OUR VERY NAUTICAL NEW YEAR - Updated 1/16/07
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**Eeyoresmom** · 01-07-2007, 10:04 PM

OUR VERY NAUTICAL NEW YEAR

Pre-trip Plans:

- Our Party: Me (Tanya) age 30-something – 4th trip as an adult, last in Sept at the WL and DH (Scott) age 30-something – 3rd trip ever, last in August at the Poly
- Our Journey: December 29 – January 2, flying out of Philadelphia
- Our Lodging: Port Orleans French Quarter
- Our Special Plans: Ringing in the year with the Mouse and his friends and getting some needed R&R

Our trip came into being on our last trip to Disney in September of 2006. During that trip, we were originally planning to stay a few days at Disney and spend a few more in Naples, Florida. However, while we were in Disney, there was a potential hurricane watch/warning for the Naples area, so, after much debate, Scott and I decided to take the “safe” route and stay at Disney for the remainder of our vacation and not go to Naples at all (I know, Disney or Naples, boy, what a rough life).

At any rate, while we were spending our extra few days at Disney, Scott and I, for whatever reason, started talking about the topic of annual passes. Actually, we were on our way to Downtown Disney to do some souvenir shopping. Scott started asking what benefits you get as annual pass holders, what they cost and some other questions. Typical Disney story, one thing leads to another, and we find ourselves in front of Guest Services. We quickly discuss the costs a little more, how many more times we might come back to Disney (I was planning on bringing my mom down in a month anyway), and we decide to go for it! After buying the passes, Scot asked several times “This is all that you get for an Annual Pass? It is a piece of cardboard! They can’t even laminate something for us”?

A little later in our trip, we had a last minute ADR at Narcoossee’s (when we stayed at the GF previously, we did not get a chance to eat there). Scott and I are waiting to be seated and I can see the wheels turning in his head. Finally, he asks, “Do you think that this would be a cool place to come for New Years”? I’m thinking, ‘here’ WDW or ‘here’ Narcoossee’s, specifically? (Amazingly enough, I already know that Narcoossee’s has a big New Years Eve party planned – isn’t that convenient [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]) What to do on New Years Eve is an important decision for us because, we have been bothered (some might even say plagued) by poor New Years Eve choices. We have tried a lot of different things from parties to eating out and going to Atlantic City and we have yet to really find the celebration that is us (most times we are struggling to stay up until midnight anyway). Anyhow, my husband is asking me to come back to Disney you don’t have to ask me twice. I immediately say, yes, but question whether they would have any more room left (ok, not really – but he doesn’t have to know I already know this information). I ask the host at Narcoossee’s what he knew about the New Years plans and whether they had any availability (already knowing that it was booked and what was offered [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]). They directed me to Disney Dining and started trying on my cell while we are waiting to be seated. I am quickly informed that Narcoossee’s party is booked [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] for New Years Eve, BUT, the party at the Contemporary still has room available. Now, I didn’t know anything about a party at the California Grille. Okay, I am thinking this is a good thing. I ask what comes with the party, and the woman tells me dinner, open bar and the standard party accompaniments, blah, blah, blah. I tell her that that sounds good, and we start the booking process. However, there was one small detail that I forgot to discuss: price. So, I ask, as she is getting ready to take my credit card information (assuming it’s similar in price to Narcoossee’s - maybe just a little more), how much it is. “$400.” “Per couple, I ask”? “Ah, no, per person!” Scott and I understand that, from time to time, we are prone to certain financial overspending without thinking about long-term consequences, but, this was too pricey for us (though, in fairness, it did sound very nice).

Stay tuned . . . more to come!

Grammy Grumpy · 01-07-2007, 10:11 PM

Whoa!! $400 per person is WAY too rich for my blood. DH and I did the Party of the Senses and that was $125 per person and that pushed my limits.

Can't wait to hear what you ended up doing!

**WDWfan** · 01-07-2007, 10:15 PM

New Years at WDW sounds perfect to me! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif[/img] I can't wait to hear about your trip.

**Colexis Mom** · 01-08-2007, 08:46 AM

Great start Tanya [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zwavin.gif[/img] So did ya book at $400 [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/ouch.gif[/img] More please [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

**disneydani** · 01-08-2007, 10:31 AM

Wow...that is one steep price for dinner! Looking forward to hearing how it all worked out! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

wdwlovers · 01-08-2007, 11:54 AM

Great start. Can't wait to find out what you actually did for New Year's.

**DrDolphin** · 01-08-2007, 12:24 PM

$400.00 per person???? OUCH!

**Caldercup** · 01-08-2007, 01:06 PM

Wowzers... $400 pp -- Must be a serious open bar!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

Looking forward to more of the story, Tanya!
Eileen

**Eeyoresmom** · 01-08-2007, 09:59 PM

Thinking that we might come back to Disney soon, we decided while we were staying there to explore some other resorts. One of the resorts that we stopped by was POFQ. We both thought that it was very nice. Scott especially enjoyed the arcade! Of course, I was telling him all the information I had learned about the resort from my Passporter Pals – and, although he wasn’t fond of the lack of interior hallways, Scott said he would be willing to stay there some time.

So, to summarize, as of September, 2006, we want to come to Disney for New Years, but that is as far as things get. We don’t know where we will stay or what we will do. Time begins to pass, and we keep having the “we have to make a decision or else we are not going to be able to go at all” talks. I am getting a little nervous because Scott seems to be hedging a little bit. One of the concerns that he had was the crowds. He is not a big crowd person to begin with, and I think that he got a little spoiled on our last two trips (September 2005 and August 2006) because we basically walked on to the rides with no lines. However, he has heard horror stories of the 2 hour waits for rides and I think that that is weighing on him a little. Finally, after a couple weeks, it comes to a head, and we decide to make plans. First decision, where to stay? We initially looked at the Deluxe resorts because we had stayed at a Deluxe the last two visits, and Scott likes the amenities. Price again rears its ugly head, and we decide that, because we are only going for a few days, we can’t justify the cost of a Deluxe this time. Based upon many of the great things that I have read on the Passporter Boards, I suggest the POFQ. I had read that it is very romantic (never a bad thing) and that, as moderates go, it is a very nice place to stay. It didn’t hurt that we had already looked at it as well (isn’t that convenient? [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]) (Oh, honey – like you didn’t see my little wheels turning too!). After limited discussion, Scott and I agree that we are going back to Disney, and we are going to stay at POFQ. Disney here we come!!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Good news: we are going to Disney; bad news: have no idea, other than to celebrate New Years, what we are going to do once we get there. I decided to give in a little to Scott’s “make it up as you go along” trip planning. Accordingly, we agreed that we would book just a few things (only going to be there 4 days, after all) and the rest, we would play it by “mouse” ear, so to speak. Biggest issue, where will we eat? We had eaten at Citricos when we stayed at the GF in 2005, and we both really liked it (it didn’t hurt that, when we ate there in 2005, we got a window seat during the fireworks for Mickey’s not-so-scary Halloween party). I figured that I would still try to get into the party at Narcoossee’s, but, at the least, we had a really nice place to eat at Citricos. Plus, we’d be able to watch the fireworks from the marina at GF and not have to go into the park. Next decision, what do we do on New Years Day? Scott and I both have a tradition from each of our families that the meal on New Years day is pork and sauerkraut (and kielbasa). Well, we have to uphold our tradition, so there is only one place for us to go: the San Angel Inn in Mexico—just kidding, Germany. I make our ADR for there and things are beginning to take shape a little.

One last detail: where will we actually ring in the New Year? Our first instinct was to just watch the fireworks from the dock at the GF (I knew that this was a great place to see them from our prior stay at the GF). Because we are probably not going to go to a “party” for New Years, I start talking to Scott about a Wishes cruise in the lagoon at midnight. I had read about them, and they sounded really nice. Scott seems interested and I get enough feedback from him that we decide to go for it. It seems to fit in nice because we will already be at the GF for dinner anyway. Again, it is a little more pricey than I was expecting (it is New Years after all), but we decide to go “fishing” on the Passporter boards to see if another couple might be interested in sharing our cruise. As luck would have it, DisneyBri and his wife indicate that they are interested and it works out really well.

The final details of our trip then fall into place. In mid-December book one more ADR, for the Pooh and Friends breakfast at the Crystal Palace, which has become a tradition for Scott and me. Also, as soon as I booked the rooms, I started looking for discount air fare, but with the holidays did not find a lot. I did end up getting a reasonable price from Southwest (Scott is pretty much refusing to fly USAIR – or USError, as he renamed them- because they keep losing our bags). Even though it is the holidays, we decide to experiment with flight times. The last two trips, Scott and I have flown out in the morning. Each time, Scott has said that he has been really tired when he got there on the first day and just wanted to rest for a while. This time, we tried an experiment of writing off the first night (something that I had read about on the boards before as well). The plan is we fly in later in the evening on Friday, the 29th, get unpacked and go straight to bed and not even try to see anything. This was a good time to try this option for a couple reasons. Scott and I split time between his family and mine at Christmas (Christmas Eve and morning at one house, rest of the day and time thereafter after the other family’s house). This year, we spent the first part of the holiday with Scott’s family in Pittsburgh, and the second part with my family in Central PA. However, Scott had to get back to the office in Philadelphia to finish up some work (end of the year billable hours), so he left on the 27th. I was going to come back in the morning on the 29th, and we would fly out that evening. It was cutting it a little tight because I would not have a lot of time to pack, but we would fly out from Philadelphia at 8:30 p.m. and land in Orlando around 10:30. With a little bit of luck (and pixie dust), we can make it and have a great New Years vacation.

As the time gets closer, I can tell that Scott really needs a vacation. Typically, at his office, December is a slow time of year (as it is for most business, except for those related to the holidays). However, he had a really busy December this year. I felt really bad for him because, all year round, he would say “is it Christmas yet”? Finally, Christmas comes, and I can tell that he really has no time to enjoy. We hastily buy our gifts, and wrap everything and get ready for the holidays. He is working every weekend, and, as you can appreciate, not really enjoying much. At one point, he asks me “Do you ever think at night, I wonder what they are doing at Disney right now”? I can tell that he needs to get away. Christmas flies by, and the trip is getting close now. I am at my mom’s on the 27th and see him off as he goes back to Philadelphia. I am excited, but very nervous because there is so much to do when I get back. Basically, I will have to unpack from the holidays and pack for our trip in a matter of hours. Luckily, Scott is only supposed to work a half day on Friday, so I will have him to help me. Will we get it all done? Keep reading to find out!!!

[b]Up next: Day 1 - Nobody is leaving for Disney until that snow globe is fixed!!!!

**disneydani** · 01-08-2007, 10:14 PM

Sounds like the vacation planning is taking shape. Sorry it was so crazed leading up but hopefully New Years at WDW will be just what the doctor ordered!

bsblady01 · 01-08-2007, 10:28 PM

sounds like you had some great plans . more please.

**WDWfan** · 01-08-2007, 10:36 PM

I stayed at POFQ in October and loved it. Hope you enjoy it as well. Dinner at Citrico's for NYE sounds great and watching Wishes from GF would be a great way to bring in the New Year. Can't wait to hear all about your trip!

mattnkatsmum · 01-09-2007, 02:06 AM

What amazing plans! I can't wait to hear how they all take shape.

**Colexis Mom** · 01-09-2007, 09:15 AM

More great plans! Can't wait for more [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

lindawdw · 01-09-2007, 04:55 PM

Can't wait to hear how your stay at PORFQ was and how your New Year's Eve dinner at Citricos went. It sounded like the perfect evening. We had our 20th Anniversary dinner at Citricos and it was very special.