December 2012 Code Watch

[Ninja Mom]

I'm subbing to this thread and I can't wait to hear about all the great tips and info for people planning a trip In December! Thanks for sharing the love..

 

[cybrkitn]

Word on the street is that it has very little impact on park attandance. Don't make the mistake though of staying at one of the resorts they are at. Historically they have at one of the mods and the all-star resorts. Word is that it can get pretty rowdy on the buses and late at night around the resort grounds. Stay somewhere else and they probably won't be more than a blip on your radar screen.

Do be aware they close DHS early one night for a party.

A CM last year told me Pop Warner uses the value resorts and, IIRC, POR as the one moderate resort as the overflow if needed. Thankfully, we are going to be staying at CBR.

 

[sunnysideup3]

A CM last year told me Pop Warner uses the value resorts and, IIRC, POR as the one moderate resort as the overflow if needed. Thankfully, we are going to be staying at CBR.

I've been during Pop Warner week twice now and it's little to no impact during the day, they're mostly doing activities. There are a couple groups here and there, but they're obvious and you only tend to notice them when a group of moms is trying to congregate them together . The ones I've run into are during EMH's and they're usually polite. We stayed at POR last year and didn't see them at all.

 

[cybrkitn]

I've been during Pop Warner week twice now and it's little to no impact during the day, they're mostly doing activities. There are a couple groups here and there, but they're obvious and you only tend to notice them when a group of moms is trying to congregate them together . The ones I've run into are during EMH's and they're usually polite. We stayed at POR last year and didn't see them at all.

Good to know. Thanks

 

[mickeysgirl17]

Plan on going in December this year and was hoping for a discount code for my package. Anyone know or remember when they have released the discount codes for packages in December for previous years?

 

[maxiesmom]

I've been during Pop Warner week twice now and it's little to no impact during the day, they're mostly doing activities. There are a couple groups here and there, but they're obvious and you only tend to notice them when a group of moms is trying to congregate them together . The ones I've run into are during EMH's and they're usually polite. We stayed at POR last year and didn't see them at all.

I was at the All Star Music during Pop Warner a couple of years ago, and they didn't cause any ruckus at all. I was kind of scared, after reading so many horror stories about out of control kids and yelling and cheering at all hours, but we had none of that.

 

[BabyFu18]

I'm hoping to plan a Christmas trip this year, but since we already have a summer trip planned it'll really depend on if any discounts become available for mid-december or not. Free dining would be nice or even a percentage off, anything would be great! So I'm in on the code watch at least!

 

[MiloMouse]

Where did you find the pin - I have a similar email but don't see a pin code...I've never received one before so wondering if I'm missing it!

Thanks

Check your spam! I recieved those 'similar' emails with no pin, but when I checked my spam I found one from like three days prior that DID have a pin. I almost missed it! If nothing else, I'm sure you can call a few days after saving a vacation online and see if there is a pin attached to your name.

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

Plan on going in December this year and was hoping for a discount code for my package. Anyone know or remember when they have released the discount codes for packages in December for previous years?

I don't have the exact dates in front of me, but it was essentially last week of July-first week of August that they released the Nov/Dec discounts and free dining packages.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

I don't have the exact dates in front of me, but it was essentially last week of July-first week of August that they released the Nov/Dec discounts and free dining packages.

Thank you very much. Now I at least have an idea of when to look for the codes.

 

[mysticfire]

Thank you!

 

[Belle4311]

Ok, I'll try to keep this brief:

We are currently booked at AOA 12/12-12/18, with dining plan, base tix. Obviously, I would really love free dining and park hopper added. So, I went to price out rooms at POFQ for the same time frame, without dining plan, park hopper included. If free dining is offered during that time, it means that POFQ will actually be cheaper than the AOA package. I know you're doing to say, well, then you'll just get free DP with AOA, but with a value resort, you only get the quick-service plan, not the regular dining plan, so we would have to pay to upgrade anyway. If I'm going to pay to upgrade, I might as well switch to the resort I'd rather be in for a cheaper rate!

Here's the conundrum...so the free dining for mid-December is not likely to be released until late-July/early August, but at that time, there may not be rooms available at POFQ (as I hear it's immensely popular). There's also still the potential that the free DP won't be offered at that time. If free DP ISN'T offered, we really can't afford to stay at POFQ, so I would be taking a risk in switch my ressies now....

I need opinions on this, people. What would you do?

 

[kappyfinn]

Ok, I'll try to keep this brief:

We are currently booked at AOA 12/12-12/18, with dining plan, base tix. Obviously, I would really love free dining and park hopper added. So, I went to price out rooms at POFQ for the same time frame, without dining plan, park hopper included. If free dining is offered during that time, it means that POFQ will actually be cheaper than the AOA package. I know you're doing to say, well, then you'll just get free DP with AOA, but with a value resort, you only get the quick-service plan, not the regular dining plan, so we would have to pay to upgrade anyway. If I'm going to pay to upgrade, I might as well switch to the resort I'd rather be in for a cheaper rate!

Here's the conundrum...so the free dining for mid-December is not likely to be released until late-July/early August, but at that time, there may not be rooms available at POFQ (as I hear it's immensely popular). There's also still the potential that the free DP won't be offered at that time. If free DP ISN'T offered, we really can't afford to stay at POFQ, so I would be taking a risk in switch my ressies now....

I need opinions on this, people. What would you do?

I would sit tight and wait. If you change your ressie to POFQ now, there's no guarantee if FD came out that there would be availability at that resort for that discount. And if FD wasn't available, you'd have to switch your ressie again.

 

[Belle4311]

I would sit tight and wait. If you change your ressie to POFQ now, there's no guarantee if FD came out that there would be availability at that resort for that discount. And if FD wasn't available, you'd have to switch your ressie again.

Does this mean that if free dining is offered, it might not be offered at POFQ? I thought if a free dining plan was offered at any time, it was offered to all WDW resorts, but at different levels (i.e. Value = Quick Dining Plan, Moderate = Dining Plan, Deluxe = Dining Premium).

 

[mom2rtk]

Does this mean that if free dining is offered, it might not be offered at POFQ? I thought if a free dining plan was offered at any time, it was offered to all WDW resorts, but at different levels (i.e. Value = Quick Dining Plan, Moderate = Dining Plan, Deluxe = Dining Premium).

Not necessarily. They allow so many spots at each of the resorts they want to include. If a particular resort has enough bookings already, they will not offer it there. So while one reservation won't have much impact, if lots of people book it hoping to "add" free dining later, it could result in a resort not being included.

 

[Belle4311]

Not necessarily. They allow so many spots at each of the resorts they want to include. If a particular resort has enough bookings already, they will not offer it there. So while one reservation won't have much impact, if lots of people book it hoping to "add" free dining later, it could result in a resort not being included.

OMG. I've been to Disney many times, but never attempted to get the best deals, best evening plants, best ADRs, etc. I'm a pretty comprehensive planner, but this is crazy! All the insider stuff you have to know to get these deals is crazy!

 

[mom2rtk]

OMG. I've been to Disney many times, but never attempted to get the best deals, best evening plants, best ADRs, etc. I'm a pretty comprehensive planner, but this is crazy! All the insider stuff you have to know to get these deals is crazy!

I suppose when most folks call for reservations under a deal and find their resort has no openings, they just assume they sold out. Actually there might not have been any in the first place. And that can change over time. When FD was announced for Sept, Pop Century and AoA weren't included at first. Then I suppose a lot of folks booked other resorts and dropped the reservations they had at those places and some opened up. It pays to stay tuned.

Last year when I booked, the check-in date fore the December deal was the 11th I think. A bit later it changed to the 10th and some of my DIS friends let me know. That helped a lot since we were initially planning on arriving the 10th. In the end we still added 2 more room only nights, but we got that extra day of free dining!

 

[Belle4311]

I suppose when most folks call for reservations under a deal and find their resort has no openings, they just assume they sold out. Actually there might not have been any in the first place. And that can change over time. When FD was announced for Sept, Pop Century and AoA weren't included at first. Then I suppose a lot of folks booked other resorts and dropped the reservations they had at those places and some opened up. It pays to stay tuned.

Last year when I booked, the check-in date fore the December deal was the 11th I think. A bit later it changed to the 10th and some of my DIS friends let me know. That helped a lot since we were initially planning on arriving the 10th. In the end we still added 2 more room only nights, but we got that extra day of free dining!

I just want free dining at POFQ for 12/12-12/18 - that really too much to ask?!

 

[mom2rtk]

I just want free dining at POFQ for 12/12-12/18 - that really too much to ask?!

I hear you. I just wish I knew when we were going so I knew WHAT to hope for!

 

[Belle4311]

Just wrote this on the Dec 2012 thread, but I'll add it here...

Just talked to a CM about getting a pin code. When I asked him what might up my chances for getting one, he said it was completely randomly generated by email. Registering at the WDW site, taking surveys, saving vacays, none of those things will up the chances. Totally random, which explains why people who've never done anything Disney-related have gotten one.

Also, the CM confirmed that the likely release date for Nov/Dec free DP will be late summer (July/Aug) but maybe even into September.