OLD THREAD: 2012 Beach and Yacht FAQ, Part 2- May, June and July DON'T POST HERE!

[janinev7]

We love Beach Club for so many reasons. Of course SAB is great, but we also love the restaurants (Cape May and Beaches n Cream are both good, also just a short walk to Yacht Club for Yachtsman's Steakhouse and Captain's Grille). There are several lounges to get a drink if you like that, at least 4 I can think of off the top of my head. Plus walking around the resort at night is also fun. One of the biggest perks is being so close to Epcot. If you have a park hopper pass or annual pass you can go to Epcot in the evenings even if you went to a different park that day. We do that a lot. And of course we walk over to the Boardwalk area all the time too. Lots going on over there. Getting ice cream, checking out ESPN club, kids like the street performers (magician, juggler, etc). And our kids love to hit all the arcades and carnival games. We get them those arcade cards and they can use them anywhere. ESPN club has an arcade, and there is one by SAB also. I feel like I'm rambling on and on. LOL

We are also first timers. Thanks for all of the great suggestions! Can't wait for October!

 

[LaurieN]

I haven't posted much recently (or even lurked for that matter) been so busy with end of school year activities with my boys! I wanted to update our trip plans, we are now doing a split stay: Nov 22- Nov 25 at Art of Animation Cars suite (DS is beyond excited) then Nov 25 - Dec 1 at Beach Club garden view CL (DH is excited for this)
Hope everyone is doing well and enjoy their summer so far. Hopefully I can get all caught up here, it's been quite awhile since I've checked in.
Laurie

 

[Pinkgirl]

Does anyone have (could anyone take) a recent picutre of the front of the the Wedding Gazebo? I'm starting to have issues about the height the hedges around it on photos I have seen!

 

[RDP]

Just made some enquires in regard to the Ship shape health club facilities; had a response saying there is refurbishments works from the 27th August until the 16th of November so it sound like most if not all of it will be out of action.

 

[kelleigh1]

Just made some enquires in regard to the Ship shape health club facilities; had a response saying there is refurbishments works from the 27th August until the 16th of November so it sound like most if not all of it will be out of action.

Thanks for that bit of info! I'll have to keep an eye on things. I had everything intention of using the health club while we were there. But I guess this gives me a good excuse to "skip the gym".

 

[RDP]

Thanks for that bit of info! I'll have to keep an eye on things. I had everything intention of using the health club while we were there. But I guess this gives me a good excuse to "skip the gym".

We arrive on the 1st of November, hoping they will get ahead of schedule and open earlier!

I need to clarify if its everything (Gym, Sauna and Steam rooms) or just the Sauna and Steam etc.

 

[kelleigh1]

We arrive on the 1st of November, hoping they will get ahead of schedule and open earlier!

I need to clarify if its everything (Gym, Sauna and Steam rooms) or just the Sauna and Steam etc.

We overlap a bit. We leave on Nov. 3rd.

 

[kcbonnies]

You guys on here are the best. I have learned so much as I work on my vacation to the Beach CLub (August 18-25). I was wondering about Pin Trading and if any of you had some ideas on how to get started. I have three daughters (9,7, and 4) and we did not do pin trading on our previous trip 4 years ago. But this year, I think the older two especially would like it, but I am not clear how it works. I found on amazon a package of 25 pins for about 15 bucks. I was thinking of ordering them and giving the girls 8 apiece. Do people wear them? How do you carry them to the parks? I have heard about lanyards, is that a good idea?
Any thoughts would be appreciated (or if this has been already covered, point me to the right board!)
We are surprising the girls with this trip. They think we are going next year, but they found the trip planning cd. I covered and said it came in the mail as an ad. We watched it and my oldest daughter (the fish) made me back up the part about SAB and said she wanted to stay there!! Luckily we were already booked.

 

[jenneth79]

You guys on here are the best. I have learned so much as I work on my vacation to the Beach CLub (August 18-25). I was wondering about Pin Trading and if any of you had some ideas on how to get started. I have three daughters (9,7, and 4) and we did not do pin trading on our previous trip 4 years ago. But this year, I think the older two especially would like it, but I am not clear how it works. I found on amazon a package of 25 pins for about 15 bucks. I was thinking of ordering them and giving the girls 8 apiece. Do people wear them? How do you carry them to the parks? I have heard about lanyards, is that a good idea?
Any thoughts would be appreciated (or if this has been already covered, point me to the right board!)
We are surprising the girls with this trip. They think we are going next year, but they found the trip planning cd. I covered and said it came in the mail as an ad. We watched it and my oldest daughter (the fish) made me back up the part about SAB and said she wanted to stay there!! Luckily we were already booked.

I cannot say for certain if there is a board specific to pins here, but you can always use the search feature (look for "pin trading"). What I can speak to is the unreliability of pins purchased off Ebay. A good deal of Disney's pins are made in China, and they do not destroy the casts or molds afterwards. This lends itself to fakes (and pretty convincing ones!) all the time. If you do trade these in the parks, you could get into a bit of trouble (though there are CMs who end up with fakes as well from trading with other guests...it does happen).

Your best bet is to look either in your local Disney store or the online version of the Disney store, which have some nice starter kits for kids. People absolutely wear them, and there are also Pin Trading stations in all the parks and DTD. You will find CMs with lanyards around their necks with pins. If they have them, you can have your child trade with them (there are rules to this, but basically, unless the CM already has that pin, they must trad with the child.)

HTH!

 

[natebenma]

You guys on here are the best. I have learned so much as I work on my vacation to the Beach CLub (August 18-25). I was wondering about Pin Trading and if any of you had some ideas on how to get started. I have three daughters (9,7, and 4) and we did not do pin trading on our previous trip 4 years ago. But this year, I think the older two especially would like it, but I am not clear how it works. I found on amazon a package of 25 pins for about 15 bucks. I was thinking of ordering them and giving the girls 8 apiece. Do people wear them? How do you carry them to the parks? I have heard about lanyards, is that a good idea?
Any thoughts would be appreciated (or if this has been already covered, point me to the right board!)
We are surprising the girls with this trip. They think we are going next year, but they found the trip planning cd. I covered and said it came in the mail as an ad. We watched it and my oldest daughter (the fish) made me back up the part about SAB and said she wanted to stay there!! Luckily we were already booked.

and congrats for your upcoming surprise trip.

I'll add you to the Be Our Guest list on Page 1.



There is a forum on the DIS dealing with pin trading and other collections (Vinylmation), etc. It is near the bottom of the forum listings.


Disney Collectors Board

Lots of info there, including guidance for buyers of pins on eBay. "Suggested" sellers and sellers to avoid.

Good luck!

Your girls sound like they are great ages for trading!

There are also some serious pin traders who hang out here on occasion, so hopefully they will pipe in with some suggestions or tips.

 

[kelleigh1]

There is also a thread about good and bad Ebay pin sellers. I will try to find the link.


Good and Bad Pin Sellers Thread

I think they do a pretty good job of keeping it up to date too, and you can always ask if someone has dealt with that particular seller.

 

[sndral]

Didn't Teena have some advice about pin trading and children a couple of pages ago? Or did I dream it, I seem to recall that she is a CM who trades and she mentioned to be sure to get 'real' disney pins and to NOT get pins that your children fall in love with, because if you do they won't want to let them go and thus the whole trading part won't happen.

 

[sndral]

Found it post 1288!

I'd just take them into the Marketplace when you get there and let them pick out their lanyards. However, you should purchase the pin packs yourself. Your best bet is to purchase pin packs that hold 7 pins for $29.99. And yes, they are there at the Marketplace. They are the cheapest pins you'll find at WDW. And make sure you get them packs that you think they will not like. Don't let them pick out packs they like because then they won't trade them. Tell the kids they need to trade to get the pins they really want. As you probably know, CMs have to trade pins if they are wearing lanyards. It's part of our jobs. You look at our lanyards and pick out the pin you want. We cannot pick out which one we want from you. You decide which pin you are giving us as a trade. Only rules are: (1) you can't give us a pin we already have on our lanyard, (2) you can only trade two pins a day to each cast member unless you find a CM like me who has a bad memory (in which case you could trade two pins with me at 1 PM and come back at 2 PM and I'd probably forget I already traded with you), and (3) it has to be an authentic Disney pin (so don't try to trade me a pin from that other place that starts with a "U"). Lots of people starting their kids out in pin trading let them pick out expensive pins and don't get the cheapy pins. Remember, you are not buying pins the kids will like. You're buying them pins to trade for the pins they like. So if you purchase expensive pins or the cheap pin packs but still pins they like, you can forget about them trading pins. They will want to keep them all.

 

[kelleigh1]

That is probably the fastest anyone has ever found a post that wasn't already linked on the 1st page. Kuddos sndral!

 

[Feckless]

You guys on here are the best. I have learned so much as I work on my vacation to the Beach CLub (August 18-25). I was wondering about Pin Trading and if any of you had some ideas on how to get started. I have three daughters (9,7, and 4) and we did not do pin trading on our previous trip 4 years ago. But this year, I think the older two especially would like it, but I am not clear how it works. I found on amazon a package of 25 pins for about 15 bucks. I was thinking of ordering them and giving the girls 8 apiece. Do people wear them? How do you carry them to the parks? I have heard about lanyards, is that a good idea?
Any thoughts would be appreciated (or if this has been already covered, point me to the right board!)
We are surprising the girls with this trip. They think we are going next year, but they found the trip planning cd. I covered and said it came in the mail as an ad. We watched it and my oldest daughter (the fish) made me back up the part about SAB and said she wanted to stay there!! Luckily we were already booked.

25 pins for $15 sounds a bit too good to be true! You don't want to get there with a bunch of pins that you can't trade because they aren't authentic. The cheapest pins we saw were exactly the ones that Teena talked about in a plastic package of about 5, mostly square. They had a special on in a couple of stores where you could buy them cheaper (like $20?) when you spend money on something else.

The lanyards were essential for us.

One of the best hints we got came from Teena when we were there - that there is a book at the concierge desk in the main lobby of the BC and the YC that is filled with pins - trading nirvana!!

My kids had a great time trading pins this time. It really added to the whole Disney experience.

HTH

 

[Feckless]

I finished my TR today. Is it normal to be sad about it???? Now I want to be planning another trip SO BADLY. Reading over my TR I realize that there is so much more to do!! Next year, we are planning a trip to Italy, but 2014 is all Disney as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Boski]

Thanks for that bit of info! I'll have to keep an eye on things. I had everything intention of using the health club while we were there. But I guess this gives me a good excuse to "skip the gym".

Always good jogging around crescent lake

 

[beachclub]

hey guys. have a question that bothers me everytime I encounter it and want to finally do the right thing.

answer this sanerio:
Its check in day and your room is not ready when you check in so you decide to
leave whatever luggage you have in hand (not magical express luggage) with bell services and have them delivered later.
At what point do you give the service person a gratuity?

A. Give he/she a tip when you hand them over for storage because they may not be the same person retrieving the luggage later
B. Leave them no tip at all because it is normal to tip upon receipt of them from bell services.
C. Tip only when they deliver luggage: either inside or outside.

All along I have been following one of these answers but am not sure if I am either overtipping or undertipping.

Thanks

 

[WsPrincess]

hey guys. have a question that bothers me everytime I encounter it and want to finally do the right thing.

answer this sanerio:
Its check in day and your room is not ready when you check in so you decide to
leave whatever luggage you have in hand (not magical express luggage) with bell services and have them delivered later.
At what point do you give the service person a gratuity?

A. Give he/she a tip when you hand them over for storage because they may not be the same person retrieving the luggage later
B. Leave them no tip at all because it is normal to tip upon receipt of them from bell services.
C. Tip only when they deliver luggage: either inside or outside.

All along I have been following one of these answers but am not sure if I am either overtipping or undertipping.

Thanks

We go with the tip every time someone handles our bags. So when we got to BC our room was not ready so we left 4 bags (1 of food for the fridge with Bell Service). We tipped that person for taking them and putting them in storage. When we had a room and we called for our stuff we tipped the person who brought them to the room. Hope that helps.

 

[MelanieRI]

You guys on here are the best. I have learned so much as I work on my vacation to the Beach CLub (August 18-25). I was wondering about Pin Trading and if any of you had some ideas on how to get started. I have three daughters (9,7, and 4) and we did not do pin trading on our previous trip 4 years ago. But this year, I think the older two especially would like it, but I am not clear how it works. I found on amazon a package of 25 pins for about 15 bucks. I was thinking of ordering them and giving the girls 8 apiece.

I have bought pins off Amazon. They were the real pins. We got a very nice assortment, no duplicates. Since they were cheaper and we didn't spend hours hand picking them out, it was easier to trade them away. We also got lanyards, these I wills say are not exactly like the ones from the parks. Since I did this, I have recommended it to several friends who have done the same and not been disappointed.

Now, you can get sorcerers of the kingdom cards, too. I got my DD a pack of 41-60 to help start off the vacation. Then, when she got duplicates, she was able to trade right away for others that she wanted. That cost me $20 for the cards, but I was ok with that.