Confessions of the Resort Changers

[DisneyBride'03]

ktink is at it again....
Hurry and go check her pre trippie......lol

All bets are off......just a minor change......

DisneyQuest.....thats a part of my family's Disney Story....When Dh first met my 2 kids, then DD4 and DS7, we picked him up at the airport and headed to a Cubs game. They were bored and cold, (windy seats) so we left in the 3rd inning , ended up at DisneyQuest. Within an hour, DS was holding Dh's hand and the rest is history Our first family date...a month later they closed it down

 

[stepdisney]

Disneybride, I am crying....what a beautiful story. I didn't even know there were Disney Quest's outside of WDW. By this evening, I will have my mind made up as far as the WL/AKL split stay. I'm thinking 5 nights WL and 4 nights AKL, book the first half at WL. I'm open for comments or suggestions.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

Yep, we had our own piece of Disney here in Downtown CHicago, for awhile...
So, my comment would be....if I was a lucky duck and staying for 9 nights, I would most definately go for a split stay and have 2 mini vacations in one
If you family is on board and will assist you in packing,unpacking and make it a fun adventure, from the Wilderness to the Safari...One Big Expedition...go for it Totally makes sense, you can stay at both resorts, everyone in stepdisneys "castle" will be happy campers
AND....you can entice DH with the look of AKL and.....DVC there...lol...

Ok, thats more than one comment.....

 

[momtoPrincessA]

That's what we are doing, only in reverse! 1 night @ POP, 5 nights @ AKL, then switching to 4 nights @ WL.

I'm soooo excited and the family doesn't know we are staying at AKL!! I can't wait!!!

 

[stepdisney]

I am really getting excited about this. The packing was my only concern but I think what I'll do is unpack only halfway, use the laundry service the evening before, and enter AKL with suitcases filled with clean clothing. Also, my husband, is so organized that he will have the packing completed very quickly.
MomtoprincessA, why did you do AKL first? Just curious.

 

[ktink]

disneybride, that story about your DS and DH is so sweet. I can relate to that, my mom and dad (I call my step dad, daddy) anyway when I met him we connected like that. I must say your DH must be an amazing guy because kids can really pick up on people. I'm tearing up over here.


stepdisney, I'm so excited for you! AKL & WL!!!!! You go girl!! That is the best idea ever!


Ok, I posted on my pre trippie. And DH and I cancelled ASMu and booked Poly for the entire stay! What is SO funny is, disneybride stopped by to say that by the time it was over we'd be at Poly for all 6 nights. She actually quoted what DH said to me when he got home. I read it to DH and we were both cracking up.

momtoprincessa, you've got a good deal going on to, sister!

 

[momtoPrincessA]

Stepdisney: I did AKL first because of our park schedule. We arrive on 8/20, check into Pop for the night. 8/21 is MK, 8/22 is MGM, 8/23 is AK for DS's birthday, 8/24 is waterpark, 8/25 is Epcot. 8/26 we check out of AKL, go to the MK, then check back in at WL. 8/27 is at SeaWorld for DD's birthday, then 8/28 is a day lounging at the pool and DH loves the look of the WL pool! 8/29 is kids choice for parks and 8/30 is 1/2 day in MK before we come home.

While I considered flipping the resort stays, when I looked at the locations of the parks to the resorts, it didn't make sense to stay at WL during those days. So there's my long, drawn out answer to your short question!

 

[DisneyBride'03]

"Thank you, thank you very much"...in Elvis talk....lol

Yes, DisneyBride'03, AKA The Predictor...coming to a thread near you....in the MoviePhone Guy voice.......

All kidding aside, I am so happy for you...and stepdisney All of our resort dreams are coming true because we are Resort Changers

 

[deide71]

I am really getting excited about this. The packing was my only concern but I think what I'll do is unpack only halfway, use the laundry service the evening before, and enter AKL with suitcases filled with clean clothing. Also, my husband, is so organized that he will have the packing completed very quickly.
MomtoprincessA, why did you do AKL first? Just curious.

Stepdisney:

I think this is a fabulous plan.

And when you change your mind and post again I'm sure I will like your next plan just as well !!!!!!!!!!!!

Ya see, I'm flexible like that.

 

[stepdisney]

Stepdisney:

I think this is a fabulous plan.

And when you change your mind and post again I'm sure I will like your next plan just as well !!!!!!!!!!!!

Ya see, I'm flexible like that.

You do notice I haven't changed my sig. yet right ! I'm a little timid because it was very difficult to obtain the WL free dining room. They did not have a lot of standard rooms with free dining at up for grabs at WL so I'm not so quick to let go for fear it will be gone when...I mean if I change my mind again.

Thanks for sticking with me, you really have to be flexible to stay on this crazy rollercoaster. Only a fellow resort changer could withstand the ride.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

Keep us posted stepdisney!
ktink...DH is an amazing guy, and you are so right that kids pick up on that. So many think DH is "Dad"....I am very fortunate. Thats why I never gave up in trying to have that baby for him His first Fathers Day at age 47 Oh, I am younger.....lol
So off to finish laundry....it never ends around here!

 

[stepdisney]

Disneybride, where are you staying in 2008? I just noticed your signature. And, did you have a fairytale Disney wedding? Do you have a report? Write it, write it. I tried to get my sister to have a Disney wedding, (not for her but for me ) You and DH have a wonderful Disney history. I can tell how special it is for the both of you. The baby story made me tear....At my house, me DH never gave up on my dream to have children...He, too is one of a kind

 

[stepdisney]

Okay, update. I have been going back and forth about the split stay thing (WL and AKL). I haven't changed anything because I didn't want to leave WL and not be able to come back. Anyway, I called for split stay and the difference in price was enough to change my mind. My DH and I talked about it and he doesn't understand why we would need to. This got me thinking about why I really want to change. Deep down, I really have always wanted AKL. It hasn't changed. Soooo, what did I do today??? I called to change my resort to AKL. I talked to a very nice CM who was patient and informative. He talked for a while about his tour of both resorts and before I could tell him what my favorite was, he told me that AKL was his. He talked about the hand-carved furniture created in Africa and the view or the animals. I am waiting for my DH to come home and I have decided to switch to AKL. I know, I know, I've said this before but I am convinced that this is the thing to do. I have not heard anything that bothers me about this resort. On the other hand, I have been reading today posts from multiple Dis members saying that the transportation at WL is very slow. The transportation is the reason we liked WL. Everyone seems to say that the bus rides are not good and one poster even said they waited 2 hours . I have until 8:00 tonight to change my mind, I welcome any comments.

 

[momtoPrincessA]

stepdisney: Good for you! I'm convinced if us resort changers don't go with our gut then we will not be competely happy, even if the gut changes its mind occasionally! (Or more than occasionally in some cases)

 

[stepdisney]

That's what I'm going on now, my gut feeling. Was there a price difference when you did your split stay? Ours was several hundred dollars? My husband says that the cost of our vacation is slowly creeping up and that it has to stop somewhere. I agree. I think a split stay would have been nice but not at the additional cost. Maybe I was doing something wrong? . How do you do a split stay and avoid the additional cost?

 

[momtoPrincessA]

stepdisney: It only worked in our favor because we are applying free dining to the WL package. We had to buy one-day base tickets for this package ($246) and got 4 nights of free dining for 2 adults and 2 children (savings $400). Otherwise, I don't think we would do it. We don't have free dining for the first 6 nights because we arrive before the promotion

 

[stepdisney]

oops, sorry. I didn't notice the dates. Well, think about it this way, you get to have a split stay and experience both resorts, we don't, though we do get free dining the entire trip.

 

[momtoPrincessA]

free dining the whole trip would be good, but I'm glad we get to experience 2 resorts. DH has always wanted to stay at WL, and I think that DS is going to LOVE AKL!!!

My resort change for the day....We had a room only at Pop our first night and I switched it today to AKL. I'm still working on upgrading to Savanna but so far, no go.

 

[ktink]

stepdisney, I'm so happy for you. It seems that you have really wanted AKL for a long time. I think AKL just seems to have such a magical feel to it. Do keep us posted!

momtoprincessa, congrats on your first night! Good luck on the upgrade!

 

[stepdisney]

Okay,

Ktink, you were right, I have been doing some heavy thinking about AKL. None of my Dfamily (thats DISNEY family) will listen to me anymore. They think I am just rambling but today I got really great information from a Dis poster who has stayed at both resorts and she had great pictures and information for me. We had dinner last night celebrating my DS(6) kindergaraten graduation and I tried to talk to the boys about the resort but they wouldn't listen. Today I just showed my DS (12) the pictures of the pool and I think I won him over . Plus, I've been reading some not-so-good things about transportation. Everyone says they love the boat ride to MK but they also say it is longer than the bus ride from AKL and that the bus sharing situation makes trips to other parks very long. (This is from people who loved the WL just not the bus situation) Because transportation was my #1 reason for staying, I feel confident that AKL would be better. I do love the bubbling brook in the lobby and the geyser but I think I like the exotic theming of AKL better. The chances of us going to Africa on a Safari are slim to none where we may go to Yellowstone Park in the future. Now... Christmas definately WL for us (they don't know it but I plan to book a surprise trip). By the way, my DS says that Poly is where he REALLLLLY wants to stay.

Posted this on your pre TR by mistake...moved it over here.