2011 Yacht & Beach Club FAQ, Part III- DO NOT POST HERE- Summer/Fall

[rusty4]

You never know ... in December, January, February and early March you could have one day with a high of 50 and the next day a high of 80. I'll keep my fingers crossed for at least one warm day for you. Personally, I'd much rather do the parks in a sweatshirt in 60 degrees than suffer through a day of 95 in the shade!

Thank you! We will be crossing our fingers and toes too. I agree with you that I prefer the parks when it is chilly compared to when it is hot. We have been in May ( our Honeymoon and my first trip 25 years ago), Sep, Nov (back in 2000 for our older boys first trip), Jan, Feb and early March. We prefer Jan and Feb. Hardly any lines and when there is at least you are not sweating to death. Though we would love to go for the Holiday time someday with Nathan. He has never been there then.

 

[msylvester01]

Hi all! I am new to the thread and very excited for our stay at the Beach Club Villas October 15-19 2012!! We had a fabulous time during our last stay this past October at Animal Kingdom - Kidani Villas!

I;m a planner by heart but only if it involved Disney. Looking forward to reading everyone's advice and asking for some myself.

Have a fabulous day!

Marie

 

[pixarmom]

Alaska? Alaska? I have been under the weather and a bit dizzy the last 2 days, but, I thought Teena went to Baja (my nieces went on a Disney cruise to Alaska the summer and loved it, btw.)
Well, sent away for the UT 10 day hopper yesterday, waiting until 11/15 for the newsletter saved me $1 additional to the regular discount, but now I have the thrill of waiting & wondering 'will the ticket make it in time.' Ah, yes, life on the edge (it's due no later than 11/28 and I leave 12/9 0500 - sooo I should be good.) If I really want to live dangerously, maybe I'll go mess around w/ my ADRs.

Please share any and all details that your nieces gave you regarding Alaska!!! Good luck with your tickets, but you'll be fine! And messing around with ADRs is one of my hobbies. Maybe it was better to stand at the Epcot kiosk in Future World and make your reservations for that night - but I don't think so!

 

[pixarmom]

Hi all! I am new to the thread and very excited for our stay at the Beach Club Villas October 15-19 2012!! We had a fabulous time during our last stay this past October at Animal Kingdom - Kidani Villas!

I;m a planner by heart but only if it involved Disney. Looking forward to reading everyone's advice and asking for some myself.

Have a fabulous day!

Marie

Welcome, Marie!!! Please let us know how we can all help! We stayed at AKL briefly in May and absolutely loved that Kidani pool - hope you also enjoy SAB as much as we do!

 

[rjvose17]

All done!

I just noticed your ticker. Have you been to the "Dark Side" before or is this your first trip? We were there in July. Lots of info in my trip report (Welcome Foolish Muggles), or if you want to cheat and just see the cliff notes, my final installment is "Top Ten Things" (Universal Hints)

Hi Dee!

Yes we have been to the "dark side" before. (My DH got a kick out of that btw) Anyways my sister, the one borrowing points used to live in Orlando and got us hooked on the theme parks back in 2000. I went twice in the 80's but that was back when it was only MK and Epcot, plus I was only about 7 at the time. We are also thrill junkies as far as coasters and things go so we don't miss a chance to get tossed around a bit. So since my sister has moved home they have only been back to Orlando once, this will be thier second trip with their kids. DH and I frequent as much as possible thats why we bought into DVC. We also own at a timeshare here in our town that we got dirt cheap and so does my sister. She and her husband are always saying that they would never buy DVC because of how great our other one is, but we explained to them that it's just not the same when you aren't on property. That being said we have finally convinced them to take some of our points and try a few days. We fell in love with beach club when we visited this passed visit in September and thought that they would enjoy it as well and were happy to be able to get them in.

With that being said, we went to Orlando in May of 2010. I had booked a package to get early entry into WWOHP, but then the team member at Universal basically talked me out of it saying it would be open so not to waste the extra money, this was since I wasn't going to stay there because we had a condo down the road I just wanted early entry. Well, about two weeks after that they made the announcement that it was going to open the week AFTER we were there to the public, and they stopped selling the packages. I WAS SO UPSET! I contacted Universal and they sent us all front of the line passes and a letter appologizing. I took the letter on the first day package holders were being allowed in for a 2 hour window and after speaking to several managers they let me in...tears and all Then the next day by some miracle I was able to just walk right in with the group, I brought my letter and no one even argued with me. So I got to check it out the first two days of "soft" openings. I too made a trip report about riding Forbidden Journey but don't have a link. I didn't really think to do much at the time and didn't realize that the thread was going to go crazy as it did. I was the first to make a report since as it seemed the people that were there weren't too many disboarders. I am a huge potter fan and love the land I just wish there was more of it.

What do you think of the WWOHP, Universal and IOA? We are also big fans of Aquatica too, Sea World used to be a big one for us, but since the Busch family sold it, we don't care for it as much. Aquatica (owned by Seaworld I know) is nice and quiet and clean, also it's small in comparison to the Disney water parks so a lot less walking! I saw the announcement that SW was expanding, but I am not too over the top with the new additions. I guess I am going to just have to see them for myself. Thanks again for all your help

 

[Sue M]

Lol!!! nope not there yet... BUT I am packed (looking at the MK Magical Express tag on my suitcase) and everything is done!! The car service is picking me up at 5am.... I will be sure to ask about resort wear and if there is any I will take pics. So where do I register to be able to post my pics online?? MM help!! I'll be posting live while there and will post pics to keep you all going until your next trips!!!

My first 2 nights are at BLT hopefully their bug issues are better or I'll just be hanging out up there at the roof top bar.... until I move on over to the YC!!! If anyone has anything they want a pic snapped of while I'm there just post and I'll do my best to get one for you!

~Nannette

Sooooo jealous Have a great trip!

 

[Sue M]

Just my opinion ... I think the BC is definitely worth the extra money but again, in MY opinion, not in January, February and early March when you don't know for sure if you can use Stormalong Bay. I personally think in January you probably aren't planning on swimming so although the BC is wonderful, is it worth that much extra money just for the larger room and the proximity to Epcot, not for me. Now the other months (including November and December because of the holiday decorations) when you might do the parks in the AM and then come back and enjoy SAB and then walk over to Epcot for dinner and then hit another park at night, DEFINITELY, the BC is the place to go.

I'm sure there are plenty of others here that will disagree with me but I think you might not enjoy the BC in early January (unless we have a HOT spell) as much as you might think.

I can see Teena's point. We stayed at Poly one Jan, and decided if we stay there again, it would be during the warm weather.
This Jan we booked WL!

 

[Sue M]

Thanks for sharing the pictures!

Wow! Great pics Teena! The cruise looks wonderful. How many vacays this year for you? You go girl!

 

[TeenaS]

Wow! Great pics Teena! The cruise looks wonderful. How many vacays this year for you? You go girl!

We had to make up for all that lost time at the beginning of the year. With the surgeries, radiation and kidney stuff, it seriously messed up my cruising for 2011. So once I got finished with that bad stuff, off we went.

 

[bellebookworm9]

Update: I will be at Disney January 11th-May 11th for the College Program. If you're going to be there during that time, I'd love to meet all of you!

 

[jaceraden]

It's after midnight here so I'm entitled to a pre-bed, single digit dance!

Also, HAPPY TRIP START to Nannette!!!

 

[sndral]

Please share any and all details that your nieces gave you regarding Alaska!!! Good luck with your tickets, but you'll be fine! And messing around with ADRs is one of my hobbies. Maybe it was better to stand at the Epcot kiosk in Future World and make your reservations for that night - but I don't think so!

I'll quiz them when I see them next week, the thing that stands out is that they fell in love with the lumberjacks on one of the excursions (realize they are 18 and 22.) And they were quite impressed w/ the glaciers calving, and of course they loved the ship (it was their second Disney cruise, the whole extended family did a Bahamas cruise in 2001.)

 

[nannette]

It's after midnight here so I'm entitled to a pre-bed, single digit dance!

Also, HAPPY TRIP START to Nannette!!!

Thanks!! woohooo for single digits!! It's 3:10am here and I'm wide awake.... Leaving for the airport at 5am. I'm like a little kid at Christmas when it comes to leaving day!!! So excited.. doesn't matter how many times we go it's the same each time!!!

~Nannette

 

[snoopy5386]

Woo Hoo!!! Our wait list for the beach club villas came through!! Can you add me to the roll call and the noodle swap? Our trip is from December 4-9.
Thanks!

 

[natebenma]

Hi Dee!

What do you think of the WWOHP, Universal and IOA?

Thanks for sharing your story. We had a great time this summer. I am a major HP freak (a "Griffindork"), so experiencing WWoHP was just amazing for me. The highlight of the trip for my MH (Muggle Husband) though was surprising the boys with a one-day visit to the Magic Kingdom- a spectacular day from start to finish!

 

[natebenma]

Hi all! I am new to the thread and very excited for our stay at the Beach Club Villas October 15-19 2012!! Marie

Marie

Woo Hoo!!! Our wait list for the beach club villas came through!! Can you add me to the roll call and the noodle swap? Our trip is from December 4-9.
Thanks!

Congrats and

I have added you both to our lists.

snoopy5386- could you contact jaceraden (11/26-12/3) and sandral (12/9) to coordinate the swap- either in person or through bell services. Thanks!

.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Hi Dee
just noticed your ticker and I'm wondering if you are
1) staying at the beach club with your "100 teenagers" (brave woman!!)?
2) doing a trip report?

I have to confess I love reading your reports, you always have amazing photos to share. I'd love it if you had another report on the go!

 

[natebenma]

Hi Dee
just noticed your ticker and I'm wondering if you are
1) staying at the beach club with your "100 teenagers" (brave woman!!)?
2) doing a trip report?

I have to confess I love reading your reports, you always have amazing photos to share. I'd love it if you had another report on the go!

Thanks so much for the kind words about my trip reports!!!

There is some good news and some bad news. The good news: I'm NOT staying at the Beach Club with 100 teenagers (good news for other guests).
The bad news: I'm not staying at the Beach Club

We will be staying at one of the All Stars, but I don't know which one yet.

And worse news- yesterday when I made my ticker, Nate was put on probation for the trip. He received a 4 (Unsatisfactory) in effort in his Life Skills (Home Ec) class. Now I know and like his teacher and she informally told me that he is not always prepared for class- he forgets to bring a pencil, but I can't picture in my wildest imagination that he is not participating in the class. I think if he gets another 4 during the year, he can't go. All his other effort grades were 1s with one 2 so this is not typical for him. I'll be checking into this today!!!

I can still go if he doesn't, right???

Yes, I plan on writing a TR- I'm already playing with a couple of titles:

"My trip with 100 teenagers: 200 eyes rolling simultaneously" or
"Going Comando does NOT mean one pair of undies is ok for a 5 day trip"

.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Thanks so much for the kind words about my trip reports!!!

There is some good news and some bad news. The good news: I'm NOT staying at the Beach Club with 100 teenagers (good news for other guests).
The bad news: I'm not staying at the Beach Club

At least you can still visit the beach club since you're so close by

We will be staying at one of the All Stars, but I don't know which one yet.

And worse news- yesterday when I made my ticker, Nate was put on probation for the trip. He received a 4 (Unsatisfactory) in effort in his Life Skills (Home Ec) class. Now I know and like his teacher and she informally told me that he is not always prepared for class- he forgets to bring a pencil, but I can't picture in my wildest imagination that he is not participating in the class. I think if he gets another 4 during the year, he can't go. All his other effort grades were 1s with one 2 so this is not typical for him. I'll be checking into this today!!!

Maybe Nates teacher is just trying to "shock" him into doing a wee bit more for this class because she knows he's capable of so much better. Fingers crossed he will get better grades soon

I can still go if he doesn't, right???

Absolutely (I think). Mum still gets to go because her grades are awesome

Yes, I plan on writing a TR- I'm already playing with a couple of titles:

"My trip with 100 teenagers: 200 eyes rolling simultaneously" or
"Going Comando does NOT mean one pair of undies is ok for a 5 day trip"

When my youngest was born I noticed his big brothers (aged10)undies appeared to be missing from the laundry basket. When I queried this with him he told me "dad said to help out so I was making less washing for you

.

I hope it all works out

 

[rusty4]

Thanks for sharing your story. We had a great time this summer. I am a major HP freak (a "Griffindork"), so experiencing WWoHP was just amazing for me. The highlight of the trip for my MH (Muggle Husband) though was surprising the boys with a one-day visit to the Magic Kingdom- a spectacular day from start to finish!

For DH's builders show this year 2 of the Universal hotels were offered. I really thought that Nathan would choose to go there. Once I told him that if we went there that there would be no Disney this trip he said "NO WAY"! This was after watching every HP movie from start to finish in about a weeks time. We did and do want to make it there someday but this trip is all about Disney. We even decided against taking a day to go there. This trip is about relaxing and strolling to DHS and Epcot as we please.