*~~Official December 2016 Thread~~*

[j2thomason]

Hi I thought I would add my name to the list. We have not been since 2010 and I didn't think we were EVER going to get back. Before that we had gone in 02, 05 and 08. We had trips planned in 14 and then again this past summer of 16 but both had to be cancelled. The most recent at only 90 days out. But we decided to go and I hope we aren't crazy but we are going the week between xmas and new years which I KNOW is the worst time to go but we know that and the only thing I regret is we have always gone at off season and enjoyed being able to leisurely tour. Now we haven't been in 6 years and so much new to see and I am worried we won't be able to but I AM excited to see the xmas. We leave on Dec 24th and don't get in till really late as we are coming from CA. Then we are just touring resorts and having dinner at DTD on xmas day and then start in on the 26th. Our last day is NYE which is also my daughter's 17th birthday and we are having lunch and cake at Brown Derby. We are also doing a few days at Universal. Can't wait!!!

My daughter and I will also be at WDW from Dec. 26 -31 staying at All Star Music. We go after Christmas every year because my daughter's birthday is Christmas day, so we leave as soon as all the family festivities are finished then we start our 9 hour drive to our "happy place"!! We have APs and usually drive down 4-6 times a year when we are both out of school. I teach and she is a senior in college. We know that it will be packed to the gills in every park, but we just plan to do a few holiday specific things each day that we normally can't do throughout the rest of the year. If we have time to squeeze in a few of our favorite attractions we do, but we just don't push ourselves. We do all of our fast pass selections and anything else we get done is just considered a little extra magic during that crazy week of the year. The candlelight processional is my absolute favorite thing to do at Christmas and we always do a dining package with that at Biergarten which we both love. Since we missed MNSSHP this year, we are going to Club Villain at DHS for the first time. I am super excited about that because I have heard such great things about it. And my daughter wanted to have her birthday meal at the Garden Grill so those are our only big meals for the trip. I am also looking forward to trying out some of the new holiday snack offerings at Epcot this year!!

 

[LadyEllie]

I noticed on kennythepirate.com that EMH for MK is historically 7am during Christmas week (with park opening at 8am). Right now EMH is posted as 8am. Trying to figure out if the posted park hours for MK will change and when will that occur. So hard to finalize touring plans without knowing park hours!

 

[j2thomason]

I noticed on kennythepirate.com that EMH for MK is historically 7am during Christmas week (with park opening at 8am). Right now EMH is posted as 8am. Trying to figure out if the posted park hours for MK will change and when will that occur. So hard to finalize touring plans without knowing park hours!

They do tend to change park EMH and park hours during peak weeks/seasons. We had that happen to us once. We ahd booked Cinderella's Royal Table thinking that we would get into the park early and then they changed the park opening to an hour earlier.....so no castle picture without 10,000 people in front of it

 

[crystaldawn]

We are doing a split stay... AKL and SSR. We have never done this before. Since we have two sets of magic bands are they interchangeable for the entire trip? Or will we need to swap them out when we move?

 

[BDL]

I don't get why people would be disappointed in Santa Goofy either. The only thing that would be better from my POV, since it is MGM (I'm hanging on to that til the day I die), would be Darth Vader showed up in a Santa hat like on the t-shirt.

"I find your lack of Christmas spirit disturbing"

 

[xlsm]

We are doing a split stay... AKL and SSR. We have never done this before. Since we have two sets of magic bands are they interchangeable for the entire trip? Or will we need to swap them out when we move?

Yes, they will be interchangeable

 

[xlsm]

I don't get why people would be disappointed in Santa Goofy either. The only thing that would be better from my POV, since it is MGM (I'm hanging on to that til the day I die), would be Darth Vader showed up in a Santa hat like on the t-shirt.

"I find your lack of Christmas spirit disturbing"

I also still call it MGM! And I miss the backlot tour!

Darth Vader in a Santa hat would be amazing, LOL!!

 

[Corsetopia]

Just curious - those of you who have received your magic bands or will shortly, are they in the old packaging or the new packaging? I read that Disney won't have the bands in the sturdy cardboard boxes anymore, but not sure when that change was. It looks like once you open the new package, you can't close it back up to wrap it (we are wrapping them as Christmas gift). Not sure though.

 

[dnllmz]

Just curious - those of you who have received your magic bands or will shortly, are they in the old packaging or the new packaging? I read that Disney won't have the bands in the sturdy cardboard boxes anymore, but not sure when that change was. It looks like once you open the new package, you can't close it back up to wrap it (we are wrapping them as Christmas gift). Not sure though.

They came yesterday and in the old packaging.

 

[dnllmz]

I did see a pic of the new packaging somewhere. I will see if I can find it. Have to remember where.

 

[dnllmz]

Found this and it looks like you can just close the box back up and wrap them.
http://www.disneydining.com/changes-to-walt-disney-world-magic-band-packaging-are-coming/

Also found this pic which is totally different but again looks like you can just shut the box and wrap.

sorry I can't figure out how to share a pic from flickr.

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

Just curious - those of you who have received your magic bands or will shortly, are they in the old packaging or the new packaging? I read that Disney won't have the bands in the sturdy cardboard boxes anymore, but not sure when that change was. It looks like once you open the new package, you can't close it back up to wrap it (we are wrapping them as Christmas gift). Not sure though.

Got mine yesterday also. Same as PP, old packaging.

 

[Rickat96]

Top of the box just fits over the bottom- so you can open it and slide it back on to wrap.

 

[Corsetopia]

Yup, looks like wrapping won't be an issue! Thanks for digging up the photo! I was worried it would be a tear open thing.

 

[Mindy5767]

@wsssup looks like our first day, Dec 23rd is DHS and you will be there that day too! I'll try to find the facebook group. I'm having a real hard time getting this page to load.

 

[buteraa]

Good morning everyone,

We really really need this vacation. We lost one of our puppy kids on 11/4. He was only 8 years old and it was really unexpected. I know he is still here with us in spirit but DH and I have been incredibly down in the dumps. We really really need this disney magic.

Today is the first day I feel up to looking at Disney related things and trying to pull myself out of this funk. I wanted to share our plans and try to get excited! *Small disclaimer* - DH and I have two other trips to the world scheduled. DH and I had this trip scheduled as a gulf coast trip. We added these two and a half days in order to meet up with my sisters and their significant others who we later discovered were traveling the same time we were. So if our plans seem weak, that's why.

*our AP Magic Bands have arrived!*

12/11 Arrival day - We are on the first flight out of NH in the morning, with a landing time of 9:30 am! woot woot! We are renting a car because we will be driving to Tampa. (The gulf coast is my second favorite happy place). My sisters and their significant others will be arriving from another airport right around the same time so we are planning on meeting them at MCO!
-Checking in to OKW for one night
-Then heading to Epcot for a soarin' FP
-After Epcot for the morning/early afternoon we will be heading over to MK
-Dinner that night is at Liberty Tree Tavern with everyone

12/12
-Checking out of OKW and checking in to GFV
-We are heading over to AK
-FP's are scheduled for EE and FotLK
-We are splitting up for supper, DH and I will be heading over to Citricos and the rest of the gang will be eating at Cape May Cafe
-That night we will be Holiday decoration viewing

12/13
-Checking out of GFV
-Heading over to HS
-FP's for Star Tours and TSM
-Lunch scheduled for Morimoto Asia and some shopping around Disney Springs
-Probably heading back to Epcot
-That night we are saying goodbye to the rest of the gang, Sad face, and heading over to Tampa

28 more days!!!!

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. We lost our guy too in early September right before he turned 9. We are also headed down on 12/20-12/27 so we are also looking forward to the distraction.

Your trip sounds great and even though GFV is only 1 night, you still get to experience it. We are hoping to do the same in the future.

Have fun!

 

[karalecia26]

Just dropped our JBJB dessert party reservation. The desserts were not appealing to my son and he said he probably wouldn't eat anything and since I am allergic to alcohol and can't drink the price is just too high. Now we just need to decide what we are going to do that night. Haven't seen Fantasmic before either, so lots of decisions!

 

[xlsm]

Just dropped our JBJB dessert party reservation. The desserts were not appealing to my son and he said he probably wouldn't eat anything and since I am allergic to alcohol and can't drink the price is just too high. Now we just need to decide what we are going to do that night. Haven't seen Fantasmic before either, so lots of decisions!

If you decide on Fantasmic, and can't get a Fast Pass, if you go inside the theater when they first open it up, you have your pick of seats pretty much in the standby seating area. If you sit in the Ursula section right by the rope dividing standby from dining package seating, you have a good view. It's not as off to the side as it looks on the maps

 

[xlsm]

I mentioned this on the Fbook group page, but if anyone is on Instagram and wants to share your user name, we can use the hashtag #DisTeamDecember on our trips so we can all follow along with one another!
I am Samanthars on Instagram

 

[dnllmz]

I mentioned this on the Fbook group page, but if anyone is on Instagram and wants to share your user name, we can use the hashtag #DisTeamDecember on our trips so we can all follow along with one another!
I am Samanthars on Instagram

Now i just need to remember my Instragram information.