**The Official January 2012 WDW Thread**

[AllyElly]

Mommy2 - we are going to be at Pop the exact same time you are. This is also a Christmas surprise for the kids. We are going with my family, brother & his family, sister & her fiancee and my parents. Only one of the kids has been before and they are all dying to go (they just don't know it will be so soon!).

We are surprising them the same way as you - box of balloons and park items (autograph book, pressed penny books, countdown calendars, etc.). I found some great balloons on Amazon that we just used for their Disney World birthday party, they have Mickey's face and the ears blow up (they are latex, not the Mylar ones). They are so cute that we saved some for their big Christmas day surprise.

Hopefully no one let's it slip before the big day!

 

[PoohsFan1]

We picked January for the simple reason that my DH's birthday is in January and he wanted to spend his birthday week at the Happiest Place on Earth (he is a Disney nut like me and the kids ). However, he will not be spending his actual birthday there, we are going to be going on a 7 night Cruise to the Caribbean before going to Disney and his birthday falls during the cruise. We have been to Disney in September, December, June, May, and March...this will be the first time going in January for us and I am excited to see how this differs with all the other times we have gone.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

What are the temps like? I read the average "highs" are in the mid 70's which to me sounds like HEAVEN. but so many people on disboards complain of it being COLD! I understand at nightime it will be cool enough probably for a light jacket, but how does everyone feel about the day?

We have mainly gone in late December, so I am just assuming January is similar, but it can range from very mild 70's even 80's during the day to as low as 20's at night early morning. You have to go prepared for one extreme to the other.

Orlando has fairly similar weather to us, so I just take a bit of everything. I will say when it gets cold at night, and you are at Epcot, the breeze/wind off the lake cuts like a knife, and I am not usually a cold natured person, but we had to buy some blankets, which we were going to buy anyway, we just couldn't have them sent to the resort like we wanted to, we had to use them.

 

[LoriJune]

We chose January for the low crowds. We aren't taking the kids this time (thanks Grandma!!) so school wasn't a consideration and neither was swimming really. We also don't mind if a few major attrations are closed for reno such as Splash Mountain or Fantasmic. So, I tried to pick the least crowded week of the year and booked it! Cooler temps are another BIG bonus...we're from the north and don't mind at all.

 

[momabaarjo]

Mommy2 - we are going to be at Pop the exact same time you are. This is also a Christmas surprise for the kids. We are going with my family, brother & his family, sister & her fiancee and my parents. Only one of the kids has been before and they are all dying to go (they just don't know it will be so soon!).

We are surprising them the same way as you - box of balloons and park items (autograph book, pressed penny books, countdown calendars, etc.). I found some great balloons on Amazon that we just used for their Disney World birthday party, they have Mickey's face and the ears blow up (they are latex, not the Mylar ones). They are so cute that we saved some for their big Christmas day surprise.

Hopefully no one let's it slip before the big day!

We are doing the surprise thing too...been holding this in since January and I think I am going to bust. We are actually doing a split stay...Christmas week at RPR at Universal then to WDW Dec.6-7 staying at BWV then 1 night at POP or POR (have not decided).

I am going to do an advent calendar each day they are going to have a clue in our advent caledar chart...using that clue they have to find a gift (the small gift will have something to do with our trip, but does not scream disney or universal), after which they will have some kind of task to do together based on the gift. Then we plan to reveal EARLY Christmas morning...and leave right afterwards for the airport. If anyone is interested I can send you a word document of what I have so far for the countdown!

 

[pld5]

We will be staying at Wilderness Lodge 1-22-12 to 1-28-12. Its our first time staying in the resorts and I am very excited.

We chose January because of the crowds and the ease of getting the time off of work during that month.

 

[robinc71]

My DD11 and myself will be at Pop from 1/26 thru 2/5. Haven't made ADR's yet . Just booked trip last week. Trying to decide where we want to eat and what we want to do! Still need to book airfare but I'm glad to be on a countdown to my happy place Not out 1st trip, so we are looking forward to just being there!

 

[Alahis]

WildabouttheMouse : Thanks !

Hey, RobinC71, we'll be at the same hotel at the same time !

4 months leeeft !
(just booked my airfare today !)

 

[robinc71]

Hey, RobinC71, we'll be at the same hotel at the same time !

4 months leeeft !
(just booked my airfare today !)

How Exciting! Booked my 1st ADR for our arrival day at Le Cellier for late lunch! Srill need to book our airfare. How long will it take for you to make your trip?

 

[perrymarshall]

Hey guys, coming to join you all here I'm coming for my very first Disney trip from 29/1 - 2/2. Going solo, and staying at POP - I can see a couple of you guys will be there at the same time as my stay - exciting!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Well, after going back and forth and stressing over the free dining and needing to pull tickets the day before and possibly not being able to do that, as well as our history of bad luck, I decided to just chang everything to a room only with the Military discount and we will purchase the Military tickets at SoG when we get there. I can add the DDP as long as I do it 3 days before, if I think it will work out better for us and it might.

I cut back on some of the dining we had, because DH was complaining about not having enough park time.

 

[readytogotodisney]

We're surprising the kids this year with our trip. They usually know as as soon as it's booked that we're going, but this time we decided to switch it up. We usually go every other year, but on the plane ride home from our last trip we were talking and decided that we should go again in 2012, only this time not tell the kids.

The big reveal will be on Christmas with their last gift a suitcase. They'll be so not impressed with this, until they open it up. There will be lots of Disney goodies, including the helium filled Mickey balloon with a countdown chain attached, a customized park map, an autograph book for my niece, a Dessert Party invite for my nephew etc. Also include will be a Mickey t-shirt that I made!
Here they are! I'm very excited on how they turned out. And all 3 only cost me $12!

[/IMG]

 

[Cin]

Total excitement. I booked our airlines today and had to depart a day earlier so Mom and I could fly together on the connecting flight, meaning we get to WDW a day earlier than planned!!! Since our resort couldn't get us in a night early, I booked a room only for the arrival night at Pop Century. I'm so excited because I wanted to originally stay at Pop anyway but thought POFQ was a better overall choice for Mom. Now I get both!!!! Still 143 days to go, and counting down...

 

[Cin]

Your t-shirts are so cute. Great job! That a great Christmas idea. Now the hard part, waiting quietly and patiently until then.

 

[momabaarjo]

the shirts...can you share how you did them?

 

[readytogotodisney]

the shirts...can you share how you did them?

Sure... it was really easy!
Here are the directions I used. And here is the template I used

[/IMG]

If you do make them, some tips. 1) make the flour paste kind of thick when you put it on the shirt, it makes taking it off that must easier. and 2) make sure the paint is completely dry before you start pulling off the paste, I had some really blue hands bc I didn't think about the paint not being dry on the paste part even though I made sure it was dry on the shirt.

 

[momabaarjo]

Thanks so much! I can't wait for the kids to try these! I am thinking lots of little mickey heads!

 

[Weluvdisny]

Booked our ADRs tonight. Got everything we wanted at the times we wanted!!

 

[magpomom]

We picked January because my daughter has a couple of days off of school towards the end of the month, so it works out well that she'll only be missing a couple days of school instead of an entire week. Low crowds, mild temperatures and value season are icing on the cake! This will be our first January trip (and only our second trip overall), so we'll be ready for anything temperature wise.

We're planning to surprise our kiddos on Christmas day too! I'd love to hear what others have done or have in mind to surprise their children too.

 

[perrymarshall]

Booked our ADRs tonight. Got everything we wanted at the times we wanted!!

Where have you booked for?