Disney World PF Gathering and Tips for Disney Mania!

[Astronuc]

But don't you see? That's why it is a PERFECT time to go to WDW! :)

Because schools are still in session, the Thanksgiving crowd is gone, and the holiday/Christmas crowd hasn't shown up, the first 2 weeks in December has become the best time to be at WDW. Why?

1. Not much crowd
2. Great weather
3. Holiday decorations are up, holiday events are going on.
4. Disney runs a lot of special offers and bargains for resort/ticket packages.

Maybe we should wait until your son is in college, then consider the possibility of you and and your wife taking a few days off (if that's possible) for this trip.

I agree, but I don't like putting it off so long. Now if Disney wrote school passes.

I'm such a bad influence, aren't I?

But sensible too!

 

[ZapperZ]

Disney Mini Marathon on the Travel Channel

So, if you're staying indoors today due to the weather, or simply want to chill out in front of the TV, there's a http://travel.discovery.com/tv-schedules/daily.html?date=20071209.343" today on the Travel Channel starting at 3:00 pm EST.

3:00 pm - Ultimate Walt Disney World
4:00 pm - Disneyland Resort: Behind the Scenes
5:00 pm - Undiscovered Walt Disney World
6:00 pm - Disney's Animal Kingdom
7:00 pm - Disney Cruise Line
8:00 pm - Walt Disney World Resort : Behind the Scenes

These are all reruns, of course. However, starting this coming Tuesday, 12/11, at 8:00 pm EST, is the world premier of the Disney Holiday Magic with Samantha Brown, shot just this year during this holiday season.

Zz.

 

[Moonbear]

Next year is going to be awesome.

So how about we have an unofficial PF Gathering in early December 2008 at WDW? That's slightly more than a year from now and plenty of time for you to make arrangements! :)

Zz.

I'm really thinking seriously about that already. Now that I'm teaching med students, and some cruel person decided their classes need to start the first working day (or close to it) after Jan 1, I can't ever take advantage of the discounts in early January (at least not until I'm senior enough faculty to pick and choose the dates I teach to avoid having to be there the first week, but right now, I have to cover those classes that everyone else pulls rank to avoid ). So, if I want an affordable vacation someplace nice, I have to do it at the end of December. If I plan a whole year ahead of time, and am back to cover any and all experiments when all the normal people go away over the Christmas break, I'm sure I can get someone to cover for me earlier in the month (even the class I taught this semester ended the first week of December, so the second week should be open to escape...I'm already getting antsy that I still have another week before I escape for a vacation this year, but not to anyplace warm and sunny).

And, yes, I like the idea of getting there before all the kids do! Even the local kids won't be visiting then, because they'll have exams to prepare for and parents will be busy getting ready for Christmas and already spent out, so it's perfect!

If there aren't any noisy kids, I don't even have to be picky about which rooms I choose, so can get better discounts (I otherwise would entirely avoid pool views...not that they are necessarily cheaper, but looking through some of the resorts, they are cheaper than things like garden views, which would be my choice to avoid noisy kids screaming outside in the morning...and if not really at all busy, even a parking lot view won't bother me).

And, I agree, Astronuc should wait 'til his kids are in college, then he can play with us without worrying about their schedule.

 

[ZapperZ]

OK then.

Just so you know, we are planning on staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Savannah view room for that December trip! :)

We are waiting for our Disney Vacation Club window to open for booking a Savannah View room at AKL for the first week of Dec. 2008. We can't wait. Actually, we will be staying there when we go in late Feb/early March 2008, also with Savannah view room. I can't wait to just walk out onto the veranda and see all the animals.

So, maybe as 2008 progresses, I'll advertise some more to see how many would want to meet up there. I'm willing to assist anyone who needs recommendations on accommodations, vacation packages, etc...etc. to get the best deal that they might have during that time of the year.

Zz.

 

[Moonbear]

I was considering Animal Kingdom Lodge too. Will your stay include the first weekend in December? In the event I do have to teach again in the Fall term, that's the earliest I could get away. If you see any great bargains on package deals, let me know.

(This is also motivated by the fact they changed our HR policies, and we can't roll over as much vacation time anymore, so our dept chair has basically told us to start taking our vacations! )

 

[ZapperZ]

As of now, our tentative plan is for Dec. 6 to 14. So yes, that would include the first weekend in December. We would have preferred to do this a week earlier, but Thanksgiving is late next year.

We are also planning on attending Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom on one of the evenings that the event is held. Plus, we will be going from one resort to another to catch all the holiday decorations (remember the Gingerbread house that we missed at the Grand Floridian?). Of course, we won't miss the Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights.

I'll keep an eye out on any special deals they will have. They should be announcing these in the summer.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Oh a related note, don't forget that if you get the Travel Channel, tonight is the premier of Disney Holiday Magic with Samantha Brown, at 8:00 pm EST. This was recorded just this past November and should give you a glimpse of what to expect during the holiday season at WDW. We might see the same thing (and maybe more) next year in December.

Zz.

 

[Moonbear]

As of now, our tentative plan is for Dec. 6 to 14. So yes, that would include the first weekend in December. We would have preferred to do this a week earlier, but Thanksgiving is late next year.

Perfect! Those would be the ideal dates for me to go too! Yay, now I can spend the WHOLE YEAR looking forward to going to Disney!

We are also planning on attending Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom on one of the evenings that the event is held. Plus, we will be going from one resort to another to catch all the holiday decorations (remember the Gingerbread house that we missed at the Grand Floridian?). Of course, we won't miss the Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights.

Ooh...will all that already be up by then? Excellent! I wasn't sure if it would be too early.

 

[ZapperZ]

Speaking of the gingerbread house in the lobby of the Grand Floridian, Disney has released a video on YouTube of a time-lapsed video of the building of the gingerbread house. It takes 3 days to build this. Once built, it becomes a candy/cookie shop during the holidays.



Zz.

 

[Moonbear]

Speaking of the gingerbread house in the lobby of the Grand Floridian, Disney has released a video on YouTube of a time-lapsed video of the building of the gingerbread house. It takes 3 days to build this. Once built, it becomes a candy/cookie shop during the holidays.



Zz.

HEY! They cheat! They started with a non-gingerbread frame and just stuck the gingerbread on it. You're supposed to get giant soup cans (or perhaps small children) to hold up the walls while the icing cement hardens!

 

[ZapperZ]

Just a reminder that the Disney's Christmas Parade will air on Christmas Day on ABC at 10:00 am EST.

If it is like the one last year (or previous years), it will annoy the heck out of me, because they don't how enough of the parade!

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Here's Wishing a Magical Christmas and Holiday Season to everyone.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

A http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-U-ynlPVrw". Enjoy!

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Happy New Year 2008

This pin is being released today at WDW. Happy New Year, everyone! May 2008 be your Magical Year. And maybe, we could have a PF Gathering at WDW in December, 2008. Plan on it now! :)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

So, did people got what they wanted for Christmas? We got more than we deserve, and that means a lot of Disney-related stuff, including at least a dozen new Disney Christmas ornaments.

Still, one of the best Disney-related gifts that we got was this Disney Christmas train called "Mickey and Friends Through the Years". It's a gorgeous train set with exquisite details. Not only that, it also comes with tracks. You also can't buy this at the Disney theme parks (they sell a different train set there, which I already own).

Since we got this for Christmas, we didn't have a long period of time to display this after we got back from our Christmas vacation. Still, we managed to assemble the set when we got back into town and set it up under the Disney tree just in time for us to host a couple of holiday parties. Everyone was quite impressed by the set.

So here's the picture of the train set under the Disney tree. We're planning to put everything back into storage by this weekend, so it'll be another year before we get to see this set again.

Zz.

 

[Moonbear]

Wow, that really is a gorgeous train set! I'm jealous! Mine looks so old and plain and boring compared to that. Did that gray "platform" under the track come with the set, or is that something you got separately? I could use something like that for my train set so it runs better when I set it up on uneven carpet.

 

[ZapperZ]

That gray platform is attached to the tracks, so yes, it came with it.

We are suitably impressed by it. I've seen it on sale online at one of the Disney collectibles website, but never went ahead to order them. Luckily, that was a good move since we got it for Christmas this year. Supposedly, they will release another train car this coming year as the year progresses. The last one they released is the 1950's, so we're expecting a few more train cars.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

That's it. If you have a lot of money to spend and thinking about bringing your young kids to the posh Victoria and Albert restaurant at WDW's Grand Floridian resort, you're out of luck now. Disney has http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080105/ap_on_fe_st/odd_restaurant_no_children" .

Still, I don't think this is a shocker, considering that the kids have to be dressed up and have to sit still for a long time there. They probably won't care much for the food anyhow, even if this is the only AAA Five-Diamond restaurant in FL.

BTW, that #125/person tab mentioned in the article is on the low side. What I've gathered is that a typical tab is more like around the $250/person range. If you get the Chef's Table, which requires months of reservation, you'll never get out of there with less than $400/person.

I think I'll stick to my Boma and my Crystal Palace dining with Pooh and Friends!

:)

Zz.

 

[Moonbear]

It still seems odd to ban kids from a restaurant at Disney. I wonder if they even get that many reservations for kids that age there though. Who would spend that much on a meal for a kid who will probably pick around at a few items and not appreciate it at all.

Or is this a response to the poor parenting that's so prevalent anymore?

When I was a kid that young, I certainly knew how to act properly in a restaurant (if I didn't, I'm pretty sure there was a death penalty attached). Not that we ever went to restaurants THAT fancy, but even in a chain restaurant, we were expected to sit up straight, keep our elbows off the table, talk in a quiet voice, etc. I imagine that anyone who thinks an all-night dining experience at a minimum of $125/person is something to drag a small child to is probably someone oblivious to teaching their kid proper manners.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Saw these on boingboing.net:

 

[ZapperZ]

Y'know, I've heard about those Mickey burgers, but I've never actually seen one yet. If that is what it really looks like, guess what we're having for our next cookout?

:)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Goodbye Disney-MGM Studios!

Today, Jan7 2008, marks the first official day of Disney's Hollywood Studios. The name "Disney-MGM Studios" is officially gone and no longer exists.

In a few years, all my Disney-MGM Studios logo pins should be worth something.

:)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

OK, this is absolutely hysterical!

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_orlando/2008/01/how-to-apply-fo.html" - Chief Magic Official. It is accepting applications online. It's a DREAM job, but I don't think I can't take a leave of absence just to do this (trust me, I've checked!) :)

Well, that is not the hysterical part. What's hysterical is that, if you look at the link above and scroll to the bottom of the page, you'd have serious competition for this position if you are thinking of applying - Donald Duck! He's going after that position, and if I were you, I'd mount a campaign as well as he is!

:)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Disneyland Optimized

Just in case anyone thought I'm obsessive compulsive, I can never come even close to what this http://blog.wired.com/geekdad/2008/01/disneyland-opti.html" on his family's recent trip to Disneyland.

Did I mention I hate to wait in line for anything and will usually ditch a line and do something else if I can? There was no way I would ever wait an hour for a 4-minute ride. I needed some way to minimize the wait for the Disney rides on a peak holiday visit. Googling around I came across this cool software program that does just that.

RideMax is a Windows only app written by an obsessive Disney fan who feeds into it the latest historical data on wait times for each ride on the precise day(s) you are going. The program uploads this info each time you open the program. You choose the rides you want, and break times, and then it will compute the optimal sequence of rides. For the minimum wait, you tell it you are willing to send a "runner" ahead to secure Fastpasses for your group (which we were) and then it takes into account the time it takes to walk to the next ride it designates. Your entire agenda is detailed down to the minute.

It's hilarious! The irony in all of this is that, after he went through all that trouble preparing for it, the day they got to Disneyland, it wasn't busy at all due to a storm the day before! :)

Still, I might see what that program is all about. :)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Disney World isn’t just for little kids

No kidding!

:)

I know that, most people know that, but just in case you didn't know that, here's a news article from someone who is trying to convince you that http://www.flyernews.com/article.php?section=AE&volume=55&issue=21&artnum=01" .

She's highlighting all the "adult" stuff that adults might want to do. Still, I don't see anything "unadult" if someone, say, over the age of 40 wants to go on the Dumbo ride, or The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, or even Peter Pan! I don't see anything strange with that at all! :)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Disney Magic Connection

Things are getting to be quite high-tech at Disney theme parks. Gadget freak would love something like this.

Disney is reported to http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2008/01/14/wdi-r-d-begins-field-tests-of-disney-magic-connection-wireless-units.aspx" that essentially will contain all the info one needs while visiting one of its theme parks. I can see how this can be quite useful for someone who isn't familiar with the theme parks, or wants to maximize a very short visit. However, I don't see regulars, or casual visitors getting such a device.

Still, I guess it is a lot more convenient carrying this small device around for all your park information, rather than carrying me around.

:)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Happy Winnie the Pooh Day!

Honest, I'm not making this up! Jan. 18 is really http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/January/winniepoohday.htm" !

And just in time for this wonderful occasion, someone brought up the fact that in the original Winnie the Pooh story, http://womensissues.about.com/b/2008/01/18/winnie-the-poohs-strong-single-mom.htm" , except for Kanga, which is Roo's mother. There's even a claim that this could be the first depiction in popular media of a single mother.

What's next? That Rabbit is a cross-dresser?

:)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

OK, so we have Mickey Mouse, the symbol for The Walt Disney Company, that represents, among other things, American capitalism. Then you have Mao Zidong, that is the symbol for Communist China. So what did they give Mickey to wear to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year at Hong Kong Disneyland? http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i-0yHqxm78hZnLMF3HLreH9GRgfwD8UA8RR80"

Precious!

:)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

More Disney Dream Portrait Series

Annie Leibovitz has shot more pictures in the Disney Dream Portrait Series. This website has not only http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/photos/popupV2.asp?SubID=3450&page=1&GTitle=Annie%20Leibovitz%20shoots%20Disney%20Dream%20Portrait%20Series&pubdate=01/24/2008" , but also a few pictures from behind-the-scenes and the shooting session.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

MSN has a great slide show of all the http://travel.msn.com//Guides/MSNTravelSlideShow.aspx?cp-documentid=449541&imageindex=1".

I've been to two. Only three more to go! :)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Can you have too many Donald Duck pins? NEVER!

So we've been trying to catalog and record all of the pins that we collect. We're about 80% there. Luckily, all the Donald (and ducks) pins that we have are cataloged. And here they are!

At least now, we can print these out and bring along with us, so that we don't make the mistake of trading for another Donald pin that we already have. After a while, you can't keep track of what you have and what you don't have.

:)

Zz.

 

[GeorginaS]

I am absolutely stunned. Look at all of those Donald Duck pins. Wow!

 

[hypatia]

Puts on a whole new meaning to "keeping your ducks in a row".

 

[ZapperZ]

I am absolutely stunned. Look at all of those Donald Duck pins. Wow!

I'm guessing that we don't even have half of all the Donald/Ducks pins in existence, maybe not even a quarter. So there's a lot of duck pins out there that we still don't have!

That's scary! :)

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

This news article highlights http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/traveltips/02/06/four.days/index.html" in the US. The writer brought up an example of when not to go to the Walt Disney World.

For example, say you're planning a Disney World vacation, but you're not sure when to visit. If you're an annual pass holder (full disclosure: I am) you know that "blockout" dates are December 22 to January 4, March 15 to 28, and June 7 to August 14. (Those dates are off limits to some seasonal pass holders because the theme parks are so busy.)

So when's the best time to see Mickey? Well, that's a topic for another column, but I won't make you wait until then. "Value season" runs from early January to mid-February, from mid-August to the end of September and the first three weeks in December. That's when the crowds are thinner and the deals are more generous.

This is a good time to note that our next unofficial PF Gathering is being planned for the first week of December, 2008 at Walt Disney World, which is one of the "value season" for WDW. So if you can swing it, you have 3 very good reasons to join us: (i) you get to meet your PF friends, (ii) you get to go to WDW during their cheapest season and still get to see all the holiday festivities, and (iii) you get me as your personal "tour guide" to WDW! :) While I cost nothing, tips in Disney Pins are greatly appreciated. :)

Zz.