September 2011 - We are going to Disney World {THIS MONTH}! (Third Thread)

[MamaJessie]

Hi everyone, today's our day off and we're getting ready to go hang out by the pool, so I thought I'd check in and say hi! Everything has been so wonderful, crowds have been low (we were in AK on the 1st). Except DHS was pretty busy yesterday but we still got to see most everything we wanted, although we missed the Disney Junior Dance Party because Mama Melrose was running an hour behind. I wasn't really prepared for DD not wanting to see any shows. She just wants rides non-stop. Tomorrow is our second Epcot day (actually was supposed to be today, but we really needed a break.) She has already stated she has to ride Test Track and Soarin' again! We got to sample some of the F&W offerings last time and are hoping to see the rest of WS tomorrow.

Sounds like you are having a great time! The hungry foodie in me wants to know - what did you try at food and wine? An hour wait at the restaurant is pretty long IMO. That would have drove DH nuts.

I was writing my new vaca lists yesterday. DH snuck up over my shoulder and LOLed when he saw I was reading the new SciFi menu. Never too early to start planning right?

Does anyone have a favorite time of year to go? Anyone have a different time of year they would like to try next time? I can't lie, I think a surprise trip for my dd's 14th birthday would be AMAZING. She mentioned to DH that she was a little sad that she never got to go to WDW when she was little like her sisters. He explained to her that we would have but we were taking the vacations we could afford at the time, like day trips to Salem and Gloucester. She was satisfied with that, she knows it was hard affording a baby when we got pregnant when I was 19, but a surprise bday trip would be pretty amazing.

Questions for those that have done celebrations. Is it taboo to wear your pin on a day other than the actual day of the celebration? her bday would be a Sat that year, a day we usually travel- so I would want her to get to wear the pin a different day for the magic.

Yes, yes I am crazy. I came here to enjoy this special brand of crazy with all you lovely people

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Does anyone have a favorite time of year to go? Anyone have a different time of year they would like to try next time?

Our favorite time of the year to go is December for all of the holiday decorations, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, and the Candlelight Processional. However, I'm heavily considering bumping our vacation to mid-November. The holiday decorations would already be up, MVMCP would be running, and we could get the tail end of the Food & Wine Festival. The only thing we would miss would be the Candlelight Processional.

I love dreaming about all of our Disney options, over and over and over again!

 

[janabananas]

We too are full on addicted and have been discussing our next trip a lot. DH got all fake weepy when I mentioned going to a value and the full size beds so I think that's out. He wants to go to the Contemporary and while I would LOVE it (love the location and the monorail especially!) I am having a hard time justifying the cost when we could go twice for that money. We will start saving for the CR but planning for POFQ next time--liked POR but it was too big. We're talking Nov '13 or Jan '14 so we've got time to save and research it!

Can I make a suggestion? Have you looked into DVC rental points? You can get a DVC villa for about 1/2 off what the same unit through Disney would cost. There are brokers out there and you have a contract with the broker and owner. That is how we are affording BWV. Through Disney directly it would cost about $1400, through the DVC rental points it is only $600.
If you like CR, you could rent at Bay Lake Towers, and use all of the CR facilities. I think Sparks19 stayed there this last trip?

 

[Strawberry's mom&dad]

Questions for those that have done celebrations. Is it taboo to wear your pin on a day other than the actual day of the celebration? her bday would be a Sat that year, a day we usually travel- so I would want her to get to wear the pin a different day for the magic.

Yes, yes I am crazy. I came here to enjoy this special brand of crazy with all you lovely people

We are still here. My husband wore his birthday pin twice the day we picked it up and on his birthday Oct 1. Last night at dinner at Citricos they printed out a birthday menu for him. So it would be ok to wear B-day button multiple days.

 

[janabananas]

Questions for those that have done celebrations. Is it taboo to wear your pin on a day other than the actual day of the celebration? her bday would be a Sat that year, a day we usually travel- so I would want her to get to wear the pin a different day for the magic.

I wore mine all 4 days I was there. It was my birthday trip, so I figured, why not?? I got a couple of birthday seranades, 2 free desserts, and an extra ride on RNR. I also got bunches of CM's and other guests saying "Happy birthday, Janet" out of no where. I was confused that people knew my name, until dbf said to me, "Honey, you are wearing a pin with your name on it, people are gonna know your name." Duh!!

 

[MamaJessie]

We are still here. My husband wore his birthday pin twice the day we picked it up and on his birthday Oct 1. Last night at dinner at Citricos they printed out a birthday menu for him. So it would be ok to wear B-day button multiple days.

I wore mine all 4 days I was there. It was my birthday trip, so I figured, why not?? I got a couple of birthday seranades, 2 free desserts, and an extra ride on RNR. I also got bunches of CM's and other guests saying "Happy birthday, Janet" out of no where. I was confused that people knew my name, until dbf said to me, "Honey, you are wearing a pin with your name on it, people are gonna know your name." Duh!!

That is good to know. I think DD would love all that special attention. Now to plan for 15 months without her knowing. I have already started checking when I can make my ADRs. And comparing resorts. I forgot how much fun the beginning stages of planning are

 

[janabananas]

That is good to know. I think DD would love all that special attention. Now to plan for 15 months without her knowing. I have already started checking when I can make my ADRs. And comparing resorts. I forgot how much fun the beginning stages of planning are

I spent most of Saturday wandering resorts to pick which one we wanted for 11 months out. If you have any questions, let me know. I would be happy to give any info I have.

 

[MamaJessie]

I spent most of Saturday wandering resorts to pick which one we wanted for 11 months out. If you have any questions, let me know. I would be happy to give any info I have.

Did you happen to go by Ft. Wilderness? I think the cabins seem like the best idea for my family of six, but then i read about what a headache getting around the resort is and I just don't know. I wonder if it is hard to navigate. But I love the idea of all the benefits of staying there, like the carriage rides, the beach, Chip and Dale's singalong and Hoop De Doo.

CSR has Jr. Suites which would work for us too, did you go there? Like it?

And we can get connecting values or a suite at AoA but DH is seriously hot tub obsessed. One of his complaints this time was how often Windsor Hills closed the hot tub/pool area early. He is actually even more insistent on being on site next time than I am.

So, I think a CSR Jr. Suite and cabins at Ft. Wilderness are the only two "affordable" options for a family of six. If you know of any others that would be great too!

 

[ShhhQ]

I feel you have to celebrate your birthday in at least all 4 parks!!!!

Our trip was about 2 weeks after my birthday, but I celebrated it!!!

 

[BorkBorkBork]

Can I make a suggestion? Have you looked into DVC rental points? You can get a DVC villa for about 1/2 off what the same unit through Disney would cost. There are brokers out there and you have a contract with the broker and owner. That is how we are affording BWV. Through Disney directly it would cost about $1400, through the DVC rental points it is only $600.
If you like CR, you could rent at Bay Lake Towers, and use all of the CR facilities. I think Sparks19 stayed there this last trip?

I have definitely thought about it as I know it'd save a lot of money. I am intimidated by the trust thing, you know, giving all my money to the DVC member and not to Disney directly. Since it's so far out I haven't looked any further than that on the DIS here or on other sites. Would you mind sending me a PM with the link to whatever website you used and any tips?

 

[janabananas]

Did you happen to go by Ft. Wilderness? I think the cabins seem like the best idea for my family of six, but then i read about what a headache getting around the resort is and I just don't know. I wonder if it is hard to navigate. But I love the idea of all the benefits of staying there, like the carriage rides, the beach, Chip and Dale's singalong and Hoop De Doo.

CSR has Jr. Suites which would work for us too, did you go there? Like it?

And we can get connecting values or a suite at AoA but DH is seriously hot tub obsessed. One of his complaints this time was how often Windsor Hills closed the hot tub/pool area early. He is actually even more insistent on being on site next time than I am.

So, I think a CSR Jr. Suite and cabins at Ft. Wilderness are the only two "affordable" options for a family of six. If you know of any others that would be great too!

I didn't see Ft Wilderness, except for the boat dock, and didn't check out CSR. I have heard good things about CSR and how great the main pool is. I know at FW alot of folks have golf carts. Sorry, I don't really have much info.

 

[Strawberry's mom&dad]

I have definitely thought about it as I know it'd save a lot of money. I am intimidated by the trust thing, you know, giving all my money to the DVC member and not to Disney directly. Since it's so far out I haven't looked any further than that on the DIS here or on other sites. Would you mind sending me a PM with the link to whatever website you used and any tips?

We belong to DVC. To get into a resort you want,as a member we have to make reservations 11 months out. Espically true here at BLT(our home resort). It fills up fast. So if you do go the rental route keep the eleven month window in mind.

If we want to stay at another DVC resort we have to book it no sooner than 7 months out.

The DVC planing board here is a good source of info on renting points.

Have fun in planning next vacation

 

[MamaJessie]

I have definitely thought about it as I know it'd save a lot of money. I am intimidated by the trust thing, you know, giving all my money to the DVC member and not to Disney directly.

One of the many reasons we are doing on site next time. Everything worked out for us but I worried on and off the entire time that something was going to go wrong.

More questions.... Anyone here use a travel agent to book their vacation? I have read it doesn't cost any extra, but is there a reason to do it?

 

[ForTheLoveOfDCL]

Hey all....flew home yesterday....teared up a bit on the Magical Express....sad sad day!!
Had a great time. I haven't read through the week I missed(will do that later tomorrow). But I will tell a bit about my trip. My DD's were happy when surprised with Disney but were over joyed when they saw their friends from home were there. If you were at Pop on the 24th and heard 4 girls screaming in excitment around 9pm...those were mine and their friends. =)) I was on the 4th floor of building 5 at Pop. You couldn't miss my room....window was decorated like crazy. I loved location. I could over look Hippy Dippy....could be a little noisey at times but I was tooo tired to care so had no trouble falling asleep!! I loved the dining plan. Couldn't even eat all the food. Won't be doing TS again though....was kinda disappointed in it. I mean mostly food was great but didn't like my day being interrupted for dining and then getting there and feeling like enough attention wasn't paid to our table. I mean we were a table of 12 so every night the server was making $75+ in grat from us, yet when the characters would come along they would just take a pic with the 5 girls and leave....ummm we were 3 SEPERATE families.....I wanted pics with my family!!!!! I feel we should have gotten better service then that considering what the server was getting. I plan on sending a little note Disney's way. I also had some great experiences that I got CM names to point out their great service!!!! Like Paul from Kilimenjaro Safari...awesome!! Rough ride but thats how it should be it's the safari afterall. and he was sooooo into it, made it real fun!!! Also had some great CM's help me locate DD's purse which she left at Chef Mickey's which contained $65 and a nikon camera($190) but it was all returned to our hotel room the next day!!! Thanks to Kate in security and Jen in Cust relations. and Michael at Chef Mickey's.
We rebooked a bounceback offer and will be going next Sept 22-29 on free dining, but sticking with the QS this time and then maybe booking 1/2 TS dinings OOP. I really loved Cape Mays, Chef Mickey's and Whispering Canyon. Next year we will have the park hopper too that way can go where we want and not be committed to the park we start in. We also did not tell the girls we rebooked with our friends from home. Might just have to surprise them again...LOL Actually we have a cruise booked for sept 29th so we may be having 2 weeks of Disney fun. 1 week at Disney and 1 week on the Fantasy!!!! I just need to investigate the amount of homework DD(12) will have for 2 weeks missed.! I mean what's 10 days at the beginning of the year(review).

Not sure if I saw any of you.
Here is our crazy bunch, this is just a few photos I took. Most character ones I did with photopass since I pre-bought the CD so I made it worth it. over 350 photos before editing...yeah me!!!

got so many compliments on the skirt...even had someone come up to take a pic of it to make for her child. That was nice since I just learned to sew this year. I will make more things for my next vacation. Will save the skirt for the cruise too cause it will fit still!!

Well that's all I got for tonight. I have to go start folding laundry and putting things away. Sleep is calling me too cause man I am beat!!! TTFN

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Hey all....flew home yesterday....teared up a bit on the Magical Express....sad sad day!!

I love those animal print shirts and your coordinating khaki striped shirt!

Welcome back!

 

[BorkBorkBork]

We belong to DVC. To get into a resort you want,as a member we have to make reservations 11 months out. Espically true here at BLT(our home resort). It fills up fast. So if you do go the rental route keep the eleven month window in mind.

If we want to stay at another DVC resort we have to book it no sooner than 7 months out.

The DVC planing board here is a good source of info on renting points.

Have fun in planning next vacation

Thank you for your input! Planning far enough out is not a problem I have . I've got 25 months to go til the next one and I've been working out various plans on paper all night since I started looking into renting points. One thing I don't like is the cancellation policy (on the site I was using it was basically: you can't cancel). I hashed out various scenarious tonight and felt like I was doing the world's longest story problem. "If a family of 3 stays at BLT on rented points for 10 days, how much more than that is a stay of 7 days at POFQ on free dining? Show your work!" I thought we could get buy without getting the dining plan but paying OOP would be just as much.

Basically, I've gotta wait til it gets closer to see what discounts are available!

 

[ShhhQ]

Who all is planning on returning next September?

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

I hashed out various scenarious tonight and felt like I was doing the world's longest story problem. "If a family of 3 stays at BLT on rented points for 10 days, how much more than that is a stay of 7 days at POFQ on free dining? Show your work!"

Basically, I've gotta wait til it gets closer to see what discounts are available!

This is so true! It is like a real world math problem...

And I agree, no matter how much advanced planning I do, I still generally wait until discounts come out. It kind of defeats the purpose of all that early problem solving, but it keeps the mind occupied with Disney!

 

[sillylily]

I have the post-Disney blues in a really bad way. I saw one of the new Disney parks commercials this morning, and burst into tears. DH wasn't bitten by the Disney bug; the rest of us were. I'm hoping to lure him in with the Keys and Universal, and sneak in a couple of Disney days.

 

[disneydreamin247]

Who all is planning on returning next September?

September was entirely too hot for us. We are planning for October.