OMG - This PLATINUM SURPRISE Might REALLY Work!

[scoot241]

Here is my cost/ benefit analysis. If you see a mistake feel free to point it out.

Here is what we paid for out right:

GF CL : 520/ night for 2 nights = 2080
Tickets : 79/ person = 316
Platinum Package : 220/ night/ person = 1760
MNSSHP Tickets : 50/ person = 200

Total = 4165 +Travel Insurance

Final Total = 4356


Fun Stuff Included In Package:

Thursday

Horse Riding : 42x4 = 168
GF Cafe : 30x4 = 120
Boats : 30x4 = 120
Golf Lesson : 120
Spa : 120x4 = 480
Citricos : 70x4 = 280
Fireworks Cruise : 320x2 = 640(Yes this counts twice because it is 1 cruise per room and we have 2 rooms)

Total for Thursday: 1928

Friday


Dolphins : 175x4 = 700
Le Cellier : 51x4 = 204
V&A : 125x4 = 500

Total for Friday: 1404


Saturday

Parasailing : 120x3 = 360
Chefs : 37x4 = 148
Jiko : 61x4 = 244

Random Things

Mugs : 10x4 = 40 (I honestly have no clue how much these are)
Snacks : 4x16 = 64 (16 total snacks at $4 each, rough guess)

Total = 4308

Add that with the things we were going to have to pay anyways:

Hotel : 2080
Tickets : 316
Halloween : 200

Total = 2596

2596 (Have to Pay)+4308 (Fun Stuff) = 6904 (Total Value)


6904(Total Value) - 4356 (What Actually Paid) = 2548


SO FINAL VALUE TO ME GAINED = 2548

Very nice. Something to consider if you're planning to do all that.

The mugs are $13 ($12.95?) if I'm remembering correctly. We each got one and used them like crazy at the resort, so they were definitely worth the money instead of buying a drink all the time. It's too bad you can't use them at the parks, but no one would buy a drink at the park.

 

[dax248]

Very nice. Something to consider if you're planning to do all that.

The mugs are $13 ($12.95?) if I'm remembering correctly. We each got one and used them like crazy at the resort, so they were definitely worth the money instead of buying a drink all the time. It's too bad you can't use them at the parks, but no one would buy a drink at the park.

Thanks for the information! Now I can add another $12 to my savings statement

Brings the total to : $2560 WooHoo!!!

 

[scoot241]

Thanks for the information! Now I can add another $12 to my savings statement

Brings the total to : $2560 WooHoo!!!

Shouldn't that take away $12? You had $10 a person for mugs on your statement.

 

[dax248]

Shouldn't that take away $12? You had $10 a person for mugs on your statement.

I wouldn't think so, since we wouldn't be buying them if they weren't included and just use the free stuff in CL.

So, if I had thought they were $10, and they $13, then that is another $3 per person (4) value that I hadn't accounted for. So, that adds up to another $12 in my perceived value. Does that make sense?

 

[scoot241]

I wouldn't think so, since we wouldn't be buying them if they weren't included and just use the free stuff in CL.

So, if I had thought they were $10, and they $13, then that is another $3 per person (4) value that I hadn't accounted for. So, that adds up to another $12 in my perceived value. Does that make sense?

Nevermind, I didn't think they were included. My mistake.

 

[honeymo78]

Dax,
I love seeing another platinum report. We've done it twice (premium several times too) and had Stephanie as our planner both times. She really is wonderful. I can't believe this package was on sale. I'm so sad I missed it. Actually I'm more sad that now that we are DVC we can't add Platinum to our stay, just the dining plans. I can dream though. But we determined that in the long run we'd save more money paying for all the platinum stuff separately if our dvc paid for our lodging. So, I'll have to live vicariously through your family. Hope you have a great time

 

[dax248]

Dax,
I love seeing another platinum report. We've done it twice (premium several times too) and had Stephanie as our planner both times. She really is wonderful. I can't believe this package was on sale. I'm so sad I missed it. Actually I'm more sad that now that we are DVC we can't add Platinum to our stay, just the dining plans. I can dream though. But we determined that in the long run we'd save more money paying for all the platinum stuff separately if our dvc paid for our lodging. So, I'll have to live vicariously through your family. Hope you have a great time

Hi Honeymo!

I love the platinum plan. When we did it in April we had Jeffery with the Poly and WL. He was awesome, too. But half way through our planning he had a rebound of cancer, and wasn't always there so we got bounced around a bit and minor quirky problems, but that wasn't his fault.

The package in April was on sale, unfortunately, this one wasn't so we paid full price. I was really hoping they would run that promo again, but honestly it is to good of a deal to pass up for our family.

I have always wanted to do DVC, but I don't think with us living 40 min from WDW I could talk DH into buying into it. Maybe one day when we are really rich

I hope I do this trip justice. I am trying to figure out if I am going to take the laptop and do mini updates while we are there, or just keep a journal I bought to take and write in that. Last time when we finally got to the room I passed out, but I am thinking that at least Thursday night we will get back in time that I could post. Friday night I doubt it... not getting back from MNSSHP until after midnight and then have to be up and at Cont. the next morning early.... Hmmmm.... What to do?

 

[dax248]

Well, we made it to my parents place. Ugh! This is going to be so hard. We talked to my daddy last night and we all agreed that we have all had moments where we thought we had let the cat out of the bag. But, luckily the fact that we have already told her we are going to MNSSHP has saved our tushes!

I was showing my daddy the PTR, and she woke up this morning and wandered into where we were looking at the laptop. She saw the trip report,but luckily she is very groggy and out of it in the morning. We quickly opened scoot241 Tweet Report and started looking at the pictures. Have I mentioned the boys in my family are BIG photography people? It was a great cover. BTW - if you haven't looked at Scott's pictures then you are missing something.

Does anyone have any duct tape for my mouth? PLEASE don't let me get over excited and let this slip out!!!!

Will keep you up to date on how this is going for the next 5 days.

 

[scoot241]

Well, we made it to my parents place. Ugh! This is going to be so hard. We talked to my daddy last night and we all agreed that we have all had moments where we thought we had let the cat out of the bag. But, luckily the fact that we have already told her we are going to MNSSHP has saved our tushes!

I was showing my daddy the PTR, and she woke up this morning and wandered into where we were looking at the laptop. She saw the trip report,but luckily she is very groggy and out of it in the morning. We quickly opened scoot241 Tweet Report and started looking at the pictures. Have I mentioned the boys in my family are BIG photography people? It was a great cover. BTW - if you haven't looked at Scott's pictures then you are missing something.

Does anyone have any duct tape for my mouth? PLEASE don't let me get over excited and let this slip out!!!!

Will keep you up to date on how this is going for the next 5 days.

I'm pretty sure you can find some duct tape at Home Depot.

Thanks for the TR plug!

 

[dax248]

Today I realized that next Sunday we would be back home and our adventures would be over. It made me really sad to think that. I know that by the time next Sunday get here I will be happy to be home and in my bed. I am one of those weird people that likes to travel, but I really love sleeping in my bed.

I know we are going to have such a great time and have made so many memories in three days to last a lifetime. I am not worried about that part. None of our Disney trips have ever really been that long, and I think that is partly because of being so close and when we decided to go we can.

Oh well, momma is up and I need to close DIS.

 

[UncleOrville]

Hello! We're back from WDW sad1, and I wanted to say I'm loving your pre-TR and looking forward to reading about the trip! It was great meeting up with you at MGM - we'll have to plan something for next year! We booked a bounceback starting September 4th at the GF.

 

[scoot241]

Hello! We're back from WDW sad1, and I wanted to say I'm loving your pre-TR and looking forward to reading about the trip! It was great meeting up with you at MGM - we'll have to plan something for next year! We booked a bounceback starting September 4th at the GF.

Alright Jen, we need a TR for this last trip and PTR for next year pronto.

 

[UncleOrville]

Alright Jen, we need a TR for this last trip and PTR for next year pronto.

Haha, I know! I started sorting through my photos yesterday, so I hope to get the beginnings of a TR up in the next few days.

 

[scoot241]

Haha, I know! I started sorting through my photos yesterday, so I hope to get the beginnings of a TR up in the next few days.

Everyone else is planning to steal my Twitter Recap TR format, so I guess you can too.

 

[dax248]

Hello! We're back from WDW sad1, and I wanted to say I'm loving your pre-TR and looking forward to reading about the trip! It was great meeting up with you at MGM - we'll have to plan something for next year! We booked a bounceback starting September 4th at the GF.

HI!!!! Welcome along!!!

I can't wait to see you next year. It was so much fun meeting up! I love the ToT picture!!!

 

[dax248]

Sheesh! This planning thing is getting out of control. Momma keeps trying to come up with all these things that we can do down in Orlando. We are all getting tired of going, "Well, maybe we could do that. Let's play it by ear." None of us are good at this hiding thing.

She also keeps asking are we really still going to get dressed up to go to dinner one night. "Yes!!!" Then Daddy keeps telling her he isn't going to dress up, or he is going to go barefoot. Now, she is thinking she can just wear some black sandals to V&A (except she doesn't know where she is going, and if she did she wouldn't be putting up a fight)... I have to check them.... Oh, this is getting difficult. Daddy also isn't making this easy because I want to strangle him when he does that. At least Jiko and Citricos we can wear khakis or jeans... makes that side of packing easier. Minor freaking here!

 

[dax248]

Well, we did it, sort of. We told momma some of the surprise. We had to, because oh my goodness... she was making life so difficult. She kept saying that she really wasn't going to pack long pants, a jacket, or anything else that we need her to take. I was ready to scream because every time I said that she needed to pack something she would say, "Nah, I really don't need that."

So, we gave them the little gift bags with the luggage tags and MNSSHP tickets in lanyards. We then explained that we were staying on property and that we got "one of the dining plans, so we have a couple of sit down meals." That seemed to help some. I am still worried about her choice of shoes for V&A, but at least the outfits are picked out.

We decided that this was the best way to handle this. We also decided that we would give her the pages to the itinerary each day at the start of the day.

Daddy is all excited. He can't wait to ride the horses. He loves riding, but has a bad back and can't take care of one at home, so when he gets a chance to do it somewhere else he loves it.

 

[dax248]

It's here! It's here. It is 5:30 AM and almost everyone in my family is up and dressed! WE ARE GOING TO DISNEY!!!!!!!

We are taking a laptop, so hopefully I will be able to post while we are there. Also, I am going to be twittering, so keep up with us on that.

 

[dax248]

Hi Everyone!

Well, it has officially been a week since we started our GRAND adventures. They are over and done with, and I am slightly sad, but also excited that everything went off without any major problems... save the shirt incident for V&A's, but I will tell that tale when I get there. I am uploading pictures today.

Though, I am curious... how does one turn a pre-trip report into a completed trip report?

THANKS!!!

 

[minniecarousel]

Can't wait to read all about it.

Just notify a Mod to move this thread over to the Completed Trip Reports Board. (there's a sticky about this at the top of this board page.)