Hello Again

[Donaldfan176]

Hi Everybody,

It's been years since I've been here. Since 2007 to be exact. My user name was Donaldsfan but I forgot my password and I've changed e-mail address so, my new name is Donaldfan176.

Lots of things happened since my last visit here. The biggest thing is that I have become a professional Santa Claus during the Christmas Season, Take a look at my website. SantaDavid.com

In October 2013 my wife and I will be married 25 years. My wifes only wish is that we take one more family trip to Disney next August. This will be tough because my kids will be 22 and 20 next year. Who knows what they will be doing then. We would like to stay at the Contemporary but unsure we can afford the price this time. We need to do some major saving by then.

Anyway looking for some good advice about traveling to Disneyworld in August.

 

[Donaldfan176]

Hello? Anybody there?

 

[jesswindsor]

Hey, Welcome Back!!!

 

[magicaldisney]

Welcome Back!!

 

[Sally]

Welcome back!!

 

[Aliceacc]

Hi and welcome!

Being Santa is about the best job I can imagine!!!

We'll celebrate our 25th in July 2014, though our kids are a whole lot younger than yours!!!

As to affording the Contemporary, a few ideas:
- for starters, AAA (or CAA, if you're Canadian) offers a discount (I think it's 10-15%) on room prices. If you book "room only" you can book it yourself. If not, you can book through an AAA travel agent and have the discount applied to your package. The information can be found somewhere in the wealth of info at www.mousesavers.com .

- last year I went on a search for a Disney Certified travel agent. One of my many questions was why book with someone who isn't AAA, since I would at least have that 10-15% discount. Her response was that in all the years she's been in business, she's never NOT seen at least as good an offer for the general public in August.

- If you go in late August, early September, the odds are very good that you can get the dining plan for free. (AKA "free dining") That would save your family close to $180 per day -- more than enough to offset the price of staying at the Contemporary. As teachers, we can't take advantage of free dining; my husband and I are both back in school for orientation the week before Labor Day. But if you can work it, it's probably the best deal for you. The only hitch is that it isn't usually announced until the preceding spring.

As to Disney in August, it's all we know. We hit the parks for Rope Drop, start with a Fastpass then hit our first attraction. We tour till lunch time, then head back to the pool for 4 or 5 hours.

This time we're staying at the Beach Club (a little more expensive than the Contemporary, but a little less than the Polynesian. And there's a 3 acre pool; my 12 year old has been salivating over it for a good year. And you can walk to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. We leave in 39 days and I can't wait!!!)

Quick tips for August:
- bring Walmart or Dollar store ponchos. It's rainy season.
- hit either www.gardengrocer.com or www.wegoshop.com about a month before you leave. Order park snacks and a case or two of bottled water.
- for Chirstmas, go to amazon and invest in a set of MistyMate personal misters. They're smaller than an electric toothbrush, require no batteries, and are a lifesaver in the August heat!
- Every single occasion between now and then, get a Disney gift card as a gift. We've been saving for just over a year. Between birthdays, Christmas, Easter, mothers/father's day and everything else, we have something like $600 in gift cards-- that's our spending money!