January 2009. . . Calling all Snowbirds ~ Part I !!!

[skjj2009]

Great pictures!
Quite a list of those of us going in January

So good news today...I had to go pay for my deposit with the AAA TA. she called this morning and told me she could just book a bunkbed room without the AAA then keep calling to find one when it becomes available. So when I got the cost I looked at my lists of prices and decided for that price we could stay at the Poly for the same with AAA in garden room. Dh wants to stay at WL BUT I wanted monorail. Anyway...I got there and told the TA I wanted to book both rooms and wait to see what ends up being the best deal (either with a code or AAA discount on bunkbed room) and MIRACULOUSLY Disney had a bunkbed room at WL become available I'm sorry but it just seems so odd...I even called disney myself this morning to see if one was available and no dice. So I think Disney didn't want to double book me and someone gave the ok to give me the AAA rate on WL. Anyway...who cares...I got the room I wanted wooooohooooooo
Good day for us!!! Now if only dh will look at park hopping and dining

 

[coffeehousemom]

katiebugsmom WOW I didn't know that Kennywood was still around. We used to go there when I was in 3rd & 4th grade. That brought back memories.

 

[debbieandroo]

Great pictures!
Quite a list of those of us going in January

So good news today...I had to go pay for my deposit with the AAA TA. she called this morning and told me she could just book a bunkbed room without the AAA then keep calling to find one when it becomes available. So when I got the cost I looked at my lists of prices and decided for that price we could stay at the Poly for the same with AAA in garden room. Dh wants to stay at WL BUT I wanted monorail. Anyway...I got there and told the TA I wanted to book both rooms and wait to see what ends up being the best deal (either with a code or AAA discount on bunkbed room) and MIRACULOUSLY Disney had a bunkbed room at WL become available I'm sorry but it just seems so odd...I even called disney myself this morning to see if one was available and no dice. So I think Disney didn't want to double book me and someone gave the ok to give me the AAA rate on WL. Anyway...who cares...I got the room I wanted wooooohooooooo
Good day for us!!! Now if only dh will look at park hopping and dining

hmmmm....maybe AAA had blocked a particular group of rooms and your bunkbed room was one of them? So, when the CM looked, it was truly not available but, when your TA looked, it was available?

or maybe your DH rigged it all so he could stay at WL?

Whatever the reason, this is a testament to your persistence and harbinger for a great trip in January - congratulations!

 

[skjj2009]

hmmmm....maybe AAA had blocked a particular group of rooms and your bunkbed room was one of them? So, when the CM looked, it was truly not available but, when your TA looked, it was available?

or maybe your DH rigged it all so he could stay at WL?

Whatever the reason, this is a testament to your persistence and harbinger for a great trip in January - congratulations!

thanks. My dh had nothing to do with the reservations so even though he really wanted WL it has always been me with reservations

I do think when AAA TA told the contact at WDW reservations I wanted to book 2 rooms the WDW contact was able to give the discount in order to avoid a double booking. I'm sure they have some type of override for certain circumstances. My TA always has to contact a AAA designate for WDW reservations in order to book the packages. This lady was just probably tired of me by now My TA said she'd called several times and it was probably noted I was calling in as well In any case, I got what I wanted. Now I'm trying to decide dining plan no dining plan decisions decisions

 

[SplashMtnCrew]

Great pictures!
Quite a list of those of us going in January

So good news today...I had to go pay for my deposit with the AAA TA. she called this morning and told me she could just book a bunkbed room without the AAA then keep calling to find one when it becomes available. So when I got the cost I looked at my lists of prices and decided for that price we could stay at the Poly for the same with AAA in garden room. Dh wants to stay at WL BUT I wanted monorail. Anyway...I got there and told the TA I wanted to book both rooms and wait to see what ends up being the best deal (either with a code or AAA discount on bunkbed room) and MIRACULOUSLY Disney had a bunkbed room at WL become available I'm sorry but it just seems so odd...I even called disney myself this morning to see if one was available and no dice. So I think Disney didn't want to double book me and someone gave the ok to give me the AAA rate on WL. Anyway...who cares...I got the room I wanted wooooohooooooo
Good day for us!!! Now if only dh will look at park hopping and dining

Hmmmm, I wonder if I should try double booking, maybe then the YC concierge level w/aaa discount would magically be there for me?? I hate the fact that there is obviously plenty of CL rooms available at YC b/c they are available online, but nothing w/aaa when ta called. Oh-well WL is wonderful
Glad you were able to get the room you wanted If you've never been to the WL before, you'll love it! In 2007 & 08 they did a free upgrade on tix to hoppingg with wpf&m, maybe that will happen again! If they do offer it, I'm going to change our tix from 1 day base pp to 4 days pp and get the free upgrade instead of using our non expiring tix we already have! Congrats again on getting your room!

 

[ethansmommy]

Shelly, I need to add to my dining list. Sept 14th 8:20pm 1900 Park Fare. Thank you, youre doing a great job with the lists!

 

[ethansmommy]

Hello Snowbirds! I have a question on the dining plan, my husband and I are both on the dining plan and Im not sure how things work as this will be our first experience. Do you have to order your own meal/snack or can one person go up and order for the both of you? And if they can order for the both of you do you need both cards or just one persons card? Any other tips advice you can give would be great, this is all new to me!

 

[kimis]

The dining plan is awesome and pretty easy to use after you use it the first time. One person can order all the food and than pay for it on one card. It doesn't matter. Also if you are in one area of a park and dh is in another you can both use the card at the same time. Enjoy

 

[sarbah77]

We're spending the night at DBIL/DSisIL's house the night before our flight which is at 8:50 am, because we're 2 1/2 hours from Metro and they're only 17 minutes away! They live in Ypsilanti (Pittsfield Township), so much more convenient. Also, DBIL will just drop us off and pick us up, so no parking fees!

Holy cow - they might be my neighbors!! Wave when you drive by!

 

[AussieAngel]

I have a question for my fellow Snowbirds, too! It's a bit long, so brace yourselves...

Probably like a lot of you, I made my ADRs before the dining plan '09 deals were released. When I made my ADRs, the CM always asked, "Are you on a dining plan?" to which I always replied, "I will be, once the details are released!"

Then 2 days ago when I made an ADR for Chef Mickeys, the CM asked me again if we were on a dining plan, and I said we will be on the Deluxe Dining Plan, but we just haven't added the package to our booking yet. She said that she would add it to my reservation details.

Thinking about it, I'm a bit confused. Do I have to call back and get them to add the fact that we're on the Deluxe Dining Plan to all my other reservations?! Surely not. What difference does it make?

Oh dear!

 

[ethansmommy]

The dining plan is awesome and pretty easy to use after you use it the first time. One person can order all the food and than pay for it on one card. It doesn't matter. Also if you are in one area of a park and dh is in another you can both use the card at the same time. Enjoy

Thank you that is good to know!

 

[RFrank9504]

We are going Jan 23-26 a quick weekend trip for our DD's 7th bday....we're not booking until we get there in a few weeks-see if we can get a bounceback-if not we'll wait for the AP/Florida Resident room rates...I am hoping to stay at POFQ-we like it there if not-we're gonna try the Wilderness Lodge Cabins-they are now moderate rates at least I think I heard that...

 

[trixiequilts]

Thinking about it, I'm a bit confused. Do I have to call back and get them to add the fact that we're on the Deluxe Dining Plan to all my other reservations?! Surely not. What difference does it make?

The only thing I could think of was that maybe there is some sort of allocation of ADRs for DDP people vs. non DDP people? Shouldn't you be sleeping right now?

 

[trixiequilts]

We are going Jan 23-26 a quick weekend trip for our DD's 7th bday....we're not booking until we get there in a few weeks-see if we can get a bounceback-if not we'll wait for the AP/Florida Resident room rates...I am hoping to stay at POFQ-we like it there if not-we're gonna try the Wilderness Lodge Cabins-they are now moderate rates at least I think I heard that...

Wow, you'll be there in less than three weeks! Are you ready?

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

So good news today...I had to go pay for my deposit with the AAA TA. she called this morning and told me she could just book a bunkbed room without the AAA then keep calling to find one when it becomes available. So when I got the cost I looked at my lists of prices and decided for that price we could stay at the Poly for the same with AAA in garden room. Dh wants to stay at WL BUT I wanted monorail. Anyway...I got there and told the TA I wanted to book both rooms and wait to see what ends up being the best deal (either with a code or AAA discount on bunkbed room) and MIRACULOUSLY Disney had a bunkbed room at WL become available I'm sorry but it just seems so odd...I even called disney myself this morning to see if one was available and no dice. So I think Disney didn't want to double book me and someone gave the ok to give me the AAA rate on WL. Anyway...who cares...I got the room I wanted wooooohooooooo
Good day for us!!! Now if only dh will look at park hopping and dining

That is great news!! A little weird how it all came about, but great in the end!! I don't know why Disney makes us jump through hoops for everything!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

We are going Jan 23-26 a quick weekend trip for our DD's 7th bday....we're not booking until we get there in a few weeks-see if we can get a bounceback-if not we'll wait for the AP/Florida Resident room rates...I am hoping to stay at POFQ-we like it there if not-we're gonna try the Wilderness Lodge Cabins-they are now moderate rates at least I think I heard that...

to the Snowbirds!! We look forward to hearing about your September trip and chatting with you about your January trip!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Shelly, I need to add to my dining list. Sept 14th 8:20pm 1900 Park Fare. Thank you, youre doing a great job with the lists!

I will get you updated!

 

[trixiequilts]

Good morning Shelly! Have you thought about writing a PTR or TR or Dining Report for this trip? Ooohhh...maybe that should be the question of the day for everyone!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Good morning!

Nope, haven't started a TR or anything. I wrote a TR for our May 2007 trip and it was pretty boring! I did a Dining Report for May 2008, people seemed to enjoy that better. So I will probably do that again.

Spent the morning school shopping at the Outlet Mall. As the kids and I sat at the food court somehow we started talking about Disney. Pretty soon they were like - We want to go back to Disney before 2 years! DS9 even offered to sell some toys to help pay for the trip so we could go back sooner!! I feel so bad lying to them. It is killing me!! But I keep telling myself it will all be worth it on Christmas morning!

 

[sharadoc]

We are going Jan 23-26 a quick weekend trip for our DD's 7th bday....we're not booking until we get there in a few weeks-see if we can get a bounceback-if not we'll wait for the AP/Florida Resident room rates...I am hoping to stay at POFQ-we like it there if not-we're gonna try the Wilderness Lodge Cabins-they are now moderate rates at least I think I heard that...

Hi, I think you're a little confused so hopefully I can help.

The Wilderness Lodge does NOT have cabins. Those are at Ft. Wilderness, a totally different resort - the camping resort.

The cabins are in the moderate category, but are not priced that way. In value season, they are $265 a night and go up from there.

Hope this helps with your decision! We LOVE POFQ - have a great time!