To-Do List: Basic Less First Saturday, Second Sunday
TO-DO LIST: BASIC ITINERARY MINUS FIRST SATURDAY AND SECOND SUNDAY
(For a 180 day calendar, see this.)
Your To-Do list for the Walt Disney World version of the basic December itinerary that skips both the first Saturday and the second Sunday follows.
A. MORE THAN 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR PLANNED ARRIVAL DATE
1. Confirm your budget, planned dates, kids’ development paths and heights, and your transportation choice and its availability for your planned dates.
2. Make your plane reservations, if flying. Make any other needed transportation arrangements.
3. Set up your hotel and tickets. Call 407-939-7675 (preferred, because this allows you to tell the reservationist which building at your resort you wish to be in, which the new WDW website no longer allows you to do), or click here to use Disney’s online system.
- When the page opens, click “Book Vacation Packages”
- Add your dates, party size and age of your kids
- Set up your basic package:
- Click “Advanced Search”
- Click “I know the Resort I want.”
- In the drop down menu that appears, click to open, and scroll to pick your hotel
- Click “Dining Plan”
- Click “Continue”
- Wait
- Fix the options–a page will open that has selected several options for you, most of them wrong. You will need to fix in each section, and update the sections as you go.
- At the top of the page you will be put into the most expensive room. Click the button for the least expensive instead. (The views aren’t worth it for first time family visitors, except Animal Kingdom Lodge visitors should always pick a Savannah view)
- Click “Update” and wait
- Click, in the “Park Tickets and Options” section, the button in the upper right that says “Open.”
- Leave the “Park Hopper” box clicked, but unclick and “Water Parks and More” box
- Change the number of days in your tickets to 7
- Click “Update” and wait
- Click “Ground Transportation” and when it opens, click Disney’s Magical Express, and add your airline info
- Click “Continue” and wait
- Click “Select this Offer” at the bottom of the page and wait
- When the pricing pages shows up, unclick Trip Insurance (if offered)
- In the “Special Room Requests” section, click to open, then click “Refrigerator”
- If you are on the phone, tell the reservationist what room you want
- If a Polynesian guest, ask for a room on the third floor (quieter) in Rapa Nui or Tahiti. (These are 2 of the only 3 buildings with both the largest rooms and balconies on all floors, and are the 2 buildings closest to the Epcot monorail. You are in fact so close to TTC that you can take the express monorail home from the Magic Kingdom–much faster than the resort monorail.)
- If a Pop Century Guest, ask for a room on the 4th floor (quieter) in the 1970s area. (This is the only building group at Pop Century that does not surround a pool, so it will be quieter at night.)
- Complete the transaction with your credit card.
B. 181 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE
Go to the online restaurant reservations page here, set up an account if you don’t already have one, and practice trying to reserve restaurants.
This may well drive you crazy, but the site works better than it used to…and is likely the only way you can get your Cindy reservations done! (as the site opens up a new reservable day at 6a, whereas the phone reservation line opens at 7a).
Collect your restaurant reservations together. You will want to do them online in order of hardest to reserve first. This is how they are listed below.
C. EXACTLY 6am EST, EXACTLY 180 DAYS BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL DATE
(For an 180 day calendar, see this).
1. Be on the restaurant website here by at least 5:50am EST, and have your Cindy reservation all set up on the page. Keep refreshing, as you will be let in as soon as Disney’s system decides it is 6a.
Make as many of the following as you have patience for (try to get through at least Akershus), in the exact order listed:
- Cinderella’s Royal Table Lunch (dining plan, 2 credits): Wednesday at 11a or later if you can; earlier than 11 only if your sole option…
- Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue (dining plan, two credits): Monday 6:15p show. The other two times don’t work well
- San Angel Inn as Candlelight Processional Package for the 8:15 Candlelight Processional show (dining plan, 2 credits): Friday 5:30. Earlier OK but cuts into your pool/nap time; no later than 6:30p
- Crystal Palace (cash): Saturday lunchtime, no later than 4 hours before you need to leave your hotel to travel home
- Akershus Banquet (cash): Wednesday 6:30p if you can, but no earlier than 6:15p, no later than 8p
For those you don’t make online, make them by calling call (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463)
2. Go to the site for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and order tickets for your family for Tuesday (Cash)
D. CHECK THIS SITE IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERY FOLLOWING MONTH FOR ANY CHANGES.
E. NOTES ON PACKING, ETC. BEFORE YOU LEAVE
1. Check in online at the link you can find on this page
2. If you use Disney’s Magical Express, you do not need to collect your bags at the Orlando airport. Disney will get them for you and, eventually, deliver them directly to your room. Your bags may arrive hours after you do; so, depending on the weather forecasts, have a carry-on with an appropriate change of clothes for Orlando weather on Sunday, as you will almost certainly go to Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Sunday before your checked bags arrive.
3. Follow the instructions in the Magical Express packet you will receive in the mail regarding both tagging your bags pre-departure, and where to go at the Orlando airport to find your transport to your resort.
4. Bring a copy of your room reservation, confirmation numbers and any tickets for special events you may have received in the mail.
5. Pack breakfast utensils, as they are not always available in the gift shop: bowls, spoons, napkins
6. When you arrive at the hotel, look for the special “On-line Check-in” line, and get into it.
LINKS FOR THE BASIC ITINERARY LESS FIRST SATURDAY AND SECOND SUNDAY
LINKS TO DAILY GUIDANCE FOR BASIC ITINERARY AND VARIANTS
BASIC ITINERARY: Summary To-Do List Sat Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
BASIC ITINERARY LESS SECOND SUNDAY: Summary To-Do List Sat Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat
BASIC ITINERARY LESS FIRST SATURDAY: Summary To-Do List Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
BASIC ITINERARY LESS FIRST SATURDAY AND SECOND SUNDAY: Summary To-Do List Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat
BASIC ITINERARY 5 NIGHT VERSION: Summary To-Do List Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri
BASIC ITINERARY RELAXED VERSION: Summary To-Do List Sat Sun Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun Mon
ITINERARY LINKS
- For itinerary design goals and the basic December Itinerary, see this
- For shorter and longer itineraries targeted at the same December week, see this
- For itineraries covering all the other parts of the year, see this
- To design your own itinerary, see this
- For rides that might be skipped, see this
- For a comprehensive guide to rides and attractions, see this
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16 comments
I am 180 days away from leaving for Disney. I plan on making the reservations for the specific restautants now then making our reservations with hotel and HOPEFULLY free dining plan in August. I went to make reservations at Cinderellas Royal Table, which I was able to get for 3:55pm, however it was asking for advanced payment. Why is that? I booked for Akershus Royal Banquet Hall for the first day there instead which I was able to do without any problems. If I prepay for Cinderellas Royal Table then get the dining plan, will I get reimbursed that money? With 7 people going, it’s not cheap!
Amy, that’s standard for Cindy–only a couple of others work that way too–I think Hoop Dee Doo is another. If you end up with the dining plan, your hotel can fix it and remove the charge (there’s other ways to do it but the hotel is the simplest).
Thank you! I’ll be sure to reserve it for Wed Nov 29!
A couple more questions, does the San Angel Inn as Candlelight Processional Package require advanced payment? And when can I make the reservations for that? Also, We’re doing the 6 night/7 day trip Nov 26- Dec 2. How do I figure that in to the schedule you provided that shows arriving on a Sunday and leaving on a Saturday?
Hi Amy!
On the itinerary http://yourfirstvisit.net/planning-your-first-family-trip/basic-itinerary/alternative-itineraries/shorter-and-longer-itineraries-for-the-december-week/basic-itinerary-less-first-saturday-and-second-sunday/
Do what it shows as Sunday night on Monday night–altho you wont be able to stay at HS as late Mon nite as you would have Sunday
Do Tues-Friday as is
On Saturday, do what it shows on Monday
On Sunday, do what it shows on Saturday
The Candlelight stuff details should be announced this summer–last year it was late July–and it will be bookable then. I’d bet you will have to pre-pay. See this: http://yourfirstvisit.net/2011/05/09/the-candlelight-processional-and-candlelight-dinner-package-at-walt-disney-world/
Thank you so much!!! You really do rock!!!
Oh Amy, I used to rock, now I mostly roll….
Is the Cinderella Table usually available 180 days in advance? I tried this morning just to see if I could pull it up and I couldnt. I’m not planning on making the reservation for it until tomorrow (which will make my reservation for Wed Nov 28) but now I’m very worried I wont be able to book a reservation there at all.
Nevermind, I answered my own question! When I try now, I am able to pull up a reservation!!!!
I now have all my dining reservations made, except for the Candlelight thing which I will do later this summer!! The only thing I changed was eating at Chef Mickey instead of the Crystal Palace. My daughter is scared to death of Tigger, so I thought that wouldn’t be a good idea to eat there, lol!! Thank you so much for your help!!!
Sounds great Amy, especially that whole Tigger thing!
One more question. One of my coworkers recommended Fantasmic. Would you recommend this for first time Disney goers? Or should we wait to do this on a return trip?
Hi Amy, Fantasmic is in all my itineraries and is a don’t miss. See this: http://yourfirstvisit.net/2010/10/19/review-fantasmic-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/ and also this: http://yourfirstvisit.net/2011/03/09/the-comprehensive-guide-to-walt-disney-world-rides-and-attractions/
AHH! I see it now! Not sure how I missed it before
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