Aussie Disneyland Planners come on in and lets plan together :)

[platypus67]

Wow this thread does move fast. I haven't been on for over a week and have just read through the last 14 pages to catch up.

I bought our ToT this morning for Oct 15th. Very excited now as it is getting closer.
Bought the e-tickets and the only problem I had was my Amex wouldn't work. Had to use the MC which is the same account but gets less FF points.

I notice a few people asking about the ToT and is it worth it. We went last year and had a fantastic time. My DD will be 14 this year and she is just as excited about going again as she was about going for the first time.

Just to catch up with the past weeks posts:

$1.00 notes seriously I wouldn't go overboard and take heaps. I never take more than $10.00 to $20.00 in 1s. If paying cash for things you will acumulate these so quickly that you will have more than enough for tips etc.

Tipping- I always leave around 15% at restaurants. I always tip at least $1 per bag when we use the shuttles, and usually $1 per person per day for room attendants. We are pretty tidy so there is little for them to do.

With regard to shuttles, I will most likely use Supershuttle as I have used them in LA and elsewhere numerous times without complaint.
This being said if I arrive and another similar service pulls up to the curb first I will possibly go with them.

I'm looking at the ANZ travel card or similar for the first time this trip. I need to be a bit more conscious of what I'm spending and I think this will be a good way to do this. I will still use the cc for hotels and meals but spending money will be limited to the travel card.
Someone mentioned CBA having a similar thing so I will check this out as well.

Lastly I know how many of you feel when you say others don't understand wanting to travel to the US or visit Disney again. Luckily I'm heading "home" so they understand that bit, but going to Disney again is just hard to understand for most.
My family in North America however can't understand why we want to waste precious family time spending those few days at Disney or elsewhere.
It's usually "Oh are you doing that again. Wouldn't it be better for you to just fly straight through? It would be alot cheaper"

Anyway less than 8 weeks until we leave. DD has started making lists (I've trained her well).
I'll start to think about packing in a month or so.
Just need to buy our park hoppers and we will be all set.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I bought our ToT this morning for Oct 15th. Very excited now as it is getting closer.

Hey Playtpus67, we are going to the TOT that night. Are you going to dress up? Is your daughter?

I am trying to come up with some simple ideas that won't take up much room in our bags.

 

[becpee]

Good rate today guys, around .81, i'm thinking of getting my travel card very soon

 

[platypus67]

This year we are both planning to dress up, but not sure as what. Last year I didn't but DD went as Tinkerbell. Our trip last year was spur of the moment so we just got some fairy wings and a green skirt and that was the costume. I will be in Canada for 3 1/2 weeks before going to DLR so I may just wait and organise something over there as the shops will be filled with Halloween stuff by then. There were lots of adults without costumes so either way is fine with me. There were some really good costumes there last year. With or without a costume it will be alot of fun

 

[disneynanna]

Hey there fellow Aussies. I found this post from a thread in another forum where aussies are again congregating around those who are/have /travelled to Anaheim Disney this year, Many of us are doing so due to the good airfares, which have come down again during this year.

I am going with my adult daughter and my 10 year old grandson. we are leaving just one week after my older daughters wedding, and the boy is part of that family, so this is honeymoon babysitting, while the happy couple are in NZ.

I plan to have a ball, and am spending 6 days and 7 nights around anaheim. Ihave been there for a fly through visit just one day and a half last time, so glad to be able to spend lots of time seeing this time, and introducing it to my grandson. we are in Anaheim from Oct 2 to Oct 8th inclusive

 

[disneynanna]

Hi all

This is my first post. It has taken me nearly 2 weeks to get through this entire thread. It is full of so much useful information.

I am planning on taking DD to Disneyland in the near future.

I am after a rough estimate on what it would cost us (me and her) for 2 weeks doing Disneyland, Seaworld, Zoo, Hollywood. I know there are many variables but could I do it for $10,000 or below?

I hope so. I am taking my grandson 10, and my adult daughter. I paid all their airfares, and I plan to have spent well under $10000 by the time I come home, and that includes flying to Las vegea and San diego and spending time there. Airfares with Virgin A, would be judging only on fares at the moment would be under $2000 for the both of you, as your daughter gets a good kid discount. for example I paid $1100 for me and $888 for my GS, and fares have dropped since. I suggest you watch the airline sites and join travelzoo and then pounce on any really good fares. HOwver, dont go to Disneyland from Jan to April 2010 as they are draining the Rivers of America and thus no fantasmic, or paddle steamer or TomSawyers island, etc.

AS for other expenses, 7 nights in the Tropicana is only $1300 A and you could prob find better prices closer to you leaving date, I just hate to be on tenterhooks waiting. the price for a Southern California City Pass for you which inlcudes 3 days disney including early entry one day, and a ticket for the zoo in San Diego, plus seaworld, and a day at universal studios is only $259US, or $225US from the Costco site, and at expedia if you only want disneyland there is an even better deal for 14 nights disney so you can come and go every day for just a part of it, with a young child that can be a god send.

So you see, eating and doing some sensible spending you have plenty left over from $10000, rate at the moment is US$1 = 83c.

 

[keptwoman]

We haven't been before. DH and J aren't going, so it's me and the two littlies. We are going the same day as you! Which hotel are you staying at?

hey keptwoman, we staying at hojo from 15th sept til 3rd oct.....we still jumping around the house with excitement from getting tot tickets...lol...we true disney fans!

We are staying there too From the 28th to the 3rd.
Just working out costumes for the party now, C (10) will be Indy I think and not sure about M (6)

 

[melbarkwith]

Wow! My Deluxe AP arrived today I only ordered it last Wednesday, how quick is that?

Woohoooo

 

[rossip]

.

We always leave about $2 on the pillow each morning for housekeepingHope that's helpful

Andona

That was very helpful thanks alot !

Just on the above though - does everyone do this ? Someone else told me to leave the tip at the end of the stay .

Andona's idea makes more sense to me because you may have different maids each day doing your room .

Also what about the bus driver on tours to say Universal ?

And the bus driver on the airport shuttle ? $1.00 per bag I guess ?

Thanks

 

[keptwoman]

I asked friends from the US. It appears that tipping varies greatly between them too.
One woman says she always tips coffee baristas $1-2 and always tips housekeeping, and tips 20% on her restaurant bills.
Another says she gives the baristas change, doesn't tip housekeeping and tips 15% in restaurants.

If they can't all agree how on earth are we supposed to work it out???

I know you are definitely supposed to tip the tour bus driver, but no idea how much because we've never done tours. Didn't know about the shuttle drivers, can't remember if we did that last time or not.

 

[rossip]

If they can't all agree how on earth are we supposed to work it out???

.

I Know it's so damm confusing !!

 

[marvel]

hey princessmiki, we are hojos 19th Sept - 27th. See you there !!

 

[Andona]

That was very helpful thanks alot !

Just on the above though - does everyone do this ? Someone else told me to leave the tip at the end of the stay .

Andona's idea makes more sense to me because you may have different maids each day doing your room .

Yes, that's exactly why we tip every day. I was told before our first trip, that if you tip at the end of your stay , the person that collects it may not share with other housekeepers. Also, if you tip the person that's doing your room that day then you can be sure that they will take care to do a nice job. If the room is extra messy for some reason I'd leave a little more.

We've also noticed that American's tipping habits seem to vary a lot - one night my husband tipped the usual 15% but he'd noticed that the guy before us ( American ) only tipped 10%.

I had not heard that Aussies tend to be poor tippers - I'd been told that they like us but find people from the UK a bit tight . So I guess tipping varies an awful lot!

Andona

 

[kel77]

I popped into the Commonwealth bank today.

So happy I did

They have a travel card that can be used at ATM's and eftpos. They have a flat fee of $15 for the card and the initial load is free. Any subsequent loads are charged at 1% of whatever you load. Eftpos is free to use and cash withdrawls from an ATM incur a $2.50USD fee. The rate today was .81c

The travel agent wanted 1.1% of my initial load of $8000 (so $88.00)

We are converting our cash on Thursday afternoon, fingers crossed the $ stays where it is or goes higher


On another subject: I plan to tip $1 per person each day for Housekeeping (there are 5 of us so, i'll put $5 in an envelope marked Housekeeping), around 15% for meals ( as long as the service is good - Oh and after I check to make sure it hasn't already been added to the bill ) and $1 per bag for shuttle drivers.

 

[keptwoman]

Has anyone compared the exchange rates of the different banks for cash and their travel cards and come up with a winner?

I've realised that we are going to be taking quite a bit more USD converted than I initially thought, so now I'm thinking we might need a card or travellers cheques as well as cash.

And of course all this assumes that the rates on these are better than if you just charged to your CC. Anyone know if that's the case?

 

[kel77]

Today I went to Suncorp, CBA and Westpac. Oh, I also went to my Travel Agent.

Suncorp were selling at .81

CBA .81

Westpac only offer travellers Chqs at .82

Travel Agent was .79


I found CBA to offer the better deal for me.

http://www.commbank.com.au/travelmoney/

 

[Ihaveamickeymousekid]

Thanks for posting those Kel

We are looking into it too and think commonwealth looks the best so far.

I am keeping an eye on the dollar and keep thinking i should load the card but then back out. I guess i know i would kick myself if i load it then the dollar shoots up.

We still have 2.5 months to go...

Anyway care to share how much they are thinking of taking.

There us me, my hubby and 2.5 year old daughter and we are thinking of taking $4500 (aud) on the card and $500 cash as we will withdraw when we need. We will also have our credit card just incase.

Has anyone used a travel card before? I am so worried i will get over there and it won't work and all our money will be stuck, yes i am a worry wort

 

[marvel]

we used the anz travelcard last year and had no problems, easy to find atm's and it was never rejected. I think it is on par with commonwealth although its only $11 to get, and also free initial load up and also 1.1% subsequent loads. ATM fee is the same.

I know that all the people that are on these boards and do some research always tip well and fairly. I got really annoyed the other day when a friend of a friend was bragging how they didn't tip ever, for any meal, and stiffed the waiters. Hopefully karma will work its wonders

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I ended up getting an ANZ travel card and now that the decision is made I won't agonise over it anymore,

I am planning on taking at least 10k australian, plus our credit cards. I have no idea how much we will spend but I don't want to be stressing so will plan to take a fair bit and cross fingers that we won't need it all.

I am taking myself, DH, DD11 and DS7

 

[keptwoman]

Marvel is there a fee for withdrawal from the card?