Fall 2016 planning (continuation of 2016 Free Dining Watch)

[SunnieRN]

I'm Originally from Oregon, so did DL till I was over 30 then found going back and forth very confusing. I prefer DW

I really miss DL, but it is cheaper for us to do a WDW trip vs a DL trip. There are a lot of unique things at WDW, of course, but I miss all of my old favorites!!!

To bring up another subject, people were talking on the dining board, about upgrading a child to an adult and paying for the ticket cost and upgrading the DP to adult. It sounds intriguing, as I could use his TS credits so we can eat at two additional TS meals, or a signature meal, while buying him one or two kids meals OOP, which is what he would eat anyway. Opinions welcomed.

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

I think they mean SW has a cattle call. Well they line up in numbers now, but there is no guarantee that families sit together. And they don't have family boarding.

So they would separate my 7,9,10 year olds from me?
Yeah, that would never work. It is too much of an unfamiliar, high anxiety situation. And my 10 year old is on the autism spectrum. No wonder there airfare is cheap.

 

[kellyjeanie]

For family boarding, does just one adult board then with the under-6 child? Or can the whole family board at that time?

My original plan was to only buy EBCI for the flight home, does that sound reasonable?

 

[scard192]

For family boarding, does just one adult board then with the under-6 child? Or can the whole family board at that time?/QUOTE]

that's the thing, there is no way to know. the policy is 6 and under. posts on the transportation board over the last year or so seem to indicate that it varies depending on what the gate agents decide to do. sometimes its Mom, Dad, 6 and under and other kids. sometimes Grandma and Grandpa can board. Have been posts that when there are lots of people in the Family Boarding line they have limited to one parent per 6 and under child. Have been rare posts about no family boarding because there are so many.

I should be able check us in for the flight to Orlando at 24 hour mark but for my own piece of mind I am going to buy EBCI for us all and add $30 on to each fare.
Flying out of PVD at least there won't be any continuing passengers already on the plane

 

[kellyjeanie]

I wouldn't mind if one of us had to board with my youngest and then the other parent with the other 2 kids, so split into a group of 2 and a group of 3. I suppose flying out of Orlando there are a ton of families with little kids. So what happens if everyone buys EBCI? I'll try not to think about that, lol.

 

[scard192]

I wouldn't mind if one of us had to board with my youngest and then the other parent with the other 2 kids, so split into a group of 2 and a group of 3. I suppose flying out of Orlando there are a ton of families with little kids. So what happens if everyone buys EBCI? I'll try not to think about that, lol.

you probably will be fine if you buy EBCI,like you said worst case you board with the youngest and your DH with the other 2.

My sister has a 6 year old and 9 year old and is fighting me hard about not flying SW.

sounds like more and more people are buying EBCI but there will always be those the don't want to or can't afford it. I know a lot of people love SW, but would be so much easier if we could fly Jet Blue and have seats. but a lot more money.

 

[Meeko5]

I wouldn't mind if one of us had to board with my youngest and then the other parent with the other 2 kids, so split into a group of 2 and a group of 3. I suppose flying out of Orlando there are a ton of families with little kids. So what happens if everyone buys EBCI? I'll try not to think about that, lol.

I bought EBCI for my DH and our oldest son, then the toddler and I used family boarding. Worked out great, since he was a lap infant last year and we had no problems finding seats together both ways.

This year we have to sit 2 and 2 anyway, or 1 adult with both kids and the other across the aisle. I haven't decided how we will work that out if we fly SW this time...maybe I'll accidentally forget to buy myself EBCI and make DH sit with both kids and I'll find a single seat elsewhere

 

[Disneylover99]

So they would separate my 7,9,10 year olds from me?
Yeah, that would never work. It is too much of an unfamiliar, high anxiety situation. And my 10 year old is on the autism spectrum. No wonder there airfare is cheap.

I love SW, but we always buy EBCI. We just factor that in as part of the price. So far our boarding numbers have always been before family boarding. Lots of people don't buy EBCI. We've even purchased our tickets last minute with EBCI and gotten a really good boarding order.

 

[kellyjeanie]

...maybe I'll accidentally forget to buy myself EBCI and make DH sit with both kids and I'll find a single seat elsewhere

Haha - that actually sounds heavenly.

 

[Disneylover99]

Haha - that actually sounds heavenly.

And with the money saved, you can treat yourself to a drink.

 

[Meeko5]

And with the money saved, you can treat yourself to a drink.

I like the way you think!

Last trip we flew home on Halloween and SW had a complimentary adult drink per person for the holiday. Of course the flight was a little rough so the drink service never made it to our spot. Jerks! Haha

 

[CandiceF]

Looked at AA and I can get $328 RT plus bag fee. We've flown Spirit before, but we may decide to do that, come August!

SW flies out of our local airport. About 7 miles away. Spirit and the rest fly from our Internationl airport. About 40 minutes away. So whatever we can get a good buy on is what we will do.

I'm trying to talk my daughter in to driving, lol.

We like driving it's like a mini vacation before the vacation. Well I like it after the first hour or two when the kids stop asking "Are we there yet", LOL!

 

[CandiceF]

We used to be a group who used the early magic morning hours, but this trip we are going to avoid all of those. Anybody else have any preference?

We usually avoid morning hours because I don't want to have to try and hurry everyone up in the morning. I have to do that enough on school mornings so it's more relaxing to take our time in the morning and stay later at the parks. The kids think it's fun to stay up past their bedtimes and go on rides at night. I do have 1 early breakfast (hopefully) and maybe 1 rope drop planned this time but I might get some complaining with those.

 

[cmarsh31]

To bring up another subject, people were talking on the dining board, about upgrading a child to an adult and paying for the ticket cost and upgrading the DP to adult. It sounds intriguing, as I could use his TS credits so we can eat at two additional TS meals, or a signature meal, while buying him one or two kids meals OOP, which is what he would eat anyway. Opinions welcomed.

Last time we got FD (2014) DS was 9. We paid the upgraded ticket price (~$75) so he could get the adult DP. He was going to order off the adult menu anyway, or would have wanted two kids meals, so it was definitely cheaper.

 

[G719]

http://www.kennythepirate.com/2016/05/17/change-coming-to-fastpass-booking/

No more midnight bookings.

 

[kimyinpink]

http://www.kennythepirate.com/2016/05/17/change-coming-to-fastpass-booking/

No more midnight bookings. Moving to 6 am just like dining.

Is it 6 or 7 am? 6 am great for me. 7 am bad new bears... I'm a school teacher so I'm already out the door around 7 and not much time to book fast passes with Kindergarteners

 

[G719]

Is it 6 or 7 am? 6 am great for me. 7 am bad new bears... I'm a school teacher so I'm already out the door around 7 and not much time to book fast passes with Kindergarteners

Whoops! Guess it says 7. I was thinking I saw 6 on another post.

 

[G719]

Is it 6 or 7 am? 6 am great for me. 7 am bad new bears... I'm a school teacher so I'm already out the door around 7 and not much time to book fast passes with Kindergarteners

At least for me and this trip, my fp day is labor day.

 

[Disneylover99]

Is it 6 or 7 am? 6 am great for me. 7 am bad new bears... I'm a school teacher so I'm already out the door around 7 and not much time to book fast passes with Kindergarteners

7 is bad for me too, and I think my fp day is a Monday.

 

[ldauksch]

I would definitely prefer to stay up until midnight which is actually 11 for me since I'm CST. I'm pretty much always up that late anyway but I don't want to get up at 6 CST. I am NOT a morning person