Free Dining 2013

[MackenzieFL]

Oh...that's "a little" out of my price range. Ill stick with the surrounding towns. Real estate is much more affordable.
Do the resort buses go there? I'd love to check it out but we won't have a car.

Price-wise, you pay to live there. It's a beautiful town, lots of resident amenities, etc., but yes you'll pay to live there.

I guess a lot depends on what you're used to-- like I said we're from NYC. My old neighborhood in Brooklyn was run-down and high crime and gritty, and you weren't going to be able to buy a house for less than 500K without plunking down 10%. A small apartment rental was around 2k/month.

Now we live over on the Gulf Coast of Fl; it's cheaper, I'll give it that. But what I would have to plunk down for a little cinder block house with no character, a patch of land and no amenities in a nice neighborhood could buy me an excellent condo or town house in Celebration... so it would work for us.

Plus, we just fell in love with the town, and being 5 minutes away from Disney World couldn't hurt either

I don't know if there is Disney transport there... there is a hotel there that has a bus that goes back and forth to Disney outside it but I don't know if you have to be a guest to use it. We usually drive there on our way home and stop for a few hours.

My 15 yr old son in particular loves to stop by the pet shop for his dog-- they sell home-baked doggie treats and little dog sausages. He likes to spoil his doggie rotten, he hates being separated from him for days, so he always brings him home a little 'canine care package'.

 

[Kat016]

Price-wise, you pay to live there. It's a beautiful town, lots of resident amenities, etc., but yes you'll pay to live there.

I guess a lot depends on what you're used to-- like I said we're from NYC. My old neighborhood in Brooklyn was run-down and high crime and gritty, and you weren't going to be able to buy a house for less than 500K without plunking down 10%. A small apartment rental was around 2k/month.

Now we live over on the Gulf Coast of Fl; it's cheaper, I'll give it that. But what I would have to plunk down for a little cinder block house with no character, a patch of land and no amenities in a nice neighborhood could buy me an excellent condo or town house in Celebration... so it would work for us.

Plus, we just fell in love with the town, and being 5 minutes away from Disney World couldn't hurt either

I don't know if there is Disney transport there... there is a hotel there that has a bus that goes back and forth to Disney outside it but I don't know if you have to be a guest to use it. We usually drive there on our way home and stop for a few hours.

My 15 yr old son in particular loves to stop by the pet shop for his dog-- they sell home-baked doggie treats and little dog sausages. He likes to spoil his doggie rotten, he hates being separated from him for days, so he always brings him home a little 'canine care package'.

We were pricing surrounding areas, within 30 minutes from Disney, and I couldn't believe how cheap real estate was and the size house you get. Around where I live, in order to get a house that's a comfortable fit fir your family, your looking at $200K-$250K. That's chump change compared to NYC...even though I love NY, especially at Christmas. But I could get the same size house down there for $150K or less. That's awesome.
I would live to check out Celebration. Ill have to look when we go down to see if there's a bus. I think that's adorable that your done does that. If do it for my dog too but it probably wouldn't survive the plane ride.

 

[mjmpoohfamily]

No tape. You can use suction cups or window clings. You can use magnets for the doors. I also have a plastic mickey head trick or treat bucket I am putting a flameless candle in.

I love these ideas. I really wanted to get big package for our sons birthday but husband said that cuts into our spending money (about $400). So this will be awesome I can totally decorate while he is at the pool and then come back totally surprised. I will take any more ideas too.

 

[mssong85]

I love these ideas. I really wanted to get big package for our sons birthday but husband said that cuts into our spending money (about $400). So this will be awesome I can totally decorate while he is at the pool and then come back totally surprised. I will take any more ideas too.

Sent you a PM.

 

[Kat016]

Listening to Four Parks One World while I'm making chicken salad & sausage with peppers onions & mushrooms for a family reunion in Dover Delaware tomorrow and I'm the only one at home, kids are in school lol I love these cd's...

 

[Sylkie31]

We are doing CRT and BBQ too! When are you going? We are going 9/10-9/18...ya we considered the deluxe too bc of that but honestly we are going to pay for a few of the cheaper ones. It was cheaper to do that then to upgrade to the deluxe, although there is 4 of us we'd have to pay for!

trip dates are Sep 12 - 21
CRT for lunch on Sat, 9/14 - granddaughter's b'day
Mickey's BBQ on Thurs, 9/19 (didn't want to chance not arriving at Disney in time to be able to get to dinner on time)

 

[luvmy3]

Honestly I would stay at GF if you have money to now, never know when an opportunity or deal like that may come around again you know? It is definitely easier to get other discounts. My DH really really wants to stay there once but it is out of our budget right now!! So maybe that's why I would say stay there. However if you are able to save enough money and put it in a vacation fund or something so maybe you can go back sooner then you plan then that would be good too! As long as you really save it for that haha good luck!

We've decided to stay there instead of switching resorts for FD. We can always afford (hopefully) POR or AoA but GF is definitely out of our comfort level for vacation spending, this deal was the only reason we are staying there this visit.

 

[black562]

trip dates are Sep 12 - 21
CRT for lunch on Sat, 9/14 - granddaughter's b'day
Mickey's BBQ on Thurs, 9/19 (didn't want to chance not arriving at Disney in time to be able to get to dinner on time)

She's going to love CRT. It's so cool....

 

[Sylkie31]

She's going to love CRT. It's so cool....

Oh yeah - only thing better than being w/ the Disney princesses in Kiley's eyes is being with Mickey Mouse himself!
And we're taking her to BBB before lunch so she'll be made up like a princess for CRT
I'm excited about this one too - last time I ate in the castle, it was still called King Stefan's Banquet Hall

 

[amber_cntrygrl]

This s our first time staying on property and have heard about decorating resort windows! This sounds like fun! Could you give me more info? Thanks!

I'm probably going to bring a strand of lights (hang with suction cups with little hooks), window clings, and a couple of laminated Halloween Disney pictures (again with suction cups, tape is not allowed). DS is super excited about decorating!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[amber_cntrygrl]

No tape. You can use suction cups or window clings. You can use magnets for the doors. I also have a plastic mickey head trick or treat bucket I am putting a flameless candle in.

Ooh! I didn't think about the flameless candle in the Mickey head trick or treat bucket! My mama bought DS one this past Halloween! Thanks for the idea!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[mcding2013]

Super excited just changed reservations to sept 10-17!!!!! Was originally going aug but fd won

 

[MackenzieFL]

We were pricing surrounding areas, within 30 minutes from Disney, and I couldn't believe how cheap real estate was and the size house you get. Around where I live, in order to get a house that's a comfortable fit fir your family, your looking at $200K-$250K. That's chump change compared to NYC...even though I love NY, especially at Christmas. But I could get the same size house down there for $150K or less. That's awesome.
I would live to check out Celebration. Ill have to look when we go down to see if there's a bus. I think that's adorable that your done does that. If do it for my dog too but it probably wouldn't survive the plane ride.

I know, I love NY, it's my home town, I miss it, but we just would have never been able to afford living there comfortably with a family of 5 + helping take care of my mom. That's why we moved to FL in the first place-- cost of living effective.

Even if you have no intention of moving there, lol (not most people's cup o' tea I know) it's such a lovely town to check out and spend an afternoon browsing, they only allow little shops and boutiques, no strip malls, the central downtown market area has a big scenic lake with benches and seats, you can walk around, so it's just very quaint and picturesque.

I can't imagine a cab ride even would be cost prohibitive, even with the overblown cab prices at Disney, because it's literally on the other side of I-4, it's got to be less than 1 mile from some places in Disney.

And as for my boy-- OMG, yes, his dog is his best friend. He spoils him rotten.

 

[Mem5793]

Ok folks, it's question time...this one is for those doing Free Dining in September.

If you had the choice, are you hoping to get a Free dining PIN for later this year, or a Bounceback for next August/September?

Bounce back for next September

 

[Kat016]

I know, I love NY, it's my home town, I miss it, but we just would have never been able to afford living there comfortably with a family of 5 + helping take care of my mom. That's why we moved to FL in the first place-- cost of living effective.

Even if you have no intention of moving there, lol (not most people's cup o' tea I know) it's such a lovely town to check out and spend an afternoon browsing, they only allow little shops and boutiques, no strip malls, the central downtown market area has a big scenic lake with benches and seats, you can walk around, so it's just very quaint and picturesque.

I can't imagine a cab ride even would be cost prohibitive, even with the overblown cab prices at Disney, because it's literally on the other side of I-4, it's got to be less than 1 mile from some places in Disney.

And as for my boy-- OMG, yes, his dog is his best friend. He spoils him rotten.

Maybe we'll make that a morning or afternoon break from the park thing...I love quaint little towns especially if they have little shops, those are the best.
That's great. My DD10 was very attached to our 10 yr old dog. We just had to put our him down in January. It was heartbreaking. We got him right after my DD was born. So they grew up together. But he was the best. So well behaved and he listened. I miss him terribly. I have a chihuahua Pomeranian mix. She's a little princess...very spoiled lol

 

[black562]

Bounce back for next September

BOUNCEBACKS FOR EVERYONE!!!

 

[Pirate princess 2]

BOUNCEBACKS FOR EVERYONE!!!

Here's hoping. Some of us are still waiting on that FD for everyone. One thing at a time or we're gonna get overwhelmed.

 

[Kat016]

At this point ill just take FD....ill deal with bounceback later

 

[MackenzieFL]

Maybe we'll make that a morning or afternoon break from the park thing...I love quaint little towns especially if they have little shops, those are the best.
That's great. My DD10 was very attached to our 10 yr old dog. We just had to put our him down in January. It was heartbreaking. We got him right after my DD was born. So they grew up together. But he was the best. So well behaved and he listened. I miss him terribly. I have a chihuahua Pomeranian mix. She's a little princess...very spoiled lol

Aww, poor baby. I'm so sorry about your dog. I lost my childhood dog in my 20s and it was devastating to watch her get old and deteriorate like that.

My son had wanted a dog all his life so we took him to the pound and he found this goofy looking mutt with a big gash scar on his head that was literally past his expiration date (they were past due on putting him down, giving up hope he'd ever be adopted with that scar, but he was 11 months old and so sweet and healthy they were hoping for a miracle).

It was like love at first site for the 2 of them, and they've been joined at the hip ever since. Ben just follows him around, all he wants is to be loved, lol. Ben (the dog) is only 5 yrs old yet, my son is 15 so he'll be an adult hopefully by the time Ben is old. Not that it makes it any easier... I know he's going to be devastated.

 

[TheDisney411]

I met a LOT of DISers in '07. We even had a poolside meet-up Luau at Pop.
My mom and SIL were flabbergasted how I knew so many people walking around the parks. LOL

I used to have custom Disney outfits with marching hair bows made for my girls for every day of our trips and one day, a few years ago, they wore THE cutest lime green polka dot outfits with Mickey heads on them and a woman at Wilderness Lodge approached mr and said, "please don't think I'm weird, but do you Dis?" I laughed so hard and said yes, bit asked how did she know. She replied that I had to be a Diser with my girls in those lime green outfits