More for Less: A Theme Park Planning Strategy

[Laketravis]

Then you overpaid. I paid $215/night at POFQ for my week long stay. I've stayed at the Rosen for a convention for work. It's meh at best.

Would it make sense to stay at Disney, do your Disney portion, and then move on?

Good point. Another more for less--since OP doesn't seem to like Rosen...

We love Hampton Inn properties. Easy to find one for less than $150/peak season and it includes breakfast. While Travis and his family don't partake heavily--whatever light breakfast they do eat would easily be possible at a Hampton Inn. And then Travis saves money on whatever it is he would have purchased.

(Prices may be possible closer to $115 inclusive.)

The trade off is a simpler pool and tiny gym. But if it is mostly a place to sleep--$100 a day savings adds up quickly.

I wouldn't get too hung up on the Rosen example, I've already explained why it's an anomaly.

 

[ArmchairDetective]

We love Hampton Inn properties. Easy to find one for less than $150/peak season and it includes breakfast.

As a side note... my DD12 loves Hampton Inns and it is usually where we stay when we go anywhere else. We seek them out. She has asked for their pillows for Christmas gifts.

 

[Laketravis]

Yeah, LT I think you should provide a complete spreadsheet detailing everything, otherwise you're just fabricating these details. Oh and by the way, could you please include your credit card numbers on the spreadsheet?

Yeah, it is getting a little ridiculous. I've already explained that I plan on summarizing costs after the actual costs have been incurred, but given that and several other facts haven't been acknowledged leads me to believe that some are not reading the thread in it's entirety and only picking out convenient snippets to debate. Like the Rosen situation, or the Spring Special, or the $242 for a condo for a week in June, or that this Spring Break trip was an opportunity to run thru an exercise and apply what we learn for the real test in June.

For instance, I don't think some are even reading to the bottom of the original post or they would see that:

"During and after our visit I'll post performance to plan and actual costs incurred and compare that to the cost of previous trips. And as I indicated at the beginning of this post this is a test run for the real "More for Less" trip in June that will involve driving to Orlando and a week's stay at a 3-Star condo for $242. We'll be able to amortize the cost of the AP's over two visits instead of one, lowering the effective cost to half on each visit and who wouldn't want to go to WDW twice?

We'll be able to apply any lessons learned during this first week to that week in June and hopefully illustrate how "More for Less" is easily attainable for anyone who wants to take advantage of FP+ and has a flexible attitude."

Maybe it would be useful if I simply replied to a lot of these comments with a link back to the first post.

Blue and gold.

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[Lisa loves Pooh]

I wouldn't get too hung up on the Rosen example, I've already explained why it's an anomaly.

We aren't hung up on it. At least I am not. It seems that is where you say you are staying. You have quoted the price. If you are trying to do more for less, it popped into my head that there is a better hotel option in terms of money saved and a meal offered.

Up to you on what you do with the information. But it don't think you can argue that saving $700 over a week isn't small potatoes.

It may be an anomaly--but if you aren't under an obligation to stay there, perhaps there may be better options.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yeah, it is getting a little ridiculous. I've already explained that I plan on summarizing costs after the actual costs have been incurred, but given that and several other facts haven't been acknowledged leads me to believe that some are not reading the thread in it's entirety and only picking out convenient snippets to debate. Like the Rosen situation, or the Spring Special, or the $242 for a condo for a week in June, or that this Spring Break trip was an opportunity to run thru a test for the real test in June.

For instance, I don't think some are even reading to the bottom of the original post or they would see that:

"During and after our visit I'll post performance to plan and actual costs incurred and compare that to the cost of previous trips. And as I indicated at the beginning of this post this is a test run for the real "More for Less" trip in June that will involve driving to Orlando and a week's stay at a 3-Star condo for $242. We'll be able to amortize the cost of the AP's over two visits instead of one, lowering the effective cost to half on each visit and who wouldn't want to go to WDW twice?

We'll be able to apply any lessons learned during this first week to that week in June and hopefully illustrate how "More for Less" is easily attainable for anyone who wants to take advantage of FP+ and has a flexible attitude."

It was merely a tip. And since you are focusing on the spring break details--offering a tip to save $700 seemed wise.

At least for those open to step outside of the box. ;-)

 

[Laketravis]

We aren't hung up on it. At least I am not. It seems that is where you say you are staying. You have quoted the price. If you are trying to do more for less, it popped into my head that there is a better hotel option in terms of money saved and a meal offered.

Up to you on what you do with the information. But it don't think you can argue that saving $700 over a week isn't small potatoes.

It may be an anomaly--but if you aren't under an obligation to stay there, perhaps there may be better options.

It appears from your comments that you still don't understand. Disregard this March visit and focus on the June visit if that helps. Other posts within this thread explain why (yes, I'm obligated to stay there; no, it's not what my choice would have been, I'm not even having to pay for it because I'm being comped, etc.....)

 

[Laketravis]

It was merely a tip. And since you are focusing on the spring break details--offering a tip to save $700 seemed wise.

At least for those open to step outside of the box. ;-)

Are you talking about the Spring Deal discount on the CSR room? If so, that wasn't really much of a tip as I had already applied that discount to the rooms that were available for the dates the promotion is available.


.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

It appears from your comments that you still don't understand. Disregard this March visit and focus on the June visit if that helps. Other posts within this thread explain why (yes, I'm obligated to stay there; no, it's not what my choice would have been, etc.....)

Perhaps not--but when the majority of your planning involved the trip you are telling us to not pay attention to, perhaps your own focus is in the wrong place if we are to only focus on June. Seems "pay no attention to the man behind the mirror"-ish.

But hey--your report. Have at it.

Simply saying you must stay at RSC would have been sufficient.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Are you talking about the Spring Deal discount on the CSR room? If so, that wasn't really much of a tip as I had already applied that discount to the rooms that were available for the dates the promotion is available.


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Nope. It was a further discount on what you had already booked.

 

[Laketravis]

Simply saying you must stay at RSC would have been sufficient.

Which I had already done. I guess you didn't read it.

Nope. It was a further discount on what you had already booked.

How so? The sight is so buggy and keeps coming back with errors. What other discount is there on top of the Spring Deal that was already applied that would save an additional $700?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Which I had already done. I guess you didn't read it.



How so? The sight is so buggy and keeps coming back with errors. What other discount is there on top of the Spring Deal that was already applied that would save an additional $700?

Different. Chain. Of. Hotel. Than. Rosen. For. Your. March. Trip. Which. You. Have. Said. To. Disregard.

ETA: Hampton inn also beats your spring room deal now that I looked at your JUNE pictured rates.

 

[cakebaker]

See above. The Spring Special was applied and all that is available the first week is the Water View. Absolutely realistic.

(

Well except that it's bad planning to wait until the rooms are sold out to book. Btw- you will adjust your costs when they extend the discounts past the 15th I assume? It's a pretty decent bet those will get extended- another question- Why didn't you use the AP rate? It's not a great deal cheaper, but over 14 nights, it adds up. Every penny counts!

 

[SmithSmith]

Are you talking about the Spring Deal discount on the CSR room? If so, that wasn't really much of a tip as I had already applied that discount to the rooms that were available for the dates the promotion is available.


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I think what is bugging me, is that you're trying really hard to make your offsite stay as cheap as possible, but aren't doing the same for the onsite comparison. In your initial thread you didn't even quote the spring offer, only rack rate (the standard room was still available at that time). Also, you're not quoting any AP discounts, only general public. If you have an AP why not use it to its full potential?

 

[Luckybee]

LT...I don't know if you've stayed at Shingle Creek before, but do not let anyone tell you it isn't a nice property. We have once for a couple days and wouldn't hesitate to stay again. It certainly is better than ANY of the Disney values and imho the moderates as well. As an fyi it is rated on Trip Advisor as the 25th hotel in Orlando out of 327 which is higher than ANY of the Disney hotels (other than the 4 Seasons which doesn't technically count as a D hotel) although I personally wouldn't say it is nicer than the GF etc. You are being more than generous in comparing with the mods.

 

[SmithSmith]

Well except that it's bad planning to wait until the rooms are sold out to book. Btw- you will adjust your costs when they extend the discounts past the 15th I assume? It's a pretty decent bet those will get extended- another question- Why didn't you use the AP rate? It's not a great deal cheaper, but over 14 nights, it adds up. Every penny counts!

Even though you made my post redundant.

 

[Silock]

I think what is bugging me, is that you're trying really hard to make your offsite stay as cheap as possible, but aren't doing the same for the onsite comparison. In your initial thread you didn't even quote the spring offer, only rack rate (the standard room was still available at that time). Also, you're not quoting any AP discounts, only general public. If you have an AP why not use it to its full potential?

I think he's using a comparable accommodation in terms of its star rating, not necessarily its absolute cost.

 

[cakebaker]

Even though you made my post redundant.

Great minds....

 

[Laketravis]

I think what is bugging me, is that you're trying really hard to make your offsite stay as cheap as possible, but aren't doing the same for the onsite comparison. In your initial thread you didn't even quote the spring offer, only rack rate (the standard room was still available at that time). Also, you're not quoting any AP discounts, only general public. If you have an AP why not use it to its full potential?

SmithSmith, I did not quote rack rate, I included the discount. And nobody has to try at all to make offsite cheap as possible in an onsite comparison. I'm not insisting on comparing a King Suite at CSR to the King Suite condo, I used a standard room when it was available and the next tier up when it wasn't. How could I possibly be more fair than that??

Please read several posts above that include the screen shots. I'll check the AP discounts but I'm pretty sure they expire at the same time the general public discounts expire, which is applicable to bookings thru 6/15. These two weeks run thru 6/20.

 

[SmithSmith]

I think he's using a comparable accommodation in terms of its star rating, not necessarily its absolute cost.

Did you mean to direct this to me? I'm not following you...

 

[WillAustin]

Please read several posts above that include the screen shots. I'll check the AP discounts but I'm pretty sure they expire at the same time the general public discounts expire, which is applicable to bookings thru 6/15. These two weeks run thru 6/20.

The current AP rate ends 6/15 and you have to wait until relatively late to book the AP discounts.