September 2011 - The Planning Continues! (2nd Thread)

[maryj11]

I feel totally lueless about threads, discussions, etc, so I will just jump in with my question. We are going to DW in July. It will be me, DH and DD. Our friends are also going and there are four of them. We want to do DW for 4 days and Sea World for two days. We want to stay at Pop Century. Can we do this even though we are not going to DW all the nights we are there? Will we need to stay at a diff. resort? What about meal plan, as we would love to do that for the days we do DW. I know these have probably been addressed about a thousand times, but I can't find them. Also, are we better off getting on nice suite or two value rooms? Thanks!

Yes you can stay at Disney and go any where you want. We are planning a trip to Universal Studios. Actually the Mears shuttle is going to pick us up and take us back to the Polynesian and they come right to your resort.. The Mears cost 19.00 for round trip per person, so thats not bad. I believe you can eat your meals any day or any time you want on the dining plan and you have until midnight the day you check out to use them all. We are going to have dinner after we get back from Universal at our resort, but I dont think you have to use any on the days your going to Sea World if you dont want to.

 

[Hwyprincess]

Please tell me that I'm not crazy (or that I totally am): my DD goes to sleep kind of roughly if we're in the same room as her. I had the idea to take 2 command hooks (the removable, leave-no-residue kind), some string, clothespins and a queen sized sheet from home and create a curtain wall between her pack 'n' play and our bed in our room. I don't need it to block out light or anything, just act as a screen so she doesn't see us.

Is this crazy? I can't imagine what mousekeeping will think when they walk in!

You don't sound crazy. You sound like a thoughtful mom who wants her child to sleep so you can sleep and you can all enjoy your vacation. My DD will have bed rails so it will be a little harder for us to "hide". Luckily she is a pretty heavy sleeper.

From what I've read on the "what unusual item do you pack" thread mousekeeping will think nothing of it.

 

[disneydreamin247]

That's a good idea too and I'll try that Saturday when we stay at a hotel in the Quad Cities in a 2 queen room! At Disney we have a king room so no extra bed but hopefully a little extra floor space to put the pack 'n' play.

POR has a curtain that separates the sink area from the beds. You can out the PnP behind that.

 

[BorkBorkBork]

You don't sound crazy. You sound like a thoughtful mom who wants her child to sleep so you can sleep and you can all enjoy your vacation. My DD will have bed rails so it will be a little harder for us to "hide". Luckily she is a pretty heavy sleeper.

From what I've read on the "what unusual item do you pack" thread mousekeeping will think nothing of it.

That's so sweet of you to say! DD basically sleeps all night but wakes up and resettles a couple of times and if we're in the room she doesn't resettle easily, let's put it that way!

POR has a curtain that separates the sink area from the beds. You can out the PnP behind that.

I have thought of this but what about when I have to pee multiple times after she goes to bed/in the middle of the night? I'll have to check it out when we get there and see if it'll work. Thank you!!

 

[JewelsG]

No more month... No more month... My ticker has no more month -yippee!

 

[sillylily]

No more month... No more month... My ticker has no more month -yippee!

Me too, me too!!! I've been waiting for this!!

 

[sillylily]

I am so thankful that I have the DIS! Y'all understand the obsession, the overplanning, the constant tweaking of ADRs and touring plans. I have to quit talking about it at home; the girls told me yesterday that they just want this trip to be over so I'll stop talking about it. Hopefully they'll understand, once we get to Florida. So, I will be very quietly refining plans, and DISing to get my fix.

 

[wubbogirl]

started packing a little. I bought the girls new underwear from target. did you know they have various disney underwear of source dd 3 had to have toy story 3 underwear with jessee and bullseye lol

 

[pinkle]

We will be returning in Sept 2012 as well! We havent booked yet because we are doing a big family trip the end of March 2012 with my parents, and my cousins family down to Orlando to check out Universal (Harry Potter! ) and Disney for 10 days. So DH would kill me if I booked a 2nd vacation for next year when we have yet to go on this years one! Althought I must admit, if a BB offer is in our room for free dining next Sept, we will be booking that!

I got the free dining.....I am not sure if it was only offered in Canada for 2012????

Me too, me too!!! I've been waiting for this!!

YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[L-Harper]

I am so thankful that I have the DIS! Y'all understand the obsession, the overplanning, the constant tweaking of ADRs and touring plans. I have to quit talking about it at home; the girls told me yesterday that they just want this trip to be over so I'll stop talking about it. Hopefully they'll understand, once we get to Florida. So, I will be very quietly refining plans, and DISing to get my fix.

Isn't this your first trip? So they really just don't understand yet, right? I'm SO thankful that I haven't had really any negative comments except for one small one about the shirts I made. It makes me sad when I hear of so many people here who have "bubble busters" that they have to deal with. Good luck! Hopefully your family understands it once you guys get to WDW

 

[skater]

I am so thankful that I have the DIS! Y'all understand the obsession, the overplanning, the constant tweaking of ADRs and touring plans. I have to quit talking about it at home; the girls told me yesterday that they just want this trip to be over so I'll stop talking about it. Hopefully they'll understand, once we get to Florida. So, I will be very quietly refining plans, and DISing to get my fix.

They'll probably understand when they see how relaxed the trip can be - because you planned it out ahead of time. And I'm with you - I don't know what I'd do without the DIS to obsess about it all!

 

[janabananas]

They'll probably understand when they see how relaxed the trip can be - because you planned it out ahead of time. And I'm with you - I don't know what I'd do without the DIS to obsess about it all!

I totally agree with you and Sillylilly!!! I am obsessed and I am glad you guys understand it and the anxiety too!!

14 days left!! At this time in 14 days I will be at DHS waiting at DHS for rp, so we can RUN!! to TSM.... ok probably not run, but walk swiftly.

 

[Marblies]

I never thought of tipping the ME driver is this something you just do or have you heard of others doing it?

Not just me, some do and some don't, I do. I have seen talk on the tipping threads that some tip per bag handled etc, but since our luggage comes "magically" that is a moot point for us. I tip because it is worth it just to hear them say "Welcome Princesses!"

 

[ForTheLoveOfDCL]

We are planning for next year. We have our 4th DCL cruise booked on the Fantasy and will stay some days at Disney before the cruise. How many depends on what is offered.

On the tipping....we tip our porter on the cruise about $10...we usually have 4 suitcases. We tip people who provide service....from the hotel we stay at the night before our flights(the shuttle to the airport driver).....mousekeeping, the hair wrapping people,our dining servers, etc. It's a tip for a good job and appreciation!! We ususally take $400 alone for tips when we cruise! Those who work in the tipping industry and depend on them for their income...understand the best!!!!

Ok so I love to say we have 29 days!!! OMG!!! I still have lots to sew, repack(disneydiva messed up my already packed luggage) Once the kids go off to school Monday I will have my weekdays to catch up on housekeeping and trip planning!!

thanks to whoever posted about liqiud soap...that reminded me to pack a foaming soap dispenser. Bar soap is so harsh to my DD's skin...thanks will pack now!

 

[MamaJessie]

After worrying about going to wdw in a hurricane the hurricane is coming to me instead lol.

My dd-12 was having dreams about finding money and getting to go to wdw now instead of waiting. I told her it is close enough we'd just wait even if she did find the money lol

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

On the tipping....we tip our porter on the cruise about $10...we usually have 4 suitcases.

When we drop our bags off (wherever that may be...we are driving, so do we drop bags in the actual port or curbside or somewhere else?), when or how would you tip someone? At the time you drop your bags off?

 

[dizziedupbaby0127]

I actually got it at the store I work at... Meijer. However, I did a web search and found lots of other places (including amazon) that carry it.

It is called circle of friends.... and I was wrong about the diameter...its 18 not 16.

Here is a pic...

I got this same puzzle at Big Lots in july! couldnt pass it up for 5 bucks!

I never thought of tipping the ME driver is this something you just do or have you heard of others doing it?

Not just me, some do and some don't, I do. I have seen talk on the tipping threads that some tip per bag handled etc, but since our luggage comes "magically" that is a moot point for us. I tip because it is worth it just to hear them say "Welcome Princesses!"

We tip mousekeeping $5 a day, tip each day, mostly because 5 is easier then singles. We tip ME driver (When dh doesn't forget ) prob $5 again just easier, we also tip the luggage guys either when delivering out luggage to our room ( if we are in the room) and when we leave our luggage with them our last morning while we hit the parks before ME to MCO $5 for each. We don't use them to come pick up our luggage in the AM before check-out but if we dis I would tip there also.

I agree tipping is a personal option, just brcause we choose to doesn't mean everyone else SHOULD!
We do it because we feel it spreads a little extra magic! And everyone can use an extra $5 these days, not to mention we like to encourage "good service". On that note we don't tip if if we get horrible service (more likely to be at a restaurant, although that hasn't happened to us at WDW)

 

[Glendamax]

I go on the same day you do .

Hey! What are your Dates? I'll be there Sept. 10- 17th. Hope we can run into each other
again!

Am I crazy in that I am (almost) more looking forward to all the food I plan on eating and hotel & pool (I have never been to POP), then I am the rides and attractions at all 4 parks combined??

I would love to be a DVC member one day

No you are NOT crazy! That is one of THEEE main reasons for my excitement. I LOVE the Butternut Squash soup at AKL. Feels good on arrival day, since I've been up for sooo long to get there!

We are going next year as well, but im looking into buying DVC, so I haven't booked anything yet. Either way I want to stay at AoA a couple of nights!

Let me know if you wanna use me (my name) as a reference! I bought at Animal Kingdom, and I LOVE it!

 

[KELLY]

2 days left. Hopefully we will get there. I did check SW sight this am and they were re scheduling flights out of and into Norfolk but nothing else has been affected. So I'm guessing we are just gonig to fly inland around the storm. I really hope this is the case.

We downgrade our resort yesterday and dining paln to the QSDP. I cancled all my adr's except for T-rex and Tusker breakfest. Dh was kind of happy he prefers the QSDP anyway. The girls are fine about where we are staying so all is good.

We did this to have some extra just in case money. We have money set aside for the trip I just hate having to use Credit. But I want to make sure if we get stuck in the hotel at the airprot for more than one night we have the extra funds. This has been a expensive week property taxes and Dh trucks fuel pump went. If we don't use the money that will be great. But if we do it is what it is. I just want to go on vacation.

Right now there is a bounceback in the room for FD for next year so I'm hoping to book when we get there. We are going to do 12 days next year.

 

[sillylily]

Yep, this is the first trip! My younger DD doesn't think it's going to be as much fun as I tell her it will. She's been through a lot physically, so she tends to be more cynical than a lot of kids, with a lot less stars in her eyes. She's concerned about trying to keep up, and it's nervewracking for her. That's why I don't care if we don't get everything done, I want to maintain a leisurely pace for the most part. (Well, everyone but me will be leisurely. I'm the fastpass runner!)