CLOSED PLEASE CLOSED**Official September 2012 Thread!**

[Boymom78]

Hi all! We're planning our first trip to Disneyworld. My husband and his father have never been, and the last time I went was...16 years ago! My boys are 5 and 8, though they will be 6 and 9 when we go. We're planning to go in early September of 2012, and OMG, I'm so looking forward to it! Right now, we are tentatively going as a group of 6 (DH, my, both boys, FIL and my mom), and likely renting two rooms at a Disney Value resort-- not sure which one yet.
We're also trying to convince my brother to bring his two girls with.
I do have some questions for you more experienced Disney-trippers.
1) If we book now, with the meal plan, and Disney offers Free Dining, will we be able to take advantage of that?
2) Approximately how far in advance SHOULD we book our rooms? And how much of a deposit does Disney require?
3) Is using a travel agent worth it? Can they make the reservations for us for character and signature dining? We want to do Chef Mickey, Ohana, Biergarten, and California Grill, and I imagine we'll need to get those booked as soon as the chance arises.
4) If my brother goes, we qualify as a "Grand Gathering". Is that worth being a part of, or mentioning, or whatever it is that entails?
Thanks for any help! I am more excited than my kids!

 

[Mrs. Sojourner]

Our trip will be for September 9th-15th staying at POR. I'm so glad to find out there are others who are planning this far in advance too!

 

[Mrs. Sojourner]

1) If we book now, with the meal plan, and Disney offers Free Dining, will we be able to take advantage of that?
2) Approximately how far in advance SHOULD we book our rooms? And how much of a deposit does Disney require?

1) You can change your reservations to take advantage of discounts as they become available. I plan to book in the next couple of months and they hope for a free dining discount to become available.

2) I'm not sure of the deposit for a room only ressie (I'm sure others would know), but for a package ressie the deposit is $200 and then you have to pay the balance by 45 days before the beginning of the trip.

I hope that helps a little; I'm sure others will be able to give you info on your other questions. Happy planning!

 

[Boymom78]

Actually, that's absolutely perfect info. I'm so excited, I'm driving my husband nuts. He's never been there, so he doesn't get it, at all. We waited and waited for our sons to be the age they are now, because we have no idea if we'll ever be able to go back, and now they're at this age, and I. Am. So. Ready!!!!

 

[Mrs. Sojourner]

You guys are going to have an awesome time! Happy planning!!!

 

[Boymom78]

I think we're going to go ahead and reserve two rooms at Port Orleans Riverside, and hope they offer the dining package- if not, it still comes out cheaper, with our party, to stay at POR. I've never stayed there, but it looks SO beautiful! Eeps! Time to book, I think!

 

[BlondeViki]

I think we're going to go ahead and reserve two rooms at Port Orleans Riverside, and hope they offer the dining package- if not, it still comes out cheaper, with our party, to stay at POR. I've never stayed there, but it looks SO beautiful! Eeps! Time to book, I think!

Yay! It was such a tough call for me between Dolphin and POR, we chose Dolphin this time but I'm sure I'll wonder 'what if' and convince myself to book another trip to POR *any excuse!*

You know it's going to be a fab holiday when even booking is so exciting!

 

[Princess/es19]

Hey everyone!
Sorry I have been MIA, Hubby and I moved and internet wont be installed until this Wednesday. I'll be back to update it then!
Hope everyone had a happy holiday!

 

[cjnkarl]

Booked on the 4th of July for Sep 20-28 at the Poly
It's our "do-over" trip from Christmas break what a nightmare!!!

hub and I have 4 kids DS18, DD12, DS7 and DD6; sis and her hub have 3 kids DS7, DD6, and DD2 (my 2 nieces AND my sis will actually celebrate their b-days in the World ) and my mom and dad are coming as well

Absolutely - can't - WAIT!!! So glad there's a thread! Thanks!! It'll be here before we know it! We started planning this trip on the last awful day of our last trip, and 6 months have passed ALREADY!

 

[orangecats2]

Added another day to our ressie over the weekend!
Now it's Sept 15-22 (sat - sat) at POFQ.
Got the water park option because I've only been to River Country and hubby hasn't been to any of them. Also want to do Disney Quest. Can't decide how many park days I want though.
Still need free dining...

 

[Boymom78]

Are you guys booking straight through the Disney site, or with a travel agent? I'm talking with a travel agent right now, because the ADR stuff scares me, and she'll make all the ressies for us. And now our group has grown almost officially to 9. My brother has decided to bring his girls, and go when we go! Because he's trying to keep costs down, we may end up at a different resort, but that's okay. The poor travel agent has had to re-plan our trip twice already (wrong dates initially, then we added my mom, and now my brother and his girls). But I'm going to book it, and if he can't go (my brother), just deal with that then. I want it booked, especially as it looks like we're going to need suites. I'm dying, I'm so ready to book this and get it settled, and my brother's hemming and hawing was driving me nuts. Now I'm just gonna do it, and hope he can go!

 

[TinyDancer]

With my DC's ages, I will save more having a resort pin code than FD. I hope I get a pin!

 

[cjnkarl]

If your party is over 8 you're automatically a Grand Gathering There's nothing extra you have to do and you get to 'name' your group which is fun! There are some special activities you can do, we did 2 of them 2 trips ago - we had breakfast at Tony's on Main Street which was really fun and we also did a special dinner in Epcot that was kind of set up like a wedding with big tables, lots of food, and a DJ. That also got us into a special area to watch Illuminations which had a coffee bar and TONS of desserts

As for the travel agent question, I've been to Disney many times and have always used their planners. They're fantastic!! They will jump through hoops to help you in any way and are usually AS excited as YOU are about your trip We count back 180 days and make the call for our ADRs that day and the planners ae such a big help. We got everything we wanted, even the week of Christmas break!!

 

[cjnkarl]

Sorry! forgot to quote in my last post - that reply was meant for BoyMom78

 

[Julie521]

Are you guys booking straight through the Disney site, or with a travel agent? I'm talking with a travel agent right now, because the ADR stuff scares me, and she'll make all the ressies for us. And now our group has grown almost officially to 9. My brother has decided to bring his girls, and go when we go! Because he's trying to keep costs down, we may end up at a different resort, but that's okay. The poor travel agent has had to re-plan our trip twice already (wrong dates initially, then we added my mom, and now my brother and his girls). But I'm going to book it, and if he can't go (my brother), just deal with that then. I want it booked, especially as it looks like we're going to need suites. I'm dying, I'm so ready to book this and get it settled, and my brother's hemming and hawing was driving me nuts. Now I'm just gonna do it, and hope he can go!

I booked through AAA. The reason being we get a 20 percent discount on the room. saved us a good amount. then, if the free dining pops up she will call us and let us know whether it will be worth it or not, depending on the stipulations of the free dining.

 

[Princess/es19]

I should say welcome, but it looks like everyone has settled into this thread quite nicely!

I have updated the list and the number of people we have now, at over a year away, is astounding! I'm very excited about this!

Anyway, sorry about my absence, DH and I have our own place! It is so amazing, this is the first time DH and I have never been completely on our own. We are like grown-ups, but I am sure you will all understand when I say a true Disney fan never grows up.

In other exciting news, DH has shown me his corporate discount website and It is amazing. We can buy a 7 day park hopper for the price of a 4 day! If you or your family works for a Darden Restaurant (red lobster, olive garden, etc) look into ALL the corporate benefits!

Also, if I saw you cite a reason for your trip, I added it beside your name in the list. I would love for an asterisk to be by everyone's name, just let me know! Also let me know if I have an error, so I can fix it for you.

 

[BlondeViki]

Anyway, sorry about my absence, DH and I have our own place! It is so amazing, this is the first time DH and I have never been completely on our own. We are like grown-ups, but I am sure you will all understand when I say a true Disney fan never grows up.

Congratulations - that's so ace! Have fun making it your own space

 

[cjnkarl]

Our trip will be our *DO OVER* trip if you'd like to add it to the list

 

[Boymom78]

Well, now we're just waiting for my brother to figure out if his girls' mom is going to go with to determine where we're going to stay.As soon as we find that out, we're gonna contact the travel agent and book. I think, unless Disney offers free dining, we're NOT going to do the Dining Plan (I really don't like the idea of my kids eating nothing but grilled cheese and mac and cheese all week).
We're staying 9/9-9/15/2012, and our * would be that it's our first Grand Gathering/Family Trip.

 

[BlondeViki]

Well, now we're just waiting for my brother to figure out if his girls' mom is going to go with to determine where we're going to stay.As soon as we find that out, we're gonna contact the travel agent and book. I think, unless Disney offers free dining, we're NOT going to do the Dining Plan (I really don't like the idea of my kids eating nothing but grilled cheese and mac and cheese all week).
We're staying 9/9-9/15/2012, and our * would be that it's our first Grand Gathering/Family Trip.

We booked through a travel agent too - I'm too worried I'd forget something important to leave myself to d-i-y it!!

I'm not doing the dining plan either, the whole ADR thing is quite confusing but I'm hopeful there's plenty of time to work it out and find out where the lovely places to eat are from people on here