December 2013-My Plan So Far

[bsiev1977]

With the release of December park hours, I've finally been able to plan my days. Here's what I have as if this point.

December 5
Fly out of BWI at 7:10am, arrive at MCO at 9:30am(or so the flight schedule says...)
Get my rental car and head straight for SeaWorld.
No idea what park hours are like in December for SeaWorld. So the rest of the night depends on that. I'm staying at Universal on the 5th and the 6th, and want to see Blue Man Group on of those nights. If I have enough time after SeaWorld, I'll see it tonight. Otherwise, I'll just check in at my Uni hotel and hang around CityWalk for a while.

December 6
Up early for early access to Harry Potter land. All day at Universal parks. See Blue Man Group tonight if I didn't see it last night. Want to try the new mini golf place if I have time.

December 7
Up way early to drive over and check in at AoA. Not hoping for room to be ready, just want to get my park tickets and Dining Plan access in time for park opening. Hoping to get in time for a before park opening breakfast rez.
EPCOT from open till ?
Head over to HS in time to see Fantasmic at 6:30. Most likely do the Fantasmic Dining thing.(only doing this tonight because on my full HS day, the Fantasmic timing conflicts with being there to see the Osbourne lights when they get switched on.
Right after Fantasmic, head over to DTD for La Nouba, and some shopping if time permits.

December 8
Hollywood Studios, all day.
Will check out the Osbourne lights tonight.

December 9
Magic Kingdom, all day.
Nothing out of the ordinary. Park hours are 9 to 9, with EMH till 11pm.

December 10
Magic Kingdom, all day again.
Doing the Keys to the Kingdom tour at 9:30am
MVMCP tonight.

December 11
EPCOT, all day(?)
Undiscovered Future World Tour at 9am

December 12
Animal Kingdom
Backstage Safari tour.
Since park closes at 5pm, have options for the rest of the night. MK is out, it's another Christmas Party night. I'm thinking of going back to HS, and seeing the Lights again.

December 13
Last day in parks. Not sure where I'll start the day, probably get in a little more MK. Definitely ending at EPCOT since it is the latest open park that day, with 9:30 to 11:30 EMH.

December 14
My flight home leaves at 12:20pm. If I haven't gotten it done yet, I'll get up in morning to do my last shopping at DTD. Otherwise, to the airport.

Now, only a few more days until I can make my ADRs on June 10. Hopefully, I can match them to the parks I want it be in on each day.

Aside from that, I still have to book the Uni hotel and get a rental car for the week.

Waiting to see if FP+ is running by December. If I can pre select ride times for the busier ones like Toy Story and Soarin', I can be a little more liberal about my times and such each day.

Thoughts, comments and suggestions are most welcome.

 

[GoofGoof]

Sounds like a pretty solid plan. We are going in November this year so we are planning some similar things.

Some day I plan on doing the keys to the kingdom tour. That should be pretty cool. This will be our first time doing MVMCP so I'm really looking forward to seeing that and also Osbourne Lights. I love what the parks and hotels look like at Christmas. The Wilderness Lodge has an amazing tree and Grand Floridian is pretty done up too. I am also interested to see if FP+ is up and running yet. Not sure if I want it to be or not. I was kinda hoping to get to have my cake and eat it too. Hoping for some FP+ testing reservations as well as still being able to use regular FP. I know some of that is going on now, not sure if it still will by Nov/Dec.

One thing I found out when we booked our ADRs is that while we are there the latest dinner reservations they offer for the Fantasmic Dining package is 4PM since Fantasmic is showing at 6:30. We ended up booking Mama Melrose at noon for lunch with the Fantasmic Dining Package and then we plan on just doing CS for dinner (the kids are pushing for Pizza Planet). I called for the reservation too because I thought it was just a website glitch, but the reservation lady explained that they don't make reservations too close to the start of the show. Not sure if this is just because November is a slow time and Fantasmic is at 6:30 or if they always do this.

 

[bsiev1977]

Sounds like a pretty solid plan. We are going in November this year so we are planning some similar things.

Some day I plan on doing the keys to the kingdom tour. That should be pretty cool. This will be our first time doing MVMCP so I'm really looking forward to seeing that and also Osbourne Lights. I love what the parks and hotels look like at Christmas. The Wilderness Lodge has an amazing tree and Grand Floridian is pretty done up too. I am also interested to see if FP+ is up and running yet. Not sure if I want it to be or not. I was kinda hoping to get to have my cake and eat it too. Hoping for some FP+ testing reservations as well as still being able to use regular FP. I know some of that is going on now, not sure if it still will by Nov/Dec.

One thing I found out when we booked our ADRs is that while we are there the latest dinner reservations they offer for the Fantasmic Dining package is 4PM since Fantasmic is showing at 6:30. We ended up booking Mama Melrose at noon for lunch with the Fantasmic Dining Package and then we plan on just doing CS for dinner (the kids are pushing for Pizza Planet). I called for the reservation too because I thought it was just a website glitch, but the reservation lady explained that they don't make reservations too close to the start of the show. Not sure if this is just because November is a slow time and Fantasmic is at 6:30 or if they always do this.

If that's the case about the Fantasmic Dining, a 4pm meal wouldn't be bad for me. I'll probably do something along those lines.

 

[GoofGoof]

If that's the case about the Fantasmic Dining, a 4pm meal wouldn't be bad for me. I'll probably do something along those lines.

I would have been OK with an early dinner, but we are traveling with young kids and we are planning on going back to the room for afternoon naps so I wasn't sure if we would get back by 4PM. They had Mama Melrose at 3:45 and Hollywood and Vine at 4PM.

 

[bsiev1977]

I would have been OK with an early dinner, but we are traveling with young kids and we are planning on going back to the room for afternoon naps so I wasn't sure if we would get back by 4PM. They had Mama Melrose at 3:45 and Hollywood and Vine at 4PM.

That would work for me. I'm by myself on this trip, so I'm pretty wide open as far as for what time I eat.
The only thing I really want for sure are early breakfast rezzes, in order to get in the parks early.

 

[GoofGoof]

That would work for me. I'm by myself on this trip, so I'm pretty wide open as far as for what time I eat.
The only thing I really want for sure are early breakfast rezzes, in order to get in the parks early.

Yep. One good thing about little kids is they get up early so I'll be there for rope drop most days. We got Crystal Palace at 8:05am one morning so we'll be well fed and ready to roll at 9am. Just not doing Tea Cups first thing after hitting the breakfast buffet.

 

[bsiev1977]

Yep. One good thing about little kids is they get up early so I'll be there for rope drop most days. We got Crystal Palace at 8:05am one morning so we'll be well fed and ready to roll at 9am. Just not doing Tea Cups first thing after hitting the breakfast buffet.

I'm hoping to get Crystal Palace for MK, Akerhaus for EPCOT, and Tusker House for AK.
No teacups for me either. Spinning around like that is the one kind of rise I can't do. Looping coasters are fine. Nt that I'd do that right after eating.

 

[aRiv]

Sounds great! I'll have to start planning my days out soon, I go on the 29th of Dec. Do you have any idea of where you're going to try to get ADRs at?

 

[bsiev1977]

Sounds great! I'll have to start planning my days out soon, I go on the 29th of Dec. Do you have any idea of where you're going to try to get ADRs at?

I've got more than most people probably would, since I'm on the dining plan.
My top ones that I want the most are:
Be Our Guest
Tutto Italia
Garden Grill
Chef Mickey

 

[GoofGoof]

I've got more than most people probably would, since I'm on the dining plan.
My top ones that I want the most are:
Be Our Guest
Tutto Italia
Garden Grill
Chef Mickey

Good choices. We booked Chef Mickeys and Be Our Guest too. I wanted to do Be Our Guest on our first night (Sat 11/16), but it was booked solid even at 6am on the first day I could book. We still got in but on Friday at 4:30pm. I was happy we got it and just swapped Be Our Guest and Chef Mickey since we'll be at MK both days. We have a party of 8 so it may also have made it more difficult to fit us in. Seems crazy to have to book at exactly 180 days for a less crowded time, but they fill up fast.

 

[aRiv]

I've got more than most people probably would, since I'm on the dining plan.
My top ones that I want the most are:
Be Our Guest
Tutto Italia
Garden Grill
Chef Mickey

Our list looks the same, just replace Garden with 'Ohana. And I also want to try Sci Fi.

 

[bsiev1977]

Our list looks the same, just replace Garden with 'Ohana. And I also want to try Sci Fi.

I'll probably want Sci Fi the day i'm at HS, but it's not one of my top choices.
Sci Fi made it on my list once i found out it's the only place in the parks to get fried pickles.

 

[GoofGoof]

Our list looks the same, just replace Garden with 'Ohana. And I also want to try Sci Fi.

Good choices too. We are doing SciFi for lunch on our last day there since we got a late flight home. Never eaten there, but our friends we are traveling with had it on their must do list.

If I couldn't get in at Be Our Guest we were going to swap in 'Ohana and try to get into the Beasts Castle for lunch. Part of me was hoping for that since I've never eaten at Ohana and have heard so many good things about it. There's always next trip

 

[bsiev1977]

Good choices. We booked Chef Mickeys and Be Our Guest too. I wanted to do Be Our Guest on our first night (Sat 11/16), but it was booked solid even at 6am on the first day I could book. We still got in but on Friday at 4:30pm. I was happy we got it and just swapped Be Our Guest and Chef Mickey since we'll be at MK both days. We have a party of 8 so it may also have made it more difficult to fit us in. Seems crazy to have to book at exactly 180 days for a less crowded time, but they fill up fast.

I'm thinking i might leave BOG for the 13th, since that's near the end of my trip, and also near the end of my +10 allowance.
You know what I mean? Like in your case, 11/16 is your first night, but it's also in the middle of or at the end of many others' trips. Which means lots of spaces have already been taken up by the time your window opens.
Anyway, you should feel quite fortunate at getting a seating for eight at all! Congrats!

 

[GoofGoof]

I'm thinking i might leave BOG for the 13th, since that's near the end of my trip, and also near the end of my +10 allowance.
You know what I mean? Like in your case, 11/16 is your first night, but it's also in the middle of or at the end of many others' trips. Which means lots of spaces have already been taken up by the time your window opens.
Anyway, you should feel quite fortunate at getting a seating for eight at all! Congrats!

I think you are definitely right. The later into your 10 day window the better shot you have. I was fully prepared to split up 4 and 4 but the 8 came up so I snagged it.

 

[aRiv]

I'll probably want Sci Fi the day i'm at HS, but it's not one of my top choices.
Sci Fi made it on my list once i found out it's the only place in the parks to get fried pickles.

I LOVE FRIED PICKLES now I'm even more excited. Make sure you update us on what ADRs you're able to get! I'm nervous that I won't be able to get the ones we want.

Good choices too. We are doing SciFi for lunch on our last day there since we got a late flight home. Never eaten there, but our friends we are traveling with had it on their must do list.

If I couldn't get in at Be Our Guest we were going to swap in 'Ohana and try to get into the Beasts Castle for lunch. Part of me was hoping for that since I've never eaten at Ohana and have heard so many good things about it. There's always next trip

I've never done Sci Fi either. Last time we did 50's Prime Time, which was really fun. My mom suggested it again but I said we should try something different. 'Ohana is my family's favorite! I hope you enjoy it, the bread pudding is soooo so good. You can also check out Poly's beach after dinner. It's nice to just relax there, and there's a great view of the fireworks from there, too.