Operation Disney in December--PTR followed by TR!

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

I just have to say 23 days!!!

Can't believe after nearly 2 years of waiting and planning we are almost at 3 weeks!!

 

[Carolwoodpr]

How exciting! I still have 40 days. I read somewhere else that it snows after the Christmas Songs in DCA at the Mad T Party. And I also read that they do Christmas Songs to end each set.

I know that doesn't help much, but if you hear the Christmas songs head on over for snow.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

How exciting! I still have 40 days. I read somewhere else that it snows after the Christmas Songs in DCA at the Mad T Party. And I also read that they do Christmas Songs to end each set.

I know that doesn't help much, but if you hear the Christmas songs head on over for snow.

I saw that too... we'll plan on sticking around at least an hour--looks like the sets run an hour--so we will be sure to catch it!


Okay--I just got off the phone with vacation planning... the Christmas amenities are out finally! Here's the thing... I wanted to tweak their offerings though! LOL

Anyhow, long story short--the amenties are prepackaged, and you can't substitute. But, you can create your own custom package for a $40 upcharge. So, yeah, I sprung for it. It'll be $40 plus cost of the stuff... She is going "shopping" for me, and will let me know what my damages are when she is done... but this is what I asked for: The Mickey Mouse and Friends Ornament (Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy in a sleigh with presents)--looks more like a figurine than an ornament--$39.95 on disneystore, who knows what the parks charge. Disneyland Uno game. Glittery headband--she described it, sounds holiday-ish and super cute. Ghiradelli squares--hopefully holiday ones, and then some other holiday candy--told her she could pick. So, I am sure this will be $140 lol... but I am excited!

I was going to ask for glow ears, but we are doing fireworks that 1st night, and we probably won't have the basket yet. So, we'll have to buy those in the park since they sync with the fireworks now.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Vacation Planning lady just called me... and I now have a new job ambition--I want her job!!! She told me she just got back from doing some shopping for me

Okay, the bad news... I asked for Ghiradelli squares for my daughter's basket... turns out they are on a separate contract with Disney, and don't accept vacation planning's $. So, no squares

But, this is what she has found... My ornament/figurine I want... she was making sure, because it is big for an ornament (says so at Disneystore too)... I'm going to use it as a decoration thing not as an ornament... Anyhow, it is Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald and a little tiny Chip & Dale in a sleigh overflowing with presents... $39.95... done, and bought!

Disneyland Uno, a christmas light necklace... now she was looking for a Minnie holiday headband she told me about... and it was sold out in DCA and World of Disney, but she hasn't given up... but told me she picked up the necklace and wanted to know if I wanted it--I saw it on Sherry's Christmas mechandise post--so Yes Please!! We still might end up with a headband if she can find it though. Then to replace the Ghiradelli squares, she found some Mickey holiday krispy treats. Oh, and a photo book--I made an autograph book this year with pics of my dd with characters from previous years... but we won't have a photo book for the new pictures. She wasn't sure what she could find that didn't have autograph pages, and she found something! So yay!!

Anyhow, she was calling to tell me all this, and that she had spent $100 already, and should she keep looking for the headband? Told her, yes please, and thank you!! Oh, btw, the stuff she's already bought will be charged to my card now... and then there will be another charge for the $40 and the headband if she finds it.

I am sooo excited!! 3 weeks today!!

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Got my package today!!!

Carsland luggage tags!

3 different parkhopper tickets! Mater (child tix), Filmore, and the 3rd one is the two little guys that are in the pit crew... don't remember their names!

So excited!!

 

[6Smiles]

How exciting just a couple weeks away now. Christmas time looks so awesome!

Kris

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Two weeks!

Lets pretend I haven't been stalking the weather report already and just say I will officially have the 1st day of our trip on the ten day forecast in 4 more days! Yay!

 

[ttig34]

Two weeks!

Lets pretend I haven't been stalking the weather report already and just say I will officially have the 1st day of our trip on the ten day forecast in 4 more days! Yay!

You sound like me with the forecasts. I have been looking at a longer term one, and right now it is showing rain on the 7th- that needs to change. 16 days out is pretty hard to predict accurately.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

You sound like me with the forecasts. I have been looking at a longer term one, and right now it is showing rain on the 7th- that needs to change. 16 days out is pretty hard to predict accurately.

I am actually perfectly fine with rain... it'll thin out the crowds!! When DD and I went in October a couple years ago, it poured like crazy on our arrival day. The worst part was finding a place to eat, I only had ressies for Carnation Cafe--which was all outside seating, so it closed. However, I spotted some 82 degree days in the near forecast, and that sounds pretty nice to me--since all I have seen is rain for weeks here at home!

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

All right... we have no company until Christmas, so my guest bedroom has turned into packing staging.

I need to get some more travel bottles because I have discovered that my new favorite face lotion is a 4 oz bottle... that would be a no-go since we don't check bags. My old favorite face lotion was 3.4 oz... no problems there, but since I switched (due to a new sensitivity), I am going to have to come up with an alternative way of getting my lotion to DLR!

DD's super fancy Cinderella wedding dress, that she wore for Halloween and dressed up as Glinda the Good from Wicked, is already laid out... the thing almost needs its own suitcase. I also have all the Tink surprise tees, but I need to sneak and wash them 1st... and am not doing that this far in advance.

So far I have laid out most toiletries--I need conditioner, and good bandaids, and a brush, as well as our toothbrushes--but those will have to wait. Clothes have to wait till I see a decent forecast, but I am not sure how much it will matter... I want to be comfortable, so I will probably be in capris no matter the weather.

I have my backpack mostly packed with our package items, holiday glow wands and glow bracelets I picked up at target, the autograph picture book, and the new pack of multi-colored sharpies. Plus, lots of wet ones and hand sanitizer. DD's backpack has some surprises for the plane--a hidden mickey book and some Crayola color packs (also from the Target dollar section.)

Hubby thinks I am nuts of course!!

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Okay, not really sure where my brain is... thinking I still have 11 days to get ready... I work all week and next weekend is a complete wash. Tomorrow my dd and I have tickets to Trans-Siberian Orchestra, so there goes half of that day... that leaves today!! Our last weekend day to buy the things I am forgetting to buy!! So I am making a list and we are hitting target before dd's swim lesson!! Yikes!! Okay... blister bandaids and I want a couple more pair of good socks... I bought 3 pair of smartwool... I think I will see what knock-offs I can find today, and compare them. And little travel tubes!!!

11 days!!!

 

[ociana]

We are going to be at TSO tomorrow also! We have tickets to the 2:30 show and are very excited.

I went down to Northern California for Thanksgiving and got to discuss plans with my sister. She decided to switch things up a bit on me and said that now she wants to do the Holiday Tour instead of the Fantasmic dessert seating. Luckily, she made this change just in time for me to book the tour. I snagged the prime late tour spot for us on Christmas Eve when I called this morning!

Also, my manager assured me that my week off is safe, but I may need to work the weekend after we return. Phew, one less thing to worry about!

Now everything is planned and I get to join you in the packing adventure. I have been wavering back and forth on the idea of buying a real rain poncho to wear versus getting some disposable. I think I will wait for the weather forecast to get closer before I decide.

Should we be getting our stuff in the mail soon? We just hit 30 days out so I am eagerly expecting it to arrive.

I cannot believe that your trip is so close now! It must seem a bit unreal after all that planning.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

@ Ociana--Yay for having the time off!! We usually do the cheapy ponchos cause I really dont want to deal with dripping wet stuff after the rain stops. ANd for the wet rides if it is sunny, it is so nice to toss them--usually the dollar store has them 2 for a dollar. I really hope I can find them before I leave. I only have 1 left from the last trip!

Your package will arrive 21 days out--figure almost to the day... I think we got ours 20 days out. I remember getting a warning phone call (recorded person) in the past, but didn't get that this year. And you have to be there to sign for it. Which can be tricky. I have left a note in the past saying to have the retired lady next door sign for it for me. And our guy did that for me... but I don't know if they are supposed to.

We got everything we needed yesterday except the ponchos--we only hit 1 dollar store and they were out. So that is the mission now!!

Weather.com is up to the day before our trip now... and it is 69 and sunny on the 4th... looks like the days and days of rain they had on there have changed to 1 day. So the weather is starting to look promising!!

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

The weather is officially up for our 1st day in the parks...

December 5th: high of 74 and low of 53 0% chance of rain, and hardly any wind...



Of course things can and do change... will be interesting to watch... but right now I am planning to pack capris!!

 

[ociana]

That weather sounds GREAT!

Did you enjoy Trans Siberian Orchestra? I thought they were better last time I saw them, but it was still a great show.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

That weather sounds GREAT!

Did you enjoy Trans Siberian Orchestra? I thought they were better last time I saw them, but it was still a great show.

We did enjoy the show, but I bought floor tickets... and now wish I hadn't... it was too hard for DD to see what was going on on the stage. So that was a bummer. We'll go again in a couple years and get seats up in the stadium. I had to laugh with all the hair flipping though. I mean I have been known to like long hair rocker types... but I guess I am getting old when all the pretty hair starts to crack me up!!

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Mail and newspaper held!

I saw the weather report on wunderground, and it is even more optimistic than weather.com.... Now if it can just stay nice the whole trip so I can only pack clothes for sunny days and cool nights!

And I found ponchos!! Practically bought out the dollar store. Yay!

 

[ociana]

Ohhh, it's so exciting that your trip is super close!

I picked up the cutest tops for my trip last night! For our trip to Disneyworld last year I got a scrubs top from WalMart that was mickey Halloween themed. Not only was it amazing comfortable, but I got tons of compliments on it as we went through the park. One CM even stopped me and asked where they issue that costume - she thought I was a CM!

So, this year I went back to WalMart (which I don't like doing) and looked for Christmas scrubs. I got two tops, one with Minnie and one with Tink! In case you are interested, here are the links for them on their website: Minnie and Tink. I also picked up some long sleeve thermals to wear under the scrub tops. The best thing about these is that they have really deep front pockets, so you can carry your few required items right there VERY easily.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

So, this year I went back to WalMart (which I don't like doing) and looked for Christmas scrubs. I got two tops, one with Minnie and one with Tink! In case you are interested, here are the links for them on their website: Minnie and Tink. I also picked up some long sleeve thermals to wear under the scrub tops. The best thing about these is that they have really deep front pockets, so you can carry your few required items right there VERY easily.

Super cute!! I would totally wear those--but hubby wouldn't stick around if I did, he would totally pretend he didn't know me... He tolerates my Tink hoodie... so that is about as far as I can push it!!

7 days today... the weather still looks great, depending on which one you look it, it may be pretty warm, or just nice... Friday looks cooler at this point. I am starting to pack, even though I'll have to make a last second judgement on Tuesday night if I need to adjust... with a 6 day trip, we really won't know what the last couple days of weather will be like before we leave. Right now I am trying to get away with only packing capris, and 1 pair of my adidas comfy pants. DD will have jean capris and a pair of jeans, and all tees, with long sleeves she can layer under. We'll both have sweatshirts. Hubby says if it will be 70 or highter the whole time that he is only packing shorts.

I saw another post on the main board, it looks like lots of Oregonians will be there next week! I am cautiously preparing for crowds and hoping to be surprised. But I think this will be the most crowded trip we have ever been on.

 

[DizNee Luver]

I'm not sure how I missed your PTR.......I mean us Oregonians need to stick together!!! We'll be checking into the PPH on the 9th.....maybe we'll pass in the elevators!!

Got my fingers crossed for decent weather......I don't go to Southern California to get rained on.......get more than enough at home!!

I was disappointed they backed out on the dining packages for the CP. It was something I was looking forward to (and sad we were giving up when cancelling our WDW trip). We were trying for one of the Dick Van Dyke nights. Oh well.........

What part of Oregon are you in?? We're just west of Corvallis. (but have lived in Salem, Medford and North Bend)