Help me decide!

[Divamomto3]

I can't believe how much trouble I'm having deciding on a resort! The more I read the posts, the harder it gets!

We stayed at the Yacht Club in May and loved it. I got a great rate with that AXA code. We are cancelling our December trip and booking for the kids' February vacation because the older they get, the harder it is for them to miss a week of school. The Yacht Club is too expensive for us at rack rate...$3551 water view for 7 nights. We are a family of 5, kids ages 11, 8, and 3. I loved the location of the Epcot resorts so I'm thinking book the Dolphin...they'll take 5 and we can afford it and love the location or should I book 2 rooms at Pop Century for around the same price? We'll have more room and be officially "in" Disney...although do you really feel "out" at the Swan or Dolphin? And are there ever codes in February, which is peak season? Then I'd have even more options...YIKES!

What to do?? All opinions appreciated!!!

 

[JayCT]

Have you checked with AAA for their rates? Also, why do a water view? Isn't it more expensive? You may still be able to do YC with these savings.

 

[Divamomto3]

Originally posted by JayCT
Have you checked with AAA for their rates? Also, why do a water view? Isn't it more expensive? You may still be able to do YC with these savings.

According to the DisneyWorld web site, the only thing available at the YC for my week is water view or concierge. We had a water view facing the boardwalk and the marina in May. Can you say TO DIE FOR???

 

[jcemom]

I'm pretty sure Port Orleans has rooms that sleep 5. Being a moderate, it would be less expensive than Yacht Club, and since you would need only one room instead of 2, may be less expensive than Pop Century (though you'd only have one bathroom, instead of the two at Pop Century). It may be worth checking out. ???

 

[smfnj]

Divamomto3,

Our son is now 23, but we never had a problem taking him out of school for 3 - 5 days from 5th grade through 12th. As long as the kids don't have many sick days during the year and their grades are good what's the harm? Our son understood he had to do some extra work to make up for missed days and he had no problem with that.

The schools do frown on it now, when we were in school it was no big deal. Has schoolwork gotten harder, I don't think so. It's just the yuppies trying to push their beliefs onto us. You can't miss a couple days of school, you'll turn into a blithering idiot! You're the parent, what do you think? If your kids spend a little more time studying before and after their WDW trip do you think they'll fall behind???

Now wrap a few missed school days around a 3 day weekend in Jan and you can probably get that YC WV for $110 less per night ( rack ) and a pretty good chance of discounts for Jan.

Just my $.02

steve

 

[SalandJeff]

You might want to check the DVC rent/trade board. DVC members rent their points, usually for around $10 per point. You could try to rent a 1 bedroom at the Boardwalk. That would put you in the Epcot area and you would have a large bedroom w/king bed and a queen sofabed, kitchen and washer/dryer. If you go to that board, there is even a points calculator so you can see how many points you would need for your planned dates. It's worth a look.

 

[franw]

Since you love the boardwalk area so much and have three kids, I would go with the Swan. There is so much to do by walking right outside and easy access to both Epcot and MGM. The kids will never get bored and you won't be dependent on bus transportation all the time. Great places for ice cream and don't forget the bakery.

 

[wdwnut]

hi: just a quick little word- with 5 people you should get a 2 br villa if you are renting dvc points. the 2 brs sleep 8; the 1 br sleeps 4. since you like the yc/bc- you may want to try for bcv.

 

[wdwnut]

hi: just a quick little word- with 5 people you should get a 2 br villa if you are renting dvc points. the 2 brs sleep 8; the 1 br sleeps 4. since you like the yc/bc- you may want to try for bcv. with the kitchen facilities, just having breakfast and snacks in the room will save you quite a bit.

 

[smfnj]

Originally posted by wdwnut
hi: just a quick little word- with 5 people you should get a 2 br villa if you are renting dvc points. the 2 brs sleep 8; the 1 br sleeps 4. since you like the yc/bc- you may want to try for bcv.

For 2nd half of Feb 2004, Magic Season, which I believe is when the OP was planning trip, a 2 br DVC unit at BC:

Sun - Thur = 40 pts = $400
Fri - Sat = 75 pts = $750
$3500 weekly

This is even more than the $450 or so p/night for YC WV which they did not want to spend. The difference between a 1 br and 2 br as far as sleeping 4 or 8 is valid.

A 1 br for same time-frame would be 30/60 pts, or $2700 weekly. For a 5 night stay, Sun - Thur it's a steal at $1500. Perhaps a 1 br would be ok since there is a 3 y.o.?

steve

 

[Divamomto3]

You guys are the best!
The best idea I've heard so far is to go in January! The whole school thing is a PITA. They won't give you anything ahead of time and only give you 2 days when you return to finish every ounce of schoolwork and homework you missed while you were gone and keep up with the new stuff. They don't say you can't go, but they sure don't make it easy either. My kids are good students, I hate to see them get all off track though. Last May it was the end of the year, so I was less likely to be all worried.

I'm leaning Swan/Dolphin. Time will tell!

 

[JayCT]

We are probably going in May when the school year is almost over and there is less to miss and less to catch up on. Not sure what their teachers will think, but too bad. I am not spending a fortune at Disney to deal with crowds at Winter or Spring Break.

 

[Tiiiigergirl]

For me the hardest thing about staying at the Dolphin was that my room key wasn't my park ticket. I sort of felt like I wasn't part of everyone else at the turnstyle with my regular paper ticket (even though we had decided to purchase Ultimate park hoppers). It seems kind of silly when you think about it. The only other thing I missed was that there wasn't that Disney touch to the decor.

To be honest I thought the amenities like soap, shampoo etc were better. I love the location. I would love to stay at the BC or BW but unless they come out with a great deal for our May trip, we will be at the Swan. As a gov't employee I just can't beat the rate. I also like the idea that eventually I will stay there enough to earn "perks" like to points to purchase club level etc. I mean you can stay year after year with Disney and they will not reward the loyalty.

So if you can't get over what you might miss, which really is just surfacy (sp) kind of things then I would recommend the S/D. They really are beautiful hotels and if the competition wasn't so stiff, ie. competing with Disney, we'd all be fighting for the chance to stay there.

 

[Divamomto3]

Originally posted by Tiiiigergirl
For me the hardest thing about staying at the Dolphin was that my room key wasn't my park ticket. I sort of felt like I wasn't part of everyone else at the turnstyle with my regular paper ticket (even though we had decided to purchase Ultimate park hoppers). It seems kind of silly when you think about it.

I stayed at the Yacht Club in May of 2003 and had Park Hopper Plus Passes and they were paper tickets. And I didn't notice anybody using their room key to get in to the parks the whole time I was there!!! Is it just me??? Do tell!

 

[smfnj]

Originally posted by Tiiiigergirl
For me the hardest thing about staying at the Dolphin was that my room key wasn't my park ticket. I sort of felt like I wasn't part of everyone else at the turnstyle with my regular paper ticket (even though we had decided to purchase Ultimate park hoppers).

We've had about 20 trips to Disney resorts the last 12 years and have never had park passes on our room keys. We've always had either standard park hoppers or AP's.

steve