If you could do WDW any way...

[KirstyO]

how would you do it?

Hi everyone, I'm Kirsty, 29 from Lancashire and I've just embarked on a huge weight loss journey. I'll have little rewards along the way, but I've decided when I get to my goal weight, the plan is a 2 week reward to the House of Mouse!

I've a long way to go so plenty of time to save the money, but I wondered, if you could do WDW any way, how, when, what???

I'm after inspiration! Just because I'm likely to have a generous budget doesn't mean I want to spend it all on a hotel. My room and bed are important to me, but the hope is that I'll be exploring and having fun most of the time away from the hotel, so it doesn't need to be GF or Poly necessarily..

I have been to WDW before, but not since I was 18 and we stayed off property and it was a family holiday, and judging from the updates I've seen, pretty much everything has been updated/refurbed or changed completely since then!

What about itineraries, dining plans (or not?), extras that are totally worth it (extras that maybe aren't worth it?)?

The plan is to go with a friend just two adults, happy to rent a car but don't have to drive everywhere necessarily (unless Disney Transportation is as horrific as some wish to make out?), and also not restricted by dates (personally would love to see Halloween or Christmas, but is it worth it with the extra crowds?).

Can't wait to hear all of your amazing ideas!

Thanks

Kirsty

 

[Jon84]

Sounds like a good reward!

Personally, I'd set a budget that's realistic. Blue Sky thinking can get you disappointed or, into alot of trouble if you start booking things, and it turns out to not be possible.

If you decide to stay onsite, then work out your hotel level (Value, Moderate, or Deluxe). If the flight doesnt bother you, you can do that cheaper to make gains elsewhere.

Work on itineraries once you know your length of stay, a week is enough to just do WDW Parks and Universal with no relaxing, or, WDW Only with some relaxing. 14 Nights is enough to do WDW, Universal, Sea World, Busch Gardens and head out to Kennedy Space Center for a day, with time left over to relax too!

If you are only doing WDW then just use the Disney Transport, and plan your journeys in time (http://www.ourlaughingplace.com/aspx/twiz.aspx#.VwzWqvkrIdV) If you are doing Universal, then consider Uber over a car, it will be cheaper. If going elsewhere, consider a rental car.

We've been in Spring Break, and after SB, and the first 2 weeks of Dec. December and after Spring Break were quietest for us. Mid summer is reallllly hot so we have avoided that so far, but as we've been a few times we've consider July to go for my Wife's Birthday as we don't need to rush around to do stuff and can relax during peak heat!


Just a few things to consider while to read all the threads!!!

Welcome to Disboards

 

[KirstyO]

Thanks for your reply!
I can totally live with flights that include layovers or aren't the most up to date cabins. I would rather endure that for 10 hours and have something nicer at the other end! I'm thinking 2 weeks if my friend can get the time off work. I'm not the best long-distance traveller so by the time I felt human again (Beauty & Beast joke absolutely intended!) I'd probably feel a bit cheated if we only went for 7.

As I work for a church, the run up to Christmas can be a hectic time and probably not practical to take off, might have to go for spring break season. When I went nearly 12 years ago, we went in late Sept/early Oct. We got caught by hurricane Jeanne for the first 2 days of the holiday but after that it was glorious - whether the hurricane kept domestic visitors away for the first few days is anyones guess, but our first park was Animal Kingdom, and I don't really remember queuing anything over 15-20mins for anything. but I guess you run the risk if you travel in hurricane season.

I'd be happy hotel-wise with moderate or higher. The theming at the values is great, but I think as we are two adults, we wouldn't appreciate it as much as if we were with younger ones. Part of me thinks Swan/Dolphin but then if I am going all out, another part of me wants the Disney magic in all it's glory from it's own hotels/resorts.

I'd like the flexibility to do other parks in Orlando, and also get off property to do some non-Disney shopping, so I think a car is probably a must. If they still do the old cars in Kissimmee old town, I'd love to see those again too...so much to do, so few days!!!! I'm fairly sure I could spend a month in Orlando and not get bored!

 

[Jon84]

I'm usually ok with the long distance flying, I just keep my tiredness on hold till I get home! We are doing a week in May (3 weeks today!!) and 2 weeks Nov into Dec, with a cheeky trip to NYC in the middle of it

spring break season

Won't that mess up Easter?

Swan/Dolphin

Remember you don't get all the Disney Hotel Perks then, like early dining and fast pass reservations, or magic hours

If they still do the old cars in Kissimmee old town, I'd love to see those again too...so much to do, so few days!!!!

They still do that some Saturdays

 

[KirstyO]

Won't that mess up Easter?

It's easier to get out of Easter than Christmas surprisingly. Also at Christmas we shut the office from just before Christmas to after New Year, so to get two weeks off just before that is beyond cheeky.

As Easter is a moveable entity, with less admin (no carol services/school nativities etc etc) I have less to do on the office side.

Thanks for the reminder about swan/dolphin, I hadn't realised about the loss of EMH - tragic, and definitely not worth it for me!!

Part of me thinks 'Do it, save hard, go for Poly and have a blast while you're at it', part of me thinks I'd rather go moderate and have extra spends (pin trader) and more money for other parks/shopping. Last time I was there I wasn't old enough to drink either, and parents covered all my meals and drinks so I have to factor in that too, but it would be so nice to have a glass of something with dinner, or a cocktail at Disney Springs after a long day in the parks!

I did find plenty to spend on last time, especially footwear and Disney souvenirs (yes I know a lot of them are very overpriced, but if you only go once every 12/13/14 years then you're allowed a few indulgences I figure!).

Do they still do soda refill mugs at resorts and waterparks?

 

[Jon84]

Do they still do soda refill mugs at resorts and waterparks?

Deffo do at the resorts, not sure about the Waterparks.

If you can book at the right time, you may be able to get a free dining package which will help on food costs.

You've come to the right place to check out ideas and get reviews! I think once you have dates and budget nailed it'll be alot easier

 

[KirstyO]

Yeah, I think the dates will be a moveable entity depending on how well I stick to my healthy eating! I have an estimated budget in my head, but again it will become clearer as I save! Thanks for your really helpful answers

 

[Jon84]

Yeah, I think the dates will be a moveable entity depending on how well I stick to my healthy eating! I have an estimated budget in my head, but again it will become clearer as I save! Thanks for your really helpful answers

No worries, keep involved on the boards, theres lots of good threads for each of the resorts, lots of helpful people

 

[loves to dive]

you do get EMH and FP at Swan/Dolphin, the only things you don't get is MDE and you can't charge back to your room, they will deliver your packages back to your room though.

If it were me, I'd try to piggy back on the last part of F&W and Halloween and Christmas decorations. If you time it right, you could get all three maybe and still be home for Christmas.

 

[dixonsontour]

Welcome happy planning, I'm in lancashire too near Clitheroe.

Personally if I'm doing disney I like to be onsite with the free dining plan. We do rent a car but very doable without.

The deluxe resorts include free ddp on the UK offer. A studio at old key west would be cheapest usually and would give you a king bed each.

I'd go September or October if you can. Halloween is on then and the crowds are much lower than spring. Weather is lovely too especially October, hot but not too hot not much rain.

 

[KirstyO]

Oooh thanks dixonsontour, I wasn't aware of the fre ddp on deluxe - it makes it tempting for the extra $$$!

 

[Kevin Stringer]

One way to save money and stay in a deluxe resort is to rent points off a DVC member or through one of the rental services. You get virtually all the perks of a DVC member at a fraction of the cost.

 

[KirstyO]

That's really good to keep in mind, thanks - should this be done through a specialist agent, or do people rent points out privately?

 

[Kevin Stringer]

That's really good to keep in mind, thanks - should this be done through a specialist agent, or do people rent points out privately?

Both. Renting privately is a cheaper way to do it. Last I looked people were renting around the $11 mark. Don't take this as an absolute, I haven't investigated rentals in ages. The downside with private agreements is that there is an element of trust involved on both sides.

http://www.dvcrequest.com/ is the site I've used to both rent points and rent out my points. Currently rentals are at $14 per point and there is a calculator to see how many points you would need for each resort. This is a more secure way of renting, but costs more.

If you check the normal room rates for the DVC resorts against the rates you can get through renting points, you will be amazed at the difference - usually less than half. I'm surprised more people don't do this.

 

[Rommie]

If I had the extra money to spend, I would totally do a full 2 weeks just for Disney, while spending at a moderate. It would be relaxing and you would have time to enjoy he amenities at the hotel. Honestly I wouldn't blow at a Deluxe unless I was swimming on money, but going from value to moderate is a nice yet reasonable upgrade. After 2 weeks at Disney I would do a 3 to 5 days visit to mainly Universal and some other parks. But at its core, I think a 2 weeks at Disney and a few days offsite to Universal makes a great Orlando trip. When I went to Orlando (my first and only trip mind you) I spent 1 week at Disney onsite and 1 week at Universal onsite while visiting the other minor parks in between, and gosh, it was stressful and tiring with all the 15-18 hours per day per park(!!!). When my trip was over I immediately regreted not spending at least 2 full weeks at Disney.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

You could go end of October say 28th or 29th for 2 weeks and you would then see the Halloween decorations and also see the Christmas decorations go up. The first MVMCP is 7th November this year, so you could have the best of both! A lovely time of year to go

 

[scoobydooby2016]

Congratulations on your decision for a weight loss journey. If that's your motivation I absolutely advise against the free dining. It just commits you to way too much food. Unless you chose all the 2 credit signature places thus having a meal off every other day. That would be fun! My personal favourite resorts are POR for a moderate or AKL or Beach Club for a deluxe. I would probably choose one week at POR and focus on the parks week 1 then a week a deluxe planning on more down time. Good luck on your healthy journey

 

[bex7583]

I would love to do end of October and do halloween our dream resort would be animal kingdom. We love the dining plan just makes everything feel easier knowing food and snacks r covered.

We always go overlapping the summer school holidays as we like a longer trip and can't take 3+ weeks off school for kids.

Good luck with your slimming and enjoy planning

 

[Elise79]

One way to save money and stay in a deluxe resort is to rent points off a DVC member or through one of the rental services. You get virtually all the perks of a DVC member at a fraction of the cost.

Thats not true anymore they require a DVC member card now to get the perks which as a renter the OP won't have.

Also when renting DVC points you only get housekeeping every forth day not daily like you would on a regular cash booking.

 

[KirstyO]

Thanks everyone for helpful responses, keep them coming please!
I hadn't thought about a split resort stay, but I might consider this. I think if I was going to do this I would do a value for one week and a deluxe for the second week (finish on a high right?!).

On the slimming front I don't think dining plan quantities of food would bother me too much. Hopefully I'd get free DDP so I wouldn't feel too cheated if I didn't use it all, plus the increased physical activity would help keep the lbs down while I was there. I also love swimming so would anticipate swimming at least every other day which will knock off a few more cals. plus if i'm on holiday, and at wdw, and I've just achieved one of the most amazing things I hope I'll ever achieve in my life, I'm not going to worry too much about putting on a couple of lbs. I know some people try and be clever with their snack credits to get the most for their money, but I would happily use it on a bottle of water or a bag of chips rather than trying to get the biggest food portion for my credit (which will hopefully not have been paid for anyway!). Another thing is that I wouldn't be scared to spend extra credits on signature dining because I know what a magical experience it is. We had a character breakfast at Chef Mickey's on my 18th and it was hands down one of the highlights of the trip. We got a great table down the far end, on the lower level so we were near the hot buffet, but not crowded by the line, there was plenty of space to stand with the characters (and dance!) and we never felt rushed. There was a great interaction with each character plus autographs and pics aplenty. Would love to try other character dining next time I go, I hear Crystal Palace is very good.