I'm planning to share some reviews, as well, but this post will serve as my general overview of the trip. I'll also provide a heads up on our plans for the next few trips so we can benchmark how close we hit the mark when we actually book those trips.
Things We Learned
- Early December is a pretty good time to visit.
- The weather is cooler, the holiday decor is breathtaking, and the crowds are somewhat lighter, but the cast members seemed to be crankier. Maybe they are dreading the upcoming holiday season?
Gingerbread display at Contemporary Resort
- Wait times posted for attractions are almost always 2x longer than the actual wait time.
- We waited in more lines this trip than any other trip we've taken. We couldn't get fastpasses for the new Slinky Dog Dash so we waited til 15 minutes before park closing and hopped in line. The first thing I noticed was that the posted wait time was 95 minutes, but I saw that same wait time posted earlier in the day when the line was much, much longer. I noted the time on my watch and checked again before we boarded the ride - we had only waited for 40 minutes.
- Other examples: Posted wait time for Na'vi River Journey was 65 minutes and we waited 35 minutes; posted wait time for Tower of Terror was 60 minutes and we waited 25 minutes.
Slinky Dog Dash in Toy Story Land
- Sometimes the hype for new lands/attractions/experiences is overblown.
- Everything I read about Toy Story Land hyped up the space (14 acres...later downgraded to 11 acres?) but it felt like a teeny, tiny dead end in the park.
- The "UP! A Great Bird Adventure Show" is "Flights of Wonder" with Up characters. I'm not trying to be a buzzkill on this one but it's really no different to me.
Statues of Russell and Dug in front of the UP! A Great Bird Adventure Show
- The fastest table-service meal is at park closing.
- We had a 9:25 reservation at Via Napoli - we were the last guests to be seated! - and I've never been so promptly watched after in all of my meals at Disney. Our food was still very good, it just happened to arrive at our table in a fraction of the time that it normally would. Also, the late reservation permitted us an intimate walk through World Showcase without all of the crowds.
The deserted Germany pavilion after park closing
- First class can be worth the price.
- As Patrick said many times throughout the trip, he really was hoping first class would be terrible so we wouldn't want to pay the money to book it every time. Unfortunately (fortunately?) he was wrong. We enjoyed every leg of the flight and will definitely be looking for more first class deals. We paid $650/person roundtrip on American Airlines; I don't think we'd pay over $1000/person but it's definitely worth the extra cost if we can catch it on sale.
First class breakfast on American Airlines
- Some things are better purchased off-property.
- This isn't a new lesson but we found something new to add to the list: branded ponchos from an Orlando Walgreens will cost you $5.99 for adult sizes but they are very sturdy and will last for several trips to come. Plus, they are big enough to cover me (a solidly plus-sized gal) and our backpack without any leaks or discomfort!
Staying dry while waiting for the Candlelight Processional to start
- New underwear, socks, and metatarsal pads are a MUST before any trip.
- Thought socks and underwear were a Christmas tradition? Think again! We picked up some new undies and Hanes FreshIQ cooling socks for Patrick, and he ended each day feeling much more refreshed (and less sweaty!) than on other trips. He says the new elasticity on the underwear and the cooling technology on the socks were lifesavers. Also, we both ordered metatarsal pads from Amazon and they were worth their weight in gold. I usually get blisters on the backs of my feet and Patrick gets blisters on the balls of his feet; I am happy to report that we both returned home with zero blisters this trip!
- Split stays aren't so bad.
- We were slightly dreading the split-stay because we thought it might disrupt our trip too much to move between properties, but it was actually quite nice to have a change of scenery and experience something new. We will probably continue to book split-stays for the foreseeable future as we think about our next DVC points purchase.
- DVC discounts are AMAZING.
- We saved about $300 on dining and souvenirs using our DVC discounts at restaurants and gift shops. That 20% discount really added up!
So what's next, you might ask? Well 2019 is a very exciting year with the opening of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge and we have a lot of unknowns to uncover. It's customary for Disney to offer DVC previews of the new expansion lands before they open to the public, so we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for those options. If we get a DVC preview (at either Disneyland or Disney World, or both) then we'll be making quick 2-3 day trips to see them.
The future entrance to Star Wars Galaxy's Edge in Hollywood Studios
Aside from Star Wars Galaxy's Edge previews, we're planning our next Disney World vacation in mid-January 2020 for even cooler weather and a chance to visit the Epcot International Festival of the Arts. We'll likely plan this trip with a split-stay at Polynesian and Beach Club resorts so that we can be closer to the action at Hollywood Studios. More details to come!
