Buying 1st time -- trying NOT to be high maintenance

[Quilter007]

OK -- so I've been lurking for a while....buying @ California today!!! Ack!!!! Haven't seen the charge for the deposit show up on my card yet -- should I call my rep or just hang out?

Also, I'll have developer points that I need to use before 10/3. Kids school starts 8/17. We've never been to Florida in the summer -- actually, only been to FL twice. Is the heat going to kill us? What about the crowds? Should we go in Sept and take the cooler weather/slower crowds & blow off school for a week (4th grade & K)?

Thanks for advice.......ack!!!!

Katrina

 

[Buckeye Fan]

OK -- so I've been lurking for a while....buying @ California today!!! Ack!!!! Haven't seen the charge for the deposit show up on my card yet -- should I call my rep or just hang out?

Congratulations! Welcome to the Disboards, and...
HOME!!!

As for your cc charge, no worries! Disney will definitely be quick to take your money! Sometimes, charges don't show up immediately. Also, since GCV just opened today, they may be running all of their orders tonight in a batch.

Also, I'll have developer points that I need to use before 10/3. Kids school starts 8/17. We've never been to Florida in the summer -- actually, only been to FL twice. Is the heat going to kill us? What about the crowds? Should we go in Sept and take the cooler weather/slower crowds & blow off school for a week (4th grade & K)?

Thanks for advice.......ack!!!!

Katrina

Aug and Sept are both extremely hot in Orlando. I'm not sure you'll see that much of a difference. However, you will see a difference in the crowds. By Sept, almost all schools and colleges are back in session. One downside of Aug/Sept is you are at a the peak of hurricane season. The majority of hurricanes and tropical storms hit between mid-Aug and mid-Oct. They peak mid-Sept.

 

[Cmbar]

Well September crowds will be great. The heat is still there and it is still hurricane season, but if I were you I would just go when you can get in to use those developer points. After all it is free to stay there. I wouldn;t hesitate to take out a 4th grader and Kinderg. out, unless you know it will be hard for them. Sometimes it is hard for a Kinderg. to readjust since they haven;'t been in school that long.

Have fun!!

 

[Crystal_27]

OK -- so I've been lurking for a while....buying @ California today!!! Ack!!!! Haven't seen the charge for the deposit show up on my card yet -- should I call my rep or just hang out?

Also, I'll have developer points that I need to use before 10/3. Kids school starts 8/17. We've never been to Florida in the summer -- actually, only been to FL twice. Is the heat going to kill us? What about the crowds? Should we go in Sept and take the cooler weather/slower crowds & blow off school for a week (4th grade & K)?

Thanks for advice.......ack!!!!

Katrina

First of all, congratulations and welcome home!!

As to vacationing in September, I can definitely attest that (i) the crowds are very very light; and (ii) the weather is very hot (but manageable). Please also take into account that you are going to have to be prepared for the rain. We were there for 9 days in September, 2008 and it rained every day, sometimes for an hour at a time, sometimes for 5 hours. However, we were able to wear our ponchos and just get out in it, but for some folks that would not be their idea of fun.

As to whether or not you should pull your kiddos from school, that is an entirely personal preference. However, DH and I have now been in December, March, and September and our September trip was by far the best, despite the heat and the rain.

 

[nunzia]

You can also use your DP at DLR..did you already know that? I used mine for 3 nights concierge at the Grand Californian over Labor Day weekend (my birthday..gotta get all free stuff possible )

 

[dianeschlicht]

Welcome home!
I would try for as early in the summer as possible or maybe look at taking the kids out for a few days late Sept/early October. I do think it might be best to do that as late as possible so your youngest will be well established at school before taking some time off. We used to take our kids out when they were young, but we usually went in January. We hate the heat, and even though January is cool, it's a lot warmer than Minnesota!

I think you can also use the Developer points for an RCI exchange. That would essentially extend the time you would have to use the points. That wouldn't be a Disney trip though.

 

[Quilter007]

Grr...my guide is too busy w/ the events to call me back....receptionist (she's very nice) doesn't have any info on me except that we were there a couple of weeks ago. Sigh....maybe I should go back to the buying on the resale market idea!

Thanks for the input!

 

[Quilter007]

OK -- looks like they finally figured out how to get my deposit! I was beginning to think it wasn't going to happen and the down payment would get recalculated and the incentives would change.......now I can go back to planning! Still working on the Aug vs Sept thing......

Yes, I know I can use points at the hotels in CA, but I go there for business & drag the family several times a year -- so we'd like to do FL again. One of the things we love about WDW is that we don't know anyone! No work meetings, no family drama.....we can just rides the rides, attempt to golf and eat wonderful food. Although, I've got to say one thing -- Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom does NOT compare to DL! The first (only) time we rode it in MK, we asked if it was broken -- so different from DL! Oh and why can't anyone in FL make a decent churro? Sorry -- that's 2 things......

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[Donald is #1]

Congratulations and welcome home!!!

 

[sanbornangel]

Congrats! Late September/early October is great weather. Free dining ends in early October, that may effect the crowds a little. We will be there October 11-18. We have also been in September, we were only rained out 1 day.