5/29-6/6 Trip Report-1st Summer, Focus Group, Room Occ (Extra Long!)

[FreeTime]

Just back from our first summer DVC trip (well second DH and I went on the 4th of July last year but it didn't seem to be nearly as crowded, maybe because we didn't have to push the kids around). Anyways, we keep telling ourselves never again! We are used to going the week of Labor Day and in Dec or January but decided to get one more use out of our annual passes. We thought the crowds wouldn't be so bad because all schools were not out yet, we were wrong! For example we arrived at MGM at opening and it took 30 minutes to get the stroller rented. We went immediately to the ToT and the wait was 50 minutes, RnRC was 45. Fortunately we had 4 tickets and only 2 of us wanted to ride these so we got FP's for both. Our just turned 4 year old begged to ride ToT against my better judgement we let her on. Surprisingly she didn't scream. She just said it was to scary for her and she wasn't going to ride it again (she loved TT and Star Tours.) We also went to E-Night which was much more crowded then E-Nights I had attended in the past. The wait for SpaceMountain was 30 minutes and Buzz was 40! We received a note under our door on Wed which explained that MK was expecting huge crowds on Sat and suggested that we attend MGM. As a result of the crowds I am now worried how we will manage to see Disney when school starts. I don't want to take the kids out each year. However, I loved having the heat and being able to use the pool. The kids could have spent all day using the slide at the BW. We did pool hop to PO and to AKL ( I didn't think we were allowed to pool hop to AKL but they let us in. The pool there was very, very, hot!)
BTW when we checked into the BW we were told that our 1br would not hold our party size and we would have to upgrade to a 2br. (So apparently Disney will not let you check in if they know you are over the limit). I explained that we were not (FIL decided to go at the last minute and we had changed our trip to an earlier date, prior to our DD's 3rd birthday. MS left the ages of the kids on the ressie though. After explaining this, we were able to check in-I wish we had taken the 2-br now!) Our room overlooked the waterway and the Swan and Dolphin. We were able to get our room at 9:30.
I attended the DVC focus meeting. The focus was on pretty much what it would take for us to purchase more points. The suggestions that they offered were free II travel and reduced interests rates. Also, they asked if we would be willing to pay for updgrades when checking in if they were available. I also learned that they run their focus groups for about 2 months time, then don't have them for a month or so, then run them for another 2 months. In addition, each group of DVCer's they bring in each day are no necessarily asked the same questions.
Can't wait for our Dec trip! I will miss being able to use the pool though!

 

[Mickmse2002]

I have never heard of trying to make you upgrade your room size at resort check in? Were you there on points or a cash ressie?

 

[dianeschlicht]

Good to hear they are enforcing the occupancy limits. Congratualtions on being able to pool hop to AKL also. That is an awsome pool! I wish they were all zero entrance.

 

[dianeschlicht]

BTW, if you would have had to change to a 2 bedroom, were they going to charge you points or have you pay?

 

[FreeTime]

We were there on points. Sorry, but we didn't get to the point of where they would be making us use points or cash to upgrade.

FYI-In the focus group when they asked about being willing to pay for an upgrade if it was available they mentioned in the $50-100 range. So option of upgrading with points. They also asked if a users points were going to expire at the end of their use year would they be interested in making last minute reservations at a discounted point rate. You would only be able to use the current year, or expiring points.

 

[PamOKW]

I'm surprised you were questioned at check-in. How many people were they seeing on the reservation?

I'm not clear on "free" II travel. Does this mean that they would not charge the $95 reservation fee?

Thanks for sharing your trip report and the panel discussion information.

 

[Mickmse2002]

Originally posted by PamOKW
I'm surprised you were questioned at check-in. How many people were they seeing on the reservation?

This surprises me as well. If they are going to check this I would think it would have to be at the point of reservation, not when you are checking in.

 

[kweaver]

I find the "forced upgrade" based on occupancy at check in very interesting. We'll be in a 1BR next week even though my littlest guy is now 3. My kids are small in stature and we're very comfortable in a 1BR (heck of a lot more comfortable than we'd be at POR with a trundle bed!). The guide says it's no problem...so we're sticking with that.

It seems to me that MH was totally geared toward adults. Maybe DVC thought that since it was still May that most of the kids would still be in school? (Not Florida or Georgia, though.) IIRC, MH was two late evening events at different parks plus a 1/2 day at SSR in the hot sun listening to people speak. It's doesn't sound too kid friendly. Too bad they couldn't have one early AM (7am?) park event.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

If you had all members of your party listed on your reservation made through MS why would this be questioned at the front desk? Wonder if you had a newer CM at check-in. What were they going to do if there were not any 2-BR units available?

 

[Disney1fan2002]

WOW, I guess I have never been to Disney during a non-busy time. None of the waits you mentioned were over an hour long. To us, if a stand-by line is less than 60 minutes, we consider that "no wait" LOL

30 minutes would be a breeze!

 

[FreeTime]

PamOKW-We had 4 on the ressie 2 adults and a 3 & 4 year old. When we checked in I told them 3 adults and one child (since we had changed dates our 2 year old was not yet 3; grandpa didn't decide to come until a week before so we decided since we were meeting the occ requirements we would be okay). When I told them the 3 adults and 2childen (1 under 3) the CM said that is not what was on the ressie (I guess I should have changed the ages and added gandpa when he decided to come) and he had 2 kids over 3. I know for the future to call and change the people listed on my ressies. I wasn't too upset because I knew that I wasn't breaking any rules. I don't know what they would do if there wasn't a 2-br available and someone was over the limit. I would think that in the case of kweaver's post that they would have to let you stay if ms has it noted on the ressie. However, I wouldn't go by what the "guide" says as many have discussed in the past everyone didn't receive the same info (not trying to start an occupancy debate here.) I am glad that the CM are enforcing occupany on the rooms as it decreases wear and tear, and limits the number of people using the facilities.

 

[FreeTime]

"WOW, I guess I have never been to Disney during a non-busy time. None of the waits you mentioned were over an hour long. To us, if a stand-by line is less than 60 minutes, we consider that "no wait" LOL"


Maybe we have just been extremely lucky! I guess I better start preparing for long waits if I want to keep seeing the mouse!

 

[RweTHEREyet]

We received a note under our door on Wed which explained that MK was expecting huge crowds on Sat and suggested that we attend MGM

We received the same letter a couple of years ago, and I am guessing that the Saturday was the first one in June. If that is the case, that Saturday is usually the weekend that they have the Gay celebrations and mgmt sends that letter to steer families away from MK that might not know about it. I have never received that letter at any other time of the year no matter how crowded it is.