The NEW Official November 2010 Countdown & Planning Thread ~ Come join us! (Part 2)

[pwdebbie]

If anyone is doing a trip report, please post the link here so we can all see it. Thanks!

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

I'm doing a trip report, it's a slow work in progress lol. Link in siggy

 

[grandall]

We got back last night! We had a great time -- not perfect, but great! I have so many tips for families going with small kids, I am going to try and post these soon while they are still fresh. Thanks to everyone for all their tips -- I could not have had as great a time w/o this site!

Planning another trip for 2012 not sure when.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I haven't had much time to catch up, let alone post. That is the good and bad about traveling this time of year. You come home and you hardly have time to think about missing Disney cause you are in the middle of holiday stuff. I like it that way, it makes it easier on me coming home, but no time to organize photos and stuff till January.

I think the highlight, or one of them, was when we did the campfire singalong. We have never done that and most of the family wasn't wanting to do it. (It had been an off day, we went to lunch off property, went to the outlets and went to Give Kids the World to deliver things we had collected for them.) It was a nice day and I had planned this to end it. Well, I kind of guilted them into going and off we went. They wern't loving it, the bus transfer when we got there, the long walk, then we got there and they started the trivia contest. My family was loving this! Well, we were on a roll, we got them all right but one, the bonus question. Well, by we I mean my DD16, when she was growing up we didn't have cable and lived in Northern NY, lots of snow and very few TV channels made for lots of movie watching days when she was little, and she has a memory like you wouldn't believe. So, we were doing well. Anyway, WE WON!!!! The girls got a stuffed Chip and Dale and watching them work together and have fun AND after they all told me I was right, it was a lot of fun! That was a great night. We will do it again for sure next time!

Probably the low, aside from my 16 year old being wonderful one day and miserable the next was Characters in Flight. It was a HUGE financial committment for us, we are a very middle class family and don't ever do extras like that, but the kids really wanted to so DH was going to take them (I am afraid of heights.) Well, I decided they wern't going to experience something so amazing without me so we all went, cost us almost $100. Every time we went it was not flying due to wind (totally understand that.) We finally saw it flying on Thanksgiving evening and debated going at night but were told it was totally different but equally amazing at night so we went. It was not amazing at all in our opinions. Maybe daystime would be but night was not. It was a clear night but al you saw was lights. Our driver didn't point out anything so all we really saw was what we could make out. She did point out the Osborn Lights, other then that, nothing. We could make out the Contemporary, but saw no MK, we saw EPCOT and some off property things. We heard her on the radio say they were trying to get as many people up and down as they could to make as much as possible an that is probably why our ride was only 3 minutes!!! (I recorded the whole thing so I know.) It was so disapointing to spend so much and get such a bum trip. I might want to try it in the day sometime but that will likely be someday when just DH and I go cause it just wasn't worth $100 and the kids were not impressed at all.

The biggest surprise for us was the crowds. We have never seen such light crowds for Thanksgiving. Now, we did plan our days around the crowd lvels, but we waited for almost nothing. EE and Soarin did have waits as always, but other then that many things were 15 minutes and under and we rarely needed to use Fastpass. It was wonderful.

Well, we are having friends over for a belated Thanksgiving dinner (we cancelled our plans in Disney, don't worry, I cancelled a few days out, decided it was going to just be too expensive for all 7 of us to go.) So we are having Thanksgiving dinner today, having friends over to enjoy it with us, so I have to get cooking!

I hope to read about many of your trips but probably not till January I'm afraid.

 

[sjs314]

I haven't had much time to catch up, let alone post. That is the good and bad about traveling this time of year. You come home and you hardly have time to think about missing Disney cause you are in the middle of holiday stuff. I like it that way, it makes it easier on me coming home, but no time to organize photos and stuff till January.

I think the highlight, or one of them, was when we did the campfire singalong. We have never done that and most of the family wasn't wanting to do it. (It had been an off day, we went to lunch off property, went to the outlets and went to Give Kids the World to deliver things we had collected for them.) It was a nice day and I had planned this to end it. Well, I kind of guilted them into going and off we went. They wern't loving it, the bus transfer when we got there, the long walk, then we got there and they started the trivia contest. My family was loving this! Well, we were on a roll, we got them all right but one, the bonus question. Well, by we I mean my DD16, when she was growing up we didn't have cable and lived in Northern NY, lots of snow and very few TV channels made for lots of movie watching days when she was little, and she has a memory like you wouldn't believe. So, we were doing well. Anyway, WE WON!!!! The girls got a stuffed Chip and Dale and watching them work together and have fun AND after they all told me I was right, it was a lot of fun! That was a great night. We will do it again for sure next time!

Probably the low, aside from my 16 year old being wonderful one day and miserable the next was Characters in Flight. It was a HUGE financial committment for us, we are a very middle class family and don't ever do extras like that, but the kids really wanted to so DH was going to take them (I am afraid of heights.) Well, I decided they wern't going to experience something so amazing without me so we all went, cost us almost $100. Every time we went it was not flying due to wind (totally understand that.) We finally saw it flying on Thanksgiving evening and debated going at night but were told it was totally different but equally amazing at night so we went. It was not amazing at all in our opinions. Maybe daystime would be but night was not. It was a clear night but al you saw was lights. Our driver didn't point out anything so all we really saw was what we could make out. She did point out the Osborn Lights, other then that, nothing. We could make out the Contemporary, but saw no MK, we saw EPCOT and some off property things. We heard her on the radio say they were trying to get as many people up and down as they could to make as much as possible an that is probably why our ride was only 3 minutes!!! (I recorded the whole thing so I know.) It was so disapointing to spend so much and get such a bum trip. I might want to try it in the day sometime but that will likely be someday when just DH and I go cause it just wasn't worth $100 and the kids were not impressed at all.

The biggest surprise for us was the crowds. We have never seen such light crowds for Thanksgiving. Now, we did plan our days around the crowd lvels, but we waited for almost nothing. EE and Soarin did have waits as always, but other then that many things were 15 minutes and under and we rarely needed to use Fastpass. It was wonderful.

Well, we are having friends over for a belated Thanksgiving dinner (we cancelled our plans in Disney, don't worry, I cancelled a few days out, decided it was going to just be too expensive for all 7 of us to go.) So we are having Thanksgiving dinner today, having friends over to enjoy it with us, so I have to get cooking!

I hope to read about many of your trips but probably not till January I'm afraid.

Welcome Home

How kewl that you guys won the trivia contest

Sad to hear the charactors in flight ride did not live up to your expectations, it is one of the things DH and I had been looking forward to and we were having a hard time as to whether we wanted to go up in the day or night at least now I know to go during the day and I agree it is expensive for such a short time I could swear I read it was much longer.

Not surprised to hear about MK being so busy on that Mondy, since Mk is always busy on Monday it seems due to the weekend arrivals at WDW especially Sundays and people tending to go to MK as their first park on vacation.
At least Epcot was not as bad in FW.

I would love someday to visit WDW during Thanksgiving but I think the high cost of the resorts and the normally large crowds might keep us away.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Welcome Home

How kewl that you guys won the trivia contest

Sad to hear the charactors in flight ride did not live up to your expectations, it is one of the things DH and I had been looking forward to and we were having a hard time as to whether we wanted to go up in the day or night at least now I know to go during the day and I agree it is expensive for such a short time I could swear I read it was much longer.

Not surprised to hear about MK being so busy on that Mondy, since Mk is always busy on Monday it seems due to the weekend arrivals at WDW especially Sundays and people tending to go to MK as their first park on vacation.
At least Epcot was not as bad in FW.

I would love someday to visit WDW during Thanksgiving but I think the high cost of the resorts and the normally large crowds might keep us away.

I think it is supposed to be longer, but because that day and all week was too windy they wern't able to get many people up, the woman said over the radip something to the effect of trying to get people up and down as fast as possible to make $ cause so many people were waiting. Seemed since they wern't able to make much that week they were trying o make as much as they could that night. It isn't run by Disney we were told, I believe if it had been that wouldn't happen. It's too bad, every time we went during the day it was empty, had the weather cooperated we probably would have gotten a longer trip and seen more.

We checked in on the Thursday beofre Thanksgiving to get free dining, our room was about $100 a night average (went up over the holiday but was down when we checked in) so it wasn't too bad, we paid $2200 for 10 nights, QSDP and tickets for 3 adults and 1 child (her last year as a child.) I am sure it can get very pricey at some of the other resports over the holidays, but we thought that was pretty reasonable.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I haven't had much time to catch up, let alone post. That is the good and bad about traveling this time of year. You come home and you hardly have time to think about missing Disney cause you are in the middle of holiday stuff. I like it that way, it makes it easier on me coming home, but no time to organize photos and stuff till January.

I think the highlight, or one of them, was when we did the campfire singalong. We have never done that and most of the family wasn't wanting to do it. (It had been an off day, we went to lunch off property, went to the outlets and went to Give Kids the World to deliver things we had collected for them.) It was a nice day and I had planned this to end it. Well, I kind of guilted them into going and off we went. They wern't loving it, the bus transfer when we got there, the long walk, then we got there and they started the trivia contest. My family was loving this! Well, we were on a roll, we got them all right but one, the bonus question. Well, by we I mean my DD16, when she was growing up we didn't have cable and lived in Northern NY, lots of snow and very few TV channels made for lots of movie watching days when she was little, and she has a memory like you wouldn't believe. So, we were doing well. Anyway, WE WON!!!! The girls got a stuffed Chip and Dale and watching them work together and have fun AND after they all told me I was right, it was a lot of fun! That was a great night. We will do it again for sure next time!

Probably the low, aside from my 16 year old being wonderful one day and miserable the next was Characters in Flight. It was a HUGE financial committment for us, we are a very middle class family and don't ever do extras like that, but the kids really wanted to so DH was going to take them (I am afraid of heights.) Well, I decided they wern't going to experience something so amazing without me so we all went, cost us almost $100. Every time we went it was not flying due to wind (totally understand that.) We finally saw it flying on Thanksgiving evening and debated going at night but were told it was totally different but equally amazing at night so we went. It was not amazing at all in our opinions. Maybe daystime would be but night was not. It was a clear night but al you saw was lights. Our driver didn't point out anything so all we really saw was what we could make out. She did point out the Osborn Lights, other then that, nothing. We could make out the Contemporary, but saw no MK, we saw EPCOT and some off property things. We heard her on the radio say they were trying to get as many people up and down as they could to make as much as possible an that is probably why our ride was only 3 minutes!!! (I recorded the whole thing so I know.) It was so disapointing to spend so much and get such a bum trip. I might want to try it in the day sometime but that will likely be someday when just DH and I go cause it just wasn't worth $100 and the kids were not impressed at all.

The biggest surprise for us was the crowds. We have never seen such light crowds for Thanksgiving. Now, we did plan our days around the crowd lvels, but we waited for almost nothing. EE and Soarin did have waits as always, but other then that many things were 15 minutes and under and we rarely needed to use Fastpass. It was wonderful.

Well, we are having friends over for a belated Thanksgiving dinner (we cancelled our plans in Disney, don't worry, I cancelled a few days out, decided it was going to just be too expensive for all 7 of us to go.) So we are having Thanksgiving dinner today, having friends over to enjoy it with us, so I have to get cooking!

I hope to read about many of your trips but probably not till January I'm afraid.

Welcome home!

Good to hear the crowds weren't bad!

Sorry about the Character's in flight. We really wanted to ride it, but every time we were in DTD it was closed due to the winds. Same with last year. I'm beginning to think we will never get to ride that thing.

We will definitely do it during the day if we ever get the opportunity. Was your entire ride 3 minutes? Or were you up there for 3 minutes? We were told by a CM that the entire thing is 9 minutes. Three minutes to get up, three minutes up there, and 3 minutes to come down.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Welcome home!

Good to hear the crowds weren't bad!

Sorry about the Character's in flight. We really wanted to ride it, but every time we were in DTD it was closed due to the winds. Same with last year. I'm beginning to think we will never get to ride that thing.

We will definitely do it during the day if we ever get the opportunity. Was your entire ride 3 minutes? Or were you up there for 3 minutes? We were told by a CM that the entire thing is 9 minutes. Three minutes to get up, three minutes up there, and 3 minutes to come down.

I video taped almost as soon as we took off and till we got on the ground and it was like 3 minutes and 20 seconds, or something like that. Honestly as soon as we got up, she announed we were at 400 feet and we were heading down. I am sure it was due to the fact it had been closed so much and they had such a long line, I just wished I had thought it out more, noticed how short the rides were but we were just so happy it was open, I didn't think at all. I think on a different day (day for sure!) it would probably be better, but since it was open so little and with so many people waiting and since because of winds they could only take up 8 at a time they were rushing it terribly. It didn't ruin the trip, that is for sure, but it was disapointing and I thought I'd share for anyone considering it. 9 minutes still seems short, but I think you could see a lot in that amount of time.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I video taped almost as soon as we took off and till we got on the ground and it was like 3 minutes and 20 seconds, or something like that. Honestly as soon as we got up, she announed we were at 400 feet and we were heading down. I am sure it was due to the fact it had been closed so much and they had such a long line, I just wished I had thought it out more, noticed how short the rides were but we were just so happy it was open, I didn't think at all. I think on a different day (day for sure!) it would probably be better, but since it was open so little and with so many people waiting and since because of winds they could only take up 8 at a time they were rushing it terribly. It didn't ruin the trip, that is for sure, but it was disapointing and I thought I'd share for anyone considering it. 9 minutes still seems short, but I think you could see a lot in that amount of time.

Wow that really stinks. I think you should complain! That's too much money for that short of a ride.

Thanks for letting us know. We will definitely do it during the day when we do it and I will make sure to pay attention to how much time they are letting each ride have before committing to it.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Wow that really stinks. I think you should complain! That's too much money for that short of a ride.

Thanks for letting us know. We will definitely do it during the day when we do it and I will make sure to pay attention to how much time they are letting each ride have before committing to it.

That is a good plan. I always say if that is all you have to complain about, you are doing alright, and that was it for the whole trip. Everything else, food, hotel, busses, you name it was perfect so really we have nothing to complain about. But I did want to mention it to let people know cause it is a HUGE financial comittment.

 

[pwdebbie]

I'm doing a trip report, it's a slow work in progress lol. Link in siggy

I have the signatures turned off -- years ago my computer didn't like them so I turned them off and now I prefer the pages without all the activity of the signatures. That's why I asked for links for the TRs.

 

[sjs314]

I think it is supposed to be longer, but because that day and all week was too windy they wern't able to get many people up, the woman said over the radip something to the effect of trying to get people up and down as fast as possible to make $ cause so many people were waiting. Seemed since they wern't able to make much that week they were trying o make as much as they could that night. It isn't run by Disney we were told, I believe if it had been that wouldn't happen. It's too bad, every time we went during the day it was empty, had the weather cooperated we probably would have gotten a longer trip and seen more.

We checked in on the Thursday beofre Thanksgiving to get free dining, our room was about $100 a night average (went up over the holiday but was down when we checked in) so it wasn't too bad, we paid $2200 for 10 nights, QSDP and tickets for 3 adults and 1 child (her last year as a child.) I am sure it can get very pricey at some of the other resports over the holidays, but we thought that was pretty reasonable.

Yes I agree $2200 sound like a fantastic price for 10 nights with food and tix

 

[Mindy5767]

Yes I agree $2200 sound like a fantastic price for 10 nights with food and tix

I agree, $2200 for 10 nights with food and tickets is great! What resort did they stay in? I seem to have missed that somewhere? I would LOVE to stay at SSR for 10 nights. What a dream THAT would be... but I surely don't have enough points and at deluxe prices, its just too expensive for paying cash. If I ever win the lottery... I'm buying lots of DVC points!!

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

I have the signatures turned off -- years ago my computer didn't like them so I turned them off and now I prefer the pages without all the activity of the signatures. That's why I asked for links for the TRs.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=38358891#post38358891

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I agree, $2200 for 10 nights with food and tickets is great! What resort did they stay in? I seem to have missed that somewhere? I would LOVE to stay at SSR for 10 nights. What a dream THAT would be... but I surely don't have enough points and at deluxe prices, its just too expensive for paying cash. If I ever win the lottery... I'm buying lots of DVC points!!

We were at ASSp, it's our favorite value, though we hope to try the new value resort in 2012.

 

[MagicMomma]

Hi, all! We're back! We had such a wonderful and amazing trip! We loved our resort, had a great time in the parks, and I still can't believe how much food we had on the dining plan! I think I gained weight... even with all the walking!! Haven't had a chance to go back an read through yet, I'll have to do that tomorrow.

 

[emt_pinky]

Hi, all! We're back! We had such a wonderful and amazing trip! We loved our resort, had a great time in the parks, and I still can't believe how much food we had on the dining plan! I think I gained weight... even with all the walking!! Haven't had a chance to go back an read through yet, I'll have to do that tomorrow.

HaHaHa... I gained 3 pounds. I still have one to go before I'm back to where I started. DH and cousin walk lots slower than I do. with the baby this year we stopped alot too. Food Was Awesome!!!

 

[grandall]

We had one "tragic to magic" moment while we were there. DD10 collects pins & had just bought a new lanyard & 11 new pins for over $130. She'd been saving up her chore money for a year (or her "commission" as Dave Ramsey calls it) She has three full lanyards, but thankfully only wore one to MK on Tuesday 11/23. We rode Thunder Mtn & she took it off & put it in the mesh storage bin. (I didn't know she'd done this.) We got off the ride & were walking outside when she realized she'd left it on the car!! We rushed back inside & told the CM what happened.

We waited & waited & waited for all cars to come through on both sides. *NOTHING* We went to Guest Services/City Hall & explained the situation to Pat. Nobody had turned it in I just cried for my poor DD! She'd saved up for so long & this was the ONE thing she liked to spend her $$ on (besides buying souveniers for all of her family, friends, & teachers.) Well, Pat at City Hall-Guest Services told us to make sure & ask for him when we came back that night.

We went on about our day & tried to forget what had happened. We checked back with Pat right before MK closed & no one had turned it in. He took us over to the Emporium & said he knew this wouldn't make up for what she lost, but he let her pick out a new lanyard & 8 new pins!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just bawled like a baby! Even though someone at Disney World stole from my precious Bailey, a wonderful CM named Pat renewed my love for my Happy Place! It was a great lesson in how God can use a terrible situation & turn it into a wonderful one [/COLOR][/B]

I cannot believe this -- the same thing happened to my DD7. She put her lanyard in the mesh bag on the same ride our last day (Dec. 3) and left it there! DH was with her and didn't notice. We ran back about 1.5 hours later and someone did turn it in. I'm so sorry no one turned yours in -- it's so hard to imagine that someone would take it as their own.

 

[Trackey79]

I for one still get excited when I see there has been a new post in my mailbox

Even though I had to cancel my trip this year , this thread still feels like "home" many of us got to know each other and we shared so much good times and sometimes bad, I for one will always be a Dis Turkey no matter when I end up going to WDW.

Everyone Here is special

I feel the same!! I hope we can all keep up with each other.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

I cannot believe this -- the same thing happened to my DD7. She put her lanyard in the mesh bag on the same ride our last day (Dec. 3) and left it there! DH was with her and didn't notice. We ran back about 1.5 hours later and someone did turn it in. I'm so sorry no one turned yours in -- it's so hard to imagine that someone would take it as their own.

That is wonderful for your DD! My DD, at 10yo, was probably more able to handle the emotional tragedy of losing her lanyard than a 7yo. (If it had been my DS7, he would probably STILL be griping & crying about it!) So, I'm very thankful that your DD7 was able to get hers back Like I said before, now we have a wonderful story to tell about the magic of Disney Although, I have secretly hoped that the jerk who stole it poked himself with one of the pins.