50 Bday Trip January 2020

[chimo2u]

I’m having a hard time choosing what to do for my 50th bday trip! My dates to travel will be Friday January 24 to Sunday Feb 2, 2020. I’ll be traveling from Edmonton AB.
First I booked and am still booked currently for a 4 night Disney Cruise with my 2 adult kids , hubby and myself for Concierge 1 bedroom on the Dream to Nassau Monday toFriday January 27-31. I am considering pushing it out to 2021 as I feel it’s 1.) not long enough and 2.) not the best ports (Nassau) or best weather in January (chance of not being able to dock at CC ) so then.....

Option 2
I thought just Hubby and I might go and I thought about a Monday to Friday at Disney Land , staying GCH club level as I LOVE club level in WDW. My worries for this are 5 days could be too long for DL, but not long enough for my trip as I really want to do something for the whole 8 days I have available to travel (Jan 24-Feb 1) also weather in January in California could be iffy and good pool time is important to me. Crowds are a worry too with SW opening up but I hoped a Monday to Friday would minimize that.
I also thought I might arrive early and take Sunday to see universal Hollywood before checking into DL on the Morning of Monday

OPTION 3
I figured Florida would offer my best chance for warm weather and being that I adore club level I considered Yacht Club CL for 6 nights (I have one current 6day park hopper in my safety deposit box from when they sold Canadian non-expire ticket) then I thought I might switch to 4 Seasons for 3 nights to wind down and relax as a end to the trip. I could always add 2 days to ‘my ticket for not too much to cover those 2 off site days at the 4 seasons. Best part about this option is I could get the dining plan and we would have a wonderful pool at the yacht club to use. CON would be the crowds predicted with SW opening but we could work around that with lots more open to us at WDW (4 other parks and the resort to utilize)

Final option OPTION 4
I considered renting DVC points for January 24-Feb 1 for 8 nights at ALUNAI in Hawaii.... concerns are I might get bored as a adult only there for 8 nights. I’m not sure if it holds enough to keep me busy/ engaged and I’d i would like the resort as Adult only being that it is very family oriented;lots of kids etc..)

I could use some advice/ thoughts about which might be the best option for my upcoming bday trip. I want it to be special and make the best choice!
Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[FigmentSpark]

Well, option 3, if you're club level, you'll get your FPs at 90 days, so even with the crowds, you'll get the rides you want.

Option 2, is there a 2 day cruise out of San Diego that you might tack on?

Option 1, why are you just doing the 4 day? Why not a 7 day on the Fantasy?

 

[alohamom]

My thoughts...

Option 2-
We have been to California in December and in March. Both times the kids swam but it was just too cold for me, even though the pool at our hotel was "heated". If pool time is as important as you say, I would probably nit do California at that time of the year.

Option 4-
Take some time and read a couple of Aulani trip reports over on the Aulani thread of the Dis. We travel to Hawaii on a regular basis and have stayed at Aulani twice. There is soooo much to do on the island of Oahu and Aulani makes a great home base to do it from. If you are familiar with regular Disboard TR contributor @pepperandchips she has a fairly recent and extensive adults only Aulani/Maui trip report here https://www.disboards.com/threads/u...rn-to-aulani-and-first-visit-to-maui.3729422/ which is full of great info and lovely pics and another by @JM735 is here https://www.disboards.com/threads/first-trip-to-hawaii-aulani-our-trip-report.3660074/

 

[chimo2u]

Well, option 3, if you're club level, you'll get your FPs at 90 days, so even with the crowds, you'll get the rides you want.

Option 2, is there a 2 day cruise out of San Diego that you might tack on?

Option 1, why are you just doing the 4 day? Why not a 7 day on the Fantasy?

Hi Figment! I chose a 4 day as my 2 adult sons where planning on joining us, and it was affordable at concierge level for $7,000 for the 4 of us.... whereas longer cruises where around double the price.​

 

[FigmentSpark]

Ah, yes, the insideous '2 cat 4As are cheaper than 1 concierge'. Good point.

 

[Disney Addicted]

I’m having a hard time choosing what to do for my 50th bday trip! My dates to travel will be Friday January 24 to Sunday Feb 2, 2020. I’ll be traveling from Edmonton AB.

Option 2
I thought just Hubby and I might go and I thought about a Monday to Friday at Disney Land , staying GCH club level as I LOVE club level in WDW. My worries for this are 5 days could be too long for DL, but not long enough for my trip as I really want to do something for the whole 8 days I have available to travel (Jan 24-Feb 1) also weather in January in California could be iffy and good pool time is important to me. Crowds are a worry too with SW opening up but I hoped a Monday to Friday would minimize that.
I also thought I might arrive early and take Sunday to see universal Hollywood before checking into DL on the Morning of Monday

Just wanted to put out another idea for California. My son & I went that same time period in 2017. We spent a non-Disney day in Newport. I really wanted to see dolphins and booked us an excursion with "Newport Coastal Adventure Whaling Watching". It was amazing!! If you look at their tripadvisor page you'll see they have excellent rating and reviews with good reason. It ended up just being myself, my son and one other person. They took us out for just over a couple of hours. We saw many dolphins, just swimming along beside the boat! My son was leaned over filming videos and chanting "this is going on youtube!". He had a blast (so did I). They even managed to spot a whale for us. I cannot recommend them enough. I called for an Uber to take us there and back again later.

 

[chimo2u]

Just wanted to put out another idea for California. My son & I went that same time period in 2017. We spent a non-Disney day in Newport. I really wanted to see dolphins and booked us an excursion with "Newport Coastal Adventure Whaling Watching". It was amazing!! If you look at their tripadvisor page you'll see they have excellent rating and reviews with good reason. It ended up just being myself, my son and one other person. They took us out for just over a couple of hours. We saw many dolphins, just swimming along beside the boat! My son was leaned over filming videos and chanting "this is going on youtube!". He had a blast (so did I). They even managed to spot a whale for us. I cannot recommend them enough. I called for an Uber to take us there and back again later.

That sounds beautiful! I have swam with dolphins before at Discovery Cove in Orlando, however I am considering adding a day to perhaps do Universal Hollywood if we where to fly in on the Saturday, do universal Hollywood on Sunday, then transfer to GCH in property Monday. That’s a consideration in the works to spread it out a bit more if I go with California

 

[starvenger]

If it's just the two of you for Hawaii I'd say rent the DVC points and use Aulani as a "home base". OR get a vacation rental near Waikiki and do the same.

Or go to Maui.

 

[Mickey&JoshNut]

Whatever you choose, it will be amazing to celebrate your 50th birthday with Mickey...I turn 50 on March 31 and am celebrating my milestone by sending 6 nights at POFQ, followed by a 7 night Eastern caribbean cruise on the Fantasy (my actual birthday is on the cruise - with brunch and dinner in Palo), followed by 5 nights at POFQ...I was not looking forward to turning 50 but now I am super excited because I get to spend it with Mickey!!!! I hope whatever you decide, you and your family have a great time!!!!!

 

[chimo2u]

Whatever you choose, it will be amazing to celebrate your 50th birthday with Mickey...I turn 50 on March 31 and am celebrating my milestone by sending 6 nights at POFQ, followed by a 7 night Eastern caribbean cruise on the Fantasy (my actual birthday is on the cruise - with brunch and dinner in Palo), followed by 5 nights at POFQ...I was not looking forward to turning 50 but now I am super excited because I get to spend it with Mickey!!!! I hope whatever you decide, you and your family have a great time!!!!!

Wow! Amazing trip! Happy Birthday and have the best time!

 

[chimo2u]

The more I think about it the more I think I might like to do DL. I haven’t been since 1990, and it was the first place my hubby took me when we dated. We drove spontaneously (he surprised me at the border crossing (peace arch) 24 hours and spent 3 days there. It was such a wonderful trip and we had such a great time. I’m pretty sure there’s so much I haven’t seen and we would also have SW land to add on as well. I’d also like a day at universal Hollywood so that could kill a day extra by coming down Saturday, staying somewhere cheaper for one or 2 nights then transferring to our DL hotel on Monday.... I think this could be special and might be the best choice with the time we have to travel!

 

[chimo2u]

Well that lasted long! Lol I’ve been giving it a lot of thought and I think I’ll probably go with WDW. Weather is too iffy to chance in California in January. At least at wdw I can stay at a great resort with a fab pool and location (Yacht Club) , get the DDP, and have lots to choose from between the 4/5 (with SW land opening) parks and still relax at our resort should the parks get too much!
I think it’ll be easier to plan and offer more choice.

 

[isabellea]

All great choices. I would choose California but WDW is always a great choice. Just remember that heat is not guaranteed in winter in FL either. It can be 30C but I’ve sern weeks at 10C also! In fact, we had to wear fleece jackets on one of our March trip.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

OPTION 3
I figured Florida would offer my best chance for warm weather and being that I adore club level I considered Yacht Club CL for 6 nights (I have one current 6day park hopper in my safety deposit box from when they sold Canadian non-expire ticket) then I thought I might switch to 4 Seasons for 3 nights to wind down and relax as a end to the trip. I could always add 2 days to ‘my ticket for not too much to cover those 2 off site days at the 4 seasons. Best part about this option is I could get the dining plan and we would have a wonderful pool at the yacht club to use. CON would be the crowds predicted with SW opening but we could work around that with lots more open to us at WDW (4 other parks and the resort to utilize)

Someone who's had experience trying to upgrade the Canadian non expiring tickets might chime in here, but since they changed the ticketing system, when you go to upgrade you lose the discount that you received. So you'd have to pay the difference in price for an 8 day at the time of your visit and what you paid for the 6 day non expiring. If you go to the thread in them parks titled all about tickets and upgrading you might find the details in there. But be prepared it may cost you a lot to add two more days onto your tickets. Not like before where it would only be twenty bucks or so. It might be cheaper to add a special ticket like disney after hours or something to get the extra park time if you want it.