Day of arrival - help me decide

[heathers4um]

2 more days....

So I have decided in talking with all of you to forgo the GG delivery (I know *gasp*) and rent a car for less than the tip would be to go get my own stuff, which with 7 people is quite a large order. I actually enjoy food shopping, so this isn't a huge sacrifice for me and call me crazy but I'm looking forward to just being out and about in the area.

My next dilemma is this:

~ do I rent the car for the day we arrive at 11 am and go pick it up after check in do our shopping while the kids are enjoying the pool and risk the room being ready by the time I get back, or

~ do I chill at the pool with the family until its done and do the shopping early the next morning while letting them sleep in for what may be the only time I will allow them to?

~ should we enjoy the resort while waiting for the room to be ready like I had originally planned or

~ do we head to MK and spend almost a full day there since we now have BOG reservations at 6:40?

So many options....we should all have these problems

Please help me decide - I am clearly confuzzled with all the possibilities swirling in my head. I think my brain is already on vacation.

 

[LSchrow]

are you staying at OKW?
have you decided where to rent the car from? (i'll defer to the OKW experts to tell you which rental co's are easiest from that resort - we rented from MCO while staying there ).

won't everyone be getting a bit hungry around lunchtime?
i would pick up the car after checking in, then shop (with an itemized list) while the kids are at the pool. make sure to bag refrigerated/frozen items separately, so bell services can put them in fridge if room isn't ready. leave items needing no refrigeration in the car. if the room isn't ready, ask again at the FD - a room has been "magically" ready when we double-checked.
hopefully, everyone can go to the room at that point, and have some snacks and drinks (that you, as a wonderful mom, bought ).
the next morning, you will have food for b'fast (i would probably let everyone sleep a bit later anyway - but i'm a firm believer in relaxing on vaca).

personally, going directly to a park & spending the rest of the day/night there (after getting up super early, flying in, riding to the resort) sounds exhausting - i would nix the all day at MK and start the vacation like a vacation.

have a great time

 

[Perditamarie]

Honestly, I would rethink GG....it will be enough work to put a large order away when you are ready to begin vacation mode.

Are you going to rent a car for one day just to shop? You have to get to the rental place, do paperwork, get your bearings, shop, lug the stuff to your villa, put it away and return the car, get yourself back to the villa, probably with no time to relax before getting ready and leaving for an ADR.

You could synchronize your grocery delivery to arrive when your room is ready - I would gladly pay the tip!!!

However, if you are determined to do this, I would get the shopping out of the way as soon as possible. I hope the rest of your party will give you a tip!!!!

 

[navywifetill2002]

I also love to shop and renting a car and doing it my way appeals to me over using GG. I know it takes more time and more planning but to me it sounds like a great idea. I think I would go there first thing (could you rent at MCO and leave from there while everyone is talking ME then return to the resort?) so you have what you want that first day. If your rooms not ready when you get back just leave the stuff with the bell services (refrigerated/frozen things separated out). If you're headed to BOG for dinner anyway let everyone swim while you get the shopping done then get ready and head to the park when everyone is ready so you can kit a few favorites in that "extra" MK time.

 

[heathers4um]

well the thing with the GG tip is, for a decent 15-20% tip, its going to be over $100 with the list I have going that is over $550 - I just think even with the rental of $40 and the time spent doing it, I will save a ton of money with just the mark up plus! Besides, I noticed that GG doesn't offer some of the brands we like and then I can shop sales and specials, grab fried chicken from publix and whatever else grabs my attention. And I figured that the kids would grab something from Goods to Go while swimming if they were hungry, unless we have a late bfast at Olivia's which we like to do.

It sounds like going the day we arrive is the thing to do!

 

[sweetdana]

I'd rent the car at the air port, and skip ME, it is quicker, stop for groceries with everyone and get lunch while out and about. Then check into room. You should be to resort by 2-3 at the latest. if you have enough time put stuff away prior to heading to MK, if not easy they will store stuff in fridge for ya.

Then the next day prior to 11 return car, or keep 1 more day and do it at leisure.

You can return to a different location than you rent from. If you pick the one at swan and dof you can take a shuttle to the park that everyone else will be at for the day and miss nothing.

There is also one right near by on Buena Vista Blvd they will drive you back to your resort. .. but you may have to to wait too.. For even 40$ the Swan and Dol drop off is really ideal.

I agree with no GG, I like doing my own shopping. I order dry/non refri stuff and bring it with me in suit case, and doing cold shopping at a market place. (Like in the BC or SSR).

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Sounds an exciting trip so first of all I hope you enjoy! If you are just renting the car for one day to shop have you considered getting a town car from the air port to the resort instead? One company allows a grocery stop. But maybe with this size shop it would be too much?

I would get the shopping then the next day early rather than the day you arrive. We always hire the car the next day too tired and excited the day we get there!

 

[kirstenb1]

We drive down, and arrive around 2-3 pm. I have a separate pool bag for the family, which we unload. They go to the pool, while I go grocery shopping. Our room is generally ready by the time I get back. We've done this for the last 10 years, so I have it down to a science.

In your situation, I'd grab the rental car at the airport, let the family ride ME (if there's an advantage to that). Since you're arriving earlier than us, I'd eat lunch together at the resort, then go grocery shopping. I personally wouldn't leave the airport with out the rental, it seems like an extra layer of hassle to track one down near the resort.

 

[heathers4um]

If we rent a car from MCO we will have to get a SUV since there are 7 of us. I was really hoping to just rent a mid-size for cost effectiveness...plus I love using ME and don't want to send the rest of the family off without me - I need to capture each moment of firsts!

I SO appreciate ALL of this advice! You all make perfect sense as I read each one.

I was thinking of renting the car from the car care center in advance - they say they will shuttle us from OKW to pick it up and then shuttle us back when we drop off if needed. Has anyone done this before? I'm wondering if it will work out as planned in my head!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

If we rent a car from MCO we will have to get a SUV since there are 7 of us. I was really hoping to just rent a mid-size for cost effectiveness...plus I love using ME and don't want to send the rest of the family off without me - I need to capture each moment of firsts!

I SO appreciate ALL of this advice! You all make perfect sense as I read each one.

I was thinking of renting the car from the car care center in advance - they say they will shuttle us from OKW to pick it up and then shuttle us back when we drop off if needed. Has anyone done this before? I'm wondering if it will work out as planned in my head!

Yes we do that. We use Alamo. We phone the night we arrive and book our shuttle for the next day as you have to give them 2 hour notice I think. It works out very well I can't fault them! Always arrive on time , nice little air con bus. I would def recommend. We like the ME from the airport as we fly from UK are tired and nice to get the car without bags and a fresh pair of eyes! If you have one I would bring your own GPS there are expensive to rent. We bought one actually in Walmart as it was cheaper than renting one and keep it in our owners locker for our trips. hth

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

If we rent a car from MCO we will have to get a SUV since there are 7 of us. I was really hoping to just rent a mid-size for cost effectiveness...plus I love using ME and don't want to send the rest of the family off without me - I need to capture each moment of firsts!

I SO appreciate ALL of this advice! You all make perfect sense as I read each one.

I was thinking of renting the car from the car care center in advance - they say they will shuttle us from OKW to pick it up and then shuttle us back when we drop off if needed. Has anyone done this before? I'm wondering if it will work out as planned in my head!

(sorry - missed the bit about you want to ride the bus). You could do a rental that allows 2 drivers and have your DH take the car to the resort while you ride the bus.

 

[LSchrow]

i totally agree about the DME ride - it means vacation is beginning

we usually stay at the BWV, and just walk over to the dolphin to pick up our rental car (the agents there are wonderful!). we only rent for part of our (11-13 day) vaca, can get a smaller car, and don't incur the gas/tolls from MCO that way.
another suggestion: if you rent from the CCC (national/alamo), opt to drop the car at the dolphin alamo/dolphin. drop off is simple: just drive up to the valet, give them the keys, they check the gas (you'll pass a hess by the BW to fill up) & car, get receipt, and off you go within only a few minutes.
from the dolphin, walk/take a friendship to EPCOT/DHS, or bus to MK/AK/DTD/WPs to meet the rest of your family.