The Little Trip That Could-- PartI: Pre-PTR for our Upcoming Holiday Adventure! About This Page:

[MyRapunzal]

Originally Posted by amandal

Hope this helps you Mel. Whenever we have went at Christmas-time it has been in the middle of December, so I can't really help you with the questions about NYE . I'm sure there are plenty of helpful PPers here who can though . . .

Thanks! The transport answers really helped! I am so psyched to have a response before I signed off! Sa-weet!

As far as the WL rooms- we had no choice but to pay for a Woods View room... I guess I left that off... there were no standards available for the rate we wanted (and, hey, if its cheaper for woods view then standard, who am I to complain?)
I guess I left that out but thats why I was wondering about the location. Thanks for answering (I am going to edit my update to add this now)!

[Colexis Mom]

Boy, you've been a busy beaver I'd say the parks that time of year are going to be very busy Your best bet for NYE would be Epcot, since that's the largest park and you'll feel the crowds the least!

[scdisneyfan]

okay i just wanna say OMGGG i so have that book that you bought...i bought it on sale at one point and i love it because it has so many cool pics for me to show my DBF. Second, OMG i so have the 3/4 disney brights tshirt and i love it!
Looks like you have been hard at work. i wish i could help you out but i've never stayed at WL but for you huh? that rocks! I've only been at the first of December so as far as temps go they were very unpredictable but i dont know if they are always that way. I think i would prepare for all temps.

[brandy_mel]

Originally Posted by MyRapunzal

6. What is the temperature? We had nice 80s, with a day in the 70s and one in the 90s on our trip from the 2nd to 12th in 2006... we brought all these layers and didn't use them-- should I play it safe or is it always warm?

It looks like we were there right after you in January of 2006. We were there from the 14th-21st. And our weather was nothing like yours. You really lucked out. We had two days where the high was 60. They were very chilly, and I was glad I had brought a hat and gloves for when we watched Spectro. The rest of the week it was in the 70's and 60's. We still had a great time, though. It was warmer than Illinois in the middle of January. I would definitely bring layers. Have a great trip!

I love the countdown calendars you made!

[KandJluvdisney]

mel,
that outfit would be so cute
we are chickens and do not go at super busy times so i can not answer any questions about that but the wilderness lodge is another story
you will not have to get on a bus to get to the mk or epcot really - if I am not mistaken the mk bus goes to the ttc so you could always grab the monorail from there as well - I do miss the ttc bus that used to go there (or that is the way they used to do it)
I don't remember how long it tool to get to ak - sorry
don't remember what view we had but I do know that I was able to watch the fireworks from our balcony after Juan fell asleep - just bring bug spray I had huge mosquito bites on my legs from sitting out there
we had great weather I was fine with capris and t-shirts with a sweatshirt over it even at night
anything else just ask

[MyRapunzal]

Originally Posted by Colexis Mom

Boy, you've been a busy beaver I'd say the parks that time of year are going to be very busy Your best bet for NYE would be Epcot, since that's the largest park and you'll feel the crowds the least!

What a great thought on that! I can't believe that I never thought of Epcot being the biggest! That is such great logic!

Originally Posted by scdisneyfan

okay i just wanna say OMGGG i so have that book that you bought...i bought it on sale at one point and i love it because it has so many cool pics for me to show my DBF. Second, OMG i so have the 3/4 disney brights tshirt and i love it!
Looks like you have been hard at work. i wish i could help you out but i've never stayed at WL but for you huh? that rocks! I've only been at the first of December so as far as temps go they were very unpredictable but i dont know if they are always that way. I think i would prepare for all temps.

LOL! You crack me up with all your OMGs! Thanks!

Originally Posted by brandy_mel

It looks like we were there right after you in January of 2006. We were there from the 14th-21st. And our weather was nothing like yours. You really lucked out. We had two days where the high was 60. They were very chilly, and I was glad I had brought a hat and gloves for when we watched Spectro. The rest of the week it was in the 70's and 60's. We still had a great time, though. It was warmer than Illinois in the middle of January. I would definitely bring layers. Have a great trip!
I love the countdown calendars you made!

I wish we could go in January again but thats not going to happen with my work schedule! I guess layers will end up being our best bet.

Originally Posted by KandJluvdisney

mel,
that outfit would be so cute
we are chickens and do not go at super busy times so i can not answer any questions about that but the wilderness lodge is another story
you will not have to get on a bus to get to the mk or epcot really - if I am not mistaken the mk bus goes to the ttc so you could always grab the monorail from there as well - I do miss the ttc bus that used to go there (or that is the way they used to do it)
I don't remember how long it tool to get to ak - sorry
don't remember what view we had but I do know that I was able to watch the fireworks from our balcony after Juan fell asleep - just bring bug spray I had huge mosquito bites on my legs from sitting out there
we had great weather I was fine with capris and t-shirts with a sweatshirt over it even at night
anything else just ask

I think I am going to put in for a request for "Magic Kingdom view" just in case its available. I read somewhere that you can't fax in requests (or rather that you can but no one reads them at WL) so it would be our best bet I think.

[MyRapunzal]

Okay so thanks for all the answers! I am feeling totally informed today. As well as totally insane.

So....... it has come to my attention, and I will not be sharing any further details just yet, that I will be possibly heading to WDW for a long weekend in May of next year. I would say a Thursday night/Friday morning through Sunday with a good 2 full park days. While this is great for 2 reasons- a sure plan for 2009 and F&GF. It brings up some new things for me to ponder and Rob already thinks I am nuts and stops listening when I say WDW, our TA is going to possibly fly cross country and kill me for another change, and my family has never been to WDW so they dont get it! So I NEED YOU!!!

This is a total "what would you do situation" and I want the truth. So... what would you do! Here is some of the scenarios racing through my mind...

Switch our vacation from 12/30-1/4 to instead the 12/19-12/23 and try to get a standard room at WL over a Woods View, which would make up the diff between the holiday/value rate. We would save a few bucks that would pay for something special like maybe the Photopass Photog or maybe the Segway Tour! Plus, we would return, have the Christmas holidays, and then I would still have a full 10 days before I would have to go back to work- so there wouldn't be the rush of getting home at midnight the day I go back to work. The only real con to this is that we would lose almost 2 days of fun!

Switch back to Thanksgiving. This is a much TIGHTER time financially for me because my childhood best friend is getting married in Virginia Beach over Columbus Day and my cousin is getting married the weekend afterwards. So I figure by Thanksgiving I will just be bouncing back. BUT the rates are a little cheaper AND the crowds are much tamer. (and the weather is warmer)


Leave dates as is. Consider a tour or something similar for the two super busy days upon our arrival. Save between now and then (maybe cancel Mystic all together, wait for a discount on Mary Poppins tickets, etc etc to put a few dollars away at a time.) I feel like I sacrificed a lot (busy busy busyness... warm weather... rates) to get a trip that straddled 08-09 assuming I couldnt go in 09 and now this pops up. Should I just leave it be? Not change the actual details but instead change my plans for the rest of this year?


I just don't know what to do. If we leave the trip as is we still owe a good $1200 each plus whatever extras we want. I don't want to feel like I am overdoing it when we are going to be back in a few short months. BUT I do feel like the may trip will be nice and easy to get a cheaper resort (POFQ maybe) to make that short, sweet, and easy on the wallet.


What would you do?????

And Next Up
:::::What Did I Do?:::::

[B.M.]

hmmmm........I would either keep the dates as is or do the 12/30-1/4, leaning towards the 12/30-1/4. The thanksgiving dates sound to complicated with all the weddings. This is my thoughts anyways, good luck with your decisions!

[Colexis Mom]

I'd personally switch to Thanksgiving. More manageable crowds, the Christmas stuff will be up, and it's cheaper. But that's me!!

[MyRapunzal]

Originally Posted by B.M.

hmmmm........I would either keep the dates as is or do the 12/30-1/4, leaning towards the 12/30-1/4. The thanksgiving dates sound to complicated with all the weddings. This is my thoughts anyways, good luck with your decisions!

Right now we are booked for the 12/30 to 1/4 so it looks like we are on the same page!

Originally Posted by Colexis Mom

I'd personally switch to Thanksgiving. More manageable crowds, the Christmas stuff will be up, and it's cheaper. But that's me!!

If I wasnt afraid of the whole... final payment due in October when I will be spending uber bucks thing, I would totally have already switched back. You are so right about pricing, though. I am so torn!

[Kenny]

12/19-12/23... save a little cash, holidays w/family, no worries about plane delays keeping you from work (after all, it's still winter in NY), and you still get 5 days @ WL in the World... plus more time to save over Thanksgiving! In 5 months you will make up the "2 days of fun".
But that's just me talkin'...

[MyRapunzal]

Ahhhh... I have 3 opinions and they are one of each for every scenario! More, please!!

[scdisneyfan]

OKay so i just wanted to say im the OMG queen...seriously eric laughs at me often...okay so i read this last night and thought about it today.....i dunno if i can give my opinion in a few short sentences but this is what i would do. I think thanksgiving will be too crammed with stuff to do HOWEVER in saying that...I feel that I would see if you can cancel a few things to make it happen. I mean really looking at the overall picture to me it would depend on a few things Number one) what does rob think and does he care which dates? does he have a preference for work? NUMBER TWO) do you prefer the activities in december to those at thanksgiving?

To me those would make or break the decisions i would make. Because if he has a preference and for whatever reasons he would have I would take those into consideration but if he's anything like my DBF and could give two flips then i would base the decision on the financial reasons. For me that's always upmost important. So, like my question would be financially is thanksgiving even possible after you have laid everything out? If it is and rob doesnt care and you can still attend the MVMCP then I would choose thanksgiving for the managble crowds, the warmer weather and it would give you that space you are looking for between the two trips.

Crazy answer i know but it might help you think things out.....

[PrincessSharon]

Just catching up again, Mel. Congrats to Rob on the new job!

First, I don't think there is a MK view available at the WL. It's meant to be very secluded so it's like you're in the woods somewhere. Although it's close to the MK, it doesn't feel like you're right there. The monorail resorts are much more "Magic Kingdom" if you know what I mean. I think the closest you'll get to a MK view is a room with a view of the fireworks.

As far as when to go? I'm not sure! I think with all three choices you'll probably see everything you want to see. Some dates will be more crowded than others, and some will cost more than others. I guess you'll have to decide which is more important. Since you're not thrill ride junkies like I am and can take a more leisurely pace in the parks, I'd say go with whichever option is cheapest.

[DELG8TOR]

Originally Posted by PrincessSharon

Just catching up again, Mel. Congrats to Rob on the new job!

First, I don't think there is a MK view available at the WL. It's meant to be very secluded so it's like you're in the woods somewhere. Although it's close to the MK, it doesn't feel like you're right there. The monorail resorts are much more "Magic Kingdom" if you know what I mean. I think the closest you'll get to a MK view is a room with a view of the fireworks.

As far as when to go? I'm not sure! I think with all three choices you'll probably see everything you want to see. Some dates will be more crowded than others, and some will cost more than others. I guess you'll have to decide which is more important. Since you're not thrill ride junkies like I am and can take a more leisurely pace in the parks, I'd say go with whichever option is cheapest.

The last 2 times we have gone has been the day after Thanksgiving and stayed the whole week coming home Saturday. Great times, small crowds, cheaper, etc... That's when I would pick if I were you.

Sharon is right to a degree. There is no direct view of MK.... Anymore! There used to be a few rooms but the pine trees that they planted have grown up big and tall and now block any views that there once were.