Christmas Trip 2010

For the last three years I have made an annual pilgrimage to Walt Disney World to see it in all its holiday glory.  2010 will make my fourth Christmas trip and I couldn’t be more excited about it!  Last week, I talked about all there is to see and do at Walt Disney World at Christmastime and I’m really looking forward to experiencing it all again.  While it may seem a little nutty to take time away from my crazy December schedule at home, the break away from the most stressful time of year is great.  At WDW I get to actually enjoy the holidays with friends even if I run around at breakneck speed (at least I’m not shopping, wrapping, or baking).  The time off from reality Disney provides couldn’t be more welcomed than in December.

Aside from the much needed get away, one of the main attractions for this year’s trip is WDW Today and Mouse Fan Travel’s Reunion.  There are several events scheduled for each day from December 1-5.  The guys from this fan favorite podcast will be on hand to greet listeners, hang out, and take in some favorite attractions around the parks.  I’m especially looking forward to is the DE-serts and DE-lights Party where folks lucky enough to have gotten tickets will be treated to a private viewing of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. These events are a great way to meet fellow Disney geeks, so if you can make it you should really try to come by.  I’ll be at several of these events throughout the long weekend so keep a look out for me and don’t be afraid to say hi!  The WDW Today hosts and and Mouse Fan travel always team up to put on great events, so I’m sure Reunion will be a blast.

Speaking of events Touringplans will be hosting our very own on December 3rd at 6:30! Meet us in the UK pavilion where we will treat readers, Lines users, and fans to the famous fish and chips while mingling with fellow Disney geeks. Most of the Touringplans staff will be on hand to hang out with all of the fine folks who come by for some fish and fun.  I’m really looking forward to meeting the few of my teammates I haven’t had the opportunity to hang out with yet and meeting as many readers as possible.  All of the previous Touringplans meets I have attended in the past have been a lot of fun, so this one is sure to to be a blast!  I hope to see many of you there!

Even with all of those exciting events to look forward to,I’m most excited to see my friendss.  Over the last year or so I have be lucky enough to form a bond with some of my fellow Disney fans that is so strong its hard to believe its real.  It may sound crazy, but these wonderful people have become my Disney family.  Our friendship started because of Disney World, but it goes so much further than that now.  We talk to each other about everything and are always there when someone needs a pick me up or to celebrate accomplishments and happy moments.  So you can imagine how thrilled I am that I get to spend a few days with some of the most important people in my life.  Our group is expanding all of the time so I’m also looking forward to meeting new people on this trip too!

Many of those friends and I will be staying at the Polynesian Resort this time around. I have stayed there before and absolutely loved it so I’m really looking forward to returning.  One of the best parts about staying at this resort is being on the monorail.  However, the Poly has an advantage over the other monorail resorts in that guests can walk to the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) from this resort.  For those readers who are not familiar with the monorail system, in order to get to Epcot one must transfer from the resort loop to the Epcot loop at the TTC.  When staying at the Polynesian guests can simply walk to the TTC without having to ride the monorail all the way around to make the switch.  Since I spend most of my time at Epcot, this is ideal for me.

I’m also looking forward to my stay at the Poly because it is simply gorgeous.  I love the lush landscaping and the setting on the lagoon.  I’m sure I will spend an evening watching the Magic  fireworks from the Polynesian’s beach.  I also really love the more laid back vibe at this resort.  The palm trees and long houses just make me feel relaxed even during a busy WDW trip.  Another highlight of stays at the Poly for me is grabbing breakfast at the Kona Cafe which is on my agenda twice during the trip.  If you haven’t been before I urge you to give it a shot.  Guests can easily make a reservation there and use it as an excuse to check out the resort if they haven’t had the pleasure of staying there.

As for getting ready for this journey, packing for my annual December trip is always a bit more complicated than getting ready for a trip in a typically warm month.  You never know what you’re going to get in December in Central Florida.  It could be 80 degrees on Thursday and 60 on Friday.  I dress in layers at this time of year to ensure I’m always warm enough.  I’ll bring a few sweaters that I can mix and match with whatever I might be wearing on a given day as well as short sleeve and long sleeve tops.  I generally don’t find it warm enough to wear shorts, but I know some of my friends will have them in their suitcases.  I may even stick a pair of mittens in my bag, just in case I should need them.

Well, I think that about sums up my plans for next week’s big trip!  I hope to see a lot of readers at the events held throughout the weekend!  Leave a comment and let me know if you’ll be traveling to WDW this holiday season (especially if our dates overlap) and what you’re looking forward too most.  While I’m away be sure to follow my adventures on Twitter: @khelmstetter

I’ll be taking next week off to enjoy the holiday weekend with family and friends and then to travel to WDW.  But, I’ll be back in two weeks to tell you all about my trip!  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!