Amy and F1gment take on Thanksgiving 2011

Amy · Post by **Amy** » Oct Sat 08, 2011 9:14 pm

So...we've had annual passes burning a hole in our pockets since our last trip in December of 2010. Being spoiled northerners we want to take our vacation when it is cold up here and relatively warm in Florida. After much flight searching by F1gment, and a few phone calls to WDW reservations, we have made our plans and will be returning to the World from November 17 - December 1

The great news is that hopefully we will be able to meet up with some fellow Mayhem Marauders as NaCler and his Momma are planning to be there for a weekend during that time frame.

Post by **Len90** » Oct Sat 08, 2011 11:59 pm

Wow two weeks, including Turkey Day and Black Friday at Disney World. We did 13 days thanks to the hurricane and it felt just perfect in terms of length and everything. Which resort are you staying at and did you make any dining plans yet?

mindflipper · Post by **mindflipper** » Oct Sun 09, 2011 12:48 am

Len90 wrote:Wow two weeks, including Turkey Day and Black Friday at Disney World. We did 13 days thanks to the hurricane and it felt just perfect in terms of length and everything. Which resort are you staying at and did you make any dining plans yet?

The difference is that you didn't plan to do 13 days originally (as we already know from when we will read your trip report some day)...

Amy · Post by **Amy** » Oct Sun 09, 2011 8:12 am

mindflipper wrote:
Len90 wrote:Wow two weeks, including Turkey Day and Black Friday at Disney World. We did 13 days thanks to the hurricane and it felt just perfect in terms of length and everything. Which resort are you staying at and did you make any dining plans yet?
The difference is that you didn't plan to do 13 days originally (as we already know from when we will read your trip report some day)...

...some day...

Yeah, I had a bit of sadness when I realized I would be missing Black Friday shopping. I don't always go, but I was hoping to find a deal on an ipad2 this year. Oh well. F1gment told me what could be better than shopping the Black Friday sales at Disney! But I don't think they will have the same sort of sales

We are at the All Star Music resort just like last trip. We don't spend any time at the resort except breakfast from the food court and sleeping about 6 hours a night so we don't want to spend a lot extra for a moderate resort. All Stars also works well because F1gment knows her way around from last year and is comfortable navigating between the bus stop and the room. We both think the bus service is pretty good, although Mom was telling me how she kept getting into the Blizzard Beach bus line because the sign was really close to the park's line where she really wanted to go. We'll just have to take a better look at that when we first arrive this time.

boilerbabe · Post by **boilerbabe** » Oct Sun 09, 2011 3:16 pm

I'm so excited for the two of you!!! We look forward to alot of pictures and a wonderful report!

cousininmiami · Post by **cousininmiami** » Oct Sun 09, 2011 8:50 pm

I'm so happy for you guys Amy! When we took our trip in the summer for 11 nights it was awesome, I am convinced you can only truly appreciate everything that WDW has to offer if you stay for a long time! We were able to see everything and do it all... twice!

I would give anything to go up there Thanksgiving weekend to shop at the outlets for Black Friday... you will get a lot of deals for sure! Just remember my rule of shopping, get your eye on the prize you want and take no prisoners!! Go to the DIsney outlet and you will go nuts! I'm talking about the outlets that are right along I-4. You can park by the Polo outlet and wind through the outdoor mall until you find Disney's Character Warehouse.

You will have so much fun, I wish it was the same time I was going but I will be at WDW Dec 8 - 11... yay for all of us!

Post by **Len90** » Oct Mon 10, 2011 12:53 am

Just a tip of advice. You might want to think about renting a car for Black Friday shopping. The outlet malls will have midnight madness where the stores start opening from 9PM on Thanksgiving night and will stay open overnight into the morning. Most stores will open at midnight though. There are usually extra discounts for being there that early and it does get busy. We have premium outlet centers near me and we have done it the past couple of years. It is a great experience and I can only imagine how awesome it would be at one of the two Orlando locations. Get there early so you can scout out what stores you want to hit up and to guarantee yourself a decent parking space

As for the iPad2, Apple will offer the same sale online that they do in the store. If you bring your computer you should be able to capitalize on that sale by ordering off the internet.

Amy · Post by **Amy** » Oct Mon 10, 2011 5:59 am

We probably won't rent a car. We go to stay at Disney, although it sounds like the Disney Store at the outlet mall has some fabulous merchandise. The pictures you shared of the outlet looked pretty crazy for parking when you were there. I can only imagine it on Black Friday

I was thinking along the same lines as you Len. I just hope my iphone is up to the challenge of shopping online on one of the busiest days of the year. If all else fails, I might need to call one of my brothers....but that would mean telling him where we are

And he is the one that sort of likes Disney so that could be bad...
"Eyes on the prize and take no prisoners" ~ thanks cousininmiami ~ I got it!!

cousininmiami · Post by **cousininmiami** » Oct Mon 10, 2011 9:02 am

Maybe there is some kind of a bus transportation to the outlets from Downtown Disney? I know for a fact there is a shuttle to the outlets from The Buena Vista Palace just across the street from Downtown Disney, as we have stayed there a lot. We have never used the shuttles because we always have a car (driving up from Miami), but that might be an option to get there, or possibly from the Hilton across from Downtown Disney as well. It is worth a try any day to get there as the deals are awesome, but would be even more lucrative on Black Friday. I bet the stores in Downtown Disney do some hefty selling on Black Friday as well!!

In any case Amy.... have a wonderful time, as I'm sure you will! Will you get to see a Candlelight Processional and the Osbourne lights as well? I am counting the days for me!!! Woo-Hoo!!!

Amy · Post by **Amy** » Oct Mon 10, 2011 9:18 am

cousininmiami wrote:Maybe there is some kind of a bus transportation to the outlets from Downtown Disney? I know for a fact there is a shuttle to the outlets from The Buena Vista Palace just across the street from Downtown Disney, as we have stayed there a lot. We have never used the shuttles because we always have a car (driving up from Miami), but that might be an option to get there, or possibly from the Hilton across from Downtown Disney as well. It is worth a try any day to get there as the deals are awesome, but would be even more lucrative on Black Friday. I bet the stores in Downtown Disney do some hefty selling on Black Friday as well!!

In any case Amy.... have a wonderful time, as I'm sure you will! Will you get to see a Candlelight Processional and the Osbourne lights as well? I am counting the days for me!!! Woo-Hoo!!!

Thanks for the tip on the shuttles from the hotels across from DTD. Do you know if you have to show a resort ID when you board? That might be a bit of a stumbling block

It is definitely something I might keep in mind. It would be nice to get a few t-shirts for less than the $25 or so that they go for in the park. I don't mind if they are a discontinued style or weird color if they are cheaper!
We definitely will be seeing the Osborne lights ~ at least two or three times. They are one of our favorite things to see over the holidays!! We are planning on meeting up with NaCler and his Momma to see them one night

I'm sure we will also go to the Candlelight Processional one night. I know Mom won't know either of the two performers scheduled for when we are there, so she might not be as interested. Of course she didn't really know Jodi Benson from last time either, but I told her she was the Little Mermaid

and then she knew (sort of) who she was

We take our chances waiting in the line. It was a little tricky for her maneuvering her royal carriage through the switchbacks and crowds, but we managed. The packages just seem a little too expensive for us, but it does look like delicious food. I'll be interested in hearing what you think of the dinner/show package!

mindflipper · Post by **mindflipper** » Oct Mon 10, 2011 9:36 am

We did the dinner packages when we went as a family a few years back on Christmas Eve. It was worth it, as it was particularly crowded and the stand-by lines were overflowing. With the dinner packages, you get first seating very close to the stage, and they were very accomodating to my mother who was in an electric scooter. If you thinking of going on a particularly busy night, you may want to reconsider the dinner packages...

Amy · Post by **Amy** » Oct Mon 10, 2011 10:11 am

mindflipper wrote:We did the dinner packages when we went as a family a few years back on Christmas Eve. It was worth it, as it was particularly crowded and the stand-by lines were overflowing. With the dinner packages, you get first seating very close to the stage, and they were very accomodating to my mother who was in an electric scooter. If you thinking of going on a particularly busy night, you may want to reconsider the dinner packages...

That's good to know that they have seating for those requiring assistance. That was one of my concerns since you are paying for priority seating and they only have a few spots for ECVs and wheelchairs. I might take the time to revisit the packages, but I still think they are going to be out of my price range...

cousininmiami · Post by **cousininmiami** » Oct Mon 10, 2011 11:07 am

I agree Amy, it is pricey. But I went ahead and made the dinner package reservation for the Friday night Candlelight Processional for the three of us, the total $207 without tip at The Coral Reef. We decided to do that rather than spend the same amount of extra money on Mickey's VMCP which seems to me expensive for some hot cocoa and cookies!

Are you going on a dining plan? We never do the dining plan because as Florida Residents and Annual Passholders it doesn't pay for us to do it. We also have Tables in Wonderland and get 20% off of food and beverages! Besides the fact that for us it just seems like too much food. We did the dining plan one time a few years back when staying at the Wilderness Lodge and it felt like all we did was eat! But guess what for this trip TIW does not work for the Candlelight Processional dinner package! Figures!

You are there for so long you can probably find a night that won't be as crowded for the Candlelight Processional, and hopefully the wait won't be too bad. We will get to compare notes after both of our trips! Yay!

mindflipper · Post by **mindflipper** » Oct Mon 10, 2011 12:59 pm

That's true, if you avoid the weekends and holidays, you can get into the Candlelight Processional a lot easier...

MmeLeota · Post by **MmeLeota** » Oct Mon 10, 2011 3:54 pm

I'm so glad you guys were able to pull off the trip!!! It would have been a shame for those APs to expire and not see the light of WDW again...

Once again, I look forward to your amazing pictures (especially of the Osborne Lights)! We will miss them by 2 days in January...

Out of Curiosity, who is reading at the Candlelight Processional while you are there?

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Amy and F1gment take on Thanksgiving 2011

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