Even More Tips To Make Your Vacation Great!!

[CMBoy99344]

More Tips On A Great Trip To Disney!!!!! From The CM Standpoint!!!

1) Remember! YOU ARE ON VACATION!!!! Lavish yourself. Remember to have a great time!!! DONT STRESS YOURSELF OUT OVER MINOR DETAILS!!!

2) By lavishing yourself, I mean go extravegant. You want your trip to Disney to be the best of the best, remember that there is so much more to do here than to just go to the parks, theres horseback riding, boat rentals, pools, great great things to see, do and eat. Save Big for it. Save Really Big for it. Make your kids remember this trip for the rest of their lives. Be able to be the parent who is able to buy their kids some great toys, pictures, things like that inside the parks. Book yourself a limo ride from the airport to the resort. It doesnt matter at which resort, even if you are staying at the all star or pop century, your kids will be much more thrilled to stay there because its such a kid friendly place, besides its just a place to rest your head at night. P.S, Now, the beds in the regular rooms at the Grand, are the exact same type and size as those at all star!!!!!

3) Do things that you would never do elsewhere, like go out to eat at a place you cant normally afford. Leave the kids with the Kids Night Out babysitting service or at one of the evening care places (any one can book those, even if you are not staying at that resort!) One night take your spouse to a surprise trip to Victoria and Alberts, California Grill or Yachtmans Steakhouse. I know Disney is the family place, but its always great for you and your spouse to spend some great one on one time with each other.

4) take a day and do Disney without the parks. The hotels are awsome places to go to. Get a massage, let the kids go search for buried treasure on the pirate cruise, eat at chef mickeys, things like that. Your kids will remember so much more than the 60 minute wait in line at splash mountian!

5) One awsome thing I always love to reccomend people do once the kids get older is the backstage tours of the parks, Keys to the Kingdom is a great tour, but remember, 16 or older with valid proof of age!!!!!

6) Make it count! I can not stress that enough. Make sure you are happy!! If you have just spent 16 hours driving, there is no way in universal he** you will be fresh to go to the parks that day, get rest!! Along with that, arrive at a reasonable time, everyone is 100000% happier if they check in at 10:00 am instead of 10:00 PM

7) Do some research, but remember not to overstress yourself!! Plan ahead, but dont make your family stick to a such rigid schedule!!!

8) The way to do a great disney stay: Book 2 days of reservations with no tickets at the front of your stay, book 5 days with tickets (for ex. the dream maker packages!) then two more days at the end of your stay without tickets. Reason, one day at the front to give you freedom to arrive at a reasonable time to get ready, the next day an exploration day of the resorts and any fun non park activites to build up the excitement, 5 days of park hopping fun, then 2 days to wind everything down! We can even make it possible to link all of those reservations together so you will not have to move, just come and get new keys!!

9)Dream maker packages are the way to go, especially the add on packages, for example the Gold Plan is my personal favorite, call 407-WDISNEY for more info on the plans and their rates!!


Remember: HAVE FUN!!! AND HAVE A MAGICAL STAY!!!

 

[Nolcrest]

Especially enjoyed the reminder about the backstage tour. I was thinking of something different to do for our next stay - this may be just what I'm looking for. Thanks for taking the time to post.

 

[PlutoPony]

Originally posted by CMBoy99344
... P.S, Now, the beds in the regular rooms at the Grand, are the exact same type and size as those at all star!!!!!

Sorry, but GF (and all deluxe rooms for that matter) has queen beds standard..... Value resorts have full beds as standard. Don't know if they're the same mattress quality, but queen to standard is a big size difference for some.....

 

[momxx5]

I like your ideas, but I cannot help but look at it as an "advertisment" to spend more money.

After spending two yrs on these boards, going to WDW many, many times, including a family vacation two years in a row, I find most of your ideas quite costly. I'm sure they would make the perfect vacation but, a backstage tour is not in our budget, and leaving the kids with a sitter is not why we take a family vacation.

We plan the perfect trip for "our family". We get to do everything we want and everyone is happy. Sorry, no Gold Plan for us.

Thanks for you tips.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

momxx5: I was thinking the same thing.

I do think it is a great idea to save lots of money so that you don't have to worry about money on your trip but i don't think that means you have to spend to have fun!!!
I think you can plan a VERY memorable vacation without having to buy your way through it.
My husband and i don't have kids but I've been working with kids for 16years and have many young children in my family. I don't think many of them would care if they were riding in a limo.... they would be so excited to be on their way to WDW that you could probably put them in the back of a pick up truck and they would not know the difference.
Being a GREAT PARENT does not mean buying them what they want.... It means having fun and spending time with them.... that's what will make the vacation one to remember!!!!

 

[Becky2005]

I agree, this is a great way to do it if it's one of those "Once in a lifetime" trips. OK, maybe I like it because we are planning on going $$$$$$$$$$$$ this time but that's only because we haven't ever been as a family and won't plan on going back until our little one is probably 9 (he's 1 now), by then our oldest will be 19, so don't think she will be joining us (although ?)!

However, if I were going more often, I don't think I would be willing to spend the higher amount of dollars this trip is going to cost us...or the kids were older! Right now we are at the Contemporary due to having a 1 year old for location (and having a 5 other people in the family too), if they were older, it probably would have been either a cabin or 2 rooms at a value.

 

[disneyvacalover]

I AGREE AS WELL. WE DO WDW AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR. IF WE LIVED IT UP TO THE EXTREME WE COULD ONLY GO MAYBE ONCE EVERY THREE OR FOUR YEARS. I'D RATHER GO ONCE A YEAR. DUE TO OUR LARGE FAMILY (6 OF US ALL TOGETHER) WE HAVE TO DO 2 VALUE ROOMS.
NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG I'D LOVE TO DO A DELUXE BUT AGAIN I'D RATHER DO A VALUE AND GET TO GO EVERY YEAR.
WE STILL HAVE FUN AND SPLURGE A LITTLE. WE DO A FEW CHARACTER MEALS, SHOP AND TAKE IN A DINNER SHOW OR WATER SPORT.
BUT WE EAT BREAKFAST IN OUR ROOM THAT I PACK, I PACK SNACKS, BRING WATER TO DRINK ETC.
I SAVE ALL THE MONEY I FIND IN THE LAUNDRY ALL YEAR (USUALLY AROUND $100.00 BELIEVE IT OR NOT) WE USE THIS FOR ONE GREAT MEAL. I SAVE MY MILEAGE CHECKS AT WORK. I SAVE MONEY I'VE EARNED FROM THE LOCAL CONSIGNMENT SHOP(AROUND $400.00-$500.00) AND MONEY I'VE MADE AT MY ANNUAL GARAGE SALE. THIS USUALLY TOTALS OVER $1500.00 ALL TOGETHER. THIS HELPS OUT ALOT!!!!!!
I GUESS TO EACH IS OWN.

 

[snwarf]

I think the point the OP was making was to find ways to make your vacation magical and memorable. Although his points mainly involved lots of $$$ I personally did not think he was saying you could not have a great vacation if you did not spend lots of moolah! They just seemed to be ideas for people to consider as a way to make it even more magical.

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by PlutoPony
Sorry, but GF (and all deluxe rooms for that matter) has queen beds standard..... Value resorts have full beds as standard. Don't know if they're the same mattress quality, but queen to standard is a big size difference for some.....

The Grand Floridian has new pillow top mattresses also, I had not heard of any news about them going to Queen Size Pillow top at the All Star resorts.

I think CMBoy needs to check his facts.

 

[mickey0216]

I agree with snwarf.

Example:
To this day, my DS's only real memory of his 1st visit to WDW saddens me. He was 7 and we stayed at ASSp. On the 1st or 2nd day of our vacation we were in the gift shop. He saw and wanted a football to play with since the "football field" was 10-15 feet from our door. I didn't buy the football because he had several at home.

If you, your DW, DD, DS wants something - and they aren't the type of person who asks for much... BUY IT!.

...Even if the football is twice the price it should be, and he already has more than one at home - Just buy it!

 

[CMBoy99344]

I meant the actual matress thickness and brand is the same type as the GF, but without the pillow toppers! Sorry!!

 

[Gabrielle]

CMBoy,

I think your tips are great! Thanks for posting. I agree with you.

I remember a trip years ago when my daughter was little. I hesitated about buying her an Ariel doll -- I felt like we were spending so much already. Her brother - 3 years older - persuaded me to buy it. We brought it back to the resort, laid the doll next to her, and took a picture while she awakened and saw the doll.

Each time we look at that picture, we all remember that night. I've never regretted spending that money.

Now, the kids are older. Two trips ago, I treated myself to a massage at the GF. Taking the boats out is our favorite thing to do at WDW, now. You're absolutely right about branching out to take advantage of all that WDW offers.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Originally posted by Gabrielle
CMBoy,

I think your tips are great! Thanks for posting. I agree with you.

I remember a trip years ago when my daughter was little. I hesitated about buying her an Ariel doll -- I felt like we were spending so much already. Her brother - 3 years older - persuaded me to buy it. We brought it back to the resort, laid the doll next to her, and took a picture while she awakened and saw the doll.

Each time we look at that picture, we all remember that night. I've never regretted spending that money.

Now, the kids are older. Two trips ago, I treated myself to a massage at the GF. Taking the boats out is our favorite thing to do at WDW, now. You're absolutely right about branching out to take advantage of all that WDW offers.

 

[Disneyholic]

DH & I are doing just that this time. We are staying at a lower price hotel for the first 5 days and then switching to AKL Concierge for the last 2 nights. We are doing the Sunset Safari and you need to be Concierge guest to go on that. I know that the room for 2 nights and the Safari at $150 per person is a lot, but we don't do it often.

A few years ago for our 30th Anniversary, we went to Victoria and Alberts for dinner. That was expensive to, but well worth the experience. A nice quiet dinner with no noisy kids. Very romantic. ( I love kids. Have 2 myself, but sometimes we just need Mommy & Daddy alone time.)

 

[wasabi girl]

Thank you so much for your tips! My family and I were looking for a fabulous indulgent vacation as a treat for working hard the past year in our own business (my DDs are older teens), oddly enough it took me a while to think of WDW, after I'd come up with the idea I reserched a bit and found the gold plans...sounded great (so that on our vacation I wouldn't be my normal cheapskate self)...anyway we had to delay until next year because our new business opening was delayed by about 8 months so we can't get away yet. But ALL of us are so looking forward to our trip. My husband loves golf which he can play every day on the gold plan! I'm looking forward to the tours (also included) and my DDs are looking forward to being able to completely relax and have fun without any hassles or worries because everything is prepaid! If I went every year I probably couldn't do this but it is impossible for me to get away every year so I'm living it up while I'm there! Thanks again for your tips!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

We're very bad about taking any days off while at WDW, but I prefer to take a day off in the middle of the trip instead of the beginning and end. At the beginning of the trip we're so excited to be at WDW and have the energy to see a lot. At the end of the trip we're trying to squeeze our favorites in and tend to park hop and see and do things "one more time". In the middle, though, it would be nice to have a day to sleep in, recover, relax and be ready for more days of touring.

We don't do packages, though, so we can do that kind of touring easier.

T&B

 

[*Fantasia*]

Only book the room that you can afford! Don't get all upset cause you can't apply any discount codes on your existing reservation or don't get impatient cause you've been waiting and waiting for the codes to come out and then later come to find out that there will be no codes during the time of your stay and it gets you more upset.

Remember, a request is just that, it does not guarantee you the room number you asked for, or the floor or the section you asked for. What you are guaranteed is what you paid for such as garden view or tower or waterview... If savanah view at AKL is what you really want or courtyard view at WL, then please book that view cause you might only get dissapointed if you don't get a comp uprade and to some, that can ruin their vacation just cause they are expecting to be upgraded.

Remember, to make your vacations "magical", it is what you make of it. You don't have to spend money to make it magical, it's making great memories and cherishing them what makes the trip more special and magical.

 

[babar41]

I just wanted to say thank you for the tips. I agree with Fantasia, only book the package you can afford. Otherwise the dollar stress will carry over in your vacation.

It is nice to indulge yourself sometimes and a vacation is the perfect time to do it. But you need to remember that the vacation will unfortunately come to an end and reality along with the credit card bills will come. I guess, just like life, it is a matter of priorities. If your resort is important to you, then you need to book into a resort that meets all of your expectations. If 5 star restaurants are important, then make your reservations at V&A's.

Your trip to the Magic Kingdom is supposed to be magical. Each person needs to discover what it takes for them. DH and I have done the Keys to the Kingdom tour and it was great! We have done the Gold package, only to discover our life revolved too much around our meals. We've done the Silver package and found it far better for us, but our next visit we have decided to go without the meal packages for greater flexibility.

I love our trips to WDW. I spend months planning. When we leave home in 3 days for our next visit I will have a notebook with reservations numbers, confirmations numbers and daily schedules. The schedules are a guide (even though they are written almost to the minute), they are not locked in concrete. If we decide to deviate from the schedule that is our choice. My planning is almost as much fun as our going, that's why I do it.

My biggest advice to anyone going on vacation, regardless of where you are going, is don't have unrealistic goals. If you have children, they will be children. Sibling squables happen even at the happiest place on earth. Rain happens, but there are many things to do and enjoy on a rainy day. Enjoy yourselves, plan but go with the flow!

 

[Minybear]

Wow I wish every guest had their own CM. So much info and so much to do. You almost need your own personal advisor on what to do at WDW.

We have been going to WDW since (I think their 25th annsp) 1997 and we always try to do something different. We have done lots of tours around the parks and learned a lot. We are staying at AKL this time and doing Sunrise and Sunset safari. On our last trip we knew a friend and was invited to the Haunted Mansion dinner and we had dinner on the set . I want to do parasailing this time but DH said "NO" its December and it will be "COLD" doing it, but I hope will do on another trip to WDW or DCL. There is so much to do you need someone special like a CM to help you with it.

WDW is very magical. Make it that way.

 

[LATigger]

The schedules are a guide (even though they are written almost to the minute), they are not locked in concrete.

Having a plan/itinerary helps so much...especially as the feet start hurting from days of touring and the Disney magic creeps in your brain--taking over! It is hard to remember what you wanted to do daily w/o a written outline. BUT...I agree on changing/scrapping it as needed! It helps the group know what's generally "up" and avoids the dreadded "standing in the middle of the crowded walkway looking at the guidebook and saying 'Well, we could go to Tomorrowland if everyone agrees'." Look for those groups and be thankful you can whizz past them and get their place in line!

Thanks again CMBoy99344 for all good tips & suggestions...I am sure the smart DIS gang here will just use what parts apply to them and their budgets!
Ann...VERY excited about this counter reading below!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!