*** OFFICIAL January 2013 Thread ***

[themollendorns]

Hey everyone!! We aren't exactly sure of our dates, but we are joining the January 2013 group!

I have been planning our next trip since we arrived back in October 2011. We are still debating on which resort. I am actually planning a family reunion and most of this family is in California (and have never been) so I cannot wait until they see how awesome it is!

We are deciding between the Villas at Boardwalk, Beach Club, Bay Lake, and Animal Kingdom. Last year we stayed at Animal Kingdon, and LOVED it, but would really like to stay somewhere a little more centrally located.

How are you all doing? How much planning does everyone have done?

 

[Marshay]

Hey everyone!! We aren't exactly sure of our dates, but we are joining the January 2013 group!

I have been planning our next trip since we arrived back in October 2011. We are still debating on which resort. I am actually planning a family reunion and most of this family is in California (and have never been) so I cannot wait until they see how awesome it is!

We are deciding between the Villas at Boardwalk, Beach Club, Bay Lake, and Animal Kingdom. Last year we stayed at Animal Kingdon, and LOVED it, but would really like to stay somewhere a little more centrally located.

How are you all doing? How much planning does everyone have done?

Welcome!!

How exciting to plan a family reunion, esp for folks who have never been! They will be overwhelmed by WDW if they are only used to DL, but they will have a blast!

I love all your resort choices but if I was looking to impress, I'd say BLT, hands down with Beach Club a 2nd choice.

I'll add you to the list and once you have the dates, let me know.

 

[Marshay]

As for plans, we booked the Autotrain already so we know our dates and how we are getting to/from WDW. We'll have our SUV with us, which we prefer over Disney transportation.

We have finally picked our hotel choice (1st choice the new Art of Animation resort and 2nd choice the princess rooms at PO Riverside) for the 4 nights before our cruise. If neither of those are available, then just a regular room at POR or POFQ.

Then we'll do the DREAM cruise for 3 nights.

Then we are hoping to get BLT for 2 nights.

We haven't talked about ADRs or other plans/parks yet. I'll need to start working on those but will probably wait unitil May/June.

The new FLE will be a high priority for 3 days or so, with one day each at the other 3 parks.

 

[vikkii19]

Joining in, we pushed our October trip to January instead. We're booked at AKV from Jan 20th to the 29th, but that might change at the 7 month window. Our daughter will be 22 months at the time and it will be her first trip.

 

[Marshay]

Joining in, we pushed our October trip to January instead. We're booked at AKV from Jan 20th to the 29th, but that might change at the 7 month window. Our daughter will be 22 months at the time and it will be her first trip.

Awesome!! I do love going to WDW in October, but after our January trip this year, we decided that January is really the secret best time to go!

You skip the winter doldrums of the "after-Christmas/NYE", you get to be in warm weather and it's not crowded!!

I'll add you to the front!

So exciting to see Disney through a child's eyes, esp if they haven't seen it all before!

 

[MissPrice]

Hello all! I just booked the room and bought the plane tickets. My DH and I will be back in the world from 1/7 to 1/14 and staying at All Star Music. I am still undecided on what package to add. We usually do regular dining, but we are on a tighter budget this year. Has anyone done Quick Service?? ALso, can I add dining to only a few days of the trip instead of all 7?? Thanks in advance. -Amanda

 

[letthewookiewin]

Hello all! I just booked the room and bought the plane tickets. My DH and I will be back in the world from 1/7 to 1/14 and staying at All Star Music. I am still undecided on what package to add. We usually do regular dining, but we are on a tighter budget this year. Has anyone done Quick Service?? ALso, can I add dining to only a few days of the trip instead of all 7?? Thanks in advance. -Amanda

I'm not sure if you can only do a DDP for the entire trip. For some reason I thought you had to have the same package for the entire trip. The only time I have heard of people doing that is when they have a split stay, and will add a DDP to one resort and not another. Hopefully, we will get free dinning for January so it won't matter.

 

[Marshay]

Hello all! I just booked the room and bought the plane tickets. My DH and I will be back in the world from 1/7 to 1/14 and staying at All Star Music. I am still undecided on what package to add. We usually do regular dining, but we are on a tighter budget this year. Has anyone done Quick Service?? ALso, can I add dining to only a few days of the trip instead of all 7?? Thanks in advance. -Amanda

Welcome! I'll add you to the list. It is neat seeing our January list grow!!

The only way to do DDP for just some of your dates is to do a split stay at either a different resort or to make two different reservations (with room change) at the same resort, if they will let you do that. I've heard from others that it actually has to be a different room category, too, but not positive on that.

I would suggest if you are on a tighter budget then just to do ala cart/OOP. Skip all drinks and desserts. Share meals. Order kids meals or just a hamburger without fries...Eat at CS places that have the condiment bar and make a side salad, etc. Bring snacks and drinks into the parks. Eat at breakfast or lunch instead of dinner.

Instead of O'hana, eat at Kona's. Instead of a character buffet, eat at Trail's End over at Ft. Wilderness.

Get restaurant.com gift certificates and eat at Swan/Dolphins restaurants (Garden Grove has a good character meal on certain days). Purchase gift cards in advance at your local grocery stores to help spread out the costs over the next 9 months instead of all in January.

Hope something there helps!

 

[PrincessEeyore]

Hi all!

I'm only a baby, but my best friend and I (we're both 20) will be heading to Disney on the 4th and staying until the 10th (hopefully 11th!). This will be my 12th trip but the 1st for Colleen in over 8 years and I'm just so unbelievably excited to show her the Disney that I love! And not to mention the first time for both of us to be there without our families - I'm cannot wait for that freedom!

We're not sure about our resort choice yet - depends on the possibility of free dining/room discount so fingers crossed for that!

Happy 290ish days!

 

[Marshay]

Hi all!

I'm only a baby, but my best friend and I (we're both 20) will be heading to Disney on the 4th and staying until the 10th (hopefully 11th!). This will be my 12th trip but the 1st for Colleen in over 8 years and I'm just so unbelievably excited to show her the Disney that I love! And not to mention the first time for both of us to be there without our families - I'm cannot wait for that freedom!

We're not sure about our resort choice yet - depends on the possibility of free dining/room discount so fingers crossed for that!

Happy 290ish days!

Oh, you and Colleen are going to have an absolute blast!! I would love to do a girls only trip to WDW. I did a solo trip twice pre-kids when I had a business trip to Tampa and that was fun, too, but only stayed a day.

I'll add you to the front page!

 

[MissPrice]

Marshay thanks for adding me to the list Those budget tips are really great...I think we could wing it without a dining plan for once. And I heard that the Value resorts are going to have fridges in them soon so that would be helpful. -Amanda

 

[Marshay]

Marshay thanks for adding me to the list Those budget tips are really great...I think we could wing it without a dining plan for once. And I heard that the Value resorts are going to have fridges in them soon so that would be helpful. -Amanda

yep, the values should have them by the time we go, so that will help, too.

We do like the dining plan but only when we make food a priority ... and now that Disney charges the $10/pp fee for missed ADRs, we are severely limiting our ADRs.

We will go ahead and book the new Be Our Guest restaurant, probably twice b/c we really want to try that.

And for CS, although we like having a drink and dessert, we dont' NEED it so if you just order w/o, you'll save money to still have a snack later!!

So, what does your slogan mean?

 

[Marshay]

Hey, Vikki, I updated your dates on the front page. I think those are correct.

 

[jpmom97]

Please add me and my family to the calender, we are going 1/13-1/25! Staying at SSR!!

And we are driving in our mini van Just had to add after reading the mini van comments I love it too, all our doors are automatic, very handy. I am looking forward to driving a regular car one day though

 

[Marshay]

Please add me and my family to the calender, we are going 1/13-1/25! Staying at SSR!!

And we are driving in our mini van Just had to add after reading the mini van comments I love it too, all our doors are automatic, very handy. I am looking forward to driving a regular car one day though

Welcome! And I'm excited to join your PTR too.

We stayed at SSR in 2010 and I was really surprised by how much we liked it! I'm more of a "hotel, be in the middle of the action" type of person but SSR was great. That is one of the places we own but we bought DVC, site unseen!

I'll add you to the front page!

And best of luck driving! I'm originally from Reading, PA and we'd make that drive to WDW with 7 of us in a station wagon and U-Haul. It seemed soooooooo long as a child!

 

[Marshay]

Jeneen -- I also just realized that we'll be at WDW at the same time! Hope to see you there!

 

[Eli's 1st trip]

question for all of you-

I have only gone to Disney with my family one other time so I am not sure how to do this....last time we booked a package with Dreams Unlimited Travel and paid a little bit each month...but now this time my mother in law would like to pay for our room.

SO MY QUESTION IS-Should I call Disney and book just the room NOW so that MIL can pay now and then get the rest later or just wait until Dreams Unlimited can book the whole package for us? I'm confused as to how I should do this? Thanks for the help?

Ooops...another question-so say we book our package through Disney/Dream Unlimited and we pay for free didning...make dining ressies...all is good....BUT THEN we get free dining somehow....what happens? Do we have to cancel our ressies and try to get them again under free or does it just transfer? Am I worrying for no reason?

Thanks again!

 

[Marshay]

question for all of you-

I have only gone to Disney with my family one other time so I am not sure how to do this....last time we booked a package with Dreams Unlimited Travel and paid a little bit each month...but now this time my mother in law would like to pay for our room.

SO MY QUESTION IS-Should I call Disney and book just the room NOW so that MIL can pay now and then get the rest later or just wait until Dreams Unlimited can book the whole package for us? I'm confused as to how I should do this? Thanks for the help?

Ooops...another question-so say we book our package through Disney/Dream Unlimited and we pay for free didning...make dining ressies...all is good....BUT THEN we get free dining somehow....what happens? Do we have to cancel our ressies and try to get them again under free or does it just transfer? Am I worrying for no reason?

Thanks again!

You can really do either.

If you are comfortable with using your travel agent, I'd just let them take care of everything for you. You can let them know that your MIL would like to pay for the room portion and they can probably work that out for you.

If/when free dining comes, your TA should be on the ball and switch you over to the free dining promotion. You may need to remind her of that but she can do everything for you.

Last I heard, Disney had not opened up the rooms for booking yet for January 2013, so I don't think you can book a room yet. (Forgive me if I'm wrong on that ... I know I was waiting for AoA and/or Princess Royal rooms, so didn't check the others).

As for the Dining ressies (ADRs), once you book them it doesn't matter if you are under free dining or paying OOP or paying for dining plan. The ressie is yours and you don't have to cancel them to rebook.

 

[jpmom97]

Welcome! And I'm excited to join your PTR too.

We stayed at SSR in 2010 and I was really surprised by how much we liked it! I'm more of a "hotel, be in the middle of the action" type of person but SSR was great. That is one of the places we own but we bought DVC, site unseen!

I'll add you to the front page!

And best of luck driving! I'm originally from Reading, PA and we'd make that drive to WDW with 7 of us in a station wagon and U-Haul. It seemed soooooooo long as a child!

Jeneen -- I also just realized that we'll be at WDW at the same time! Hope to see you there!

Thank you for adding me. We bought SSR site unseen too. We went to the Boardwalk to do the paperwork though, that was in 2004. I would love to try some other resorts one day but my 14 year old loves SSR and refuses to stay anywhere else! What a little Disney snob I am raising

We live in the Poconos so it is a long drive but we have a great time doing it. The ride home not so much

We should meet up while we are down there! I have never met a fellow disboard member, that would be so much fun!!

 

[letthewookiewin]

Please add me and my family to the calender, we are going 1/13-1/25! Staying at SSR!!

And we are driving in our mini van Just had to add after reading the mini van comments I love it too, all our doors are automatic, very handy. I am looking forward to driving a regular car one day though

I do love my automatic doors!! I learned something new about our minivan yesterday. I went to the store and I always put the groceries in the back. I had turned on the AC while I put the groceries in the back, and shut the drivers door. Since I have a history of locking my keys in my car, I didn't shut the back "gate" door just in case I did lock the driver's door when I shut it. My thinking was that as soon as I got back in the mv, I would shut the back gate. Well, when I got done putting the groceries in, I put the cart up, got in the car, drove home, and pressed the button to open the gate. I turned around in my seat b/c it sounded like it had just shut and not opened. Yes, that's right, I drove all the way home with the back gate open. Which according to my youngest son and nephew will be a handy tool when the zombie apocalypse happens and they can sit in the rear with the gate open and shoot zombies as we drive.