JAMBO! The UN-official AKL Thread ~ UPDATED(short film/pg 8 & slideshow/pg 12) Part 3

[pilferk]

Thank you for explaining about rebooking! I had no idea how all that worked. Where do you get your discounts?

Discounts come from all over. AAA, Disney itself (with pin numbers, with codes, with simple offers)...all sorts of places. I used to keep my eyes here:

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=93

and here:

www.mousesavers.com

There's almost ALWAYS some sort of room discount going on, for some timeframe. Keep your eyes open because it's likely you'll, eventually, see one that applies to your dates. You can often (I'd almost say usually) call and apply any discout for your timeframe to an existing ressie.

What changes are being made? Sorry if this has been talked about already...I must have missed it if it was!

Few things:

First up, tips are no longer included for the 2008 dining plan, so the tips at the Table Service place will be out of your pocket.

Second, appetizers are no longer included in the plan.

They DID lower the price by $1 per person, per night (so 37.99 per night per adult and 9.99 per child per night).

So, while there's still (in my opinion) value to the ddp, it's less....and it might be less $$$ wise than any room rate discount you can get. You'll have to crunch some numbers to see which is the better deal...though likely not until we start seeing discount codes/rates/offers for that time frame, which won't be for awhile yet.

 

[Flossbolna]

Brookelizabeth, pilferk already provided you with the most important links. If you are thinking about a trip, but don't want to have the hassle of watching for the codes, you might want to check out booking with a specialised Disney travel agent. Dreams Unlimited is a sponsor of the diyboards, but there are others as well (just look at the other unofficial sites, most have a travel agent sponsor). They will look out for any codes coming up and try to rebook your vacation the day the code comes out. Depending on how willing you are to hand over control this might be a great service. Also they can book all your ADRs. Their service does not cost you anything, they get a comission from Disney. I used a travel agent for both my trips and was very happy with their service!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Thank you pilferk and Flossbolna! This clears up a lot of confusion I had about codes and the applying of codes!!

Now, onto slowly convincing DH that we can still save, work on our debt reduction and afford a trip next year...this will be a tricky one....we gotta crunch some numbers! (though, he wants to go back almost as much as I do, so it might not be that hard to convince him!)

 

[lilyv]

Thank you pilferk and Flossbolna! This clears up a lot of confusion I had about codes and the applying of codes!!

Now, onto slowly convincing DH that we can still save, work on our debt reduction and afford a trip next year...this will be a tricky one....we gotta crunch some numbers! (though, he wants to go back almost as much as I do, so it might not be that hard to convince him!)

Hi Brooke-Such a cute baby! I'm using Dreams Unlimited for the first time. I booked AAA room only, and it's really easy to make payments at their website. It's just like having a vacation on layaway. I love the fact they are great keeping up with codes and discounts. I booked a pool view room, the rate was very close to a standard. If a discount comes, great, but if not, I'm happy with what we have. Likewise, if we can upgrade to savanna or better, that would be nice-but I don't have to watch like a hawk this trip. It's very freeing.

I totally understand about the budget- some years we vacation with short trips close to home, some years we can go to WDW, or other distant destination.

 

[mdrob214]

Just wanted to say thank you to you all for all the great information. I have lurked here for about six months now (and read all the way back to last Sept.) & your information has been great! We leave in less than 3 days and I can't wait! We have a savannah view bunk room booked with free dining and are eating at Boma (both breakfast and dinner) and Jiko. If there's anything you'd like me to find out while I am there, let me know. (I won't be bringing a laptop for live reports, I but can report back after 9/30. I will, of course, report on the status of construction and will take lots of photos. DH refuses to let me photgraph our meals, though--thinks it's "weird". He doesn't know how popular that stuff is on the boards!)
Anything else I should check out? I'll read the posts until Fri evening as we head out early Sat (9/22)

Denise

 

[Lanie]

Does anybody know if the refillable mugs that they have now are still the AKL ones, or are they the blue ones? I would really love to have an AKL one as we're staying at a deluxe only because it's our honeymoon...

 

[wvdislover]

We just got back on Sunday after spending 10 days at AKL. Oh my gosh, it's as beautiful as you guys said, and more! We stayed at ASMu our first night, since we didn't get to Orlando until 10pm, and then moved the next morning. What a huge difference! It was just so calm and peaceful. Now I know why everyone wants to go "back home." We had booked a pool view room with 2 queen beds, but when I walked in our room, we had bunk beds and a savannah view!!! We were in Zebra Trail in room 4459. What a great way to start our vacation! Only problem is, I don't think our DD's 6 and 10 will ever let us stay anywhere but savannah view ever again! We heard NO construction noise. Really, the only construction anything was a crane in the distance (which we only saw when the bus was pulling into the driveway, and it wasn't really obvious), and the black drapes in the lobby (DH didn't even notice these until the end of the trip!). Our DD's didn't really get to participate in activities, since we spent most of the day in the parks and had ADR's every night. I'd like to schedule a hotel-only day for our next trip. We did enjoy swimming in the pool a few times, and loved the slide! What fun! We thought we were going to have to move for our last night, as there were no rooms available, but I kept checking at the front desk. Midway through the trip, we got a call in our room that there had been a cancellation and that we wouldn't have to move! All in all, it was a fabulous trip! We may never stay anywhere else again!

P.S. NO LOVEBUGS!!! The new HM is WAY COOL! Loved the new stuff and the upgrades. Nemo is a must-do. We bought the CD and have been singing the songs for days, now!

 

[kimmar067]

.....It's just like having a vacation on layaway....

......

 

[kimmar067]

We just got back on Sunday after spending 10 days at AKL. Oh my gosh, it's as beautiful as you guys said, and more! We stayed at ASMu our first night, since we didn't get to Orlando until 10pm, and then moved the next morning. What a huge difference! It was just so calm and peaceful. Now I know why everyone wants to go "back home." We had booked a pool view room with 2 queen beds, but when I walked in our room, we had bunk beds and a savannah view!!! We were in Zebra Trail in room 4459. What a great way to start our vacation! Only problem is, I don't think our DD's 6 and 10 will ever let us stay anywhere but savannah view ever again! We heard NO construction noise. Really, the only construction anything was a crane in the distance (which we only saw when the bus was pulling into the driveway, and it wasn't really obvious), and the black drapes in the lobby (DH didn't even notice these until the end of the trip!). Our DD's didn't really get to participate in activities, since we spent most of the day in the parks and had ADR's every night. I'd like to schedule a hotel-only day for our next trip. We did enjoy swimming in the pool a few times, and loved the slide! What fun! We thought we were going to have to move for our last night, as there were no rooms available, but I kept checking at the front desk. Midway through the trip, we got a call in our room that there had been a cancellation and that we wouldn't have to move! All in all, it was a fabulous trip! We may never stay anywhere else again!

P.S. NO LOVEBUGS!!! The new HM is WAY COOL! Loved the new stuff and the upgrades. Nemo is a must-do. We bought the CD and have been singing the songs for days, now!

....another 'convert'.....can't wait for your 'trippie' and LOTS of pix....
[...BTW ~ didja eat some ZD's for us??]

 

[newjmom]

WVDISLOVER, Glad you had a great trip!
We are going next month...how was the transpo? I was thinking of doing a split stay and changing 3 days to poly to be closer to MK for DK's (7,5,2) but only for the transpo to be closer to MK, otherwise prefer to stay put.
TIA for any insight......

 

[kimmar067]

Does anybody know if the refillable mugs that they have now are still the AKL ones, or are they the blue ones? I would really love to have an AKL one as we're staying at a deluxe only because it's our honeymoon...

...actually it says 'The Mara" on it and has a blue top and handle...is that what you are talking about??

 

[kimmar067]

Just wanted to say thank you to you all for all the great information. I have lurked here for about six months now (and read all the way back to last Sept.) & your information has been great!

...glad to have been able to help....

...We leave in less than 3 days and I can't wait! We have a savannah view bunk room booked with free dining and are eating at Boma (both breakfast and dinner) and Jiko. If there's anything you'd like me to find out while I am there, let me know. (I won't be bringing a laptop for live reports,...

...DRAT!

...DH refuses to let me photgraph our meals, though--thinks it's "weird". He doesn't know how popular that stuff is on the boards!)...

...what does HE know??!? [ ]

 

[kimmar067]

...another great shot by JoAnnPan...

...thanks!

 

[brookelizabeth]

DH refuses to let me photgraph our meals, though--thinks it's "weird". He doesn't know how popular that stuff is on the boards!)

My DH thought it was weird at our first meal when I whipped out the camera, but by the end of the trip he was the one grabbing the camera-and taking pictures of our meals has even extended into our other non-WDW trips!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Hi Brooke-Such a cute baby! I'm using Dreams Unlimited for the first time. I booked AAA room only, and it's really easy to make payments at their website. It's just like having a vacation on layaway. I love the fact they are great keeping up with codes and discounts. I booked a pool view room, the rate was very close to a standard. If a discount comes, great, but if not, I'm happy with what we have. Likewise, if we can upgrade to savanna or better, that would be nice-but I don't have to watch like a hawk this trip. It's very freeing.

I totally understand about the budget- some years we vacation with short trips close to home, some years we can go to WDW, or other distant destination.

Thank you-our little guy is such a joy!!

I'll have to check out Dreams Unlimited-I like that vacation on layaway idea!

 

[Jillpie]

Does Mara also sell the mugs that are the generic resort mugs? After AKL, we're switching to BCV and would like to just buy them once.

 

[RachelTori]

Does Mara also sell the mugs that are the generic resort mugs? After AKL, we're switching to BCV and would like to just buy them once.

I don't think you can even find the resort-specific mugs any longer. Once they sold out, they were gone! IMHO, I think this "one-mug-fits-all-for-your-trip" concept is great!

 

[kimmar067]

I don't think you can even find the resort-specific mugs any longer. Once they sold out, they were gone! IMHO, I think this "one-mug-fits-all-for-your-trip" concept is great!

....sooooo, does that mean you can buy ANY mug and have it filled ANYWHERE??!?!?

 

[RachelTori]

....sooooo, does that mean you can buy ANY mug and have it filled ANYWHERE??!?!?

Yep! That's the current policy anyway!

It's the YOAMD mug and you can use it at any resort during your stay! (not sure about subsequent stays and I'm not gonna "go there"!)

 

[lilyv]

....sooooo, does that mean you can buy ANY mug and have it filled ANYWHERE??!?!?

I'm guessing CSR is STILL selling their own mugs-they were in Aug 07. Ok, so I probably over analyze stuff, but with our split stay I just couldn't figure out what was acceptable. I didn't want to use a CSR mug at POR, so I just skipped the whole mug issue...