Last minute ressies and trip

[Slapster]

I got a wild hair a couple of days ago and made some reservations at Dolphin for 11/26 - 12/1. I've been reading this board with keen interest and appreciate all the great advice and insight. I haven't been to WDW in many years and my kids have never been.

One thing I notice is that most folks have planned these trips for months and sometimes years. I've never been much of a planner and prefer to pick up, go and see what happens. Has anyone else had a successful WDW trip with little or no planning? Also, I got a room at the Dolphin that is described as "Crescent Lake view". Is there any way to check which room number it as and exactly where it's located?

 

[TTFN]

I am not exactly a non-planner; more of a minimalist for planning. My last trip was 4 days. I made one Priority Seating arrangement for Boma for Saturday night. I made tentative plans as to which park on which days. We had a short list of musts: DH wanted to do Mission Space and I wanted to see the Wishes fireworks at MK and see Mickey's Philharmagic. We took it easy and did what we wanted when we wanted. For the time frame you are going I think you should at least check the park hours on this site or on www.disneyworld.com. Semi-plan your days around that. You will have to be adaptable and know you will not get to see everything. I've never stayed at the Dolphin, but I'm sure you'll get great hotel advice from someone on this board.

 

[swilphil]

Slapster--Welcome to the boards. I made reservations this summer about 3 weeks in advance. The big advantage to planning ahead is getting good rates. We stayed at the Dolphin on the teacher rate. There are some times during the year when it is hard to get that rate at the Swan/Dolphin. You might try to make a couple of PS's in advance, but the concierage desk at the Dolphin is great about making PS's for you. You don't even have to be staying Club Level to have them do it for you. You just go down to the lobby and ask. Have a great trip. I got an e-mail about the Dolphin's Thanksgiving dinner options. You might want to make PS's for that if you haven't already.

 

[Slapster]

Thanks for the info. Any idea what the view is like if they say I have a "Crescent Lake view?" Looks like that would be looking out toward MGM and Epcot. Is that right?

 

[HM]

Congratulations on your trip plans. Now get yourself a WDW guide (I highly recommend Passporter or Birnbaum's guides) and start reading. The key to a successful and stressfree trip is preplanning of some type....you don't have to go overboard, but you should be familiar with the parks and the rides and what you family really wants to get accomplished before you go.

Can't help with anything about the Dolphin as we haven't stayed there.
-HM

 

[goofy4tink]

I usually spend about a year planning. But, just planned a trip for next month about 1 month before I leave. I got the ps's I wanted for those 'special' Christmas events. I would agree that you should get a guide tho. You'll want to see what has changed and you don't want to wait until you get there to do it!!! Way to big a waste of time. We like the PassPorter or Unofficial Guide. Have a great trip!!!

 

[dizneycc]

We have made several last minute trips. Two were within a week. But, we don't go during peak season, and we don't usually make PS, so it's usually easy to just get a room.