ª"˜˜ª¤.¸Official Team August 2013 Thread!¸.¤ª˜˜"ª&#9733

[pigletto]

BTW.. DD and I booked all of our dining reservations in record time. We knew what we wanted (and what we have no chance of getting at this late date) and went with some old favourites. We will still have a car, so we're doing a Beach Day and at least one (if not two) water park days and plan to take it really easy. Staying onsite with free ddp means we aren't doing Annual Passes but I will have 2 day tickets to upgrade for our Christmas trip so that saves money.

The budget for offsite with groceries, meals, spending money, AP's and a car was $4458. Now? It's $3870 with tickets, food ,car, room and all spending money

I was looking forward to more space and eating differently but I could not pass up POFQ and saving over $500 dollars!!

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Hi, I have a question for you experienced folks. I changed from POFQ to POR today for the higher discount, garden view. My TA put in my building preferences, but told me not to do on-line check in as her noted would be erased. Does anyone know if that's true? Thanks.

In the past, I believe online check-in would place you in a room as quickly as possible, even if it meant your special requests would not be filled. However, if I remember correctly from last year, the online check-in system now asks if checking in early or receiving your special requests is more important. So, I don't believe online check-in would erase your TA's notes. However, she may know something that we don't, or the system may interact with TA data in a different way. Also, with the new NextGen and online check-in changes, who knows what it will ask or how it will act for this year. So, if those special requests are very important to you, I would probably follow your TA's advice and not do online check-in.

 

[LBlovesM&WDW]

I just got a free dining pin code for the last week of August!!

It actually makes it cheaper to stay onsite than off so Port Orleans French Quarter here we come!

I will list the details of the PIN here so you guys know what to look for and there are two reasons I could have got it. One because I hadn't booked onsite so as far as they knew I wasn't coming and it says "Since you've been here before we wanted to make it easy for you to come back and see us again!"

The other reason I may have got it is I've been pricing out onsite trips the past few days. So don't lose hope.. call and check .. there IS a free dining pin the last week of August out there!

Here are the details..



It excludes campsites, Little Mermaid rooms and 3 bedroom suites.

I also just got this pin, but sadly we aren't able to go that late. So close and yet so far--frustrating!

 

[sktjcox]

In the past, I believe online check-in would place you in a room as quickly as possible, even if it meant your special requests would not be filled. However, if I remember correctly from last year, the online check-in system now asks if checking in early or receiving your special requests is more important. So, I don't believe online check-in would erase your TA's notes. However, she may know something that we don't, or the system may interact with TA data in a different way. Also, with the new NextGen and online check-in changes, who knows what it will ask or how it will act for this year. So, if those special requests are very important to you, I would probably follow your TA's advice and not do online check-in.

Thanks!

 

[akayf]

QOTD: Now that final August offers have been released this morning, are you adding onto or changing your reservation?

Didn't change our plans and just had the discount applied to our current reservation...we're still doing 5 nights at the Contemporary but we saved 637! If I'm doing my math correctly, that is basically the same as free dining for 2 adults and 1 child.

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Didn't change our plans and just had the discount applied to our current reservation...we're still doing 5 nights at the Contemporary but we saved 637! If I'm doing my math correctly, that is basically the same as free dining for 2 adults and 1 child.

That's awesome! I'm glad so many people were able to get a good discount!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Just arrived at work this morning, checked my email, and there was a free dining PIN (the same dates and conditions as pigletto has posted). How's that for random? I haven't stayed onsite since January 2009, haven't been pricing out any vacations on their website, and this is to my WORK email, not my home one . Wish I could share it with someone who could use it!

 

[julieanddanny]

I just got a free dining pin code for the last week of August!!

It actually makes it cheaper to stay onsite than off so Port Orleans French Quarter here we come!

I will list the details of the PIN here so you guys know what to look for and there are two reasons I could have got it. One because I hadn't booked onsite so as far as they knew I wasn't coming and it says "Since you've been here before we wanted to make it easy for you to come back and see us again!"

The other reason I may have got it is I've been pricing out onsite trips the past few days. So don't lose hope.. call and check .. there IS a free dining pin the last week of August out there!

Here are the details..

It excludes campsites, Little Mermaid rooms and 3 bedroom suites.

I had a feeling you'd make it onsite at some point before the trip . Congrats!

 

[kristenm514]

Oh man, what I wouldn't do for a free dining PIN. Since we are already booked onsite (but thru a TA), I don't think it will happen for us. Saaaaad!!!

 

[pigletto]

Just arrived at work this morning, checked my email, and there was a free dining PIN (the same dates and conditions as pigletto has posted). How's that for random? I haven't stayed onsite since January 2009, haven't been pricing out any vacations on their website, and this is to my WORK email, not my home one . Wish I could share it with someone who could use it!

This confirms it. I noticed it was quite a few Canadians getting them so I think they targeted Canadian past guests with this offer. I know lots of Americans got them too, but I am thinking they were geographic in some way.

And Gina.. I am shocked and slightly disappointed in you. You have a prime opportunity to make fun of me here and you're just letting it slide by

I had a feeling you'd make it onsite at some point before the trip . Congrats!

Thank you!! Yep, once I started thinking in that direction it was all I could do not to switch. The money saved was really the driving decision.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

And Gina.. I am shocked and slightly disappointed in you. You have a prime opportunity to make fun of me here and you're just letting it slide by

You have no idea how hard its been .

But I thought, I can't pull her chain ALL the time.

However, since you have brought it up...... :

Just kidding. I am glad you got an onsite offer that saves you some cash AND makes your trip into the experience you had really wanted!!

 

[pigletto]

You have no idea how hard its been .

But I thought, I can't pull her chain ALL the time.

However, since you have brought it up...... :

Just kidding. I am glad you got an onsite offer that saves you some cash AND makes your trip into the experience you had really wanted!!

I am pretty good natured about being teased about this because even *I* realize how ridiculous I am

 

[YukiPhnx]

THANK YOU Sarah (SenecaWolf) for starting this thread. I don't know how I could get through my work days without you guys.

I noticed there was a deal going around for Canadians too. Not sure where I saw it though....My bridesmaids still haven't booked their rooms but the deal is only for 3 days of their stay, so I'm not sure if they'll take it and make 2 separate reservations.

 

[Koh1977]

THANK YOU Sarah (SenecaWolf) for starting this thread. I don't know how I could get through my work days without you guys.

I noticed there was a deal going around for Canadians too. Not sure where I saw it though....My bridesmaids still haven't booked their rooms but the deal is only for 3 days of their stay, so I'm not sure if they'll take it and make 2 separate reservations.

When and where's the wedding??

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[YukiPhnx]

When and where's the wedding??

The wedding will be 2 days before our Disneymoon on Aug 10, back home in Canada.

But I'm taking 8 other people with me, including my bridesmaids, cousins, and siblings! It's going to be a busy honeymoon, haha

 

[squirrel4569]

Congrats to all who got pins! Those dates wouldn't work for us as school starts in Texas before Labor Day. We actually have a shorter trip than we'd like because we have to be back Friday night to have "Meet the Teacher" night and find out what class DD1 will be in come Monday morning.

We're at 99 days today! Woohoo! Double digit dance!

To pass the time since I have all of our ADRs all set (except for BOG) and there isn't much to do between now and then I started poking around at cruise times and costs for next year. We're considering doing a half and half trip where we do a few days at the parks and then a few days on a cruise. With our dates that we had in mind I think we could do 5 park days and then 3 cruise days to wind down. Of course 3 days on a cruise is the same price as a week at WDW but many have said it's a wonderful time. We've never cruised before so a short cruise sounds like a good intro. Also would be a nice way to wind down from a Disney trip since they can be pretty taxing.

 

[Koh1977]

12 weeks from now, we will have checked into AKL and headed to MK for lunch!

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[joshsmom]

12 weeks from now, we will have checked into AKL and headed to MK for lunch!

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Ours was 12 weeks from yesterday we will be checked into ASMo and headed to MK to get our APs!!! Still hoping to get Wishes Dessert Party for our first night there!!

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

To pass the time since I have all of our ADRs all set (except for BOG) and there isn't much to do between now and then I started poking around at cruise times and costs for next year. We're considering doing a half and half trip where we do a few days at the parks and then a few days on a cruise. With our dates that we had in mind I think we could do 5 park days and then 3 cruise days to wind down. Of course 3 days on a cruise is the same price as a week at WDW but many have said it's a wonderful time. We've never cruised before so a short cruise sounds like a good intro. Also would be a nice way to wind down from a Disney trip since they can be pretty taxing.

Yay for cruising! Budget and timewise, we have done 3-day cruises with one day in the parks. Most people don't recommend short cruises, but I love them because they fit into schedules better and cost less (remember, the longer the cruise, the more you pay in daily onboard expenses like tips, activities, and drinks of the day!).

Generally, the cheapest times to go would be January, February, and September (which also corresponds to the cheapest times at WDW). The fall is reasonably priced, too, and sometimes you can find good rates on select sailings throughout the year. There is alot of debate about cruising before or after Disney. Having done both, we now prefer having our WDW portion before the cruise. But be careful, once you catch the Disney cruise bug, it's hard to get rid of it!

 

[Koh1977]

Ours was 12 weeks from yesterday we will be checked into ASMo and headed to MK to get our APs!!! Still hoping to get Wishes Dessert Party for our first night there!!

I had an AP when I lived in Orlando area my first year out of college. It was nice, but I didn't use it as much as I should have or thought I would since it was just a day here or there.

Right now since DH is extremely against a Disney trip next year, APs would definitely not make sense, nor would a BB. But I'm kicking myself that we didn't think about it when we were there last September...

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