***Official Jan 2018 Thread****

[melbelle75]

Merry Christmas Eve Eve! I am putting together the Disney box tonight to give them Christmas Day! Good luck to every one who is surprising their kids... I know we have a few on here. Can't wait!

Good luck to you too! I can't remember the last time I was so excited for Christmas! We did a Disney duffle bag full of Disney themed fun stuff, including matching Best Day Ever! tshirts, a new autograph book and a laminated countdown calendar. We're putting that inside a giant gift bag and putting a Mickey balloon inside that will (hopefully) rise out when she unties the string. The only downside is we don't leave until 1/28

 

[Mika02]

Got my daughter a new carry-on luggage. Bought us each rose gold Starbucks mugs. Stuck her giftcard in her stocking. She said she's getting excited. So am I time is going to go because I will have a few busy weeks at work before we go. Can't wait till we can start packing.

Now I need to figure which dinner reservations to keep for Sunday and Monday of Trip. I was able to get a BOG dinner with the new extended time for MLK Day. But that means moving around our night time plans for those two nights. My daughter wants to see Happily ever after and once upon a time. Our new plans would make that not possible. But I'm not sure she would like our original dinner plans at beaches and cream. Dilemma

 

[Ellasgirls]

1/21-1/26 - ASMovies!!!
This is my ??? trip (over 10th) BUT it is my 2 youngest kids (6 & 9) FIRST TRIP TO WALT DISNEY WORLD!!!! We are telling them on Christmas morning and then only have to wait a few weeks! Unfortunately our Magicbands won't be here until the day AFTER Christmas but I have enough other goodies for them to be excited!
It will be a faster trip than usual but it is what we could afford (and I found $100 r/t airfare out of WI for those dates!). I am praying for great weather and lots of magic!
Does anyone know if I can go to 2 different parks on the same day without buying a hopper pass. I am hoping we can go to Animal Kingdom in the morning on Monday and then spend the afternoon at Hollywood Studios using 2 days of tickets. I asked through online chat and she didn't know. She said it may work but maybe not....not too helpful!
I am worried we won't have time the day we fly in because we don't land until 3:30 pm to make it to Hollywood Studios for more than a couple hours at best. My other option is to go Thursday morning to Hollywood Studios from 9am-11:30am so we get back to the hotel on time for our bus to the airport (we fly home at 4:40pm). Any suggestions???

 

[MamaJessie]

1/21-1/26 - ASMovies!!!
This is my ??? trip (over 10th) BUT it is my 2 youngest kids (6 & 9) FIRST TRIP TO WALT DISNEY WORLD!!!! We are telling them on Christmas morning and then only have to wait a few weeks! Unfortunately our Magicbands won't be here until the day AFTER Christmas but I have enough other goodies for them to be excited!
It will be a faster trip than usual but it is what we could afford (and I found $100 r/t airfare out of WI for those dates!). I am praying for great weather and lots of magic!
Does anyone know if I can go to 2 different parks on the same day without buying a hopper pass. I am hoping we can go to Animal Kingdom in the morning on Monday and then spend the afternoon at Hollywood Studios using 2 days of tickets. I asked through online chat and she didn't know. She said it may work but maybe not....not too helpful!
I am worried we won't have time the day we fly in because we don't land until 3:30 pm to make it to Hollywood Studios for more than a couple hours at best. My other option is to go Thursday morning to Hollywood Studios from 9am-11:30am so we get back to the hotel on time for our bus to the airport (we fly home at 4:40pm). Any suggestions???

You will have to have hoppers for that. How many days are you there?

 

[caribbeandream]

Less than 24 hours before many of us get to tell our kids we are going to Disney World next month!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MinMou]

Our son got his 30 day countdown chain a few days ago, and next morning, I was ready to rip day 30, when he got upset - he liked it the way it was! Instead, we are putting a line thru each day and moving up one link each day. My husband went INSANE shopping for our son for Christmas, but he found the Disney Eye Found It game to help get our son ready for the trip, so I can't get too mad. We got word that our Magic Bands are on their way!

It's now past midnight, so it's Christmas, and Day 26 and counting!

 

[melbelle75]

Well, that was a big bummer! We told our DD this morning that we leave for Disney in 34 days and she was not at all impressed. I'm chalking it up to her being 5 and not quite grasping the concept, but dang! On the up side, it's no longer a secret so now I can talk about our plans all day, every day Magic bands are shipping in 2 days and skins to jazz them up have been ordered! Countdown calendar is posted and Best Day Ever shirts are washed! The only thing I still want to accomplish is a dinner reservation at BOG. We have one for lunch but really want to meet the Beast! The reservation finder on the Lines app is seriously the best thing ever!
Can I start packing now?!

 

[MinMou]

Well, that was a big bummer! We told our DD this morning that we leave for Disney in 34 days and she was not at all impressed. I'm chalking it up to her being 5 and not quite grasping the concept, but dang! On the up side, it's no longer a secret so now I can talk about our plans all day, every day Magic bands are shipping in 2 days and skins to jazz them up have been ordered! Countdown calendar is posted and Best Day Ever shirts are washed! The only thing I still want to accomplish is a dinner reservation at BOG. We have one for lunch but really want to meet the Beast! The reservation finder on the Lines app is seriously the best thing ever!
Can I start packing now?!

If this is your little one's first visit, she just may not get what you are talking about when you say you are going to Disney.
Before we went on a trip to Disneyland 2 years ago, we talked a lot about Disney and meeting Mickey, and we even gave him a "signed" invitation from Mickey, but nothing clicked. We went to a character meal the night we arrived, and when our son saw Goofy (Disneyland has Goofy's Kitchen), he suddenly understood. It was amazing to watch!!! He was 2, so it was hard to make him wait his turn, but he really just wanted to point out Goofy to all of us!! We decided that this was how we would start our trip to Disney World as well, with dinner at Chef Mickey's. We've read that you shouldn't have a dinner reservation the first night, but I have seen the magic that happens when I don't listen to advice!

I'm sure you've shown your daughter videos and pictures, but maybe the bands will help make it real. We have a countdown chain and a Days until Disney Calendar, having something our son can touch and interact with has helped us get him excited.

 

[melbelle75]

If this is your little one's first visit, she just may not get what you are talking about when you say you are going to Disney.
Before we went on a trip to Disneyland 2 years ago, we talked a lot about Disney and meeting Mickey, and we even gave him a "signed" invitation from Mickey, but nothing clicked. We went to a character meal the night we arrived, and when our son saw Goofy (Disneyland has Goofy's Kitchen), he suddenly understood. It was amazing to watch!!! He was 2, so it was hard to make him wait his turn, but he really just wanted to point out Goofy to all of us!! We decided that this was how we would start our trip to Disney World as well, with dinner at Chef Mickey's. We've read that you shouldn't have a dinner reservation the first night, but I have seen the magic that happens when I don't listen to advice!

I'm sure you've shown your daughter videos and pictures, but maybe the bands will help make it real. We have a countdown chain and a Days until Disney Calendar, having something our son can touch and interact with has helped us get him excited.

We took her about 18 months ago and she's been begging to go back ever since so that's why I had high expectations for her excitement level. The little stinker totally faked me out! I know she'll be squealing when it's gets closer but for now, I'll have to suck it up

 

[DisneyObsessed87]

I got my oldest son birthday ears since we will be there for his 12th birthday. He put them on and kept saying, it's not my birthday but okay! Looking at me like I had lost my mind! Both my boys are excited, even though a little confused at first. Only 30 days to go!

 

[DMGeurts]

Hi all! Merry Christmas! I love reading about all of your Christmas surprises! It makes me so excited that our trips are so close!

I am not sure if I stopped by here already to invite you all to my Pre-Trip Report? It is almost finished now, but if you are bored and need to kill some time before you leave on your trips - you are welcome to join me and read along.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/s...-girls-trip-january-2018-update-12-5.3637328/

D~

 

[DISfirstTimer]

Our trip reveal was a big flop too . I got a bigger response over a home science kit and an Ariel toothbrush! I just don't think they understand. They are 4 and 6 and have never been. This only fueled my husbands fire as he has objected to this vacation from the very beginning stating our kids are too young to enjoy or remember it. Big let down. Hopefully I can build the excitements over the next 33 days!

 

[m.eleanor]

Hi all- we are pretty avid Disney goers! We always go in January, but haven't been able to plan far in advance this year due to some extenuating circumstances with my daughter (she has hip problems, and we wanted to make sure she'd be comfortable and cleared to walk around). BUT we are planning a trip super last minute for her birthday!! Currently booked to stay at the GF-- wondering if anyone had tips for getting last minute dining reservations or other last minute planning tips?

 

[DisneyObsessed87]

Our trip reveal was a big flop too . I got a bigger response over a home science kit and an Ariel toothbrush! I just don't think they understand. They are 4 and 6 and have never been. This only fueled my husbands fire as he has objected to this vacation from the very beginning stating our kids are too young to enjoy or remember it. Big let down. Hopefully I can build the excitements over the next 33 days!

Oh no! They just don't understand yet but I am confident they will! 4 and 6 are perfect ages to experience the magic! Have them watch videos on youtube. My 4 year old loves watching the parades and rides on there.

 

[MamaJessie]

4&6 are awesome ages to go, they might not be excited now but I am sure they will be when they get there

 

[spumonisowner]

Our trip reveal was a big flop too . I got a bigger response over a home science kit and an Ariel toothbrush! I just don't think they understand. They are 4 and 6 and have never been. This only fueled my husbands fire as he has objected to this vacation from the very beginning stating our kids are too young to enjoy or remember it. Big let down. Hopefully I can build the excitements over the next 33 days!

They will be excited when they get there! They are not too young at all. I took my DDs when they were 4 and 6 and it was awesome - great ages to go. The younger one only remembers a little bit, but I have a lot of happy memories of that trip!

 

[Rmurphy005]

Hopefully I can build the excitements over the next 33 days!

We are going on the 17th and my Daughter is only 2.5 and really doesn't understand the concept either. The best thing we do every night is youtube the parades and character meet and greets. This gets her very excited and she always says she wants to go there. Maybe that will work for you too, but if not they will obviously be crazy excited once they get there and thats when you can prove your husband wrong.

 

[columbusdizfan]

We did our big reveal on Christmas morning. Our 6 year old daughter who has been to Disney twice before and at least seemed to love it was a little under impressed that we are leaving in 7 days. “You mean we’ll have to ride on a plane again?” Goodness gracious. I know she’s got some anxiety and that she’ll get more excited as we get close and we did think there was a 60% chance of her not showing too much excitement, but still. Trying not to let this deflate my excitement.

 

[Mika02]

Finally Settled my dinner plans for our trip. I got to keep the BOG dinner and found a Cape May Cafe dinner time to exchange for the Beaches and Cream one that I had booked earlier so excited! My Daughter will get to do everything she wants on this trip and I think she will love the dining choices we have. I left some areas for her to play with on the fly and relax. So happy we will be at the Poly so we will be near most of the action.

 

[MamaJessie]

I am going to keep checking the weather obsessivey now, that's how I know I am getting close So far it looks great, though I know better than to really count on any forecasts more than 10 days out. Mostly just a form of entertainment for me

Bought some Christmas clearance today for the car ride - some scratch art books, sticker books, and treats. I somehow only have one bag packed so tomorrow I am going to enjoy putting on some Disney movies and packing for the trip.