Week After Turkey Day Shenanigans

[JamieOak]

I just got a CRT on 11/30 @ 8:30pm. Closer than my other ADR at 9:45pm to what I was trying for, but still a little late with Wishes at 10pm. Does anyone have any experience with either getting out of CRT right as the fireworks are going to start, or even watching the fireworks from inside the restaurant if you can score a window table?

 

[twoolle]

Re: Glow necklaces....they sell Christmas light necklaces at the parks during holidays so if you think your kids will want one when they see one I recommend buying it ahead of time since they are $15 in the park (but oh so worth it).

i

Good idea. Any clue where to find these besides the parks?

 

[OhioDiane]

Ugh, just ran into a possible snafu. Our flight arrives at MCO at 10:30pm, so we are planning to stay at an airport hotel for one night. But my top two hotel choices have an airport shuttle that ends at 11p sharp. Anyone have alternatives? Or know of taxis with two car seats in case the flight is late? I know there's a Hyatt in the airport, but am looking for something cheaper!

 

[Jgeauxmo]

I just got a CRT on 11/30 @ 8:30pm. Closer than my other ADR at 9:45pm to what I was trying for, but still a little late with Wishes at 10pm. Does anyone have any experience with either getting out of CRT right as the fireworks are going to start, or even watching the fireworks from inside the restaurant if you can score a window table?

We did CRT during wishes last year. They play the music inside, but even people close to the Windows can't really see the fireworks very well. It is still pretty cool to hear them go off. Then the princesses are reintroduced to the restaurant through a little introduction. The best part of having an ADR at this time used to be that you could arrive early and they would let you watch msep from the front of the castle where they do some of the stage show. With no msep that's out now.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Ugh, just ran into a possible snafu. Our flight arrives at MCO at 10:30pm, so we are planning to stay at an airport hotel for one night. But my top two hotel choices have an airport shuttle that ends at 11p sharp. Anyone have alternatives? Or know of taxis with two car seats in case the flight is late? I know there's a Hyatt in the airport, but am looking for something cheaper!

We were very seriously looking at the Residence Inn or maybe Embassy Suites. I was thinking there was one other but now I can't find my sheet and we ended up just booking a room at Disney so we could use DME and get going on our vacation quicker. I don't see anything on the Residence Inn website about their shuttle only operating during certain hours.

EDIT: I also just confirmed the Embassy Suites has a 24-hour shuttle.

 

[OhioDiane]

We were very seriously looking at the Residence Inn or maybe Embassy Suites. I was thinking there was one other but now I can't find my sheet and we ended up just booking a room at Disney so we could use DME and get going on our vacation quicker. I don't see anything on the Residence Inn website about their shuttle only operating during certain hours.

EDIT: I also just confirmed the Embassy Suites has a 24-hour shuttle.

Yeah, I should have just googled 24-hour shuttles before I posted here!!! Looks like Embassy and Hampton Inn both have 24-hour shuttles and are about the same price, and have cribs and breakfast (two other musts!). Will see which is cheaper/closer to the airport. Thx for the info, Iowamom!

 

[JamieOak]

Yeah, I should have just googled 24-hour shuttles before I posted here!!! Looks like Embassy and Hampton Inn both have 24-hour shuttles and are about the same price, and have cribs and breakfast (two other musts!). Will see which is cheaper/closer to the airport. Thx for the info, Iowamom!

We are staying at the Marriott fairfield inn at the airport and they also have a 24hr shuttle service. We are staying on points, so I'm not really sure what the price comparison is. Breakfast is included also.

 

[JamieOak]

We did CRT during wishes last year. They play the music inside, but even people close to the Windows can't really see the fireworks very well. It is still pretty cool to hear them go off. Then the princesses are reintroduced to the restaurant through a little introduction. The best part of having an ADR at this time used to be that you could arrive early and they would let you watch msep from the front of the castle where they do some of the stage show. With no msep that's out now.

Thanks! Hmm. I did watch 2 youtube videos of Wishes from inside the castle and was not impressed by any means, but I'm not that into fireworks. Mostly I noticed it was really loud with people talking, but you could hear the music was being piped in. Well I'm going to keep looking for earlier, but if it definitely isn't a "worth it" view I don't see a reason to hang on to my 9:45pm ADR. So I can at least let that one go and get a refund for that prepaid amount. With our 8:30 ADR we would possibly leave before Wishes, but not have time to get to a good viewing location. Hopefully an earlier BOG or CRT opens up, there's still time.

 

[Meeko5]

I stocked up on cheap glow stuff last trip and the boys loved it I have some stuff left from last trip I can use, and want to find something new and fun this trip too...I'll have to check amazon for the christmas light necklaces - SO FUN!

DS7's teacher responded to my email - answered a question I had asked first, then totally ignored my comment about missing a week for Disney. Oh well, I *did* tell her haha. I'm not gonna stress!

 

[Meeko5]

Good morning everyone! I recently discovered disboards and this thread (I realize I am super late to the game) and am excited to finally have people to share my disney planning stresses with! My family doesn't want to hear it because they don't understand why I am planning everything so early...if only they knew...

I am traveling to Disney from Nov 27-Dec 2nd with my DH, soon-to-be 3 year old b/g twins (getting in our first Disney trip while they are still free), my parents and brother. We are staying at the Contemporary and I already have so many questions for you Disney veterans!

For right now we have planned: MK on 11/28 (dinner res at CP and FP+ for Belle, PPF and 7DMT), AK on 11/29 (early dinner res at Rainforest, but hoping for something at Tusker to open, FP+ for Safaris, Lion King and Nemo), HS on 11/30 (early dinner res at sci fi, FP+ for ToT, Star Tours and TSM) and Epcot on 11/30 (dinner res at Biergarten and FP+ for Spaceship Earth, Character spot and FEA).

Looking forward to reading about all of your trips!

Welcome!!

 

[Tammil]

My youngest shared the news of our trip when we went to our school's open house. She was very excited. I'm not sure what her teacher thought. As for my older two - one is in 7th grade. She told her band teacher (their concert is right when we get back) but hasn't told any others. My oldest is a sophomore so I know she is going to miss a lot. We will be working hard on Thanksgiving and in the airport. I plan to officially tell the schools at the beginning of November. I know plenty of teachers and they aren't going to be prepared to give any work until the week we leave so there really isn't much point. The funny thing is that my oldest DD had a band trip scheduled for Disney this year. They are going the week of Thanksgiving and performing that Friday. I gave her the option of doing that trip or our family trip (I had already been hoping for this trip). I needed to make FDing work so I just couldn't get our trip to overlap with the schools. I wish I could have made both work but ultimately her Disney experience will be greater with us (much longer trip) and she won't have to ride a bus from Wisconsin.

 

[heath92681]

My boys decided to be P J Masks for Halloween. Any other Disney costumes this year?

 

[Meeko5]

My boys decided to be P J Masks for Halloween. Any other Disney costumes this year?

So cute! My 2yo loves that show and runs around singing the song

Mine are Pokémon here!

 

[MonaMN]

We will be there too! Going to test track first then to soarin (no fastpasses) then late breakfast at garden grill. We love EMH mornings!

We will definitely be crossing paths - that is our plan, too! Garden Grill at 10:20... hoping to make it to Joy/Sadness/Baymax prior to breakfast too - we will see if we can fit it all in!!

 

[twoolle]

My boys decided to be P J Masks for Halloween. Any other Disney costumes this year?

Cute! Mine are going to be Spiderman, Darth Vader, Ariel and I have no idea about the baby.

Regarding missing school, my poor kids never get away from their teacher (me) and the chance for an educational opportunity everywhere we go. Tonight we made countdown posters and DS5 worked on counting to 50. Besides Star wars just about about the only thing Disney related that interests DH are hidden mickeys. So we are going to try to have fun with that. DH is always telling the kids to be aware of their surroundings. A good life lesson.

 

[MonaMN]

My boys decided to be P J Masks for Halloween. Any other Disney costumes this year?

DD wants to be Hermione. We will eventually have to go to Universal... but not this trip.

 

[CCxmas]

My boys decided to be P J Masks for Halloween. Any other Disney costumes this year?

DD wants to be "not just any ghost mommy, I want to be a SPOOKY ghost!!"

 

[heath92681]

DD wants to be Hermione. We will eventually have to go to Universal... but not this trip.

They wanted to be Harry Potter but I told them they could get a real wand at the Universal store at MCO and they realized they won't have it until after Halloween

 

[kellyjeanie]

My boys decided to be P J Masks for Halloween. Any other Disney costumes this year?

I suggested PJ Masks to my 5-year-old! But they all wanted Gravity Falls. DD will be Mabel, DS11 is (Big) Dipper and DS5 is (Little) Dipper.

 

[twoolle]

We will definitely be crossing paths - that is our plan, too! Garden Grill at 10:20... hoping to make it to Joy/Sadness/Baymax prior to breakfast too - we will see if we can fit it all in!!

We have GG at 10:25! We will do TT (get a rider switch but not sure if we will have time to use it), the Seas, and Turtle Talk. Hoping the soarin line is still low around 9:30 by the time we get to the Land pavilion. I haven't told my kids about meeting Baymax and Joy/Sadness. I just don't think we can fit it in as I really want to do turtle talk with the new finding dory characters.