Help me figure out how to fit in a trip -- ?? about Marriott discount, military pass

[Barb D]

Here are some facts:

I have 3 kids. Youngest DD turns 3 on Oct 28. Older two go to school two days a week (M & W) and are homeschooled the rest of the week. DH doesn't do Disney. We're already planning a beach vacation with him the first week in September. My mom goes to WDW with us. My dad is retired military, so she can get us military passes. (We used them last trip.) She's going down to Florida in November for a big bday bash for my grandparents (both in their 90s.) We live in Maryland. It takes us a day and a half to drive down there.

The options:
1. Go down for a few days in September. Take advantage of the $25 Courtyard by Marriott at Downtown Disney rate and the fact that we won't have to pay for not-quite-3yo DD. The disadvantage is that this would mean two trips for Grandma (driving with us in Sep and flying down in Nov.) Also, we'll have just been on vacation with Daddy.

Question: do the military passes work if you're not staying in a WDW resort? (Or does the C by M count as a WDW resort?)

2. Drive down with Grandma in November. Advantages: spreads out the vacations a bit, and the kids and I would get to go to the big birthday party. Disadvantages: We'd have to pay for just-turned-3yo DD. The C by M discount will probably be gone.

Question: What are the chances that the C by M discount will be extended or that there will be a similar discount elsewhere? (I checked the HoJo $29 rate and didn't see it for November. Plus they don't allow 5 per room, and C by M does.)

This may all just be dreaming anyway. DH may nix the whole idea. But I want to have my financial ducks in a row before I even bring it up to him!

 

[SnackyStacky]

I would take advantage of the Courtyard Marriott resort rate because who knows when an amazing rate like that will come along again. I wouldn't count on it being extended. It very well may be, but it's been my experience to get something while the gettin' good!


Besides, even if you do take two trips, your mom (assuming I read that right) doesn't really have to go for the September trip if it's just a quick jaunt. (Or does she to have to so you can use the military passes?)

I believe that almost all of the perks of Disney resorts are offered to Hotel Plaza Blvd. guests. The only exceptions that I can think of are tranferring luggage between resorts, room charging privleges (sp?) and having UPH put on your room key. I believe you can still buy the Ultimates at the Disney store at the hotel, so I don't see why you wouldn't be able to use military passes staying there.

I say, take advantage of the rate, get the military passes, and have a great time!

 

[Barb D]

Yes, Grandma has to go to get us the military passes! Plus, we've gotten her hooked on WDW. She's gone on two trips with us. If we go in Sep/Oct, the kids and I won't go in Nov. She'll fly down alone.

I e-mailed DreamRes; they say the discount is unlikely to be extended until November.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Hmmmm....then I would say that it's what you want more. I personally would say that you should go to your grandmother's birthday party, but that little devil is on my left shoulder telling me that I probably would end up going to Disney World.

 

[Barb D]

We would go to WDW in either case. It's just figuring out how to do it as inexpensively in November as we could in October so that we could go to WDW AND the bday party.

Our budget for this trip (if we can swing it at all) will be very small. Like <$500, including rooms, tickets, and food. We would probably only do 2 park days (with the military hopper passes.)

 

[SnackyStacky]

Barb, check your private messages!