Leaving soon

[wicket2005]

Glad you enjoyed your flight home (though I suspect you slept through a lot of it, from what you have previously said ).

Sounds like that day is one to be avoided for Downtown Disney. We have used it mostly on Wednesdays and in December on a Saturday.

I think everyone should see the Xmas decorations at least once. We certainly loved it on our first visit in December (went 10th back 22nd). I just don't think we would enjoy the crowds actually over Xmas and NY which seem to have been worse than the July ones we experience.

I hope your MiL enjoyed her trip. It is always harder having to fit someone else's needs into your family trip but at least you have had that experience. One of my neighbours took his 80 plus MiL with him the other year and he said never again. All she wanted to do was sunbathe and would take herself off to do that and would just have baked in the sun which is a bit dangerous.

Funny thing age, you always want to look older when you are younger and younger when you are older. My youngest was frisked this time out but he is 18. I have yet to be frisked now, only one out of my family, not that I want to be.

Looking forward to seeing your photos.

 

[wayneg]

oh yes slept well as always, got at least 5 hours, enough to hopefully stay awake now and have early night as I start work at 3:30am.
DMiL is 78, takes about 20 tablets a day for her ailments has catteracts and hearing not great, thankfully still quite agile and wants to do what we do. Her insurance costs a fortune.

 

[emily1982]

Glad you had a good trip. At least your mil experienced it, especially at xmas and she probably had an amazing time.

We returned yesterday and found the crowds the busiest yet at xmas as we've known it, but managed to do everything we wanted to do and the longest we waited for a ride was 40 mins and only because my mom wanted to do it twice.

 

[wicket2005]

Glad you slept well as this does help with the jet lag. I found the later the returning flight the better for me as I can then sleep on the plane, stay up late when I get home and straight back into the new time zone. On earlier flights I cannot sleep as it isn't bedtime, then end up crashing early at home then up at all hours for a week.

Don't fancy that 3.30 am start for you in the morning. I think you deserve your holiday if that is the time you start every day. I hope your florist does well this year.

At least your MiL has experience Disney with you all at Christmas time. I think we would struggle to take anyone with us now as we know exactly what we want to do and have our own way of doing things.

 

[Portugal1000]

Glad you had a great time. We have been back a week. Were there from 5th to 26th. This is our 3rd year running for the same dates and the best weather so far. Previous 2 years were pretty good but this year was fantastic. 2 cold days. 1 at Kennedy but saw the shuttle land so forgot all about how cold it was. Sea World day a bit chilly too. The parks were fine up until about 20th and then busy but we tried to do them early on in holiday. Went to Busch 2nd week and was the most deserted park I have seen. Our best park though was MK on Xmas Eve. We expected it to be packed so got there for 7pm to see parade and fireworks. It did seem really busy but with exceptiion of Peter Pan,Thunder and Splash mountain, every thing was a walk on, literally. I think most people left after fireworks. We stayed around that side of park and didn't even go to future land so not sure what that was like. First time we have done a park at night and would highly recommend. It was open till midnight and we rode so may rides. Will definitely do that again. Like you I will not wait long for a ride. We are back too for 17 nights on 11th August at SSR. Will be interested to see what the heat and crowds are like as we are use to going in December.

 

[jen_uk]

Welcome back, glad you had a great trip, looking forward to seeing some photos

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Glad your home safely - our Virgin flight landed early too.

I know what you mean about MIL been a 2nd child - I found that more so this trip!!

We thought the crowds weren't as bad as when we were there a couple of years ago - especially in AK on Christmas morning. But we left about 2ish. The studios were worse - but we had done all the rides we wanted previously so just used FP for TOT and the roller coaster.

Look forward to seeing a few pics

 

[Gaynor]

Welcome home Wayne, glad you had a good time. Would like to try a Disney Christmas one day.
I understand your feelings re the MIL and 2nd child. I found our last trip quite stressful with my mother. Tomorrow I have to bite the bullet and tell her we have booked out next holiday and we're going on our own wish me luck!!!!!

 

[wicket2005]

I will wish you luck.

 

[Gaynor]

I will wish you luck.

Thanks wicket.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Welcome back Wayne!!

So glad you had a good time - although I am a bit scared of all those crowds!!

Hopefully everyone decided to go this year and next year - so that we will have empty parks in 2010!!!

 

[slackers]

Welcome back! We got back yesterday too, how cold!!!
Just had a quick look through your post and totally agree about it being stupidly busy, everywhere was crazy even the shopping malls!
We went out on 13th Dec and got all Disney parks completed in the first week. When we popped in for revisits last Thurs/Fri couldn't believe the change in crowd levels!
Country Inns were fantastic great location & fantastic value.
I know that exchange rate is bad but everything seemed more expensive this trip, not the bargains of trips gone by?

 

[wayneg]

Welcome back! We got back yesterday too, how cold!!!
Just had a quick look through your post and totally agree about it being stupidly busy, everywhere was crazy even the shopping malls!
We went out on 13th Dec and got all Disney parks completed in the first week. When we popped in for revisits last Thurs/Fri couldn't believe the change in crowd levels!
Country Inns were fantastic great location & fantastic value.
I know that exchange rate is bad but everything seemed more expensive this trip, not the bargains of trips gone by?

I wish we could visit earlier in Dec but Xmas week is one of busiest times of year for me so its not possible.
I thought Country Inn was amazing value at £20/night in August, most comfortable beds we have ever had in Florida, great breakfast, cookies and coffee always available, free wireless internet, fridge, microwave and location is just where we like to stay.
Just stayed at Fairfield Inn again (4th time)which is another good value hotel but traffic is a nightmare at Xmas, queing from SR535 right passed entrance to the hotels. Also getting back to the hotel from Disney can take 4 or 5 long changes of lights at Vineland Ave junction. Country Inn is 10 times better location at busy times.

With poor exchange and Holiday surcharge on Disney buffets they were very expensive, Boma cost £24 each whereas in August it cost us about £15 each. Also didn't enjoy it as much this time, much preffered Trails end buffet. Comapared to Sweet Tomatoes which cost us £5 each Disney dining is crazily expensive. We have free dining in August or it would be all offsite.
We didn't do much shopping but called in the Disney Outlets at Prime and Premium, Their Tshirts and baseball caps were great value as they had the 40% off already discounted prices same as the parks. I got a nice Tshirt original price $31, outlet price about $9.50. DS got 3 which cost about £10 for all 3. He also got a cruiseline baseball cap and thats about all we bought.

 

[juliebro]

Welcome back Wayne!

I think we'll be giving Disney dining a miss again this year, too. Better value for money can be found off-site, as you rightly say.

I wonder how busy it'll be this Easter, compared to previous years.

Julie

 

[wayneg]

Hi Julie. No idea about Easter, I didn't expect Xmas to be so busy so wouldn't want to guess with Easter.

 

[TheBlundells]

I wish we could visit earlier in Dec but Xmas week is one of busiest times of year for me so its not possible.
I thought Country Inn was amazing value at £20/night in August, most comfortable beds we have ever had in Florida, great breakfast, cookies and coffee always available, free wireless internet, fridge, microwave and location is just where we like to stay.

Hi Wayne, Glad you had a good time!

What is the pool like at country Inn? I have seen some negative comments about it!

John

 

[wayneg]

Hi Wayne, Glad you had a good time!

What is the pool like at country Inn? I have seen some negative comments about it!

John

Hi John, Pool is the only thing really that lets it down. For us it did not matter, we only used it once in 17 nights for about 30 mins. I have heard people nip thru to Sheraton Safari pool next door but we did not try.

 

[wayneg]

Made a slideshow of Xmas pics, just a few(61) took almost 2,000 pics didn't want to bore you all too much.

http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/wayneg1/Xmas 08/?albumview=slideshow

 

[Lisash]

Welcome Home. Glad you had a good time. Would agree with your comments on traffic near Fairfield over Xmas it was dreadful. We've stayed there the last four trips but are going off it a bit. The breakfast options seem to get less and less every trip, think it won't be long before they withdraw it altogether. We didn't bother having any two or three times this last trip as the thought of more bagels made our stomachs churn, and what is the new thing with biscuits and gravy. Euuugh I never saw one person eat them

 

[Netty]

Made a slideshow of Xmas pics, just a few(61) took almost 2,000 pics didn't want to bore you all too much.

http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y236/wayneg1/Xmas 08/?albumview=slideshow

the photos are really fantastic wayne, wish my photos were as good as those ones. please post some more photos!