A World of Disney - 2019-2020 Pre Trip Reports! - Basic NYE plans

[PlutosRHM55]

Ugh I wish you didn't remind me how BADLY I want all of that Tokyo deliciousness. The Chandu bun (RIP tail) and Mochi in particular. Ugh, my own Asia tour trip needs to happen by 2020 just for the food.

 

[missangelalexis]

Well that all just looks and sounds amazing! I can't wait to see what you get to accomplish!

 

[dolewhipdreams]

Popcorn soda w/donut – interesting concept…

Wait so it's popcorn flavored soda? Hmmm...

I started multi-quoting to say what stuff looked amazing and then I realized that I had selected pretty much everything on the list You need like two weeks there just to eat!

Waffles - they have a whole shop that only sells waffles!

Petition to have one of these shops in every Disney park.

 

[Dentam]

Wow, the food in TDL alone is worth the trip! I've heard they have a crazy selection of popcorn flavors there also!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Wow, the food in TDL alone is worth the trip! I've heard they have a crazy selection of popcorn flavors there also!

Yeah - I definitely want to try Honey. Probably also strawberry. But I have a map of food places, and I've included those on there!

Ugh I wish you didn't remind me how BADLY I want all of that Tokyo deliciousness. The Chandu bun (RIP tail) and Mochi in particular. Ugh, my own Asia tour trip needs to happen by 2020 just for the food.

I know! The food just looks so unique!

Well that all just looks and sounds amazing! I can't wait to see what you get to accomplish!

I hope I don't get sick when I stuff my face!

Wait so it's popcorn flavored soda? Hmmm...

Yeah... that should be.. interesting?

I started multi-quoting to say what stuff looked amazing and then I realized that I had selected pretty much everything on the list You need like two weeks there just to eat!

Haha! If you follow tdrexplorer on youtube, he always posts video reviews of the special food (and merch)! I'll be able to use that for the Halloween stuff but I don't know if he will post the Christmas things in time for me to arrive!

Petition to have one of these shops in every Disney park.

Agreed!

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I can probably get keychains of things! Though that's almost worse since you can look, just not eat!

Ha!

You are going to have an amazing time!!!!

Did you decide on a camera yet? Andy got me the Cannon M100 for my birthday. So, we will be using that this trip!

 

[lvcourtneyy]

The food at Tokyo Disney always looks so good! I can't wait until you go and report back!

 

[Lesley Wake]

The food at Tokyo Disney always looks so good! I can't wait until you go and report back!

Unless of course I fall in love with TDR and just stay! That's allowed, right...

 

[lvcourtneyy]

Unless of course I fall in love with TDR and just stay! That's allowed, right...

I don’t see a problem with that ! Then you can try all the foods and give us the inside scoop!

 

[Scoobie]

Unless of course I fall in love with TDR and just stay! That's allowed, right...

If you stay long enough, some of us might eventually see you there!

 

[cindianne320]

Wow- that food looks amazing! Can't wait to hear what you think of it all!

 

[missjackiemcg]

I was painfully behind on everything DIS related, but just caught up here!! SO much that I didn't bother quoting, but man, oh man, do your Asia plans sound incredible!!! so much food and character amazingness. I am majorly looking forward to the detailed report that will follow

Super excited for our December trips to get here....especially now that school has started and reality/stress of Kindergarten is in full swing LOL I need some magic stat!!!!!

 

[Lesley Wake]

February Trip Changes

Sorry I've been MIA from the Dis in general. It's been a week... well a couple weeks!

Anyways, originally my February trip was supposed to be Feb 27 - Mar 10, with a cruise from Feb 29 - Mar 7. On either side of the cruise would be stays at WDW. All good, right!

First change this week - Orlando Informer announced their first 2020 meetup, which happens to be February 28! I had planned on doing a day at Universal in January to see the Christmas stuff, but that ticket would be $190, plus express pass is $190. Or, I can do this meetup, which is only $170 and includes food! Um, yeah, easy decision! Also, it will be during Universal's Mardi Gras celebration, so I'll get to see that parade! Ok, cool! Can work it into my existing schedule easily.

But then, yesterday, I found out I was invited to my friends' wedding. (These are the ones I've mentioned in my current TR who work at DHS.) I didn't expect to be invited, but it's pretty cool I was! And their wedding is February 25! So, now time for some changes and I'll add the whole week before the cruise, instead of just Thursday/Friday! So, gotta make some decisions:

• Flight - I had already booked using miles. I can cancel that booking for a $150 fee. Not as horrible as some change fees go... For rebooking, I now have to decide dates and how to book.
  • Do I fly in Saturday or Sunday? It's the weekend of the Princess Half-Marathon, which isn't ideal, but I can work with it. If I fly in Saturday, that's another Disney day, but adds the hotel cost. Sunday will avoid more of the marathon people. The cost is pretty much the same.
  • And how should I book? As of the rates right now, I don't have quite enough miles once I cancel my previous booking, but I can buy the amount I need for $94. It would cost about $350-$400 for the normal airfare (I can also look at booking half via miles and half normally).
  • And what about return date? I originally wanted to get extra Disney days, which is why I extended it until March 10, which is a Tuesday. I can modify my DVC booking so it's only 2 nights and then fly home on Monday instead (even though the cruise ends on Saturday, I want to enjoy Flower & Garden).
• Hotel - Right now I have a 2-night DVC and 3-night DVC, both AKV Value Studio, using my own points. Obviously it's after the 7-month date, so no more availability in that type of accomodation.
  • DVC points - I can piecemeal a DVC stay from Sunday - Thursday. It would have to be partial Saratoga Springs, partial AKV standard, partial AKV savanna. And if I wanted to come in Saturday, I would need to book a cash room. Obviously, a 4-way split stay over 6 nights is not very good! So, I don't think I want to do that. I could waitlist some, but I just don't know how far I'd be down the waitlist, so don't know if I want that stress! And I don't want to spend the points for a 1-bedroom.
  • On-site hotel - I looked up rates. I think I do want a balcony, so that means a Deluxe. I did find AKL for $275/night for every night (it's DVC Magic season, so one of the more expensive ones). It's definitely not the cheapest I've paid, but also not horrible. I could book that, because I do love AKL! Like seriously, love it - every time I stay somewhere else I have to compare it to AKL and it doesn't have that spot in my heart! I would need to watch out for possible discounts, but that price is already about a 40% discount from the current rack rate. I'd also watch out for any Priceline express deals.
  • Off-site hotel - obviously cheaper. And the wedding isn't on Disney property. But still, it feels weird going to Orlando and not staying in the bubble! So, I don't know.
  • And even if I do book a hotel, do I switch up my DVC stay? I could just book a normal cash room so I don't have to switch. And maybe then I could move over to Universal for my final night, with easy access to the OI meetup. Though that does mean no Disney transport to the cruise terminal, so have to account for that in the costs.
• Actual week trip
  • I am still unsure if I would make this a full vacation week. Or if I'd make it a working trip, doing work from the hotel during the day (or even going to the Orlando office), and doing parks in the evening? While I do have a more liberal vacation policy, I still have certain utilization targets, which are pretty annoying.

So, yeah, still lots of decisions up in the air! I may go ahead and book AKL for that whole week long, just to lock in the rate and availability. I can modify it later without penalty.

 

[missangelalexis]

Wow, lots of new things have come up! Pretty convenient though that the wedding is during the same time frame you already planned on being down there!

 

[Cloe Colton]

That's a lot to decide on! I think the switching 4 times in 6 nights though might be a bit much, The $275 a night for AKL doesn't sound horrible! Are there any DVC rental store and Davids vacation rental secured reservations for sale for those dates? That would be ideal! lol

 

[Lesley Wake]

That's a lot to decide on! I think the switching 4 times in 6 nights though might be a bit much, The $275 a night for AKL doesn't sound horrible! Are there any DVC rental store and Davids vacation rental secured reservations for sale for those dates? That would be ideal! lol

Hmm, I don't think so, but I'll check!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

One thing I am worried about is construction. All the bloggers (WDW NT and Disney Tourist Blog and various people I follow on twitter) just got back from their summer visits. And they said A LOT of things are currently under scaffolding/tarps just to prepare for the 2020 Olympics. So they even are recommending if it’s a once in a lifetime trip, maybe hold off a bit. I certainly hope it’s not a once in a lifetime experience for me, and I’m already all booked, so I’ll just deal with it.

Hmmm, makes me a little less sad i have had to delay my trip. The anticipation of renos all over Japan was a factor in deciding to delay the trip.

Then, in November, I’ll be in an Ocean Dream room. (I actually recently found a rate at the Hilton which is slightly cheaper – saves about $100 overall – but I think I’m going to stick to Sheraton, because I contacted the hotel and they agreed to hold my larger suitcase for the week I’ll be travelling elsewhere!)

How nice of them! Will make traveling to Tokyo and Kyoto much easier for you.

(Oh, and if anyone asks, my name is now Maitarou Taro, Mr. Maitarou Taro, and I live at the Sheraton Tokyo Bay

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I am sad that we will be missing you by such a short time! But it will be a great trip!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Hmmm, makes me a little less sad i have had to delay my trip. The anticipation of renos all over Japan was a factor in deciding to delay the trip

Yeah for you guys definitely makes sense! Though it looks like scaffolding is coming down on Mount Prometheus so I’m happy about that!

How nice of them! Will make traveling to Tokyo and Kyoto much easier for you

I know-totally! There are lots of services who will pick up suitcase at a hotel in one city and deliver to another city but I didn’t really want to deal with that!

I am sad that we will be missing you by such a short time! But it will be a great trip!

I know! Last year you guys visited right after me and now you will visit right before! Guess you’ll just need to come back out to CA and then we definitely won’t miss each other!

 

[Lesley Wake]

Random updates

Asia:
The Halloween merch came out in the past 2 weeks and apparently has had insane lines! Makes me happy I won’t be there for actual Christmas merch release days! Some things sold out in the first day!

In anticipation of that, I ended up ordering from a reseller online and got my goodies! Some of the Duffy merch and a shoulder ghost! Love them and they are SO CUTE! Also, please excuse rotated photos! Posting this direct from my phone!





February Trip

Ended up making some decisions. I’m going Feb 22-March 9. So I added 5 nights on one end and cancelled one night on the other end.

For airfare, I ended up using points and actually swapped up a bunch of things. In Dec I was flying First class on points since it was only 5k more than economy. After booking that they made some web specials which were like 1/2 the points of First class, but I couldn’t change without fees. I also had booked my original Feb flight using points but definitely needed to change it and get the fee. In the end, I basically cancelled all my flights and rebooked. I assumed I would need to pay $450 in fees (ouch, but cheaper than 2 flights and would save enough points for another eventual flight). But somehow because I did it all on one phone call it only cost $200 (woohoo)! Anyways... all booked and taken care of!

Still figuring out the whole hotel situation! Hoping to use my DVC points to save money though!

Nights 1-2: I grabbed the first night at SSR. There’s no availability anywhere for the second night though I have a waitlist going. If I don’t get SSR or AKL I may end up just doing a cash room.

Nights 3-5: AKL, Standard studio. I was happy to grab this one as I’d only seen a few days here or there. Ideally I could grab the waitlist for Night 2 so fewer room changes.

Nights 6-7: AKL, Value studio. This was my original booking. I grabbed a standard for Night 7, and have a waitlist for Night 6. If the waitlist comes thru I’ll cancel my Value room to avoid having to change rooms. (The increase in points is worth it IMO.)

Nights 8-14: Cruise!

Nights 15-16: AKL, Value studio. I cancelled night 17 once I added all these extra nights.