It's My Birthday & I'll Disney if I Wanna! ~ A Dec 2015 PTR - COMPLETE!

[Wood Nymph]

We went to WDW from Nov 30 to Dec 4th, 2013, just before your trip date's and I remember that during the pre-planning stage the prior year's calendar was a good place to start. Some things stay constant, like Epcot always having EMH evening hours on Fridays. And we also discovered that Disney changes the operating hours at the last minute, so plans might fall apart or at least be slightly upset when they change hours on you. As long as the calendar is released before you make your ADR's, then it should be okay.

The most important thing you need to know when planning for a December trip is the days that MK closes early for the Christmas Party. Without that knowledge it is hard to plan your parks. The MK gets crowded on the nights that don't have parties, but it might be the only chance you get to see Wsihes, etc. Are you planning to go to a party?

I never knew Disney Bounding existed until recently and I'm sure that the average guest doesn't know about it either. The CM's would know, though, and probably recognize it when they see it. I understand your need to go 100% into something when you decide to do it because I am like that, too.

As far as the new forum software goes, I very much like the fact that I can once again use my iPhone and iPad for the Dis. The old app messed up and I wasn't able to access it on those devices. And I am getting used to the new website. I am one of those people who need to know how things work, so I have been digging in to learn the new tricks.

 

[Elevationist]

We went to WDW from Nov 30 to Dec 4th, 2013, just before your trip date's and I remember that during the pre-planning stage the prior year's calendar was a good place to start. Some things stay constant, like Epcot always having EMH evening hours on Fridays. And we also discovered that Disney changes the operating hours at the last minute, so plans might fall apart or at least be slightly upset when they change hours on you. As long as the calendar is released before you make your ADR's, then it should be okay.

The most important thing you need to know when planning for a December trip is the days that MK closes early for the Christmas Party. Without that knowledge it is hard to plan your parks. The MK gets crowded on the nights that don't have parties, but it might be the only chance you get to see Wsihes, etc. Are you planning to go to a party?

I never knew Disney Bounding existed until recently and I'm sure that the average guest doesn't know about it either. The CM's would know, though, and probably recognize it when they see it. I understand your need to go 100% into something when you decide to do it because I am like that, too.

As far as the new forum software goes, I very much like the fact that I can once again use my iPhone and iPad for the Dis. The old app messed up and I wasn't able to access it on those devices. And I am getting used to the new website. I am one of those people who need to know how things work, so I have been digging in to learn the new tricks.

Oh, it's not my first December trip! No worries! And yes, I've had December 2014's hours printed and in my planning folder since, like, August. I've been using that as a rough draft, so to speak, but will feel much better when the real hours are released and in my hot little hands! I'm also familiar with what nights are typically MVMCP nights, and have planned around those, as well as tentatively selected which night we will be attending the party ourselves.

As for DisneyBounding, I think I might keep it in mind for another trip, maybe my solo one for October 2017. I think this year I'm just going to keep my eye out for cute things in my size to wear that will "show my Disney side." Like the Star Wars dress above. The only thing holding me back is that it's $50 with shipping! And considering I still need to pay off my package and save up my spending money, it feels unreasonable to buy it right now. But I know if I wait, they'll run out of my size. Decisions, decisions!

The app broke for me months ago. I haven't tried just accessing the new website directly on my phone yet... It's more mobile friendly now, you think? I'll give it a try tonight!

 

[SarahDisney]

Speaking of park hours, for anybody who is wondering, no I don't know the exact date when park hours for December 2015 will be released. What I do know, however, is that they are updated typically anytime between the 1st and 15th of every month, and are released no more than 7 months out. That puts the December hours being posted sometime during the first two weeks of May. So for my countdown above, currently at 90 days, I selected the date of May 7th, right in the middle. So I may get them at 84 days from now, or 97 days from now. It's just an approximate.

I actually thought of you when I heard that September hours came out ... it seems like they've been releasing them earlier in the month lately, so hopefully that will be the case for you too!

How is everybody adjusting the the new boards? I have to tell you, it's been a bit off-putting for me. Don't get me wrong, I totally 100% understand the need for newer, faster, more efficient technology. And I support it! I'm just really funny when it comes to change... I don't adjust well at first. It takes me time to warm up to big changes to anything in my life, both on and offline. So I pretty much avoided the boards for most of the last week. Yesterday I started puttering around on them a bit more, getting the December 2015 updated (I started it, so I'm the only one who can edit the "Roll Call" list of people going that month), and posting randomly here and there. However, what I'm writing right now is my first "real" post of any weight. So far so good! There's definitely things I miss about the old boards, but also quite a few things that I'm liking better. It'll just take time, I guess.

I'm also not a big change person ... it's been an adjustment, but there are a lot of things I like about the new boards (like the fact that I can just hit "CTRL+B"/"CTRL+I" for bold/italic, and it's easier to quote just part of a post). It definitely is an adjustment though, but hopefully you'll adjust okay.

One last thing... I've been tossing around the idea of DisneyBounding. I see such cute outfits in other's TRs! I'm just... Ugh. Okay, two reasons I'm hesitant: (1) Finding things in my size is not only a nightmare, but typically very expensive, and I'd rather save that money I would spend and use it at the parks. (2) Usually anytime I allow myself start something like this, I go totally freakin' OVERBOARD. Once I set my mind so doing it, I wouldn't be happy unless the outfit is 100% perfection... and again, perfection is expensive! Not to mention, again knowing how I am, I wouldn't be happy doing it for just one or two days... I would end up feeling the need to put something spectacular together EVERY SINGLE DAY. I would just get totally out of control.

I try to be super casual about it, but DisneyBounding can take over your life (and budget). It's definitely a commitment if you want to do it every day and be very exact about it. Because I have religious-based restrictions on what I can and can't wear, I know I can't take it to seriously, but if I wasn't adhering to a dress code ... I would definitely be spending a lot of money on every outfit. So unless you know you can be casual about it or you're ready for it to take over your life and disposable income, it's not necessarily a good thing.

I love this dress!!

maybe if I could just find a fun cotton dress or a t-shirt to wear that's appropriate for each day/place we're going, that could maybe be more affordable and still something kinda fun I've never done before... What do you think, ladies?

I think that's a really fun idea! I was actually thinking about doing something like that for my trip, but I was already knee-deep in the DisneyBounding. I think it would be super fun and a great way to get into the Disney spirit with your clothing!

 

[IndianaRRT]

Just found your PTR! And we have a couple things in common.
--I'm headed to the World for my birthday as well! I'll be 40 on Easter Sunday, and DH surprised me with a trip to celebrate. We'll be at POR 3/29-4/3!

--My weight loss journey started in 7/2013. 80 pounds later (I gained 15 back, but it's gone with a little more), I'm in a push to lose an additional 30 by the big 4-0.

I've been a Disney fan forever but didn't make my first trip until I was 32. Now, I'm headed back for my 3rd!
I've really enjoyed going through your previous posts as you plan, and congrats on your weight loss so far! Every pound is a victory

 

[Tracy161]

Okay, so I totally get your hesitancy to DisneyBound because you're afraid of going a bit crazy... right there with ya! I do absolutely LOVE the dress though and think a themed dress or shirt is totally doable and, for people like us, not as intense. But hey, how often are we in Disney?! If going 100% nuts on acquiring Disneybounds is what makes ya happy... Go nuts!

 

[Elevationist]

I'm also not a big change person ... it's been an adjustment, but there are a lot of things I like about the new boards (like the fact that I can just hit "CTRL+B"/"CTRL+I" for bold/italic, and it's easier to quote just part of a post). It definitely is an adjustment though, but hopefully you'll adjust okay.

I'm getting there! I know in a month or so I won't miss the old boards at all. I'm just weird about stuff, haha. And I did check out the website on my phone, and it's much more mobile friendly than the old boards were. Still sloooooow, though. I hope they either fix the app or give us a new one soon!

I love this dress!!

I think that's a really fun idea! I was actually thinking about doing something like that for my trip, but I was already knee-deep in the DisneyBounding. I think it would be super fun and a great way to get into the Disney spirit with your clothing!

While I love the idea, and I've already been doing some online browsing for Disney and Harry Potter theme tshirts and stuff, but just gosh. I just look at how much I'd be spending, and can't help but think about how much fun I could have AT Disney with that money! So I'm starting to back off the idea, wearing my regular old clothes is seeming more and more appealing, haha.

Just found your PTR! And we have a couple things in common.
--I'm headed to the World for my birthday as well! I'll be 40 on Easter Sunday, and DH surprised me with a trip to celebrate. We'll be at POR 3/29-4/3!

--My weight loss journey started in 7/2013. 80 pounds later (I gained 15 back, but it's gone with a little more), I'm in a push to lose an additional 30 by the big 4-0.

I've been a Disney fan forever but didn't make my first trip until I was 32. Now, I'm headed back for my 3rd!
I've really enjoyed going through your previous posts as you plan, and congrats on your weight loss so far! Every pound is a victory

Hey, welcome to my PTR! And congratulations on your weightloss! I've plateaued again, but admittedly, I haven't been trying too hard, and have been eating out too much. In fact, I find that I lose the most weight when I'm broke. So I need to start putting more money on my trip and less in my belly!

Okay, so I totally get your hesitancy to DisneyBound because you're afraid of going a bit crazy... right there with ya! I do absolutely LOVE the dress though and think a themed dress or shirt is totally doable and, for people like us, not as intense. But hey, how often are we in Disney?! If going 100% nuts on acquiring Disneybounds is what makes ya happy... Go nuts!

I don't knooooow though! Will it make me happy? Or will it make me happier to hang onto the money I would spend, so I can use it for shopping and drinking during my trip? I'm reeeeally starting to lean towards the second one!

 

[grarsh]

I think you should totally Disney Bound! That sounds like a lot of fun!!!! I've been looking at Disney Bounding ideas for men, and I think I could totally get away with it at work.

 

[SarahDisney]

While I love the idea, and I've already been doing some online browsing for Disney and Harry Potter theme tshirts and stuff, but just gosh. I just look at how much I'd be spending, and can't help but think about how much fun I could have AT Disney with that money! So I'm starting to back off the idea, wearing my regular old clothes is seeming more and more appealing, haha.

Sales are your friend!
In all seriousness, it can definitely get expensive. If you see something you like that's out of your price range, keep checking to see if it goes on sale. Personally, I like to buy shirts at the Disney Store when they're 2 for $30 (or even cheaper sometimes) - they do have a decent selection, and you could get one related to a character you'll see for each day (not as cute as the Star Wars dress idea, but still...).
Here's my unsolicited advice: set yourself a budget for clothing for the trip, divide it by the number of outfits you want to buy, and that's your per outfit limit. Only buy things that are below your budget, and try to accept the fact that you may not be able to find something for every day. Maybe you just want to find something for every other day. It's hard to do it without spending too much, but it's possible.
And, if you stay below your budget ... that's unexpected extra Disney spending money!

 

[Elevationist]

I think you should totally Disney Bound! That sounds like a lot of fun!!!! I've been looking at Disney Bounding ideas for men, and I think I could totally get away with it at work.

I wear my tiara or a pair of Minnie ears to work as often as I can get away with it. (Working in a travel agency that books a LOT of Disney, I can typically find a reason!)

Sales are your friend!
In all seriousness, it can definitely get expensive. If you see something you like that's out of your price range, keep checking to see if it goes on sale. Personally, I like to buy shirts at the Disney Store when they're 2 for $30 (or even cheaper sometimes) - they do have a decent selection, and you could get one related to a character you'll see for each day (not as cute as the Star Wars dress idea, but still...).
Here's my unsolicited advice: set yourself a budget for clothing for the trip, divide it by the number of outfits you want to buy, and that's your per outfit limit. Only buy things that are below your budget, and try to accept the fact that you may not be able to find something for every day. Maybe you just want to find something for every other day. It's hard to do it without spending too much, but it's possible.
And, if you stay below your budget ... that's unexpected extra Disney spending money!

I did look at the Disney Store online, actually! They were having a 2-for-$36 sale on women's plus size graphic tees. Even that kinda made me cringe! I think until I get my package paid off and all my spending money saved up, I'm going to be reluctant to spend anything "extra." Maybe once I have everything paid off and met my savings goals, then I'll revisit the idea of buying some cute things to wear during the trip.

 

[Elevationist]

86 days until Park Hours!
116 days until ADRs!
236 days until FP+!
296 days until WDW!
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Hey, ya'll!

I'm so jazzed to be under 300 days finally! Plus only 116 days until ADRs, and soon that will be in double-digits! Anything to make the year feel like it's going by faster!

Also helping is that my co-worker/best buddy has decided to go to Disney in September... Not just anytime in September, but the exact same week that I was there last year! She's been before with her husband and daughter, but this is the first time they are choosing to stay on-property (Coronado Springs) and do ADRs. (Usually they just stay in a nearby Marriott and wing it for meals.) So she's been picking my brain a lot, especially about resorts and dining, and that's been a lot of fun for me! Right now we're counting down to HER upcoming ADR day in March, especially since more than anything she really wants that coveted Be Our Guest dinner reservation!

I should note that we discussed a lot of this over our monthly sushi-and-sake date last night...



I think I've decided to tentatively pass on the previously-mentioned Star Wars dress (even though it's so frickin' cute), as well as any other DisneyBounding or Disney Side type of apparel. Until I have my package paid off and have met my spending money savings goal, I just can't justify spending additional money on a trip I don't even have paid up completely yet. So we'll see what happens with that closer to the trip. It's still nice to daydream about, though!

Speaking of package payments! I just made another one today. That puts me at 51% paid! Over the half-way mark! I'm hoping that I might get at least one of my tax returns this year, federal or state. (Often I don't get them due to old student loans and medical stuff I can't even begin to make a dent in.) While I'm not counting on either, if one should surprise me and magically appear in my bank account at the end of the month, that would be super sweet!

In non-trip-related news, you guys I think know by now that I'm a big ol' booknerd, and I am now just about the finish up the Ephemera trilogy by Anne Bishop. It's not Young Adult, like most of what I like to read, but it is really good if you dark fantasy (and I really do). When I'm done with it, I'm switching back to a YA series, the Carter Kane trilogy, written by the same author as the Percy Jackson books (which I loved). After that, I'm considering picking up the Divergent series maybe. If anybody has any recommendations, I would love to hear them!

And finally, somebody showed me this spoof of Meghan Trainor's "All About that Bass" over the weekend, and now I can't get it out of my head:

...Because you know I really AM all about that cake. AND chicken!

Have a great week, ya'll.

 

[SarahDisney]

Yay for being under 300 days!! Less than 10 months!

It's always fun to help other people plan their trips (although you do that at work too sometimes ...)

Yay for being over 50% paid off! I totally understand wanting to pay off the package before you think about buying stuff to wear. I hope you end up getting a tax refund that you can put towards Disney!

Books ... I should probably get back to reading. I can't really recommend anything because I haven't been reading much lately ... I started my annual Harry Potter re-read a few weeks ago and I'm about halfway through the first book. Unfortunately, I haven't been making time to read lately

 

[Tracy161]

Woohoo, the countdown continues!!! And congrats on making another payment for your trip - that's also gotta make it feel closer and closer, especially now that you're over 50%! As for the Disneybounds, I hear ya... hard to justify when you could be putting that money towards the trip. But yes, they are lots of fun to think about...

 

[DisneyKay]

I may have been reading this on and off all day at work instead of uh, being productive.
Subbed and going to read your solo trip report!

 

[ursalita]

Hey! I'm with you on the clothes and Disney bounding. It's such a cute idea and I love looking at all the cute outfits but I can't get into it. We just go to Disney in our boring, everyday clothes. I'm thinking about getting the boys some Disney shirts so in our pictures they will be wearing Disney instead of some other random characters or brands. I do have an Oswald tee that I picked up last trip that I can wear probably at HS.

Your sushi looks so good it makes me want to have some right now.

 

[pigletgirl]

I do also love the idea about Disney Bounding, but as of right now, I'm trying to figure out what my mom and I are going to wear for MNSSHP. DD is going to be Minnie, but as for us? I have no idea!

My biggest goal is that we have comfortable footwear, sunscreen, sun glasses and other essentials. Outfits are secondary.

 

[Elevationist]

It's always fun to help other people plan their trips (although you do that at work too sometimes ...)

I do it for clients almost everyday, and I LOVE it, but it's just not the same joy as getting that text from a friend or family member at 10pm asking you what characters are at Ohana for breakfast.

Books ... I should probably get back to reading. I can't really recommend anything because I haven't been reading much lately ... I started my annual Harry Potter re-read a few weeks ago and I'm about halfway through the first book. Unfortunately, I haven't been making time to read lately

I do an annual Potter read-through, too!

Woohoo, the countdown continues!!! And congrats on making another payment for your trip - that's also gotta make it feel closer and closer, especially now that you're over 50%!

It really does feel good being over that 50% mark! It's getting more and more real!

I may have been reading this on and off all day at work instead of uh, being productive.
Subbed and going to read your solo trip report!

Productivity at work? What's that? Sounds like a bunch of nonsense to me.

Thanks for following! And I hope you like the solo TR!

Hey! I'm with you on the clothes and Disney bounding. It's such a cute idea and I love looking at all the cute outfits but I can't get into it. We just go to Disney in our boring, everyday clothes. I'm thinking about getting the boys some Disney shirts so in our pictures they will be wearing Disney instead of some other random characters or brands. I do have an Oswald tee that I picked up last trip that I can wear probably at HS.

I might try to pick up at least a Potter tee, and looking for something Christmassy Disney for MVMCP! I wonder how soon the Disney Store online will start selling Christmas-themed tees.

Your sushi looks so good it makes me want to have some right now.

Yes, I can't look at my own sushi photo without wanting to leave work early and go get more of it RIGHT now. Sooooo delicious!

I do also love the idea about Disney Bounding, but as of right now, I'm trying to figure out what my mom and I are going to wear for MNSSHP. DD is going to be Minnie, but as for us? I have no idea!

My biggest goal is that we have comfortable footwear, sunscreen, sun glasses and other essentials. Outfits are secondar

You sound like me! I'm focused on the must-haves to be healthy and comfortable during the trip. I'm just practical like that!

 

[DisneyKay]

I LOVED your solo TR, and you must be a good luck charm, because I found out right around the time I finished it that I will be going this year!
My best friend is paying my way to the World, and I'm so excited. I'll be starting my PTR soon, and can't wait to see more of yours!

 

[wellesleyprincess]

Hopping on as I'm planning a fall solo trip and also to page you over to check out my question on the dining plan forum because I feel like you'd have good input (and likely convince me to "Treat Yo Self")

 

[Elevationist]

I LOVED your solo TR, and you must be a good luck charm, because I found out right around the time I finished it that I will be going this year!
My best friend is paying my way to the World, and I'm so excited. I'll be starting my PTR soon, and can't wait to see more of yours!

Hey, congratulations!!! That's so exciting! Let me know when you start your PTR, let me know!

Hopping on as I'm planning a fall solo trip and also to page you over to check out my question on the dining plan forum because I feel like you'd have good input (and likely convince me to "Treat Yo Self")

Yaaaay, welcome! And I'll head over to the dining forum and see if I can find your thread!

 

[Elevationist]

83 days until Park Hours!
113 days until ADRs!
233 days until FP+!
293 days until WDW!
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Hope everybody had a nice Valentine's Day!!!

As for me...