When is it too early to Pre-Trip Reporting? A Grand Christmas Trip?

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

Hi!

So, this is my first Pre-Trip Report! I don't even have solid dates set as of yet! But it's never to early to start planning, right? Right! Well, I think it will possibly be a big undertaking of planning, so why not start getting some feedback and advise now!

First I guess would be who may or may not be on this trip. Hold on to your hats because it is a lot of people. This is really why I am starting this now!

Who?

My family:
Myself: Ariella

Morgan actually took this picture of us on our most recent trip. We thought she did a pretty good job. We are biased, I know... I know.

My DH: Andy

Andy is a HUGE Star Wars fan. And he is just in love with the fact that our girls love Star Wars now as well.

My DD: Morgan (8)

This was Morgan's first Dole Whip. It was love at first taste.

My DD: Gwendolyn (5)

And I just love this pic of Gwen. She is a little fire cracker.

Our Friends:
LC: Lance
Lady LC: Lina
Their DS: Lucas (5) - Lucas and Gwen are exactly 2 weeks apart!
Their DS: Matais (3)

Aren't they just the most picture perfect family?!? They just returned from there first trip to Disney World in April and my girlfriend just fell in love with Disney. I think she may have had more fun than the kids!

My Parents:
SS: Shelia
JS: Joe
NOTE: Need to find a pic to add of my lovely parents...

My Sister:
LS: Lindsay

TH: Tom (My Sister's boyfriend)


The Basic Basics:
So, we have been to Disney (3) times already. But it has always been just us. No extended family. (with one minor exception) So, we could do and plan just as we wanted to. Tour how we wanted to tour and not have to compromise or plan by commitee.

I will be turning the big 4-0 next year!!! Week!

But I am determined to make the most of it! And one of the ways is by celebrating in Disney with family and friends! So, I am super excited about this but also super nervous ago but planning this!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

So, some more background information.

Our Friends Lance and Lina, we have traveled with them before. We have done (3) Cape Cod vacations with them already. So we have travelled with them before. But a house rental by the beach seems very different than Disney Vacation!

My Mother, I know has been dyeing to go with us to Disney with the girls. My father on the other hand... not so much... He is kind of anti Disney (well really anti everything) But my mom already told him too bad, they were going this time. My parents like to camp, so I have been promo-ing the camp grounds for them to drive down with there camper and stay there.

My Sister and her boyfriend are wild cards. They may come but they also may not. My sister loves to spend time with the girls and I know she would love to come. But the time of year I am thinking about might not work for her with work.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

When?

Right now, Lina and I want to go in the fall of next year. We want to enjoy some of the Christmas Season stuff. Maybe do a Very Merry Christmas Party! See the decorations and maybe Disney will get together some sort of Osborne Light alternative. I also want to possible hit the end of Food & Wine. We did this last year and really enjoyed it. It was a one day even with my mom and sister flying in that day and meeting us at Epcot. It was a lot of fun and would love to do it again!


And I think it would be really fun thing to do as a large group. But I don't know if we can really do both? Anyone now if the timing would work?

Where?

Well, that is TOTALLY up in the air! I would love to stay at the Beach Club. I think it would be a great base to go to Food & Wine for possibly 2 separate days and have a rest day and really enjoy Stormalong Bay. Lina wants to stay at Grand Floridian, Swan and Dolphin, or really she wants to stay somewhere a bit cheaper possibly a moderate. Which I would looooove to stay at the Grand but it is always soon $$$$$$. And then my parents, well, they will probably be staying at the camp grounds. I have a feeling that will be what it is. Any suggestions on hotels? Do any work better for groups?

I was also thinking of a split stay. Andy doesn't want to have to unpack and pack in the middle of the trip but I think it might be a good middle ground for Lina and I.but I have no idea how it would work! How do you get your stuff from one hotel to the other? Do you basically just plan two separate trips?

How?

This is the biggest question that I have. How do I tackle all of this planning?

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

So, I was a with my girlfriend yesterday. And we were talking that this trip we wanted to really maximize the Christmas celebrations on our Disney trip. So, my question is What is the "best" time to go to get maximum Christmas spirit at the least busiest time? We were thinking the first week in December but was wondering if the week leading directly into Christmas would be better? Anyone been in December?