Help w/xmas vacation

[shellyfive]

We did get the 99$ passes so we are now planning to drive down over xmas . We did book onsite hotel, but the rates for xmas weekend are staggering (double+ what the thurs rate is!) I was wondering if it would be worth it to stagger on-site w/ off site and still be able to use the express -pass perk to save some money(we need 2 rooms with our family--so it is really quite a chunk of change!!!) We really don't mind being nomadic, since we will have our own van with us. Has anyone w/a large family done this over xmas???? Is it really a pain in the gorbels to check-in/out daily???
I am sooooo looking forward to this-----it will be the first time ever we get to spend xmas and the days before/after together, because of both of our jobs!!
If anyone has any suggestions, let me know!!
Also, would we be able to go to the disney hotels and just pop in to look at the decorations??? Since we'll have have our own car, I figured it would be a fun thing to do if we had free time at night(I'm assuming US closes around 9).
I was already promised a trip to Downtown Disney so I wouldn't cry when we passed all the Disney signs........

 

[Jonny_Duck]

We did get the 99$ passes so we are now planning to drive down over xmas . We did book onsite hotel, but the rates for xmas weekend are staggering (double+ what the thurs rate is!) I was wondering if it would be worth it to stagger on-site w/ off site and still be able to use the express -pass perk to save some money(we need 2 rooms with our family--so it is really quite a chunk of change!!!) We really don't mind being nomadic, since we will have our own van with us. Has anyone w/a large family done this over xmas???? Is it really a pain in the gorbels to check-in/out daily???
I am sooooo looking forward to this-----it will be the first time ever we get to spend xmas and the days before/after together, because of both of our jobs!!
If anyone has any suggestions, let me know!!
Also, would we be able to go to the disney hotels and just pop in to look at the decorations??? Since we'll have have our own car, I figured it would be a fun thing to do if we had free time at night(I'm assuming US closes around 9).
I was already promised a trip to Downtown Disney so I wouldn't cry when we passed all the Disney signs........

I tend to bounce hotels a lot during vacation. I honestly don't mind it. Adds some more fun to my vacations being at different places and if I don't like hotel its only a day or two before the next one.

It would def save some cash going for one night for 2 days then go to offsite and next day log back into an onsite for 4 days of FOTL for 2 days at the hotel.

It is how I did it last vacation and I honestly did not mind it much. Then again there were only 3 of us. If you have to pack/unpack 5+ ppl I can see it being a pain. Thats your choice.

Good luck

 

[pixeegrl]

The rates will most likely go down too later on. We didn't get the Stay More Save More rates for our Decmber trip in '08 until October I think. Don't think I would want to personally stagger my days. If your looking at staggering 3 days, why not book together and possible get a better rate later on. You can cancel up to 10 days before without a penalty. When I find the lower rate, I just call and they apply it to my reservation. Have fun!

 

[look1angel]

We did get the 99$ passes so we are now planning to drive down over xmas . We did book onsite hotel, but the rates for xmas weekend are staggering (double+ what the thurs rate is!) I was wondering if it would be worth it to stagger on-site w/ off site and still be able to use the express -pass perk to save some money(we need 2 rooms with our family--so it is really quite a chunk of change!!!) We really don't mind being nomadic, since we will have our own van with us. Has anyone w/a large family done this over xmas???? Is it really a pain in the gorbels to check-in/out daily???
I am sooooo looking forward to this-----it will be the first time ever we get to spend xmas and the days before/after together, because of both of our jobs!!
If anyone has any suggestions, let me know!!
Also, would we be able to go to the disney hotels and just pop in to look at the decorations??? Since we'll have have our own car, I figured it would be a fun thing to do if we had free time at night(I'm assuming US closes around 9).
I was already promised a trip to Downtown Disney so I wouldn't cry when we passed all the Disney signs........

We're staying at AKL villa (sleeps 12) I managed to get the $90. US/IOA tix & will be doing both that & Disney. I was at Disney last Nov & we were able to go to most of the resorts to see the Christmas decorations. I say most simply because we ran out of time & were sooooo exhausted from doing the parks everyday. Try to catch the Osborne light show at DHS, it was fantastic! 282 more days I can't seem to go to Orlando & not be able to get my Disney Fix even if it means just strolling through Downtown Disney I hope to do 3 days at US & 2 at Disney. It's been about 5 years since I've been to US, really looking forward to it too! Enjoy when ya get there

 

[shellyfive]

Thanks, I didn't realize that they would offfer any promo rates at all over the holidays......I'll keep my eyes open for that--right now the whole trip is booked at one hotel, would be great if we got in on a rate deal and could feasilbly stay in one place.
I know it's going to be really fun anyway, just hope I don't get too sad that we are not going to the disney parks as well...I've been during xmas before , and it is beautiful.
Does US decorate to the hilt at xmas too???? I saw the whoville thing,not much else mentioned????

 

[Metro West]

Does US decorate to the hilt at xmas too???? I saw the whoville thing,not much else mentioned????

Of course they decorate for Christmas. The Studios has the Macy's balloons scattered around the park with garland and tinsel everywhere. The huge tree in New York is beautiful. At IOA...it's mainly Port of Entry and Seuss Landing where Grinchmas is staged and the resorts are beautifully decorated as well.