fordchevyguy
FordChevyGuy
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2013
Okay – so here is our story. I am sorry it is kind of long.
My wife and daughter planned a trip to WDW for my daughters 25th birthday. They are both huge WDW fans, have total access to the MyDisneyExperience and DVC accounts. I wanted to surprise them and just show up at a restaurant, however started to run into issues with my daughter’s indecisiveness regarding reservations.
We are BW owners, and have recently purchased an AKL resale contract. In April when they decided to take the trip to WDW in July, the entire plan was to use the AKL points – as to leave the BW points to book Food and Wine in a future year. However, one Sunday my daughter logged in and found a One Bedroom Standard View at Grand Floridian, after convincing her to book the reservation – they were officially going back to WDW – using the BW points J. Initially, booking a trip Saturday – Wednesday plans started to form, and it was realized that for less points they could fly in a day earlier and complete a spilt stay in a newly renovated SSR Studio, Friday and Saturday nights, and then transfer to the VGF. After calling DVC and luckily getting right through, my daughter made the change and purchased her park ticket. They next day she started making her plans, and I did the same for myself.
After initially bringing my son into my planning, I realized that I needed a little more help and my wife assisted me in planning of my surprise. I have had two non-expiration days linked on my account for years, however after speaking to Disney, if I chose to use them my daughter would be able to see what park passes I had booked and what my plans were. My wife ended up having to use my son’s old MyDisneyExperience account, and purchase a new three day ticket for me to use. I made park pass reservations to mirror.
My daughter stalked DVC and ended up moving from SSR, to a BW garden view studio. This then created more problems as suddenly she kept changing her park pass reservations to match the area they would be in. I would then have to change mine to keep the same reservations. As soon as she felt confident in her park passes, the same issue arose with dining. She changed restaurants on her birthday alone 5 times, as new restaurants or reservations kept popping up – finally settling on Ohana just weeks before they left. I kept trying to book a single reservation for myself at her restaurants of choice, before finally canceling and hoping that they would allow me to join my wife and daughter for the meal.
After everything seems to be settling, my daughter discovered that she could see Jungle Cruise prior to release with our Gold D23 membership. Tickets were reserved, and suddenly a plan came into place – I would meet them outside the theatre and surprise them prior to our dining reservation at Jaleo – thankfully it was on Open Table and I was able to make a duplicate reservation.
On Friday July 23rd, I dropped them off at the airport at 4:30 am and told them I would see them when I picked them up. I was flying Spirt on July 25th, when I checked in to get my boarding pass at 10 AM, they told me my flight was cancelled and I was booked on a flight the next day…. I ran to Southwest terminal and booked the last seat on a nonstop to Orlando. I paid a bunch for the ticket but I was going to WDW for a birthday.
My wife had to add me as a day guest the morning I was to arrive so that I could get Magical Express to resort. It worked and I made it and surprised daughter.
Daughter cancelled Jaleo and instead we ate at Guys (use mobile order and avoid the line) the night I arrived, we had the Wave Breakfast at California Grill (location made it worth it), Ohana’s (just ok food but great service) and Kona (good food) for breakfast following day and Via Napoli (pizza is the best and service was wonderful). Each time we went to check-in 30 min early and told them our reservations were for 2 but we had 3. Every time they told us no problem and that they allowed 1 – 2 additional per party without any issue. I wish I had known, I could have avoided a lot of stress.
We had a memorable time and we really enjoyed the parks, food and resorts. It was nice to see that WDW was BACK to normal. As we flew out we heard that they were reinstating the mask mandate... oh well.
BTW: Wife decided..... Spit stays are not for us (out first in 20 yrs. of DVC ownership). Studio’s not for us (only other time was Poly)...to small and no Washer/Dryer. GF was fun but not worth the additional points over BW.… and last but not least I will never fly Spirt again. So we also learned a little also.
My wife and daughter planned a trip to WDW for my daughters 25th birthday. They are both huge WDW fans, have total access to the MyDisneyExperience and DVC accounts. I wanted to surprise them and just show up at a restaurant, however started to run into issues with my daughter’s indecisiveness regarding reservations.
We are BW owners, and have recently purchased an AKL resale contract. In April when they decided to take the trip to WDW in July, the entire plan was to use the AKL points – as to leave the BW points to book Food and Wine in a future year. However, one Sunday my daughter logged in and found a One Bedroom Standard View at Grand Floridian, after convincing her to book the reservation – they were officially going back to WDW – using the BW points J. Initially, booking a trip Saturday – Wednesday plans started to form, and it was realized that for less points they could fly in a day earlier and complete a spilt stay in a newly renovated SSR Studio, Friday and Saturday nights, and then transfer to the VGF. After calling DVC and luckily getting right through, my daughter made the change and purchased her park ticket. They next day she started making her plans, and I did the same for myself.
After initially bringing my son into my planning, I realized that I needed a little more help and my wife assisted me in planning of my surprise. I have had two non-expiration days linked on my account for years, however after speaking to Disney, if I chose to use them my daughter would be able to see what park passes I had booked and what my plans were. My wife ended up having to use my son’s old MyDisneyExperience account, and purchase a new three day ticket for me to use. I made park pass reservations to mirror.
My daughter stalked DVC and ended up moving from SSR, to a BW garden view studio. This then created more problems as suddenly she kept changing her park pass reservations to match the area they would be in. I would then have to change mine to keep the same reservations. As soon as she felt confident in her park passes, the same issue arose with dining. She changed restaurants on her birthday alone 5 times, as new restaurants or reservations kept popping up – finally settling on Ohana just weeks before they left. I kept trying to book a single reservation for myself at her restaurants of choice, before finally canceling and hoping that they would allow me to join my wife and daughter for the meal.
After everything seems to be settling, my daughter discovered that she could see Jungle Cruise prior to release with our Gold D23 membership. Tickets were reserved, and suddenly a plan came into place – I would meet them outside the theatre and surprise them prior to our dining reservation at Jaleo – thankfully it was on Open Table and I was able to make a duplicate reservation.
On Friday July 23rd, I dropped them off at the airport at 4:30 am and told them I would see them when I picked them up. I was flying Spirt on July 25th, when I checked in to get my boarding pass at 10 AM, they told me my flight was cancelled and I was booked on a flight the next day…. I ran to Southwest terminal and booked the last seat on a nonstop to Orlando. I paid a bunch for the ticket but I was going to WDW for a birthday.
My wife had to add me as a day guest the morning I was to arrive so that I could get Magical Express to resort. It worked and I made it and surprised daughter.
Daughter cancelled Jaleo and instead we ate at Guys (use mobile order and avoid the line) the night I arrived, we had the Wave Breakfast at California Grill (location made it worth it), Ohana’s (just ok food but great service) and Kona (good food) for breakfast following day and Via Napoli (pizza is the best and service was wonderful). Each time we went to check-in 30 min early and told them our reservations were for 2 but we had 3. Every time they told us no problem and that they allowed 1 – 2 additional per party without any issue. I wish I had known, I could have avoided a lot of stress.
We had a memorable time and we really enjoyed the parks, food and resorts. It was nice to see that WDW was BACK to normal. As we flew out we heard that they were reinstating the mask mandate... oh well.
BTW: Wife decided..... Spit stays are not for us (out first in 20 yrs. of DVC ownership). Studio’s not for us (only other time was Poly)...to small and no Washer/Dryer. GF was fun but not worth the additional points over BW.… and last but not least I will never fly Spirt again. So we also learned a little also.
