A Disney-Addicted mom plans an August, 2013 Autotrain Trip for 7! *Big Update! 11/19*

[DrMomof3]

Probably closer to 5.5 hours, could be longer, even on a Saturday morning you can run into very heavy traffic in the D.C. area and Lorton is about 20 miles south of D.C. Would be best to allow at least 6 hours.

Good to know. Thanks.

Amanda

 

[DrMomof3]

Sadly Disney has decided to buy the DVC contract that we were trying to purchase. It seems that over the past 2 months Disney has started to buy A LOT of resale contracts. Not sure if this is due to the recent change in leadership at DVC or just because the prices were getting too low. We'll just have to keep looking for the right contract!

Amanda

 

[starann]

Bummer about the DVC! Hope the right one comes a ong for you.

 

[natebenma]

Sorry to hear about your contract. Hopefully you will find something that works.


I'll give you a little bit of sage advice I read on Facebook this morning:

When one door closes, another one opens. Or you can just open the first door. That's how doors work.


Not sure if that really applies in your situation, but I hope it put a little smile on your face!

 

[ddluvsdisney]

That stinks Amanda!!

But I'm sure something else will come up soon.

 

[333disneymom]

Sadly Disney has decided to buy the DVC contract that we were trying to purchase. It seems that over the past 2 months Disney has started to buy A LOT of resale contracts. Not sure if this is due to the recent change in leadership at DVC or just because the prices were getting too low. We'll just have to keep looking for the right contract!

Amanda

Sorry to hear that. Hopefully another will come along soon. DVC recently offered owners a "deal" for points before they raised prices and it sounds like a lot of people were put on a waiting list for direct points. I've read that they are buying back because of the wait list, along with the new higher direct prices (which makes the margin greater between what DVC buys back in ROFR at and then sells direct). I hope you find another one that Disney does not take back.

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[luvpoohandcompany]

Sorry to hear dvc didn't happen for you this time but fingers crossed you get lucky soon

 

[momto3gr8boys]

So sorry to hear your DVC didn't work out this time . As someone else said though, things like this usually happen for a reason and I'm sure the perfect situation will preset itself when the time is right.

 

[DrMomof3]

Bummer about the DVC! Hope the right one comes a ong for you.

Thank you.

Sorry to hear about your contract. Hopefully you will find something that works.


I'll give you a little bit of sage advice I read on Facebook this morning:

When one door closes, another one opens. Or you can just open the first door. That's how doors work.


Not sure if that really applies in your situation, but I hope it put a little smile on your face!

Love it! Thanks!

That stinks Amanda!!

But I'm sure something else will come up soon.

I hope so!

Sorry to hear that. Hopefully another will come along soon. DVC recently offered owners a "deal" for points before they raised prices and it sounds like a lot of people were put on a waiting list for direct points. I've read that they are buying back because of the wait list, along with the new higher direct prices (which makes the margin greater between what DVC buys back in ROFR at and then sells direct). I hope you find another one that Disney does not take back.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Lots and lots of contracts have been bought back by Disney recently. Bad timing for sure!

Sorry to hear dvc didn't happen for you this time but fingers crossed you get lucky soon

Thank you!

So sorry to hear your DVC didn't work out this time . As someone else said though, things like this usually happen for a reason and I'm sure the perfect situation will preset itself when the time is right.

Amen. So true.

Amanda

 

[firecracker725]

I'm stumbling in late (waddling actually), but I'm here!

First of all, I'm sorry about your DVC not working out. Hopefully you'll find the right one soon.

And Hawaii! How exciting! I'd skip the leis and do a dolphin encounter somewhere else.

 

[DrMomof3]

I'm stumbling in late (waddling actually), but I'm here!

First of all, I'm sorry about your DVC not working out. Hopefully you'll find the right one soon.

And Hawaii! How exciting! I'd skip the leis and do a dolphin encounter somewhere else.

Thanks Crystal!

Amanda

 

[DrMomof3]

So I guess it's time to start talking about ADRs. My family likes table service dining. With young kids I like the idea of sitting down and relaxing while someone else brings us food. That having been said, I don't generally think buffets are a good deal for us. While I like my food, I'm also pretty careful about what I eat since I'm often in race training mode. Besides the issue of value, I find buffets to be particularly stressful. I either spend the entire meal helping my kids get food to the exclusion of eating or have to deal with kids complaining that they want more food but I won't go with them to get it. Not so much fun....
Here is our current list of dining choices (which are, of course, subject to change as the date gets closer!):

Sunday, August 25th: Likely Benihana, located at the Hilton at DTD
We ate here last year and preferred it to Teppan Edo. Same concept of Hibachi dining with less crowding and better value for the money. We'll have a car so it'll be easy to get here.
Monday, August 26th 5pm:

Yes. That's right. Tom's favorite Disney Princess meal. Akhershus! We ALL pretend that we eat there because Jessica loves princesses (less true than it used to be) and Zachary wants to marry Ariel. In truth it's all for Tom!


Tuesday, August 27th 6pm:

So despite our fantasy about Jessica loving the Princess dining, THIS is actually her favorite restaurant at Disney World. Yup. Todd English's bluezoo. We've been here several times and have always had a wonderful experience. Children and all! Jessica LOVES their mahi mahi entree. And we now all share a nice memory of her eating my mom's mahi mahi off my mom's plate the night before I ran my first marathon in 2012.

Wednesday, August 28th 7:45pm: DATE NIGHT!!!!

I've never eaten at Flying Fish Cafe but have read so many good reviews recently! I hope it lives up to the hype!!! I wanted to do the Chef's Table but Tom doesn't want to spend the money....

Thursday, August 29 4:25pm

We actually were able to get an ADR at Be Our Guest!!! Now I wouldn't call a 4:25pm dinner ideal but I'm so happy we got in!!!

Friday, August 30th 5:45pm

Our traditional last night dinner at Garden Grill. My kids LOVE this place and it's a great way to end a great trip!!!

Amanda

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

I love your dinner plans Amanda and I've seen the smiley photos of Tom at that princess dinner in one of your other TR and yup it's definitely for him (not Jessica LOL)

Friends of our ate at flying fish and they absolutely loved it so I bet you will too. So jealous of your date night (my lovely adoring children always want to come too )

Love that you are going back to Bluezoo and that you have such lovely memories of dining there with your mum

 

[carissanboys]

We actually were able to get an ADR at Be Our Guest!!! Now I wouldn't call a 4:25pm dinner ideal but I'm so happy we got in!!!

Yay for getting in! And I had to laugh because our normal dinnertime is between 4 and 5.

 

[DrMomof3]

I love your dinner plans Amanda and I've seen the smiley photos of Tom at that princess dinner in one of your other TR and yup it's definitely for him (not Jessica LOL)

Friends of our ate at flying fish and they absolutely loved it so I bet you will too. So jealous of your date night (my lovely adoring children always want to come too )

Love that you are going back to Bluezoo and that you have such lovely memories of dining there with your mum

You're so right about Tom!
I've heard SO many good reviews of Flying Fish. We're paying for my step-dad and nanny to come and the price of admission (so to speak) is one night of babysitting.
I'm sure we'll have some tearful memories but I do love that restaurant.

Yay for getting in! And I had to laugh because our normal dinnertime is between 4 and 5.

We tend to eat early, especially at Disney but like 5:30pm early. I'm not usually home by 5!

Amanda

 

[cogero]

We had a 4:35 ADR at BOG I in march and it was nice.i am hoping to go again

 

[DrMomof3]

We had a 4:35 ADR at BOG I in march and it was nice.i am hoping to go again

Glad you enjoyed it! I hope we have a good experience.

Amanda

 

[ddluvsdisney]

love your dinner plans. I'm with you on TS dinners. We always have a TS dinner each night on our trips.

We really enjoyed FF. We've been there twice. DH loves the red snapper, and the cheese grouton potatoes are delish!!

I really wanted a BOG ADR for April but wasn't able to get one no matter what day and time I tried. So i thought ok we'll just go in July instead, I haven''t been able to get one yet!! Looks like it'll have to be QS lunch.

 

[333disneymom]

Great choices for your ADRs. We have a BOG at the same time for our August trip, but I'll take it. We had to give up our BOG in December when the whole family was ill, so really looking forward to it. Can't wait to hear how you like Flying Fish. It's on our list of places to try in the future. This trip, we are doing BOG, Boma and Sanaa for the first time.

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[DrMomof3]

love your dinner plans. I'm with you on TS dinners. We always have a TS dinner each night on our trips.

We really enjoyed FF. We've been there twice. DH loves the red snapper, and the cheese grouton potatoes are delish!!

I really wanted a BOG ADR for April but wasn't able to get one no matter what day and time I tried. So i thought ok we'll just go in July instead, I haven''t been able to get one yet!! Looks like it'll have to be QS lunch.

We almost didn't get BOG. Our TA was able to finally get it! Late August is definitely a quieter time than either April or July.

Great choices for your ADRs. We have a BOG at the same time for our August trip, but I'll take it. We had to give up our BOG in December when the whole family was ill, so really looking forward to it. Can't wait to hear how you like Flying Fish. It's on our list of places to try in the future. This trip, we are doing BOG, Boma and Sanaa for the first time.

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I feel the same way. I'm just happy to have an ADR at BOG at all! I'd be so sad if we were too sick to eat there.
We've never eaten at Boma or Sanaa. The only time I've been to AKL was for dinner at Jiko which was awesome!

Amanda