Santa Fe or Cheyenne for young couple?

[loladelorean]

I can’t help myself – have started planning already for my trip with my boyfriend in June next year! I’m just so excited that he is finally coming to DLP with me, and to be honest I’ve planned my November trip until there is really nothing left to plan.
Originally we were planning to stay in HNY again in June, but a couple of changes to our circumstances mean that the trip is going to be on a tighter budget than first expected. I don’t mind, as long as we are still going to DLP! I’m just trying to figure out how much the other options are likely to cost, and where would be best for us.
I looked into staying offsite, and although the prices seem good for Kyriad etc, I was shocked by the cost of park tickets for three days even with shareholder discount. So I’m hopeful for a 30% or even 40% offer on Disney hotels. Our choices are between Santa Fe and Cheyenne really, possibly Sequoia if we can get 40% off.
My question is whether anyone has stayed in SF or Cheyenne as a young couple, and how they found it, or what you think they would be like for us? The theme of the Cheyenne appeals to me a lot more, but I’m concerned it might be too childish (not for me, I’m a big kid, but my boyfriend is new to Disney and I’m trying to ease him into it and convince him its not just for children). If a 40% offer comes up I’m hoping we could afford SL, which I’ve not stayed in either but looks great.
Also, I’m basing all of this on the brochure prices from June 2010, how likely is it that they will increase greatly for 2011?

 

[DLPdaft]

For June, honestly, going on the last couple of years, I'd expect the brochure prices to increase a fair bit - I'm always at the full brochure price for that time of year, I've not been able to get anything at all (and I love the Santa Fe ) onsite in my budget for the last couple of years at that time of year. Even paying for one AP and going offsite usually works out much cheaper than onsite for me at that time of year.

You do know you'd get 15% off the cost of an AP each with your shareholders discount, which would take the cost of a Fantasy AP down to 118 euros each? So if you did find a good deal for the offsite hotels, your park tickets (ie APs) would cost you around £200 total on top of that.

 

[loladelorean]

For June, honestly, going on the last couple of years, I'd expect the brochure prices to increase a fair bit - I'm always at the full brochure price for that time of year, I've not been able to get anything at all (and I love the Santa Fe ) onsite in my budget for the last couple of years at that time of year. Even paying for one AP and going offsite usually works out much cheaper than onsite for me at that time of year.

You do know you'd get 15% off the cost of an AP each with your shareholders discount, which would take the cost of a Fantasy AP down to 118 euros each? So if you did find a good deal for the offsite hotels, your park tickets (ie APs) would cost you around £200 total on top of that.

Thanks for your quick reply. It occurred to me in the middle of my budgetting that the prices might rise If they go up substantially we might not have a choice but to stay offsite - anybody know what the average rate of increase has been in the past few years?
I've used the full brochure prices to work out what 30% off might be (and 40% just in case).
It MIGHT be worth me getting an AP but definitely not my boyfriend, I'm practically having to drag him kicking and screaming this time lol. I will work out the prices with AP as well and see how it works out. The other thing I thought is that we could just get 2 days park tickets instead of 3 if staying offsite and spend the first afternoon/evening in Val D'Europe.
It's quite frustrating not being able to get prices for next summer. I think Disney leave it quite late to release brochures and prices, I don't think 8/9 months is too far in advance to want to plan your holidays.
Thank you for your help DLPDaft a very good idea

 

[DLPdaft]

Offsite hotels don't tend to rise in price much at all, year to year (because you can book through other agents, not Disney, ie Expedia, the hotels own websites, travelrepublic, alpharooms etc etc). I usually budget for around £60 per room per night for an associated hotel (Kyriad, Magic Circus, Dream Castle, Explorers) for June.

 

[loladelorean]

That's good to know. Yes, I have checked on Expedia and many of these are already giving prices for next June. We are only going for 2 nights, I was hoping for 3 days in the park but if we can only get 2 then it's better than nothing.
I'm also at a total loss as to what to estimate for the cost of flights. They seem to vary wildly. Whether we can get a good price for flights may well dictate the choice of hotel, as the budget is pretty much set.
When do Easyjet and Ryanair release their flights for next summer, does anyone know?

 

[MelanieRavenswood]

Hi Loladelorean!

I'm one half of a twenty-something couple and have stayed at both Santa Fe and Cheyenne. We had a lovely time at both, but we favour the Cheyenne at the mo.

As you say, the theming is better, there's more of a wow-factor - so you feel like you're getting more of a full on Disney experience for your money, it's a little closer to the park, and usually the difference in price between that and the Santa Fe is negligable.

Also we have found that breakfast is a bit less fraught at the Cheyenne (although don't get me wrong, they both get busy at brekkie time ) - It feels like there are more places to sit in the restaurant which helps...

However, we have had two wonderful stays at the Santa Fe and if it was much cheaper to stay there than the Cheyenne for future trips we would do, so that we had more money to spend in the parks

Another good thing about Santa Fe is that the Esso garage is next door if you want supplies/bottle of wine/snacks of an evening . Obviously you can still do this if you're at the Cheyenne, it's just a slightly longer walk.

Hope this helps

 

[loladelorean]

Thanks so much Melanie, that's very helpful.
I was wondering about breakfast so it is helpful to know that you found the Cheyenne to be a bit better.
Looking at prices, it seems to be only about £20 dearer for the Cheyenne for a 2 night stay, which to me would be worth it for the nice themeing. What is the bar area like in the Cheyenne?
Think I might have to show my boyfriend photos and if he says 'there's no way I'm staying in a cowboy town' then that't that lol. When he originally agreed to go to DLP (after almost 4 years of pleading on my part) one of his conditions was that we stay in a more grown up hotel. But due to job changes and shelling out for car troubles, the HNY is no longer a viable option.
Argh I just wish I knew what the actual prices were going to be! Basically, if we can get 30% off its Cheyenne (I was leaning that way anyway, and your post has more or less convinced me), 40% then Sequoia Lodge, no offers the Kyriad and only 2 days in the parks instead of 3.

 

[sarahb74]

Hi there.
If you are doing 3 days i.e 2 nights midweek early June (1st 2 weeks approx), excluding transport, prices before any offers were as follows:
2009 - Cheyenne £207 per adult, Santa Fe £189 per adult
2010 - Cheyenne £252 per adult, Santa Fe £234 per adult

How sad am I keeping old brochures? On second thoughts, please dont answer that!

 

[MelanieRavenswood]

Just sent you a PM

 

[loladelorean]

Hi there.
If you are doing 3 days i.e 2 nights midweek early June (1st 2 weeks approx), excluding transport, prices before any offers were as follows:
2009 - Cheyenne £207 per adult, Santa Fe £189 per adult
2010 - Cheyenne £252 per adult, Santa Fe £234 per adult

How sad am I keeping old brochures? On second thoughts, please dont answer that!

Ooh you're not sad, you're super helpful! However, that price jump is a lot scarier than I expected it to be
If they increase by £40ish per adult again this year that will scupper all my plans, but I am glad I know this now as I'll brace myself for the worst.
Thanks so much for looking those out for me, it's good to know.

 

[Lisa_C]

Just to let you know, the 40% offer isn't always a good deal.....I went July in 2009 for 5 days and priced up again this July (same 40% offer) and it was £200 dearer! I nearly died! We are going the second week in November now and all 11 of us are going for just over £1000 in the Sequoia (travel excluded as I always book separately)

 

[Libby_Darling]

WELL Lola, as you well know I will be staying at the Santa Fe in a couple of weeks for 4 nights and I'll take loads of photos of the room and hotel for my trip report, so you can get an idea of what it's like at this time to help you decide

Also this may not help but we stayed at Hotel Explorers in 2007 and it was so nice! Seriously, huge room with two double beds and separate bathroom/toilet, we were so shocked! And the shuttle bus was a total breeze to use. So could be worth considering an off-site hotel if you do manage to get discount on your tickets (although possibly Explorers might be a bit childish for your BF, we loved it as we have the mindset of small children! )

 

[loladelorean]

WELL Lola, as you well know I will be staying at the Santa Fe in a couple of weeks for 4 nights and I'll take loads of photos of the room and hotel for my trip report, so you can get an idea of what it's like at this time to help you decide

Also this may not help but we stayed at Hotel Explorers in 2007 and it was so nice! Seriously, huge room with two double beds and separate bathroom/toilet, we were so shocked! And the shuttle bus was a total breeze to use. So could be worth considering an off-site hotel if you do manage to get discount on your tickets (although possibly Explorers might be a bit childish for your BF, we loved it as we have the mindset of small children! )

Thanks Libby, you know I'll be reading your trip report anyway
With extra interest planning for our 2011 trip!
I've been pleasantly surprised by the price of Dream Castle as well, I will be doing research on the offsite hotels whilst I wait impatiently for the Disney prices.

 

[loladelorean]

Just to let you know, the 40% offer isn't always a good deal.....I went July in 2009 for 5 days and priced up again this July (same 40% offer) and it was £200 dearer! I nearly died! We are going the second week in November now and all 11 of us are going for just over £1000 in the Sequoia (travel excluded as I always book separately)

Crikey that is a big jump
Surely they can't make such a big leap again in 2011?! How can they justify it? Hmm I await the next brochure with trepidation rather than excitement.
That's a brilliant price at the Sequoia though, well done.

 

[loladelorean]

Now that the Easyjet flight times have come out I can't stop thinking about this June 2011 trip!
I've been going backwards and forwards between staying offsite and buying AP (just for me, BF is reluctant to come even once so that would mean pricey park tickets for him) or hoping for a Disney deal
Whatever way I look at it staying offsite is more expensive, based on at least 30% offer from Disney
Even with the great Kyriad prices, once you add on one AP and 3 days park tickets with shareholder discount, Santa Fe and Cheyenne (or maybe even Sequoia Lodge) are likely to be cheaper.
Buuut then I would have the AP and save on future trips (although these trips are purely hypothetical lol)
At least I have months to agonize over the decision while waiting for Disney to bring out brochure prices and offers!

Another problem - flight times are perfect Thursday 16th-Saturday 18th June, and only £100 total for both of us. Do I take a gamble and book them now, or hope that the price stays low until I know what I'm doing about accomodation??

 

[hazelj27]

Book the flights whilst they're cheap! Something is bound to come up in the meantime...the latest offer ends today, so I'm hopeful another one will arise soon (fingers crossed!!)

 

[loladelorean]

Book the flights whilst they're cheap! Something is bound to come up in the meantime...the latest offer ends today, so I'm hopeful another one will arise soon (fingers crossed!!)

That's what my gut is telling me to do! I suppose even if Disney don't come up with offers for the right dates there is always the kyriad and ap option.
Thanks for the encouragement - just heading home to bend bf's war about it!
Interested to see if the offer pattern is the same as last year (ie all meals for free next) as that would bode well fit summer offers! Hope you get the offer you need too

 

[hazelj27]

Thanks I'm hoping for the free dining again...that was a complete steal. Although, I think I would settle for 75% off?!

 

[Jayney73]

Thanks for your quick reply. It occurred to me in the middle of my budgetting that the prices might rise If they go up substantially we might not have a choice but to stay offsite - anybody know what the average rate of increase has been in the past few years?
I've used the full brochure prices to work out what 30% off might be (and 40% just in case).
It MIGHT be worth me getting an AP but definitely not my boyfriend, I'm practically having to drag him kicking and screaming this time lol. I will work out the prices with AP as well and see how it works out. The other thing I thought is that we could just get 2 days park tickets instead of 3 if staying offsite and spend the first afternoon/evening in Val D'Europe.
It's quite frustrating not being able to get prices for next summer. I think Disney leave it quite late to release brochures and prices, I don't think 8/9 months is too far in advance to want to plan your holidays.
Thank you for your help DLPDaft a very good idea

This is frustrating me too!!! I am desperate to start planning our trip next year in July but just cant!! Most people plan trips/hols 9/12 months in advance( well at least I do!!!).
I too am hoping for a good % off so we can book the Cheyenne. We need two rooms because there are 5 of us and could only consider this if there was 40 % again.
Reading this thread though I am going to price up off site hotels....something I hadnt really considered before but may now just to get an idea of the price.
EMH always swung it for us but we couild manage without if the price were right I suppose.
We stayed at Explorers the 1st time we went and that was nice I have to say.

 

[Kazzabelle]

Hi,
We have been as a twenty something couple with and without kids we started going before we had our 2. i was 24 when we first went (im now 29). We have always stayed at the Cheyenne and love it my dh keeps saying can we stay somewhere different this year but due to finance we always end up back at the Cheyenne, the rooms have always been clean and good for what we needed. The bar is cute it's decorated like a saloon and often have bands playing. when we are there my dh never complains about where we are. you can always tell your dbf it's just a place to rest your head.
i hope you get something sorted