Someone talk me in or out of going, please

[disneymagicgirl]

do you really need park hopper? I have been to disney 70 times and never once used park hopper

agreed!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

If DH is the obstacle...
Why don't you have a mommy/daughter Bday trip. I went alone w/ my daughter about that same age and we had a blast.
Maybe w/ one less person you could afford the plane tickets for the 2 of you also, using what would have been his ticket and food money.
Then you could go on the 7th and get your free dining and stay the 6 nights or whatever it was that you were trying to convince him to do.
DD would still be home to celebrate her actual bday with both of you. Just a thought...

 

[Planogirl]

I would ask your DH what he wants to do and ask him to be specific. He's asking for things that just won't work.

 

[wdw&sonny]

If DH is the obstacle...
Why don't you have a mommy/daughter Bday trip. I went alone w/ my daughter about that same age and we had a blast.
Maybe w/ one less person you could afford the plane tickets for the 2 of you also, using what would have been his ticket and food money.
Then you could go on the 7th and get your free dining and stay the 6 nights or whatever it was that you were trying to convince him to do.
DD would still be home to celebrate her actual bday with both of you. Just a thought...

Was that supposed to be serious? That's hilarious! Save money by leaving hubby at home. Hey, leave your daughter at home too. Save even more money...

 

[Disney/Universal Fan]

Was that supposed to be serious? That's hilarious! Save money by leaving hubby at home. Hey, leave your daughter at home too. Save even more money...

I think they were being real serious about leaving the husband at home. It sounds as if he keeps putting the barriers up and does not want to compromise at all.

 

[d1gitman]

curious to find out the update from the OP

 

[torinsmom]

I shouldn't say it's just for wishes, MK is our favorite park and we like to go back later in the day after AK and DHS and do some rides and M&G's and dinner and then, of course, we're there, so we watch wishes. EPCOT and MK are our only full day parks. We don't really do DTD or the water parks.

BUT!!!! I'm not opposed to getting rid of PH this trip but DH is determined. I just got back from AAA and we can get FD if we check in on 10/7 and we'd still be at $1750, but now DH doesn't want to leave before DD's BD 10/15. So now I'm running into scheduling conflicts and he won't consider going only 6 nights so I can be back in time for my classes. I'm really in a no win situation with how he views the trip. He doesn't want to go if it's "not worth his while". Which I don't understand at all, I'm one that I can make any amount of time work for me at Disney.

Anyway, thanks for all your help and suggestions. I'm trying to come up with the perfect argument for 6 nights. (I even offered to drive through so we could stay later in the day but I could still be back for classes on 10/14. )

~Kristie

So I am looking at this again, and OP says that she need to be back for classes on 10/14, but DH does not want to leave before 10/15. I am assuming she means leave WDW, because if she is talking leaving home, that would be a lot of school missed. So, if DH doesn't want to leave until 10/15, and spend a night along the way, they would not get home until 10/16. Or maybe I am just confused. Were the exact dates she wanted ever posted?

Also, they are driving from PA and OP is saying $300 for transportation, inlcuding 2 hotel nights. I think that may be a low estimate from PA.

OP, I don't think you can do a trip for under $2000 staying onsite, without free dining. Even with free dining, you are cutting it close, as you'd have to figure in souvenirs and extra food, as well as the transportation costs. I would say $2500 would be about minimum you would need.

Marsha

 

[klc318]

Also, sounds like DH is making it kinda tough for you to find a plan that works. Are you sure he's onboard for taking this trip?

It was HIS idea!

So I came up with three options that would work for us and there's an excuse for each one. He doesn't want to go if we can't get FD so I came up with leaving two days earlier 10/7, staying 6 nights and coming back earlier. Now he wants to stay a few days longer if we do that b/c we get FD. That doesn't work for me with my schedule. We talked about going the week before Christmas, it might be too cold (we went one year in November and froze). I tried to convince him we can do the trip minus PH, get FD and drive through, no good. He suggested that I just go with DD like a PP said, but I would rather he come with us. He really does love Disney, he's just not very flexible.

Anyway, so unless I can convince him to go at Christmas or take a slightly shorter trip, it's not going to work this year. I think we'll just go next year like we planned originally and we'll make it a longer, really nice trip. I'll be done with my classes and won't have to worry about that.

Thanks, everyone for all your help. Of course now I'm a little disappointed b/c we were so close. But we'll make next year really special. Plus we were just there in Sept 09 so maybe waiting a little longer will make it more magical. (Can you tell I'm really trying to sell myself that this is the better choice!!)

Kristie

 

[frayedend]

Just sell some junk on Craig's list and spend what you need to spend. It isn't worth the aggravation for a few hundred dollars. You'll be amazed what people will buy from you and for a good price.

 

[loveysbydesign]

I think OP should consider staying off-site and saving money by eating at the condo and def. drop the PH's!
We just did a last minute, super-cheap, surprise the kids, 1st time driving trip in June and it was great!
We drove 78-81-77-26 and picked up 95 in SC.
We live pretty close to the OP...maybe 1/2 hour away.

We got an awesome 3bed/2 bath condo at Windsor Hills(10 minutes form the parks) for $350 for 7 nights. We stayed over in VA on the way down and in NC on the way home. We have 3 kids so we needed a suite room and it cost us $85 per night with free breakfast...and then $250 total in gas for our minivan. We only did 2 park days as we had them left from a previous trip.(no-exp)
OP if you have any ?'s please lmk!
For us we figured a cheap trip was better than no trip!

Oops...just read OP's updated post above...see that her dh says no WDW unless FD...that stinks!

 

[mjcmom]

Loveysbydesign,
Can I ask how you booked your Windsor Hills Condo? That sounds like an awesome deal. We are also trying to go "cheap" instead of not going at all. Do you have a particular condo that you rent? Did you book it from the Windsor Hills website? Thanks for any info and advice you have! We are a family of 5, so I think staying off-site would be wise to stay within our budget. I think the extra room (and having 2 bathrooms) would be worthwhile too - esp. since we have a teen girl, ha!

Thanks!

 

[JenSop]

lose the ph. its for those with either not enough time or not enough planning. 7 days is plenty and you can plan.

if you are not set on the dining plan, stay offsite. You'll save 40% or more.

Try to find a date with free dining. Best sale going at ~$120/day for a family of 4.

Not to hijack the thread, but I just wanted to point out that there are many reasons for using PH's. And lack of planning is NOT one. Just sayin'! I've been going to WDW regularly since 1984 and LOVE to plan. (Heck, I even became a travel agent who specializes in WDW!) But I also love my park hoppers! Who wants to be stuck in the same park the whole day?!?!? We like to mix it up. (Okay, I will go out of defensive mode now, no hard feelings, I hope. I just really like to park hop! )

To the OP - I hope everything worked out okay. I saw that it looked like you won't be going. I can't help but wonder if DH put up all those conditions just to make it really difficult for you to actually go. All the best to you! Sending pixie dust your way!!

 

[d1gitman]

Just sell some junk on Craig's list and spend what you need to spend. It isn't worth the aggravation for a few hundred dollars. You'll be amazed what people will buy from you and for a good price.

how true!

 

[d1gitman]

I'm gonna be the bad guy and say what i believe other posters must be thinking.

What a selfish DH. It sounds like you are bending over backwards to make this trip work and it is supposedly for DD's Birthday. Yet, every response you have has results that are nothing but centered about what DH wants. it's sounds to me that either A) he has a case of Lebron James Itis, B) he is just trying to make it impossible to do the trip and that no amount of bending over backwards by you is going to matter.

I commend you for all your efforts in trying to make a trip out of this and i hope you and DD get the trip. just in the herculean efforts you have gone through so far, you deserve it.

done ranting.

 

[torinsmom]

Loveysbydesign,
Can I ask how you booked your Windsor Hills Condo? That sounds like an awesome deal. We are also trying to go "cheap" instead of not going at all. Do you have a particular condo that you rent? Did you book it from the Windsor Hills website? Thanks for any info and advice you have! We are a family of 5, so I think staying off-site would be wise to stay within our budget. I think the extra room (and having 2 bathrooms) would be worthwhile too - esp. since we have a teen girl, ha!

Thanks!

I can't answer for the WH condo mentioned in the post, but we stayed in a 3 bedroom/2.5 bath condo at Emerald Island, which is close to WH. We paid $450 for the week. It was about 5-10 minutes to all the parks and it was so nice to have the space, the kitchen and the washer/dryer. This is the one we stayed at:

http://www.vacationhomerentals.com/vacation-rentals/Kissimmee-Florida-vacation-rental-townhouse-proID-42665.html

ETA--I did find this 3/2 at WH for $299/week. I have it bookmarked for next year!

http://www.vacationhomerentals.com/vacation-rentals/Kissimmee-Florida-vacation-rental-condo-proID-43918.html

Marsha

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I think they were being real serious about leaving the husband at home. It sounds as if he keeps putting the barriers up and does not want to compromise at all.

I was being serious. Leave him home. If he can't play nice, he can't come play at all.
Besides, mother/daughter trips are fun! I have done it with my daughter.

 

[sharadoc]

Hi. I haven't read through the whole thread so sorry if this was mentioned - you can get 10% off the room, and buy your tickets separately from AAA and skip the park hopper option. You'll save around $500 off your quote that way (my guess - not exact).

Or as others have said, go a week later and get the Free Dining, although that will still cost you around $1,600 (without park hopper) for the room and tickets. That should keep you pretty much AT your budget.

From someone who went in February and June and is going again in December - what do you think I'll tell you to do??? GO, of course

Have a great time!

 

[mjcmom]

Torinsmom,
Thanks for the condo info! Wow, GREAT deals! I love staying onsite, but these deals are too great to pass up. My teen requested a beach day, so we'll try Cocoa Beach too. We plan on doing half our vaca doing Disney, and half hanging out/relaxing as a family at the beach, pool, condo deck, etc. We'll be saving tons of money too!

 

[torinsmom]

Torinsmom,
Thanks for the condo info! Wow, GREAT deals! I love staying onsite, but these deals are too great to pass up. My teen requested a beach day, so we'll try Cocoa Beach too. We plan on doing half our vaca doing Disney, and half hanging out/relaxing as a family at the beach, pool, condo deck, etc. We'll be saving tons of money too!

Yeah, I know its not for everyone. Its just me and DS15, but even with 2, I found the WDW rooms to be almost claustrophobic. It was so nice to be able to spread out. DS had his own room and his own tv. We didn't have to pack as many clothes, because we were able to throw in a load when we needed to. And the fridge kept our drinks and leftovers nice and cold. We also got more of a variety of food, since we had all kinds of restaurants right up the street. And we used the money we saved on lodging to pay for one night onsite at Universal to get the Express passes.

Marsha