Where did you find your rental car rate? I'm finally starting to search for something. We always rent a car.
I went to Priceline -- the downside of this is you don't know what company you're ranting from. I entered $10/day for an economy car and it came back with a response -- but then they tack on a HUGE amount of fees!
I have read many good things about
Alamo on the boards (and people are usually kind enough to share discount codes).
I would seriously reconsider your option of no TS meals for 9 days, especially if the majority of you dining will be at the MK. MK counter service dining is pretty monotonous and while I love the MK there is no way I would spend my entire vacation there.
..as someone else has said....you may want to rethink having no TS meals at all. One of the things I always recommend for the hot summer months is at least one sit down meal a day...usually dinner. That way, your body is fueled, you get some needed a/c, and your dd can meet some princesses or other characters.
I really thought hard about the eating thing. I originally had ADRs lined up each night (when we had been signed up for
free dining). But then I realized I would just rather eat a bunch of small meals/snacks than sitting down to big meals in August (that's how we tend to eat in the summer in our family).
We're not commando people (well, *I* could be, but my DD6 is DEFINITELY not), so my plan is that most days we'll be at parks from RD to 2pm or so, and then head back to our resort to swim/hang out -- if DD seems to be OK, some nights we might try to hit a park for another 2 hours, but other nights we'll just stay at the resort. (Sadly, my child operates best if she is in bed for at least 11-12 hours at a stretch.)
We do have a bfast ADR for CRT and a lunch ADR at Tusker, so we won't be going "cold turkey."
We're ordering veggies, hummus and Pita from Garden Grocers, as well as some fruit, cheese, and crackers, so we'll be able to bring some healthy snacks.
I do have a strategy for MK eating -- I see that Columbia Harbor has a veggie-hummus sandwich, and also a good looking tuna sandwich (and my DD loves N.E. Clam Chowder). And I see that the Golden Oak has a veggie flatbread that sounds decent (as well as a "BLT&C" one). Plus the nearby Contempo Cafe does have some decent offerings (and the Sushi Bar in the Poly could also be an option - - I hear they even offer the Kona menu there). And I am actually looking forward to a burger! (I don't eat a lot of burgers, but I do like them and I heard a rumor that Cosmic Ray's has guacamole in the fixins bar!! As well as sauteed mushrooms and onions which makes me happy too!)
While we will find ourselves most days at MK, we will be at AK one day, HS one day, and at Epcot 2 days (so that will help with the variety -- well, except for HS, though I am looking forward to a cupcake there!)
And we're staying at CSR, so if we really/truly want a sit-down meal, it is likely we can go to the restaurant there w/o an ADR (CSR is out of the way and I don't think the restaurant there is very popular, even during free dining).
I really thought long and hard about this -- if we were headed there in the Fall or Winter my guess is I would feel completely different (b/c those times of year we tend to eat full meals). And if we were "commando" people (staying at the park from RD til nighttime) then I would certainly feel differently as well.
But this is why I LOVE the DISers! Because I learn so much, and I thank you for your great advice -- b/c you are both right, if we were going 9am-9pm, we would CERTAINLY need TS breaks!!!
Yay! Can't wait!
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