I Blew It - Big Time !! Ugh

[Mouse Mom]

I had it all planned out - we take our Disney cruise -(1st timerS!!) departing 11/24 and returning on 12/1 -- purchased our Very Merry X-mas tix for 12/2 and was planning on staying at the Poly (Concierge level!) for 12/1 and 12/2 - departing on the 3rd ..... I was holding out for APH codes (plus I didn't have the cash to put a deposit on it)...Today I checked w/ Disney -- no more Concierge rooms -- just a regular room w/ a view of the Theme Park which is basically as much as concierge --- I checked w/ DU (extremely helpful) ...they have a garden room they are holding for me for a week.

Here's my dilemma....AAA has a concierge room ($575 a night for the Poly)....has anyone ever booked thru AAA - obviously, a very common thing but we've not done that. Do u have to just put a deposit or is it all up front.

There's another site called Kingdom Travel which has a concierge room also. Same price as AAA.

I rather give the $$ to DU - - they've been really helpful with trying to get me this room and with the first cruise I've booked (for November) and (my super secret second cruise in April 2008 - unbeknownst to all those who might be initially opposed)....anyway, whaddaya guys think --- AAA for $575.00 -- again do I have to pay it all up front???? Should I book the room w/ DU and hope that a cancellation happens for a concierge room? I'M: pretty vigilant about constantly and obsessively checking stuff like this but I could fall thru the cracks......HELP!!!

 

[lookingforward]

Not sure about AAA but with hotel discounters you usually have to pay all upfront. Keep trying and call AAA. Have a great time and in the end you did not blow it, you are going to have a wonderful vacation!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

You can book a AAA discount room through DU or directly through Disney as well.

Unless AAA has a block not released to TA's.

Might be a good idea to check with DU since they have been so helpful already.

Good Luck!!

 

[Mouse Mom]

DU checked for me and they have no concierge rooms although they are listed on the AAA site as being available.....DU has feelers out for me......I'm mad I didn't book the room right from the Disney site when it was available last week or so....but $500 isn;t always easy to get your hands on .....I'm hoping for cancellations but I would just have to keep checking.....I know it will still be wonderful ....I just don't want to be cramped into a regular type of room -- i'm assuming the concierge rooms are slightly larger = we're 5 people - 3 kids and 2 adults -- we're usually do a 1 BR at BC or BW - since we're DVC members so we're kinda spoiled....but I want to stay monorail.....DU also has an atrium level room available at the Contemporary -- anyone know anything about that??? And thanks -- I'm cheering up a bit -- but kicking myself in the @!# for spending money on stuff I don't need -- like those stinkin' Webkinz my kids always bug me to buy.

 

[safetymom]

I would go with DU and let them keep checking for a concierge room. They do open up occasionally.

 

[fla4fun]

Unless you are booking a suite, the concierge rooms are the same size as the standard rooms. Poly and CR standard rooms are some of the largest on property and will hold 5 comfortably, but if you're used to a two bedroom (or even 1 bedroom) DVC accommodation, you will all be in one room. So if you were only booking concierge hoping for a larger room, maybe this will help you make your decision.

 

[Mouse Mom]

Thanks guys for the input. How's a standard room at the Poly set up? 2 queens and a day bed? do you get that x-tra space or just a standard room w/o the extra bed -- we've stayed at Allstar, Pop, POFQ, Riverside, AKL - all the rooms are just std hotel rooms -- I need that extra space - my husband, particularly!!!! If it was just me and the kiddies I would be happy as a clam in the Seven Seas Lagoon....

I love the Poly but if you think I would be happier at CR at the Atrium Club -- I willing to hear reasons why or why not....thanks to all

 

[marlower]

I had it all planned out - we take our Disney cruise -(1st timerS!!) departing 11/24 and returning on 12/1 -- purchased our Very Merry X-mas tix for 12/2 and was planning on staying at the Poly (Concierge level!) for 12/1 and 12/2 - departing on the 3rd ..... I was holding out for APH codes (plus I didn't have the cash to put a deposit on it)...Today I checked w/ Disney -- no more Concierge rooms -- just a regular room w/ a view of the Theme Park which is basically as much as concierge --- I checked w/ DU (extremely helpful) ...they have a garden room they are holding for me for a week.

Here's my dilemma....AAA has a concierge room ($575 a night for the Poly)....has anyone ever booked thru AAA - obviously, a very common thing but we've not done that. Do u have to just put a deposit or is it all up front.

There's another site called Kingdom Travel which has a concierge room also. Same price as AAA.

I rather give the $$ to DU - - they've been really helpful with trying to get me this room and with the first cruise I've booked (for November) and (my super secret second cruise in April 2008 - unbeknownst to all those who might be initially opposed)....anyway, whaddaya guys think --- AAA for $575.00 -- again do I have to pay it all up front???? Should I book the room w/ DU and hope that a cancellation happens for a concierge room? I'M: pretty vigilant about constantly and obsessively checking stuff like this but I could fall thru the cracks......HELP!!!

I booked AAA rate concierge at Poly for this August just using disney. I booked concierge at Poly with Kingdom Magic last summer and they had the wrong rate online so they had to call us and change everything, we ended up with BC concierge because the rate they had for Poly concierge was too low, I was not very happy with that. Just a heads up on Kingdom Magic

 

[fla4fun]

A standard room at the Poly should have two queens and a twin daybed, and will be over 400 square feet. The newer buildings have slightly larger rooms than the older buildings, so keep that in mind if you put a building request on your reservation. But, again, unless you are booking a suite, all the rooms at the resorts are standard hotel rooms, they are just different sizes. CR has two floors that are concierge level. The 14th Floor and the 12th Floor are both concierge level rooms. The 14th floor is primarily suites, either one or two bedroom, although there are (I believe) four standard rooms on that floor. The 12th floor is standard rooms. The CR standard rooms and the Poly standard rooms in the older buildings were build by the same manufacturer and shipped as prefab units when the resorts were built, so they are the same size.

Each resort has their fans. I think it depends on which theme appeals to you more. There are transportation advantages to each (CR, you can walk to MK, Poly you can walk to TTC). I prefer CR because I don't like walking out in the elements if it's raining to get from one area to another (even if you stay in a wing room there is a covered walkway) but I've stayed in both and had good trips in both. One thing to keep in mind is that the counter service restaurant at CR will not be operating during your visit (there will be a grab and go location on the 4th floor) so if you like having hot food in a CS setting, you might want to stick with Poly. Captain Cook's is very nice since their refurbishment (especially the Dole Whips!).

 

[rcraw45425]

We've stayed at both places, but we don't do CL, just regular rooms, both garden and lagoon. Up until our last CR stay I would have recommened it over the Poly (we stayed at Poly before the rehab), but our last stay at CR left us shaking our heads, DH says never again. We were not blown away by their new decor, not to mention the serious lack of storage now for a family of four. We stayed in Samoa, garden view, with a dead on view of the volcano pool (thank you Tikiman!) and an angled MK view, which was nice. The rooms are spacious, and the pictures of the new decor look great. If it were me I'd book the Garden view through Dreams with a AAA rate for the room only, Sue Ellen with DU always takes very good care of us!

 

[Mouse Mom]

I'm leaning toward the Poly, which is what I wanted to begin with ...the standard room fitting 5 sounds fine for me. I would still secretly love concierge. I just love the atmosphere at the Poly.

BTW, perhaps I'm not savy on the CR - but whats TTC ???

Funny you mention about having a hard time with Kingdom Magic Travel or whatever its name is. About four or five years ago, I booked a room with them for the week following X-mas until about the 2nd of January . The rate was unreal, but they guaranteed that you would get a ressie # and could call the Beach Club directly to ensure that we did in fact have a reservation for that time. It was unbelievably cheap ($150 - I think about 4 or 5 years ago). When we got to the BC, the desk clerk was like no way is this the room rate for this time of year for the BC. I explained that I called directly to the BC months ago (and had the name of the person I spoke to) and that the CM confirmed we had a reservation. The price never came up during that conversation. Anyway, one thing led to another and the backroom manager came out and we explained the entire enchilada to this guy ....Meanwhile I started freaking out thinking we would be turned away b/c the CM explained there were no std rooms available at the BC. The manager came back and said that they would honor our reservation but because there were no standard rooms left they would have to put us on the "5th Floor" --- only accessible by room key in the elevator. I was like, what Holy Toledo -- we got the concierge level for our way, way below rack rate for the after x-mas until January 2nd .... howsa bout that -- that made up for when my kids got food poisoning 2 years ago at MGM to which no one did a thing at Disney to make up for it.....I guess I musta stepped in it with Kingdom Magic but I would never risk it again. AAA maybe but not Kingdom Magic.

anyway, any other advice would be helpful ....BTW is anyone going that time of year????

 

[rcraw45425]

The TTC is the Ticket and Transportation Center.

Mouse Mom, it's funny you mentioning those "good old days" rates, we had a GA resident rate at the CR in June '01 of $149 a night, could have had the WL for $129, . Also had YC at AP rate of $199 a night in late Jan/early Feb of '04. Those rates now seem to be a thing of the past I'd love to go in early Dec but our girls are now in 5th and 7th grade and its' getting harder to pull them out of school (we are now forced to lie about it). I was planning on going right before Christmas but their break doesn't start till Dec. 21, the day of the last Christmas Party . I'm now thinking of Jan 3-6 or 7th, just waiting for the rates to come out. Enjoy your trip! The parks are lovely with the decorations up, we were there in November of '05 and the trees were already up and we were able to catch the first night of the Osborne lights.

 

[Mouse Mom]

My kids are 11 (just going to start 6th grade) and 7 (just going into 2nd grade) and 18 months....I will be pulling them out for the trip ....I just can't help myself. We've done it for all these years and they are great students. We've gone when everyone has off from school -- it's tons more $$ and extremely crowded. Many children in our area who are from other countries, (Japan, Brazil) - go back to their native country for 2 or more weeks and miss school. I know many are very successful students. I know the school doesn't approve of it ....you're marked down as an illegal absence. Some teachers were cool and gave us the work -- some said no way, you have to be at school to learn ...(nice, considering the high taxes we pay in Westchester County)...anyhoo....I'm off topic but I'm pulling them out (even tho I'm secretly cringing, we're still gonna have fun).

 

[rcraw45425]

Oh, we're all for it too, I even toyed (very briefly) with the home school thing. DH is self employed (ER doc) and works 14-16 days per month. When we want to take a trip he can adjust his schedule accordingly, with enough notice. This past October we went to US/IOA for 4 nights, adding in the Halloween Party ar Disney again. We love to travel in the fall/winter. For the past few years we have just had them be "sick" and not told anyone at school since the district has gone to 15 excused days and vacation is concidered non excused and they are given zeros for missed assignments. Both girls are straight A students but older DD mentioned that this time it was harder to catch up on her missed work, teachers dragging feet on the make up work made it hard to get caught up. We also have a lot of kids here that take trips back to their home countries and don't seem to have to follow the same rules as the "locals", which is frustrating. To me if a child is a good student and not having any problems what difference does it make, except the school is not getting their state funding since they're absent. I'm starting to rant so I had better go ahead and hit the post button BTW, my girls are now in 5th and 7th grade and we have done this for years, guess we're scarring them for life dragging them to the "World" so much!

 

[Mouse Mom]

It's good to get a rant out B4 bedtime... this way we're not obsessing while we're sleeping or flipping thru the Food Network or late night showings of Oprah and dreaming of eating Sour Cream & Onion chips....I better go...starting to spiral into a carb craving....thanks for your input!!!!

 

[Magic2000]

I've taken my girls out and it hasn't been a problem. My middle daughter was a sophomore in high school and I let her miss 2 days (in 2000) for an early December trip. Youngest DD was in Kindergarten, so no problem there. Every year since then, youngest DD has missed 3 days (in 3rd grade - the whole week) for a Disney trip. (Middle DD didn't come on the other trips)

She is a very good student, mostly As, and takes school very seriously. She works hard and keeps up with all her assignments. So far, none of her teachers have given us any problems. I don't mind letting her miss a few days of school, as long as it doesn't cause her problems in school.

For our next trip, she'll only actually miss one day of school since the rest of the trip includes the Thanksgiving holidays. She's off the whole week of Thanksgiving!