**The Official January 2012 WDW Thread**

[ash-n-brensmom]

Hey guys, now that I can concentrate on this vacation I have started a small PTR! If anyone is interested...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=43004007#post43004007

 

[wish*i*was*in*the*vi]

What Are You Doing This Month To Prepare For Your January Disney Trip?

Checking everyday to see if I can book the Wishes dessert party on the 8th for my son's 13th birthday...

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

What Are You Doing This Month To Prepare For Your January Disney Trip?

Checking everyday to see if I can book the Wishes dessert party on the 8th for my son's 13th birthday...

I have been calling weekly, was told likely this week, because they are at the end of December, but I suspect it won't be until after the first of November. I will make my weekly call tonight. I think we are shooting for that night or as well, because it is EMH at MK or possibly the 12th.

 

[danimaroo]

Actually, we leave on the Autotrain on Thurs., Jan 19th so we arrive WDW on Friday, Jan 20th and stay until the following Saturday. I'm really looking forward to trying OKW -- we've done them all so far (well, actually WL not VWL so we'll have to get there sometime, too). Our favorites are AKV-Kidani and BLT.

We also like BCV a lot, too. You can't beat that walking into Epcot and SAB is fantastic. We'll get back there again when we go in warmer weather and can enjoy the pool more.

I love being part of the whole crowd over there at Epcot...love walking around the lake, going over to Boardwalk,etc.

A funny story: Originally we had invited friends with us for the first time (they said they couldn't afford it), then we invited another set of friends (they said yes, then decided to go to DL instead since they have family out there), so then we invited my parents (they decided they didn't want to go in January and are going in May).

I thought it would be EASY to get friends to go to DW with us. I mean if others invited me, I'd jump on that so quick!

So we took our extra points we would have used on the 2BR (fortunately, we hadn't reached the 7month mark so didn't use any points since I wasn't going to reserve until we knew for sure who was coming with us) and will use them for a future trip. Hoping to do BLT-LV or even MK view if available in 2013 or 2014. Last time we just did standard view but also loved that since we were overlooking the marina anyway but didn't have to spend the extra points!

Any extra tips/suggestions for OKW?

Yeah, I suppose technically our vacation starts on the night of the 18th. We leave Seattle at 10:55pm and get into Orlando at 7am on the 19th (Talk about a loooong flight!) Also, how could people turn down a trip to WDW?! They're crazy!

We considered BLT but I heard the rooms were a bit small, and I got worried it'd be too modern and not Disney enough. I am definitely open to trying it out sometime though because the monorail is so nice to have!

Glad to hear you've enjoyed BCV! It'll just be nice to be able to hop from park to park and not have to solely rely on buses. Though you have to rely on buses at OKW, they're actually pretty quick and buses come fairly often. Plus, you only make about 3-4 resort-only stops, and then you're off to the parks (though sometimes you'll have to stop at a waterpark). Not sharing a bus with other resorts can be really nice and I always appreciate being able to have a seat for the ride (I do enough standing on the buses in downtown Seattle that I could use a break on vacation! )

I'd say tip-wise for OKW, if you want a much quieter room, try for something not so close to the Hospitality House. We were way back by Turtle Pond and while at first I was a little bummed we weren't closer to the main area, I realized that it was so nice and quiet that I didn't mind at all. Plus, we could just catch a bus to the HH if we needed to go to the marketplace, wanted to catch the boat to DTD, or wanted to swim in the main pool. Oh and there are resort-only buses that loop through the resort which is nice if you don't want to walk back from the pool/HH.

And yes, take the boat to DTD. It's a beautiful ride and really nice to do on a relaxing evening. I liked OKW because it has a Disney feel with a lot of quietness. Oh and if you're driving, the parking is excellent. Parking spots are right outside of your villa. They have much more of a homey/condo feel than they do a resort feel.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

What Are You Doing This Month To Prepare For Your January Disney Trip?

Checking everyday to see if I can book the Wishes dessert party on the 8th for my son's 13th birthday...

I have been calling weekly, was told likely this week, because they are at the end of December, but I suspect it won't be until after the first of November. I will make my weekly call tonight. I think we are shooting for that night or as well, because it is EMH at MK or possibly the 12th.

Good luck!! We did that in 2010 and loved it!!

 

[Marshay]

I have done that before at a condo we stayed at in Destin, I didn't want to go home with wet, sandy swimwear. But, I decided when we booked a 1 BR and knew we would have a washer/dryer, I thought I won't have to spend my one day at home before going back to work catching up on laundry. I won't do much, but some is better than none.

Do I need to bring my own detergent and dryer sheets, it isn't a problem, we drive and have some of those Purex sheets?

Yes, bring those Purex sheets, that's what we use too and they are so convenient. DVC will have at least one single-use TIDE in the room but no fabric softeners.

Yeah, I suppose technically our vacation starts on the night of the 18th. We leave Seattle at 10:55pm and get into Orlando at 7am on the 19th (Talk about a loooong flight!) Also, how could people turn down a trip to WDW?! They're crazy!

We considered BLT but I heard the rooms were a bit small, and I got worried it'd be too modern and not Disney enough. I am definitely open to trying it out sometime though because the monorail is so nice to have!

Glad to hear you've enjoyed BCV! It'll just be nice to be able to hop from park to park and not have to solely rely on buses. Though you have to rely on buses at OKW, they're actually pretty quick and buses come fairly often. Plus, you only make about 3-4 resort-only stops, and then you're off to the parks (though sometimes you'll have to stop at a waterpark). Not sharing a bus with other resorts can be really nice and I always appreciate being able to have a seat for the ride (I do enough standing on the buses in downtown Seattle that I could use a break on vacation! )

I'd say tip-wise for OKW, if you want a much quieter room, try for something not so close to the Hospitality House. We were way back by Turtle Pond and while at first I was a little bummed we weren't closer to the main area, I realized that it was so nice and quiet that I didn't mind at all. Plus, we could just catch a bus to the HH if we needed to go to the marketplace, wanted to catch the boat to DTD, or wanted to swim in the main pool. Oh and there are resort-only buses that loop through the resort which is nice if you don't want to walk back from the pool/HH.

And yes, take the boat to DTD. It's a beautiful ride and really nice to do on a relaxing evening. I liked OKW because it has a Disney feel with a lot of quietness. Oh and if you're driving, the parking is excellent. Parking spots are right outside of your villa. They have much more of a homey/condo feel than they do a resort feel.

We don't actually plan on taking the busses (we are not bus people since we hate waiting for one and dealing with no seats, strollers, sleeping children, diaper bags, etc) since we'll have our own vehicle.

That's right -- I forgot all about the boat to DTD...I need to add that tidbit to my schedule. We took the boat from SSR to DTD and that was neat to do as well.

How is the Community Hall?

 

[danimaroo]

We don't actually plan on taking the busses (we are not bus people since we hate waiting for one and dealing with no seats, strollers, sleeping children, diaper bags, etc) since we'll have our own vehicle.

That's right -- I forgot all about the boat to DTD...I need to add that tidbit to my schedule. We took the boat from SSR to DTD and that was neat to do as well.

How is the Community Hall?

Ah then you will be happy with the parking situation! No long walks at all. Just stroll on out and hop in your car. I know if we were driving I would definitely want to stay at some place like OKW, just because of how great the parking is.

And yeah, definitely add the boat! We took it over for our last dinner at Raglan Road and it was such a wonderful night. Very romantic and relaxing, for sure!

I can't say much about the Community Hall as we did not spend time there. I think from what I've read it's supposed to be pretty great. I also remember going by the evening campfires pretty frequently in the evenings and always thought they looked like fun.

 

[Meriweather]

What Are You Doing This Month To Prepare For Your January Disney Trip?

I have been printing off Touring plans and flight itineraries to give to DH in a card because this trip is a surprise for him and our two DD's. I will be presenting it to him during our trip alone next week.

This month?? Nothing. Everything is done The only thing left is ordering groceries (that will be next month).

I do have a trip in Dec...........but that one is all planned too.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Good luck!! We did that in 2010 and loved it!!

We have done it before, but haven't had a chance to do it again and I really want to in January.

Ah then you will be happy with the parking situation! No long walks at all. Just stroll on out and hop in your car. I know if we were driving I would definitely want to stay at some place like OKW, just because of how great the parking is.

And yeah, definitely add the boat! We took it over for our last dinner at Raglan Road and it was such a wonderful night. Very romantic and relaxing, for sure!

I can't say much about the Community Hall as we did not spend time there. I think from what I've read it's supposed to be pretty great. I also remember going by the evening campfires pretty frequently in the evenings and always thought they looked like fun.

Do tell about Ragland Road, I really want to eat there sometime and I haven't heard much about it.

The boats are so nice, We have taken them from Port Orleans and they can be really nice at night.

 

[Marshay]

Ah then you will be happy with the parking situation! No long walks at all. Just stroll on out and hop in your car. I know if we were driving I would definitely want to stay at some place like OKW, just because of how great the parking is.

And yeah, definitely add the boat! We took it over for our last dinner at Raglan Road and it was such a wonderful night. Very romantic and relaxing, for sure!

I can't say much about the Community Hall as we did not spend time there. I think from what I've read it's supposed to be pretty great. I also remember going by the evening campfires pretty frequently in the evenings and always thought they looked like fun.

Thanks!! Yeah, with young children, having the SUV right outside the room is REALLY nice! Our oldest is 6yo and this past May she did not use the stroller for the very first time. It was great during the day as she really got to explore things on her own, but still be close by. However, at night when she was too tired and would fall asleep during dinner, it was murder trying to carry her out of the parks!

This time I'm making all our dinners NLT 5:30pm and closer to 5pm.

Ahh, the campfires -- thanks again for another reminder ... I'll add that to our schedule, too!

 

[carebee21]

Booked our airfare!!! Very exciting! I got great rates through SW on the flight down, then got even better rates for the return flight through Jet Blue (our preferred airline) so I booked them last night. Right now I'm stalking the car rental prices, and will be ordering park tickets. This time of year always flies by with the holidays - hoping it goes even FASTER this year!!

If you find anything for car rentals, please post! I'm stalking prices too. Advantage has decent prices right now for smaller cars, so I have something booked with them incase I can't find anything better later, but I've really never dealt with them or heard much about them, so I'm hoping to find a deal with a company I know more about and for a slightly bigger car

 

[korie99]

If you find anything for car rentals, please post! I'm stalking prices too. Advantage has decent prices right now for smaller cars, so I have something booked with them incase I can't find anything better later, but I've really never dealt with them or heard much about them, so I'm hoping to find a deal with a company I know more about and for a slightly bigger car

Right now I have a midsize reserved through Payless Car Rental for $138 for the week. But prices are definitely coming down! I suspect I'll be cancelling and rebooking at a lower rate for sure. I have heard they will bottom out at the beginning of January for sure. I check prices on Expedia constantly to see what's what. Payless is not onsite at the airport which is a drawback, but their prices are SO much lower than everyone else right now that I'm sticking with them. If some of the onsite agencies come down, I'll be more likely to go with them b/c it will mean not having to wait for a shuttle.

There is a January 2012 car rentals thread over on the Transportation Board - I'm watching it closely for good deals!

 

[BenA81]

currently deciding whether or not to get a golf cart since we'll be staying in a cabin at FW. Quite the hefty expense for the whole week but I think my wife would be appreciative, she's going to be 7 months pregnant during our trip.

 

[okw19]

currently deciding whether or not to get a golf cart since we'll be staying in a cabin at FW. Quite the hefty expense for the whole week but I think my wife would be appreciative, she's going to be 7 months pregnant during our trip.

I've never been to FW, so I don't know how it's laid out. That being said, when I was 7 months pregnant I would have loved for my hubby to drive me around in a golf cart!

 

[clarkfamily]

Just wanted to add our family to this thread! We're headed the Poly, January 4-10. It will be the second trip to WDW for all of us...but the first time ever for my mom and sister, who will be joining us. I spent about eight months planning our first trip, but because my mom offered to give this trip to the kids (and to us!) as a family Christmas present, we've just thrown this trip together in the last two weeks! Feels crazy, to a planner like me! Luckily, I was able to get us very reasonable dining reservations, so the planning is off to a good start.

However, after looking at crowd calendars, I'm a bit worried. We were at 1s and 2s for all of our September trip, but it looks like it will be much higher than that for early January. Plus, with the way I want to arrange our days, we will be in the least recommended park for 5 out of 6 days. Ugh!

So, at this early point in our planning, I'm worried primarily about weather and crowds!

Other than that, we're thrilled that my mom is giving us all such an amazing gift...and we can't wait to share our experiences in WDW with her!

Glad to join this thread with the rest of you...will have to go back and read through the lots of pages, to catch up on everything I missed!

 

[Pooh67_68]

POR - Jan. 20-26

Welcome to the Jan thread! We might see you there!

Well as much as we like POR we love POFQ, so DH called and switched us.

 

[keypooh90]

We just changed our dates a bit...Jan 11th-17th now instead of the 13th-18th!!!

And then the 16th, I check in to become a Cast Member!

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Do tell about Ragland Road, I really want to eat there sometime and I haven't heard much about it.

We love Raglan Rd...it's usually our first restaurant on arrival day! Try to eat there late enough to catch the dancer and music! Lots of fun!

If you find anything for car rentals, please post! I'm stalking prices too. Advantage has decent prices right now for smaller cars, so I have something booked with them incase I can't find anything better later, but I've really never dealt with them or heard much about them, so I'm hoping to find a deal with a company I know more about and for a slightly bigger car

We use a UK company called uscarhire. We got a midsize for 8 days with extra insurance for around $220 canadian. If you check their website just take whatever the price is in british pounds and convert to US dollars. Great company and a great price with the insurance!

We just changed our dates a bit...Jan 11th-17th now instead of the 13th-18th!!!

And then the 16th, I check in to become a Cast Member!

Congrats on becoming a Cast Member!!!

 

[archdandy]

We just changed our dates a bit...Jan 11th-17th now instead of the 13th-18th!!!

And then the 16th, I check in to become a Cast Member!

Do you know where you'll be stationed yet? That's so exciting!

 

[Disneydragonfly]

We are headed to Disney on Jan. 4th-8th, staying at Pop for the first time. My mom and boyfriend are coming to support me in running the half marathon for the second year in a row. This is probably the shortest Disney trip we've ever done....my dbf hasn't been to Disney since he was a kid, so we are going to be doing lots of park hopping to make sure he sees as much as he can!!