***OI Meetup*** November 19-20, 2021

[RocketCityMama]

Yep, I think we'll go slow on Sat & Sun, for sure......I just know Friday, we'll be too excited to sleep in.

I get that! My young kiddo was about dead by 10-11, and was dragging bad. So we learned, esp since we are going back in May/June 2022, and we had a long trip this last time. We are focused on the meetup for 2 days, then decorations/shows mainly after. We will ride of course, but we will get so much done during the meetup, we are more about relaxing lol

@RocketCityMama Your comment about being tired has me thinking about our plan

We're only doing Friday's meet-up. We're arriving on Wednesday morning and leaving on Sunday night. We're experienced passholders and are staying at Cabana Bay. My travel companion is NOT a night person so I had already figured on a long mid-day break, but it sounds like that might be a mistake.

So I'm looking for some thoughts on Plan B - On Thursday, do our early entry/normal park opening, mid-day break, come back and close out the night (IOA closes at 7). Then on Friday do a slightly later wake-up, find a mid-morning table service breakfast at one of the hotels (any suggestions? I'm not a huge fan, but my travel partner is, the bigger variety the better), head back to Cabana Bay for some mid-day pool time, catch a nap and then head to the parks around 4ish. I want to partake in many of the free snacks through the meet-up so I kind of want to be a bit hungry.

Thoughts?

I think the B option is okay, I would be careful about too much pool time before the meetup, the sun and swimming can wear you out. I think if you have never been, it is easy to under estimate how tired you will be in the late night hours, esp if you are one to not stay up. Just remember food doesn’t start til an hour after the park closes.[/QUOTE]

 

[RocketCityMama]

20 Days!!!

Yay so excited and cannot wait!! We bought a bunch of stickers to hide and giveaway at the meetup and park days! We had a lot of fun finding treasures last June so wanted to do it this time around!

What is the first thing you want to eat?? What about ride??

​

 

[Krisshay13]

20 Days!!!

Yay so excited and cannot wait!! We bought a bunch of stickers to hide and giveaway at the meetup and park days! We had a lot of fun finding treasures last June so wanted to do it this time around!

What is the first thing you want to eat?? What about ride??

​

OMG...20 day mark. Didn't even realize......YIKES...and YIPPEE!!! LOL

 

[Krisshay13]

I get that! My young kiddo was about dead by 10-11, and was dragging bad. So we learned, esp since we are going back in May/June 2022, and we had a long trip this last time. We are focused on the meetup for 2 days, then decorations/shows mainly after. We will ride of course, but we will get so much done during the meetup, we are more about relaxing lol

completely understand!!! I was the one that speed walked ride to ride for years & knew how to get tons of Fastpasses @ Disney...and we would be worn out by day 3. After going more often & when FP+ was pulled for Covid, I actually enjoyed just taking my time.........and noticed things in the parks I had been missing.
So, once we are past the initial excitement of a new adventure.......I'm hoping for relaxed visits each day.

 

[maverik85]

A few tips: If you are still looking for hotel rooms, keep calling. If you want to change hotels, keep calling. Last week I was able to find just Sunday night at RPR and over the weekend I was able to add one more day and get Saturday night with the Informer rate. Guest services was able to just modify my existing reservation without having to do 2 separate ones. Don't forget if you are driving, parking rate at the hotels is reduced.
If tickets are "sold out" on informer website, never hurts to email them and double-check as I was able to get 2 one-night tickets for Saturday. We went last year for a December meetup and it was awesome, but a bummer with weird food lines and no cut-through for the parks. This year they let me know that those things have been worked out, so surprising my daughter with a special trip because she loves Christmas and it's really a neat time with low crowds.

Agreed. Saw rooms open at RPR yesterday and was debating the cost from what we currently had, then had Canana Bay open in the evening so booked it.

 

[jdrum3]

20 Days!!!

Yay so excited and cannot wait!! We bought a bunch of stickers to hide and giveaway at the meetup and park days! We had a lot of fun finding treasures last June so wanted to do it this time around!

What is the first thing you want to eat?? What about ride??

​

Awesome that's so fun! First thing we will eat will be ribs/chicken/key lime cheesecake at Thunder Terrace in IOA and my guess is our first ride will be Velocicoaster, but may do that in reverse order or it may go bad for the rest of the night

 

[sandam1]

I think the B option is okay, I would be careful about too much pool time before the meetup, the sun and swimming can wear you out. I think if you have never been, it is easy to under estimate how tired you will be in the late night hours, esp if you are one to not stay up. Just remember food doesn’t start til an hour after the park closes.

[/QUOTE]

Just clarify "pool time" actually means more like floating around the lazy river and sitting by the pool, reading a book. But the point is well taken.

Question about how the food works - does that mean that there will be a period of an hour when you can't get anything (particularly looking at butterbeer)? How does that work?

 

[RocketCityMama]

Just clarify "pool time" actually means more like floating around the lazy river and sitting by the pool, reading a book. But the point is well taken.

Question about how the food works - does that mean that there will be a period of an hour when you can't get anything (particularly looking at butterbeer)? How does that work?
[/QUOTE]

Understand!

So in June, the parks closed at 7 pm on Friday night, free food/drinks started at 8pm. They close down for an hour it seems in the past to allow for closing of the registers and for food prep to begin for the meetup. So make sure you grab a drink/snack for that hour between. OI will be sending an email super soon about that information

 

[maverik85]

Are the water rides usually open during the meetups?

 

[jenushkask8s]

Just got my check-in email for 11/20!

We're Team Lighthouse again!

 

[GreyStr0ke]

Just got my check-in email for 11/20!

We're Team Lighthouse again!

Thank you for the notice! Just registered for the Pteranodon flyers!

 

[maverik85]

We’re Team Globe. Registered for Pteradon Flyers too, fingers crossed.
can’t wait only two weeks now until we leave.

 

[RocketCityMama]

Are the water rides usually open during the meetups?

Not usually, they were open this past June meetup as a special event thing, but normally no, esp in the "winter" months it seems.

Got my email, we are team lighthouse, yippee! Signed us up for the PFlyers lottery too, fingers crossed! Ready for all the food and drinks and rides and and and and lol

 

[RocketCityMama]

Also don't forget to stop by the hospitality table (one in each park) and pick up your FREE meetup button!! The ones in summer were cute!

 

[Krisshay13]

Whoo Hoo!!! Got my email....I guess you are talking about where to check in..LOL
We are Team Lighthouse!! Signed up for PFlyers!!!
Can't believe it's almost here!!!

 

[jenushkask8s]

We signed up for P Flyers, too! We didn't get picked last time so hoping we will this time!

 

[maverik85]

Whoo Hoo!!! Got my email....I guess you are talking about where to check in..LOL
We are Team Lighthouse!! Signed up for PFlyers!!!
Can't believe it's almost here!!!

If you are referring to the hospitality tables for the buttons, I think they mean the ones inside the parks. The maps listed one inside each park. IoA's is at Mythos and US's is at Lombard's

 

[SPAM]

Team lighthouse too! Fingers crossed on PFlyers, I’ve always wanted to ride.

 

[Hermione_12]

Team Globe here! Can't wait for the 19th to get here! We are ready for some butterbeer!

 

[jdrum3]

Team Globe here, just the 20th for us. We did a Dec meetup last year and spent most of our time in USF, so this time going to start the night in IOA. Looking forward to the Hogwarts light show, but we will miss the Macy's balloon walk-through and discussion with Santa. That was a fun interaction with no crowd.