Princess Jes' Official (narcissistic) trip planning thread (help and advise required!)

[samsteele]

@samsteele this is off topic, but I just tried to send you a PM but there's no option on your profile to do so :-(
It was a link to something I saw on FB this evening, but I don't think I'll be able to here

I may have had my contact details restricted to those I'm following rather than all members and this could have blocked it? Not sure. I've just changed it so hopefully it will work.

 

[disneysteve]

Would you forego the chance to go to MNSSHP for $1,200 (possibly more) savings in flights if we go ~ 29 Aug for 2 weeks

Also, how should I expect crowds Late Aug/Early Sept vs Late Sept?

We have never been to MNSSHP and we seem to have turned out okay . I can't ever imagine planning my trip around that if it would cost us an extra $1,200. That's nuts. There are a lot of things I'd rather do at Disney if I had an extra $1,200 to spend.

As for late Aug/Early Sept crowds, from 2007-2014 our family trip was the last 2 weeks of August. Other than the heat, which I know doesn't bother you a bit, Jes, the crowds are pretty reasonable. Many states are already back in school. It can get pretty congested by mid-day, but that's a perfect time to take a little break, resort hop, go to the pool, take a nap, whatever, and come back for dinner and evening activities. We haven't gone in early September for quite a while but it used to be great. Once Labor Day hits (first Monday in September), everyone is back in school and the crowds lighten considerably.

I think the lower airfare would convince me to go then. I also hear NYC is lovely that time of year .

 

[SorcererHeidi]

@samsteele this is off topic, but I just tried to send you a PM but there's no option on your profile to do so :-(
It was a link to something I saw on FB this evening, but I don't think I'll be able to here

Yep, I wanted to send Sam a "private thank you" (public now!) LOL for all her kind words lately, but couldn't send one either. She must have it blocked, which I respect, so I'll just say "thank your for being so nice, and making me smile when I needed it" lately, so the whole world can see it!

 

[samsteele]

Yep, I wanted to send Sam a "private thank you" (public now!) LOL for all her kind words lately, but couldn't send one either. She must have it blocked, which I respect, so I'll just say "thank your for being so nice, and making me smile when I needed it" lately, so the whole world can see it!

I must have messed up some filter last summer. Think I have it set properly now. Always happy to hear nice things about myself. Thanks, Heidi!

 

[samsteele]

Would you forego the chance to go to MNSSHP for $1,200 (possibly more) savings in flights if we go ~ 29 Aug for 2 weeks

Like Steve, I would skip MNSSHP to save $1200. This Fall was my first time at the party and while I really did enjoy it, it is only a few hrs long (eg 4pm to close) and was crowded. The highlights for me were the staff at HM and the parade. Both of those can be viewed on youtube. And that isn't worth $1200. Its also going to be interesting to see what happens with the spirit of the party given the new costume rules. A highlight for many guests attending was to either dress up themselves or enjoy seeing others' elaborate costumes. While WDW will likely tweek their costume rules over the course of the year (they just did it for run Disney marathons), it won't be the same as it was before. I struggle with the hard ticket price for 1 person for 1 night and debate if the value is really there. So $1200 in airfare savings makes it a huge no in my books.

 

[Princess Jes]

Once Labor Day hits (first Monday in September), everyone is back in school and the crowds lighten considerably.

Hmmm a holiday weekend would mean crazy crowds, and we'd be likely hitting NYC from August 18 until August 23 and then 7 days WDW which puts us in UOR for the first few days of sept
What date/day is Labor Day?

 

[Princess Jes]

Alright, here's another one.
Assuming I can actually get a room there, BLT standard studio room is about $1970
BCV is $1920.
I'd say we'd probably go to MK more, but drinking at F&W would be easier if we stayed at BCV.
But the contemporary is the first Disney hotel I wanted to stay at (but didn't want to spend that much in the end)
Thoughts?:

 

[pjweaver]

After a day at F&W, or just eating and drinking around the world, i loved being able to stumble bac it BCV. I could even hear the British Invasion from our balcony. It really comes down to which park you want to hit more often, but I have no complaints about either resort.

 

[SorcererHeidi]

Personally, I'd say if you've always wanted to stay there, and can afford that price range, go for the Contemporary! Yes - you would be closer to Epcot staying at BCV, but you can always hop monorails over to Epcot (or I've done cabs when I've needed to be somewhere fast, and found them to be reasonably priced, and always available out front, or through Bell Services), and there's a HUGE "something to be said" for scratching off something from your bucket list. Especially when it comes to staying someplace you've been dreaming about, and iconic - you can always see pics into the future, and say ""I've stayed there" - and how nice will that feel? It was my goal (still kind of is) to stay everywhere on property - but - they started making too many of 'em too fast, they got more and more and MORE pricey, and I'd done most of the values and mods, so deluxe was starting elude me. I still made a huge "dent" in the process, and still look @ pics and think "yes, I've stayed there".

Labor Day in '16 will be Monday, Sept. 5.

 

[samsteele]

The PPs have given you great advice. Personally, I'd likely spend more days (and evenings) at Epcot's F&W so if I was going deluxe, then BCV would be my pick. But if MK is the big draw for your stay, then BLT makes sense. I haven't stayed at either so no personal insights into the rooms. However, I remember some complaints this past yr on the Boards about the BCV along the lines that while the actual guest rooms at BC have been wonderfully updated, the villas haven't been or have been slow to be updated? I also recall comments about poor/slow room cleaning, getting clean towels, etc. My basic understanding is that DVC properties don't all have the daily maid service and it is more relaxed. You might want to check out the disney resort thread to see if anything new about the state of BCV has been posted.

 

[Princess Jes]

and say ""I've stayed there" - and how nice will that feel?

Pretty great actually.
I'm under the impression that a res is hard to come by there. and now that we are looking at Aug, the 7 month window will be open shortly, and for the few rooms that weren't booked at 11 months out, they'll probably go in a blink. Need to book flights so I can book a resort asap!

My basic understanding is that DVC properties don't all have the daily maid service

None of them have daily housekeeping unless you pay through the nose as an additional service but daily housekeeping doesn't bother us for the price savings

However, I remember some complaints this past yr on the Boards about the BCV along the lines that while the actual guest rooms at BC have been wonderfully updated, the villas haven't been or have been slow to be updated?

I was under the impression that BCV was getting updated right through last year, so hopefully they're all done by Aug.

 

[SorcererHeidi]

I was under the impression that BCV was getting updated right through last year, so hopefully they're all done by Aug.

Good catch on the refurb, Sam. Here's what's it says over on WDWInfo.

Disney's Boardwalk Resort

• Flying Fish Cafe will be closed from Feb 2016 through Fall of 2016. A renovated dining room and new kitchen area will be part of the remodel.
• Exterior repair and painting- 8/17/2015-5/5/2016
• Luna Park Pool- closed 1/11/2016- 2/2/2016
• Boardwalk Villas- renovations through Spring 2016

 

[disneysteve]

I'm absolutely the wrong person to ask but I think the Disney hotels are all tremendously overrated and outrageously overpriced. If I was going to stay onsite and F&W was going to be a significant focus of my trip, I'd stay at the Swan. You are a short walk from World Showcase plus you are right there with Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach Club but you're doing it at a fraction of the price. Spend your money on other stuff - meals, drinks, souvenirs, whatever.

 

[Princess Jes]

I'm absolutely the wrong person to ask but I think the Disney hotels are all tremendously overrated and outrageously overpriced. If I was going to stay onsite and F&W was going to be a significant focus of my trip, I'd stay at the Swan. You are a short walk from World Showcase plus you are right there with Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach Club but you're doing it at a fraction of the price. Spend your money on other stuff - meals, drinks, souvenirs, whatever.

I'm not sure that's the case when comparing against renting points though. I'll have to price it out
But we'd never stay off property TBH.

However, Leigh and I had a discussion this morning that got slightly heated (lets say 'warm') and he's thrown massive spanners in the works for everything.
And he's "not going back to WDW, so make the most of it"...... maybe HE isn't, but I WILL.

 

[Princess Jes]

I'll update on the spanners this evening. Super flat out at work today (but part of that has helped me in my bid to get them to send me to Cali to get it all sorted)

 

[disneysteve]

I'm not sure that's the case when comparing against renting points though. I'll have to price it out
But we'd never stay off property TBH.

However, Leigh and I had a discussion this morning that got slightly heated (lets say 'warm') and he's thrown massive spanners in the works for everything.
And he's "not going back to WDW, so make the most of it"...... maybe HE isn't, but I WILL.

For those here in the states: "spanners" = "wrenches"

We don't need a Craigtionary. We need a Jes-tionary.

Hopefully F&W will appeal to him as something he'd want to do again.

 

[Princess Jes]

For those here in the states: "spanners" = "wrenches"

We don't need a Craigtionary. We need a Jes-tionary.

Hopefully F&W will appeal to him as something he'd want to do again.

So do you not say "throw a spanner in the works"?

Haha, a Jes-American dictionary

 

[disneysteve]

So do you not say "throw a spanner in the works"?

Haha, a Jes-American dictionary

Correct, we don't say that. We say throw a wrench in the works. But I understand you just fine thanks to my old friend Google.

 

[Princess Jes]

Correct, we don't say that. We say throw a wrench in the works. But I understand you just fine thanks to my old friend Google.

Who'd have thunk it? Two English speaking people, (or a group of us) whose first language is (presumably) English, and we need a translator! haha

 

[samsteele]

I'm not sure that's the case when comparing against renting points though. I'll have to price it out
But we'd never stay off property TBH.

However, Leigh and I had a discussion this morning that got slightly heated (lets say 'warm') and he's thrown massive spanners in the works for everything.
And he's "not going back to WDW, so make the most of it"...... maybe HE isn't, but I WILL.

It's never easy. Best wishes getting everything sorted out. ps I don't know if the month of travel makes any difference, but Jan and Feb can also be decent to visit WDW with somewhat lower prices & usually lower crowds. Just watch the President's Day long weekend in Feb as that time (as I found out last yr) is super crowded and prices jacked up.