Our chrismas budget resort strategy. Help?

[Son of Gadsden]

Well, the wife and I have decided we are going to Dis for Christmas this year (11/30-12/8). However, we have no kids, so we dodge crowds and go in offseasons normally. Just our opinion, we don't like any Values other than AoA. They just don't seem like they have the Disney magic.

However, we have a strategy right now. One of 3 things will happen. We will either book the middle of the road and stay at AoA with about $1,000 spending money. We did this in April and spent a total of $2500 on room, tickets, food, etc.

The second option is wait to see if a room discount comes out for that week. If that happens, we may upgrade to a deluxe.

The third option is to enter value mode and stay at one of the cheaper value resorts, which i don't think we'll be that happy with, but we've always been one of those people that look at a resort as "just somewhere to sleep". We normally have MAYBE one resort day...and being Poly vets, we most of the time run there anyway. With this option, however, we would take a room close to the buses (I have serious chronic knee issues that can be a trip ruiner) vs AoA's long walk. If the resort discount comes out, possibly use it there, or possibly move the trip around to catch a free dining plan. We wouldn't be *saving* the money technically, btw. We would be using it for shopping and doing more expensive dining options.

What are your opinions on moving the date to get a dining plan? We want a week that prices aren't sky high, lowest crowd possible, but we don't want to miss anything Christmas related.

 

[wysteria]

The free dining pin code I got back in June used these dates:
For arrivals most nights 8/2510/2/13,
10/1810/31/13, 11/1111/23/13,
11/3012/4/13 and 12/1512/22/13.

I do not know how close the public free dining comes to the dates that are sent out with pins, but if its close those dates should be fine.

I would suggest to book and then watch like a hawk August 1st and call asap to get your reservation adjusted for the dining plan if at all possible if it does indeed come out on August 1st.

I assume both of you guys don't have the free dining pin in an email right? I got mine May 28th, so it might be over a month old email or in your junk folder.

 

[Son of Gadsden]

We've never received a pin, I'm just going on the public ones.

September 29 - October 2
October 18 - November 2
November 11 - 23
December 12 - 22

Also, exactly how flexible is Disney after booking? I've never modified a reservation before. After we book, can we change the date of the stay, and can we also change the resort if we want?

 

[Wood Nymph]

We've never received a pin, I'm just going on the public ones.

Also, exactly how flexible is Disney after booking? I've never modified a reservation before. After we book, can we change the date of the stay, and can we also change the resort if we want?

We are going to WDW that same week and so far the anticipated free dining offer excludes that week. One of the problems with the free dining that is anticipated for Dec falls in the higher room rate period. So for two people it might not be a good value to switch to a free dining period.

There is a possibility that a room only discount will be announced for Dec. If you decide to change resorts and dates to take advantage of a discount then it is pretty easy to call and have everything switched over depending on availability.

We are staying at the WL the first week of Dec. It is a compact resort and the bus and boat are pretty close to the rooms. There would be less walking there than at most values and mods. And the decorations are beautiful at Christmas I hope a discount comes out for you.

 

[wysteria]

We've never received a pin, I'm just going on the public ones.

September 29 - October 2
October 18 - November 2
November 11 - 23
December 12 - 22

Also, exactly how flexible is Disney after booking? I've never modified a reservation before. After we book, can we change the date of the stay, and can we also change the resort if we want?

Ahh ok, I wasn't sure on the public dates.

Make sure when you call to book you check both you and your wife's name in case there is a pin attached that you just never got an email for.

Disney is very flexible. I was chatting with the lady checking prices on the play/stay/dine pin i got and she said to just book it and if something else better came out or if we decided that the military discount was going to be better for us then we can change it at any time. The most important thing is to get the rooms at the resort we want reserved, then modify from there. We could even decide to change our dates or which hotel we were staying at later on as well. We will be booking next week for March 2014 since the pin I have for March 2014 expires next week and we want to lock in those rates in case no other good rate deals come along for Mardi Gras week.


Just call and chat with the reservations people, they are very friendly and no pressure.

 

[Son of Gadsden]

Thanks a lot, that's extremely helpful. And what a coincidence, Wilderness was exactly the resort in our crosshairs if the room discount does happen. And based on what you just said, all our assumptions were right and we'll pull the trigger.

I think we will skip on the free dining, then. We actually never even buy the dining plan, because its cost is way more than our food cost normally is. We mostly eat quick service the entire trip and take it easy on the meal prices to have money for shopping...well...for the WIFE's shopping. haha.

I think we'll go ahead and book soon, and just upgrade if it happens.