2010 Fall Dining for DVISA Is Out (See FIRST page)'

[anorman]

Which is why we don't use Air Canada...I live 5 minutes from the Fredericton Airport - the fare last September was $785 per person - so we did the 3 hour drive to Bangor, ME and flew for $202 CDN per person (and the dollar was only at 89 cents US). That's what happens when there's a lack of competition....but I'm going back to Disney, even if I have to drive to Portland...

It was no better using either Westjet or Continental.....I checked.

 

[metsno1]

what airline do you usally take?? I fly from Roc to MCO too, usually airtran
we're waiting for the fares to go down. I never book them this early for August, but I'm hoping they will drop some. right now we can get it for $226 each roundtrip. if it holds that way for another week or so, I'll probably just book it. I always add in the cost of the bags and chosing the seats at purchase, because when I didn't do that, we were stuck in the very last row. talk about clostrophobia... no windows and last row for 2 1/2 hrs.
But, even with all that added in, they still beat Jetblue. jetblue doesn't charge for the first bag or chosing your seats in advance.

what are YOUR dates???
Melanie, from Rochester (Greece) NY

Hi Melanie....Yeah, we always fly AirTran to MCO. At one point, the non-stop fares were $76 each way. That was about a month ago, and I almost just went ahead and pulled the trigger. The total was just under $650!!

Our dates are still flexible. We're currently booked for August 14-28 with a free QSDP PIN, but the airfares for that day are over $1000. If and when FD comes out, I'll bump that to the 16th-30th or the 17th-31st, whichever offers better airfare. Tuesday's seem to be the lowest, and I can currently get flights for about $750, but not the non-stops. DW prefers to fly non-stop; hates the takeoffs and landings. I don't care, but truthfully, the cheaper options gets us into MCO around 5:00 PM, whereas the non-stop doesn't arrive until 7:30 PM. I'd rather do the earlier arrival, so we can get to the resort by 7:00, still have time for a nice relaxed dinner and hit the Dig Site at CSR!!

Unfortunately, neither Buffalo, Syracuse, or Ithaca offer comparable fares, and JetBlue can't compete with AirTran (plus they don't offer a non-stop).

 

[mking624]

Who you callin obsessed?

That's just the term I've heard. I have no idea what it's referring to.

 

[chimo2u]

Which is why we don't use Air Canada...I live 5 minutes from the Fredericton Airport - the fare last September was $785 per person - so we did the 3 hour drive to Bangor, ME and flew for $202 CDN per person (and the dollar was only at 89 cents US). That's what happens when there's a lack of competition....but I'm going back to Disney, even if I have to drive to Portland...

WOW!! at one time we could be neighbours...about 3 yrs ago, anyway, LOL I miss Oromocto (we where a 22 yr. military family and Oromocto was our home from 2001-2006)...Loved living only 5 min. from the airport! Well, posting saw us sent back to Edmonton in '06, and now hubby is retired from the Army and settled in a new career as a Sheriff! Loving it and we are settling into normal, civilian life, slowly but surely. I just wanted to give a big
I am looking forward to this trip as our airfare was pretty decent, West Jet Direct from Calgary. We have to drive 3 hours to Calgary and stay overnight in a hotel, but we are making it part of the holiday! I am looking forward to the direct, 5 hr trip with no layovers/changing planes! Price was about $950 for the 2 of us all taxes in.
Have fun on your trip!

 

[ShellyShellfish]

what airline do you usally take?? I fly from Roc to MCO too, usually airtran
we're waiting for the fares to go down. I never book them this early for August, but I'm hoping they will drop some. right now we can get it for $226 each roundtrip. if it holds that way for another week or so, I'll probably just book it. I always add in the cost of the bags and chosing the seats at purchase, because when I didn't do that, we were stuck in the very last row. talk about clostrophobia... no windows and last row for 2 1/2 hrs.
But, even with all that added in, they still beat Jetblue. jetblue doesn't charge for the first bag or chosing your seats in advance.

what are YOUR dates???
Melanie, from Rochester (Greece) NY

Just wanted to say hi from a fellow Rochesterian! I've been playing with dates - still have nothing set in stone - and airfare out of ROC is going as low as $175 up to $225 for us depending on the days. Of course, on Airtran.

About a month ago I had it down to $145, but we're not sure exactly when we're going yet.

 

[Janell]

Signing on to a great thread.

 

[asreiter]

We are going to drive from Saskatchewan, Canada and it will take us 36 - 40 hours but it is much cheaper than flying and it will be nice to see places we have never been...even if we are just passing by.

WOW, even I wouldn't try that!!! You will have an awesome time and get to see so much. Drive safely and enjoy your trip!!

 

[mari360]

Great thread.... I'm actually thinking of going this May 17 - 21 with the kids play and stay for free offer but if F/D comes out I might just wait until end of Aug.....

 

[gigi1313]

Great thread.... I'm actually thinking of going this May 17 - 21 with the kids play and stay for free offer but if F/D comes out I might just wait until end of Aug.....

watch your dates... when does kids play/stay free's booking window close?

 

[gigi1313]

i went back and found a few threads where i shared our Hurricane Francis story, so i am going to c&p most of it from right after we got back, 'cause i'd hate to get any of the deets wrong...

as we watched wishes on friday night before HF, it was as if all was right in the world... until it became time for park exit, because we are lollygaggers and were slow leaving, we were able to see the cms putting mesh bags around all glass light fixtures, stacking up and removing chairs and tables at outdoor cs' (like caseys), removing trash cans, etc... the place was *really* closing up for the night...

we were staying at pop century and when we got back to our rooms the night before the hurricane was predicted to hit, the mousekeepers had come around and super-stocked our rooms w/toilet paper, towels, shampoo, and extra garbage bags... the resort cm's were great about reminding people to stock their rooms w/30 hrs worth of food both by hanging notes on our doors, leaving voice mails and telling us in person at the food court area, etc plus they gave away free bags of ice when the machines ran out... they were even selling styrofoam coolers...

a thought i had was that while at wdw during the hurricane and the days leading up to it when there was much uncertainty and such, disney kept us very insulated from the real world...(the whole world, not just wdw)... if it were not for the well-timed messages and notes on our doors, it was business as usual... the cms went out of their way to keep a semblence of normalcy while if you stopped and thought about it, they had to be worried about their homes, their families, their safety...

anyway, as the storm neared (saturday morning), but had not yet hit, parks all closed for the day (actually two days), the buses stopped running, we were encouraged to stay at our resort, and cms were everywhere... while it was safe to venture outside your room and roam the resort, they offered tons of activities for kids (small bowling alley set up on the lobby, hula hoop contests, characters who really spent time interacting w/the kids, chalk drawing, and of course, the pool!) and adults (mousekeepers were teaching how to make towel animals!)... in addition, they offered disney movies on three different channels in the rooms...

the food court was selling meal packs at reasonable (read: not typical disney) prices... and more! (i believed it was a sandwich, a piece of fruit, a granola type bar and a bottle of water for $5)

once it was deemed dangerous to be outside (around 4pm), the food court and lobby were locked down, and we were instructed to return to our rooms and not leave 'til we got the "all clear" signal from disney... shortly thereafter a knock on the door and a cm was distributing flashlights should we lose power (never did)...

so, for 24 hours we enjoyed our resort room(s) (we had two connecting... PTL! dh could watch weather channel, kids/i could watch disney movies!), with regular updates on the resort phone (but they would leave vm, not ring the phone, it was great!)... and around 4pm the next day (sunday), we got the message to come out of our rooms... we saw ducks swimming in the pool, and the foodcourt was crowded at first, but otherwise, again, all was well...

that afternoon/evening, me and every other mom at PC met at the laundry rooms... it was a really nice escape, great company and practical too!

we went to Epcot on monday and it was like nothing ever happened... there was maybe a puddle or two to indicate that it had rained, but no signs of damage (yet the news was reporting damage all over the place, trees uprooted, etc... yet at wdw, not a leaf out of place!)... however it was *empty!* not sure where all the people went, but not to epcot! we even got a walk-in b'fast at akershus w/the princesses!

oh, and, because we had length of stay tix, we were compensated for the days that the parks were closed with UPHs for that number of days multiplied by the number of people in our party... 2 closed days, 4 in family, 8 ultimate park hoppers to be used w/in the next 20 years!

last but not least, because we were scheduled to fly out on monday, and the airlines were backed up from two days of no flying, we were able to switch our flight to wednesday and disney gave us a rate of $45/night/room!!! that, my friends, was a BARGAIN! (they were in a position where they could have gouged their customers, but didn't!)

basically, we were well cared for, well entertained, well informed (and well compensated)... it was truly a unique experience and it did not make our trip any less fun... different, yes! (i have since joked that wdw should come up w/a "hurricane package" that includes no park tickets and uncrustables and bottled water for all meals )... you know the ol' adage "a bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work?" well, "a hurricane at wdw is better than nice weather at home!"

 

[pinkle]

i went back and found a few threads where i shared our Hurricane Francis story, so i am going to c&p most of it from right after we got back, 'cause i'd hate to get any of the deets wrong...

anyway, as the storm neared (saturday morning), but had not yet hit, parks all closed for the day (actually two days), the buses stopped running, we were encouraged to stay at our resort, and cms were everywhere... while it was safe to venture outside your room and roam the resort, they offered tons of activities for kids (small bowling alley set up on the lobby, hula hoop contests, characters who really spent time interacting w/the kids, chalk drawing, and of course, the pool!) and adults (mousekeepers were teaching how to make towel animals!)... in addition, they offered disney movies on three different channels in the rooms...

the food court was selling meal packs at reasonable (read: not typical disney) prices... and more! (i believed it was a sandwich, a piece of fruit, a granola type bar and a bottle of water for $5)

once it was deemed dangerous to be outside (around 4pm), the food court and lobby were locked down, and we were instructed to return to our rooms and not leave 'til we got the "all clear" signal from disney... shortly thereafter a knock on the door and a cm was distributing flashlights should we lose power (never did)...

so, for 24 hours we enjoyed our resort room(s) (we had two connecting... PTL! dh could watch weather channel, kids/i could watch disney movies!), with regular updates on the resort phone (but they would leave vm, not ring the phone, it was great!)... and around 4pm the next day (sunday), we got the message to come out of our rooms... we saw ducks swimming in the pool, and the foodcourt was crowded at first, but otherwise, again, all was well...

that afternoon/evening, me and every other mom at PC met at the laundry rooms... it was a really nice escape, great company and practical too!

we went to Epcot on monday and it was like nothing ever happened... there was maybe a puddle or two to indicate that it had rained, but no signs of damage (yet the news was reporting damage all over the place, trees uprooted, etc... yet at wdw, not a leaf out of place!)... however it was *empty!* not sure where all the people went, but not to epcot! we even got a walk-in b'fast at akershus w/the princesses!

oh, and, because we had length of stay tix, we were compensated for the days that the parks were closed with UPHs for that number of days multiplied by the number of people in our party... 2 closed days, 4 in family, 8 ultimate park hoppers to be used w/in the next 20 years!

last but not least, because we were scheduled to fly out on monday, and the airlines were backed up from two days of no flying, we were able to switch our flight to wednesday and disney gave us a rate of $45/night/room!!! that, my friends, was a BARGAIN! (they were in a position where they could have gouged their customers, but didn't!)

basically, we were well cared for, well entertained, well informed (and well compensated)... it was truly a unique experience and it did not make our trip any less fun... different, yes! (i have since joked that wdw should come up w/a "hurricane package" that includes no park tickets and uncrustables and bottled water for all meals )... you know the ol' adage "a bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work?" well, "a hurricane at wdw is better than nice weather at home!"

sounds like you made the best of it i hope we aren't required to have that expereince this yeat

 

[Luvmepluto]

sounds like you made the best of it i hope we aren't required to have that expereince this yeat

I agree....I don't want that experience either. My friends went and they said it was a down pour. I am only going to accept the usual 4 pm Florida showers.

 

[gigi1313]

believe it or not, i would not hate it if it happened again... it forced us to rest and spend "real" time together, rather than running place to place side by side... it gave us that break in the middle of the trip that we swear every year we'll take but never do! LOL!

 

[zoie101]

does anyone book with aaa to get the perks (aaa parkpass)
thinking about adding on to the package we have AKL club 9 nites.
adding PO french for 3 more with aaa.\tia

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Wow, thanks for sharing your experience. That is amazing. Sounds like Disney really did their best to keep people happy. I would nearly bet that some of those who were there still complained that they didn't do enough. I don't want a hurricane to ever happen, because it can be a lot more devestating than what you described, but I can see what you mean about it giving you that time off you needed.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

does anyone book with aaa to get the perks (aaa parkpass)
thinking about adding on to the package we have AKL club 9 nites.
adding PO french for 3 more with aaa.\tia

I booked our last 2 trips with AAA. To be honest, we don't really use the perks that they offer. You get the storytime (which my kids are too old for), parade spot for Mk afternoon parade (only with certain packages, but we don't do the afternoon parade that often), parking pass (we don't drive) and I am sure there are others that I can't think of. We do get a $50 gift card this time around, because of the time that we booked. They were running a special for anyone who booked at that time.

 

[anorman]

still waiting. Any more news regarding May 3rd? Any changes to the rumor? or is everything status quo? I can't believe I've got to wait almost two more weeks to hear the fall promo.....I'm going to get an ulcer...

 

[Luvmepluto]

Wow, thanks for sharing your experience. That is amazing. Sounds like Disney really did their best to keep people happy. I would nearly bet that some of those who were there still complained that they didn't do enough. I don't want a hurricane to ever happen, because it can be a lot more devestating than what you described, but I can see what you mean about it giving you that time off you needed.

You know it. People complain on the boards all the time over the meals (they don't like the phone in Norway, they wished the phone was more like America) umm....?? what is the purpose of eating in another country?? the rooms(its not big enough, etc. etc.) How can you have fun if you are complaining? Just saying........

I always try to stay happy!!!

Is it May 3rd yet?

 

[Bimmy56]

I've read all 42 pages of this - pheww!! I have a question that I don't believe has been asked yet.

My daughter and I are going in late August. We have annual passes. If there is free dining - do we get free dining and the annual pass discount? I do know that we would also have to buy 2 one day tickets to get the free dining.

I'm guessing that we would have to choose one or the other - correct?

 

[DISNEYNY]

I've read all 42 pages of this - pheww!! I have a question that I don't believe has been asked yet.

My daughter and I are going in late August. We have annual passes. If there is free dining - do we get free dining and the annual pass discount? I do know that we would also have to buy 2 one day tickets to get the free dining.

I'm guessing that we would have to choose one or the other - correct?

Yes, you will have to choose one or the other. We also have annual passes.
We booked bounceback FD last year with one day tickets and rack rate at the resort.