disneysteve
DIS meet junkie
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2002
- Messages
- 16,200
Day 1 - October 29
On past trips, we've left home Saturday morning and arrived Sunday afternoon. This year, we decided to leave Friday afternoon and arrive Saturday. That way we'd get an extra full day in Disney. So we hit the road at precisely 1:09pm on 10/29. Only problem with that plan is we had to deal with rush hour traffic around D.C., but it wasn't terrible and we bypassed some of it by using the HOV lanes.
We had packed deli for dinner. We stopped at McD and picked up some fries to go with our sandwiches (we hardly ever eat fast food so this was a treat).
We considered stopping for the nite in Fayetteville, NC but the Roomsaver book listed a Fairfield Inn in Lumberton, NC which wasn't that much farther (and we are Marriott Reward members so we try to stick with Marriotts when possible). We called from the car and booked a room for $57.95 using the coupon and arrived there at 10:07pm, almost exactly 9 hours and 507 miles from home.
In case anyone wonders about those Roomsaver coupons, they are legitimate. A couple checked in right before us. They did not have a reservation or a coupon. They paid $72 for the same room type that I got for $57.95 with the coupon. I had only made the reservation about an hour earlier.
Day 2 - October 30
Fairfield Inn includes a nice breakfast buffet. We took advantage of that and were back on the road at 8:19am. We stopped for lunch at Wendy's in Hardeeville, SC. Had a nice salad (like I said, we're not big fast food eaters). We had no traffic at all today except a very brief delay in Jacksonville (I didn't take the 295 bypass but rather took 95 straight through town).
We arrived at our destination about 4:45 pm. Orbit One Vacation Villas on Entry Point Rd. off of 192-W. I booked our stay on SkyAuction.com. I paid $261 total for 7 nites which is just over $37/nite! I honestly was pretty leary about what to expect at that price though a few fellow DIS members said the place was ok.
Well we checked in and went to see our unit. OMG! This place is incredible. 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo, full kitchen with new appliances, glass top dining table for 6, living room with sleeper sofa and loveseat and TV, washer and dryer, master bedroom with king bed, master bath with jacuzzi tub, screened in patio accessible from living room or master bedroom. This is definitely the best value we have found at Disney. A+++
After settling in, we went over to the Village (DTD Marketplace to you newer folks). We checked the menu at Earl of Sandwich but nothing that appealed to DD so we ate at Wolfgang Puck Express (as always). And food was excellent, as always.
DD did a little trick or treating but wasn't really into it. So we just browsed some shops then headed back to the condo. After DD went to sleep, I went over to Winn Dixie to pick up some groceries. Then DW and I watched some TV and went to bed. It was a long couple of days.
Next installment, MGM and dinner at AKL.
On past trips, we've left home Saturday morning and arrived Sunday afternoon. This year, we decided to leave Friday afternoon and arrive Saturday. That way we'd get an extra full day in Disney. So we hit the road at precisely 1:09pm on 10/29. Only problem with that plan is we had to deal with rush hour traffic around D.C., but it wasn't terrible and we bypassed some of it by using the HOV lanes.
We had packed deli for dinner. We stopped at McD and picked up some fries to go with our sandwiches (we hardly ever eat fast food so this was a treat).
We considered stopping for the nite in Fayetteville, NC but the Roomsaver book listed a Fairfield Inn in Lumberton, NC which wasn't that much farther (and we are Marriott Reward members so we try to stick with Marriotts when possible). We called from the car and booked a room for $57.95 using the coupon and arrived there at 10:07pm, almost exactly 9 hours and 507 miles from home.
In case anyone wonders about those Roomsaver coupons, they are legitimate. A couple checked in right before us. They did not have a reservation or a coupon. They paid $72 for the same room type that I got for $57.95 with the coupon. I had only made the reservation about an hour earlier.
Day 2 - October 30
Fairfield Inn includes a nice breakfast buffet. We took advantage of that and were back on the road at 8:19am. We stopped for lunch at Wendy's in Hardeeville, SC. Had a nice salad (like I said, we're not big fast food eaters). We had no traffic at all today except a very brief delay in Jacksonville (I didn't take the 295 bypass but rather took 95 straight through town).
We arrived at our destination about 4:45 pm. Orbit One Vacation Villas on Entry Point Rd. off of 192-W. I booked our stay on SkyAuction.com. I paid $261 total for 7 nites which is just over $37/nite! I honestly was pretty leary about what to expect at that price though a few fellow DIS members said the place was ok.
Well we checked in and went to see our unit. OMG! This place is incredible. 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo, full kitchen with new appliances, glass top dining table for 6, living room with sleeper sofa and loveseat and TV, washer and dryer, master bedroom with king bed, master bath with jacuzzi tub, screened in patio accessible from living room or master bedroom. This is definitely the best value we have found at Disney. A+++
After settling in, we went over to the Village (DTD Marketplace to you newer folks). We checked the menu at Earl of Sandwich but nothing that appealed to DD so we ate at Wolfgang Puck Express (as always). And food was excellent, as always.
DD did a little trick or treating but wasn't really into it. So we just browsed some shops then headed back to the condo. After DD went to sleep, I went over to Winn Dixie to pick up some groceries. Then DW and I watched some TV and went to bed. It was a long couple of days.
Next installment, MGM and dinner at AKL.
