Disney Vacation (6 Viewers)

[The Ref]

Cool to talk Disneyland California up in here? I'm working on an Anaheim trip and would love to talk it out here, but I don't want to muck up the thread if the intent is to focus on Walt Disney World in sunny Orlando.

I vote yes because we are in the early planning stages of a 2+ week trip to California that will include 2-3 days at Disneyland.

I dont think anyone in here is going to complain about info on disney land.I always love the factoid that you can fir disney land in disney worlds parking lot.

 

[AcerFC]

Cars land in Disneyland looks awesome

 

[glvsav37]

The bad:

I just paid my Disney card after a large retail therapy session by my wife.

The good:

I'm > $1K in Disney Bucks finally.

hot damn! thats some serious retail therapy. what did you buy? A car?

Seriously. That's 100k in retail therapy.

We got $250 to open the account and we bought a house back in March that needed a lot of stuff. That was 95% of it. That being said we had "a talk" a few weeks ago to discuss some of the spending habits of the previous 30 days. Generaly speaking she is good with this stuff and our bill is looking well below normal this month.At least we are going to get something in return for helping out the economy.

its all good. I was only joking. We did similar, we opened 1 card when we got a $50 offer, then 2 weeks later a second offer came in for $150—so we opened a 2nd card and used it once.

I'm not a big fan of cc points, but in this case I can accept it b/c it is more tangible IMO then other rewards to us.

 

[Brony]

Me and the fam are heading down first weekend in November. Looks like crowds are generally light that time of year, so I'm happy with that. I have a lot of Hyatt points that will be lost at the end of the year if I don't use 'em, so I think we're staying off property but close to DisneyWorld. I've read thru much of the thread, but would appreciate input on a couple things:

Rental car or taxi? We'll be in Fri - Tues. While the hotel provides shuttle to parks, the shuttle times are convenient for the hotel, not us. My estimates are that taxi saves us about $100 for the trip, but we'd probably be less likely to go anywhere far for dinner or do a quick trip back to the resort mid-day. Still leaning taxi here.

Park Hopper or not? Since we've only got 3 full days at the park, I'm leaning towards not. I'm envisioning a rough itin like this:

Day 1 - Magic Kingdom (have reserved b'fast at the Castle)

Day 2 - Animal Kingdom followed by pool

Day 3 - Epcot, MK or Studios depending on how the girls do with rides

Someone earlier had posted that Park Hopper was overkill if you're just there for 3 days. Obviously Park Hopper is 'better', but is it $200+ better?

We have 2 girls 4 and 6 yo who are into the princess thing. Any other must stops for them? Besides the princess brekfast, I tried and struck out on 'OHana. I'm leaning towards not doing tons of food reservations since we're not doing the dining plan and since we're trying to be flexible given their unpredictable sleep schedule.

 

[Godsbrother]

Me and the fam are heading down first weekend in November. Looks like crowds are generally light that time of year, so I'm happy with that. I have a lot of Hyatt points that will be lost at the end of the year if I don't use 'em, so I think we're staying off property but close to DisneyWorld. I've read thru much of the thread, but would appreciate input on a couple things:Rental car or taxi? We'll be in Fri - Tues. While the hotel provides shuttle to parks, the shuttle times are convenient for the hotel, not us. My estimates are that taxi saves us about $100 for the trip, but we'd probably be less likely to go anywhere far for dinner or do a quick trip back to the resort mid-day. Still leaning taxi here.Park Hopper or not? Since we've only got 3 full days at the park, I'm leaning towards not. I'm envisioning a rough itin like thisay 1 - Magic Kingdom (have reserved b'fast at the Castle)Day 2 - Animal Kingdom followed by poolDay 3 - Epcot, MK or Studios depending on how the girls do with ridesSomeone earlier had posted that Park Hopper was overkill if you're just there for 3 days. Obviously Park Hopper is 'better', but is it $200+ better? We have 2 girls 4 and 6 yo who are into the princess thing. Any other must stops for them? Besides the princess brekfast, I tried and struck out on 'OHana. I'm leaning towards not doing tons of food reservations since we're not doing the dining plan and since we're trying to be flexible given their unpredictable sleep schedule.

We always rent a car even when staying on property to avoid waiting for busses and taxis.Park Hoppers are nice, especially with young children, because it gives you the flexibility to go to a different park if the one you picked is too crowded or you've already done everything you wanted to do that day. If that isn't a big deal for you then I say don't get it.Do you know where you are getting your passes from? If you sign up for the Mousesavers newsletter you will get a discount code for passes at Undercover Tourist. Note that while they have a 3-day pass available you get a 4th day "free" so you'll have an extra day to use on your visit. You can't use that 4th day as admission to another park on the same day though if it is not a park hopper.As far as reservations go I would go ahead and make them, at least for lunch. As long as they aren't for a signature restaurant there is no penalty if you decide not to use them.

 

[Brony]

Me and the fam are heading down first weekend in November. Looks like crowds are generally light that time of year, so I'm happy with that. I have a lot of Hyatt points that will be lost at the end of the year if I don't use 'em, so I think we're staying off property but close to DisneyWorld. I've read thru much of the thread, but would appreciate input on a couple things:Rental car or taxi? We'll be in Fri - Tues. While the hotel provides shuttle to parks, the shuttle times are convenient for the hotel, not us. My estimates are that taxi saves us about $100 for the trip, but we'd probably be less likely to go anywhere far for dinner or do a quick trip back to the resort mid-day. Still leaning taxi here.Park Hopper or not? Since we've only got 3 full days at the park, I'm leaning towards not. I'm envisioning a rough itin like thisay 1 - Magic Kingdom (have reserved b'fast at the Castle)Day 2 - Animal Kingdom followed by poolDay 3 - Epcot, MK or Studios depending on how the girls do with ridesSomeone earlier had posted that Park Hopper was overkill if you're just there for 3 days. Obviously Park Hopper is 'better', but is it $200+ better? We have 2 girls 4 and 6 yo who are into the princess thing. Any other must stops for them? Besides the princess brekfast, I tried and struck out on 'OHana. I'm leaning towards not doing tons of food reservations since we're not doing the dining plan and since we're trying to be flexible given their unpredictable sleep schedule.

We always rent a car even when staying on property to avoid waiting for busses and taxis.Park Hoppers are nice, especially with young children, because it gives you the flexibility to go to a different park if the one you picked is too crowded or you've already done everything you wanted to do that day. If that isn't a big deal for you then I say don't get it.Do you know where you are getting your passes from? If you sign up for the Mousesavers newsletter you will get a discount code for passes at Undercover Tourist. Note that while they have a 3-day pass available you get a 4th day "free" so you'll have an extra day to use on your visit. You can't use that 4th day as admission to another park on the same day though if it is not a park hopper.As far as reservations go I would go ahead and make them, at least for lunch. As long as they aren't for a signature restaurant there is no penalty if you decide not to use them.

Thanks GB... on everything. Having not been there, I was envisioning a 1/2 mile hike to parking lot vs. a bountiful line of taxis, so glad to hear that you've done well when getting a car. It will add a little time at the airport but gives us good flexibility it sounds like. Not sold yet on Park Hoppers. If we are off property and we have a rental car, I don't think we'll be bored between the hotel and bazillion other things for kids there.Wasn't aware of Mousesavers - great tip since we don't have tickets yet. In lieu of Park Hopper, I was considering getting the 4 day ticket since we get in Friday afternoon and could potentially hit something Friday night.

 

[Disco Stu]

Wasn't aware of Mousesavers - great tip since we don't have tickets yet. In lieu of Park Hopper, I was considering getting the 4 day ticket since we get in Friday afternoon and could potentially hit something Friday night.

Do this. That's a good way to ease into things. I don't think you need Park Hopper.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Not sure if we were supposed to be able to do this or not, but I'll post it anyway.

We recently registered for a Target debit Redcard. As a signup incentive, Target gave us 10% our entire purchase that day. So among our other purchases throughout the store, we also bought $500 in Disney gift cards. We weren't sure if they were supposed to give us 10% off gift card purchases, and we would have bought them at full price as a saving technique for our next Disney trip, but Target did indeed give us 10% off the Disney gift cards. It was like conjuring a 10% off Disney coupon out of thin air.

I can't take credit for this idea. My wife first thought of buying Disney gift cards to save up for our last Disney trip. Part of the purpose of the trip was to celebrate several milestones. So when the day of the actual event came up like our daughter's birthday or our wedding anniversary, we would give each other Disney gift cards instead of presents to remind ourselves the trip is the real present and we would do well to stash away something ahead of time.

The idea of buying Disney gift cards at a discount when available came from this thread. I can't remember who mentioned it and a quick search of the thread archives didn't narrow things down enough... so whoever posted something like "make your Disney trip cheaper by buying Disney gift cards at other stores when you can get a discounted price for them", I thank you for the idea.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Wasn't aware of Mousesavers - great tip since we don't have tickets yet. In lieu of Park Hopper, I was considering getting the 4 day ticket since we get in Friday afternoon and could potentially hit something Friday night.

Do this. That's a good way to ease into things. I don't think you need Park Hopper.

I'm negative on the ROI on the Park Hopper premium price, so I admit to bias there. I like the 4th day on the tickets given the schedule. When you get in Friday afternoon the group will be excited to see something Disney, and you get the lay of the land, too.

One thing about driving in to the parks that is near the top of my "if I only knew" list.... At Magic Kingdom, you don't drive to the front gate. The parking lot is at the Ticketing and Transportation Center, and you are still 45-60 minutes away from the front gate after taking the tram from your car to the TTC hub, getting your tickets processed if you haven't already, and then taking the monorail or ferry to the MK front gate. I'm never taken a taxi in Orlando so I don't know if the taxi would have to drop you off at TTC or if they have front gate privileges, but knowing the answer to that question might be a factor.

Note this is not an issue at Epcot, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom. Not only are the parking lots right by the front gates at those parks, but in early November you might be parking close enough to the gate to skip the tram. We had our car with us staying on property during our last visit. We drove ourselves to Epcot, DHS, and AK, but took the shuttle bus to MK so we could bypass the TTC.

Some folks sidestep the MK parking issue by booking a meal reservation at the Polynesian or Contemporary Resort, both of which are right by the MK front gate, and using those parking lots for the day instead of the TTC. On slower days you might be able to talk your way onto those lots, but at high season there are usually a couple cast members with the dining reservation lists for the day to keep the riffraff out.

 

[McGarnicle]

I loved and hated Disney. Hated it because it's a canned experience and I prefer going out an exploring things on my own when I'm traveling, and also hated the ticket prices. Loved it because they got everything so right. For what it was, it could not have been executed any better. Right down to the authentic foreigners that they import into the place. And the wide variety of alcohol. I started with a margarita in Mexico. By the time we got to Germany, I was pretty buzzed, and they had really good beer. We ended up eating there, and the authentic German waitress was so damn sweet and cute I wanted to marry her by the time the meal had ended. Next I remember Italy and persecco, then I think I had a Bass in England and a Sam Adams in the US. By the time we got to Japan, I was completely annihilated, which was good because their beer sucks. But so were a lot of people, and it felt like a huge global party and I wanted to do another lap. I would go back.

 

[Bobcat10]

I loved and hated Disney. Hated it because it's a canned experience and I prefer going out an exploring things on my own when I'm traveling, and also hated the ticket prices. Loved it because they got everything so right. For what it was, it could not have been executed any better. Right down to the authentic foreigners that they import into the place. And the wide variety of alcohol. I started with a margarita in Mexico. By the time we got to Germany, I was pretty buzzed, and they had really good beer. We ended up eating there, and the authentic German waitress was so damn sweet and cute I wanted to marry her by the time the meal had ended. Next I remember Italy and persecco, then I think I had a Bass in England and a Sam Adams in the US. By the time we got to Japan, I was completely annihilated, which was good because their beer sucks. But so were a lot of people, and it felt like a huge global party and I wanted to do another lap. I would go back.

I bought the souvenier plastic mugs in Norway and Germany this summer. I love Epcot..even since I was a youngster..

 

[Brony]

Wasn't aware of Mousesavers - great tip since we don't have tickets yet. In lieu of Park Hopper, I was considering getting the 4 day ticket since we get in Friday afternoon and could potentially hit something Friday night.

Do this. That's a good way to ease into things. I don't think you need Park Hopper.

I'm negative ....

Thanks for the input!Anyone know anything about the Food / Wine festival in October/November? This+ Epcot bars sound like it would be good for me and wife, but can't tell how quickly little kids would bore of this. Maybe we hit this first night when the kids don't know any better?

 

[Bobcat10]

Wasn't aware of Mousesavers - great tip since we don't have tickets yet. In lieu of Park Hopper, I was considering getting the 4 day ticket since we get in Friday afternoon and could potentially hit something Friday night.

Do this. That's a good way to ease into things. I don't think you need Park Hopper.

I'm negative ....

Thanks for the input!Anyone know anything about the Food / Wine festival in October/November? This+ Epcot bars sound like it would be good for me and wife, but can't tell how quickly little kids would bore of this. Maybe we hit this first night when the kids don't know any better?

I don't know anything about that....but I know my son likes to visit all the countries to get his "Kidcot" souvenir (free) stamped and most write something unique in their language on it. Each country has a Kidcot station somewhere within the country. The souvenir is a picture of Duffy that they can color at the station they first get it at....then from there each country stamps it, etc. They can also get autograph books stamped. My son has loved that experience.

 

[Premier]

Went the other nIght. Was shocked at how lame Fantasmic was.

Really? That is one of the highlights every time we go. We usually plan our HS day around a night it happens when we don't do the hoppers. Never heard anyone say a bad thing about it.

I dunno. Everybody I talked to loves it too. The reviews online are amazing. I just didn't get into it. Shockingly, my Disney-crazy girlfriend hated it too, and I seriously have not seen her talk bad about one thing in the entire park. The whole thing about rounding up every Disney character and jamming them onto the fountain with no story whatsoever felt so forced to me. There were a few parts I liked (the black and white steamboat Willie was real cool) but overall I didn't like it. Was really looking forward to seeing it too.

 

[Godsbrother]

Wasn't aware of Mousesavers - great tip since we don't have tickets yet. In lieu of Park Hopper, I was considering getting the 4 day ticket since we get in Friday afternoon and could potentially hit something Friday night.

Do this. That's a good way to ease into things. I don't think you need Park Hopper.

I'm negative ....

Thanks for the input!Anyone know anything about the Food / Wine festival in October/November? This+ Epcot bars sound like it would be good for me and wife, but can't tell how quickly little kids would bore of this. Maybe we hit this first night when the kids don't know any better?

The Wine & Food Festival is awesome, we've done it several times. They have special wine/beer and food kiosks throughout the park in addition to the "official countries" that are in the World Showcase all year. What are the ages of your kids?

 

[Disco Stu]

Not sure if we were supposed to be able to do this or not, but I'll post it anyway.We recently registered for a Target debit Redcard. As a signup incentive, Target gave us 10% our entire purchase that day. So among our other purchases throughout the store, we also bought $500 in Disney gift cards. We weren't sure if they were supposed to give us 10% off gift card purchases, and we would have bought them at full price as a saving technique for our next Disney trip, but Target did indeed give us 10% off the Disney gift cards. It was like conjuring a 10% off Disney coupon out of thin air.I can't take credit for this idea. My wife first thought of buying Disney gift cards to save up for our last Disney trip. Part of the purpose of the trip was to celebrate several milestones. So when the day of the actual event came up like our daughter's birthday or our wedding anniversary, we would give each other Disney gift cards instead of presents to remind ourselves the trip is the real present and we would do well to stash away something ahead of time.The idea of buying Disney gift cards at a discount when available came from this thread. I can't remember who mentioned it and a quick search of the thread archives didn't narrow things down enough... so whoever posted something like "make your Disney trip cheaper by buying Disney gift cards at other stores when you can get a discounted price for them", I thank you for the idea.

Interesting. I have been adding a Disney gift card to my grocery purchases a couple times a month for the past year. Painless way to save for the next Disney trip, since I'm never going to notice an extra $25 on a grocery bill.Gift cards get "double points" toward gas discounts, but I haven't looked for a big discount like you scored. Nice.

 

[glvsav37]

Not sure if we were supposed to be able to do this or not, but I'll post it anyway.We recently registered for a Target debit Redcard. As a signup incentive, Target gave us 10% our entire purchase that day. So among our other purchases throughout the store, we also bought $500 in Disney gift cards. We weren't sure if they were supposed to give us 10% off gift card purchases, and we would have bought them at full price as a saving technique for our next Disney trip, but Target did indeed give us 10% off the Disney gift cards. It was like conjuring a 10% off Disney coupon out of thin air.I can't take credit for this idea. My wife first thought of buying Disney gift cards to save up for our last Disney trip. Part of the purpose of the trip was to celebrate several milestones. So when the day of the actual event came up like our daughter's birthday or our wedding anniversary, we would give each other Disney gift cards instead of presents to remind ourselves the trip is the real present and we would do well to stash away something ahead of time.The idea of buying Disney gift cards at a discount when available came from this thread. I can't remember who mentioned it and a quick search of the thread archives didn't narrow things down enough... so whoever posted something like "make your Disney trip cheaper by buying Disney gift cards at other stores when you can get a discounted price for them", I thank you for the idea.

Interesting. I have been adding a Disney gift card to my grocery purchases a couple times a month for the past year. Painless way to save for the next Disney trip, since I'm never going to notice an extra $25 on a grocery bill.Gift cards get "double points" toward gas discounts, but I haven't looked for a big discount like you scored. Nice.

not as shrewd, but we had our trip booked when Christmas came around for the following summer. We had most family give the kids Diz gift cards as part of their christmas gift. worked well b/c it lightened the holiday toy overload and kept them out of my pocket when we were there.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

Wasn't aware of Mousesavers - great tip since we don't have tickets yet. In lieu of Park Hopper, I was considering getting the 4 day ticket since we get in Friday afternoon and could potentially hit something Friday night.

Do this. That's a good way to ease into things. I don't think you need Park Hopper.

I'm negative ....

Thanks for the input!Anyone know anything about the Food / Wine festival in October/November? This+ Epcot bars sound like it would be good for me and wife, but can't tell how quickly little kids would bore of this. Maybe we hit this first night when the kids don't know any better?

Its deadly. The food is so good it will bankrupt you but you will be full.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

So, with the free dining plan, is there no way to add that to an existing reservation online? I looked, but I'm not seeing it. Need to call them to do it or will they not do it with an existing reservation?

 

[Brony]

Wasn't aware of Mousesavers - great tip since we don't have tickets yet. In lieu of Park Hopper, I was considering getting the 4 day ticket since we get in Friday afternoon and could potentially hit something Friday night.

Do this. That's a good way to ease into things. I don't think you need Park Hopper.

I'm negative ....

Thanks for the input!Anyone know anything about the Food / Wine festival in October/November? This+ Epcot bars sound like it would be good for me and wife, but can't tell how quickly little kids would bore of this. Maybe we hit this first night when the kids don't know any better?

The Wine & Food Festival is awesome, we've done it several times. They have special wine/beer and food kiosks throughout the park in addition to the "official countries" that are in the World Showcase all year. What are the ages of your kids?

2 girls: 4 and 6. The Wine & Food Festival was another reason I wasn't gung ho on reservations, but I understand that this festival is specific to Epcot only.

 

[Godsbrother]

So, with the free dining plan, is there no way to add that to an existing reservation online? I looked, but I'm not seeing it. Need to call them to do it or will they not do it with an existing reservation?

Add what?

 

[AcerFC]

So, with the free dining plan, is there no way to add that to an existing reservation online? I looked, but I'm not seeing it. Need to call them to do it or will they not do it with an existing reservation?

Call them. I booked in January. Free d,inning was just added to when I'll be there. I called and saved $550. They give some garbage about availability for each hotel but they still had some for poly when I called

 

[Bob Sacamano]

So, with the free dining plan, is there no way to add that to an existing reservation online? I looked, but I'm not seeing it. Need to call them to do it or will they not do it with an existing reservation?

Call them. I booked in January. Free d,inning was just added to when I'll be there. I called and saved $550. They give some garbage about availability for each hotel but they still had some for poly when I called

You have to add a two day pass as well, if I follow that correctly, right? All I have is hotel right now.

 

[Bobcat10]

Wasn't aware of Mousesavers - great tip since we don't have tickets yet. In lieu of Park Hopper, I was considering getting the 4 day ticket since we get in Friday afternoon and could potentially hit something Friday night.

Do this. That's a good way to ease into things. I don't think you need Park Hopper.

I'm negative ....

Thanks for the input!Anyone know anything about the Food / Wine festival in October/November? This+ Epcot bars sound like it would be good for me and wife, but can't tell how quickly little kids would bore of this. Maybe we hit this first night when the kids don't know any better?

The Wine & Food Festival is awesome, we've done it several times. They have special wine/beer and food kiosks throughout the park in addition to the "official countries" that are in the World Showcase all year. What are the ages of your kids?

2 girls: 4 and 6. The Wine & Food Festival was another reason I wasn't gung ho on reservations, but I understand that this festival is specific to Epcot only.

Perfect ages for what I replied last nite. 6 yr old should keep sibling interested too.

 

[Jobber]

We will be in Costa Mesa, CA in late August for a few days and will hit Disney. I'm luke warm on the idea due to the size of the park and that I just generally hate southern California. It seems there is also a Downtown Disney which we'll also spend some time at. Any other recommendations for the area?

 

[AcerFC]

So, with the free dining plan, is there no way to add that to an existing reservation online? I looked, but I'm not seeing it. Need to call them to do it or will they not do it with an existing reservation?

Call them. I booked in January. Free d,inning was just added to when I'll be there. I called and saved $550. They give some garbage about availability for each hotel but they still had some for poly when I called

You have to add a two day pass as well, if I follow that correctly, right? All I have is hotel right now.

Not sure about that. I have a 5 day park hopper already in thereI'll be there for food and wine. I don't drink but generally speaking how much is the food at each place?

 

[AcerFC]

We will be in Costa Mesa, CA in late August for a few days and will hit Disney. I'm luke warm on the idea due to the size of the park and that I just generally hate southern California. It seems there is also a Downtown Disney which we'll also spend some time at. Any other recommendations for the area?

Downtown Disney in Cali is much smaller then Orlando and its basically on the way to the parks which are a couple of hundred feet away from each other.

 

[Godsbrother]

So, with the free dining plan, is there no way to add that to an existing reservation online? I looked, but I'm not seeing it. Need to call them to do it or will they not do it with an existing reservation?

Call them. I booked in January. Free d,inning was just added to when I'll be there. I called and saved $550. They give some garbage about availability for each hotel but they still had some for poly when I called

You have to add a two day pass as well, if I follow that correctly, right? All I have is hotel right now.

Not sure about that. I have a 5 day park hopper already in thereI'll be there for food and wine. I don't drink but generally speaking how much is the food at each place?

It varies but most items range from $4-$8 I believe. They also have cooking demonstrations and special dining events featuring famous chefs but those are separately ticketed events.

 

[AcerFC]

Thanks. Not awful.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

So, with the free dining plan, is there no way to add that to an existing reservation online? I looked, but I'm not seeing it. Need to call them to do it or will they not do it with an existing reservation?

Call them. I booked in January. Free d,inning was just added to when I'll be there. I called and saved $550. They give some garbage about availability for each hotel but they still had some for poly when I called

You have to add a two day pass as well, if I follow that correctly, right? All I have is hotel right now.

Not sure about that. I have a 5 day park hopper already in thereI'll be there for food and wine. I don't drink but generally speaking how much is the food at each place?

You make me sad.

 

[saintsfan]

Just got back from Disney with my CYO group. One of my kids got to the Grand Finale for the day at American Idol. She came in second place. She lost to a 19 year old girl. My girl is only 14 and she is also in my youth band. Fantastic performance. Girl is a star waiting to happen. I think she was just as good as the winner, IMO, but the other girl was older, therefore, more polished. As the judge said, my girl was just a "nerdy 14 year old."

Here is a link to the performance on You Tube

 

[saintsfan]

Bump for the morning crowd

 

[glvsav37]

Just got back from Disney with my CYO group. One of my kids got to the Grand Finale for the day at American Idol. She came in second place. She lost to a 19 year old girl. My girl is only 14 and she is also in my youth band. Fantastic performance. Girl is a star waiting to happen. I think she was just as good as the winner, IMO, but the other girl was older, therefore, more polished. As the judge said, my girl was just a "nerdy 14 year old."

Here is a link to the performance on You Tube

very cool. I did "Millionaire" in DLand once and it was nerve-racking being under the lights and the center of the room. Props to a 14 yr old who can do that and get to 2nd place.

 

[glvsav37]

Changing direction a bit. We are getting ready to buy into a DVC membership. We have 2 young kids and we are both Diz fans (i'm a former cast member). excited but not sure at the same time. pretty decent investment (not from a money making investment).

If you're ever looking to sell off some points, it seems like you have some low-effort options here. You can certainly drop me a PM anytime you're looking to move them.

will do! looks like the property we are gonna buy has some good banked points that we would not want to loose if we decided to take a year off. Renting out those points is a great win-win for both parties as well. I'd give my FBG brethren first crack at them.

DVC member of 2 small kids since 2006. What concerns, questions you have? This year is the year to buy compared to the other years. They are running a 20 year anniversary discount on points. Don't wait if you are sure you want to do this either. The prices per point keep going up every year.

Hey ATCpulled the trigger and the offer was accepted. Now waiting the 30 days for Disney to release the First right of refusal. Old Key West230 base points $55/pp 144pts banked from '12 = 374 pts total. These points are basically freebees and were not worked into the per point overall cost, just the base points. Oct UY seller paying 1/2 closing and your right about points going up. I read rumors that GFV will be almost $200/pp and I'm sure the point schedule will not be anything under 250+ pts per week.

 

[saintsfan]

Just got back from Disney with my CYO group. One of my kids got to the Grand Finale for the day at American Idol. She came in second place. She lost to a 19 year old girl. My girl is only 14 and she is also in my youth band. Fantastic performance. Girl is a star waiting to happen. I think she was just as good as the winner, IMO, but the other girl was older, therefore, more polished. As the judge said, my girl was just a "nerdy 14 year old."

Here is a link to the performance on You Tube

She was so nervous. I wished her parents were there with us. I mean, she's one of my kids in the band and I love her, but you really need your parents for something like that. Since she sings in my band, I KNOW she can really sing. I just told her to be herself and the crowd would love her. And they did. Not enough to be first, but like I said, her performance was just as good. The other girls voice was more American Idol ready. My girl's voice is far more unique.Overall, she handled it remarkably well. After the show, she had a group of little girls waiting for her and she took some pictures, even though she had no idea what to do. She's only 14 and it makes no sense to her that a 9 year old would view her as anything special. Going through the park after the show, people both old and young were coming up to her telling her they voted for her and that she should have won.

It was really cool.

 

[glvsav37]

Just got back from Disney with my CYO group. One of my kids got to the Grand Finale for the day at American Idol. She came in second place. She lost to a 19 year old girl. My girl is only 14 and she is also in my youth band. Fantastic performance. Girl is a star waiting to happen. I think she was just as good as the winner, IMO, but the other girl was older, therefore, more polished. As the judge said, my girl was just a "nerdy 14 year old."

Here is a link to the performance on You Tube

the mimi-celbrity factor must have been very cool for a 14 yr old...hell I'm 37 and it would be cool to me too.was there a prize for the finals?

 

[saintsfan]

Just got back from Disney with my CYO group. One of my kids got to the Grand Finale for the day at American Idol. She came in second place. She lost to a 19 year old girl. My girl is only 14 and she is also in my youth band. Fantastic performance. Girl is a star waiting to happen. I think she was just as good as the winner, IMO, but the other girl was older, therefore, more polished. As the judge said, my girl was just a "nerdy 14 year old."

Here is a link to the performance on You Tube

If you win, you get a fast pass to the front of the line at any Idol audition. It's no guarantee that you even get to the show. In any event, according to her she's not interested in that anyway. She's not that crazy about Idol and thinks most of the winners are posers (LOL!!!!) I've seen lots of people in the top 10 at Idol that I think she is better than, in all honesty. This girl plays guitar, piano, and writes her own music. I told her not to write off the Idol thing so easily because it could really give her exposure so she can do what she wants in music. Her Dad is a musician and such so it's in the blood.

 

[Battles]

Has anyone done the Candlelight Processional at Epcot during Christmas? I don't know that I understand the pricing, but it seems like you get free admission to the concert if you eat (app, entree, desert, drink) at one of the restaurants.

 

[glvsav37]

Has anyone done the Candlelight Processional at Epcot during Christmas? I don't know that I understand the pricing, but it seems like you get free admission to the concert if you eat (app, entree, desert, drink) at one of the restaurants.

we did it 12 years ago, so I'm not sure of the details today. But it was very much worth it. They have a different personality do the readings and it is one of those 'holiday-time only' memories that you should do if you are going at that time. call guest relations, they will give you the scoop

 

[ragincajun]

Anyone goin to be there the week of sept 8-15?

I will be there Sept 10-15

World or land?

World

I wonder what my wife would say when I want to see my e-friend

 

[FBGirl79]

Has anyone done the Candlelight Processional at Epcot during Christmas? I don't know that I understand the pricing, but it seems like you get free admission to the concert if you eat (app, entree, desert, drink) at one of the restaurants.

We did it last year but just to be clear there is a narrated show/concert called the Candelight Processional (CP) and then there is something to give you priority seating for the CP called the Candelight Processional Dinner Package. With the dinner package you get the meal you listed for a set price or 2 dining plan credits. We did NOT do the dinner package because to me, the price (I think it was ~$75-80pp) or using 2 credits was not worth it. We just got in line about 30-45 minutes before the show started and had no problem getting really good, center seats. The Candelight Processional show is free so you can still eat dinner before the show and then go get in line, you just don't get "priority" seating. I loved the CP so I would highly recommend checking it out at least once. If you don't want to wait in line and get a seat, there is standing room outside of the seating to stand and watch it. We actually did that another night while we were there. Other Christmas stuff to check out:***Epcot-I loved the Christmas stories at each country in World Showcase. Took me 2 days to get every country. Don't forget to watch Illuminations as it has an extra Christmas ending with more fireworks. ***Gingerbread houses and Christmas trees. Take the time to check out all the deluxe resorts just to see the amazing Christmas trees. We did dinners at most of them so we would have a reason to check them out (stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge so saw that one daily). Grand Floridian gingerbread house is amazing and Yacht & Beach club have a gingerbread carousel that is really neat. ***Osbourne Lights at Hollywood Studios. There were extra magic hours one night until midnight so we decided to go over at 11pm to check them out and the streets were empty. There were probably a total of 20 people so we got some amazing pictures then hit Toy Story Mania with a 10min wait at 11:55pm. Perfect way to end the night!***Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Loved it. Loved the parade, the snow, the fireworks...can't wait to do it again sometime. ***Animal Kingdom-the afternoon parade gets a Christmas makeover that is really cute. Camp Minnie-Mickey has a bunch of decorated themed Christmas trees that are fun to check out. Not sure if that will still be there this fall as they are preparing for Avatarland.ETA...regarding the CP dinner package they still tell you to get in line about 30 min early so you really aren't saving much time depending on how busy it is when you go.

 

[Battles]

Has anyone done the Candlelight Processional at Epcot during Christmas? I don't know that I understand the pricing, but it seems like you get free admission to the concert if you eat (app, entree, desert, drink) at one of the restaurants.

We did it last year but just to be clear there is a narrated show/concert called the Candelight Processional (CP) and then there is something to give you priority seating for the CP called the Candelight Processional Dinner Package. With the dinner package you get the meal you listed for a set price or 2 dining plan credits. We did NOT do the dinner package because to me, the price (I think it was ~$75-80pp) or using 2 credits was not worth it. We just got in line about 30-45 minutes before the show started and had no problem getting really good, center seats. The Candelight Processional show is free so you can still eat dinner before the show and then go get in line, you just don't get "priority" seating. I loved the CP so I would highly recommend checking it out at least once. If you don't want to wait in line and get a seat, there is standing room outside of the seating to stand and watch it. We actually did that another night while we were there. Other Christmas stuff to check out:***Epcot-I loved the Christmas stories at each country in World Showcase. Took me 2 days to get every country. Don't forget to watch Illuminations as it has an extra Christmas ending with more fireworks. ***Gingerbread houses and Christmas trees. Take the time to check out all the deluxe resorts just to see the amazing Christmas trees. We did dinners at most of them so we would have a reason to check them out (stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge so saw that one daily). Grand Floridian gingerbread house is amazing and Yacht & Beach club have a gingerbread carousel that is really neat. ***Osbourne Lights at Hollywood Studios. There were extra magic hours one night until midnight so we decided to go over at 11pm to check them out and the streets were empty. There were probably a total of 20 people so we got some amazing pictures then hit Toy Story Mania with a 10min wait at 11:55pm. Perfect way to end the night!***Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Loved it. Loved the parade, the snow, the fireworks...can't wait to do it again sometime. ***Animal Kingdom-the afternoon parade gets a Christmas makeover that is really cute. Camp Minnie-Mickey has a bunch of decorated themed Christmas trees that are fun to check out. Not sure if that will still be there this fall as they are preparing for Avatarland.ETA...regarding the CP dinner package they still tell you to get in line about 30 min early so you really aren't saving much time depending on how busy it is when you go.

Thanks for info. That's what I thought on the dinner package. I think we'll just grab a pizza at Via Napoli and then wait in line.

 

[FBGirl79]

Thanks for info. That's what I thought on the dinner package. I think we'll just grab a pizza at Via Napoli and then wait in line.

Anytime. Our November/December trip has been my favorite so far between staying at AKL, all the Christmas decor and great temps. If we didn't have annual passes that were expiring late Sept. we would be there in early Dec. this year instead. ViaNapoli is one of the restaurants (or at least used to be) that have the dinner package so just make sure you have your reservations made and give yourself enough time before the show starts in case it is really busy. There are 2 each night.

 

[Disco Stu]

Top 10 most visited theme parks in the world. I was surprised at how big the gap was between the Magic Kingdom and Epcot/AK/Studios. I guess it shouldn't though, since for most families it's probably a two or three day park.

 

[FBGirl79]

Has anyone done the Candlelight Processional at Epcot during Christmas? I don't know that I understand the pricing, but it seems like you get free admission to the concert if you eat (app, entree, desert, drink) at one of the restaurants.

So I wanted to give you an update after I did a little Disney research. We have just thrown in another week long trip at the end of Nov. to take my MIL on a much needed vacation. She has never been on a real vacation before and never been to Disney so why not. I wasn't going to do the CP package because of the reasons I mentioned before. Then I realized the the narrator for the time we would be there was going to be Neil Patrick Harris who I really like (I'm a big HIMYM fan) and want to see. I was reading that last year people were lining up for his shows at noon. No way am I going to wait in line for 5 hours to see him. I booked a LeCellier CP lunch. We are taking our moms on this trip and my MIL has really bad foot problems and I know that standing in line for 2-3 hours isn't going to work for her. The lunch was almost $60pp but it is one of our favorite restaurants in Epcot, I get to see NPH, we can stand in line for 30min instead of 3 hours and I think you get a special viewing area for Illuminations so I am willing to pay the $240 (we will also get to use our TIW discount card which helps). So, I have changed my stance for this trip. If you are going when there is a less popular narrator you should be fine. Just watch to see when people start lining up and hop in line.

 

[Bruce Dickinson]

Has anyone done the Candlelight Processional at Epcot during Christmas? I don't know that I understand the pricing, but it seems like you get free admission to the concert if you eat (app, entree, desert, drink) at one of the restaurants.

We did it last year but just to be clear there is a narrated show/concert called the Candelight Processional (CP) and then there is something to give you priority seating for the CP called the Candelight Processional Dinner Package. With the dinner package you get the meal you listed for a set price or 2 dining plan credits. We did NOT do the dinner package because to me, the price (I think it was ~$75-80pp) or using 2 credits was not worth it. We just got in line about 30-45 minutes before the show started and had no problem getting really good, center seats. The Candelight Processional show is free so you can still eat dinner before the show and then go get in line, you just don't get "priority" seating. I loved the CP so I would highly recommend checking it out at least once. If you don't want to wait in line and get a seat, there is standing room outside of the seating to stand and watch it. We actually did that another night while we were there.

As you mentioned in a follow-up post, the MC alters demand for prime seats. When Neil Patrick Harris narrated last year, the standby line started queuing hours in advance. On Susan Lucci night, not so much. The lines also get more competitive the closer the calendar gets to December 25. If you're trying to decide if the price tag is worth it... the seats themselves aren't worth a premium, but not the full extra cost. But you're also buying time to do other stuff at the park instead of waiting in line for a couple hours. Time at Disney is finite.

Other Christmas stuff to check out:***Epcot-I loved the Christmas stories at each country in World Showcase. Took me 2 days to get every country. Don't forget to watch Illuminations as it has an extra Christmas ending with more fireworks.

All of the Christmas stories are good, some are better than others,agree it probably takes 2 days to catch all of them and also experience other things in Epcot. IMO the standout stories are Norway, Germany, and England. Some of these stories will pull kids up on stage to participate, so if you have grade-school age kids who want to be part of the show, get to the showplace a little early, have the kids sit close, smile, and look alive and attentive.

***Gingerbread houses and Christmas trees. Take the time to check out all the deluxe resorts just to see the amazing Christmas trees. We did dinners at most of them so we would have a reason to check them out (stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge so saw that one daily). Grand Floridian gingerbread house is amazing and Yacht & Beach club have a gingerbread carousel that is really neat.

These exceeded my expectations. A monorail tour to see the gingerbread houses and trees at Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Contemporary is a couple hours well spent if you need a break from the parks. If you make dining reservations at the deluxe resorts, make time to check out the decorations before or after the meal.

***Osbourne Lights at Hollywood Studios. There were extra magic hours one night until midnight so we decided to go over at 11pm to check them out and the streets were empty. There were probably a total of 20 people so we got some amazing pictures then hit Toy Story Mania with a 10min wait at 11:55pm. Perfect way to end the night!

The key here is avoiding an onslaught of people. The lights are breathtaking and worth checking out. However, the cast members won't take Photopass photos during the "show" songs, which clogs up the area a little. Hitting it a little early in the season or late at night after the families with little kids clear out helps a lot. Last year we went once during Extra Magic Hours earlier in December and it was one of the highlights of the entire trip. We went back again with the gen pop on Dec 22/23 and it was a bit less pleasant.

***Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Loved it. Loved the parade, the snow, the fireworks...can't wait to do it again sometime.

Worth. Every. Penny. Got to see all seven dwarfs together, walked right on to Space Mountain twice, Phineas and Ferb made a rare Magic Kingdom appearance, did the Running Man with Woody to "Party Rock Anthem" at the Woody's Roundup Dance Party, hot chocolate stands all over the park, snowfall on Main Street.If you have a MVMCP ticket and the party starts at 8:00pm, don't wait until 8:00 to enter the park. You can get into Magic Kingdom a few hours before the Party starts - just make sure you get the Party wristband, because the cast clears out people without the Party wristband once the Party starts.

***Animal Kingdom-the afternoon parade gets a Christmas makeover that is really cute. Camp Minnie-Mickey has a bunch of decorated themed Christmas trees that are fun to check out. Not sure if that will still be there this fall as they are preparing for Avatarland.

I hope they find a new home for those trees. They are great. Thanks to my daughter committing to an Animal Kingdom Christmas theme with an animal-print outfit, Santa hat, scarf, and sunglasses while waiting to meet AK Mickey, a cast member invited us to ride on one of the Donald floats in the AK parade. That was a big thrill, and I enjoyed getting backstage for a glimpse of how some of the Disney sausage is made.

ETA...regarding the CP dinner package they still tell you to get in line about 30 min early so you really aren't saving much time depending on how busy it is when you go.

If there's an argument for going to Disney in a large group and/or with grandparents, it's the extra FastPass options and extra bodies for time-consuming immobile acts like staking out prime parade viewing space or establishing an early line position for things like the CP.

 

[Battles]

Has anyone done the Candlelight Processional at Epcot during Christmas? I don't know that I understand the pricing, but it seems like you get free admission to the concert if you eat (app, entree, desert, drink) at one of the restaurants.

So I wanted to give you an update after I did a little Disney research. We have just thrown in another week long trip at the end of Nov. to take my MIL on a much needed vacation. She has never been on a real vacation before and never been to Disney so why not. I wasn't going to do the CP package because of the reasons I mentioned before. Then I realized the the narrator for the time we would be there was going to be Neil Patrick Harris who I really like (I'm a big HIMYM fan) and want to see. I was reading that last year people were lining up for his shows at noon. No way am I going to wait in line for 5 hours to see him. I booked a LeCellier CP lunch. We are taking our moms on this trip and my MIL has really bad foot problems and I know that standing in line for 2-3 hours isn't going to work for her. The lunch was almost $60pp but it is one of our favorite restaurants in Epcot, I get to see NPH, we can stand in line for 30min instead of 3 hours and I think you get a special viewing area for Illuminations so I am willing to pay the $240 (we will also get to use our TIW discount card which helps). So, I have changed my stance for this trip. If you are going when there is a less popular narrator you should be fine. Just watch to see when people start lining up and hop in line.

So is the lunch/dinner cost a fixed price? That's where I was a bit confused. Since the price ranges match the estimated price ranges on regular reservations I didn't know if it was based on what's ordered or if you just paid a flat rate. It's worth it to us if you can just order off the menu like normal and the candlelight reservation is just based on having a restaurant reservations. As a light eating family with 2 young kids we'd never go through 2 kid's meals and 2 three course adult meals.

 

[Yankee23Fan]

Has anyone done the Candlelight Processional at Epcot during Christmas? I don't know that I understand the pricing, but it seems like you get free admission to the concert if you eat (app, entree, desert, drink) at one of the restaurants.

Awesome show. Highly recommend.

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Has anyone done the Candlelight Processional at Epcot during Christmas? I don't know that I understand the pricing, but it seems like you get free admission to the concert if you eat (app, entree, desert, drink) at one of the restaurants.

Awesome show. Highly recommend.

Is this available any time after thanksgiving? I may be taking the wife here during the first week of Dec.

 

[Battles]

Has anyone done the Candlelight Processional at Epcot during Christmas? I don't know that I understand the pricing, but it seems like you get free admission to the concert if you eat (app, entree, desert, drink) at one of the restaurants.

Awesome show. Highly recommend.

Is this available any time after thanksgiving? I may be taking the wife here during the first week of Dec.

Yes.