OFFICIAL December 2009!! Celebrating the Holidays.. ADR list page 41 :)

[Montana Minnies]

I just wanted to check out my timer. This will be the first time we go during Christmas Holiday Season. Looking forward to seeing all the decorations and festivities.

[dl0015]

Originally Posted by PrincessSuzanne

We love it, so did the 3 year old in our group, in fact she probably enjoyed it more than any of us. She really enjoyed the dance parties the most, well and the parade. The fireworks and parade are magnificient (the ones at Halloween are only slightly better), or at least I think so.

Suzanne

Thank You...

[PrincessSuzanne]

Originally Posted by dl0015

Thank You...

You're Welcome

[exwdwcm]

Originally Posted by njacob

Hi Suzanne. When you say "Crowded" during POP week, what do you mean? Do you mean it took 90-120 minutes to get on an atraction, 30-45, or 15-20? Were FP issued every hour or every 2 hours? Were you ever there during Spring Break? If so, was it that kind of crowded? I was there 3/08 and attractions actually said wait time 90-120min. or by noon an attraction said "no more FP are being issued today".

Thank you SO much for any answers you can provide. I do really appreciate it!

POP did NOT affect our stay at all a few years ago, other than too much noise at our hotel (POR was an overflow for them). they did not affect the parks at all for us and we were there for 10 days.

I've been during the summer, spring break and I was a cast member for a full fall/winter season. the first 2-3 weeks of December are GREAT. POP didn't make any difference for us. spring break is horrible as is summer. i will never go then again. It isn't worth it to me as I hate crowds. POP is NOT crowded at all, there is not even a comparison at all to spring break. it is total apples to oranges from my view. The kids are off having football games and competitions all day long. IF they are in the parks, it is only in the evenings for short times. Even then, they often are having practices and stuff in the evenings. I only saw about 3 different POP kids/groups in the parks the whole 10 days we were there. This was 2005, either it has change a lot since then, or maybe we just had a good touring plan, so we didn't wait. We tend to be at park at opening, hit the big ones, use fast passes continuously (replenish when the time is up) etc. So we hardly ever wait, in fact we didn't wait for anything more than 20 minutes and still saw everything we wanted.

as for Christmas week- just be prepared if you are going then. When I was a CM, i worked my register for 12 hours at hollywood and vine (it was a cafeteria back then) and the line was literally out the door all day and never stopped. It was insane that whole week. I think i worked 80 hours that week! The crowds were just stifling. If you have a plan, you can make it work, but I just don't do the crowds, I get frustrated when trying to even walk down the street. I know unfortunately sometimes the holiday is the only time folks can go- and well, any time at disney, crowded or not is better than nothing!

[chell]

Originally Posted by exwdwcm

POP did NOT affect our stay at all a few years ago, other than too much noise at our hotel (POR was an overflow for them). they did not affect the parks at all for us and we were there for 10 days.

I've been during the summer, spring break and I was a cast member for a full fall/winter season. the first 2-3 weeks of December are GREAT. POP didn't make any difference for us. spring break is horrible as is summer. i will never go then again. It isn't worth it to me as I hate crowds. POP is NOT crowded at all, there is not even a comparison at all to spring break. it is total apples to oranges. The kids are off having football games and competitions all day long. IF they are in the parks, it is only in the evenings for short times. Even then, they often are having practices and stuff in the evenings. I only saw about 3 different POP kids/groups in the parks the whole 10 days we were there.

if you have a plan- hit the big e-tickets early, then you wno't have a problem at all and should be able to see everything you want.

Last year may have just been an off year but the parks were extremely crowded. Wait times were easily 60+ minutes on the popular rides. FPs were gone early in the day.

It very well could have been because Disney ran specials to their Visa cardholders during that time frame also. I have been to WDW over spring break and the crowds were comparable. Again, I'm not saying it was only because of Pop but whatever the cause, that week last year was very crowded. The secret of December being slow is out and it's not so slow anymore.

[exwdwcm]

oh and our party of 15 is going to be at Wilderness Lodge from Dec 10th- 20th with the dining plan and park hoppers. We can't wait. We did first week of Dec in 2005 and it was one of our BEST trips ever. great weather, NO crowds, short lines and beautiful decorations. It will be my son's first trip!!!

We plan to do MVMCP on 12/15. We might try for the Illuminations Grand Gathering as well and maybe the candlelight processional dinner package. I did notice that the holiday related events, like Osborne lights were more crowded on the weekends, as the locals seemed to come in then to see them too. so try and do those during the week if you can!

[Pixieflip]

We're going to be there December 24 to January 3 at my in law's vacation home off property (just a few minutes from Disney) and THEN we plan to spend some DVC points and stay ON PROPERTY January 3 to 8!! Two whole weeks with the Mouse and we are ridiculously excited!!

[WelovMickey!]

Originally Posted by chell

Last year may have just been an off year but the parks were extremely crowded. Wait times were easily 60+ minutes on the popular rides. FPs were gone early in the day.

It very well could have been because Disney ran specials to their Visa cardholders during that time frame also. I have been to WDW over spring break and the crowds were comparable. Again, I'm not saying it was only because of Pop but whatever the cause, that week last year was very crowded. The secret of December being slow is out and it's not so slow anymore.

NEVERMIND I read your post better hehe... your talking about PW week

Hi,
Can you tell me what week this was? 1st, 2nd...

Thanks!

[sharonabe]

Just booked yesterday!!! We'll be at CSR Dec 1-5. Used the military discount and quick service dining plan. That along with the military ticket discounts makes this a very affordable trip for us. I already marked our family calendar for how many weeks it is every week until DEC 1. Yehaw!!

[chell]

Originally Posted by WelovMickey!

NEVERMIND I read your post better hehe... your talking about PW week

Hi,
Can you tell me what week this was? 1st, 2nd...

Thanks!

Last year we were there the 2nd week of December. This year we are going the 3rd week to hopefully avoid some of the crowds.

[MyMuse]

I'm planning to stay for Dec 5-10/11..it is Pop Warner week. I'm trying to figure out where to stay without craziness at hotels.

Where is th PW kids staying? In another post, it said they are staying at AllStars and the overflow was going to Coronado Springs?

I was sort of planning on Coronado...

Has anyone stayed on-site in December before and been on the same property?

[MICOL]

Last time was Feb 2006, going in December 12-28-09 to 1-1-10

[Missytara]

I am paid up and got my plane ticket as of today. November 28th through December 5th at POR!!!!!

I am just daydreaming about it right now.

[Missytara]

I accidently went that week in 2006, instead of the week after T-giving and I will never do it again. Avoid POR like the plague......

I stay at POR every year, starting the Sunday right after Thanksgiving. I book the day I return from my previous trip. Three years ago, I accidently miscalculated and ended up the week of Pop Warner. When I arrived, I was informed I was being moved to another resort, Coronado Springs, because they had 300 families staying at POR. I said absolutely NOT, unless it was a deluxe resort, because I had made my reservation the year before and I have stayed there every year. They honored my request, but instead of being in my favorite building as they always do - Oak Manor facing the woods - I ended up in the Arcadian House facing the parking lot. I was furious.

I was informed by the desk that if I continued to come that week, I would have a problem getting a room because they signed a ten-year contract with Pop Warner for that specific resort for 300 rooms or more. I informed the manager that I will never make that mistake again. I have shifted back to my regular week, but arrive Saturday now instead of Sunday. In 2007 and 2008, I noticed they started arriving late on Saturday, and by Sunday it was a zoo trying to get anywhere, including to get baggage services to come to my room to get my bags to leave.

Well in addition, I wrote a letter to Pop Warner noting how bad it was at the resort and utterly rude everyone had been the entire week (with the exception of two coaches from NJ who happened to appear to be keeping the kids in line the best they could). It was as follows:

1. The parents relied on the coaches to watch their children; they sat in the lounge and got drunk every night like they were sailors on leave. The language was unbelievable. One night they started throwing change at each other over the tables and ended up knocking drinks to the floor and just left them there. Security had to be called EVERY night, and a few of the bartenders that normally work (John and Stacy, for example) there have said they will never work that week again.

2. The boys would cram about 20 of themselves into the hottub and dare each other to stay underwater as long as they could. They would fill up the pool and try to splash people sitting in the chairs trying to relax. They would be wandering around chasing the ducks into the pond. When the buses came along, they would rush up to the bus as a group, so you couldn't get a seat. They would yell to each other across the aisles all the way to the parks.

3. As bad as the boys were, the girls were actually even worse. The girls were cheering outside all hours of the night. When they went anywhere, they stood as a group and blocked every intersection of sidewalks getting over the bridge to the food court. If you asked them to move aside, they would all look at each other for about ten minutes trying to decide who would move out of the way to let you pass. The chaperones were standing right there and never say a word.

4. The girls would even do cheers on the bus in the aisleways. Once a girl fell over and almost knocked a baby out of its mother's arm. The woman got off the bus at the next stop; she was so shaken up, she went back to her room. I walked back with her to make sure she was okay. Before I exited the bus, I told the girl she owed the woman an apology and she shrugged at me and said, "Who suddenly made you boss?"

5. They decorated all their rooms displaying their school colors, teams, etc. but would leave everything for the mousekeeping staff to clean up - sometimes stuff was on the outside of the window and if it rained, it would get wet and fall down on the pavement. They would walk over it and leave it for the grounds staff to pick up.

6. On Thursday, I had made reservations with baggage services to come pick me up at my room on Sunday morning, to take my luggage for check-out. People stopped us every five feet, asking to take them to their room or over to the food court or down to the next building. Each person got huffy, and it dawned on me, they just thought Valentino was "assigned" to the Pop Warner people and was running them every where they wanted to go. When he explained he was from baggage services, they asked what the service was and asked for an explanation of how it works, where do you go to make reservations, etc. It took us almost twenty five minutes to get up to the lobby.

Need I say more; I have moved back to the Saturday after Thanksgiving and just have to deal with it the following Saturday night and that's it.

Oh, and to this day, I have never gotten one response from Pop Warner, despite the fact that I followed up my letter with three phone calls.

[MyMuse]

Originally Posted by Missytara

I accidently went that week in 2006, instead of the week after T-giving and I will never do it again. Avoid POR like the plague......

Thank you for your insight, Missytara!

Oh my godness! I'm so sorry to hear what happened. It would absolutely make me furious too. I don't understand how Disney cam excel in so many things and also be a dismal failure in others. There doesn't seem to be an in-between.

I am a little anxious about the PW people. I was planning on staying at Coronado, to experience a different moderate hotel. I hear this is their hotel this year. I was at POR in May and POFQ in March.

Hmmm....my dream is to stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge, so maybe that will be where I end up. Or perhaps, back at POFQ? I loved it when I was there in March, though there was some sort of team there, since I saw decorated windows. But I didn't hear a peep from them.

Or, my other option would be to stay off-site. This might be the bigger possibility. I have a timeshare nearby, but it does not exchange into the Disney hotels.