Making Magical Christmas Memories with Mickey pre-trip report - UPDATED 12/17 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Making Magical Christmas Memories with Mickey pre-trip report - UPDATED 12/17
Cast of Characters:
Myself-Danae, dreamer of everything Disney. 3rd visit to Disney World. Knows and dances to the Hotdog dance numerous times a day.
DH-Micah. 6th visit to Disney. LOVES Disney. Watches the Disney planning dvd at least once a week.
DD-Gracie, will be 17mos when we visit. 1st timer to Disney World. A Mickey Mouse Clubhouse junkie!
MIL-Sandy, has been to Disney numerous times. Is a DTD shopaholic
FIL-Tom. Can’t wait to bring his granddaughter to her first Disney World visit. Also, knows the hotdog dance…for his granddaugher, of course. J
Dates: December 21-27th
Accommodations: Port Orleans Riverside Resort. Magnolia Bend
Mode of transportation: Diving. Undecided yet if taking one veh with all of us or two.
I first want to start out saying that I was never one to consider going to Disney World on Christmas. I have always been home for Christmas and spent it surrounded by tons of family. I have decided to make an exception this year.
My IL’s have given this trip to us as a Christmas present…as long as we go with them on Christmas. I at first said “no”. I was not going to take my daughter away from her home and family on Christmas. But, I started to really think about the option. I realized that DD would be 17mos old, too young to remember being away from home and family at Christmas. And….it’s Disney, at Christmas, free trip. How could I not say yes.
Of course, breaking the news to my mom and dad was devastating. My mom still doesn’t want to talk about us not being home for Christmas. And to be honest, I do think that on Christmas day I may shed a few homesick tears. This will be my first Christmas away from my family in the 28yrs of my living.
That last time DH and I have visited has been almost 3yrs ago in Jan of 2007. We loaded up our pop-up camper and camped at Fort Wilderness. LLOOOVVEd it! Would like to take DD camping there sometime. So, this is our first time at Disney with a child. I cannot wait. I tear up just thinking of her seeing the castle for the first time. I know she is just going to go bananas over Mickey. She Loves him.
IL's just visited last January. They stayed at the Poly and as MIL says "treated as royalty". I would someday also like to stay there.
Ok, now onto the planning adventures.
We first decided to stay at The Wilderness Lodge. How amazing and at “home” we would feel(my mom and dad live in a log house, so to me that would feel like home). But, after punching numbers and knowing that my IL’s would be forking the bill for this, I did not want to take too much advantage of it. We decided on our most favorite resort; Port Orleans. MIL decided she would like us to stay in the mansion part of Resort. DH and I stayed at Riverside a few years back and I also stayed in Magnolia Bend with my parents on a previous trip. So, either were fine with me. So, there we had it..rooms at PO were booked.
As for Dining reservations we have the following planned:
Crystal Palace Dec 22 Breakfast
Chef Mickey’s Dec 24 Breakfast
Whispering Canyon Café Dec 25 Dinner
‘OHana Dec 26 Breakfast.
We have kept our options open. We are not doing the Dining Plan, just eating wherever. DH is not a big restaurant eater, so we will do mostly CS. Although, we will be eating at ESPN club one night b/c it’s our favorite restaurant. We are also trying to get into Chef Mickey’s for supper instead of breakfast, but have had no luck. MIL is going to keep trying for cancellations.
So, there ya have it. Pretty much most of our plans. Our only undecided plan now is transportation. IL’s have decided they want to take their truck down(MIL is planning on bringing wayyy too much stuff and also taking wayyy too much stuff back). So, DH and I are trying to figure out if we want to ride with them. I can say that 16hr of being in the back of an extended cab truck, with a car seat in the middle, does not sound like the greatest idea. We could take my Escape, but not sure how it’s going to do driving from Indiana to Florida on 144,000+ miles. And there is no way we are taking DH’s truck down(DD hates riding in it and will probably have fit’s the whole way down). We could rent, but we really don’t want to pay $600 to when we have veh’s at home. So, pretty much our option is going to be taking my Escape down or renting(ugh). We will just have to take my Escape to the local delearship and have them do an inspection. Crossing fingers that nothing is wrong with it.
We are sooo very excited. Like I said before, I have never been to Disney World during Christmas time and from what I hear, it's beyond explanation how beautiful it it. Today marks a month from when we leave!
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February '96 Dixie Landing, April '05 Port Orleans Riverside, January '07 Camping at Fort Wilderness, December '09 Port Orleans Riverside.
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Great start and what a wonderful gift from your IL's. Great choice in resorts, we love POR. Christmas time is such a wonderful time to go I am sure this will be an amazing trip.
I feel your excitement and can imagine feeling sad being away from your parents on Christmas! You have great plans so far. We'll be at Disney 3 weeks from today as Christmas newbies as well!!! We'll have to share our magic memories.
Great start! Maybe we'll see you down there, as we're there from 20 - 25 December. Disney at Christmas is wonderful - we've spent four Christmas Days there so far and this year will be our fifth. That's how much we love Christmas at Disney!
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
December 1! I can officially say we are going to Disney World THIS month! Well, DH and DF checked my car and replaced what needed replacing( battery, put antifreeze in) and so we will be taking my car down. So that is settled. I got some amazing deals at Walmart on Black Friday. I got Gracie three $3 pairs of pjs(Ariel, Princesses and Minnie) and a $3 Minnie hoodie as well! I also picked up a $2.50 tree from Target(thanks to Eileen for that tip in a different board). I also snagged some ornaments and lights for it as well. I have a feeling the time now is going to fly. I work a few days before we leave(I am a stay at home mom, but work part time still at my previous full time job). And of course we have several Christmas parties to attend. So we have a busy few weeks ahead of use before we leave. I know Chezp is going be at Disney when we are there, is anyone else?
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February '96 Dixie Landing, April '05 Port Orleans Riverside, January '07 Camping at Fort Wilderness, December '09 Port Orleans Riverside.
I spent every other Christmas at Disney growing up - my dad was a hardcore Disney maniac. I have to say that those trips were some of the most memorable family moments of my life!!! You guys are going to have a GREAT time!
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We'll have to share our magic memories.
Deb
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Maybe we'll see you down there, as we're there from 20 - 25 December. Disney at Christmas is wonderful - we've spent four Christmas Days there so far and this year will be our fifth. That's how much we love Christmas at Disney! 
Susan
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