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[gemma2806]

Ok so I know I'm early with this but I'm getting so ridiculously over excited that I have to tell someone as my family and friends are sick to death of me going on about this trip!


Out of the three of us (myself, Dan and Jack) I am the only one that knows about this trip!


This will be Dan and Jack's first Christmas season trip to DLP and neither of them know they are going yet! This trip is in part a surprise birthday present for my other half Dan who since we've been together (nearly 7 years ago now) has been converted to a Disney fan. His birthday is on the 1st Nov so I only have to wait till Friday to tell him. Our son Jack is 4 and he went on his first Disney holiday in Sept 2012 and hasn't stopped talking about going back since (this is part of the reason I haven't told him as I would never hear the end of it!). I'm not telling Jack we're going until the day before we go!


We're booked into the Sequoia Lodge Hotel in a Golden Forest Lake View Room and I've emailed the hotel with a few special requests as an added surprise so I hope these requests are met. I love this hotel and so this is a really exciting trip for me, I just hope the Golden Forest level lives up to all the hype.


I've booked the restaurants and have completely gone over board with my budget but I reckon this will be our last trip till the 25th anniversary so I thought why not!


So far my itinerary stands as this:


Day 1: Arrival/Disneyand Park/Studios for the rides that are closed for the remainder of our stay/ dinner at Hunter's Grill.


Day 2: Fantasyland/ Main Street USA/ Lunch at Plaza Gardens Restaurant/Dinner at Casey's Corner/ Christmas Dreams!


Day 3: Studios/ lunch at Restaurant en Coulisse/ dinner at Planet Hollywood.


Day 4: Cafe Mickey Breakfast/ Adventureland/ Lunch at Agrabah Cafe/ Dinner at Rainforest Cafe.


Day 5: Frontierland/ Lunch at Inventions/ Dinner at Annette's Diner


Day 6: Discoveryland/ Fantasyland/ Lunch at Walt's/ Studios/ Adventureland/Frontierland/ Dinner at Lucky Nugget Saloon/ Christmas Dreams!


Day 7: All our favourite rides in Disneyland Park/ Lunch at Cowboy Cookout BBQ/ Favourite rides in the Studios/ Earl of Sandwich for sandwiches to go!


I've got to do some more in depth planning as I'm sad like that(!) but I can't really do this till the Christmas Season events programme comes out on the 10th November.


Apart from the above any spare time will be filled with whatever we fancy, such as shopping, Disney Village, swimming or attempting to (as anyone who has read last years trip report will understand!).


I'll update with reactions to the news and any extra info as it's planned!

[gemma2806]

Unfortunately I have just noticed that my other half has registered with the forum and so if he has got as far as the trip report section, my surprise birthday present may no longer be a surprise anymore!! 

[cazspence]

Delete it quickly

[gemma2806]

Fortunately he's not been back on since and I've dropped out a couple of questions and he hasn't made it this far yet! He said he won't be back on now till the weekend so I've gotten away with it! Yay x

[gemma2806]

Finally been able to tell him about the trip as it's Dan's birthday!!


He is soooooo excited now and it means we can start planning some bits together. He is such a big kid I don't know who is more excited now to go 


The only person who doesn't know now is Jack and we're keeping it that way for the next 22 sleeps. We'll tell him the day before we go 

[gemma2806]

Ok so far Day 1 is planned as follows:


We fly out from BHX to CDG at 9:20am so it will be a 5am get up for us, not so bad in the Summer when it's lighter but a real struggle in the dark at this time of year.


We are due to land at 11:40am local time and will be catching the VEA to the Sequoia Lodge. After check in we will either drop off our luggage in the room if it's ready or if not head straight to the parks.


I'm planning on a quick stop at World of Disney for an autograph book and pen for Jack then it's off to the Disneyland Park. I would like to take a tour of the park on the Disneyland Railroad but I know this is not always a good idea at this time of day due to queues but we will have to see.


The plan is to watch Captain EO before it closes as we have never seen this before and then grab a snack at Cable Car Bake Shop or somewhere similar as we will be missing lunch. Then it's over to the Studios Park to ride Cars Road Rally as this will be shut for the remainder of our stay and it is one of Jack's favourite rides. I'm also hoping to get the Motors Action Stunt Show out of the way as this takes up a good chunk of park touring time!


After this it will be a bit of shopping before heading back to the hotel for dinner at 6pm in the Hunters Grill. After dinner it'll be a walk round to Disney Village for some shopping in the Disney Store and then a little tradition on the first day is taking the mini train round the lake as Jack loves this. Then we'll walk round to Newport Bay as Dan likes having a drink in the Fisherman's Wharf Bar.


Then we'll head back to the hotel to make use of the Golden Forest Lounge for soft drinks before we have a cocktail in the bar and then head up to bed.


Now I can start to plan Day 2! 

[never2old]

Is the little train around the Disney Lake still running? I thought it had stopped!

Don't forget there's also the Christmas market in the DV, from what I've seen they're selling mostly food (and hot wine)!! 

[gemma2806]

The little train was there September last year! I hope it hasn't gone because as daft as it sounds it would disappoint Jack as he really liked this!


I was really hoping the DV would have it's stalls again!! They were great so yes we'll definitely add this to the list of things to do! We have the German Market in Birmingham every Christmas and my other half loves this so I'm sure he'll enjoy the DV stalls. Thanks for reminding me of those N2O x

[gemma2806]

Day 2


Early get up for breakfast followed by EMH in the Disneyland Park.


Definitely ride Buzz Lightyear and whatever else may be on EMH in Discoveryland. Does anyone know what replaces Space Mountain for EMH when this is being refurbished? It'll be EMH then in Fantasyland. I've never been in the Princess Pavilion so I will hopefully be queuing for this from 10:30!


Then it's the other rides in Fantasyland, try to squeeze in meet and greet Mickey Mouse. Then lunch is booked for 12noon at Plaza Gardens Restaurant. After this it's back to Fantasyland for shopping before heading to Main Street for the Christmas Cavalcade.


Then it'll be meet and greet Duffy and also Winnie the Pooh on Main Street followed by an afternoon of Christmas shopping in both Discovery and Liberty Arcades.


Dinner will be Casey's Corner before the Tree Lighting Ceremony followed by hot chocolate before the Castle Lighting Ceremony followed by Dreams of Christmas!


Finish the evening by shopping in Disney Village and a trip to the bar before an early night.


Now it's on to Day 3!

[gemma2806]

Day 3


Later start planned as we will do the Studios park today.


Plan to meet and greet Minnie Mouse in the Front Lot at park opening then straight over to Toy Story Playland.


More character meet and greets in Toon Studio as well as the rides and shows.


Lunch will be at Restaurant en Coulisse followed by a bit of shopping in Studio 1.


Aiming to see the Stars 'n' Cars Parade at 1:30 followed by all the shows and rides in Production Courtyard.


Last bit of shopping in the Front Lot followed by dinner at Planet Hollywood for 6pm.


More shopping in Disney Village and then back to the hotel for drinks before bed!

[Mitchell]

Love your plans!

[gemma2806]

Thanks Mitchell I'm working on Day 4 at the moment!


Making lists and planning keeps me sane on the countdown to go and I like to try and be prepared! I do tend to have backup plans as well just in case of bad weather or horrific crowd levels! 

[gemma2806]

Day 4


So I'm looking at a 7am get up and off to Cafe Mickey for breakfast at 8am.


Off to Adventureland today for rope drop and then it's the rides and exploring the land!


Lunch is possibly at Agrabah Cafe for 1pm then shopping.


Now comes some different options! Will either be having a free afternoon doing whatever rides we fancy in the Disneyland Park or maybe park hopping to the Studios or even back to the hotel for some swimming.


Alternative would be to leave the park at lunch and eat at Rainforest Cafe before heading to Frontierland to do some rides.


Would then stay to watch the Tree Lighting Ceremony/Castle Lighting and Dreams. Then either have a snack somewhere in the park or get something from Earl of Sandwich on the way back to the hotel.


Then the normal end to the day of shopping in Disney Village and drinks in the hotel!

[Aurora1]

You can order your drinks in the Golden Forest Club lounge, is the bar should be full. They bring them to you , for those you have to pay. But it`s nice and quit there! Have a wonderful trip!

[gemma2806]

Thanks Aurora I didn't know you could do that! That's a definite then, if it's too busy to get seats by the fire in the bar then we'll just stick to the Golden Forest Lounge and have our cocktails brought in there instead. Thanks again for the info. I'll let everyone know how the trip goes as I'm hoping to do a full trip report when I get back