here's a site you can use to search for restaurants in each park. You can select Quick Service as the Type.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningmain.cfm

Packing - I'm also in the camp re: packing. Every time I think about what to pack, I freeze up, lol. I'm most confused about coats, mainly for the kids. They have light/spring jackets and they have winter jackets. Nothing really between. I remember when DS was little I would get him these jackets that were nylon on the outside and fleece on the inside and the fleece zipped out like a separate jacket. I think something like that would be perfect and would avoid having to pack several different jackets. They could wear it down (because I'm sure it will be like single digit temps here when we leave). If it's cool down there at night, they could wear a sweatshirt under it and that would probably be fine. If they need something really light they could wear just the outer nylon part. Something a *little* warmer - put the fleece inner back on. Now, I just need to find someplace that sells them.

 

[Shunasee]

Hello All!

Been reading the posts on this forum for a while but just registered. We arrive in Disney on Tuesday the 8th and are staying at the Hawthorn Suites. Coming from Scotland so hope the weather will be a bit better than ours at the moment - 80mph gales and driving rain

Being Scottish we are hardy souls so have packed mostley shports and tshirts for us - me DH, DS1 (12) and DS2 (9) We are hoping it will be about 70.

We have ordered our passes - Real Deal so hope to visit all the Disney Parks, Universal ones and Seaworld and Typhoon Laggon. We havent really made plans for which order or what to do when we get there, but after reading how organised you all are I am really starting to panic - hence the reason I am posting at 3.30am

Dont panic!!!

The trip is what you and your family make of it. I would just relax and have fun.

For me, the real planning came in on this trip due to the dining plan. Last time, we only had the one dining reservation, so, we pretty much did what we wanted when we wanted. For DH and I it worked out great!

I am plotting another trip out to WDW in October for the Food and Wine Festival. I think next time, I will just stick with the QSDP(unless for some odd reason the DDP is free again), as its not so much planning. I will get plenty of that for our 2012 trip out, when its going to be a full family thing (about 20 people) and I am the loverly cruise director.


Off to purchase new sunglasses, shoe inserts and long johns (being from CA does have its disadvantages)

Have a great day everyone!!!

7 days till we are at the world!!

 

[lamb616]

yikes, people are expecting to wear long johns!?!?!?

 

[Marlynmik]

No LJs for me!! I don't even wer them in the frigid below 0 temps we have here in Canada. I'm just not an LJ kinda person

Re: photopass - you can preorder for $99 and if you don't like the pics or you don't feel it's worth it, I'm almost 100% sure you can get a refund.

I'm leaving in 4 days and I still haven't started packing yet

 

[Shunasee]

yikes, people are expecting to wear long johns!?!?!?

my DH jokes that I am a reptile.

Anything under 60 and I freezing. Sad to say, I know.

 

[eeyoreland]

The way I look at it: The weather forecast changes from day to day, just be prepared for warm, or cool and rainy, it is what it is, you can't change it, at this point 60's and raining is a whole lot better than blizzards and arctic temps.

7 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and to everyone else who has commented on my post ...

I know I shouldn't worry about it. Easy to say now that the forecast has turned around a bit . I'm just panicking. And for what? Can't change it. It will be nice just to see no snow! We're packed and I think we have a good assortment depending on the weather.

 

[suorkaterina]

The weather keeps changing on me! So I booked a hotel right next to the airport for the night before. Better safe than sorry! Plus they have an indoor pool Woowoo!

 

[Gina]

my DH jokes that I am a reptile.

Anything under 60 and I freezing. Sad to say, I know.

Too funny... I am the exact opposite. Anything above like 75 is just to me. So of course, I live in a place where our four seasons are Almost Summer, Summer, Summer II, and Hell. I need to move to North Dakota or something!

 

[npierce25]

I am writing you know from my bed in building 4 of pofq (from my cell phone so please don't judge on grammer os spelling!). This trip has been a year and a half in the making. We had to cancel a trup last year and fought really hard to keep this on ( dh works construction and has been plagues by a few injuries so work has not been too swell). Flight was uneventful thank god since I am not a fan of defying gravity. Got my room req in bulg 4 its beautiful here. I have to say that I am a little disapointed.. day 1 did not live up to my exptations.... which I admit I placed too high. Ate at pinochios... then only went on iasw went in ph u
Harmacig and the carosul and then it began to rain and dd fell asleep in her fancy stroller. Watched parade. Felt bad that she was sleeping. Went pack to the room to get settles... the went to dinner at chef mickies... that was fun... not worth $104 but fun! Thank god forbthe dining plan. That was all we acomplished today. Dd was a little out of sorts... u guess this is a lot to take in for her.


Doing ak today instead of hs. Hoping today is better. And the steelers win tonight so I don't have to hearbmy husband be upset thhe rest of the trip....

 

[lamb616]

for all are there now and have been the past couple days...... I've been reading how low crowds are - lower than expected. Like 1s on the crowd calendar. So is it dead there -- no lines or people anywhere???

 

[DiSnEyLvR76]

would love to know how the crowds / weather is for the people in DIS now!?

 

[Marlynmik]

My neighbours just returned on Wednesday and they said the longest wait they had was 20 minutes. They didn't even use fast passes!

 

[Gina]

My neighbours just returned on Wednesday and they said the longest wait they had was 20 minutes. They didn't even use fast passes!

I love the sound of that!! Here's hoping that holds up for the rest of us!

If anyone else is a big fan of Twitter, I will definitely be tweeting a bunch during our trip. If you will be too, please give me your Twitter name! Link to mine is in my sig. Oh, and Gowalla! I'll be checking in often from there too, would love to see where you're checking in if you use that service as well. Looking forward to all the new Disney stuff through Gowalla!


Got a lot more packing done last night, almost done. At this point, it doesn't look very chilly in the mornings next week, so we'll probably be in jeans/leggings and t-shirts during the day and tossing on another light layer for night. Bringing a pair of shorts for the latter part of the week.

Off to do some laundry... everyone have a good day!

 

[Marlynmik]

Today is my packing day. I've got 3 loads of laundry to do.

I'm getting really nervous about the trip. I barely slept last night because I was so nauseous. This is DD's very first big trip. First plane ride. So not just the excitement of Disney but even the travel is a whole new thing!

The weather is definitely looking up. From 57 to 66 for daytime highs. From 41 to 55 for lows. Only rain is the day we arrive. It's 17 where I am now and it's actually quite pleasant (for winter).

Now I've got to go charge up all my electronics! I'll be checking this thread several time a day until we leave. I won't have access to my phone internet while I'm there because I don't have an international phone plan and I'm leaving the country.

 

[Shunasee]

Gina - i will look you up on twitter (once i make an account)

Npearce(sp) - Sorry about the first day being disappointing! it can be overwhelming

Great news about the crowds.. hope that sticks through next week

my 'packing' is basically done, aside from putting it in a suitcase. just think, in just one week I will be on a plane headed to FL right now!!

have a great day everyone! and to those watching the superbowl, hope your team wins!

 

[BethR9]

This has probably been asked but I can't find it.

I believe there is a Hess gas station or some other gas station outside of Downtown Disney. Does anyone know anything about this? Can you walk to it from DD?

My husband and bro want to get a case of beer and trying to figure out the best way to do this.

We won't have a vehicle.

Ideas?

Thanks!

 

[suorkaterina]

So, i find this funny if not slightly annoying. The MSN weather says rain and 10 degrees lower than the weather chanel says, and weather chanel says sun for the first few days we are there. Sheesh. I'm praying weather chanel is right.

Yeah, so I've been packed for a week. We decided to get "carry-on" sized rolling bags and downsize what we are taking. We both got some new clothes and are going on a hunting trip for swim suits at the Mall Thursday night. Here's hoping. Looks like ladies swim suits are out but no mens in our town. But hopefully the Mall is ahead of the game.

Level 1 crowds would be fabulous! Think of all we could fit into one day! I have school work I've been trying to do all day but all I can think about is stuff to remember for the trip! At 31 this is really the first trip I've ever planned alone(sad but true) and all I can think to myself is...man, my mother did this every year when I was a kid...did she ever sleep? =P

 

[eeyoreland]

for all are there now and have been the past couple days...... I've been reading how low crowds are - lower than expected. Like 1s on the crowd calendar. So is it dead there -- no lines or people anywhere???

I don't know if it's true, but I read elsewhere that crowds were down last week probably due to the bad winter weather. Again, no idea how accurate that is. Just hope they all don't decide to come this week!

 

[Marlynmik]

I packed today and now I'll have to reconsider after checking the weather again. The temps went up! And the rain day shifted later by one day. I figured I was ok waiting until 4 days out to pack, but I guess not! I'll just throw in a couple pairs of shorts for all of us 71 is definitely shorts weather!!!!

 

[Punchy]

Twenty-one days!

We're staying at POFQ for 9 nights and I can't wait!

I've been harassing my husband to pull our luggage out of storage but he thinks I'm crazy and it's too early, so instead I have little piles of stuff all over our bedroom.

The next three weeks will be loooong.