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

[Boymom78]

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

That's what I'm thinking, too. I looked over some of the menus and have some ideas of places I'd like to try, but I am reading here for the restaurant recs. But the dining plan doesn't save us any money, and we'd still have to pay for extra meals, might as well NOT use the plan and just pay out of pocket.
My nieces were here this week, and my brother had JUST told them about the trip, and the younger one was bouncing off the walls excited, and the older one was more reserved, but you could see she was happy to be going. I'm so happy that we're going to be able to do this as a family- to see my nieces and my sons see Cinderella's Castle for the first time, to see Epcot's "golf ball" as DS1 calls it, to see the animals at AK-- I want to go this year!
I talked with DH about staying offsite, since we are driving in, and he surprised me- said the extra cost of staying onsite is well worth it. It's their first trip, and might as well get sucked all into it. Normally he's pretty frugal- any way to save a few bucks is okay with him. But I think he's getting into it, too. I think we've officially decided to book at All Star Music, and get the Suite for us, and my brother will get a regular room elsewhere in Music. So hooray!

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

I know its over a year away, but who else is going September 2012?
After months of failed attempts to get my husband and I from one coast to the other to visit the world for our first time, We finally have dates picked!
(Kinda. we have a two week period).
I have three weeks in September off from school, So we will spend 6-8 days sometime after Labor Day but before the last Monday of the month.

So if you want to join this total party of a thread, post me your dates and where you are staying.
Also, because i am a dork with too much time on my hands, I may make a page that posts all our ADR's. I am thinking of like a spreadsheet and oh goodness am I super cool.

So excited! Lets pass the time here!

Also flying from Oregon to Florida, sometime between summer and fall term break of 2012!!!

As of now we are looking at staying at a value resort September 16th to 22nd. This trip will be to celebrate my graduation from Nursing school with dh and the kids, then once I actually graduate two months later it will be an adult only trip with dh and I (not sure where to yet though).

 

[BlondeViki]

But the dining plan doesn't save us any money, and we'd still have to pay for extra meals, might as well NOT use the plan and just pay out of pocket.

I'm glad to hear this from someone else - I didn't think it would save money for us either, but was worried I might be wrong, I'm glad other people have come to the same conclusion!

I'm really glad your family are getting into the spirit of things and that your OH sees why it will be great to stay onsite - you'll have a fabulous holiday - the kids will get so so excited as it gets closer

I'm fit to burst with excitement about our honeymoon but I really don't know if I'm going to be able to keep it a secret from OH the whole time, the plan was to tell him at the wedding next year but that's only 2 months before we go and I really want to have the fun of planning with him - I need to find a special way to tell him some time earlier next year...

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

The dining plan does any save us much if any money in terms of "value", however my husband insists on paying for the food before we go, so if we can get free dining it will save close to $1000.

 

[Princess/es19]

to see Epcot's "golf ball" as DS1 calls it, t

Oh goodness that is precious! DH asked me why a golf ball was the mascot before I made him watch a documentary on netflix about the parks. Not as cute coming from a 21 year old.

Also, I was under the impression that the more people you had, free dining was cheaper, but since it is just DH and I, Room-only was a better deal. Especially now that we have tickets that save us over 100 from his corporate deals.

DH and I are asking our family for Disney Gift Cards for Christmas and birthdays, and we plan to use that for food at the parks.

Does anyone know if you can still get Disney Dollars? I have really fond memories of getting Disney Dollars as a gift for Christmas (they were always in envelopes hidden in the Christmas tree) and then spending it at Disneyland in the summer on a toy or something. I know DH would tease me to no end, but I would be so happy to find some. Our Mall doesn't have a Disney Store and I can't find it online

 

[Princess/es19]

Also flying from Oregon to Florida, sometime between summer and fall term break of 2012!!!

As of now we are looking at staying at a value resort September 16th to 22nd. This trip will be to celebrate my graduation from Nursing school with dh and the kids, then once I actually graduate two months later it will be an adult only trip with dh and I (not sure where to yet though).

Awesome, a fellow Oregonian! I have added you to the list!

 

[Boymom78]

Well, I looked up the restaurants we were likely to eat at, and then their menus and picked through their offerings to see what kind of money we would spend. For the 9 of us, the DDP will cost approximately $1841 and change (or something very close to that). Our total food bill (that the dining plan would cover) came to like $1725 and change. It's not a huge difference, but then you factor in that either way, we still have like one or two dinners to pay for out of pocket (depending on character meals), and ALL of our breakfasts- it just wasn't the best deal for us. Free dining would absolutely be something we would do, but otherwise, the dining plan isn't worth it. Plus, looking over the kids menus-- and my boys won't eat those offerings at every meal for a week straight. There's no way. I'll have to look it over again before I decide for sure, but right now, I'm leaning strongly against the ddp (unless it's free). The main upside is that food would be pre-paid for the most part, and I can see that as a huge bonus. It isn't so much the price savings, because it's not a huge difference. But it really is the offerings on the kids menus.
My brother and I were talking today about the kids and their spending money, and I told him that the boys know that from this point on, they are solely responsible for saving their spending money. They have goals. My 5 year old, I've asked him to save $75. My 8 year old already has $50, so his goal is $125. Then DH and I will get them up to $200 if they meet their goals. If not, they have what they have, and that's that. I'm hoping $200 is a reasonable amount of "souvenier" money for them. The thing is, I know Grandpa will "help" them whenever they want something, but I'd really like to encourage them to save up some money on their own and budget it out a bit... just not sure their first trip to Disney is the best time to make them stick to a budget. The saving part is no problem- they can handle that, I think.
Crazy4Disney- Congrats on the pending graduation! A friend of mine graduated from Nursing school recently, and she worked her tail off to do it.
Viki- and Congrats to you on your upcoming marriage! I don't think I'd be able to keep it a secret. I love how my DH has really started getting into the planning of it with me- it'll be fun to see your future DH planning it out with you, too!
Princess/es- He cracks me up. My little guy is calling it the golf ball, too, and I'm too busy laughing to correct them. They're so excited about this. I have no idea about Disney Dollars, sorry!

 

[BlondeViki]

My brother and I were talking today about the kids and their spending money, and I told him that the boys know that from this point on, they are solely responsible for saving their spending money. They have goals. My 5 year old, I've asked him to save $75. My 8 year old already has $50, so his goal is $125. Then DH and I will get them up to $200 if they meet their goals. If not, they have what they have, and that's that. I'm hoping $200 is a reasonable amount of "souvenier" money for them. The thing is, I know Grandpa will "help" them whenever they want something, but I'd really like to encourage them to save up some money on their own and budget it out a bit... just not sure their first trip to Disney is the best time to make them stick to a budget. The saving part is no problem- they can handle that, I think.

Viki- and Congrats to you on your upcoming marriage! I don't think I'd be able to keep it a secret. I love how my DH has really started getting into the planning of it with me- it'll be fun to see your future DH planning it out with you, too!

The range of food available on the dining plan was one of my concerns too. I never know what I'm going to feel like for dinner and wanted to have the flexibility of seeing something good and thinking 'let's eat there' without a niggle at the back of my mind that we should eat somewhere else because we have the DP.

I think that's really great that your kids are saving! The added money from you if they hit their targets is a real incentive I completely believe my ability to manage money well now is because my parents did things like this when I was little! What do you think they'll want to spend their money on when they get there?

Thanks for the congrats - the wedding is one year tomorrow - where has the time gone?! Soon we'll be on here saying our trips are next week - how scary is that

 

[mom_of_3_mousketeers]

We'll be there Sept 22-29th at the AoA resort (Cars section).

 

[Boymom78]

Hey all. My 5 year old came up to me today and shouted, "I CAN'T WAIT FOR DISNEY!!!!" totally out of the blue. His excitement is beyond amazing to watch. Part of me wishes we hadn't told them about the trip, so that we could surprise them with it, but another part of me loves being able to share all of this with them.
I have no idea what they're going to want to spend their money on. I imagine some Star Wars stuff, maybe Pirates, and probably some Mouse Ears.

 

[tinksgilrs251520]

My girls and I will be there from August 28-Sept 11 Hopefully for free dinning but i cant wait everyday I wish I was Disney Come on next year ..When I see park hours thats what makes it real......

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

Hey all. My 5 year old came up to me today and shouted, "I CAN'T WAIT FOR DISNEY!!!!" totally out of the blue. His excitement is beyond amazing to watch. Part of me wishes we hadn't told them about the trip, so that we could surprise them with it, but another part of me loves being able to share all of this with them.
I have no idea what they're going to want to spend their money on. I imagine some Star Wars stuff, maybe Pirates, and probably some Mouse Ears.

We have taken our oldest to WDW twice and to DL 3 times and as much as I have tried I have never been able to keep it a surprise from him! We have told him we plan on going back to WDW next year, however he has no idea when. I think I may just keep that a surprise this time and literally wake him up and say we are going to WDW. He will be 10 however and has gone a few times so I am not sure how excited he will be or not Our youngest will be about 22 months old, pretty much the same age our first was when he took his first trip to DL.

 

[Boymom78]

DH keeps saying this will be our one and only trip to Disney. Pfft. He's never been, and I don't think he gets how much fun we're going to have. I don't think we'll be a "go every year" family, but I definitely think that once he has been there, we'll go back. So maybe I'll get to surprise the kids then.
My problem is that I enlisted the kids in helping convince Dad that it was time to go, that they would be big enough to do the rides they wanted to do, and mature enough to handle the negative parts (the long days, the waits, and possibly being told they are not tall enough to ride a ride). So they knew/know the when and the where.
It is kind of fun, though, to be looking over a thread, and have a kid poke his head over my shoulder and go, "Is THAT what we're going to do!?" or "Is THAT what our room will look like!?"
I look over these threads, and I'm so bummed that it's a year off. But, at the same time... since having kids, every year seems to go a little faster than the one before it, so maybe this year will fly by.

 

[trekker93]

the summer is going fast! soon we'll be down there for 15 days! Pop, free dining, MNSSHP!!!!

 

[mom_of_3_mousketeers]

DH keeps saying this will be our one and only trip to Disney. Pfft. He's never been, and I don't think he gets how much fun we're going to have. I don't think we'll be a "go every year" family, but I definitely think that once he has been there, we'll go back. So maybe I'll get to surprise the kids then.
My problem is that I enlisted the kids in helping convince Dad that it was time to go, that they would be big enough to do the rides they wanted to do, and mature enough to handle the negative parts (the long days, the waits, and possibly being told they are not tall enough to ride a ride). So they knew/know the when and the where.
It is kind of fun, though, to be looking over a thread, and have a kid poke his head over my shoulder and go, "Is THAT what we're going to do!?" or "Is THAT what our room will look like!?"
I look over these threads, and I'm so bummed that it's a year off. But, at the same time... since having kids, every year seems to go a little faster than the one before it, so maybe this year will fly by.

That was my hubby in 2009. He had 0 Disney magic what-so-ever and had never been. He doesn't like to admit, but he got just as giddy as I did the first day and I think the DW bug bit him. I wish we could have gone back last year or even this year, but we wanted to make sure the little guy had some memory of it.

 

[Boymom78]

That was my hubby in 2009. He had 0 Disney magic what-so-ever and had never been. He doesn't like to admit, but he got just as giddy as I did the first day and I think the DW bug bit him. I wish we could have gone back last year or even this year, but we wanted to make sure the little guy had some memory of it.

I'm hoping that's my DH. He isn't the kind of guy who gets all worked up and excited about anything. LOL, we tried for almost a year to have our second son, and I remember calling him to tell him I'd gotten a positive pregnancy test, finally, and his response? "Cool." LMAO. So hopefully he really gets into this and enjoys the trip!
And yes, that's why we waited to go. We wanted the boys to be old enough to enjoy it, and big enough to do the things they wanted to do, and hopefully remember bits of it. We roadtripped to Washington DC when they were 3 and 5, and they still talk about that, so I can't even imagine how much more awesome this will be for them.

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

Just wondering how many are booked already? I really want to book, but I am trying to hold out until next month to see if free dining is offered! If we have a repeat of last year we should hear on the 15th of August!

 

[Julie521]

Just wondering how many are booked already? I really want to book, but I am trying to hold out until next month to see if free dining is offered! If we have a repeat of last year we should hear on the 15th of August!

Already booked! But keeping an eye out for the free dining, as well as my AAA travel agent

 

[Boymom78]

Just wondering how many are booked already? I really want to book, but I am trying to hold out until next month to see if free dining is offered! If we have a repeat of last year we should hear on the 15th of August!

We're booking in August. My brother has to sort out his "group" before I do anything, LOL. If they rolled out free dining Aug 15 last year, then maybe I'll just wait an extra week or two....

 

[orangecats2]

I'm already booked too. Sept 15-22 at POFQ. I just couldn't wait to book since I had the $200 deposit in gift cards so it really didn't cost me anything at the time. Is that fuzzy math?

Just waiting for them to announce free dining and then will call Disney and have them add it to my ressie.