New and overwhelmed

[Celidh]

Hi, thanks for having me. I have no idea where to start.

My partner and I are planning our first family trip to WDW with ds-13, ds-11, dd-7, towards the end of August/beginning of September. We are hoping and waiting for the general public free dining. This is the only way we can afford to go. I am so nervous that it wont happen that I think it is worse than when i bought my house 2 years ago.

It will be my first vacation in years and my kids have never truly had a vacation other than a weekend here and there. They have never even been on a plane. Never been anywhere big and exciting. We will be coming from Nova Scotia. I have never been to Disney unless you count two day trips, one when I was 16 to Disneyland and the other to Magic Kingdom for a day trip in my early 20's. My partner was to WDW as a child, many many moons ago. So it is exciting for us. My kids don't know we are planning this. I have told them I could never afford Disney. I have been saving for 2 years and still can only do it if I get free dining. My partner got the pin for free dining but it is only good until Aug. 13 and I can't get time off then for vacation.

My kids know that I love Mickey and would love to go to Disney. Ds-11, said that if we ever got to go he would ask Mickey if he would marry me!

Anyway, I just have no idea where to start, other than the huge waiting game I have to play. I really hate waiting!

I'll just spend my time here reading about everyone else's adventures until I get to start my own. We have the TA on the look out for the dining plan for us and I am also keeping my eye out. Wish me luck.

 

[Aliceacc]

Hi, and welcome!

Next, take a look at dates.
Value Season II starts mid August, so prices go down. If you can delay it even a bit more, crowds will go down as most schools in the US open by Labor Day (1st Monday in September.)

NOw, take a look at this offer:

http://bookwdw.reservations.disney....motionCode=fy11q2q4roomB&market=fy11q2q4roomB

It's not free dining, but it can save you a few hundred dollars.
Next, resorts.

Your cheapest option is probably a trundle room at Port Orleans Riverside. Next is a Family Suite at All Star Music. Beyond that, in order, I think it's a Cabin in Fort Wilderness, followed by the Deluxes.

I just priced it out for you, and here's what I got, link:
Travel DatesCheck In August 31, 2011
Check Out September 7, 2011

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Travel Party2 Adults
3 Children (Ages 7, 11 & 13)

Dining and Entertainment ChoiceMagic Your Way Package


Park Ticket Choice8 Day Magic Your Way Ticket,r

Resort Choice: All Star Music Family Suite: sold out on that offer for that week, but you can play with the dates

Port Orleans Riverside $1030

Cabins at Fort Wilderness: $1532

From there, the Deluxes get expensive

Those are all in US dollars, and I figured Wednesday travel is cheaper than other days.

Why not decide what you think you want, book it, and then hope and pray for a better discount? If you wait, there's always the chance that the cheaper accomodations will sell out. It will cost a $200 deposit up front, but you stand to pay a lot more than that if you're locked out of the accomodations you want, or if the resort you want uses its quota of discounted accomodations. Should free dining open up, your travel agent can call Disney and change the arrangements; your $200 deposit will transfer to the new reservations.

 

[Metro West]

 

[mullysisters]

Don't be overwhelmed, it's supposed to be fun. Maybe the funnest thing you'll do.
You are right to hang around on these boards! The people here are wonderful and helpful. Ask anything you can think of.
You are right to wait for free dining (or any other good deal) There are always discounts going.
For fun, why not just plan a Disney vacation on paper? It's what I do until I can afford the real thing and it helps you decide what you want to do when you actually can afford to go. Start a scrapbook if you're into that.
Being on these boards is the next best thing to being there.

 

[DisDadDoc]

Also, try to get a PIN code (go on the Budget board for tips). Good strategies are ordering the planning DVD from the Disney site, and saving a trip (without booking) on-line (from the Disney site). Good luck and have fun!

 

[skier_pete]

I think they will re-open free dining for mid-August through end of September. They've done it for 6 years now. Every year people are all worried they won't do it next year...but it seems like it gets a little broader every year (with this being the first year they offered it in the spring). Keep your ear to the DIS, the word usually gets out a few days early here. (I myself am hoping for November FD - which isn't as assured.)

As others have pointed out, you'll probably need to book at Port Orleans Riverside to fit all 5 in a single room at the lowest possible price. It might be $150 a night, but you would get almost $200 a day worth of food with FD, so it would be quite a bargain really. I would also recommend waiting until after August 20th if possible for the lowest crowds. (Be aware it will be extremely HOT and WET, but still well worth the trip.)

One consideration if Free Dining doesn't occur, you can stay off-site and save a significant penny on hotel, and even get a place with a kitchen where you could cook some of your own meals. This is not as nice (IMO) as staying on-site, but if it's the only way it is affordable it sure beats staying at home.

Another piece of advice. Make the dining reservations anyway, especially if you are interested in character dining. Pick your dates and figure out what days you want to dine where, then have your TA make the ADRs - or do it yourself. (You are already under 180 days for August.) You don't need a resort reservation to make the ADRs.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

Welcome!! And all previous posts are terrific advice. I just wanted to add that planning a WDW doesn't HAVE to be overwhelming. I tend to think that even setting foot on this website can give you more information than you bargained for because of the sheer vastness of information.

To simplify it,

1. Check with a travel agent for the best economical option (I personally like Dreams Unlimited). Not only can they help you plan, they will constantly look for better deals as they are announced.

2. Make dining reservations as soon as possible (or utilize your travel agent for this). Remember that you can always cancel a ressie if you don't need it - and I encourage you to cancel as a courtesy to other travelers.

After that, keep things simple so you don't stress out As a previous poster said, this is supposed to be fun!

Good luck and I really hope you all make it and have a terrific time!

 

[Celidh]

Thank you everyone for your comments.

My mom will most likely be travelling with us as well, we will meet up with her in Toronto since our flight will prolly go from Halifax to Toronto then on to Orlando. Since she will be with us, we are planning on getting connecting rooms at a value resort, preferably Pop Century.

I have registered on Disney, priced the vacation and the whole nine yards. I also have a plethora of other sites I have been checking out. One of them has a chart of all of Disney's special offers for the last 4 or 5 years, who they were offered to (eg. visa offers, general public or whatever) and when they were offered and for what travel dates. I see that every year since 2008 i think it was, there has been a free dining offer for the general public announced around the end of March or into April for travel the end of August till October or later. This is what I am hoping for. I know nothing with Disney is guaranteed but a girl can hope. If that doesnt come up, well, I will have to think on it.

I have a budget plan and know what I can afford without breaking the bank and going into debt.

It's the free dining I want because the room discount for a value resort doesn't add up to nearly as much as the dining plan for my family. Only one of my children are classed as a child for dining, so I would have to pay for 4 adults and one child.

Anyway, I have tonnes to say but that is it for now. I'll be back later!

 

[Aliceacc]

Best wishes!

 

[Celidh]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, staying anywhere that involves preparing our own meals does not work.

I am the meal preparer in our house and I absolutely refuse to do it on my vacation. We went to PEI last summer for a few days and stayed in a cottage and I spent most of the day preparing meals and cleaning up. Nope, not doing it. I will stay home first.

I know that sounds pretty strong but I want this vacation to be for me. I haven't had more than 5 days off in a row for over 6 years (unless you count being unemployed for 3 months with no income so had to stay home and do nothing).

So, yeah, I want someone else to do the cooking!

 

[canopynut66]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, staying anywhere that involves preparing our own meals does not work.

I am the meal preparer in our house and I absolutely refuse to do it on my vacation. We went to PEI last summer for a few days and stayed in a cottage and I spent most of the day preparing meals and cleaning up. Nope, not doing it. I will stay home first.

I know that sounds pretty strong but I want this vacation to be for me. I haven't had more than 5 days off in a row for over 6 years (unless you count being unemployed for 3 months with no income so had to stay home and do nothing).

So, yeah, I want someone else to do the cooking!

We will be taking our 58th trip in late September and over the years have stayed in all resorts at one time or the other and we are just never in the room other than to sleep and shower as we are like you-no cooking no washing out cereal bowls just plain no cooking for us. Not even coffee in the room want it by the pool. We looked into family suites at All Stars and two rooms cheaper than suite (for ones that want to cook or microwave are good but we don't) we have free dining but booked this 12/20/10 after coming home from last trip. We are to stay this trip at POP Century and will be fourth time staying there and bus service best on property. With value resorts the free dining is all counter service so do not need reservations but we upgrade to MYWD it is around $10 per person each day but then we have one table service TS a day as well as a counter service and a snack each day. We like to have seafood or good steak when on vacation so worth to us to upgrade. Once we leave home do not want to cook/make coffee or do laundry until we are back home. as I on vacation from it all so do understand what your saying if your going to upgrade would book dining reservations for all your TS meals as soon as you know your dates. Watch mouseears.com and wdwmagic.com and read budget board every day also themousefor less.com and see if they do offer free dining again her shortly.

 

[Celidh]

We are looking at the two rooms at the Pop Century. I looked at the family suite at Music, but the sleeping arrangements wouldnt have been as good. I would have like the fridge and the microwave (for heating snacks) but can live without it.

I was thinking of upgrading from QSDP but decided that it wasn't worth the extra $ I would have to spend. My kids aren't big on sitting in a restaurant and since two of the three of them are classed as adults for the dining plan, by the time you add the extra cost for upgrade as well as tips, it will prolly end up being over $600 extra I figure. I am going to pay out of pocket to go to Chef Mickey's for breakfast though. I might schedule it for as late in the morning as possible and use it as an early lunch that day. We'll see, since I don't even have my trip booked yet.

My big thing for not necessarily wanting table service for this trip is the ADRs. I have never been there so how in the world can I know not only where I will be at a given time on a given day, but where I would want to eat. I think we would do better eating when we are hungry and not planning it 6 months ahead. It would be different if we didnt have the kids and had some sort of personal experience at WDW to base our meal choices on ahead of time.

I don't have to worry about coffee in the room or anywhere else. My addiction is Diet Coke so I will definitely be getting the refillable mug for myself. Mama needs her fix in the morning just like the coffee junkies!

I will have to do laundry at least once while we are there. I don't think we can fit (or even own) 10 days worth of clothes in one suitcase as we are flying.

I definitely keep my eye on quite a few places for specials. That is my evening pass time/obsession right about now.

I have a feeling it is going to be a long 6 months or so waiting to get to see Mickey!!

Thanks!

 

[skier_pete]

If do get FD at Pop, it likely would be QS plan. Looks like you've though about whether an upgrade is worth it to your family, and have looked at the +/- of it all. If you are only going to have 1 or 2 TS meals in the week, than the standard DDP may not be for you. You are right that you have to have a pretty solid stragedy (what parks which days) to use DDP with TS meals. This can be hard for a frist-timer, and especially using the DIS as a resource when you'll get 12 different pieces of advice for any situation.

I would still say make your Chef Mickey's reservations sooner rather than later. If you're not big on having a plan for which day in which park, just pick a day in the middle of your trip and make the ADR on-line yourself. It does you no harm as you can cancel anytime. That's a restaurant that's pretty hard to get into, also.

 

[Celidh]

Thanks Skier Pete.

Yes I've done lots of thinking. As you mentioned, I am planning on making my res for Chef MIckey's as soon as I can. Since we are planning on having breakfast there, and getting the park hopper, if i end up making the res for the beginning of the day, it really doesnt matter what park we are going to later in the day.

I really don't want to try to plan my table service meals. Maybe someday if there is ever another trip. I think quick service is best for us.