11 Day WDW trip w/photos (1/22/06)

[OurDogCisco]

Day 11:


Next...our final thoughts.

Hi.... Hope you haven't forgotten... I'm still interested in your final thoughts.

Tina

 

[Pgh janie]

Dairyou, I have read your entire report ... very, very nice!

What a handsome family!

Thanks for sharing your vacation

 

[sajetto]

That is a great report! Your pictures have made me really happy with my decision to stay at OKW for our honeymoon

 

[dairyou]

Hi Everyone.....On my PDA in bed. Last week Keith was ill...now its my turn along with Jordan. Stil want to post my final thoughts. Wil have to wait a couple more days. Deb

 

[never_enough_pooh]

Hope you feel better!

Anxiously awaiting your final thoughts!

Also, good for you for complaining about the surveyor who was rude!

 

[OurDogCisco]

Don't worry... Hope you feel better soon!

 

[MOMOFMNM]

get better soon!!

we can all wait til then!!!

 

[dairyou]

Hi Everyone!

I made it out of bed Thank you all for the well wishes. I will get my final thoughts out tomorrow.

Never Enough Pooh...I've enjoyed your live trip reports. I'm glad I was able to give something back to you. Keith mentioned getting a lap top soon. Hopefully for our next trip we'll be able to do a live report

Have a good night all. Look for the final thoughts to come out tomorrow sometime. I have to get some grocery shopping done, oh... and go to the library. Some school is good along with some house work. Reality is not very fun, but needed so we can go on the next vacation

Deb

 

[PrincessLindy]

sigh.... I am just homesick for OKW.

 

[dairyou]

Okay...here is the final trip report. First, let me tell you about another option we had in front of us 5 months ago when we planned this trip. We had just gotten off the DCL Repositioning cruise in September. Keith worked a couple of weeks (during the graveyard shift which he hates!) and realized it was time for another vacation planning. We had 3 options: (Option 1) 3 nights at OKW, 3 day DCL cruise, 5 nights at OKW. Now remember, I am basing everything on rented DVC points at $10.00 per point. We figured by the time we payed for the weekend at OKW we would only need to pay $500.00 to go on the 3 day cruise and it sails on Thursday, comes back Sunday. (Option 2) Stay at OKW for 7 nights. (Option 3) Stay at OKW for 4 nights, 2 nights at POFQ, 5 nights at OKW. After talking about it for a couple weeks, we can't really decide...so we ask the boys. They picked option 3 since we just got off a 14 day cruise..and who wouldn't want to stay longer so option 2 was a no go.

Hind site is always 20/20. Living through it, this is what we would have done instead. The 9 nights at OKW (Sunday through Thursday) cost us a total of 208 points for a 2 bedroom. An additional cost of 108 points is what it would have been to stay there for the weekend. At 10.00 per point that would be 1080.00. We stay at POFQ for 350.00 total. What we should have done is stayed the entire time at OKW in a 1 bedroom only. That would have cost us 232 points. To be honest it was hard to plan our meals. Unused portions had to be returned since we couldn't carry it with us to POFQ. Sleeping in a regular hotel room when you're used to a 2 bedroom was not pleasant. We purchased DVC to feel like we are at home while on vacation. That really interrupted the whole trip. It made our park plans a little difficult because I made sure we were gone alot while we were at POFQ. It made too many park days the first leg..too much relaxing the second leg. I would have scheduled Keith and Danny to golf on a Friday or Saturday, but didn't want to be in the hotel room with Jordan with nothing to do. So anyways, the 2 bedroom was magificent, but not worth the hassle it caused.

Cooking. I don't think I would change anything about that. I looked up how much a meatloaf meal would cost at the PrimeTime Cafe. Per person it was 14.00 times 4 people comes to $56.00 not including tax and gratuity. For dinner x's the 9 nights would come to a total of $504.00 for dinner alone. We spent 200.00 in groceries. I figure we're still 304.00 ahead. If you had breakfast and lunch...which are not the heaviest meal and less expensive.. I estimate another 500.00 for both meals. Eating in saved us probably 800.00. By cooking and saving the money we were able to stay an extra 4 nights in a 2 bedroom in OKW. Another 5 nights if we stayed in a 1 bedroom. I believe the Disney Dining Plan is 37.00 per person per day. The cost for the dining plan had we all been on it would come to $1,480.00. My meals may have not been the Teppanyaki or Le Cellier, but I think I cooked some pretty decent meals. So anyways, I hope I didnt loose you there.

All in all we had an excellent vacation. We spent time together as a family. We tried new rides and restraunts. We had down time to relax and didn't feel like we had to see everything. We went to the Kennedy Space Center and Universal Studios. Danny and Keith went golfing and had some father and son time together. Jordan and I had fun playing at Disney Quest.

So what did the entire vacation cost us? We spent $1400.00 on our 10 day non expiring park hopping plus tickets. We used 4 of the park days and 2 of the plus days. The cost per day...per person came to $35.00...total $560.00 for the 4 of us for 4 days at the park. We'll use 2 days for our November trip and the remaining 4 in 2008. The cost to stay at POFQ was $350.00. Our airfare was 900.00. Total spending in Orlando: Our tickets to Otronicon, food, souveniers, snacks, golfing ect..came up o $1245.00. If you average that for the 11 days we were there it came to $113.00 per day. Most of the cost was Keith and Danny's golfing trip and our meal to the Teppanyaki and Sci Fi Cafe which were both worth every penny. So total for our 11 day vacation from California...$3055.00. If you added the cost for our room it would be much higher! We love our timeshare!

So that's about it. I think the only thing I didn't mention that we would reconsider is doing the red eye out. After asking the boys and reading Tina's post, we've come to the conclusion that we will waste a day no matter what. Taking the red eye didn't save us any time except for being tired for the rest of the day. It did help us to get on Florida time pretty quick though.

If anybody has any questions, feel free to pm me Thanks for reading.. hope you enjoyed it. Deb

 

[MOMOFMNM]

we are planning a spilt stay like your family...we are getting a one br not a two btw...but my question is...if we do the hotel first then the DVC do you think that would have been better? We do plan on getting dining because our kids are all under 10 and at 11 a kid, we can't feed em any cheaper IMO...and we are not renting a car so no grocery shopping...that is what I personally like about vacation but I am happy it worked out well for you, you are a super mom-cook obviously!!

see they will transfer our luggage and we are going to do swan/dolphin for teacher rate or POR ab as we have 5 of us...but a one br will suit us just fine!! I think it may have been better if you had done the hotel before the villa or like you said get a 1 br instead...

what do you think about my split stay idea??

tia

btw we do not rent a car either but we may drive this time if we decide to stop in TN to see family over night...

 

[amburger]

Aww, I'm sad that it's over. I really enjoyed reading your report. Thanks again for sharing it. Loved all the pictures, too.

 

[dairyou]

we are planning a spilt stay like your family...we are getting a one br not a two btw...but my question is...if we do the hotel first then the DVC do you think that would have been better? We do plan on getting dining because our kids are all under 10 and at 11 a kid, we can't feed em any cheaper IMO...and we are not renting a car so no grocery shopping...that is what I personally like about vacation but I am happy it worked out well for you, you are a super mom-cook obviously!!

see they will transfer our luggage and we are going to do swan/dolphin for teacher rate or POR ab as we have 5 of us...but a one br will suit us just fine!! I think it may have been better if you had done the hotel before the villa or like you said get a 1 br instead...

what do you think about my split stay idea??



tia

btw we do not rent a car either but we may drive this time if we decide to stop in TN to see family over night...

Yes, I think you are better to stay at the hotel first. That way you'll go right into your DVC unit and will be able to get settled in. I think it won't be as difficult for you since you are not changing rooms 3 different times.

Since you're not planning on doing any cooking you should be fine. Though cooking was a little more challenging, the biggest problem for us was the size of the rooms. What is the room occupancy for a 1 bedroom DVC unit? We are thinking of taking a couple of the boys' friends. Is it up to 6 in a one bedroom?

Cooking is not for everyone. I think whatever fits your family is what's best for you. Have a great time on your vacation.

Deb

 

[MOMOFMNM]

Yes, I think you are better to stay at the hotel first. That way you'll go right into your DVC unit and will be able to get settled in. I think it won't be as difficult for you since you are not changing rooms 3 different times.

Since you're not planning on doing any cooking you should be fine. Though cooking was a little more challenging, the biggest problem for us was the size of the rooms. What is the room occupancy for a 1 bedroom DVC unit? We are thinking of taking a couple of the boys' friends. Is it up to 6 in a one bedroom?

Cooking is not for everyone. I think whatever fits your family is what's best for you. Have a great time on your vacation.

Deb

the unofficial count can be five but they will not provide bedding or linens for the 5th person...our girls can all fit in one bed or we can take an aerobed for the floor or even a sleeping bag!! I think for 6 you have to get a 2 br...

 

[never_enough_pooh]

Hi Everyone!

Never Enough Pooh...I've enjoyed your live trip reports. I'm glad I was able to give something back to you. Keith mentioned getting a lap top soon. Hopefully for our next trip we'll be able to do a live report

Deb

Awwww... how nice of you! I'm glad you enjoyed my live trip report (wish I was there now!!!). I've really enjoyed reading your trip report! Great pics!!!!

 

[datadoc_5]

Great Trip Report. We loved all of the pictures. I was wondering what kind of camera you have. It takes great pictures. We are going out in December of this year to OKW for two weeks in a Grand Villa. The whole family is super excited.

Again, great job on the Trip Report.

 

[dairyou]

Great Trip Report. We loved all of the pictures. I was wondering what kind of camera you have. It takes great pictures. We are going out in December of this year to OKW for two weeks in a Grand Villa. The whole family is super excited.

Again, great job on the Trip Report.

We have a Kodak digital camera. Its very easy to use for camera illiterate people like me. The only thing I wish was better is the zoom. It doesn't have the range my old camera has. We're pretty happy with it.

A grand villa? Awesome! We tried to get a group of friends to go with us but either they don't have the money or they didn't want to pull their kids out of school. I won't go in the summer time. Too hot and too busy

Have a great time on your trip. I hope you'll post a report when you come back!

Deb

 

[OurDogCisco]

Thanks for your final thoughts!!! I look forward to your next trip in November. Our next trip isn't until December 26th.

Tina