****Official August 2014 Thread****

[Disneylover99]

Well.....we went ahead and changed our reservation from GF CL to a royal room at POR....thus saving $2500!

With a new little one on the way, we are looking at a new car, and adding a bedroom and bathroom to our house. It only made sense to cut back on the cost of our Disney trip.

We've never stayed at POR (loved POFQ though!), but really wanted to try the royal rooms before the family is too big to stay in them.

1st trimester is kicking my butt, but I'm going on 10 weeks now so hopefully I'll start feeling better soon.

At least I have a $2500 refund to look forward too!

Sounds like a smart move. I hope you feel better soon!

 

[disneygrl704]

Hi new here hope it's OK if I jump in. Will be visiting the DW mid Aug staying at AOA. Just made my FP and I'm doing the happy dance because I was able to get a FP for A&E. The trip will be a surprise for my DD4 and DN6. DD just asked me today if we could go this summer. It was so hard not to spill the beans. Can't wait to surprise the girls.. super excited!

Welcome! We are also surprising our daughter. She is 7 and she has no idea! It is so hard for me to keep it a secret because she talks about Disney a lot! Only about 2 months left so I'm gonna try!

 

[DopeyRocks]

So excited!!! Surprise Trip for the kids from 8/13-8/20 at Port Orleans - Riverside. Also bringing my Mom, Dad & Brother, so its going to be 5 adults and 2 kids. My Dad doesn't even know yet that we are all going. Hopefully I will be able to keep the surprise from the kids!

 

[Disneylover99]

do you not get your magic bands until you've paid in full?

Good question. I have no idea.

 

[ariane37]

do you not get your magic bands until you've paid in full?

I don't think it matters. However if you have a package you'd be paid in full anyway, as you have to be paid in full 45 days prior to your trip and the bands don't ship out that early. For a RO, you don't have to pay off your balance until you check in, but I believe your bands still ship a couple weeks before your check-in date.

I can always be wrong though!

 

[ariane37]

Not quite paid off my hotel bills yet.

Gina, we like Citywalk. We found the food better at NBA City than Nascar. The mini golf was fun. We were rained out the one night we golfed after getting almost the whole course done, and the manager kindly gave us passes to play another round some other time. I think if you Park in the garages after 5 pm, it is only 5 dollars to park.

Oh, and I hate typing on my iPad!

Nice to see good reviews of NBA City, we're planning to go there for the first time as both DS's are big basketball fans
So $5 parking after 5:00?

 

[GoofyMB]

I don't think it matters. However if you have a package you'd be paid in full anyway, as you have to be paid in full 45 days prior to your trip and the bands don't ship out that early. For a RO, you don't have to pay off your balance until you check in, but I believe your bands still ship a couple weeks before your check-in date. I can always be wrong though!

You should get the bands at about 26 days prior to check in based on my experiences so far. Also for both of my June reservations I got the email invitation for BOG lunch @ 28 days

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Nice to see good reviews of NBA City, we're planning to go there for the first time as both DS's are big basketball fans
So $5 parking after 5:00?

Yep....$5 between 5 and 10 pm, free after 10 pm:

https://www.universalorlando.com/Resort-Information/Parking-Information.aspx

 

[abmitch01]

how did Disney know you wanted an invite for BOG?

 

[digiMom]

For qotd: airfare was on SW rewards points, other SW fees paid, just paid balance for DVC points rental, tickets from UT paid, have about $750 on a disney rewards redemption card to use toward food, have money saved and ready for additional food and incidentals. Now I just need to pay off my medical bills, too. Gotta keep your priorities straight.

 

[ariane37]

double post

 

[ariane37]

Yep....$5 between 5 and 10 pm, free after 10 pm:

https://www.universalorlando.com/Resort-Information/Parking-Information.aspx

Thanks Gina Did you guys make a reservation when you went to NBA City? And was it on a weekend? Sorry for all the questions lol. Just debating whether I need to for late August. It would be nice NOT to have to have a set time for something! But don't want to get there and be turned away or have a 2 hour wait

 

[Wishing4magic]

Welcome! We are also surprising our daughter. She is 7 and she has no idea! It is so hard for me to keep it a secret because she talks about Disney a lot! Only about 2 months left so I'm gonna try!

Thank You!! My sister and I a surprising our little girls with our first "girls trip" to Disney. They are both big Disney fans. They are both obsessed with all things princess and all things Frozen. My DD4 has been to DW before and talks about it all the time. I'm still debating how or when to tell her. I'm thinking maybe I'll tell her for her bday next month. The other idea would be with balloons and bags packed the night before. Either way I am one excited Momma.

How & when do you plan to tell your little girl?

 

[kbmartin]

Our rooms, airfair and tickets were paid off months ago. Now I'm waiting to get a target debit card to use on Disney gift cards for our dining. I've been saving for months for that and am finally pulling the trigger!

Ooh ... this sounds like a great tip for savings! I don't have a Target debit card, but my mom does. What does this do for gift cards???

 

[abmitch01]

Thank You!! My sister and I a surprising our little girls with our first "girls trip" to Disney. They are both big Disney fans. They are both obsessed with all things princess and all things Frozen. My DD4 has been to DW before and talks about it all the time. I'm still debating how or when to tell her. I'm thinking maybe I'll tell her for her bday next month. The other idea would be with balloons and bags packed the night before. Either way I am one excited Momma.

How & when do you plan to tell your little girl?

when my kids were little I surprised them one Christmas with a word scramble, my son got all excited because he figured it out and said "we're going to Denny's!". When I told him to try again and he got it, he was beyond excited.

 

[Disneylover99]

Okay everyone I am really excited!!!!!

I had accepted and made peace with the fact that we were going to drive.......but this morning we booked airfare!!!!!!!
I couldn't resist the $109 flight down! Our traveling dates are a bit earlier now too.

Now we are booked Aug. 14th - Aug. 29th!!!!! 15 days!!!! First three days at Pop, then 12 days at POFQ.

Which brings me to day 61......I have to make my FP selections at midnight!

 

[OnceUponATime15]

Okay everyone I am really excited!!!!! I had accepted and made peace with the fact that we were going to drive.......but this morning we booked airfare!!!!!!! I couldn't resist the $109 flight down! Our traveling dates are a bit earlier now too. Now we are booked Aug. 14th - Aug. 29th!!!!! 15 days!!!! First three days at Pop, then 12 days at POFQ. Which brings me to day 61......I have to make my FP selections at midnight!

So happy for you! Love it when fate steps in & lends a hand We are now booked an extra day in order to take advantage of a cheap flight down (to go with our long ago booked flight home -- lol)

We'll be there August 21 - 29th.. WL 4 nights & 2 nights each at the YC & the Poly!

My FP date is a week from tonight at midnight.. my planning/ADR lists have been gone over - and over... I think I'm ready! lol!

 

[Disneylover99]

So happy for you! Love it when fate steps in & lends a hand We are now booked an extra day in order to take advantage of a cheap flight down (to go with our long ago booked flight home -- lol)

We'll be there August 21 - 29th.. WL 4 nights & 2 nights each at the YC & the Poly!

My FP date is a week from tonight at midnight.. my planning/ADR lists have been gone over - and over... I think I'm ready! lol!

Thank you.......it's such a relief. Now I'm frantically trying to figure out my FP. The flight home is $196, but based on the SW price drops I've seen out of Buffalo this week, I'm hoping that price may come down......if not, I'm happy.

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

Okay everyone I am really excited!!!!! I had accepted and made peace with the fact that we were going to drive.......but this morning we booked airfare!!!!!!! I couldn't resist the $109 flight down! Our traveling dates are a bit earlier now too. Now we are booked Aug. 14th - Aug. 29th!!!!! 15 days!!!! First three days at Pop, then 12 days at POFQ. Which brings me to day 61......I have to make my FP selections at midnight!

Fantastic! I'll be there with you at midnight ... Although it's 5am for me, lol! 10.30pm here now so I'm off to bed. See you soon

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Ooh ... this sounds like a great tip for savings! I don't have a Target debit card, but my mom does. What does this do for gift cards???

The Target debit card gives a 5% discount on purchases, including the purchase of gift cards. There are some exclusions like prepaid Visa cards and Target-branded cards. However, I've read some people having problems using them for Disney gift cards. Sometimes a flat-out refusal or a limit on the dollar amount or number of gift cards purchased. But it doesn't hurt to try! Sam's Club will also sell Disney gift cards at a discount, although generally around the holidays.