Am I Crazy?

[DisneyStarWisher]

I teach middle school, and my intern this year is from China. She just told me that she would like to go to WDW over Spring Break--which is in two weeks!!! We have come up with this crazy plan to go! I've never planned a last-minute trip like this. I am a compulsive planner!!! Here's what I'm thinking, but please give me any tips you can think of.
1) Transportation: We will probably drive which is what I'm used to. If we do end up flying, ME provides ground transportation only if you are staying on-property, correct?
2) Hotel: I'm sure everything is BOOKED! It's Spring Break!!! I own DVC and checked the site, but nothing much is available unless we move rooms. Plus I'm needing to go for CHEAP! I checked Baymont Inn in Celebration which is about 2 miles for AKV. It has availability and for $59 (AAA rate). We would split the room, so about $30/night/person. Would this be the best way to go since we won't be in the room much?
3) Tickets: I have NE tickets, but not sure I want to use them for this trip. I need to save them for my family trips. I can get a DVC discount right now, but I'm thinking we will just do a 3-day ticket so that discount doesn't work on that many days. I know about Undercover Tourist, but I have extra Disney GCs from churning, so I'm thinking of just buying them through Disney. If we do 3 days, we will do one day in MK, AKV, and Epcot. Or should we Park Hop? I'm sure that would be better since it will be extra crowded.
4) I have an MDE account already set up for my trip in June. Should I set up another account just for this trip, so things don't get crazy? I'm still learning about all this MDE stuff! If we stay off-site, we won't get Magic Bands unless we pay for them, right? We can just use our plastic ticket to get into parks and charge things, right?
5) What about FPs? Am I out of luck this close to the trip?
6) Food: I figure we will just do CS to save time and money. Probably not a lot of ADRs available right now anyway???
Any advice you can give quickly will be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[mrzrich]

If its just the 2 of you, I can check to see what FP are available as I have 2 AP's with no current FP sitting on them. Give me your dates and I will check for you.

 

[DWillowBay]

Go for it! How generous a person you are for even considering it! What a great memory your intern would have.

 

[mrzrich]

As for ADR's, you can check those right now, doesn't cost a thing to check

 

[mrzrich]

I have considered that Baymont Celebration myself. You can not beat the location. Take the Sherbeth Road entrance right in. It's literally a minute from property.

 

[pktbMouse]

Never speak to me with the words "spring break" and "Disney" in the same sentence ever again..lol nuff said.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

If its just the 2 of you, I can check to see what FP are available as I have 2 AP's with no current FP sitting on them. Give me your dates and I will check for you.

Our Spring Break is April 11-15.

Never speak to me with the words "spring break" and "Disney" in the same sentence ever again..lol nuff said.

LOL! I actually asked her how she did with crowds since Spring Break was one of the busiest times. She said, "Uh, I'm from China!" It was hilarious. Now I, on the other hand, don't do so well with crowds, but I will manage. I've been at Christmas twice.

ETA: I just looked at the crowd calendar and it's 5s and 6s the whole week. I figured it would be wild, but I guess because it's not near Easter, it's not bad. Woohoo!!!

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I have considered that Baymont Celebration myself. You can not beat the location. Take the Sherbeth Road entrance right in. It's literally a minute from property.

We are staying there for one night in June at the beginning of our trip, so this will give me a preview. It will be a far cry from the DVC rooms, for sure. But we won't be in the room much, so I will manage.

 

[mrzrich]

Never speak to me with the words "spring break" and "Disney" in the same sentence ever again..lol nuff said.

EH...BUT...with the early Easter, After this week most Spring Breaks will be over. Yes I realize some schools still have not had their breaks, but MOST have.

Disney Blacks out passes during the dates they project the highest crowds. This year, those dates were March 19-April 1.

 

[mrzrich]

I realize that you are trying to do this as cheaply as possible, but POP is available on Orbitz for $105 a night when you use promo code SURFSUP at check out

 

[mrzrich]

Never speak to me with the words "spring break" and "Disney" in the same sentence ever again..lol nuff said.

Also, the intern is from China....this may be her one and only chance. You can not pass this up.

 

[mrzrich]

Just checked
MK on April 12- Other than SDMT and Anna and Elsa you are ok. (Parades and Wishes FP are no more...lots of conversation on the boards about that)
AK April 13- everything is available
Epcot April 14th-Everything is available. (well besides Soarin because that's closed)

 

[Ava83]

I hope you don't mind, but I just looked real quick and rooms are available at Pop and other hotels. I'm not sure what your DVC discount/not paying for parking would make it worth it but you may be able to stay on site.

I hope this works out for you both!

 

[mrzrich]

Living Vicariously through you....

4/12-4/15 at Pop with 3 day base ticket is $1,003, with QSDP $1300, with DDP $1400

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

You will not have problems getting ADRs - especially for 2. We did a last minute trip last year and all of the ADRs that we wanted opened up when we were there. You will have a ball. Enjoy!

 

[aggiedog]

As long as you go knowing this isn't your "usual" WDW vacation, you'll have a blast. We've been several times with my family and always stay at a Deluxe, usually a 2 bdr villa. We plan hard, pore over dinner choices, spend time at the pool in the afternoons, then go back to the park later that night. So, when I volunteered to chaperone the HS band trip last year, it was a vastly different experience! No less fun, but different. We stayed at a decent hotel off property, and only saw it for early breakfast and then to pass out into our beds at midnight when we got back to the room. We couldn't make any FP or ADR's because of the way the group travel bit worked. We just went with the flow, and had a blast.

Short answer, no, you're not crazy, you'll have a great time, especially showing a newbie around. Just acknowledge up front that this is not your typical WDW vacay.

 

[mrzrich]

1:55 pm lunch for 2 available at BOG

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Thanks for the info about the rooms. I'll check those out. How much is parking now?

I totally realize this will be vastly different than my usual trips, but I'm fine with that. It keeps everything new. I just hope I can keep up. I'm almost 20 years older than she is! She does feel like this may be her only chance to go. She goes back to Beijing this summer to graduate from college, but she does plan to come back to the U.S. for next school year. Without saying too much, she will probably not be teaching anywhere near this area next year. This is the best time for her to go!

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

I teach middle school, and my intern this year is from China. She just told me that she would like to go to WDW over Spring Break--which is in two weeks!!! We have come up with this crazy plan to go! I've never planned a last-minute trip like this. I am a compulsive planner!!! Here's what I'm thinking, but please give me any tips you can think of.
1) Transportation: We will probably drive which is what I'm used to. If we do end up flying, ME provides ground transportation only if you are staying on-property, correct?
2) Hotel: I'm sure everything is BOOKED! It's Spring Break!!! I own DVC and checked the site, but nothing much is available unless we move rooms. Plus I'm needing to go for CHEAP! I checked Baymont Inn in Celebration which is about 2 miles for AKV. It has availability and for $59 (AAA rate). We would split the room, so about $30/night/person. Would this be the best way to go since we won't be in the room much?
3) Tickets: I have NE tickets, but not sure I want to use them for this trip. I need to save them for my family trips. I can get a DVC discount right now, but I'm thinking we will just do a 3-day ticket so that discount doesn't work on that many days. I know about Undercover Tourist, but I have extra Disney GCs from churning, so I'm thinking of just buying them through Disney. If we do 3 days, we will do one day in MK, AKV, and Epcot. Or should we Park Hop? I'm sure that would be better since it will be extra crowded.
4) I have an MDE account already set up for my trip in June. Should I set up another account just for this trip, so things don't get crazy? I'm still learning about all this MDE stuff! If we stay off-site, we won't get Magic Bands unless we pay for them, right? We can just use our plastic ticket to get into parks and charge things, right?
5) What about FPs? Am I out of luck this close to the trip?
6) Food: I figure we will just do CS to save time and money. Probably not a lot of ADRs available right now anyway???
Any advice you can give quickly will be greatly appreciated!!!

The very best advice I can give is GO and don't think about what you're not able to do, enjoy what you are able to do!
So nice that you're taking your intern, what a gracious and lovely gift! (Even if you're splitting the cost, it involves,your time and energy) I'm sure she'll never forget the trip! (Crack. Me. Up. with the whole China/crowd remark!)
You've come to the right place for help!

So many helpful people!
Enjoy every minute, and take note of her reactions, they may be priceless!

 

[Ava83]

Looks like parking is $20.00 now.