Woot! Sending good vibes for the December trip. Just to keep ya hoping, the price of our Hampton reservation has not changed. The number of seats on the plane would be the only thing I'd be more anxious about. Party tickets can probably be bought almost the same day. I'd keep an eye on the thread to see which parties are looking like they are selling out. If so, I still wouldn't buy the tickets unless you are sure. I am pretty sure they are not refundable.
Well, just going to look over my October plans. Not much change at all. Got a first glimpse of the Disney calendar, but still not the time to make fast passes yet. So, it's the waiting game. I did print out some things, as like you, I like to have a hard copy just for that one time, electric doesn't work.
Here's hoping again that you get to enjoy the holiday spirit in Orlando this year!
Yep, its the airfare that has me the most concerned for sure. We can find reasonable accommodations for virtually any dates......there are so many places to stay and so many discounts out there for hotels/resorts.....but the airfare is a whole different ball-game. We are keeping an open mind where airlines are concerned: much as it pains him to do so, Steve is even willing to entertain the idea of flying Southwest if it means the difference between taking the trip or not. I know many of you are big fans of SW, but it has some big minuses where Steve is concerned: no assigned seats, no extra leg room options, and no TV's. They are not deal breakers for many families but they are certainly big strikes against for us.
Oh I knew going into it that MVMCP was not well loved when compared to MNSSHP. I really didn't have much in the way of expectations. I knew that the parade was a must see, which we did and it was great. I really wanted to see Main St all decked out, and I did but it's not done up as much as you expect. We had a really fun night riding all our favourites and having all our favourite snacks.
Catching the castle lighting is a must, it is beautiful. The cookies are totally disgusting and so is the hot chocolate. We each took one bit into a cookie and tossed it. Same for the hot chocolate which is like a slightly warm cup of liquid Quik.
I guess my point is that I know how you have enjoyed MNSSHP and MVMCP is not even close. I would hate to see you spend so much money on tickets thinking that it would be as much fun as Halloween. Especially, when you aren't big Disney fans. It's still a fun night but very different. Knowledge is power.
While I'm surprised that he's going this soon, I also am not surprised. I was thinking though that he would stay at home for a year and save up a whack of money. After all, he needs a down payment on the house that my daughter wants to live in after they get married.
I think Jake is extra anxious to embark on the whole independent lifestyle because he lived at home all through college. Many young people get their taste of being "free" and having to answer to no one while they are working on their post-secondary education. He is fortunate to have no student debt and his car fully paid for, so he's leaving home with a tidy savings account balance and (hopefully) a good head on his shoulders. While I would have liked him to stay put a little longer, I can understand that need to take his next step into adulthood: I am sure my mom was feeling the same things as I am feeling now when I announced I was getting married to Steve at the tender age of 19.
If you do get to do the December dates you might be there the same time as us. Our party is Dec 13th. Fingers crossed that prices stay the same!
I literally spent hours last night running every scenario possible to ensure we had some options once Steve was able to submit his vacation requests. I was able to find multiple, affordable combinations from various airlines, with various hotels and resorts, on various dates. December 3-10 is a possibility. December 10 to 17 is workable as it currently stands. December 15th to 21st is also still on the table. Thankfully, all have party dates still open!
We loved MVMCP. In fairness I had never been to MNSSHP so didn't have anything to compare it to, but we thought both the parade and the fireworks were fantastic. I vastly prefer Christmas over Halloween themeing wise so that may be where my bias comes in. I am excited for MNSSHP, but not like I was for MVMCP. We loved it enough to go the year after again and it was easily my favourite night of the trip. Even the parade floats smelled like Christmas cookies. I adored it!
We didn't have the same experience as dancin' with the crowds. We staked out a good spot (the observation deck at the train station) and had front and centre view for the parade, and we did the dessert party for the fireworks. The second year was more crowded but not unmanageable by a long shot. I would pay attention to what night you book, but I think ultimately it's a crapshoot which parties are jammed and which aren't. We didn't wait long for anything.
I wonder if the price hike this year will have any positive effect on the crowd levels? We found the same thing last year with the Halloween parties....they were busy but not unmanageable. And the crowds thinned noticeably as the night went on (a happy benefit of visiting without small kids in tow: we can stay late and not have to worry about little ones tiring out).
Well I'll keep fingers crossed for the prices to stay low until you get vacation time authorised for Steve.
I hate going to the hairdressers, it's a necessary evil to keep the grey at bay
Finally, I can't believe Jake will be leaving the nest, I'm dreading dd going to University if she has to stay away and that's 2 years away. How are you feeling?
Ah, a trip to the salon is one of my favourite indulgences. I love getting my hair coloured and cut. Right now I go faithfully to my stylist every six weeks, but if I ever win the lottery, I'm going twice as often
.
How am I feeling about Jake's next steps? Excited for him. Sad for me. Worried, because I'm a mother and that's what we do best (about his finances, about him being lonely, about whether or not he will remember to put fabric softener in at the right time
). It's a rather bizarre mix of emotions, to be honest. My mom always told us "You don't raise your kids up to be at home forever. You work hard to make them independent, so don't squash that instinct when they are ready to leave the nest. Teach them the tools they need to be successful and then let them free with your blessing". I'm trying to keep that good advice in mind.
Oh I hope it still works out. The castle lit up really is something to see.
The photos alone are incredible. I can imagine being there, in person, has to be even more spectacular than pictures!
I am the "professional" Steve may think you need, and I say, go for it!
That is a great deal! It will make your October trip even more fun, since while you are there, you won't have to be sad about leaving, when you have a trip just around the corner!
LOL, Steve thinks you guys are all bad influences
. He knows he doesn't stand a chance when I have you guys to encourage my mania.
Something else I haven't shared yet is that there would be another, even more significant highlight to this trip. Even better than the Christmas party at MK or any other holiday special event.
Some time ago, I became online friends with another poster here on the Dis. We shared a lot of things in common, so we started chatting via PM. It wasn't long until we were in regular contact with each other, which quickly turned into multiple, daily conversations via email. She is like the sister that I never had (okay, well....I do have a sister, but we have NO contact with each other for a variety of reasons......but this wonderful lady is the sister I always
wanted). Unfortunately for me, this amazing person who has become so close to my heart lives in the south, so distance stops us from spending any physical time together. You can imagine my delight, then, when she tells me that if we can swing a December trip this year, she and her family will meet Steve and I in Orlando to join in the fun. All of a sudden, then, this became more than a dream for me.....it became my MISSION.
I can easily say this person has become my best friend. So, if I seem a little passionate about making this extra trip a reality, you now know why
. This would be the best Christmas gift I could ever get!
If I had to choose I would go for Christmas over Halloween too. I actually did enjoy the party but it's a far cry from the Halloween party. The Christmas party you pretty much have to hang out on Main St to get the party atmosphere while the Halloween party fills the entire park. Maybe it's because people are in costume, IDK. The last two years have seen much higher crowd levels at the Christmas party with many more sell out nights. We went the first weekend in Dec on the Sunday. Last year was pretty crazy but I would suspect that the final Osbourne Lights might have had something to do with that.
I was planning to go in costume to MVMCP, too. I had my outfit all planned out: ugly Christmas sweater, mouse ears, and a flashing Christmas light necklace!
If your Dec trip works out and you stay at Cabana Bay, would you get Universal Passes again? Or are your current passes still good?
You actually raise a good question. If our accommodations end up being at Cabana Bay versus an offsite property, I am wondering if we should buy 3 day park-to-park passes for Universal and forego the Disney hard-ticket event
. We could focus instead on Grinchmas, the Macy's parade, etc. However, that's definitely more expensive than the Disney party (which would ring in about $100 each with tax....3 day Universal tix are $237 each via
UT) and this was supposed to be a budget trip. Sigh. So many decisions! But, I think we will leave all that up in the air until we have flights and accommodations secured. I did find a good option which included us staying at our beloved Sheraton Vistana Resort, so if that's the case, then MVMCP will likely be our pick.
Here's hoping again that you get to enjoy the holiday spirit in Orlando this year!
. That's really disappointing, because I knew you were really excited to go.
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your way for your December trip. I hope you guys can make it happen! 
I'm in some serious need of a little pixie dust to make it all come together, though 
. I'm trying not to let myself get TOO excited just yet, in the event that the plans completely fall apart between now and the end of the month. 
), I would be lying if I said I wasn’t impressed by the selection of restaurants right outside the WCP gates. Some are very walkable, which will be nice for Steve if he wants to enjoy an adult beverage or two with his meal at Chili’s 
.
. Those of you who read my May trip report are already well aware that their enhanced check in at the Lakes Gallery was a complete bust, leaving us sitting for hours while we awaited our room. The manager of the property, John Jones, was in touch with us after our return home to extend his apologies and an offer to personally check us into our villa in October to ensure we get the experience he maintains we should have had in May. I am supposed to reach out to him a couple of weeks in advance of our arrival to let him know our expected arrival time, so I have made a mental note to do so when our Diamond Lane requests are submitted.
