I know I"m planning way far in advance

[LaDonna]

but I guess that is the Disney nut in me lol
I know toward the end of the year last year they offered free dining for the following year and I just want to be prepared when they offer something no matter how far out it is I'll be prepared with my $$numbers....


Okay we normally always go during free dining, but since learning of the individual enrollment with the Yes program I am now looking at what it would cost me doing it that way(yes I know they may not have it next year, just want to be prepared if so)

We would be staying 6 nights, get there SUnday late afternoon and leave Saturday whenever the mood strikes.....

So just going on prices for this year(which yes I know can change ) For the week I want to go and if they have free dining for that time will be around $2,550 for the 5 of us at POR.


Now if I go the YES route tickets for 5 day premium would be $938.10
I'm thinking we could probably budget for eating around for the week at $500 So that puts us at $1,438. So now I have to add in some lodging prices, this is where I want to try a few things.
First I wonder what kind of deal I could find offsite? I'm thinking for it to be worth staying offsite(we normally like the not having to drive around part lol) I would want to find something no more than $700 for the week, is this possible you think? Actually if I have to ad in parking I'd like to find something for around $600 for the week. If I could do that our trip would cost us around $2150 saving us $400, that would be worth staying offsite......
Hmmm and then there is the possibility of still staying onsite, what are the the sales they normally have on room only? Is it normally %20 for mods? (I know I know it is never a guarantee they will run any kind of special) I'm just trying to get ball park figures from different scenarios.....


Okay so anyone want to help me in my process here.....

Oh also just realized I have to ad in tips to my free dining estimate....hmmm wonder what I should ad in for that?

 

[Gr8t Fan]

We're staying in a 3 bedroom WH condo for $768 (approx.) for 2 weeks at the end of August/beginning of September, 2011. Over and over again, we've tried to justify 2 rooms at a value during FD (we're a family of 6) and we simply cannot, even when we factor in the cost of food. We have tickets leftover from a previous trip that we're upgrading, but we're definitely going to look into YES tickets in 2012 if the program is still around. Also keep in mind for your equation that some of the pins being offered are only QSDP for the moderates, not the regular DDP like it has been in the past. Of course, the general public FD offer (that had to be booked by December, 2010) included the regular DDP for the moderates, so who knows what will happen.

 

[LaDonna]

Iguess I could have mentioned when I'm planning on going,
wk of Thanksgiving 2012

 

[ChattaAlley]

I was thinking the $2550 sounded pretty good for 5 people .

Can you explain to me what YES is? I am not sure if I have heard of it before.

 

[rosanne91]

I am so glad to know that another disney nut is already looking ahead to Thanksgiving 2012!!!!

I feel the same way that you do, I want to start figuring out the best way to go

 

[Marionnette]

but I guess that is the Disney nut in me lol
I know toward the end of the year last year they offered free dining for the following year and I just want to be prepared when they offer something no matter how far out it is I'll be prepared with my $$numbers....


Okay we normally always go during free dining, but since learning of the individual enrollment with the Yes program I am now looking at what it would cost me doing it that way(yes I know they may not have it next year, just want to be prepared if so)

We would be staying 6 nights, get there SUnday late afternoon and leave Saturday whenever the mood strikes.....

So just going on prices for this year(which yes I know can change ) For the week I want to go and if they have free dining for that time will be around $2,550 for the 5 of us at POR.


Now if I go the YES route tickets for 5 day premium would be $938.10
I'm thinking we could probably budget for eating around for the week at $500 So that puts us at $1,438. So now I have to add in some lodging prices, this is where I want to try a few things.
First I wonder what kind of deal I could find offsite? I'm thinking for it to be worth staying offsite(we normally like the not having to drive around part lol) I would want to find something no more than $700 for the week, is this possible you think? Actually if I have to ad in parking I'd like to find something for around $600 for the week. If I could do that our trip would cost us around $2150 saving us $400, that would be worth staying offsite......
Hmmm and then there is the possibility of still staying onsite, what are the the sales they normally have on room only? Is it normally %20 for mods? (I know I know it is never a guarantee they will run any kind of special) I'm just trying to get ball park figures from different scenarios.....


Okay so anyone want to help me in my process here.....

Oh also just realized I have to ad in tips to my free dining estimate....hmmm wonder what I should ad in for that?

Iguess I could have mentioned when I'm planning on going,
wk of Thanksgiving 2012

I don't think that I would bank on being able to enroll in a YES class during Thanksgiving week. Disney usually doen't offer them during high attendance. There are no classes listed for open enrollment after 10/28 for 2011.

I think that you should be able to find *something* offsite for $600 for 6 nights. You will need to be flexible and willing to dig, dig dig for a good rate. Thanksgiving week will be a more expensive time but not unaffordable.

Onsite discounts will depend on how advance bookings are going. Thanksgiving week is a separate season for moderate resorts. The nightly rate for Nov. 19-25 of this year is $21-$31/night higher than it is for the week before or the week following. Even with a 20% discount (if they offer one), you will end up spending about the same amount as if you paid the rack rate during the value season.

Another thing to keep in mind is that even in tough times, Disney has not hesitated to raise room rates and ticket prices. So don't expect parking, food or ticket addons to stay the same either. Don't make your calculations down to the last penny or else you are going to come up short. TBH, I wouldn't even try to comparison shop right now since so many of your plans are dependent on what Disney decides to do more than 18 months from now. You might want to settle on a dollar figure for what you want to spend on your trip and then work your plans around that number.

 

[LaDonna]

I don't think that I would bank on being able to enroll in a YES class during Thanksgiving week. Disney usually doen't offer them during high attendance. There are no classes listed for open enrollment after 10/28 for 2011.

See I didn't even think of that, this is why I love you guys helping me out

 

[LaDonna]

I think that you should be able to find *something* offsite for $600 for 6 nights. You will need to be flexible and willing to dig, dig dig for a good rate. Thanksgiving week will be a more expensive time but not unaffordable.

Onsite discounts will depend on how advance bookings are going. Thanksgiving week is a separate season for moderate resorts. The nightly rate for Nov. 19-25 of this year is $21-$31/night higher than it is for the week before or the week following. Even with a 20% discount (if they offer one), you will end up spending about the same amount as if you paid the rack rate during the value season.

Another thing to keep in mind is that even in tough times, Disney has not hesitated to raise room rates and ticket prices. So don't expect parking, food or ticket addons to stay the same either. Don't make your calculations down to the last penny or else you are going to come up short. TBH, I wouldn't even try to comparison shop right now since so many of your plans are dependent on what Disney decides to do more than 18 months from now. You might want to settle on a dollar figure for what you want to spend on your trip and then work your plans around that number.

I'm definately an excellent digger
We normally go in Sept., but after going last year and it being beyond crowded(about %70 more crowded than we'd ever encountered) we've decided we want to try another time. I really want to go the week before Thanksgiving but dh is saying he'd rather spend the extra money and go during a time he wouldn't have to take so many vacation days....oh well he makes the majority of our money so if that is what he wants to do, but it hurts me because I'm such a penny pincher/saver I hate knowing I could have saved a few hundred dollars going the week before....of course he probably is thinking the same thing about the vacation days(ya' know gee I could have went the following week and saved them)..I just got to learn to let go....

Actually our budget is usually around 2,000 for vacations, that is why if I'm going to go over that budget I just want to make it the least possible(I got to work extra lol).....I guess if a good deal comes out a year in advance I could always book it and just cancel if I find something better