Please Critique and Let me know if/where to Cut Back

[mcd531]

This is my 1st ever trip to WDW!!!

I'm hoping that some feedback and reassurance from you all will help me to stop obsessing over ADRs, etc!

Costs:
$2338 for 8 Nights at POP with 7 Day Base Tix and Upgraded FD
$145 SWA (Using Rewards Points)
$75 (Dog Sitter)
$175 Hoop Dee Doo
$60 Bibbiti Bobbiti
$70 Wishes Dessert Party
$150 Memory Maker (Is this worth it )
$337 (Tips, Souvenirs, Misc.)

Total $3350 Does this sound good or should I cut back anywhere?

Here are the details:
Me, DH, and DD (8) staying 10/31-11/8 at POP for 8 nights with FD upgraded to DDP.

FRI 10/31: Arrival late afternoon, Epcot/dinner?

SAT: HS with 3:30 ADR at Mama Melrose and 7:30 Fantasmic

SUN: Epcot - Lunch at Coral Reef

MON: Animal Kingdom and 6:15 ADR Cat 1 at Hoop Dee Doo I booked really early so should have good Cat 1 seats...should I pay OOP or try to switch to Cat 2 and use 2 Table Credits???

TUES: 8:30 BBB appt for DD and 11:55 ADR at CRT

WED: 10:35 ADR at Chef Mickey's and 8:00 ADR Wishes Dessert Party Is this worth the $70

THURS: MK and Dinner ADR at BOG

FRI: 11:30 ADR at Trex and ......????

I would really any feedback on costs, ADRs, scheduling, etc.! Thanks!!!

 

[kbonner]

WED: 10:35 ADR at Chef Mickey's and 8:00 ADR Wishes Dessert Party Is this worth the $70

http://www.easywdw.com/uncategorized/wishes-dessert-party-review-is-it-worth-it/

$150 Memory Maker (Is this worth it )

This really depends on how you want to handle photos. I like having it. If you get the meal photos and the ride photos it is worth it.

 

[Asnell]

If I were going to cut anything, it'd be the Memory Maker, but it depends on how you take pictures and what you want to get from them. If you like to take snapshots on your phone or camera all day, and have a small enough camera that you don't mind bringing everywhere and handing to a cast member, then maybe you don't need the MM. If, as PP suggested, you want the ride photos, and if you want to be in the professional photos and not carry a camera, then go for it.

I budget $40 average per TS meal for tips and the occasional appetizer or alcoholic drink.

On you DTD day, your DD may want to spend some time playing in the LEGO store, shopping and strolling around. There's also Disney Quest if you're looking for something that will take up a few hours. (But it requires admission.) Another free activity in DTD is taking the boat ride to/past the nearby moderate resorts and viewing them from the water.

 

[ChernabogHades]

Not sure how far $300 for misc will go. Even if you're not big souvenir people, $40 a day for 3 people isn't much, considering a 20% tip at a table service location will run you at least $20. The category 1 seats at HDDR are great however and def worth it IMO.

 

[mcd531]

Not sure how far $300 for misc will go. Even if you're not big souvenir people, $40 a day for 3 people isn't much, considering a 20% tip at a table service location will run you at least $20. The category 1 seats at HDDR are great however and def worth it IMO.

You're probably right. I should increase it to a total of $3500. I guess my only places to cut back would be on Hoop Dee Doo, Wishes Dessert, and/or Memory Maker. Those 3 total $400. I'm very "frugal" but willing to pay if it's worth it. This is basically the first time at WDW for all of us (DH went 35 years ago).

Hoop Dee Doo is a lot out of pocket but I'd rather pay for Cat 1 if it's much more interactive than DDP in 2 or 3.

 

[Suelala]

I used memory maker the last trip, and I felt it was very much worth it. Great to have pictures with everyone in it. Without it, most pictures are taken by someone in the party, and of course that person then isnt in the shot. The special magical shots they take are also a lot of fun. You can also add borders and character autographs and other things to the pictures when you order them.
Just my opinion, but to me it is totally worth the price.

 

[powellrj]

For your first trip, I would cancel Hoop and wishes and keep the memory maker. You will be so busy that I think you could save those for another trip and just concentrate on the basics since those will all be new to you.

If you are arriving late friday afternoon, I would skip Epcot and just use the time to spend at POP. Eat dinner and then swim in the pool and get to bed early to get an early start. I would then skip DTD on Friday and use your park ticket that day for a last character meal and one last park visit.

 

[missdorado26]

Do mes your family like desserts? We are a huge dessert fam and we liked it. But honestly we didn't enjoy it as much as we would have liked. I booked it for our first night in Disney and was so excited. Of course the night before out flight we (husband and I) didn't go to bed til 3am out flight was at 7am and we woke up at 5 am to get to the airport. We were EXHAUSTED! SO by 910 when it was our reservation the kids were cranky and so were we. We stayed for the desserts but left before wishes started bc we were so tired we wanted to avoid the long lines and crowd when the park closed. So we left.
Was it worth it? We enjoyed the desserts, can talk about the view because we didn't get to see it but from everything else it was nice.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We have done everything you have planned except the Wishes dessert party and I think you have great plans made. If you need to adjust, I would skip HDDR and add that money back to your extra money fund. We have chosen not to do wishes dessert due to allergies so I'm not sure how "worth" it, it would be.

 

[Karenj2]

If you have the dining plan, why not switch one of your out of pocket meals to a less expensive one that HoopDeDoo - isn't it 2 TS credits? We tend to juggle around our nights out & other meals so that we have enough credits for one "signature dining" meal.

(Just re-read your post, and saw that Cat 2 is 2TS, and you have Cat 1 reserved - IMVHO, Cat 2 is fine... We were seated in the balcony, and still had a great view of everything. We also once sat at the far right of the stage, right up at the stage, and it was actually hard to see what was going on...)

 

[msmama]

It's not much but I think you could very easily cut a day off your park tickets. On your arrival day, just stay around POP (if you arrive late afternoon, you won't have tons of time at Epcot). Then on the last day I'd spend the time at DTD (doing it this way you can save shopping for the end, too). Personally, I'm a fan of lazy last days and I don't like watching the clock while I'm at the park (I'd leave a park 4.5 to 5 hour ahead of my flight time to make sure theres time to walk to buses, get back to hotel and catch your assigned ME bus).

 

[GWhitten98]

If really wanting to save money/spend less, I agree with others I would cut HDDR and/or Wishes before anything else.

Based on number given, I assume you are not renting a car so getting from AK to HDDR (and back to resort) using the bus sytem could take quite some time and be a slight pain.

I also agree you may be able to knock one day off your ticket, staying at your home resort, visiting DTD or one of the other resorts for dinner the first night instead of epcot would mean you only need a 6 day ticket.

We did a lot of character M&G and had so many great pics we would have never gotten if taking our own pictures b/c the camare person was snapping away as we were all interacting together. We will definately be purchasing it again.

 

[Shagley]

I have sat in 2nd at 3rd categories for Hoop De Doo and the cast really circulates throughout the room to make sure no one is left out no matter what category you are in. You might get a little more attention if you are in the first row, but you are definitely still a part of the show no matter where you sit in the room. If you are looking to save a bit of $, I would change to category 2 and get Hoop De Doo on the dining plan rather than pay for it out of pocket.

I have also done the dessert party. I enjoyed it, but it isn't a "must do again" for me. The desserts were just "ok", I didn't think any of the desserts were great, and I don't even have very high standards . It was nice having a reserved spot for Wishes, but I probably won't do it again.

Have fun on your trip!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

We did the HDDR Cat 1 for my birthday and I booked it during my 180+10, so very early. We were right up front, our table was against the stage! It was a great view and one of the CMs referenced my husband during the show. It was *almost* too close, as it was sometimes hard to follow all the action, but it was a fun time and we loved it. My two sons thought it was the best thing we've ever done, and we've been to WDW a lot.

That said, I agree with the others that the Cat 2 seats all seemed good, too. I probably wouldn't use DDP credits for it, though. You'd have to look at menus of the other restaurants where you plan to eat and see what your OOP expense would be for 2 of those (including tip - HDDR includes the tip) and see which is the better deal.

Beyond that, I would pad your "miscellaneous" fund a little. I think you'll spend about $100 in tips alone and that doesn't leave a whole lot for souvenirs and extra food expenses.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Simba07]

This seems like a lot for a first trip. Many of these things are great, but just being at Disney for the first time is great. If you really want to be frugal, I think there are things you could cut and not miss them on a first trip.

For example, We have never done the Wishes Dessert Party. And we have a magical time at wishes without it. My daughter wore costumes and a tiara and never missed BBB, just enjoying being princess for the day. We never do Memory Maker but in most cases the photographers will take shots with your camera. So then we just need to decide if it is worth buying a ride pic or a magic shot.

It looks like you are trying to do every top activity that gets talked about on the boards. And I'm sure that would make for an awesome trip. But especially if you think you'll be back some day, I might cut a few things. Even if this the once in a lifetime trip, I don't think you need to feel like you NEED to do it all. We would certainly opt to save a few hundred dollars or use that money for souvenirs!

 

[glassslippergirl]

I would not plan for a park on the first night. You will be tired from the flight and may be delayed. It's not worth the stress. You can have a Magic moment by going to Poly or CR and watching Wishes from there. Or schedule DTD that night. That's one day's ticket saved that you can cash in or use on Friday.

Not sure what you should do about HDDR, dessert party, and memory maker. I think for a first trip, you would enjoy more park time, and HDDR and dessert party will take away from that.

 

[Maggie at the Fort]

It is a very individual thing! I know for us the Hoop Dee do is a must do. My now 4 year old talks about it constantly from our trip 7 months ago. It is her favorite memory. She loved it when she was a year and a half too and her little brother loved it at almost 1. We would never drop from catagory 1 since both times we had seats right at the stage and the kids were enthralled.

That said, the bibidi bobbidi boutique is not where I would choose to spend my money. It is a big deal for a lot of people but I don't want to spend my precious park time on it. It is just not my (or my daughter's) thing.

We have done the photopass the last few trips and been really happy we did. It is a lot of money but we end up with some special pictures of our whole family.

If you did choose to cut back, a few options would be:
Skip hoop dee do and go to the Chip and Dale campfire at Fort Wilderness instead. You can eat hot dogs from the chuck wagon and then see the fireworks from the beach after.

Skip bibbidi bobbidi and see if you can get a reservation at the barbershop for a pixie dusting instead. I think they will do that for only a few bucks.

Skip the Wishes dessert party and grab a dole whip or other treat and camp out to watch the fireworks.

Skip memory maker and ask the photopass photographers to take a picture with your camera instead.

These are all fun perks but none of them will make or break your vacation. In general it sounds like you have a great trip planned. I hope you and your family have a wonderful time!

 

[sk!mom]

If this is your first trip then I would cut some extras. I think that we sometimes get on these boards and start to think that we have to do it all but really there is PLENTY to keep you occupied included in the regular ticket price.

I would absolutely cut HDDR and replace it with a 1 credit Character Meal. It, like everything else, is fun but it takes travel time and on a first visit I would recommend trying to see and do as much as possible in the parks. For me this is a good activity for later trips when the parks take less time.

I've never done the Wishes dessert party so I don't know if it's worth it but Wishes on it's own is enough for me so I've never seen the need to add it.

Does your DD really want BBB? If I was traveling with a child who did then I woud do it but by age 8, my DD wouldn't have wanted to walk around in princess makeup and a tiara.

The memory maker is completely worth it to me. We've used it before and will have it this Summer. We got so many great pictures.

 

[mm1971]

This is my 1st ever trip to WDW!!!

I'm hoping that some feedback and reassurance from you all will help me to stop obsessing over ADRs, etc!

Costs:
$2338 for 8 Nights at POP with 7 Day Base Tix and Upgraded FD
$145 SWA (Using Rewards Points)
$75 (Dog Sitter)
$175 Hoop Dee Doo
$60 Bibbiti Bobbiti
$70 Wishes Dessert Party
$150 Memory Maker (Is this worth it )
$337 (Tips, Souvenirs, Misc.)

Total $3350 Does this sound good or should I cut back anywhere?

Here are the details:
Me, DH, and DD (8) staying 10/31-11/8 at POP for 8 nights with FD upgraded to DDP.

FRI 10/31: Arrival late afternoon, Epcot/dinner?

SAT: HS with 3:30 ADR at Mama Melrose and 7:30 Fantasmic

SUN: Epcot - Lunch at Coral Reef

MON: Animal Kingdom and 6:15 ADR Cat 1 at Hoop Dee Doo I booked really early so should have good Cat 1 seats...should I pay OOP or try to switch to Cat 2 and use 2 Table Credits???

TUES: 8:30 BBB appt for DD and 11:55 ADR at CRT

WED: 10:35 ADR at Chef Mickey's and 8:00 ADR Wishes Dessert Party Is this worth the $70

THURS: MK and Dinner ADR at BOG

FRI: 11:30 ADR at Trex and ......????

I would really any feedback on costs, ADRs, scheduling, etc.! Thanks!!!

I noticed that some suggested cutting a day at the parks. That would only save about $30 total. I would keep the extra day if it were my family, especially since you will be there in the afternoon.

For us, the memory maker package was not worth it. I know a lot of people think it is worth the cost. Here are my comments and this was based on our experience last August. We were happy with getting a few ride photos and the photos at the ADR's. Where we were disappointed is that there were very few photographers in the parks, certainly not enough in our opinion. We do not do a lot of M&G so maybe that is the disconnect and why I feel different than most. We did not have enough photos taken to make it worth the extra $$. It is nice being in them for a change though. Most Photopass photographers are willing to snap a pic with your camera for you if you desire, making the "I'm not in the pics" discussion unnecessary.

The dessert party we have never done since reservations were always sold out at our 180 day mark. We keep trying, but have never been able to get in. I have heard from friends that have gone that the desserts are good and you'll definitely be on a sugar high by the time you leave.:good vibes The fireworks are a little off to the side due to where you watch from, but have only had positive reviews on the experience. It must be pretty good if it's that hard to get in. I would keep it.

I do agree with using the DDP for HDDR and moving to cat2. I didn't think the difference in attention between the categories was all that much.

Your Souvenir budget may be a little low for a first trip. I know we bought a lot more our first time than we do now. At this point, we only buy an ornament for the tree and a few other small things.

Have a good trip! The weather in November is awesome!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I noticed that some suggested cutting a day at the parks. That would only save about $30 total. I would keep the extra day if it were my family, especially since you will be there in the afternoon.

For us, the memory maker package was not worth it. I know a lot of people think it is worth the cost. Here are my comments and this was based on our experience last August. We were happy with getting a few ride photos and the photos at the ADR's. Where we were disappointed is that there were very few photographers in the parks, certainly not enough in our opinion. We do not do a lot of M&G so maybe that is the disconnect and why I feel different than most. We did not have enough photos taken to make it worth the extra $$. It is nice being in them for a change though. Most Photopass photographers are willing to snap a pic with your camera for you if you desire, making the "I'm not in the pics" discussion unnecessary.

The dessert party we have never done since reservations were always sold out at our 180 day mark. We keep trying, but have never been able to get in. I have heard from friends that have gone that the desserts are good and you'll definitely be on a sugar high by the time you leave.:good vibes The fireworks are a little off to the side due to where you watch from, but have only had positive reviews on the experience. It must be pretty good if it's that hard to get in. I would keep it.

I do agree with using the DDP for HDDR and moving to cat2. I didn't think the difference in attention between the categories was all that much.

Your Souvenir budget may be a little low for a first trip. I know we bought a lot more our first time than we do now. At this point, we only buy an ornament for the tree and a few other small things.

Have a good trip! The weather in November is awesome!

RE: the bolded above. The dessert parties don't start booking until a couple of months before - they're not 180-day reservations. There's a thread on the DIS where people report when they've been able to book what days, so you'll know when your date is open.