Aliceacc
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2007
- Messages
- 13,463
You know the quote "It all began with a mouse"???
This trip, for 2012, all began when my husband very innocently said one night at dinner, "We're still thinking Disney for 2012, right??"
That was all it took. He should have known better. I planned obsessively for our last 2 trips; I was battling some health issues and needed another focus. Why on earth he didn't assume this trip would be like those is beyond me.
First focus, of course, was the resort.
In the past, we've stayed at the Poly and just adore it!!! The location, the lush plants, the whole atmosphere-- it really does transport you to another place, far from the frentic craziness of the parks. And that waterfall in the volcano pool hits your shoulders right THERE like a massage. Yep, we love the Poly.
But it's hugely expensive. As a family of 5, I know we're going to pay big bucks for a Disney vacation. But the Poly is really expensive.
So I wanted to consider other options.
Fort Wilderness is out. I hate having a kitchen, with the expectation that I'll cook (even a little) while the rest of the family is on vacation. I went camping once and hated it. So cross Fort Wilderness off the list.
Family Suites (either at ASM or the new Art of Animation)??? They sound spacious and lovely. But I HATE the idea of having to take a bus to all the parks, and the pool is just a pool-- I have 3 real water rats who have always raved about the Poly's volcano pool.
POR would be great, except that my son, who will be 14 at the time, is far too big (even now, a year and a half before our trip) for a trundle bed. Any other arrangement would have him sharing a bed with one of his sisters. If you know any teenage boys, you know that simply isn't happening.
The Dolphin's teacher discount would be lovely. Except: no DME, no meal plan, and the biggie: my son would be on a rollaway for a week. We ALL vacation much better when he's well rested. So that was out.
Then I fnally settled on a room in the Garden Wing of the Contemporary. I had last stayed there in 1976, as a new high school graduate. (I went down with 2 friends and we had a wonderful time!) 3 decades later, I remember nothing at all about the resort, but the reports are all good. We can make it work, right???
Except that I kept looking at that pool. It's surrounded by concrete and just looks so incredibly unappealing. Somehow I couldn't get past the idea that we were spending thousands of dollars and still settling.
Until one night about a week and a half ago. My daughter's 11 year old friend was over for dinner, and we were all talking Disney (My husband leaves this week on the Senior Trip.) Kelly started talking about her stay last year at the Beach Club-- how it was "right across the street from Epcot" and about how it "had the most amazing pool (she) had ever seen!!!"
When Disney, or any other company, uses those words, I can't help but wonder. But my daugther's 11 year old friend?? Hmmm, might be worth a look.
And I'm hooked. Better yet, I showed my kids the MAP of Storm Along Bay, and my daughter kept saying "Mom, I can't believe the pool has a MAP!!!" The idea that we can walk home after Illuminations, and take a boat to DHS has every one of my kids doing the happy dance. And it's still about $300 less than the Poly for a week.
I've spent over an entire week excited about our (that means "my") resort choice-- a record for that particular decision.
I've enlisted 2 sets of friends who have been talking about going "one of these days." We're all planning together for Summer 2012, though we don't plan a group vacation. But I'll have someone to obsess to, and someone else on the lookout for codes and bargains.
We'll book in August, when the new prices come out. I always use a travel agent. At this point, I could definitely do it myself. But in this economy-- or any economy-- I can't see denying someone the chance to earn a commission when doing so also makes it a bit easier for me. And an extra pair of eyes looking for discounts can't hurt!
This trip, for 2012, all began when my husband very innocently said one night at dinner, "We're still thinking Disney for 2012, right??"
That was all it took. He should have known better. I planned obsessively for our last 2 trips; I was battling some health issues and needed another focus. Why on earth he didn't assume this trip would be like those is beyond me.
First focus, of course, was the resort.
In the past, we've stayed at the Poly and just adore it!!! The location, the lush plants, the whole atmosphere-- it really does transport you to another place, far from the frentic craziness of the parks. And that waterfall in the volcano pool hits your shoulders right THERE like a massage. Yep, we love the Poly.
But it's hugely expensive. As a family of 5, I know we're going to pay big bucks for a Disney vacation. But the Poly is really expensive.
So I wanted to consider other options.
Fort Wilderness is out. I hate having a kitchen, with the expectation that I'll cook (even a little) while the rest of the family is on vacation. I went camping once and hated it. So cross Fort Wilderness off the list.
Family Suites (either at ASM or the new Art of Animation)??? They sound spacious and lovely. But I HATE the idea of having to take a bus to all the parks, and the pool is just a pool-- I have 3 real water rats who have always raved about the Poly's volcano pool.
POR would be great, except that my son, who will be 14 at the time, is far too big (even now, a year and a half before our trip) for a trundle bed. Any other arrangement would have him sharing a bed with one of his sisters. If you know any teenage boys, you know that simply isn't happening.
The Dolphin's teacher discount would be lovely. Except: no DME, no meal plan, and the biggie: my son would be on a rollaway for a week. We ALL vacation much better when he's well rested. So that was out.
Then I fnally settled on a room in the Garden Wing of the Contemporary. I had last stayed there in 1976, as a new high school graduate. (I went down with 2 friends and we had a wonderful time!) 3 decades later, I remember nothing at all about the resort, but the reports are all good. We can make it work, right???
Except that I kept looking at that pool. It's surrounded by concrete and just looks so incredibly unappealing. Somehow I couldn't get past the idea that we were spending thousands of dollars and still settling.
Until one night about a week and a half ago. My daughter's 11 year old friend was over for dinner, and we were all talking Disney (My husband leaves this week on the Senior Trip.) Kelly started talking about her stay last year at the Beach Club-- how it was "right across the street from Epcot" and about how it "had the most amazing pool (she) had ever seen!!!"
When Disney, or any other company, uses those words, I can't help but wonder. But my daugther's 11 year old friend?? Hmmm, might be worth a look.
And I'm hooked. Better yet, I showed my kids the MAP of Storm Along Bay, and my daughter kept saying "Mom, I can't believe the pool has a MAP!!!" The idea that we can walk home after Illuminations, and take a boat to DHS has every one of my kids doing the happy dance. And it's still about $300 less than the Poly for a week.
I've spent over an entire week excited about our (that means "my") resort choice-- a record for that particular decision.
I've enlisted 2 sets of friends who have been talking about going "one of these days." We're all planning together for Summer 2012, though we don't plan a group vacation. But I'll have someone to obsess to, and someone else on the lookout for codes and bargains.
We'll book in August, when the new prices come out. I always use a travel agent. At this point, I could definitely do it myself. But in this economy-- or any economy-- I can't see denying someone the chance to earn a commission when doing so also makes it a bit easier for me. And an extra pair of eyes looking for discounts can't hurt!
