Christmas trip decisions to be made!

[ROBEAR84]

Hi all,

I've not been around for a little while as we had decided to put off our Christmas trip and save for WDW instead but we've had a little change in circumstances in that after 10 months of searching I've finally found a new job!

So... we're rethinking Christmas, as I've said before I have always wanted to go during the Christmas season. We were looking at the Cheyenne/Sequoia again as the the prices are fantastic however we are now wondering if as we definitely (no buts, we won't be able to go again til after wdw!! ) won't be going again for a while, perhaps we should do our dream stay and stay at the DLH. We can just about afford if if we scrimp and save but as I've been unemployed for the past 10 months it won't change much!! It's £1100 for the four of us. As we never really price up the DLH usually unless it's to shock ourselves, is that a really good price? I know the sequoia/Cheyenne prices are the cheapest I've seen since we first went in 2010.

Should we splurge? We could definitely do the NY without feeling to guilty but I'm not sure I want to if this is the best chance we'll ever have of staying at the DLH. The kids will probably be 7+ next time so there's not much hope of us affording it once we have to pay for them too.

What to do?!

I have my sandalwood vanilla Yankee candle going which has even brought the DLH back into DHs mind (even though he didn't like the smell when we were there looking around! ) and he's keen to stay there too. Mmmm it smells so good!

The other thing was that I priced up the 20th-24th December as the children would only miss 2 days of school. DH is not keen to go so close to Christmas incase we have problems enroute home and doesn't like going over weekends, But... I don't want to go earlier in December as the kids would miss too much school when they could miss important things (nativitys etc)
Christmas holidays costs way too much for us to go en so then it would be putting it off til February/March and they'd still miss school.

I think that the experience of staying at the DLH paired with the Christmas season would be amazing. It'd be lovely later on but not quite the same.

Thoughts please?

 

[HFJohnson]

Ooh, difficult one. How many nights is that for? Is it the four for two deal?

We stayed in the DLH first time and then in the Cheyenne and it wasn't the come down I'd expected and I wouldn't hurry to pay the premium for the DLH again. BUT I think it would be fab to stay there at Christmas and being just a short walk from your hotel and avoiding the bag check in winter would be a huge plus. And you'll get to enjoy their yummy breakfasts every day.

I think everyone should stay at the DLH at least once so if you think this is your chance then go for it. If that price is for four days then that is a pretty good deal (we paid about £600 for two nights last year).

I'm also trying to decide on a Christmas trip. I've booked two nights without tickets at the Cheyenne for £120 (refundable) - I just need the money for tickets and travel!

 

[ROBEAR84]

Yes it's the 4 night deal.

I would happily stay at the Cheyenne again as we love it there, if anything my DH preferred it to the Sequoia. But like you said everyone should stay at the DLH once! and yes the hot breakfasts and short trip back to warm up when it's so cold is one of the things that definitely sways me!

 

[DLPDreams]

£1100 for four nights at that time of year at the DLH is a steal. Presuming it is 20-24 you are talking about at the DLH as that is always a premium time to go? We would be paying almost that for 3 nights end November . We can't go for the 4 nights (and get the 2 nights free deal) as like you, I don't want my DDs missing school (we are taking them over a teacher training weekend so they aren't missing anything when we go ).

Can't help on whether you book it though. We have always been lucky enough to stay at the DLH and had a great time, however, the last trip in June we had an awful stay there - service was awful, things weren't right etc. It put me off staying there again but we go with my parents at the end of November and they are keen to stay there!

 

[Mum to Belle]

Congratulations on your new job!!

I would LOVE to stay at DLH and if you won't go back it's a big question. We're staying at HNY because the difference in price would 5 days!!

I am saving DLH for my 40th birthday as I think it will be a one off that's for sure.

With regards to when you go, we are going at the end of November so DD will miss a couple of days of school but not the Christmassy bits and hopefully it will be early enough that we avoid the worst of the weather. Our DD is only 5 (she'll be 6 then) so won't miss anything vital IMO.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[tinkertaylor05]

I think that's a great price for 4 nights and if you can do it financially go for it! We did the beginning of December last year at DLH and loved it, purely for the convenience when it's cold or raining, we spent the whole of Saturday day just hanging around the hotel when it was freezing and pouring down

 

[nightrider68]

How about 22nd to 26th December

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is fantastic at DLRP

 

[ROBEAR84]

£1100 for four nights at that time of year at the DLH is a steal. Presuming it is 20-24 you are talking about at the DLH as that is always a premium time to go? We would be paying almost that for 3 nights end November . We can't go for the 4 nights (and get the 2 nights free deal) as like you, I don't want my DDs missing school (we are taking them over a teacher training weekend so they aren't missing anything when we go ).

I think the last day of term in December might be an inset day but I can't find the letter to double check! so fingers crossed, hopefully they will only miss the final day of term!

Can't help on whether you book it though. We have always been lucky enough to stay at the DLH and had a great time, however, the last trip in June we had an awful stay there - service was awful, things weren't right etc. It put me off staying there again but we go with my parents at the end of November and they are keen to stay there!

We didn't have a great trip in June either but not because of our hotel. It had put me off going in December but as it won't put too much of a strain financially now I'm willing to try again! fingers crossed they've sorted out the problems you had then!

Congratulations on your new job!!

I would LOVE to stay at DLH and if you won't go back it's a big question. We're staying at HNY because the difference in price would 5 days!!

I am saving DLH for my 40th birthday as I think it will be a one off that's for sure.

With regards to when you go, we are going at the end of November so DD will miss a couple of days of school but not the Christmassy bits and hopefully it will be early enough that we avoid the worst of the weather. Our DD is only 5 (she'll be 6 then) so won't miss anything vital IMO.

Good luck with your decision!

Thank you!!

Ideally we would have gone in November too, when we were planning to go for the Christmas season we were going to go then but now it's just too close to pay for it by then..unless we go to the Cheyenne/Sequoia as we could do then... argh! see what I mean! it's so hard! It sounds daft but I think unless we go somewhere different I'm not that bothered about going - shock horror!! It's not that I didn't enjoy the other hotels, I loved them both but I think the DLH price being so good and it perhaps being our only chance to stay there for a very long time means I think I'd be disappointed if we went but didn't stay there.

I think that's a great price for 4 nights and if you can do it financially go for it! We did the beginning of December last year at DLH and loved it, purely for the convenience when it's cold or raining, we spent the whole of Saturday day just hanging around the hotel when it was freezing and pouring down

Ah I would love to be able to just run back if it's too bad!! we've had to go back to the Cheyenne & Sequoia before now to dry off and warm up and it is a bit of a trek!

How about 22nd to 26th December

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is fantastic at DLRP

So wish we could, but at just shy of £3000 there's no way we could afford that unfortunately!

 

[inelegancex]

£1100 for four nights at that time of year at the DLH is a steal.

Gosh that is a wonderful price, I would take that up in a heartbeat! For two adults 2 nights/3days it was coming up nearly £2,500!

 

[Ets80]

I love Christmas vacations. After the first week of November the price goes up.

 

[Ware Bears]

Go on, book it - before you change your mind!!! You've always wanted to stay there, you may never get such a reasonable price again, and I'm also in the camp that everyone should stay there (at least ) the once! I can't think of a better time of year either, both for the location and the Christmas decorations.

p.s. Congratulations on the new job.

 

[ROBEAR84]

Go on, book it - before you change your mind!!! You've always wanted to stay there, you may never get such a reasonable price again, and I'm also in the camp that everyone should stay there (at least ) the once! I can't think of a better time of year either, both for the location and the Christmas decorations.

p.s. Congratulations on the new job.

Thanks Elaine

I think I've gone completely mad as I think I have almost talked myself out of it!! argh!!

I'm torn as DS is desperate to see the Lion Kind musical as it's in Bristol soon but given the prices and the fact it's almost sold out I think I'd rather make a weekend of it and go to London. So... I think we might do that this autumn/winter instead, I know!!! gasp!! we can have the most amazing weekend in London for less than half of the cost of Paris and given that I do now have my lovely new job there's a much greater chance we'll be able to afford the DLH anyway.

.... I think these night shifts are getting to me!!!

I'll probably change my mind again tomorrow!

 

[ROBEAR84]

...OR...

I could book the Cheyenne (even though I wasn't that keen on doing that) and do both!!

argh! I am going crazy!!

 

[Hipster Meg]

My personal choice would be book a matinee performance of The Lion King (try and get stalls seats if possible, it's so much better downstairs) and an over night stay in London. Then travel to Disney the next day making a real pre-Christmas event of it!

 

[Ware Bears]

My personal choice would be book a matinee performance of The Lion King (try and get stalls seats if possible, it's so much better downstairs) and an over night stay in London. Then travel to Disney the next day making a real pre-Christmas event of it!

Great minds think alike I was about to post the same thing!

 

[elstoleno]

My personal choice would be book a matinee performance of The Lion King (try and get stalls seats if possible, it's so much better downstairs) and an over night stay in London. Then travel to Disney the next day making a real pre-Christmas event of it!

I think the Lion King is on tour up Manchester in December becauseI was planning on booking that before I got tickets and a trip to London for my 21st ^_^


I think you should book a cheaper hotel and do both. It could even free up some extra spending money for the trips / Christmas?

 

[aj2703]

The other thing was that I priced up the 20th-24th December as the children would only miss 2 days of school. DH is not keen to go so close to Christmas incase we have problems enroute home and doesn't like going over weekends, But... I don't want to go earlier in December as the kids would miss too much school when they could miss important things (nativitys etc)
Christmas holidays costs way too much for us to go en so then it would be putting it off til February/March and they'd still miss school.

I think that the experience of staying at the DLH paired with the Christmas season would be amazing. It'd be lovely later on but not quite the same.

Thoughts please?

Why not go the other side of christmas for new year...?

 

[ROBEAR84]

My personal choice would be book a matinee performance of The Lion King (try and get stalls seats if possible, it's so much better downstairs) and an over night stay in London. Then travel to Disney the next day making a real pre-Christmas event of it!

Great minds think alike I was about to post the same thing!

That is a pretty awesome idea! I always forget you can get the Eurostar from London as we always pick it up in Ashford. I have priced up parking in London/train from Bristol to London for the London trip though and the cost is huge! hence why we always go to Ashford instead. Think we'll be getting the Eurotunnel again again as much as I love the Eurostar.

I think the Lion King is on tour up Manchester in December becauseI was planning on booking that before I got tickets and a trip to London for my 21st ^_^


I think you should book a cheaper hotel and do both. It could even free up some extra spending money for the trips / Christmas?

Well... I've had another thought... as much as I would love to do Christmas the DLH is that price (£1100 for 4 nights) for us right up until March so we could go a bit later on possibly for DDs birthday in March or even February half term to avoid them going in school time (was surprised that the price stayed the same for that week!)

It gives us the extra time to pay for it (so we can still do London and Lion King in October!) and we've been at that time of year a few times before - hopefully it'll be nice and cold still (although no snow please!!!) to warrant staying on the doorstep!

Why not go the other side of christmas for new year...?

For the same reason as why we can't go over Christmas unfortunately... crazy expensive until after the Christmas season finished then.

 

[Hipster Meg]

As a thought if you did decide to do the Lion King one day, Disney the next idea you could still stay in Ashford and get the eurostar from there. London-Ashford takes an hour or so so you could drive to Ashford then take a train into London, watch the show and catch the train back out. That is a lot of travelling to do in one day though.

 

[HappyPanda]

Well... I've had another thought... as much as I would love to do Christmas the DLH is that price (£1100 for 4 nights) for us right up until March so we could go a bit later on possibly for DDs birthday in March or even February half term to avoid them going in school time (was surprised that the price stayed the same for that week!)

Have you checked the Eurostar for the half term dates? As someone else posted that the prices for the train during Half Term are much higher than any normal time! Might be something to check if you haven't already!