October 2011 Code Watch

[mouselovenfamily]

A little OT, but has anyone tried the Purex laundry sheets yet? I am thinking for packing these would be much better than the separate items and that they are much cheaper than what I could buy at the resort.

Yes, that's what we use on vacation!! Even though I don't like using the machines, for some clothes I wil ldo a load and those are GREAT for vacation. I put some in a zip lock and that's all ya need! Very easy!!!

 

[budbeerlady]

A little OT, but has anyone tried the Purex laundry sheets yet? I am thinking for packing these would be much better than the separate items and that they are much cheaper than what I could buy at the resort.

We used them in December, they worked great! I plan to use them again for a longer vacation.

 

[sjs314]

Yes they are the best new product ever. I would suggest getting the ones in the white box, I think they are called Pure, just in case someone in your party might be sensitive to the change in detergent or scent .

 

[sjs314]

Out of curiosity I decided to check this morning to see what availability there is at the various resorts during my visit (10/19-10/25) in case a really good discount should be offered. We already have air fare so our dates are not changeable.

Deluxe Resorts are sparce, Mods limited and Values seem to have good availability.

I am wondering now if we might see a discount either FD or %off room rate being offered only at the Values, Mods and WL, OKW and SSR

Zero Availability BCV, POLY, CR, AKL, BLT, VWL

YC/BC-St CL
BW- DxCL & Garden Suites
BWV- 1 Bdrm St view
WL - all room catagories
SSR/OKW - Studios, 1 & 2 Bdrm


FT Wilderness-Cabins
POR-St & King
POFQ -St & Riverview
CBR - Waterview & Pirate
CSR - all catagories

POP, ASMO & ASSp - St & Pref
ASMU - St, Pref & Suites

 

[im4kycats]

Out of curiosity I decided to check this morning to see what availability there is at the various resorts during my visit (10/19-10/25) in case a really good discount should be offered. We already have air fare so our dates are not changeable.

Deluxe Resorts are sparce, Mods limited and Values seem to have good availability.

I am wondering now if we might see a discount either FD or %off room rate being offered only at the Values, Mods and WL, OKW and SSR

Zero Availability BCV, POLY, CR, AKL, BLT, VWL

YC/BC-St CL
BW- DxCL & Garden Suites
BWV- 1 Bdrm St view
WL - all room catagories
SSR/OKW - Studios, 1 & 2 Bdrm


FT Wilderness-Cabins
POR-St & King
POFQ -St & Riverview
CBR - Waterview & Pirate
CSR - all catagories

POP, ASMO & ASSp - St & Pref
ASMU - St, Pref & Suites

I think the Epcot resorts will be taken up due to the Gartner conference. Historically, the discounts are announced mid August, so hopefully we will see them around Aug. 15, which is a Monday. Last year they were released on Aug. 16.

 

[FigmentChick]

A little OT, but has anyone tried the Purex laundry sheets yet? I am thinking for packing these would be much better than the separate items and that they are much cheaper than what I could buy at the resort.

Like others, I have used them and like them. I got the ones in the white box because I have major allergies to anything that smells and is not for "sensetive skin". They are now one item that is always on my packing list.

 

[im4kycats]

Thanks for all the replies about the laundry sheets, I was hoping that would be the response!

 

[FigmentChick]

Out of curiosity I decided to check this morning to see what availability there is at the various resorts during my visit (10/19-10/25) in case a really good discount should be offered. We already have air fare so our dates are not changeable.

Deluxe Resorts are sparce, Mods limited and Values seem to have good availability.

I am wondering now if we might see a discount either FD or %off room rate being offered only at the Values, Mods and WL, OKW and SSR

Zero Availability BCV, POLY, CR, AKL, BLT, VWL

YC/BC-St CL
BW- DxCL & Garden Suites
BWV- 1 Bdrm St view
WL - all room catagories
SSR/OKW - Studios, 1 & 2 Bdrm


FT Wilderness-Cabins
POR-St & King
POFQ -St & Riverview
CBR - Waterview & Pirate
CSR - all catagories

POP, ASMO & ASSp - St & Pref
ASMU - St, Pref & Suites

I've been playing with our dates as well and, from what I can tell, the mods are pretty much open.

I agree with the poster that said the EPCOT hotels are booking up due to the Food & Wine Festival. I've talk to a couple of CMs the last few days (looking for that ever- elusive PIN) and they seemed to indicate early August. I'm betting on more like August 15th (as has been mentioned), because we haven't even got an inkling about next week from any travel agents or others in the know like TouringPlans.

 

[k9muttlover]

When it's "free" -- it matters less how you use it. But if you use it for breakfast, you are really getting minimal value out of it.

I'd say the majority of people either do breakfast in the room, or use a snack credit for breakfast (bagel is a snack credit, cereal is a snack credit). If you were going to "buy" an extra meal, a CS breakfast out of pocket, is under $10.

Then use the TS and CS for lunch and dinner.

Again - it all depends on your family's eating habits. For my DH and I, we use our CS for either breakfast OR lunch. BUT - we usually sleep in and don't hit the parks early. So, if we're up earlier, we'll have breakfast and then make it thru the day with a snack and then our nice TS dinner. Other days, we use the CS for lunch.

I know a lot of people end up with lots of extra snack or CS credits, but we have never had a problem using them. Many times we will use our snack credit for a bottle of soda in the parks or popcorn or something. If anything, we've ended up using snacks first!

It's a learning experience to figure out how it works for you, but we always stay OP and the DP is definitely a money saver for us.

If you're staying off property, I'm not sure I'd bother changing plans just to get the dining plan.

 

[tammyjeanm]

I can't stop thinking about how much I am going to need in spending money. Is there anyone that has this all thought out and can share with me? It's just DH and myself. We are staying 9nts/10 days. I purchased everything through Disney at rack rate for Oct 12-21, including plane tickets, hotel at POP, park plus tickets including hopper, and also the dining plan. The only thing I can think of that we would need money for is our luggage (flying Delta), tips, a little bit of spending money and meals for first and last days. Am I missing anything? Besides the cost of luggage, would it seem right to figure around $100 a day for the tips and spending. (We are somewhat frugal ppl and I don't plan on spending a great deal on souveniers). I greatly appreciate the input.

Thank you for all the responses. I feel at ease knowing how much I'll need.

 

[havoc315]

Again - it all depends on your family's eating habits. For my DH and I, we use our CS for either breakfast OR lunch. BUT - we usually sleep in and don't hit the parks early. So, if we're up earlier, we'll have breakfast and then make it thru the day with a snack and then our nice TS dinner. Other days, we use the CS for lunch.

When the DDP is free, "maximizing" use is really pretty irrelevant.
But if you have to pay for the DDP in 2012....
At a cost of about $52 per adult per night..
A CS breakfast isn't going to run more than about $9.
Assuming you get $3-$4 value from the snack, that means your dinner would have to cost at least $39-40, just to break even.
So a CS breakfast, followed by a snack, and then dinner at Chef Mickey's (for example of a fixed price meal), would actually be a monetary loser on the DDP.

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

A little OT, but has anyone tried the Purex laundry sheets yet? I am thinking for packing these would be much better than the separate items and that they are much cheaper than what I could buy at the resort.

I tried these last trip and they ROCK!!! Definitely worth it and even put in a ziploc bag, they make the clothes in your luggage smell nice when you unpack.

I can't stop thinking about how much I am going to need in spending money. Is there anyone that has this all thought out and can share with me? It's just DH and myself. We are staying 9nts/10 days. I purchased everything through Disney at rack rate for Oct 12-21, including plane tickets, hotel at POP, park plus tickets including hopper, and also the dining plan. The only thing I can think of that we would need money for is our luggage (flying Delta), tips, a little bit of spending money and meals for first and last days. Am I missing anything? Besides the cost of luggage, would it seem right to figure around $100 a day for the tips and spending. (We are somewhat frugal ppl and I don't plan on spending a great deal on souveniers). I greatly appreciate the input.

Ah, the ever elusive spending money It all depends on what you are going to spend! I make a Disney budget and track what I actually spend for each vacation. It makes it realistic to budget for future trips. We try not to bring too much cash. We like to use our credit cards for points (we pay the card off every month so we don't carry a balance) but we do have a few items we like to have cash for including: housekeeping tips, drinks or snacks outside of our dining plan that we will get at the 'carts' (not restaurants), penny pressing, Frontierland shooting arcade, 'wishing' coins, children's spending money, tips for table service meals we use the dining plan for, and some just in case cash.

I always look at the following groups of items I have to pay for and budget in each section accordingly. I plan out our meals and if I'm not sure, I'll take an 'average' using prices from allearsnet menus section. I always factor in tax and tip as well. So here are my budget sections - plane tickets, baggage fees, airport parking, vacation transportation (car rental, gas, cabs, etc), Disney vacation (resort, tickets, dining plan), extra tickets (mnnshp, waterparks if i don't get that option), other fun stuff (watercraft rentals, kids things or onsite childcare, car racing, etc.), grocery store/liquor stop (if applicable), breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, glow stuff (we order ours beforehand), adult beverages (plan on $10 per drink including tip), and then souvenirs and gifts.

Ouch, I'm looking at all my Disney trips. Come on discounts for October!!!!

 

[k9muttlover]

When the DDP is free, "maximizing" use is really pretty irrelevant.
But if you have to pay for the DDP in 2012....
At a cost of about $52 per adult per night..
A CS breakfast isn't going to run more than about $9.
Assuming you get $3-$4 value from the snack, that means your dinner would have to cost at least $39-40, just to break even.
So a CS breakfast, followed by a snack, and then dinner at Chef Mickey's (for example of a fixed price meal), would actually be a monetary loser on the DDP.

My response was directed as to whether or not a CS and a TS was "enough" or if there were be additional OOP expenses for meals.

Even at $52/day/adult, I personally think for two people, it's a good deal. But if you're light eaters, then it's a complete waste of money (unless it's free, then you have nothing to lose).

 

[disneymagicgirl]

disneymagicgirl - I hate for you to cancel the cruise, my family has been on all 3 ships and LOVED all of their trips.

Me too, but we would just wait and do the Fantasy in 2012 instead. We are just torn b/c we want to do the parks as well as the cruise. Right now we are planning on MNSSHP, a resort day, and a WP day, then the 4 night cruise. My family really wants to do the theme parks for those 2 days prior, but the cost for 2 day tix for the 4 of us is $650! I am used to getting a package incl 7-8 day tix, so that price knocked my socks off! I am not sure it is worth $325/day to go to a park...esp since they close around 7-8pm when we are there. So we have to decide, parks for a week, or stick with the land/cruise combo...

 

[Vidia2]

.

 

[FigmentChick]

We try not to bring too much cash. We like to use our credit cards for points (we pay the card off every month so we don't carry a balance) but we do have a few items we like to have cash for including: housekeeping tips, drinks or snacks outside of our dining plan that we will get at the 'carts' (not restaurants), penny pressing, Frontierland shooting arcade, 'wishing' coins, children's spending money, tips for table service meals we use the dining plan for, and some just in case cash.

I forgot to mention this fact!!! We use our credit cards as well and don't carry a lot of cash. As I mentioned before, we have the quarters and pennies and I carry a little bit of cash. My theory: I can always run to Walmart or Publix and pick up a soda and get cash out of the debit card if needed.

 

[havoc315]

I'm starting to think there won't be free dining beyond the already advertised memory package that ends in September. Last year they began offering free dining to the public via mass email (not just random) in July for dates beyond. Maybe they are, as someone stated in another thread, trying to wean us off discounts.

There is no question they are trying to wean discounts. But they aren't eliminating them. UK travelers already have a free dining offer for 2012.

So I really wouldn't be shocked to see some sort of free dining offer for US visitors, though it may have less availability than past offers, and it may require a "memories" purchase, etc.

Of course, they may be waiting to see the resolution of the debt limit crisis. If there is economic turmoil due to the debt issues, it could dramatically de-value the US dollar, really making Disney want to focus more on international guests.

 

[sjs314]

I'm starting to think there won't be free dining beyond the already advertised memory package that ends in September. Last year they began offering free dining to the public via mass email (not just random) in July for dates beyond. Maybe they are, as someone stated in another thread, trying to wean us off discounts.

I hope this isn't the case. We'll still go to WDW but we won't be able to go as often.

My email from last year announcing free dining through dates in December was from Disney Destinations with link to main Disney website is dated July 17, 2010.Don't think it's happening this year. Travellers from overseas are filling up resorts due to sad decline of dollar.

I got curious when I read your post, knowing I rec'd a FD offer last year also I checked my folder and I rec'd the FD off from Disney Destinations on July 13, 2010. For arrivals most nights 10/3–11/23/10 and 11/28-12/16/10.

I was already booked last year same as this year, so I do hope I might get an offer this year too.

I had not realised the offer came out that early last year. Has me a little worried.

 

[brinkmom]

Does anyone know.....once you make your final payment on a reservation ( the 45 days before the trip date) and they come out with a general public offer let's say for free dining.... Would I be able to apply that, or am I out of luck?

 

[havoc315]

Does anyone know.....once you make your final payment on a reservation ( the 45 days before the trip date) and they come out with a general public offer let's say for free dining.... Would I be able to apply that, or am I out of luck?

Typically, you can apply it. But may need to pay the change fee.