*~~Official December 2016 Thread~~*

[Kati Reimer]

That is so funny we are in MD. We will be staying at the YC. It will be our first time at an EPCOT resort. We stayed at AKL as the second resort of a split stay our last trip. We love Boma for breakfast or dinner or both! We try to go every few years and stay at different resorts so the last few trips did a split stay. We just went for Thanksgiving and I was able to convince my family to go again this year but we decided to just be at 1 resort.

That is funny, small world! I have heard great things about Boma, can't wait to try it. It's a great idea to stay at difference resorts so you can experience them all. Have you ever been in the first week of December before? I know people are mixed on whether or not the crowds will be lighter during those first few weeks or not. I'm expecting crowds no matter what, but I'm not a huge fan of being crammed like sardines, so hoping for a happy medium!

 

[Kati Reimer]

I saw someone mention earlier that they were already crazy planning 1 year+ out. I'm a crazy planner and had the trip semi planned before I even pushed the confirmation button so I understand! But I have been planning with just the advice of blogs like wdwprep and touring plans, so would love some input. This is what I have been thinking for park days and meals -

Dec 2 - Arrival day, dinner Cali Grill
Dec 3 - MK - Lunch Columbia Harbor, dinner BOG, Parade and Wishes
Dec 4 - EP - Akershus breakfast, Via Napoli lunch, Rose and Crown (Chefs de France?) dinner, Illuminations
Dec 5 - AK - Tusker House breakfast, Flame Tree lunch, Epcot dinner (Le Cellier? 2nd BOG option)
Dec 6 - MK - CRT breakfast, Wanyama Safari dinner
Dec 7 - Check out day, HS morning

Our plan is to arrive before rope drop and stay until 1-2 and go back to the hotel for relaxing, before going out to a late dinner. Thoughts?

I used the December 2015 hours as a rough estimate on park hours. I know the suggestion is not to go to MK on a Saturday, but since it's my first time, I really want to go there first. My expectations are just to experience some of the must-dos and have fun. Planned breakfast ADRs for optimal early park entrance, but it may be overly ambitious.

TIA!

 

[veachjt]

Another question! If 2 of our 3 MK days are MVMCP days (we don't attend) should I hop over to HS studios for fantasmic on one of the party nights and then on our HS day, hope over to MK non party day to see wishes more than once?

 

[Kimberly9701]

Does anyone know when December hours get released? Will it be before the 180 day window?

 

[BDL]

Just curious on everyone's thoughts about mickeys Christmas party? Is it worth the extra money?

Below is post that I put up a while ago. I am a big pro-ponent of the MVMCP. The caveat has to be if you or members of your party can stay up late enough without any issues. You'll also see our strategies for MVMCP days.

Welcome aboard.

I am a huge fan of the MVMCP. In fact, we did it twice last year. 1 was to secure the MVMCP merch and the 2nd was for the meet and greets. After each of those, it was ride, ho-cho and parade time. Literally walked on rides like Space Mtn, Thunder Mtn, PotC, etc... To the point where working our way through the lines, took longer than the waits.

As for the tix; If you have a MVMCP ticket, you do not need a park ticket for that day, IF you go in after 4pm. Any time before that, you will need a park ticket. What we do, is we use that day as a sleep-in day, get the breakfast of our choice (usually Kona Cafe YUM!), and then we resort hop and take in the different decorations. Then we relax, maybe nap, at the resort and then head to the party. It could also be a great DTD (aka Disney Springs) day. Get the shopping done and out of the way, then rest or swim at the resort.

Hoped this helped. See you there.

 

[veachjt]

Below is post that I put up a while ago. I am a big pro-ponent of the MVMCP. The caveat has to be if you or members of your party can stay up late enough without any issues. You'll also see our strategies for MVMCP days.

Thanks!!

 

[Mintycake]

Kati we are there the same dates almost! Dec 2 - 9 for us! And our plans are very similar - RD with a break after lunch and then go back to park for more fun and fireworks and rides! We are planning to do MVMCP too. I have been planning for ages also. I'm just wondering how insane Epcot is going to be with the new Frozen stuff opening. We have budgeted our schedule like this (days may be flipped based on crowd calendar and EMH)

Dec 2 - Arrival day, dinner Boardwalk pizza window
Dec 3 - HS rope drop for Jedi training sign up, TSMM, other rides and shows, lunch at 50s prime time, go back to hotel, dinner at Mama Melrose (Fantasmic) and hopefully star wars fireworks (can you do both?)
Dec 4 - Pirate Adventure cruise for DD from Yacht club, late start to AK, lunch at Flame Tree or Pizzafari, dinner at Tusker House
Dec 5 - Epcot day 1 (International showcase) - Akershus PPO breakfast, Frozen stuff, lunch at Katsura Grill, break, dinner at ? was thinking Liberty Inn
Dec 6 - Epcot day 2/MVMCP (Future world) - Cape May breakfast, RD, Lunch at Sunshine Seasons, break back to hotel, head to MK for MVCP, dinner at Pinnochio Haus (quick meal so we don't miss too much!)
Dec 7 - MK day 1 - 7:30am Ohana breakfast so we can make it to RD, BOG lunch, break, Columbia Harbour House dinner
Dec 8 - MK day 2 - Breakfast in room, RD, Lunch at Cosmic Rays, Dinner at 1900 Park Fare

Doable?

 

[#1eeyoregirl]

We just switched our resort from AKL to CBR for or Dec 17-26 trip thanks to the FD discount that came out yesterday. Switching from a deluxe to a moderate and being able to take advantage of free dining is huge savings for us. Now just waiting to be able to buy the MVMCP tickets and airfare (since we fly SW and our dates don't release until June) and being able to book our ADRs and FP.

 

[Kimberly9701]

Kati we are there the same dates almost! Dec 2 - 9 for us! And our plans are very similar - RD with a break after lunch and then go back to park for more fun and fireworks and rides! We are planning to do MVMCP too. I have been planning for ages also. I'm just wondering how insane Epcot is going to be with the new Frozen stuff opening. We have budgeted our schedule like this (days may be flipped based on crowd calendar and EMH)

Dec 2 - Arrival day, dinner Boardwalk pizza window
Dec 3 - HS rope drop for Jedi training sign up, TSMM, other rides and shows, lunch at 50s prime time, go back to hotel, dinner at Mama Melrose (Fantasmic) and hopefully star wars fireworks (can you do both?)
Dec 4 - Pirate Adventure cruise for DD from Yacht club, late start to AK, lunch at Flame Tree or Pizzafari, dinner at Tusker House
Dec 5 - Epcot day 1 (International showcase) - Akershus PPO breakfast, Frozen stuff, lunch at Katsura Grill, break, dinner at ? was thinking Liberty Inn
Dec 6 - Epcot day 2/MVMCP (Future world) - Cape May breakfast, RD, Lunch at Sunshine Seasons, break back to hotel, head to MK for MVCP, dinner at Pinnochio Haus (quick meal so we don't miss too much!)
Dec 7 - MK day 1 - 7:30am Ohana breakfast so we can make it to RD, BOG lunch, break, Columbia Harbour House dinner
Dec 8 - MK day 2 - Breakfast in room, RD, Lunch at Cosmic Rays, Dinner at 1900 Park Fare

Doable?

Do the pirate cruise schedules get released before the 180 day mark? I am hoping for one out of GF. And that can have a huge impact on which park we do on that day. HS must be RD for Jedi Training. In my perfect scenario it will be on the same morning as our 1900 Park Fare breakfast!

We will be there 12/3-12/7

 

[Mintycake]

I'm not sure when that information gets released (it just said "to call" on Disney website) but I think the only feasible day to put it in is our AK day as we weren't planning to spend a whole day there (my daughter isn't terribly interested in animals or dinosaurs, and neither am I). In fact we were going to skip AK altogether for another MK day but then we decided to do MVMCP instead. I'm not sure if we really NEED 2 full days in Epcot? We want to do all the main stuff (Frozen, Soarin, will skip Test Track as we aren't into cars, The Land). Not sure how much time we'll spend in International showcase as it's not super geared to kids from what I remember (other than the Mexico ride and of course Froway).

 

[Kimberly9701]

I'm not sure when that information gets released (it just said "to call" on Disney website) but I think the only feasible day to put it in is our AK day as we weren't planning to spend a whole day there (my daughter isn't terribly interested in animals or dinosaurs, and neither am I). In fact we were going to skip AK altogether for another MK day but then we decided to do MVMCP instead. I'm not sure if we really NEED 2 full days in Epcot? We want to do all the main stuff (Frozen, Soarin, will skip Test Track as we aren't into cars, The Land). Not sure how much time we'll spend in International showcase as it's not super geared to kids from what I remember (other than the Mexico ride and of course Froway).

What ride is in Mexico? We totally missed that! Our favorite is Morocco.. Well, that's always been my fave and now my son's as well

 

[budcollector]

i officially booked and put the deposit on my trip, i did the disney visa promo with the free dining (qs) . i check in on the 21st the last day for it so i get to eat for free for the week, WooHoo.

 

[CynBeth]

That is funny, small world! I have heard great things about Boma, can't wait to try it. It's a great idea to stay at difference resorts so you can experience them all. Have you ever been in the first week of December before? I know people are mixed on whether or not the crowds will be lighter during those first few weeks or not. I'm expecting crowds no matter what, but I'm not a huge fan of being crammed like sardines, so hoping for a happy medium!

We went from the 7th-15th or something like that 4 years ago. It was more crowded than we thought but not bad. It was also PW but we didn't notice the kids too much at all.

 

[CynBeth]

What ride is in Mexico? We totally missed that! Our favorite is Morocco.. Well, that's always been my fave and now my son's as well

It is a boat ride. It used to be 1 thing and now it features the Three Caballeros.

 

[CynBeth]

Here is our tentative schedule depending on who the CP narrators are and ROL.

12/2 - Hope to have an early flight. Open day to mini golf or swim at YC. Dinner at TRex.
12/3 - SW Day. Breakfast at Captain's Grille.
12/4 - EPCOT. Breakfast at Cape May. Lunch at Tutto. Dinner will either be Le Cellier or Chefs for CP dinner package.
12/5 - MK. Breakfast at CP. Lunch at LTT. Dinner at either Tony's or BOG.
12/6 - EPCOT. Breakfast at Garden Grove. CS lunch. Dinner at either Le Cellier or Chefs for CP dinner package.
12/7 - Gatorland. Not sure about breakfast. Dinner at HDDR.
12/8 - MK and MVMCP. Breakfast at WCC. CS lunch. Dinner at either Tony's or BOG.
12/9 - AK. Breakfast at TH. Lunch at either Rainforest Cafe or Flame Tree. Dinner at Boma.
12/10 - DHS. Breakfast at H&V? Lunch at Sci Fi. Dinner at 50's PTC.

 

[MichiganScott]

For those that put out their itineraries and asked for feedback. I noticed a lot of TS, sometimes 2-3 per day. That's a lot of time sitting down at a table. If that's your thing, perfect. If not, well, that's a lot of time sitting down at a table

 

[Kimberly9701]

It is a boat ride. It used to be 1 thing and now it features the Three Caballeros.

Oh cool thanks!

 

[BDL]

It is a boat ride. It used to be 1 thing and now it features the Three Caballeros.

Yeah. It was called Rio de Vida or Agua de Vida. It had a cool human sacrifice scene

 

[xlsm]

Yeah. It was called Rio de Vida or Agua de Vida. It had a cool human sacrifice scene

El Rio del Tiempo...The River of Time. I love Donald and Co, but I was a superfan of the old version, lol!! I need a #neverforget shirt for that and for Maelstrom!!

 

[nicynot]

Does anyone know when December hours get released? Will it be before the 180 day window?

By the end of May, which will be just before the window opens up