disneygoof66
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2012
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This is my first PTR, so please bear with me... I'll try to remember all the important items!
Our core family is a small group of three, plus two dogs. DD is 12, plus DH and myself - wife We are DVC members - home resort is SSR. We also alternate our visits to WDW with stays at either Fort Wilderness campsites or Hilton Vacation Club Resorts nearby. We are Annual Passholders and use TIW when possible. Our first family visit to Disney World was in 2004 with the inlaws who have been annual visitors for years. We were hooked, joined DVC in 2007 and have made 2-3 trips per year since.
Our travel dates are December 21-January 5 and this time we are staying at Fort Wilderness. This will be our 4th holiday stay at WDW, 3rd at the Fort. I initially tried to book our stay using vacation points but was unable to do so. In fact, we were not even able to get a single site for our entire stay. Fort Wilderness is a busy place during the Holidays. We have two sites booked - a premium and a full hookup, but at least we only have to move once.
We started contemplating this trip as we were packing for WDW Marathon Weekend 2012. We were watching a Travel Channel Disney Holiday special and got hooked. Booked our space on December 30 and then headed down for the Marathon on January 4th. Always fun Going to Disney knowing you have another trip already booked. THis is one our largest gaps between trips - we typically try to get there every 6 months or so, but had a big east coast trip planned this summer.
So, we ran the Family 5K together and as we approached the finish line, the in-laws surprised our DD and were there to chear her on. They both celebrate their 70th birthdays in 2012 as well as their 50th anniversary, so while we were at lunch later that day, they decided to join us at Christmas. MIL's Birthday is December 31! 3 becomes 5.
Someone have a cell phone?
FIL calls siblings and says "Mom would really love it if everyone could celebrate her birthday at Disney this year" 5 becomes 14
Throw in an aunt, uncle, my parents (also 70 this year) and SIL's parents (also 70) and now we're at 20!
So, I'm doing the logistics. 2 cabins, 3 Deluxe rooms at Wilderness Lodge (1 accessible) and an accessible studio at Villas at Wilderness Lodge. Whew! We get some time to ourselves in December. The inlaws balked at holiday pricing and didn't want to downgrade lodging, so here's the schedule:
Core 3 arrives 12/21- departs 1/5 - gotta get DD back to school
Rest of the gang arrives 1/1-departs 1/9
6 seniors (2 handicapped)
8 adults (two are Disney virgins - OHHHHHH!)
3 teens
3 little kids - one will be 8 months
We are driving down from the Kansas City area. About a 19 hour drive straight, so we'll make it a two day drive and stay somewhere in GA. The rest of the family is driving from North Carolina and Indiana.
Dec 23 We'll spend at AK and then have ADR for Jiko - our first visit to this restaurant
Christmas Day we have lunch ADR's at Cindy's Palace. DD has outgrown the princesses, but this has become a tradition for us since our first holiday visit when she was 6, so she's OK with it. However, if we can get into "Be Our Guest" during our stay - this will get bumped.
December 26 we have dinner ADRs at Teppan Edo - another First visit for us.
Dec 30 we plan to spend at MK and see the pre-show of the NYE foreworks.
NYE we will spend will thousands of our closest friends at Epcot. We have 6:00 ADRs for Rose and Crown. Please send us good vibes for a view of the first showing of Illuminations. I also understand we should be present for the UK new Year celebration. After dinner we'll find a spot and stick it out til midnight.
January 1 is our day to potentially change campsites and is the day everyone else arrives. Given the late hours we'll be keeping the previous two days - this is probably a good time for a resort day. Once everyone arrives, maybe we'll head to MK or DHS for a short visit.
We are celebrating the multitude of Birthdays and the golden anniversary at Fort Wilderness on January 2 at the 4:00 Hoop de Do performance. In-Laws favorite show and the cast will make a fuss about the size of our party I'm sure....
January 4 we are all headed to Crystal Palace for 8:15 Breakfast at the request of the little ones.
Thats it for now - more will be added as I finalize plans.
This is my first PTR, so please bear with me... I'll try to remember all the important items!
Our core family is a small group of three, plus two dogs. DD is 12, plus DH and myself - wife We are DVC members - home resort is SSR. We also alternate our visits to WDW with stays at either Fort Wilderness campsites or Hilton Vacation Club Resorts nearby. We are Annual Passholders and use TIW when possible. Our first family visit to Disney World was in 2004 with the inlaws who have been annual visitors for years. We were hooked, joined DVC in 2007 and have made 2-3 trips per year since.
Our travel dates are December 21-January 5 and this time we are staying at Fort Wilderness. This will be our 4th holiday stay at WDW, 3rd at the Fort. I initially tried to book our stay using vacation points but was unable to do so. In fact, we were not even able to get a single site for our entire stay. Fort Wilderness is a busy place during the Holidays. We have two sites booked - a premium and a full hookup, but at least we only have to move once.
We started contemplating this trip as we were packing for WDW Marathon Weekend 2012. We were watching a Travel Channel Disney Holiday special and got hooked. Booked our space on December 30 and then headed down for the Marathon on January 4th. Always fun Going to Disney knowing you have another trip already booked. THis is one our largest gaps between trips - we typically try to get there every 6 months or so, but had a big east coast trip planned this summer.
So, we ran the Family 5K together and as we approached the finish line, the in-laws surprised our DD and were there to chear her on. They both celebrate their 70th birthdays in 2012 as well as their 50th anniversary, so while we were at lunch later that day, they decided to join us at Christmas. MIL's Birthday is December 31! 3 becomes 5.
Someone have a cell phone?
FIL calls siblings and says "Mom would really love it if everyone could celebrate her birthday at Disney this year" 5 becomes 14
Throw in an aunt, uncle, my parents (also 70 this year) and SIL's parents (also 70) and now we're at 20!
So, I'm doing the logistics. 2 cabins, 3 Deluxe rooms at Wilderness Lodge (1 accessible) and an accessible studio at Villas at Wilderness Lodge. Whew! We get some time to ourselves in December. The inlaws balked at holiday pricing and didn't want to downgrade lodging, so here's the schedule:
Core 3 arrives 12/21- departs 1/5 - gotta get DD back to school
Rest of the gang arrives 1/1-departs 1/9
6 seniors (2 handicapped)
8 adults (two are Disney virgins - OHHHHHH!)
3 teens
3 little kids - one will be 8 months
We are driving down from the Kansas City area. About a 19 hour drive straight, so we'll make it a two day drive and stay somewhere in GA. The rest of the family is driving from North Carolina and Indiana.
Dec 23 We'll spend at AK and then have ADR for Jiko - our first visit to this restaurant
Christmas Day we have lunch ADR's at Cindy's Palace. DD has outgrown the princesses, but this has become a tradition for us since our first holiday visit when she was 6, so she's OK with it. However, if we can get into "Be Our Guest" during our stay - this will get bumped.
December 26 we have dinner ADRs at Teppan Edo - another First visit for us.
Dec 30 we plan to spend at MK and see the pre-show of the NYE foreworks.
NYE we will spend will thousands of our closest friends at Epcot. We have 6:00 ADRs for Rose and Crown. Please send us good vibes for a view of the first showing of Illuminations. I also understand we should be present for the UK new Year celebration. After dinner we'll find a spot and stick it out til midnight.
January 1 is our day to potentially change campsites and is the day everyone else arrives. Given the late hours we'll be keeping the previous two days - this is probably a good time for a resort day. Once everyone arrives, maybe we'll head to MK or DHS for a short visit.
We are celebrating the multitude of Birthdays and the golden anniversary at Fort Wilderness on January 2 at the 4:00 Hoop de Do performance. In-Laws favorite show and the cast will make a fuss about the size of our party I'm sure....
January 4 we are all headed to Crystal Palace for 8:15 Breakfast at the request of the little ones.
Thats it for now - more will be added as I finalize plans.
