***Official Planning Thread -DECEMBER 2024 - Welcome all!***

[japanese maple]

We'll be there December 4-11 at Beach Club Villas! My favorite time of year!

Welcome! It's our first time going this time of year. Hopefully we love it.

 

[marij]

Welcome! I've added you to the list.
We will be there the same dates. I wish us happy trips and average crowds!

Sounds good. Have a great time as well.

 

[sadiecatie]

Hello! We’ve decided to do a long weekend December 13-16. This will be our first time at both MVMCP and Festival of the Holidays. Looking forward to it!

 

[japanese maple]

Hello! We’ve decided to do a long weekend December 13-16. This will be our first time at both MVMCP and Festival of the Holidays. Looking forward to it!

Added and welcome! Our first time during the holidays also.

 

[buzzrelly]

Welcome! It's our first time going this time of year. Hopefully we love it.

Thank you! I think you will love it!

 

[japanese maple]

A Disney Visa discount will be coming out on April 9 for free dining for select dates in July, September and December.

Good luck everyone!

 

[srdavidson]

A Disney Visa discount will be coming out on April 9 for free dining for select dates in July, September and December.

Good luck everyone!

Our trip is Nov 28th-Dec 2nd then off to cruise on the Wish til the 6th. Back to WDW the 6th-8th. We probably won't qualify but hopefully something else comes out that we do!

 

[marij]

A Disney Visa discount will be coming out on April 9 for free dining for select dates in July, September and December.

Good luck everyone!

Won't do us any good. We live in Canada and cannot get a Disney Visa Card. Why are Canadians being penalized again.

 

[japanese maple]

Won't do us any good. We live in Canada and cannot get a Disney Visa Card. Why are Canadians being penalized again.

Sometimes after the Disney Visa they release a Disney + or even a general discount.

 

[japanese maple]

I read another post that stated the December dates for free dining are 12/9-12/21.

We don't qualify as we arrive 12/3, but maybe people will switch to the next week to get free dining and we will be rewarded with lower crowds.

 

[japanese maple]

We had decided on doing the dining plan, but after some group discussion, we decided against it.
First and foremost, I like appetizers. I like them for my entree, I like them before my entree, I like them all the time.
Second, I can take or leave dessert.
Third, if we do one or more parties ( Christmas party and Jollywood Nights), we may not want a sit down that day.
So in the end, I think we will be happier without it.

Of course if we happened to qualify for free dining, we would happily take it.

 

[hsmamainva]

We never do the dining plan unless it's offered in a free promo. Every time we add it up, it never saves us money. Usually it's at least $500 or more in Disney's pocket.

 

[corn princess]

Add us to the crazies going at the end of December, beginning of January... December w8-Jan. 4th! Staying at Art of Animation. We stayed there for 1 night a few years ago, but didn't really have time to experience the resort at all!

 

[japanese maple]

Welcome! I added you to the list. I put 12/28 as start date, let me know if wrong!

 

[behappyJules]

We decided to take advantage of free dining since we were already going to be in the parks for 4 days. Since we had to rebook to get the deal, decided to switch things up and stay at Pop instead so we could use the Skyliner. Still there Dec. 21-26.

 

[ZeonStar]

Dec 26-Jan 5. AofA Resort. 8 Park Days. Maybe a partial 9th.

First time for my wife and kids, 7 and 9. (I’ve been Before. Way back in 2009) So so excited to finally take my family. Waiting 8 months is going to be torture. We’re all Disneyland veterans. We skipped going to DL last Christmas in Anticipation of this trip!

 

[Danicat77]

Our family will be there Dec 3-6! Hoping to rent DVC through a BRV owner but currently on a waitlist as they were already gone at her 11 month mark! If DVC doesn’t work out back up is POR (trying to decide whether or not to book and cancel or just keep waiting longer. Tried to talk my older daughter out of going (she doesn’t love it there) as then we could have 4 instead of 5 ppl which would give us more options, but she wants to go more than she wants to skip it.

 

[japanese maple]

Dec 26-Jan 5. AofA Resort. 8 Park Days. Maybe a partial 9th.

First time for my wife and kids, 7 and 9. (I’ve been Before. Way back in 2009) So so excited to finally take my family. Waiting 8 months is going to be torture. We’re all Disneyland veterans. We skipped going to DL last Christmas in Anticipation of this trip!

Our family will be there Dec 3-6! Hoping to rent DVC through a BRV owner but currently on a waitlist as they were already gone at her 11 month mark! If DVC doesn’t work out back up is POR (trying to decide whether or not to book and cancel or just keep waiting longer. Tried to talk my older daughter out of going (she doesn’t love it there) as then we could have 4 instead of 5 ppl which would give us more options, but she wants to go more than she wants to skip it.

Welcome! Added.

 

[japanese maple]

We decided to take advantage of free dining since we were already going to be in the parks for 4 days. Since we had to rebook to get the deal, decided to switch things up and stay at Pop instead so we could use the Skyliner. Still there Dec. 21-26.

Updated.

 

[Disturbia]

We are thinking of maybe going. Still debating Christmas (not NY/NYE) (never been to MVMCP but have seen the parade when they offered it post Christmas 2022) vs lower crowds first week of Jan - starting Dec 28/29-Jan 4. I wish they would offer after hours the first week of Jan, looking back they didn’t offer them until the second week of Jan.

Price is the same even with The Disney Visa discount around Christmas vs no discount post Christmas because package prices drop. Deluxe suites are the same price as AOA Nemo (we like the 2 bathrooms and the 1 bedroom layout being on the Skyliner; kids don’t want the Poly (monorail waits were crazy long with a stroller) or Riviera - kids splash area unappealing to kids!). MK won’t have extended hours during Christmas week and the Epcot hours weren’t worth the runaround.

Rant: I cancelled our original package at the Contemporary because the CM said she applied the Disney Visa free dining discount but turned out she didn’t and she kept me on hold and assuring me she was talking to a supervisor and then when she got supposedly connected to this supervisor she hung up/disconnected. Maybe she was making a fool out of me or didn’t want to take responsibility for her mistake and was hoping I’d run our of charge? second call I was transferred to Guest Services who said she saw she was in my account but can’t see anything else-she said nothing she can do about it - I don’t believe that for a second.

Now DAS changes had us concerned.