Just venting a little bit - WWYD

[dbs1228]

Another thought (like you need another option...) why not do a non-park trip in May, it is only a long weekend, enjoy the resort, DTD, the nearby outlets, swimming, checking out different resorts there is so much to do that does not involve the parks. We used to go for 10 nights and buy the 4 day park hoppers passes and just enjoy our down days.

 

[Anal Annie]

Another thought (like you need another option...) why not do a non-park trip in May, it is only a long weekend, enjoy the resort, DTD, the nearby outlets, swimming, checking out different resorts there is so much to do that does not involve the parks. We used to go for 10 nights and buy the 4 day park hoppers passes and just enjoy our down days.

Oh we could not take our DS to FL for his BIRTHDAY and not go to to the PARKS when we're RIGHT THERE!! OMG!! You can't be serious?! That would be such a TEASE!! I would be the meanest Mom EVER!!

But must admit I considered the idea of taking 1 day to go to (gasp) Universal to check out the Harry Potter hooopla. But I think that would really be better saved for a longer trip where we have plenty of time to do everything we want.

The idea of going over Memorial Day is really multi-purpose. FIRST, DS's birthday is that week before so it would be his present and would be instead of any sort of party type thing. Second, our last trip down was March of this year...so by then we'll be past 1 year of having gone...we went 3 times LAST year so I fear withdraw will set in for ALL of us. Third, when we go to Paris I expect to only spend a couple of days visiting the parks - that's not much Disney time and finally, I miss my Owners Locker!! Seems a shame not to go visit it!!

I wish DLP put their prices / packages / park hours out earlier. That's the other really weird thing about them - they only release availability like 4-6 months out. What's up with THAT?! I have a feeling that I won't be able to make a final decision about this part of our trip until probably February. I am WAAY to much of a planner for this!! That is like last minute to me!! LOL

 

[DMKEDM]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but...

Have you looked into splitting your arrangements? Use points for one night, or two (and buy the tickets required)...and then pay cash for the remaining 2 or 3 nights? (Maybe staying someplace where you're not required to buy park tickets since you're not planning to do the parks all 4 days?)

As for renting...it's not that hard, and your 37 points makes it pretty low risk...even if you get unlucky enough to be one of the miniscule few for whom it doesn't work (like me--I got scammed -- my "sad story" is in one of Doc's stickies on the R/T Board), you're not only risking "only" 37 points/$370 (or so), but also you're really not risking much of anything since your current plans give you choices that are only $2 different!

So it seems to me your risk of renting is actually getting $370 (or so) vs not...might take some of the angst out of it to think of it that way...

But I'm really curious to see if the idea of using points for just one or two nights, to use up your 37 points that will expire, and doing the rest of your trip on cash, might be a viable solution?

Good luck...

 

[Anal Annie]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but...

Have you looked into splitting your arrangements? Use points for one night, or two (and buy the tickets required)...and then pay cash for the remaining 2 or 3 nights? (Maybe staying someplace where you're not required to buy park tickets since you're not planning to do the parks all 4 days?)

As for renting...it's not that hard, and your 37 points makes it pretty low risk...even if you get unlucky enough to be one of the miniscule few for whom it doesn't work (like me--I got scammed -- my "sad story" is in one of Doc's stickies on the R/T Board), you're not only risking "only" 37 points/$370 (or so), but also you're really not risking much of anything since your current plans give you choices that are only $2 different!

So it seems to me your risk of renting is actually getting $370 (or so) vs not...might take some of the angst out of it to think of it that way...

But I'm really curious to see if the idea of using points for just one or two nights, to use up your 37 points that will expire, and doing the rest of your trip on cash, might be a viable solution?

Good luck...

They have some screwy rules. There is a 2 night / 3 day minimum at DLP (cash or points) and they won't book a hotel without park tickets unless you're an annual pass holder!! We only wanted about 4 nights in Paris & I really didn't think it would be worth hotel hopping every 2 nights. I wanted to just BE in one place the whole time and not waste time packing & unpacking & moving. We island hop in Hawaii sometimes & it really does waste a lot of time to move around. I was just trying to maximize our time that we have.

Still mulling over the rental idea and the trip in May thing. I still haven't had time to talk to DH about any of this stuff yet. We'll see how our finances are in Feb. when we figure out our taxes. I pay off my SUV in Dec. which will help a lot...but then we have a ski trip in Jan. and DS's swim team needs another pymt. in Feb....

 

[Mineu]

Just another thought-do you have points with other hotels chains or have you priced hotels in Paris? We stayed at two very nice (boutique style) Best Western Hotels in Paris at American prices! Unless you are renting a car-it is very difficult to get back & forth from DLP to Paris. We stayed in Paris and booked a Gray Line tour to DLP-the package included hopper tickets and we were able to see & do everything we wanted to in one day. (By the way there is an AMAZING Italian restaurant across from the Grey Line office in Paris.) Anyway, I usually write down all the various combinations of options available and eliminate by difficulty & price. If someone were to buy your points-could they be used on DCL-If a 10 A becomes available for our Alaska cruise-I would love to upgrade and I'm pointless right now!

 

[Anal Annie]

Just another thought-do you have points with other hotels chains or have you priced hotels in Paris? We stayed at two very nice (boutique style) Best Western Hotels in Paris at American prices! Unless you are renting a car-it is very difficult to get back & forth from DLP to Paris. We stayed in Paris and booked a Gray Line tour to DLP-the package included hopper tickets and we were able to see & do everything we wanted to in one day. (By the way there is an AMAZING Italian restaurant across from the Grey Line office in Paris.) Anyway, I usually write down all the various combinations of options available and eliminate by difficulty & price. If someone were to buy your points-could they be used on DCL-If a 10 A becomes available for our Alaska cruise-I would love to upgrade and I'm pointless right now!

Nice thought but no - we don't have any other hotels that we have enough points or rewards with right now. We've always hopped around from chain to chain when we travel...stayed at the Westin on St. John but didn't sign up for the Starwood thing until we stayed at the Sheraton on Maui. Usually do an Outrigger on Oahu...FL is always DVC. So no loyalties to anyone. We have a Cap One mileage card that I am hoping to use to cover 2 of our flights so we only end up paying for 1 of us out of pocket. Any miles that are leftover might be able to be used toward a hotel or tour. But first I gotta get the tickets to come in at around $1,100 each. (For grins earlier this evening I priced First Class flights on Air France!! Over $15,000 EACH!! $45,000 for the 3 of us!! Isn't THAT a hoot!?!)

What is the Gray Line? I thought I'd heard there was a train (the RER or something) that you take from DLP into the city. I didn't think it sounded too hard. You finished both parks in one day?? I figured we'd need a couple of days to get thru both of them.

Anyway, I am only looking at renting out the 37 points that we will lose if they're not used by next Nov...we could go up to 40 or 45 or 50 - whatever I can get by with to get someone a short ressie that works for them. We don't OWN enough points to get you on an Alaska cruise!! Are you saying you already booked a lower cat on points & you just need a few more to upgrade? I don't know how that works but I would guess I could transfer them to you...but I doubt that's enough for an upgrade. Cruises are definitely a waste of points!! We did it ONCE (booked one of the 10A SPH cabins a couple of years ago. They're a fantastic snag if you can get one!). Anyway, decided we're much better off paying cash for DCL. Maybe they would just let you pay the difference in cash...Maybe you could use what points you have to cover all but one person if an upgrade opens & pay cash for the last person!?!

 

[Mineu]

I have as many memberships as possible-AAA is also good world wide and only $47 a year-the discounts pay for membership after one or two trips! Grey Line is a world wide tour company-I have used them in DC, NY, London, & Paris. You basically just hop on the bus and they take you to the location with or without a guide-depending on the trip. We really did see everything in one day-we probably could have slowed down a bit-DLP is not as big as our parks-we also spent two days in Paris and took a three day bus tour to Normandy/Chateaux country tour-very nice!! Check out the reviews for the train back and forth to Paris-we got lost twice trying to take the train to Versailles...Good luck with the planning-you sound very organized!!