I love credit cards so much! v2.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[disneybirds]

Opinions requested please!

I'm going for a Disney trip 9/23 - 9/27 (M-F) with my mom and uncle and we currently have two reservations and can't decide which to cancel. Beach Club $1,563 total, $391/person or Dolphin using my mom's SPG/Bonvoy points for one night and senior discount for the others for $825 total, $275/person. We're planning on going to F&W a lot. I really want to stay at BC, but should probably stay at the Dolphin. But the price/person isn't that much more (trying to justify). What do you all think?

Definitely Beach Club! Have you factored in Uber costs if you are flying?

 

[vanjust14]

Thanks...frustrating when the one my daughter wants is in stock, but no one else’s

Is everyone seeing the same availability? I thought it was weird that they were showing one band as available from each category. I kept getting an error trying to add the Belle one for DD though. I ended up getting Toy Story for her and Castle for me. I'll have to wait on the snacks one!

 

[gottalovepluto]

...Wells Fargo bonus, I am reading that pushing funds from other banks works? And you can pull out and push again? I have Ally, Discover and Cap One I can use, anyone use any of these yet and got the bonus?

search the DoC comments for each bank. I'm hoping to have my own DP on Ally in the next week or two, I'll share here if it works. Discover Savings had a positive DP of working last week.

 

[mamathompson]

Alright I did it. I booked us Boardwalk for Aug 22-25. I figured it was refundable so might as well try and make it work! DH is sure going to be shocked when he gets home

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Is everyone seeing the same availability? I thought it was weird that they were showing one band as available from each category. I kept getting an error trying to add the Belle one for DD though. I ended up getting Toy Story for her and Castle for me. I'll have to wait on the snacks one!

I ordered the castle too.....realized DD had an annual pass linked to her account...so she can order her own that way when a band she likes comes back in stock
The bands in stock keep changing

 

[Haley R]

I ordered the castle too.....realized DD had an annual pass linked to her account...so she can order her own that way when a band she likes comes back in stock
The bands in stock keep changing

I’m still holding out for the snack one. Some of the ones that went away have come back

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I’m still holding out for the snack one. Some of the ones that went away have come back

Yep....they keep changing....I have tried to get the golf gene for my DH but it will not load

 

[disneymagicgirl]

My Citi AABiz got here today! That was pretty good speed, esp for Citi. I app'd last Thursday. About to set up the mortgage payment thru plastiq to knock out the MSR!

 

[WVMomof3]

Glad you got the upgrade. If you are in the room you should get a nice sunset. And, the quiet of the location is one of my favorite aspects. I also like that it adjoins Sand Key park next door and that you can get a view of some sort from most rooms. I need to use my certificates to hurry up and book a couple of nights this November and for February.

We somehow missed sunset every night! I’m bummed about that. The one time we were at the beach for it it was cloudy and couldn’t see anything. We ended up eating at Columbia, Shorty's, Maggie Maes (all in plaza by Marriott) and Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill. I loved the quiet of it. I would have hated to be on the actual Clearwater Beach area.

 

[Explore]

Few questions as I try to make a plan here for DH:



3) Anyone have their SPG free night cert for the SPG biz or SPG personal cards show up yet if card anniversary was April? I got my march cert, but neither of us got April certs.



I have an April anniversary and am still waiting. My DH's January anniversary cert posted in April, so I am expecting my April one in July.

 

[WVMomof3]

I was gonna say, I appreciate someone named them "Palmetto bugs" in an attempt to make them seem less bad, but all roaches require the same thing: death by fire. Ever been woken up by a roach scurrying across your body? Yeah, me neither, definitely not why we moved to the north.

Don’t miss that at all. Hard to get back to sleep after that.

Palmetto bugs laugh at screens...and walls

And death. I swear they have 9 lives.

 

[Haley R]

Don’t miss that at all. Hard to get back to sleep after that.



And death. I swear they have 9 lives.

If one crawls on me I’m gonna be so disgusted

 

[ten6mom]

Few questions as I try to make a plan here for DH:

1) For citi AAbiz cards...I can't combine his points with mine, right? Can I book a hotel for myself using his points like I do with SW points? (he wouldn't be with us) Just trying to decide if the train is a good option for him.

I would be interested to know if this is accurate (the no combining points thing)

 

[Judique]

We somehow missed sunset every night! I’m bummed about that. The one time we were at the beach for it it was cloudy and couldn’t see anything. We ended up eating at Columbia, Shorty's, Maggie Maes (all in plaza by Marriott) and Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill. I loved the quiet of it. I would have hated to be on the actual Clearwater Beach area.

Can you do a few words on all your restaurants? I am interested for my Nov and Feb trips.

 

[Judique]

If one crawls on me I’m gonna be so disgusted

I've seen them in Disney resorts. And, I would think they spray for everything.

 

[magickingdomprincess]

Does the Dolphin rate include the $30/night resort fee (or whatever it is now)? Obviously still won't come close to Beach Club in price, but worth factoring as well.

My preference would be Beach Club even though I've never stayed there (but we have been at Boardwalk and Dolphin), but for half price I'd probably pick Dolphin.

I will be of ZERO help to you if you want to save money.

I love staying at the Disney resorts. BC is my second fav after Poly. I find the ME shuttle and luggage service to be extremely helpful and convenient. I love resort airline check-in, and SAB is pretty great. MagicBands are fun and I like having the option to charge back to my room anywhere on property. I also believe Swolphin is included as one of the resorts that causes “issues” with AP holders if they go over 7 FP+ for multiple close trips. (This is my usual justification)

Since you specifically mention “F&W a lot,” no Epcot resort is closer than BC. You can go out that secret entrance and be at Epcot in less than 5 minutes. Room charging is also helpful to me during festivals. Tap and you are on your way to the next booth.

Nothing against Swolphin, I just prefer to stay at BC. Can you try and get discounted Disney gift cards before final payment? If you get 10% that is another $156.30 HAHA (drop in the bucket, but something!)

Do you have the mandatory resort fees at Dolphin included in that? Personally I'd spend the money and do BC either way. The convenience of being able to walk to EP instead of having to stand and wait for the boat and then ride the boat is worth it as that's vacation time I'd rather spend doing something else.

I would definitely do BC! It is my family’s favorite resort. Having stayed at many of the resorts (although not Swalphin yet), we would happily choose BC for every trip.

Are you flying in and need DME or car rental? Does the dolphin price incl all the fees already? If there are no hidden costs, I'd pay the $120 or so extra for BC...but it is my fave resort.

I'd go BC as there isn't much difference pp and its closer to F&W, but then your asking a bunch of enablers!

I'd have to agree with everything @PolyRob said here. BC is awesome and one of my faves. I stayed at Swan recently and much prefer to be at a Disney owned hotel. I know this doesn't help the wallet though.

Definitely Beach Club! Have you factored in Uber costs if you are flying?

Thanks so much for the feedback! So the price does include the resort fee but not transportation to/from the airport. I think you all confirmed what I was feeling, the price difference (especially when looking per person) seems worth it for the ease of walking to/from Epcot and for the overall nicer resort. We just got back from BCV and it really drove home how how great it to just be able to walk to/from the park. My mom said it's up to me so I think I was just feeling a little bad if I chose the higher priced option. Will most likely go with BC. Who knows, maybe an AP discount will come out making it even less. I can dream, right?!?

 

[StephPlum]

How do you close your Hilton Biz card? Through chat or do you need to call? My AF just posted and I need to cancel. No reason for me to keep this one.

I closed one of my amex cards via chat.

Yep, chat. Just closed my BGR 20 minutes ago via chat (4 days before my AF has to be paid, and the day my 20k MR"s posted for referring DH for his BBP (and the dumb pop up).

Wells Fargo bonus, I am reading that pushing funds from other banks works? And you can pull out and push again? I have Ally, Discover and Cap One I can use, anyone use any of these yet and got the bonus?

Closed through chat. My first Amex cancellation. I still have the SPG/Bonvoy Biz with the free cert. I'll probably hold on to that one long term though next year my AF will increase I think. Also, I'll probably get a personal Hilton at some point. But there was no reason to keep the Hilton Biz.

 

[PolyRob]

Thanks so much for the feedback! So the price does include the resort fee but not transportation to/from the airport. I think you all confirmed what I was feeling, the price difference (especially when looking per person) seems worth it for the ease of walking to/from Epcot and for the overall nicer resort. We just got back from BCV and it really drove home how how great it to just be able to walk to/from the park. My mom said it's up to me so I think I was just feeling a little bad if I chose the higher priced option. Will most likely go with BC. Who knows, maybe an AP discount will come out making it even less. I can dream, right?!?

Not that you need ANY more of a reason to pick BC, but I just remembered Dolphin also has 2 double beds whereas BC has 2 queens

 

[PolyRob]

Just got back from Staples. Chase offers redeemed ✔

The cashier was super nice and let me split the tender no problem. So refreshing to have someone competent.

 

[amcc]

I've seen them in Disney resorts. And, I would think they spray for everything.

They were in the ferry one night, understandable as the docks have a lot of them. I could never have done that dessert party on the ferry after that. We camp at Disney a lot and I’ve seen them spraying - there are barely any mosquitoes in the campground and actually, very few roaches.