*4/10*GF Cafe & final thoughts* Dead Lizards & Deluxe Dining: A December Trip Report

[lmillercrew]

Yay for DVC (future) purchasing!

 

[shannn]

Hey! That was a great post! I enjoyed reading about your dinner at the Yachtsman, b/c I have been wondering about it. I think you are totally right that any traveling with friends and or family can have its moments! AND you guys probably were tired! SO I am glad that the evening ended positively, and I am sure you both got a great sleep.

RE the resort choice, it is a hard thing to pin down... we all have different tastes, and like WigD said, there is something great about all of them!

The Yachtsman was definitely not bad, but there just wasn't anything outstanding about it to me. The other signatures I have been too have really stood out in my mind, and this just didn't have that.

I have to add that Shannn and I have had a quite a few giggles over the whole "resort drama" It's amazing what exhaustion can do to a person! I think I slept for about 2 days when we got home. But the exhaustion was sooo worth it!
To the pp planning a surprise trip for their friend, you can't imagine how amazing it is to have someone surprise you with Disney!!! Truly I can't even put it into words! Have fun planning and enjoy the moment!
As for the December trip.....I'll talk to Sam and tell him how "doable" it is Shannon!!!! Especially if you have DVC, an AP and TIW!!! Soooo doable!!!!!!!

Yep, I think our new nicknames are "boring" and "stuffy." It seemed so serious at the time, but now it just sounds so silly!

I'm trying to work on Sam. I keep telling him that there's just no way I'm going to be able to do only 2 trips with an AP.... it's just toooo tempting to run down there. (and after my surgery, I'll probably be a cheap date in restaurants too...)

What would a trip be without a little bit of drama? Maybe it was a temper tummy thing too....I get that way when I am hungry! Watch out!!
I say go for the most points that you can I have stayed at the Boardwalk but not the villas....can't be too terribly different. AND I think they just did a refurb It's a great location....and you like the hustle bustle With DVC I have only stayed at SSR and AKV....didn't like SSR....way too sprawled out and didn't like the buses...AKV is my home resort and I have stayed there the most...I like the remoteness and animals..etc but I do plan to try them all ( I think I have the time...what is it 2057? ) BLT is next on my list and I never really cared for the decor/design in the beginning but it has really grown on me Any decision you make will be a good one

Tracy

I keep trying to decide. We had definitely decided on Boardwalk, but y'all are making me rethink things. I just looked again, and it looks like our price range will get us (right now, new contracts go up all the time)
SSR 300
OKW 310
BWV 270
AKL 250
VWL 270

Well, I'm certainly going to make your decision harder, LOL. We own at SSR & AKV. We're taking a trip for spring break, in just under 4 weeks. We booked it less than 4 weeks ago, at SSR with a wait list @ BCV. Our wait list came through before our Magical Express tags were printed. So - busy week, booked less than 8 weeks out, and we ended up at BCV. It's definitely doable.

Aack! You're right....gotta do some major thinking!

Yay for DVC (future) purchasing!

It's definitely exciting!

 

[erika412]

Isn't it amazing how much we personalize things and want everyone to love what we love about Disney? Add exhaustion and you get drama. I'm glad you were able to kiss and make up at the end and enjoy your meal. That creme brulee looks so good even if it wasn't exactly what you hoped for.

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Well, I'm thoroughly late to the party, but I just read through the entire TR and loved it. Awesome job! The food looked amazing as did the Christmas décor. Looking forward to hearing how it all ends.

 

[shannn]

Completely OT: We just put a bid on a contract at BWV!

It's a really low per point cost ($69) so there's a good chance Disney will snatch it back up, but we couldn't bear to pass up such a good deal. It's for 300 points!

Fingers crossed that it goes through!

 

[PamelaKay]

I will keep my fingers crossed and will look back here to see you celebrating your purchase!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

OOH! Good luck! I wish it were me buying DVC! Should have done it years ago (but I didn't have $$ then either!) LOL!

Fingers are dutifully crossed! Keep us posted! How long until you find out?

 

[ladybugmom]

Hi Shannon!! Sorry I've been MIA--busy, busy week!! But I'm all caught up!! How exciting about DVC!! Praying it all works out for you!!

 

[KathyRN137]

Really?? Now I'm back to wondering if we should get even more points and go for OKW or SSR! I kind of thought I should go with someplace that we'd be want to stay for a home resort. Hmmmmmm

I think it depends upon when you like to vacation. Like I said, we only had diffuculty at seven months once and that's because it was early December... a popular time for DVC vacationers because of the low points needed.

Now, if you plan on going during Food and Wine, then it would be a big advantage to have Beach Club or Boardwalk as your home resort because then you really need the eleven-month advantage to get an Epcot area resort. Same is true if you plan to go during popular school breaks like Presidents' Week or Easter Week.

But I have found that we've been able to stay at WL, AKL, and OKW (twice) at seven months out even though SSR is our home resort.

That said, I'm really happy that we own at SSR because we plan to go during Christmas Week of 2011 and really want to nab a treehouse villa... it will help having the home resort advantage because they are so popular.

We bought into DVC before I became a DISer and I really didn't know about DVC resale availability.... SSR was the resort being built at the time, so that's where we bought...directly from DVC. Now I realize that there were more choices!

In the end, I'm the kind of person who loves all the resorts and would be happy at any of them... I've never met a DVC resort I didn't like! So if you are the same I would suggest getting more bang for your buck and buy where you can get the most points for the least amount of $$. If, however, you are absolutely in love with Boardwalk or Beach Club and want to stay there exclusively, then I would buy there.

Good Luck!

Kathy


"Completely OT: We just put a bid on a contract at BWV!

It's a really low per point cost ($69) so there's a good chance Disney will snatch it back up, but we couldn't bear to pass up such a good deal. It's for 300 points! "


Hey, just read this.... good luck! 300 points would be awesome!


Kathy

 

[wigdoutdismom]

How exciting Shannon! We wish you the best of luck with your contract. That is quite the bargain!

 

[erika412]

How exciting!

 

[manntra]

Shannon!!! Hope that helps

Tracy

 

[All7OfUs]

So excited for you!! You got a phenomenal deal it sounds like! So, wanna go in Sept.?

 

[shannn]

I will keep my fingers crossed and will look back here to see you celebrating your purchase!

Thanks!! I have my fingers crossed too!

OOH! Good luck! I wish it were me buying DVC! Should have done it years ago (but I didn't have $$ then either!) LOL!

Fingers are dutifully crossed! Keep us posted! How long until you find out?

We wouldn't have been able to buy without an unexpected inheritance. I'm pretty excited!

Hi Shannon!! Sorry I've been MIA--busy, busy week!! But I'm all caught up!! How exciting about DVC!! Praying it all works out for you!!

Thanks. Things will be okay either way. I know it's a long shot.

Now, if you plan on going during Food and Wine, then it would be a big advantage to have Beach Club or Boardwalk as your home resort because then you really need the eleven-month advantage to get an Epcot area resort. Same is true if you plan to go during popular school breaks like Presidents' Week or Easter Week.

That said, I'm really happy that we own at SSR because we plan to go during Christmas Week of 2011 and really want to nab a treehouse villa... it will help having the home resort advantage because they are so popular.

Hey, just read this.... good luck! 300 points would be awesome!


Kathy

Thanks! I really don't like the layout at SSR, although I think the tree houses would be amazing. I'm happy with the thought of BWV as our home resort since we go so often during Food & Wine. We've gone in October in 2006, 2009 and now 2010.

I'm excited about 300 points!

How exciting Shannon! We wish you the best of luck with your contract. That is quite the bargain!

It is a bargain. I think we have a less than 50% chance of it going through, but we will definitely celebrate if it does!

How exciting!

Thanks!

Shannon!!! Hope that helps

Tracy

Ooooo, pixie dust!! Hopefully the Disney ROFR people will be asleep when it comes through!

So excited for you!! You got a phenomenal deal it sounds like! So, wanna go in Sept.?

I wish I could go in September, but work won't exactly let me. We definitely are going in October, and then definitely in March 2011. I'm hoping for some other small trips too. We'll see!

 

[erika412]

When will you know if it goes through?

 

[shannn]

They have 30 days (I think) to exercise their right of refusal.

 

[praisehisname]

Congrats on the contract! I hope it goes through!

 

[michellem1118]

Good luck, Shann! I hope you guys get the contract. Fingers crossed for you!

 

[All7OfUs]

We'll be waiting for your news! Be sure to let us know!!

 

[Native NYer]

Good luck with the contract