~Snowbird Chat 2~

[danceintherain]

Well, between the heat, how I handle the heat, my injury, and the summer crowds, I did set my expectations low. I marched my parents (who had the rental car) to opening every day and we got on all the big rides straight away.

My brother and his wife did use the baby carrier thing... because my niece gets antsy in her stroller when it's not moving. So she fussed less, in theory, when being worn. Of course, you can imagine how many breaks she and her parent had to take, but they all loved the various baby care centers. Heck, when my friend visited on Saturday with her *3* month baby, she took FULL advantage of the baby care centers, too. Great place for baby to rest. I will say that NO ONE in the parks batted an eye as the various moms fed their babies.

I did LOVE spending time with my niece. Loved loved loved it. When she was first brought in to my room, she and I sat on the floor and that was that. She crawled in to my lap and just played as babies do. When I had my baseball cap on, she'd play peek-a-boo with me, pulling my hat down, then lifting it up. It was pretty funny. I know the non-parents were pretty jealous of how much my niece enjoyed my company. Ha-ha suckers.

We didn't have a bad meal (well, even for as little as I could eat without getting sick), which was great. We ate at Marrakesh, Crystal Palace (my SIL didn't know it was a character meal and OH did my niece - at 9 months! - love love LOVE the characters, who all spent time playing and engaging with her. It was so lovely of them!), Le Cellier, Boma (just DH and I), Kouzzina, and Chefs de France.

my niece flirted with the waitress and got a glow cube for her troubles (best toy EVER!).

But I think I'll avoid the summer, in the future. More importantly, i'd REALLY like to avoid tearing more muscles even when not going to Disney World!

And my husband is already talking about 2013. SCORE! (He was once on an every 4 year plan.... mwhahaha)

That doesn't sound too bad. I also plan to avoid Disney in the summer as much as possible. The heat just doesn't help with the fun.

Those glow cubes are pretty awesome.

I'm glad you might get another trip sooner than usual. I'm probably going to get a 2013 trip, then we won't be back for a while. It really depends on where we get stationed after here.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I was asked today "we're going to Disney for the first time next spring. Where should we stay?"

I love being a Disney expert!!
Needless to say, I had to ask a few questions and refer her to the DIS first!

I think they will be able to afford deluxe.
What is your favorite deluxe and why?

 

[Monny2AE]

I'm in a Disney dilemma and need some advice. We're trying to keep this trip as budget friendly as possible.

To stay at CBR (with no discounts since no discounts have been released yet) it's $1500 for 8 nights.

To stay at Buena Vista Suites with a discount through Mousesavers it's only $666 for a 1 bedroom suite AND a full buffet breakfast is included so we'd save on a meal each day. I'd also have to factor in paying $14 for parking each day at the parks. They have a bus I think but we usually drive even when we stay at a Disney resort.

Trouble is that I'm a Disney snob and I've only ever stayed on property. I love that when you stay on property you're immersed in the Disney magic. BUT it is a substantial savings staying offsite. Do I hold out and hope that Disney releases some resort discounts/free dining for November or go ahead and take advantage of this deal while it's out? I can cancel up to 3 days prior with no penalties.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I'm in a Disney dilemma and need some advice. We're trying to keep this trip as budget friendly as possible.

To stay at CBR (with no discounts since no discounts have been released yet) it's $1500 for 8 nights.

To stay at Buena Vista Suites with a discount through Mousesavers it's only $666 for a 1 bedroom suite AND a full buffet breakfast is included so we'd save on a meal each day. I'd also have to factor in paying $14 for parking each day at the parks. They have a bus I think but we usually drive even when we stay at a Disney resort.

Trouble is that I'm a Disney snob and I've only ever stayed on property. I love that when you stay on property you're immersed in the Disney magic. BUT it is a substantial savings staying offsite. Do I hold out and hope that Disney releases some resort discounts/free dining for November or go ahead and take advantage of this deal while it's out? I can cancel up to 3 days prior with no penalties.

I totally understand that dilemma! Think about the cost you'd spend on breakfast if you stayed on property, the parking fees and do a little math. I bet you'd still come out way ahead off site.
Do you usually take advantage of EMH?
You're driving so Magical Express doesn't matter.
I think historically they release discounts in mid-August for fall/winter dates, so maybe hold out until then and see?
It does not sound like they are having such great discounts anymore. The time frames are shorter and the discounts are less What if you could get 15% off resort? Would that be enough?

Maybe for this one trip, you sacrifice. How's the pool at BV Suites?
Just some thoughts...

 

[Monny2AE]

The pool is blah. I know in my heart I would rather stay at CBR. You can't compete with the pirate pool. I'm just trying to save us a little but I worry that saving us a few hundred will make our trip less magical than we're used to.

Here's the link to Buena Vista Suites. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...views-Buena_Vista_Suites-Orlando_Florida.html It looks like a nice place but there's no hidden mickey's on the blankets.

 

[Monny2AE]

Okay just did some quick math. If Disney comes out with free QSDDP then we would be paying about the same amount onsite or off. It would save us less than $100 to stay offsite then. Not a huge savings IMO. If no free dining then we are spending almost $700 more to stay at CBR. Can I justify spending $700 more for the pirate pool, CBR ambiance, Mickey waffles, smaller room, no EMH?

Ugh !! I wish Disney would just let me know if they are offering discounts or not! Then I could compare apples to apples instead of all these "what if's"!!!!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

The pool is blah. I know in my heart I would rather stay at CBR. You can't compete with the pirate pool. I'm just trying to save us a little but I worry that saving us a few hundred will make our trip less magical than we're used to.

Here's the link to Buena Vista Suites. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...views-Buena_Vista_Suites-Orlando_Florida.html It looks like a nice place but there's no hidden mickey's on the blankets.

I see what you mean.
There's a premium we pay for that Disney magic, isn't there?

You'll have to figure out how much you really can spend and still be comfortable with the cost of the trip and what you're willing to sacrifice.
If you don't get any discounts, are you still willing to go and stay off site just so you can go? Is it more important to have a great park experience than where you sleep/swim?

I forget, how many days are you planning to go for? Maybe if you shave off a day you could save enough to stay on site. I hate to go for less than 5 days, but we've done it many times and it's better than not going.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I bet they will offer FD and/or room discounts for your week Kim! They always do.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

I was asked today "we're going to Disney for the first time next spring. Where should we stay?"

I love being a Disney expert!!
Needless to say, I had to ask a few questions and refer her to the DIS first!

I think they will be able to afford deluxe.
What is your favorite deluxe and why?

Wow!! That is always fun to do!! How many are in the party? More than 4? And are there kids? Ok...for deluxes,...WL is really nice, we loved it ,but once you hit 5 you are pushed into the Jr. Suite which is quite a bit more$$ per day than the other rooms. Its a very nice suite and you are club level, which is convenient...we love, love, love the Contemporary. We love being in the main tower (bay lake view or Theme park view). All in one building, monorail running through, and the rooms are big. Remember when you came in our room? We always feel that we have plenty of space...sinks are strange, but we don't care. Plus, you can walk to MK in the morning and mono back if you want, and your the 1st stop on the way back.then you can mono to Epcot...
we have stayed at the Poly and the GF and we really like the CR better...kids loved the Poly, but we didn't have that great of an experience last time.
For the Epcot area...hands down the Beach Club!!!! Can't beat the local, or pool!!! We have been here 4 times and love it!!! We are not doing it this year because we like to switch it up every other year! That's my input on the deluxes

I'm in a Disney dilemma and need some advice. We're trying to keep this trip as budget friendly as possible.

To stay at CBR (with no discounts since no discounts have been released yet) it's $1500 for 8 nights.

To stay at Buena Vista Suites with a discount through Mousesavers it's only $666 for a 1 bedroom suite AND a full buffet breakfast is included so we'd save on a meal each day. I'd also have to factor in paying $14 for parking each day at the parks. They have a bus I think but we usually drive even when we stay at a Disney resort.

Trouble is that I'm a Disney snob and I've only ever stayed on property. I love that when you stay on property you're immersed in the Disney magic. BUT it is a substantial savings staying offsite. Do I hold out and hope that Disney releases some resort discounts/free dining for November or go ahead and take advantage of this deal while it's out? I can cancel up to 3 days prior with no penalties.

Well, we too are holding out for discounts...the last few years when we have been at slow times, we still get offered either a % off the room (diff % for diff resort levels) or FD...for us it's better to do the room discount..we are narrowed down to certain room choices since we are a family of 5,so it just works out better. I am thinking it'll be released in about a month...Before the first of Sept for sure. But, if you are wary, you might wanna book the other offer and cancel if you need to. Especially if you have no penalty charges...for me, if it came down to staying off site or not going, I would stay off site. Have you checked into the Value resorts? I have only stayed there once (all star music), but we loved it. Mike didn't like bussing back and forth, but if it was the only option i would be there at a family suite in a heartbeat! And my boys were very little then and they LOVED the Three Caballero's pool. And the buses don't share with other resorts..just all-stars, so you don't really wait long at all. Just figure up parking fees, time and gas (which is prob vey minimal) and see what you think is a better deal. Meghan may have input here...she stays offsite too...and I am wondering if this is the place she stayed last time.

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Kim, or anyone capable and feeling generous...how did you get 2 countdowns in your siggie? I wanted to do the name tag one also and can't figure it out!!!

Question 2: do any of y'all ship souvies home from the resort? I just wondered what the actual process is....do you do it from the resort itself? I think I am gonna ship our snax and toiletries ahead like I usually do this year...last year I just brought it in a suitcase and stuck souvies in there to bring home.But, if I ship snax out, I won't have that extra luggage...I would rather not drag more luggage than I need to!!!

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Yeah, Shawna - I remember your CR room!
This is a family of 3 (unless they bring anyone else with them) so they could plausibly stay anywhere.
They are going in spring - for spring break, which here is in March. I really liked the proximity of CR (well BLT) to MK and being able to walk back and avoid the crowds waiting in line!

I told her the BC is the best over by Epcot and of course I rave about AKL! She had also looked at POFQ, so I told her a little about that.

I forgot about WL! Isn't that horrible? We might try it on one of our next visits - they have DVC!

I've never shipped anything to or from WDW so I'm no help there.

I think for the tickers, you just have to adjust the font size of the other things in your signature, and then insert your ticker next to the other one. I hope that helps! I know I had trouble fitting it all in once, and shrank my font and then it fit.

 

[danceintherain]

I was asked today "we're going to Disney for the first time next spring. Where should we stay?"

I love being a Disney expert!!
Needless to say, I had to ask a few questions and refer her to the DIS first!

I think they will be able to afford deluxe.
What is your favorite deluxe and why?

Haha...I would have such a hard time recommending a resort to anyone. It really depends on personal taste. I met someone here who found a love for Disney a few years ago, and on their next trip she wants to stay at Pop Century! They stayed off property on their first and only trip to Disney, and of all the places on property, Pop Century is her number 1 choice. We totally have different tastes. The funniest thing about it is they're 2 adults with no kids.

Anyways...how old is their kid?
If they have a young child, then Magic Kingdom area is the way to go. If they have an older child, Epcot area would be great.

We want to stay at the Wilderness Lodge on our next trip, because we're going to outgrow a standard room there at some point, so it might be our last chance. If my budget (and DH) didn't stop me, I would choose the Poly in the Magic Kingdom area.

I have a pretty equal opinion of all the hotels in the Epcot area, since the themes are very similar. What gets to me is the pools. DH would never set foot in the clown pool at the Boardwalk, and I've heard SAB can be a bit rough for younger kids (maybe it's just the lazy river part?), so it will probably be a while before we can take full advantage.

I'm in a Disney dilemma and need some advice. We're trying to keep this trip as budget friendly as possible.

As much as I love staying on the property, my budget dictates my decision much of the time, so I would stay off property if it was that or no trip. I would go ahead and book off property, then watch for discounts to get you in a better range.
We did stay at the Doubletree near DTD on a Mousesavers rate a couple years ago, and it was a perfectly lovely trip (well...without the family drama). We opted for the Doubletree over Buena Vista suites, because we didn't want a rental car, and from what I understood the transportation was better. We also took the city bus from the airport as a super cheap method of transportation to get to the hotel. It was VERY close to DTD, but they did have a nightly charge for parking, so it would have been that much more expensive to stay there had we had 1 car or more (though I had an AP at the time, so I would not have paid parking at the parks). We would have needed two rooms on property, and since my parents were paying, the Doubletree was a nice compromise. It was within walking distance of DTD and had a Disney store in the lobby, so it wasn't that far away from the magic.

I do think you can have just as enjoyable of a trip by staying off property, but the expectations are a bit different. I still prefer staying on property, and will do all I can to try to accommodate the added cost, but the parks aren't that far away from off property.

The biggest difference I felt was the quality of transportation. While I love Disney theming, the rooms were still nice and very comfortable. The pools on the Disney property are of course attractions in and of themselves, so that's an additional compromise if your kids would care. Most kids just love having a pool.

 

[sarbah77]

I'm in a Disney dilemma and need some advice. We're trying to keep this trip as budget friendly as possible.

Man, you know. I think during non-summer months/December that you don't lose a lot by being off-site. I loved having the kitchen more than anything, when we stayed a non-Disney resort.

I'd probably stay off-site if it was a difference between going and not going. Good luck!

Haha...I would have such a hard time recommending a resort to anyone. It really depends on personal taste. I met someone here who found a love for Disney a few years ago, and on their next trip she wants to stay at Pop Century! They stayed off property on their first and only trip to Disney, and of all the places on property, Pop Century is her number 1 choice. We totally have different tastes. The funniest thing about it is they're 2 adults with no kids.

I'd ALWAYS wanted to stay at Pop Century. ALWAYS. We stayed there for 2 nights in February. That itch has been scratched and, uh, not again. I was SO hoping that my husband and I would love it and I'd be able to talk him into more trips, by staying there.

Nope. Instead, he was convinced that we'd never do that again - moderate for us. Oh well!!

It was a COOL resort. The theme was a lot of fun. We enjoyed walking around and looking at all the THINGS in the resort. The rooms were just too squished and our neighbors were too noisy. Oh well.

My husband has given himself a salary mark to hit for our move to deluxe resorts. I'm hoping I can con him into a shorter trip with a nicer resort next time - what do you all think?

Additionally, can I say how much I LOVE all of you? You're all such really wonderful women and I'm so glad that you're still in my life 2.5 years after our trips that brought us together have passed.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

I'd ALWAYS wanted to stay at Pop Century. ALWAYS. We stayed there for 2 nights in February. That itch has been scratched and, uh, not again. I was SO hoping that my husband and I would love it and I'd be able to talk him into more trips, by staying there.

Nope. Instead, he was convinced that we'd never do that again - moderate for us. Oh well!!

It was a COOL resort. The theme was a lot of fun. We enjoyed walking around and looking at all the THINGS in the resort. The rooms were just too squished and our neighbors were too noisy. Oh well.
That's funny - we felt about the same way about our one day stay in March!
My husband has given himself a salary mark to hit for our move to deluxe resorts. I'm hoping I can con him into a shorter trip with a nicer resort next time - what do you all think?
That is great!!!

Additionally, can I say how much I LOVE all of you? You're all such really wonderful women and I'm so glad that you're still in my life 2.5 years after our trips that brought us together have passed.

I will second that last statement! I can't believe how much I have gained from you guys and being friends over these years! Pretty amazing stuff! When I am forced to be off the boards for a couple days I really miss you all!!!

 

[Lil'Mermaid75]

Additionally, can I say how much I LOVE all of you? You're all such really wonderful women and I'm so glad that you're still in my life 2.5 years after our trips that brought us together have passed.

I want to second this also...after being away from these boards for a while, I forgot how much I love this interaction....both on my crazy Disney fanatic side and just the overall friendship to be had here. You guys rock! I'm so glad I found you again.

~Dawn

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Yep.... me too!! I love all my friends here!! I love our friendships and the fun we all have discussing life!!

 

[Monny2AE]

Awww I love when everyone gets all mushy! I am truly thankful for all of the friends I have made on here. You all hold a special place in my heart.

Shawna- I had to make my signature line with my past trips and stuff all on one line for it to fit. I just kept adjusting the font smaller, previewing it and trying again until it fit on the same line as the other ticker. Lots of trial and error but I like seeing my countdown in both months and days.

 

[Monny2AE]

Here's a link to some of the pics we took while we were in Gettysburg this past weekend! https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sre...4593&authkey=Gv1sRgCJakxJnNjt-J4gE&feat=email

 

[Disney Mommy 3]

Kim...if I don't have time to work on it, I will just watch yours! LOL!!!
It's gonna be exactly the same!

 

[Monny2AE]

Kim...if I don't have time to work on it, I will just watch yours! LOL!!!
It's gonna be exactly the same!

So true! How fun is that!