Boyfriend/Girlfriend visit tips?

[ktrex]

I'm going down in Jan for Spring '10 (attractions!), and wondered if anyone had any tips for making visits work from your significant others. It's probable that my bf will be out of school and working (not a career, just to make money), so school is not an issue, but money is. Any suggestions on dates or hotels or anything would be nice!

 

[kmg148]

Well, since he can't stay in your apartment you have to look at other options.

Since you get the maingate, you can get into the parks a couple times. Also, you get a 50% discount off rooms if you are staying in the room too, so those can bring the prices of the All Stars or Pop Century to only about $10 more than somewhere like the Comfort Inn. Also, the perk of staying at a Disney hotel is so that you can go to the Extra Magic Hours. These are especially great if you work most of the day. You can take advantage of a late night somewhere (during March, Magic Kingdom was open til 2 am sometimes!) that you couldn't otherwise, since your CP ID will not admit you to EMHs.

The Comfort Inn on Palm Parkway (right down the street from the apartments) is my go-to backup cheap hotel. It's not the best by any means, but I've never seen any bugs, the rates are around $40, and the rooms are always clean. We've stayed there a lot. There is also a Comfort Inn on Sand Lake Rd. over by Universal that can be as cheap at $35, but it's not as close to everything. I've stayed there before, and it was decent.

My boyfriend came down 3 times, but he really stretched his money. He didn't pay for one trip's hotel because he came down with my parents, so you could always see if that is an option if they plan on visiting you. The most expensive thing was the airfare!

Just be prepared (and prepare him) that you may have to work. Since my days off were always the same, I would try and request a day before or after them, but in the worst case he would plan his trip so at least 1 of the days I was off. The other days we could spend half the day together, and while I was at work he would nap and then take the bus over to meet me (this took over an hour since I worked at a hotel, so it ate up some time!) when I was done.

Just space it out evenly. He came down Valentines Day, the end of March, and the second weekend of April. I can home the first week of March. We never really went a month without seeing each other, so it worked well! It's what kept me going when I was having tough times at work!

 

[vickalamode]

I'm concerned about this too, I don't know how I am going to go 4 months seeing my boyfriend so little...at least he has a real job w/ paid vacation time though lol.

When you put your shifts up on the hub, do they usually get taken by someone? From what I've read it seems like even if I don't get my days off that I requested I can probably work it out to take shifts on my "Real" days off the weeks he visits and put my shifts that I have to work on the hub for the time he's there...is that likely or really unrealistic? My job is housekeeping, so that seems like a job with a lot of people who could potentially pick up the shifts and also have shifts available to take...

 

[Sorahana]

I'm concerned about this too, I don't know how I am going to go 4 months seeing my boyfriend so little...at least he has a real job w/ paid vacation time though lol.

When you put your shifts up on the hub, do they usually get taken by someone? From what I've read it seems like even if I don't get my days off that I requested I can probably work it out to take shifts on my "Real" days off the weeks he visits and put my shifts that I have to work on the hub for the time he's there...is that likely or really unrealistic? My job is housekeeping, so that seems like a job with a lot of people who could potentially pick up the shifts and also have shifts available to take...

Hey! I never had luck with putting up shifts on the Hub because no one would take them. so we'd (other cast members at my attractions) would put up post-its asking people to trade or switch shifts and we'd get a response that way. It might be different for your area but in attractions it seldom worked for me. You also have to constantly check the Hub to make sure someone picks up the shift =).

My bf visited me my first program for 6 days, I gave away shifts via the post-it notes to seasonal people who wanted hours and I took off Fri,Sat,Sun,Mon so I had at least 4 days since you can request up to 2 days off a week. Hope that helps!

 

[kmg148]

Hey! I never had luck with putting up shifts on the Hub because no one would take them. so we'd (other cast members at my attractions) would put up post-its asking people to trade or switch shifts and we'd get a response that way. It might be different for your area but in attractions it seldom worked for me. You also have to constantly check the Hub to make sure someone picks up the shift =).

My bf visited me my first program for 6 days, I gave away shifts via the post-it notes to seasonal people who wanted hours and I took off Fri,Sat,Sun,Mon so I had at least 4 days since you can request up to 2 days off a week. Hope that helps!

Yeah, that's a good point. A lot of locations have seasonal cast members, so you could try and get the names/numbers of those people from your location since they may want to pick them up, and they almost never had overtime.

One of my friends when I worked went seasonal but was able to sustain living at an apartment on just being seasonal, since every week at least 5 people had shifts they needed switched or picked up.

 

[Princess Ash]

My bf has never been to WDW (nor any Disney Resort) and I am being selfish because I want to be the one to show him everything if he DOES decide to visit! I know he could come with other friends to keep him occupied while I'm at work...but this is something that means the whole world to me, and to share that with the PERSON that means the whole world to me (not to mention I've never brought friends nor any other bf to WDW) would be incredible. I just can't bear to think of him seeing the wonder without seeing it through my eyes (since he never saw it through a child's eyes and I'm the closest he has to it, lol).

I can't justify asking him to spend all kinds of money to come see me (despite the discount, on a poor college student's budget...it's a LOT) even though IDK how I'm going to make at least 5 months (til I return home for only a WEEKENDto graduation) before I see him...

Sorry, that was a long rant. Any comments?

 

[kmg148]

I mean if you are in a serious relationship you might be able to compromise. It sounds like you are, so maybe you could volunteer to pay for the hotel (a couple weeks worth of saving would definitely cover it) and just avoid eating at the parks. Maybe he could ask for a plane ticket for Christmas (or another holiday or birthday). I know it is a lot of money, especially looking at what we've spent, but the memories and times we needed each other were well worth the cost..

 

[Sorahana]

*insert post here*
Sorry, that was a long rant. Any comments?

The bf and I split the room when he visited, I paid half and he paid half. I would pay for the food (he'd give me the cash and I'd pay for it) at the resort in the food court so it would be discounted, we also went off property to Sizzler one night for dinner (Sizzler...yum). And I think we went to the mall too, but I had my car so that's a different story.

I was lucky and gave my shifts away and spent all the days with him. My backup plan was to work and meet him at the hotel after work the day he got there but someone took my shift so I spent the whole time with him.

I also flew home for a couple days both programs to see him and my family. First time I flew home was for like 3 days and I worked the day I got back in the afternoon. Next time I visited, I did the same thing got back to FL, got back to Chatham, took a couple hour nap, went to work.

He can either come see you or you could fly home and see him, there are options and ways to see him if you can't get him down to Disney =).
Have him come down for a weekend if you'd really like to see him. Hope that helps!

 

[Princess Ash]

I mean if you are in a serious relationship you might be able to compromise. It sounds like you are,... I know it is a lot of money, especially looking at what we've spent, but the memories and times we needed each other were well worth the cost..

We'll be going out TWO years by the time I head down to FL...it's serious
And you are so right...a visit WOULD be worth the cost. I am lucky that his mom is an airline attendant so he flies for $30 on Continental!!!

The bf and I split the room when he visited, I paid half and he paid half. I would pay for the food (he'd give me the cash and I'd pay for it) at the resort in the food court so it would be discounted, we also went off property to Sizzler one night for dinner (Sizzler...yum). And I think we went to the mall too, but I had my car so that's a different story.

I was lucky and gave my shifts away and spent all the days with him. My backup plan was to work and meet him at the hotel after work the day he got there but someone took my shift so I spent the whole time with him.

I also flew home for a couple days both programs to see him and my family. First time I flew home was for like 3 days and I worked the day I got back in the afternoon. Next time I visited, I did the same thing got back to FL, got back to Chatham, took a couple hour nap, went to work.

He can either come see you or you could fly home and see him, there are options and ways to see him if you can't get him down to Disney =).
Have him come down for a weekend if you'd really like to see him. Hope that helps!

Do you think this is cheaper than the DDP?

And lucky you!!!

 

[Sorahana]

Do you think this is cheaper than the DDP?

Sometimes they offer a cast discount on the DDP. When my mom visited me in June, four of us got the DDP for $21.99 a person a day and it was WORTH IT.
If your BF comes during a time when there's a discount on the DDP (you can find that out on The Hub), then I'd go with the DDP for sure!

 

[kmg148]

Definitely agree. However, if they don't have the DP, it's not worth it.

You can also save a lot of money just buying food at publix and packing snacks. If you won't have a car, the bus goes there so you could stock up before he comes. He's allowed on property for 3 days (signed in as a visitor) so you could go back and have lunch if possible and save a lot of money.

Eating in the parks adds up a lot, but some of the restaurants have 40% off deals and some have 20%. Around Christmas you get like 40% off merchandise. The savings really add up if you know where to look.

If his mom is a flight attendant, well geez that's a perk most people don't have. My boyfriend paid out of pocket for every trip and it added up. I don't see a reason not to come at least once if he has a job!

 

[vickalamode]

We'll be going out TWO years by the time I head down to FL...it's serious
And you are so right...a visit WOULD be worth the cost. I am lucky that his mom is an airline attendant so he flies for $30 on Continental!!!



Do you think this is cheaper than the DDP?

And lucky you!!!

$30 flights? Man, you're lucky! If we could get flights for $30 my boyfriend would probably be coming a couple times a month

 

[Princess Ash]

LOL! I'm srsly tempted to show him this thread!

 

[Disney_Princess_89]

My boyfriend and I work for AMC theaters so when I did my CP in fall of 08, he transfered to the AMC in Pleasure Island while I was down there. he just stayed in an extended-stay-hotel for the 4 months. as far as going to the parks was concerned, it actually worked out that the AMC was a partner with Disney which meant he got a Participant CM ID so we could go to the parks whenever we wanted i didn't have to use up my maingate
we really lucked out...

I would suggest using your discount for a hotel room and splitting the cost so your boyfriend can visit you! PrincessAsh I hope you are able to convince your bf to visit- he needs to see what he's missing
my bf was the one who introduced me to WDW