CBR - SPD discount - help, need convincing

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

So hear is the deal. At the start of the year we had hoped to get to WDW during the upcoming Christmas holidays. Our last 3-4 visits were always right after Thanksgiving, ususally 8-9 nights starting the weekend after Thanksgiving. In 2010 and 12 we were fortunate enough to snag free dining. We are family of 5, 2 adults and 3 kids, one of which is deemed adult for dining and tix.

So, first problem, none of the fall/winter 2014 discounts included our planned dates, and on top of that POR was excluded from everything but select pin code offers. When nothing further came up, we slowly accepted that 2014 wasn't in the cards, but I was still getting hard pressed by DW to figure something out.

So now I'm trying to figure out something in January that precedes both the spring break crowds and price hikes for rooms. I have looked at so many variations on dates for POR for the late fall/winter discount and for SPD, but it always comes up nothing. Basically I have to go to AoA, a deluxe or All star suites.

So good news is, apparently with CBR being remodeled, they are opening it to families of 5 and one of our time frames seems to be available at CBR for both the room only discount and for SPD.

For 9 nights and 8 day tickets (no hopper, regular DDP) I get a quote of $4314. I tried to price everything out at full rates for room-tix and DDP and if I did it right I get about a 21% overall savings, about $1200. When I compare room only discount, and reduce my meal costs by about $400 (assuming no DDP) I get about a 16% savings on total package.

I wish money weren't an issue, but flying 5 at about $350 a ticket, its looking like still a $7000 trip.

My biggest cons, not Christmas holidays, not my resort of choice (POR) and watching the $$$.

As my DW points out, we are running out of opportunities to do this as a family, and with a long protracted winter on the horizon, a January get away would be what the doctor ordered.

Is it better to settle and just be there? Ideally, I'd love to be at the Beach or YC or even Boardwalk, but even under the best discount it would be at least a $1300 increase over a moderate.



I seek words of wisdom and wise Disney counsel.

 

[emldrl]

I was really looking into CBR recently, and I think the new rooms look amazing! Same murphy bed as POR, if you haven't seen it. Also, the pool area looks really cool, and it has a kiddie pool. The CBR thread has lots of great pics. It is a big resort, but it has an internal bus, and lots of bus stops, and if you go that soon, there's a good chance you'll be in Jamaica or Aruba, which were the first villages done. (request one of these to be close to the pool and fairly close to OPR, then you can get a standard room) Also, I really dig the Caribbean theme, and everyone says it's really relaxing there.

Another option, if you wanted to stay deluxe, would be to rent points for DVC, but I don't know what you'd be able to get at this point, and it has it's own pros and cons. If it were me, and this might be your last trip for awhile, I'd go for CBR, with the fresh rooms, relaxing, laid back theme, and awesome pool area (if it's warm enough to swim, that is!)

Good luck, and I hope you can work it all out!!

 

[hmillerbarilla]

Caribbean Beach is wonderful. I've stayed there many times, and POR a couple. You will like CBR. It's lovely.

But for $1300 I might be all over the BW. Don't do BC in January--they're rehabbing rooms. And, SAB is going to be in a refurb. If any, I'd book BoardWalk.

 

[Regan1103]

have you tried finding a room at POR on orbitz? they have a 15% off promo code (Can i post it? its on the mousesaver's website) and they have a "buy 3 day hopper get 2 days free" for travel by late march. You can upgrade those tickets at the gate not sure if that would help at all.