Cheapskate Questions, please?

[Slightly Goofy]

Hi everyone.

We are leaving December 5th for a stay at Music from the 8=15th. We were last there in February. This is our first year of retirement and we are learning to stretch our money to fit our leisure time.

We are buying AP's for the first time and I see that with purchase of an entree you can get a free dessert or child's meal at several places. Sure don't need the dessert - will they give a child's meal to a grownup?

I have kept calling and finally got a MK discount for five of our nites. Almost enough to pay for the extra nite that I was also wanting. It pays to keep trying!

A tip from me, we take a small microwave with us and are able to eat two meals a day in the room. It is not just the money but I hate crowds in the morning and really hate them after a long day in the parks. We can just flop and rest without hassles. It is sitting out in the open and was even moved from one room to another by Disney personnel so it must be alright. Much safter than some of the other small appliances I have heard of people taking.

Can't wait to wander the Christmas wonderland.

Slightly Goofy

 

[Slightly Goofy]

I called my local AAA about buying AP at a discount and was told they don't sell them at all. Does the Ocala Disney office have them and is there a discount? We often stop there on the way down, even with ressies, as sometimes you can get a reduction in your rate nearer to check in time. I am trying to figure out all the AP discount wars and am worried I might have to - gasp- pay full price. Ahhhhhh!!!! (smile)

Slightly Goofy

 

[Beverly Lynn]

so I take it that you live in fl right? if so they offer many discounts for disney there and I know they even have an ap that is greatly discounted but with a few blackout dates like easter/xmas week/thanksgiving week but for the amount of savings its worth it and you wouldn;t want to be there in those crowds anyways right? but I thought you had to buy themn at disney....I could b3e wrong but if you do a search on ap's I think you could get a better answer.....

<img width="210"src="http://www.wdwinfo.com/sites/dragon/Beverly1.jpg">[/IMG]

Beverly

 

[Slightly Goofy]

Hi Bev

No. we live in Indiana and are just plain Disney nuts. I have read on the forums about getting their AP's at a discount at their AAA office but not here. I have searched the forums for answers but have not found what I was hunting for. Thank you for the help. What a pretty little girl. I have two granddaughters but their mother does not want them to wear dresses, especially those bought by me. I am the dreaded mil. I think I am nice but I may be wrong. My grandkids love me, course I spoil them rotten. They all want to go to Disney with us in December. Had two of them with us in February. We drove down to babysit while their parents went to convention stuff. Rough job, but someone had to do it. (grinz)

Just Slightly Goofy

 

[Candace]

Did you say you have MKC discount for your rooms? You can also get MKC discount on AP's (I have). I don't know about discount with the new Disney Club, but up until 12/31/00, we can still use MKC. Good luck! Candace

 

[Slightly Goofy]

Yes, I have the MK card. Do you know how much the discount is on the AP? Do we buy them at the resort or do we have to go to the park? You would figure after all the times we have been to Disney we would know it all but we are not even close. There is just so much to do and see and so many layers of happenings that if you see the same thing six times you will find more to see. I love it. Nine days to go! Suitcases on pool tale just waiting to be loaded. Hope it doesn't snow on the way down or back.

More than Slightly Goofy (grinz)

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

The discount on AP with a MKC card is approx. 5%.
The MKC program is ending 12-31-00 and has been replaced with the disney club.

Gail

Offsite - 88
CBR - 89 & 90
PO - 91
OKW-92,OKW-93,OKW-96, OKW-97 2X'S,OKW-98 2X's
OKW-99 2X'S,OKW-00 2X's
Jamaica-SandalsInn 98&00

 

[Slightly Goofy]

Thank you for your help. I am trying to get all my Christmas done before we leave so I can relax and enjoy it when I return and I really do appreciate your tips and such. Cards are in the mail and I bought the last of the presents today and need to wrap them/ 8 days and counting.

Slightly Goofy

 

[dusty]

Matris2,
Okay, what part of Indiana?? I live in South Bend and I've driven several times. If you go to the home page of the DIS and find the Ticket Prices page it will tell you what the costs are for full price and for MKC discount. The DC discount is essentially the same from what I can tell. Did you ask about AP discounts on your rooms for the Dec trip as well as MKC?? We are going down in Jan '01 and the AP discounts were better than the MKC when I made the reservations in the summer. Might be worth a try, good luck

dusty....countdown to January 1st, 2001 for next WDW visit.

 

[Slightly Goofy]

Hi Dusty

Thank you for your reply and interest. I always drive. Bit nervous as we are to leave Wednesday and I am not a winter driver. I have a nightmare about driving down 65 and running into freezing rain with no way to get off. I also dread Atlanta and drive around it. Any tips for an easier way to get around it?

Sorry we will be back home by the time you arrive. I will post if I have any info you might be able to use. We have been to Disney many times and enjoy being able to relax and go with the flow as opposed to trying to 'get our money's worth'.

I have gotten an MK rate on five of our days at ASMusic. It took several days to get the rate AND add another day on our trip.

What wonderful fun you will have being there for New Years. I would hate the crowds but it sure sounds exciting. Looking forward to hearing how your trip went.

From one Hoosier to another

 

[Slightly Goofy]

Realized I forgot to say where I am in Indiana. Down near Columbus which is just south of Indpls. Tiny town with a big heart.

Slightly Goofy

 

[Cinders]

I'm in Indiana too....northeast of Warsaw. We've always been told to take 75 right through Atlanta and to take the bypass around Macon. We leave Friday and usually take 74 out of Indy to 275(bypass for Cincy) to 75. This year we are going to try 65 to 24 to 75. Looks like the only way to totally avoid Atlanta is to stay on 65 until Birmingham or Montgomery....which my parents have done but it does add a bit of time to your drive down.

 

[Vderon]

You may want to consider trying some of the reward programs for your next trip. Check out the rewards forum on these boards.

Have fun!

 

[Slightly Goofy]

I have a solution. Why don't we all band together and hire a bus and driver and go in style and let the driver worry about Atlanta? Without having to worry about driving we could use the time for better things. Just one great big paryt all the way down and back.

Cinders - I wonder just how much time it would add to take 65 to Birmingham/Montgomery. I might have to check that out on my travel program. We leave Wednesday and will check in on Friday at All Star Music. Sort of like Movies but the rooms are a bit bright for relaxing for an old couple like ourselves. I am 52 and DH is 66. We were at the Movies in February and our grands really loved it. I hope you and Dusty have fun and safe trips down and back and am looking forward to hearing your stories. We are going back in the spring so I can always learn something new.

Thank you all, Slightly Goofy

 

[momofthreeboys]

My tip for Atlanta
Arrive between 2-3 am and drive straight through downtown so far it hasn't been bad. We leave Friday from St. louis. Hope all goes well.
have a safe trip.
michelle

 

[Slightly Goofy]

Dear Michelle

Thank you for your kind thoughts. Hope you and your three boys will be near us at DW as we will be suffering grandkid withdrawal. Two of our grandsons were here to tell us goodbye tonite. They were raised on the DW videos and know each and every ride by heart. The 9 yr old has been twice the 3 year old has sort of been twice as his mom was pregnant with him the first time. Looking forward to hearing how your boys enjoy the trip.

Linda

 

[Minnie's Mate]

Hey GS,

I live in Atlanta and you can stay on I-75 through downtown without too much added time if you avoid rush hour. Now, we do have the worlds longest rush hours, so will have to plan a little.

Try to go through Atlanta between 10:00 am and be on the south side of I-20 BEFORE about 3:30 pm. This window of time will give you the lightest traffic (comparable to I-285 during the same time). Or wait untill after 7:00 pm. The only major traffic will be north of I-20 during rush hour. If you hit Atlanta during rush hour, take I-285 West aroung the west side of town. There will be some conjestion, especially on Friday afternoon, around the exits to I-20, but not as bad as rush hour on I-75. The trip on I-285 is considerably longer mileage wise than going through the downtown area and doesn't really save time if you miss rush hour traffic.

But be warned, if there is an accident on either route, you will be in for a slow ride. We get a lot of "rubber neckers" that seem compelled to slow down and see how bad the accident was...like you can really tell whizzing by at, say, 35 mph (LOL).

Be sure to take I-475 around Macon. This is a significant time saver. However, PLEASE pay attention to all exit names in Georgia. Our DOT just renumbered all of the interstate exits to correspond to the distance from the southern or western most State line. This has really confused a lot of people who are used to taking a restaurant break at a particular exit number and the next thing you know, they have missed their exit because they don't have the new number. If you stop at the first Georgia Welcome Center after crossing into Georgia, you can get a free guide to the new numbers.

Hope this helps and have a wonderfull trip.

I live in the real world, so I choose to vacation in Fantasy Land!!
WDW-88,96,97,6/99,12/99,4/01,12/01,4/02,12/02...

 

[Slightly Goofy]

The best advice I have gotten on this board is to drive thru Atlanta. It was ever so much easier. Stayed in the middle lane and kept on going. Only about 10 minutes of pain, much better than hours of driving around the town.

It saved my bacon on the trip home as we were coming home as the bad weather was settling in and were just one step ahead of it all the way home. After the 1,000 mile journey it started snowing as we pulled into our driveway. God was on our side. After we passed through Atlanta Saturday night it snowed and sleeted and there were wrecks everywhere. It was raining hard when we went through and there were a few people who had wrecked then but we were lucky and avoided them. I am not a winter driver so I am ever so grateful.

We had a wonderful trip but I am tardy in reporting on the trip board as my father died a couple of days after I returned and what with Christmas and all I have not had time to do any detailed writing.

Thank you all for the advice and good wishes.

Linda

 

[dmfuru]

The discount with the MKC card for AP is 10%. The DC discount is 5% for AP.

 

[momofthreeboys]

Slightly Goofy
I am sorry to hear about your Father. I never know what to say because words cannot do your pain justice. Just know you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Michelle