Life’s too short...to never sleep in a treehouse! 8/27 TR is up! Link in siggie

[Native NYer]

For dining reservations you have to call and it's only for 60 days out. As far as the $269 goes it's kind of funny. The issue is not so much the total cost but rather the per night room cost for the Universal part I'm having a hard time justifying/reconciling/making peace with.

The Cali trip is a steal already, even if we add the $269 to it. If we add that, our per day costs are like $300 (including flights and a car!), not including food for the 4 of us (or park tickets to Knott's and the QM tour..if we do the QM tour, haven't actually decided on that one yet).

For WDW it's more like $650 per day for 6 of us for the Disney part which does include the DDP and then $900 for 6 of us for the Universal part, which does not include food. Of course flights are on top of both.

Having a really hard time with that $900 a night. It's not that we can't do it, I just really don't like the number!

As to souvie money. Last year, for a week long trip, we gave each child a budget of $50. They did GREAT with it. It was enough that they could get 1-2 "bigger" things with it, as well as some small stuff. So for example for fifty bucks here is what each got.

Eric - Sorcerer Mickey embroidered hat, 3 pins, lanyard, Space Mountain "badge" with his name on it.

Evan - Goofy embroidered hat, EE T-shirt, 3 pins, lanyard.

Kendall - RRC/Aerosmith sweats, 3 pins, lanyard

Taylor - one pin, Mickey Tee, AK necklace. Seems like he got something else at AK but I can't recall what.

They really didn't need more than that, it was just enough that they all felt like they got plenty and didn't ask us for anything on top of it. They did a really good job of budgeting their funds too and all of them still use what they bought which is a beautiful thing!

For the Cali trip it will probably be a budget of $25. That would get them a hat or a tee and maybe one pin but probably not a sweatshirt. For FL we may add a little to the budget to account for Universal but then again probably not as I guarantee you Sandie will buy them stuff on top of their budgets so we will probably stick with $50-60 per kid. Evan, Kendall and Eric may have birthday money though so we will see.

I don't think we'd buy in August but you never know. How long is the tour?

In that case, stay onsite
$900/day for US is high, especially since it doesn't cover food. I wonder if the US discounts aren't as great because of the Harry Potter opening. Maybe they think they don't need an incentive to lure people away from Disney

Your kids got a lot for $50! A budget definitely teaches kids to choose things they really want and really think about it. Definitely stops impulse buying.

The tour was about an hour, but that included asking questions. We didn't need as much info since we were already spoke to a guide on the phone.

 

[eandesmom]

I love those pictures of the HRH. Podsnel just wrote about HRH in her last TR. They had an amazing meal right at the pool. And that pool looks so inviting. My fav is the guitar water fountain. Everything is so guitar there. I know if I stayed there I would miss my guitar every day. Yes -its true - you can miss your guitar!

Taylor will miss his guitar. In fact he will want to bring it with him, we will have to see if that works out as it's a pita to travel with but 10 days is a long time!

I'll need to check out Podsnel's report, thanks for the tip! That fountain just looks incredible and I can just picture the Taylor photo ops!

In that case, stay onsite
$900/day for US is high, especially since it doesn't cover food. I wonder if the US discounts aren't as great because of the Harry Potter opening. Maybe they think they don't need an incentive to lure people away from Disney

Your kids got a lot for $50! A budget definitely teaches kids to choose things they really want and really think about it. Definitely stops impulse buying.

The tour was about an hour, but that included asking questions. We didn't need as much info since we were already spoke to a guide on the phone.

Well the US discounts are length based so it would go down the longer we stayed plus we are looking at peak summer rates, they go down 3 days into our trip. We just really can't go any later which definitely impacts our cost.

If we could go later it would be less but then again, because it is only 3 nights and ticket prices have gone up, it really doesn't save that much at this point. If we did it on the end of the trip instead and got home 3 days later than we are planning now, it'd bring that part of the trip down over $150 a day.

Theoretically we "could" move the Disney dates 3 days earlier and do Universal at the end of the trip BUT they are sold out. Or at least last time I checked the YC was sold out in our room class. I just peeked again and it is showing availability. Which doesn't mean it's available with the PIN.

I really wanted to end the trip at Disney BUT $500 bucks and that per night cost going down would be pretty huge. Now that I don't feel tied to free dining....

off to have my TA check it out.

LOL

I imagine if I priced a 3 day WDW trip at a deluxe, with the park hoppers (which go down a ton the longer you are there) they might not be as far apart.

 

[Native NYer]

Well the US discounts are length based so it would go down the longer we stayed plus we are looking at peak summer rates, they go down 3 days into our trip. We just really can't go any later which definitely impacts our cost.

If we could go later it would be less but then again, because it is only 3 nights and ticket prices have gone up, it really doesn't save that much at this point. If we did it on the end of the trip instead and got home 3 days later than we are planning now, it'd bring that part of the trip down over $150 a day.

Theoretically we "could" move the Disney dates 3 days earlier and do Universal at the end of the trip BUT they are sold out. Or at least last time I checked the YC was sold out in our room class. I just peeked again and it is showing availability. Which doesn't mean it's available with the PIN.

I really wanted to end the trip at Disney BUT $500 bucks and that per night cost going down would be pretty huge. Now that I don't feel tied to free dining....

off to have my TA check it out.

LOL

I imagine if I priced a 3 day WDW trip at a deluxe, with the park hoppers (which go down a ton the longer you are there) they might not be as far apart.

I would also want to end my trip at Disney. Plus, you'd have RAC for your luggage and ME back to the airport.

Is there a way to bring down the cost of the WDW portion of the trip? A villa would probably be less expensive than two YC rooms. Or is that completely off the table?

 

[Charleston Princess]

There are people who haven't read the Harry Potter books???

Your Disneyland trip is so close!!! I am loving the vintage Disneyland mug!!!

 

[eandesmom]

I would also want to end my trip at Disney. Plus, you'd have RAC for your luggage and ME back to the airport.

Is there a way to bring down the cost of the WDW portion of the trip? A villa would probably be less expensive than two YC rooms. Or is that completely off the table?

RAC?

No matter what we do we will only have ME one way and will need towncar service for the US part so that doesn't really impact anything.

A villa (the ones that sleep 9...AKV, BLT or THV) would be less and is what I proposed originally. It got shot down for the YC. With the PIN it's only a $75 difference per day, split in half so basically nothing. If we downgraded to a mod or a value we'd have to get 3 rooms so it really doesn't save that much either. The only real way that would make sense would be to actually drop one WDW day but I am not willing to do that! Because Paul and Sandie are splitting it, that part of the trip is pretty reasonable I think, that $650 includes food!

Funny though, I just looked at our ADR's and what I'd need to rebook. Good thing would be the hard ones I wouldn't have to worry about but the bad thing is it would then have our last night at Kouzzina. Nothing against Kouzzina but I'm not sure that's where I'd want our last night. I'd have to move the pita ones (cruise, tea, GG breakfast) but would let my TA deal with it.

There are people who haven't read the Harry Potter books???

Your Disneyland trip is so close!!! I am loving the vintage Disneyland mug!!!

I know, I didn't think there was anyone out there who hadn't. Well except Jeff and Taylor!

Taylor doesn't read period and Jeff reads technical publications for fun. Jeff has at least seen the movies.

Isn't that mug cute!!! I'm excited for it, I actually didn't get a mug on the last trip (had a mug that got away though) so this will help tide me over until August!

 

[Native NYer]

RAC?

No matter what we do we will only have ME one way and will need towncar service for the US part so that doesn't really impact anything.

A villa (the ones that sleep 9...AKV, BLT or THV) would be less and is what I proposed originally. It got shot down for the YC. With the PIN it's only a $75 difference per day, split in half so basically nothing. If we downgraded to a mod or a value we'd have to get 3 rooms so it really doesn't save that much either. The only real way that would make sense would be to actually drop one WDW day but I am not willing to do that! Because Paul and Sandie are splitting it, that part of the trip is pretty reasonable I think, that $650 includes food!

Funny though, I just looked at our ADR's and what I'd need to rebook. Good thing would be the hard ones I wouldn't have to worry about but the bad thing is it would then have our last night at Kouzzina. Nothing against Kouzzina but I'm not sure that's where I'd want our last night. I'd have to move the pita ones (cruise, tea, GG breakfast) but would let my TA deal with it.

Resort Airline Check-in. If you fly a participating airline, you can check your luggage and get your boarding pass at the RAC desk by Bell Services. Then, once you get to MCO, all you have to do is go straight through security.

$650 is very reasonable.

Are you rebooking any hard to book places? I hope you get everything you want

 

[jordanyosh]

If you need any more info let me know...

 

[creativeamanda]

California Adventure is so close! I can't believe it because I'm so behind.

As far as Harry Potter goes--I really think WWoHP will be open by our trip end of May/beginning of June, and we added a day to our trip soely for those purposes. Now that is obsessed, to say the least.

 

[Angies1274]

YAY for only 54 days until California Adventure!!!! Love the mug...very cool!!!!

 

[eandesmom]

Resort Airline Check-in. If you fly a participating airline, you can check your luggage and get your boarding pass at the RAC desk by Bell Services. Then, once you get to MCO, all you have to do is go straight through security.

$650 is very reasonable.

Are you rebooking any hard to book places? I hope you get everything you want

Ah. I'm not really worried about that as I'm sure we will have my laptop and could do it from the room if Universal doesn't have it. They have a business center. In some ways, to be honest, from a strict MCO standpoint, leaving from universal would be better as it would be via towncar so we wouldn't have to leave as early as you do with ME. We actually skipped ME last time so we could get more sleep.

I need to look at what I'd be re-booking. Right now if I just move the same days of the week it's rebooking Teppan, our grand gathering breakfast, all of the various potential date night options (which means moving the cruise, and the tea at the GF, and Sanaa. But it would have our last night dinner at Kouzzina and I'm not sure that's what I'd want so I need to re-look at it.

I did confirm we would save a little over $500 however do not yet know if our PIN is available at the YC for the 3 earlier dates. If it isn't then we can't move dates. That $500 would cover the towncar and the illuminations cruise (or Cirque for Jeff and I lol) so it is worth considering even if it means ending the trip at Universal.

If we did this and for some reason FD came out and actually was available and we really wanted it, for our nights we could break it into a split stay and have 4 nights on FD.

The positive aspect of getting there on the 12th instead of the 15th would be, I'd think, a better chance of a room without a parking lot view, connecting rooms or even an upgrade since we'd be checking in before FD starts but who knows. The current promo goes through the 14th so maybe not lol.

If you need any more info let me know...

Thanks!!!!!!!

If you could magically make WOC open in time that'd be cool.



It's not looking good but who really knows.

California Adventure is so close! I can't believe it because I'm so behind.

As far as Harry Potter goes--I really think WWoHP will be open by our trip end of May/beginning of June, and we added a day to our trip soely for those purposes. Now that is obsessed, to say the least.

From everything I'm reading it looks like it will open by 5/28, that's when the vacation packages start. Very probable that there will be a soft opening before that.

YAY for only 54 days until California Adventure!!!! Love the mug...very cool!!!!

53 now!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't wait to get my mug. It makes me happy just looking at the picture!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Oh Cynthia, that mug is so cool! I would love to get one of those for my Mom's b-day this summer. She was born in '55, just a couple weeks before DL opened (and living right around the corner in Garden Grove). Does DL have number you can call for merchandise like WDW does?

 

[eandesmom]

Oh Cynthia, that mug is so cool! I would love to get one of those for my Mom's b-day this summer. She was born in '55, just a couple weeks before DL opened (and living right around the corner in Garden Grove). Does DL have number you can call for merchandise like WDW does?

Gosh, that's a good question, I have no idea! I can find out when I'm there for you or maybe pick one up and ship it to you

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Gosh, that's a good question, I have no idea! I can find out when I'm there for you or maybe pick one up and ship it to you

You are awesome! I'll pm you when it gets closer to the trip. Maybe someone over on the DL boards knows if they have a merchandise number to call.

 

[eandesmom]

You are awesome! I'll pm you when it gets closer to the trip. Maybe someone over on the DL boards knows if they have a merchandise number to call.

Sounds good. I am sure we will hit DTD on the first day so can always email you what I find out.

 

[eandesmom]

ADR day officially launched the BFP_HRH_YC.v1
And yes, in less than one weeks time we have made a substantial change.
We now have the BFP_YC_HRH.v1

It’s still v1

Why? Well because it’s been renamed so it can’t truly be considered an iteration!

Changes to it will become v2 and so forth. All iterations prior to ADR day were .0 versions anyway though I think I was up to .14 or something like that. Eyes glazing over yet?

Why make a change?

Jeff’s response to the idea of saving $500 by having universal at the end of the trip

WHY WOULDN’T WE DO THAT?
​

​

Uh….I wanted to end the trip at Disney and take advantage of Free Dining?


He didn't think that was a very good reason.

Once I got past that, with my one-room-off-one-room-on idea, the world of savings opened up.

Of course there was drama. Disney tried to tell us our PIN wasn’t good until the 15th. Which is absolutely not what it says, the only black out dates on it in the summer is around the 4th of July! They had code entering issues but with persistence (and proof that our dates WERE covered) we persevered. Or more accurately my TA persevered. It took several calls.

Then we had a BIG decision to make at the Hard Rock.

View

Or

Breakfast.

Basically we had 2 options, one included a Harry Potter Breakfast at the Three Broomsticks and was for the standard view, the other was for garden view rooms. The price was virtually equal.

We opted for

VIEW

Then Breakfast!

Then View. Breakfast,

Landed on…VIEW.

Our giant debate was whether that all access pass would REALLY get us an upgrade at check in. People seemed to get it on the boards but not enough postings for me to feel solid about it and we really didn’t want the standard (obstructed)view. Unlike standard at the YC, where we might get a garden view with a standard room, and we get a full balcony no matter what, we will for sure have an ugly view (with no balcony) at HR unless we get the free upgrade. Too risky.

So I called the front desk directly and the fabulous Tara was like, well, what would you like? It is based on availability at check in but they will try if you ask. I asked what were the odds of it happening and she said, I’ll check now! She went in and changed our current ressie to a pool view at no charge just based on my word that we have the pass and said to just call back when we change our dates and they’d see what they could do. We just weren’t willing to take the chance on a roof view and no upgrade and this way we don’t have to stress about getting teens up if they don’t want to hit HP early or worry about how many people are on the breakfast reservation if Doug, Sandie, Paul or my Mom or Dad end up tagging along!

Talk about FDM!

We saved $548!!!!!!! We also have to pay less 45 days out for the Disney Part. Now, that’s about what we’d have saved with Free Dining but unlike that, which was a wild card till the end of March early April and is very very possibly not available for my resort and room class (given that it’s already sold out for those dates lol) this is a for sure savings versus a “man we hope we get that”. I was banking on saving about that much. Now we are. Is the trip still costing more than it would have with my original plan, yes. Can we do it? I think so.

The 1:1 plan may or may not save us some additional pennies. I am pretty sure we are going to do it though for 2 reasons.

1. Even if we spend an identical amount as we would have with the plan, it gives us more flexibility in food choices.
2. I can have Eric be 9 for the buffet meals but order whatever for the others or in some cases have the E’s split an adult entrée and a salad versus if that makes more sense, or an app and a salad or whatever.
Until we go and try this one room on, one room off thing I don’t know for sure that it will save us but at worst I think it’s a wash. I need to sit down with Sandie and see. What I am thinking is Sandie, myself and the E’s are the ones not on the DDP. If do decide that just doing the DDP is easier then worst case we’ve saved what we would have with FD and I don’t have to stress about giving up the Hard Rock anymore. I’d truly been hoping for FD plus extra savings at Universal and it just wasn’t going to happen. Oh well.

It does save in the short term though and lets me feel much better about the buffet prices for Eric!

So our new BFP is…..

YC 8/12-8/19. One room on the DDP and one room off. The cost of the DDP went up by $5 a person as we are now in peak rate season but since we are doing one room off it really didn’t matter and the HRH savings more than washed that out.

HRH 8/19-8/22, garden view. I will call to get the upgrade added to our room, fingers crossed on speaking to the fabulous Tara who was like, what do you want? Pool, deluxe? LOL!

This of course meant redoing the ADR’s. Here’s where it stands as of today.

I actually feel much better about this lineup!

8/12
Kouzzina @ 8:25. Originally I had Ohana for arrival night but given that Sandie and Paul could arrive late, I decided walking distance and low key/less vital ressie (in case they miss dinner) made more sense.

8/13
Captain’s Grille @ 5:15 or 6:40 or Cape May @ 6:25 followed by Illuminations cruise. We need to move the cruise still. Given that this is night 2 I’m just scrapping the date night thing for now. We can always revisit. We may try to do Big River as a call in/walk up instead but we will see. I really like the idea of one dinner at our resort darn it and then walking to the cruise and I’m pretty sure Sandie will too. This just feels like a great end to our first full day and since MK is open until 2am the fun doesn’t have to stop after the cruise for those who want to keep going and for those that don’t, we will be at our resort!

8/14
Garden View Tea @2 Still need to move this one, it’s currently booked for the 21st.
Sanaa @8:15

8/15
Ohana @ 7:20

8/16
Tusker House @ 7:20

8/17
Tutto @ 7:20

8/18
Teppan Edo @8:40

8/19
Cape May Breakfast @ 9:10
For now I’ve decided Tony’s is just a little too pricey (it’s more than any of the dinner buffets!). Instead I’m planning on Cape May OOP. I’ll talk to Sandie about it but the stress of getting teens to the MK for 9am bfast just didn’t seem worth it. It would be cool but I think they’d be more into the cruise. This is a nice end to the trip before we transfer over to the HR. Plus we are staying at the YC, I'd really like to check out the restaurants that are THERE! Heaven knows when we will stay there again, likely never and the chances of us being at WDW with a grand gathering again in the future are greater than the chances of us being able to walk to Cape May for breakfast.
Tony's would be a blast but...stressful. Cape May, the teens can sleep and feed themselves if they don't want to go but we won't have left them for long versus going all the way to MK.

So there.



I think we will probably skip ME and do a 3 leg towncar with this switch as it will include a stop at the grocery store. I was struggling with the grocery stop when we were at HR first as those rooms do not have a fridge but we will save a lot by making the stop. Flip resorts and problem solved!

Once Sandie comes out we will go through the one room on/one room off thing, review ADR’s, the cruise and the tea. I am also hoping, and this is pure conjecture on my part, that by checking into the YC on the 12th instead of the first day of Free Dining, our chances for that garden view, connecting rooms and maybe even an upgrade since we are booked as a grand gathering, go up quite a bit.

Couldn’t hurt. Right?

 

[Native NYer]

That's a lot of change! It's great that you are saving money.
I wonder if Disney is going to keep the FD promotion going much longer.

 

[DisMomAmy]

 

[glennbo123]

My head is spinning!

 

[All7OfUs]

Having over $500 guaranteed savings is no small potatoes! YOu are such a smart cookie with all this stuff. but then again, I"ve never had such a complicated ressie to have to figure it all out with either. Big group+ multiple places+ multiple ages+ multiple styles of touring = 1 Big Fat Headache. But you seem to be navigating it all very well!!

 

[jordanyosh]

The kids will probably like USF and IOA at the end of the trip better....