Fall 2016 planning (continuation of 2016 Free Dining Watch)

[scard192]

from the Transportation Board
http://www.disboards.com/threads/southwest-window-opened-this-morning.3511968/

 

[Meeko5]

So if I add a day at a Disney resort for the day before we check in for FD will I get a second set of magic bands too?

Do I need to make the reservation for the 1 night only under a different account, or can I have 2 reservations on my same account?

I'm probably way overthinking this huh?

 

[vanjust14]

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?

I avoid them now mostly as well. The only one I still really like to do is Hollywood Studios. I love being in there with hardly anyone around, getting a bunch of character meets out of the way right at the start, and then going to Starring Rolls, mmmmm.

 

[vanjust14]

have not book my airfare yet, but pretty expensive from New England. We prefer to fly Jet Blue out of Boston but Providence is usually cheaper, Jet Blue and Southwest fly from there. Jet Blue seems to have fewer direct flight than they did in 2013.

If you can, I would wait until about 60 to 80 days out to book. PVD always offers good prices to Orlando. I paid $178 roundtrip for my flights to Orlando in June. I booked about 75 days out.

 

[SunnieRN]

So if I add a day at a Disney resort for the day before we check in for FD will I get a second set of magic bands too?

Do I need to make the reservation for the 1 night only under a different account, or can I have 2 reservations on my same account?

I'm probably way overthinking this huh?

I don't think that's over thinking, it's practicality.

I don't know if we will be able to fly now, due to flight prices. SW wants over $3K for us to fly out of our local airport and doesn't fly out of our international airport 40 min away.

As for Spirit, which I hate to fly, it's about $1475 but that's bare fare. So add bags etc and you start really getting up there.

So, now, if it was $4/gal for gas (holiday travel gas prices adding in eventual price hikes), we could drive for $200, motel each way, $300 or less, food $300 or less, our maximum would be $800. But, it would also mean a LOT of time traveling and more vacation time for my DD.

I hope I can hit that sweet spot and get flights a little cheaper!!!

Woo hoo for those that have booked great deals already!!! That's fantastic!!!!

 

[Elsaalltheway]

I don't think that's over thinking, it's practicality.

I don't know if we will be able to fly now, due to flight prices. SW wants over $3K for us to fly out of our local airport and doesn't fly out of our international airport 40 min away.

As for Spirit, which I hate to fly, it's about $1475 but that's bare fare. So add bags etc and you start really getting up there.

So, now, if it was $4/gal for gas (holiday travel gas prices adding in eventual price hikes), we could drive for $200, motel each way, $300 or less, food $300 or less, our maximum would be $800. But, it would also mean a LOT of time traveling and more vacation time for my DD.

I hope I can hit that sweet spot and get flights a little cheaper!!!

Woo hoo for those that have booked great deals already!!! That's fantastic!!!!

I would be driving. Gas here is only 2.00 a gal. I don't see it going up but one more dollar by the end of the year. Prices usaually come down around elections.

 

[Meeko5]

I don't think that's over thinking, it's practicality.

I don't know if we will be able to fly now, due to flight prices. SW wants over $3K for us to fly out of our local airport and doesn't fly out of our international airport 40 min away.

As for Spirit, which I hate to fly, it's about $1475 but that's bare fare. So add bags etc and you start really getting up there.

So, now, if it was $4/gal for gas (holiday travel gas prices adding in eventual price hikes), we could drive for $200, motel each way, $300 or less, food $300 or less, our maximum would be $800. But, it would also mean a LOT of time traveling and more vacation time for my DD.

I hope I can hit that sweet spot and get flights a little cheaper!!!

Woo hoo for those that have booked great deals already!!! That's fantastic!!!!

that is crazy expensive! Holy cow

 

[scard192]

If you can, I would wait until about 60 to 80 days out to book. PVD always offers good prices to Orlando. I paid $178 roundtrip for my flights to Orlando in June. I booked about 75 days out.

thank you, I will hold off for a while

 

[ELSA711]

Got my flights! Thank you Southwest

Now I can finalize my Thanksgiving week plans and prepare my ADR list for next week 180+ mark

Any tips from experienced Thanksgiving week visitors are appreciated and welcomed! I can't believe I am going to WDW on a holiday.
Well it was that or not at all, so we will be thrilled no matter how busy it is!

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

I snagged our flight home with the points I had but I'm still trying to figure out what to do for the flight down. It's about $250 cheaper to fly on Friday, we could get a reasonable hotel in Orlando in the $100 range late Friday night and still come out ahead. But I suppose then I'm dealing with shuttles and taxis....

I was wondering this as well. Do the local airport hotels have shuttles from the airport? And if I get shuttles back to the airport in the morning, could I still catch Magical Express?

 

[Elsaalltheway]

I was wondering this as well. Do the local airport hotels have shuttles from the airport? And if I get shuttles back to the airport in the morning, could I still catch Magical Express?

I would think you could sill catch the magical express. The only thing is your bags wouldn't be collected. You would have to take them yourself.

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

Now to decide if I want to book one night at a Disney hotel for Friday, or stay cheaper at an airport hotel Friday and head to Disney Saturday.

Why am I so indecisive?!

Let me know what you decide!

 

[wdw4rfam]

I would be driving. Gas here is only 2.00 a gal. I don't see it going up but one more dollar by the end of the year. Prices usaually come down around elections.

Pooh, I forgot about it going down before elections, that would be great. We drive every year, and we've paid $450 in gas a few times when it was close to $4, and this last time only $225. I just traded in my minivan for a Cherokee so hoping it will be even less this year.

 

[Kelly Anne]

If you can, I would wait until about 60 to 80 days out to book. PVD always offers good prices to Orlando. I paid $178 roundtrip for my flights to Orlando in June. I booked about 75 days out.

The prices this year from Pvd to Orlando I am finding to be more then previous years.... I booked my flight for sept back in March and it is just getting more expensive as the weeks go by, I've been looking just in case I am able to move my flight to an earlier time as the earlier time was too much.

 

[Sharongal74]

So if I add a day at a Disney resort for the day before we check in for FD will I get a second set of magic bands too?

Do I need to make the reservation for the 1 night only under a different account, or can I have 2 reservations on my same account?

I have a room only for August 31 and free dining starting sept 1. Same acct. You can call and they will link them and the hotel will know it is one vacation. I believe only one set of magic bands. Hope that works out for you! I ended up with a water room for my ro and standard the rest of the time. (Standard wasn't available for ro) the cm said they will try to leave me in the same room but I may have to move.

 

[Funfire240]

Pooh, I forgot about it going down before elections, that would be great. We drive every year, and we've paid $450 in gas a few times when it was close to $4, and this last time only $225. I just traded in my minivan for a Cherokee so hoping it will be even less this year.

I love my Cherokee and the gas mileage Sorry just have to throw that out there (and my DH is one that builds them!)

 

[Meeko5]

I have a room only for August 31 and free dining starting sept 1. Same acct. You can call and they will link them and the hotel will know it is one vacation. I believe only one set of magic bands. Hope that works out for you! I ended up with a water room for my ro and standard the rest of the time. (Standard wasn't available for ro) the cm said they will try to leave me in the same room but I may have to move.

very helpful, thanks! do you have your tickets attached to the RO, or the FD reservation?

 

[Sharongal74]

very helpful, thanks! do you have your tickets attached to the RO, or the FD reservation?

Linked to the FD. Food or drinks will be OOP that night. But we prob won't get to the hotel til 830 pm, but my DD is always hungry! Haha
I was told I can go to the front desk as early as 6am the next morning and they will activate the FD and tickets.

 

[damskipi13]

That happened to me too - I had a nonstop in my cart that jumped $40 in the time I took to think about it Prices just have to come down, right?

Well that is crap! I'm sorry

It worked out in the end. I realized I had enough points to book the flight to MCO on Delta and the flight back on SW, so I ended up using more points then I would have liked but my OOP is only $11.20 to pay for the government fees. I'll take it

Now I just need good vibes that my time off from work gets approved and I didn't just waste all of this time and points! I won't know for sure that I can go until August

 

[SunnieRN]

I would be driving. Gas here is only 2.00 a gal. I don't see it going up but one more dollar by the end of the year. Prices usaually come down around elections.

I am a person that goes with the highest possible numbers and loves having leftover $$$$$ while we're at our destination. We usually stay at a LaQuinta type hotel along the way, so I added in extra for that also, as we will be traveling Dec 17.

As far as food, in Louisiana there is a candy store we always stop at, meals and waters, icees etc at gas stations lol. So I always plan for more than we spend.

 

[Meeko5]

Linked to the FD. Food or drinks will be OOP that night. But we prob won't get to the hotel til 830 pm, but my DD is always hungry! Haha
I was told I can go to the front desk as early as 6am the next morning and they will activate the FD and tickets.

Exactly what I was wondering, thanks again for chiming in!

We're gonna book the first night at sports too, and hope we dont have to change rooms. We shall see!