November 2012 Trip planners #4~almost Disney time! Everyone welcome!

[MomofKatie]

Thanks for your response! I just looked up the menu and it seems like its basically just eggs served with a bunch of sides. Just a little disappointed. I think I'll call and find another restaurant.

Pretty much all the character breakfasts are similar. The buffets have a larger selection, but IMO, the food is fresher and hotter when it is brought to your table. The last time we ate there, we had eggs, sausages, Mickey waffles, potatoes, toast, and yummy pineapple bread along with tropical fruit juice and other drinks.

If you like Lilo & Stitch, 'Ohana is a must! Stitch is a hoot to interact with. They also have a fun "conga line" type parade/dance around the restaurant every 45 mins or so.

 

[luvallprincesses]

The room only fall discounts/discounts aren't what I hoped they would be. And I never got a good room only pin, as I have for the last 3 years. So now I'm stuck with a decision to make and just want to make the decision and get it over with. But I need your thoughts to do so! I currently have 2 bookings: WL Woods View room with free dining, and the Dolphin using the teacher rate. (Neither of which we have ever stayed at before.)

For 8 nights, the WL free dining package will end up costing us around $3900. If I take the 20% off room only at WL for which only a higher class room is available, it will be $3400. (The FD is a no-brainer between those 2.) The Dolphin without dining will cost us (adding in transfers since no ME included and daily resort fee - but no parking fee) around $2800. Obviously, that means if we will eat over $1100 of food, WL FD is the better bet. I had us figured at around $800 in food. We were planning on just a couple of TS meals because after doing FD our last 2 trips decided (1) it doesn't fit our kids eating styles and (2) we don't like to be tied down to ADR times. (I can definitely see Disney's full force pushing of filling up the TS restaurants by making "free" dining the "best" deal right now.)

So really, it comes down to about $300 more to stay at WL over the Dolphin with all other costs being considered. Who thinks $300 is worth the: (1) full Disney magic, (2) boat convenience to MK and monorail instead of boat to Epcot and HS (we will spend equal time at all parks), (3) gorgeous Christmas lobby, (4) having the dining plan that we really didn't want to be tied down to, (5) staying at the resort that was our first choice to begin with, and (6) a trade off for MVMCP?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[kerriemiller]

The room only fall discounts/discounts aren't what I hoped they would be. And I never got a good room only pin, as I have for the last 3 years. So now I'm stuck with a decision to make and just want to make the decision and get it over with. But I need your thoughts to do so! I currently have 2 bookings: WL Woods View room with free dining, and the Dolphin using the teacher rate. (Neither of which we have ever stayed at before.)

For 8 nights, the WL free dining package will end up costing us around $3900. If I take the 20% off room only at WL for which only a higher class room is available, it will be $3400. (The FD is a no-brainer between those 2.) The Dolphin without dining will cost us (adding in transfers since no ME included and daily resort fee - but no parking fee) around $2800. Obviously, that means if we will eat over $1100 of food, WL FD is the better bet. I had us figured at around $800 in food. We were planning on just a couple of TS meals because after doing FD our last 2 trips decided (1) it doesn't fit our kids eating styles and (2) we don't like to be tied down to ADR times. (I can definitely see Disney's full force pushing of filling up the TS restaurants by making "free" dining the "best" deal right now.)

So really, it comes down to about $300 more to stay at WL over the Dolphin with all other costs being considered. Who thinks $300 is worth the: (1) full Disney magic, (2) boat convenience to MK and monorail instead of boat to Epcot and HS (we will spend equal time at all parks), (3) gorgeous Christmas lobby, (4) having the dining plan that we really didn't want to be tied down to, (5) staying at the resort that was our first choice to begin with, and (6) a trade off for MVMCP?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Well we stayed at WL last year. I was not that impress with the QS or the TS resturants they have, didnt care for the food at the QS and the antics at the Whispering Canyon are not my style they are kind of loud and snippy and they make a big deal out of putting every ketchup bottle in the resturant on your table if you ask for ketchup. Not my idea of a nice meal. Plus the resturant is open to the lobby so it can carry into the lobby area. We walked through the lobby a few times and could hear them yelling in the resturant.
I did love the resort in general but its rooms are a little dark. Lots of hunter green and brown. And we might have rebooked but I had read a few times that there is some room reburbishing going on at WL. And I was under the impression it will still be going on in Nov.
We have always felt that a room discount is worth more to us then free food. Like you the DP just doesnt fit the way we like to eat. I would go for the room discount over FD anytime.

 

[kerriemiller]

Well looks like Im calling to find out about renting DVC points tomorrow. Thats hubby's desicion. Apparently when I suggested the idea 3 months ago, I didnt present the information in such a way that it made sense to him. I love my husband to death but one of the things that truely erks me is no matter what the topic, he cannt just take my word for it I have to find someone/something to support my info or its not a good idea. This made remodeling our house a super fun time NOT
But oh well it is what it is. I cannt be mad at him really, he's just too cute and we are still going to Disney no matter what

 

[Smileybug]

Well we stayed at WL last year. I was not that impress with the QS or the TS resturants they have, didnt care for the food at the QS and the antics at the Whispering Canyon are not my style they are kind of loud and snippy and they make a big deal out of putting every ketchup bottle in the resturant on your table if you ask for ketchup. Not my idea of a nice meal. Plus the resturant is open to the lobby so it can carry into the lobby area. We walked through the lobby a few times and could hear them yelling in the resturant.
I did love the resort in general but its rooms are a little dark. Lots of hunter green and brown. And we might have rebooked but I had read a few times that there is some room reburbishing going on at WL. And I was under the impression it will still be going on in Nov.
We have always felt that a room discount is worth more to us then free food. Like you the DP just doesnt fit the way we like to eat. I would go for the room discount over FD anytime.

I gotta disagree with you on this. Hubby and I love the WL. So much so that it is the only place we stay. Whispering Canyon can be a lot of fun if you let yourself get into the antics. But if loud and playful isn't what you are looking for they have Artist Point which is a very nice resturant. And its quite. We love the boat ride to the MK as well....it is a very relaxing way to end a long day. As far as decor it is a little on the darker side. But doesn't seem as dark as AKL. So its just a matter of what you are looking for. For us its home. Isn't it wonderful that we have so many types of resorts to choose from. That is one of the things that makes Disney so special....... To pretty much make the most of us happy.

 

[squirrel4569]

Poked around a little bit tonight online and I noticed that unlike the free dining discount, the room discount is only good for certain dates, regardless of when you check in. If we move up our date to check in on the 16th we only get the discount for the whole trip. If we change the week then we can get a discount, but I doubt we could get ADRs and we would have to take my daughter out of school, which I really don't think is a good idea when she will be off the entire following week.

Don't know why I'm even looking at it. The trip is paid for. Spending money is saved. Not much left to do but have fun.

 

[aubreysmom09]

Poked around a little bit tonight online and I noticed that unlike the free dining discount, the room discount is only good for certain dates, regardless of when you check in. If we move up our date to check in on the 16th we only get the discount for the whole trip. If we change the week then we can get a discount, but I doubt we could get ADRs and we would have to take my daughter out of school, which I really don't think is a good idea when she will be off the entire following week.

Don't know why I'm even looking at it. The trip is paid for. Spending money is saved. Not much left to do but have fun.

My husband told me to stop. Just keeps saying we got a good deal, and it will be paid soon. What can I say I am a bargain hunter. If it wasn't for that we wouldn't be going for the second time this year. I can save money going to a Value, but he said moderate is fine savings isn't that much. This is our first time staying on property. I will take my husbands advice and relax, and save some play money. Unless we have to change and go in January I am no longer looking or pricing resorts.

 

[squirrel4569]

My husband told me to stop. Just keeps saying we got a good deal, and it will be paid soon. What can I say I am a bargain hunter. If it wasn't for that we wouldn't be going for the second time this year. I can save money going to a Value, but he said moderate is fine savings isn't that much. This is our first time staying on property. I will take my husbands advice and relax, and save some play money. Unless we have to change and go in January I am no longer looking or pricing resorts.

Yeah, last time when we went the discount after booking was enough to cover flights instead of driving. Of course, that was an off peak time too. Just by pure luck we booked this trip before the price increases and we aren't hopping this time so we are getting it cheaper to stay at AoA than if we booked now at POP or one of the other values.

 

[ireneryan]

The room only fall discounts/discounts aren't what I hoped they would be. And I never got a good room only pin, as I have for the last 3 years. So now I'm stuck with a decision to make and just want to make the decision and get it over with. But I need your thoughts to do so! I currently have 2 bookings: WL Woods View room with free dining, and the Dolphin using the teacher rate. (Neither of which we have ever stayed at before.)

For 8 nights, the WL free dining package will end up costing us around $3900. If I take the 20% off room only at WL for which only a higher class room is available, it will be $3400. (The FD is a no-brainer between those 2.) The Dolphin without dining will cost us (adding in transfers since no ME included and daily resort fee - but no parking fee) around $2800. Obviously, that means if we will eat over $1100 of food, WL FD is the better bet. I had us figured at around $800 in food. We were planning on just a couple of TS meals because after doing FD our last 2 trips decided (1) it doesn't fit our kids eating styles and (2) we don't like to be tied down to ADR times. (I can definitely see Disney's full force pushing of filling up the TS restaurants by making "free" dining the "best" deal right now.)

So really, it comes down to about $300 more to stay at WL over the Dolphin with all other costs being considered. Who thinks $300 is worth the: (1) full Disney magic, (2) boat convenience to MK and monorail instead of boat to Epcot and HS (we will spend equal time at all parks), (3) gorgeous Christmas lobby, (4) having the dining plan that we really didn't want to be tied down to, (5) staying at the resort that was our first choice to begin with, and (6) a trade off for MVMCP?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

I would take WL, $300 doesn't seem like enough to give up a 1st choice resort. Also, will you be taking advantage of EMH? That's not available with Dolphin, right? I'm biased, Smileybug has brainwashed meand I'm planning a WL stay for my next trip (Dec 2013) Plus, I'll be staying at Poly this trip, that's another "dark" resort, what do I know?

 

[disneychic2]

I thought Fantasmic was a fixed price of $34 something...and you got an appitizer, entree and dessert? unless im wrong

Yes, a fixed price, but you still order al la carte.(according to the Disney website anyway)

Only 84 days left, is it wrong to already be making a snack list of things I must have/try?

Are you kidding? That's so NOT wrong!!! My favorites are: one of the cinnamon rolls at the Main Street bakery as well as a cupcake (any of them) from Staring Rolls Cafe in HS. I love getting a sundae at the Main Street ice cream shop (to eat while watching Wishes) and I take home several of the rice crispy treats dipped in chocolate. Then there's that Werther's place in Germany at Epcot...so many goodies! I think you'll find you're in excellent company!

The room only fall discounts/discounts aren't what I hoped they would be. And I never got a good room only pin, as I have for the last 3 years. So now I'm stuck with a decision to make and just want to make the decision and get it over with. But I need your thoughts to do so! I currently have 2 bookings: WL Woods View room with free dining, and the Dolphin using the teacher rate. (Neither of which we have ever stayed at before.)

For 8 nights, the WL free dining package will end up costing us around $3900. If I take the 20% off room only at WL for which only a higher class room is available, it will be $3400. (The FD is a no-brainer between those 2.) The Dolphin without dining will cost us (adding in transfers since no ME included and daily resort fee - but no parking fee) around $2800. Obviously, that means if we will eat over $1100 of food, WL FD is the better bet. I had us figured at around $800 in food. We were planning on just a couple of TS meals because after doing FD our last 2 trips decided (1) it doesn't fit our kids eating styles and (2) we don't like to be tied down to ADR times. (I can definitely see Disney's full force pushing of filling up the TS restaurants by making "free" dining the "best" deal right now.)

So really, it comes down to about $300 more to stay at WL over the Dolphin with all other costs being considered. Who thinks $300 is worth the: (1) full Disney magic, (2) boat convenience to MK and monorail instead of boat to Epcot and HS (we will spend equal time at all parks), (3) gorgeous Christmas lobby, (4) having the dining plan that we really didn't want to be tied down to, (5) staying at the resort that was our first choice to begin with, and (6) a trade off for MVMCP?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Okay, first let me say that we stayed at WL last September and absolutely loved it! But since the dining plan isn't really beneficial to your family's eating style, I would go with the Dolphin. The money you save, even after paying for food, you would be able to go to MVMCP. I think your kids would really love that!

Just to throw a wrench into things, did you consider one of the new AoA suites? Don't know how that would figure money-wise, but the theming would be so much more fun than the Dolphin for your kids. Just a thought. I just checked Disney's website and the AoA suites would be $1831 for 7 nights 8 days. I don't know how old your kids are, but thought I'd throw that out there. Good luck with your decision!

 

[disneychic2]

Good Morning Everyone!!

Okay, so yesterday my ticker said 3 months. Now it says 2 months, 4 weeks and 2 days??? Isn't that more than 3 months??? Crazyness!

Hope everyone made out okay from the storms. Haven't heard from any of those who were expecting it, so hopefully no news is good news.

Oof, guys, I need advice! We are currently booked at AoA in a LM room for one night - the night of our 1/2 marathon, we leave the next day. After puttering around trying to figure out logistics of making that work since it's not a host resort I decided if I could get a deal then I would move to a host resort but there aren't any attractive offers BUT it sounds like SUCH a pain I just don't know what to do. Here are the options I sent my husband:


Option A) Stay where we are, take a taxi to ESPN to get our packet on
Saturday morning or take a bus from our resort to a park (probably
Epcot so we can walk over to Beach Club or else bus to park to another
host resort) and then take the shuttle from there to get our packet.
Take a shuttle back to a host resort and then to a park then back to
our room to drop the stuff off then bus to MK for our Tony's spaghetti
lunch (Non-negotiable). Then go back, nap, and then do it all over
again to get back to ESPN for the start of the race. Take a taxi back
to our resort after we are done (there are no buses running except to
a host resort).

Option B) Stay at a host resort. Here are the options left:
-An Allstar Value: $99 vs. our $120 for AoA LM.
-The ONE mod is sold out.
-Stay Deluxe: Yaht Club is nuts at $394/night but walking distance
from Epcot. We could go BACK to AKL for $260, the others are sold out.
I dunno if we'd spend $140 in taxi fees, I doubt it even if we do take
all 4 rides since it ended up being about $18 per trip with my Mom to
the CCC, BUT some people STILL say its $35 for that 3am ride back to
your resort. :/

Option C) Say to heck with it, stay at the Dolphin or Swan for $161 or $188 respectably and walk to BC for
the shuttles, walk back to the hotel after the race, take a taxi or
rent a car to get back to the airport. Looks like Super Shuttle would be $18 pp to MCO.

What would you guys do?

First of all,

I think option B is your best bet. Seems a whole lot less complicated and/or expensive. Plus, you never know at what point one of those connections to a connection would break down or be delayed. Seems like a lot of headache when you want to be concentrating on your race and your trip. Good luck!

 

[ksack]

im feeling left out.. i think i am the only person that has not changed our reservation since we made it in. NO discounts or free dining or anything lol.

You aren't the only one... We decided as a family - well 3 out of 4 of us - how many credits each of us could do out of the whole total and each one of us picked our restaurants plus a couple of just in cases and we've stuck with that.

DD did give up one of her credits so her brother could do H&V after seeing that they had new characters...

 

[Smileybug]

I would take WL, $300 doesn't seem like enough to give up a 1st choice resort. Also, will you be taking advantage of EMH? That's not available with Dolphin, right? I'm biased, Smileybug has brainwashed meand I'm planning a WL stay for my next trip (Dec 2013) Plus, I'll be staying at Poly this trip, that's another "dark" resort, what do I know?

I actually brainwashed someone!!!! ...

Everyone has resorts that ..... they just bond with. You see that on the Resorts board. Look at the following that the Poly has. If you do stay at the WL, I really hope you love it as much as we do. But if not....at least you tried another great resort at Disney!!

 

[Divaofdisney]

Good Morning Everyone!!

Well, spoke with my daughter Sarah last night in Pensacola....she is faring out fairly well so far. They have had alot of wind, rain, and flooding in certain areas with several roads closed. They continue to be under hurricane watch- and we continue to pray that all remains calm and that she has survived the worst of it. They really kind of lucked out with everything. I will speak with her again in a little bit to check on her. I feel so bad for New Orleans and SW Louisianna- they have really taken a beating and one of the levies has been breached, which is just terrible news. My prayers are with all of them.

I understand the RO discounts are out with many debates as to whether or not it helps or hurts anyone. For us, we are keeping what we have. All in all, we are happy and pleased with our plans and don't want to mess with anything. Hope everyone has a great day.

 

[KSBelle77]

So I know this might be impossible but there is a good place to study at the magic kingdom. I will be missing my review day in legal analysis research and righting class and have an exam when I get back.

 

[mommyof3princess27]

I have 88 days!!!! Woohoo!!!!! Its flying by... so just out of curiousity i prices out AKL and WL and for $300 more then im paying now i could have deluxe BUT I really do like POR. Poly was so nice..... and well nothing else compares BUT POR was nice too. I dont think I could ever stay at a All star... not my cup of tea. I may try AoA one day but right now i want to stay deluxe again!!!! I wish I could just pull the trigger but that means letting half of my meals go. I am not sure I can do that LOL I have actually kept looking at the schedule to see if I could cut out anything and yep we cant do it....just cant!

 

[kerriemiller]

I gotta disagree with you on this. Hubby and I love the WL. So much so that it is the only place we stay. Whispering Canyon can be a lot of fun if you let yourself get into the antics. But if loud and playful isn't what you are looking for they have Artist Point which is a very nice resturant. And its quite. We love the boat ride to the MK as well....it is a very relaxing way to end a long day. As far as decor it is a little on the darker side. But doesn't seem as dark as AKL. So its just a matter of what you are looking for. For us its home. Isn't it wonderful that we have so many types of resorts to choose from. That is one of the things that makes Disney so special....... To pretty much make the most of us happy.

We did really like the resort, I agree the boat was unbeatable, and it was a realitively small resort which was the biggest plus. But we've also stayed at the Dolphin too and I liked that area alot. There are more food choices in that area with out having to go into a park. It was super cool to walk to everything in that Epcot area.

My husband told me to stop. Just keeps saying we got a good deal, and it will be paid soon. What can I say I am a bargain hunter. If it wasn't for that we wouldn't be going for the second time this year. I can save money going to a Value, but he said moderate is fine savings isn't that much. This is our first time staying on property. I will take my husbands advice and relax, and save some play money. Unless we have to change and go in January I am no longer looking or pricing resorts.

You know I wish I would have kept my mouth shut about the room discount.

 

[ireneryan]

I have 88 days!!!! Woohoo!!!!! Its flying by... so just out of curiousity i prices out AKL and WL and for $300 more then im paying now i could have deluxe BUT I really do like POR. Poly was so nice..... and well nothing else compares BUT POR was nice too. I dont think I could ever stay at a All star... not my cup of tea. I may try AoA one day but right now i want to stay deluxe again!!!! I wish I could just pull the trigger but that means letting half of my meals go. I am not sure I can do that LOL I have actually kept looking at the schedule to see if I could cut out anything and yep we cant do it....just cant!

$300 more for the deluxe and then you'd still have to pay OOP for food or is it $300 more including your food expenses?

You will be in soooo much trouble with those insane BOG thread people if you give up your ADR's!

 

[ireneryan]

I actually brainwashed someone!!!! ...

Everyone has resorts that ..... they just bond with. You see that on the Resorts board. Look at the following that the Poly has. If you do stay at the WL, I really hope you love it as much as we do. But if not....at least you tried another great resort at Disney!!

You're right the Poly does have a very devoted following! People on that board talk about Poly only stays, no parks, it must be awesome over there. We're doing a split stay this time (originally I was all Poly but the discount moved me) We're doing the first half at GF and the second half at Poly. Our next trip I am planning on another split stay with a couple nights at CR and then the bulk of the trip at WL, congratulations Smileybrainwasher!

 

[mommyof3princess27]

$300 more for the deluxe and then you'd still have to pay OOP for food or is it $300 more including your food expenses?

You will be in soooo much trouble with those insane BOG thread people if you give up your ADR's!

oh its $300 more than im paying now but Id have the reg plan and I cant see spending that for a room where we wont be spending a ton of time. Besides my schedule works and we have a Royal Guest Room