Hope they can add PHs! Seconding the recommendations to get them excited about entertainment (AK Merry Menagerie and Epcot Festival of the Holidays in case they make it there - if you set up a reservation finder for Akershus, that might swing the balance for at least a dinner in Epcot?) And relaxing at Boneyard/on animal trails in AK and on TSI/Casey Jr splash pad if weather allows in MK (would add Dumbo as a must do with the indoor playground). And if they are hesitating, encourage them to take a stroller, even if the 4-year-old no longer regularly uses it. Can be a huge help for navigating large crowds with littles at peak time!
My friend's last minute Christmas trip, aka "Make me say Ooooof! Na na na naaaa" (edited first post)
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Look, if you don’t have enough drama in your own everyday life, I’ll be happy to lend you some.
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This is the fun kind of drama (aka someone else’s!) I’ve got plenty of my own thanks! ha ha
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Now that I am off my fainting couch, i have a couple of suggestions. I would suggest the bring a few games to play in line. I know there are apps but even a few cards from Disney Apples to Apples could help make the line time more tolerable. Also, tell them that the reason for the plan is to save them from the inevitable debates/arguments of “where to next.” Having a plan gives them an outline to try to make sure they get to at least one thing that is important to each person. With my kids I would have them each list three things they wanted to do to make sure we were hitting their “must dos.”
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I feel the same way! I’m like, did she get them? Did she? I want to set alerts for characyer dining 
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This right here.
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For me this is like a game or challenge- we are going to make this work! It is going to be magical! 
I would be sad if it falls apart.
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Exactly. By contrast I spent a chunk of my morning crying when I learned a childhoods close friend’s momma (who was like a 2nd mom to all us teenagers) passed away. I’ll take this kind of drama any day. This is our wheelhouse. Death or illness can just stuff it.
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I am so sorry to hear this. They definitely can stuff it!
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Same… this is lighthearted fun stuff. After the last couple of months I could use this kind of drama too!
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Agreed…I really want to ride again, but even knowing how awesome it is, I wouldn’t pay extra for it. I’m stubborn though! Will wait for the evening.
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This is good perspective. We were at WDW during the week between Xmas and NYE 10-11 years ago. We did not have a touring plan. We stayed off site so no FP. I remember the parks being crowded and waiting in long lines. We definitely did not “accomplish” much but we did do some rides and no one had a bad time. It’s all about perspective. Over the 2-3 park days (we also went to UO), we were in KS line for over an hour, rode EE single rider, napped in MK, went on MILF, Buzz, Space, PPF, Meet Mickey (and I’m sure others). NYE fireworks were STUNNING but MK was slammed. Wall to walk people and a 2 hour wait to get on the boat to the TTC.
They really just need park reservations - they can choose to make the trip as complicated/detailed as they want.
ETA - we are going back for the first time since that NYE trip in Jan 2023. I’m obviously not taking this laissez-faire attitude with my own trip this time. I’ve got all of the reservations and a million touring plans with different scenarios. 
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So, friend and her kids left today. Husband is scheduled to fly out of wester Michigan on Friday, but she and I discussed how that’s not super likely to happen, given the predicted blizzard that’s supposed to last that whoooole day. Last I talked to her she was going to try and talk him into calling in Thursday and trying to get out that day (the storm will have already started, but it doesn’t look to get really nasty until later Thursday). Bummer if he can’t make it, but silver lining is that they won’t have to take 3 hours of park time to pick him up at the airport.
I managed to snag them an 8am Tusker House ADR for Christmas morning breakfast. AK is looking pretty good that day, but since she bought hoppers (before a MK reservation became available) and they could be finished with AK by 4pm (especially if her husband doesn’t make it down and they can’t use child swap on FoP or Everest… her daughter is 41"), I pointed out that she could buy G+ and try stacking LLs to finish the night at HS, since the kids would enjoy the shows there, and there’s only one ride her daughter can’t ride.
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Also, we had the stroller discussion and I made sure she knew that she for sure needed one, and was absolutely not going to try to use a Disney stroller, even if they’re available. We were looking at rental options (and also possibly carseat rentals), but then I looked at her airline site and convinced her to just gate check her own… she can push DD and various bags through the airports that way, which is a big deal since shell have both kids on her own.
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Aaaaand his flight is cancelled, so he was finally convinced to just call in sick tomorrow, and he’s booked on a flight that will (hopefully) have him out ahead of the storm and in Orlando by tomorrow evening.
Now the issue is that there are no APRs for MK that day (of course), but there is availability at Epcot, and Akershus is showing for a 3pm ADR. He can start at Epcot and hop after dinner, I told her to keep watching APRs though, because there may be a shift as others have their Friday flights cancelled or changed… the storm is hitting Chicago too, so a TON of United and Southwest connections are affected .
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My boss’s son is trying to get out of Detroit tomorrow and is hoping they don’t face this same issue. Glad he was able to get out and can hopefully work the reservations out.
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If he can get on a flight before like 5pm tomorrow he should be okay. I think the temps are supposed to drop and the ice will start after it gets dark. We’ve officially moved everything at work from Friday to tomorrow, and I’m hoping to be out of there by 3:30 to avoid the rush.
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Lo, there was a Christmas miracle and MK APR became available. However, they still want to do Akershus and a lengthy midday timeout, which I think is reasonable. 8am-11pm is a very long day, and for a 4 or 9 year old even more so.
I think maybe they’ll do G+, just so they can get a few more things done at MK. I am willing to help with that, and would even handle the reservations (especially now that I’ll be snowed in that day), but when I look at my F&F list only she shows up, not her husband and kids.
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There is a special setting I think she needs to change so you can see people she manages. I had to get Chat to help with a friend’s account for me.
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Anxiously following this thread, since my coworker recently announced her last minute trip to Disney World & Universal for post-Christmas and New Year’s Eve! 
She says she wants my help, but then she’s not forthcoming with the details on reservations she’s managed to secure. At least I conviced her that if she doesn’t see park reservations in MDE she doesn’t yet have them! And at least I talked her into making some dining reservations so they don’t have to survive on quick service for the entire trip. Let’s see how this all goes!
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