***Official December 2017 thread!

[nancy155]

I just looked at the calendar and saw I have 22 days before I leave for Denver and will not be returning home before the flight out as I have meetings in Denver the day before the flight. OH MY. It is coming fast. YAY!!!

 

[Meeko5]

I've spent the morning working on decals for shirts...more fun than the laundry I should be doing!

 

[monica9]

We did a surprise Christmas gift for a Disney cruise last year and we left two days after Christmas. The best part of the video is how excited the kids are and how they jump up and hug me and thank me but not their dad! Lol. They know full well who planned everything! But he was a little hurt they did even acknowledge he had something to do with it!

That’s too funny. My daughter will definitely think it was me who planned it, which of course it was but she won’t realize I couldn’t have done it without her dad paying the bill which is the most important part lol!

 

[laraashley4]

We are surprising our kids as well. We leave 12/2, but will tell them Thanksgiving day so the grandparents (who aren’t going) can be a part of the excitement. Hopefully that will be enough time to prepare them for their first trip but not so long that I tire from hearing “when are we leaving?!?” Ha! I can’t decide how to tell them though. Thought about a little scavenger hunt with different clues along the way...suitcase, toy airplane, countdown calendar, and then magic bands wrapped around a Mickey and Minnie stuffed animal? Not sure if they will understand the magic bands though since they have never been. We’ve spent the past year talking about Disney and cool things that are there so they aren’t completely in the dark about what Disney World is, but have always responded with hopefully we can save enough money to go one day and we really don’t think they have a clue. Any other good ideas to surprise a 2.5 and 5 yr old with their first trip?

 

[monica9]

We are surprising our kids as well. We leave 12/2, but will tell them Thanksgiving day so the grandparents (who aren’t going) can be a part of the excitement. Hopefully that will be enough time to prepare them for their first trip but not so long that I tire from hearing “when are we leaving?!?” Ha! I can’t decide how to tell them though. Thought about a little scavenger hunt with different clues along the way...suitcase, toy airplane, countdown calendar, and then magic bands wrapped around a Mickey and Minnie stuffed animal? Not sure if they will understand the magic bands though since they have never been. We’ve spent the past year talking about Disney and cool things that are there so they aren’t completely in the dark about what Disney World is, but have always responded with hopefully we can save enough money to go one day and we really don’t think they have a clue. Any other good ideas to surprise a 2.5 and 5 yr old with their first trip?

Maybe for your children’s age wrap a big box that has Mickey balloons in it so when they open the box the balloons pop out. Or have them put a puzzle together that says they are going and have your 5 year old read it. At this point it’s more to suprise your 5 year old since the younger one might not get it.

 

[laraashley4]

Maybe for your children’s age wrap a big box that has Mickey balloons in it so when they open the box the balloons pop out. Or have them put a puzzle together that says they are going and have your 5 year old read it. At this point it’s more to suprise your 5 year old since the younger one might not get it.

Love the balloon idea! Yes, the surprise is definitely for our oldest. He is actually 4 and will turn 5 the day after Christmas. This trip originally started as a birthday present to him, but now we are just considering it a Christmas present for both of them and will do something else for his birthday. Poor December birthdays always getting Christmas and Birthday lumped together!

 

[monica9]

Love the balloon idea! Yes, the surprise is definitely for our oldest. He is actually 4 and will turn 5 the day after Christmas. This trip originally started as a birthday present to him, but now we are just considering it a Christmas present for both of them and will do something else for his birthday. Poor December birthdays always getting Christmas and Birthday lumped together!

Yes I agree about december babies. I’m December 31 so New Year’s Eve always gets in my way!!

 

[BigredNole]

Well, I unsuccessfully tried to see if SWA would move me to the less crowded flight 3 hours earlier. They were more than happy to for $132. I asked how full my flight was and they said it is close to being overbooked. I asked about the earlier one and she said it was half full. I then asked if they wanted the cheap route to free up seats and bump us to the other flight. I said I'll just wait until our flight and see what they offer instead of me paying them.

 

[Rich M]

Yes I agree about december babies. I’m December 31 so New Year’s Eve always gets in my way!!

I am in the same boat. December 30th for me. One year I got one shoe for Christmas and one for my birthday. Its rough.

 

[mfly]

Well, I unsuccessfully tried to see if SWA would move me to the less crowded flight 3 hours earlier. They were more than happy to for $132. I asked how full my flight was and they said it is close to being overbooked. I asked about the earlier one and she said it was half full. I then asked if they wanted the cheap route to free up seats and bump us to the other flight. I said I'll just wait until our flight and see what they offer instead of me paying them.

Just FYI - as of May of this year (after the United incident), Southwest no longer overbooks their flights. https://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/overbooking_faq.html

Also: even at the airport on the day of the flight, Southwest will not move you to a same-day flight unless you are willing to rebook and pay the fare difference. The only exception is for A-List travelers - they can fly same-day standby for free.

 

[BigredNole]

Good to know. Maybe I miss heard the lady. Maybe she said it was close to being booked. We are just sticking to our original time. Everything is revolving around a grocery store run. Delivery doesn't help and the price of 1 beer is the same as an Uber fare.

 

[monica9]

I am in the same boat. December 30th for me. One year I got one shoe for Christmas and one for my birthday. Its rough.

Haha. That’s too funny. I hated when I would get presents wrapped in Christmas paper. So all my parents did was wrap everything and then pick a couple to put to the side until the next week! Now I just compete with New Year’s Eve. No such thing as going out to eat since they jack the price up or have pre fixe meals.

 

[FinnsMom7]

Magic bands came today!!!!

 

[laraashley4]

I am in the same boat. December 30th for me. One year I got one shoe for Christmas and one for my birthday. Its rough.

Hahaha! I wouldn't think its funny if I was in your shoe(s) but this definitely made me giggle.

Haha. That’s too funny. I hated when I would get presents wrapped in Christmas paper. So all my parents did was wrap everything and then pick a couple to put to the side until the next week! Now I just compete with New Year’s Eve. No such thing as going out to eat since they jack the price up or have pre fixe meals.

I have already been guilty of realizing we didn't have any birthday paper on Christmas night when I am trying to wrap his birthday presents. Bad Mom!

 

[tarahill]

Love the balloon idea! Yes, the surprise is definitely for our oldest. He is actually 4 and will turn 5 the day after Christmas. This trip originally started as a birthday present to him, but now we are just considering it a Christmas present for both of them and will do something else for his birthday. Poor December birthdays always getting Christmas and Birthday lumped together!

We are going to Disney the week before Christmas as a present to the family. My son's birthday is the 23rd. We are going to do Star Wars Galactic Nights to celebrate him and he gets to plan the entire day. My daughters have been told he gets to pick rides, food, etc... and not to complain. Hopefully that will work out and he doesn't see it as a joint present...I will get him some small things to open. We are also meeting up with extended family at Disney Springs one night to go bowling. (My sister will be at Disney with her family and in-laws along with my sister-in-law who lives about an hour away. So we will have a birthday party for him there.)

 

[old feller]

Magicbands arrived today

 

[laraashley4]

We are going to Disney the week before Christmas as a present to the family. My son's birthday is the 23rd. We are going to do Star Wars Galactic Nights to celebrate him and he gets to plan the entire day. My daughters have been told he gets to pick rides, food, etc... and not to complain. Hopefully that will work out and he doesn't see it as a joint present...I will get him some small things to open. We are also meeting up with extended family at Disney Springs one night to go bowling. (My sister will be at Disney with her family and in-laws along with my sister-in-law who lives about an hour away. So we will have a birthday party for him there.)

We are using our HS day as my son's birthday celebration day. He is crazy about Star Wars, so I'm going to let most of that day revolve around his interests. Unfortunately, Sis is too young to appreciate that she needs to respect his decisions! Ha!

 

[nancy155]

Magic bands came today!!!!

Ours did too!! I called the grandchildren as they were sent to their home in Dallas, they were so excited!

 

[Herding_Cats]

I think I read somewhere else that you do, but just checking since some of you are receiving yours already....You DO get a shipping notification for magicbands, right? or a tracking number? my oldest likes to get the mail when he gets off the bus and this trip is a surprise. While I know that the boxes aren't overly identifying, my kids are used to me opening packages pretty much as soon as we get them and I would like to be able to intercept this particular one before he see it.

Also, scored a midday FoP FP for the 28th this morning! Super excited!

 

[BigredNole]

Well, I have decided we are just going to Uber to a grocery store the night we arrive and stay near MCO. By the time we are done with dinner it will be about 8:30. Uber to a grocery store and back will be about 45 minutes. This will be the first time not having a car since our disaster at POR. I am not one that enjoys a beer more simply because Disney is charging me $8 for it. The Uber ride to and from the grocery store pays for itself after just 2 beers. This way I don't have to pack snacks and breakfast stuff in a suitcase to take on a plane. There is a Super Walmart 3 miles from our hotel near MCO. fun sit down dinner at Hooters, Uber to Wallyworld, and Uber back to the hotel. My daughter loves Hooters, so it is convenient that it is right next to the hotel.