The call of the Dark Side is strong...

[mrsabbott]

So.. I got to thinking.. maybe we COULD, somehow, stay on resort property. I mean, wouldn't it be nice to get the express passes and be RIGHT THERE within walking distance?

Just for fun, I looked up how much it would cost our family to stay onsite.

I then choked on my beverage and nearly spit it out on the computer when I saw the prices! $689 per night at Portofino! $856 per night at Hard Rock! $801 per night at Royal Pacific!!

This is PER NIGHT!!!

Cabana Bay is still $227 per night.. which is crazy expensive for us!

Yeah, I don't know that there is a discount code big enough for us to afford to stay on property. Perhaps when we win the lottery or something!

Back to checking out lodging deals off site..

 

[pixeegrl]

So.. I got to thinking.. maybe we COULD, somehow, stay on resort property. I mean, wouldn't it be nice to get the express passes and be RIGHT THERE within walking distance?

Just for fun, I looked up how much it would cost our family to stay onsite.

I then choked on my beverage and nearly spit it out on the computer when I saw the prices! $689 per night at Portofino! $856 per night at Hard Rock! $801 per night at Royal Pacific!!

This is PER NIGHT!!!

Cabana Bay is still $227 per night.. which is crazy expensive for us!

Yeah, I don't know that there is a discount code big enough for us to afford to stay on property. Perhaps when we win the lottery or something!

Back to checking out lodging deals off site..

When are you planning on going? I'll keep an eye out on deals for you

 

[mrsabbott]

We are going over our spring break (Apr 4-11).. we will probably just stay at Bahama Bay again! We liked it there!

 

[mrsabbott]

Well, it is official. Buds loves "Mick Mouse"... He is already obsessed with Planes (I can't even begin to pronounce how he says Dusty Crophopper but it is the cutest thing ever!) and now he is stuck on Mick Mouse..

I was talking to Hubs about it and wondering if we should visit the *gasp* Motherland instead of returning to the Dark Side.. I wish we could spend 2 weeks and just do both.. Hubs said we could go back and spend more time in Downtown Disney to get our mouse fix.. I was considering doing a meal at Chef Mickey's if we can afford it.

I think our kids would love it no matter where we went.. They adored Universal and want to go back. So, what do you think? A character meal and some time in DTD should be enough to make a Mick Mouse obsessed little boy happy, right?

 

[Lynne G]

Hi Mrs. Abbott! Yep, no vacation is ever cheap! Since Buds is still small, I think the character meal at Chef Mickey's is a great idea. Maybe just ride the monorail loop to get some free Disney fun after your meal. Downtown Disney will still be crazy with construction. Unless he's a Lego fan, there's not much Disney at Downtown Disney. Though the WOD store is huge.

If your kids really like water parks, maybe look into an annual pass for the 2 Disney water parks. Then you could get some cheaper Disney in.

The Disney Salute tickets are not that bad in price, and they are a 4 day park hopper. Depending on your trip date, did you look into staying at Shades of Green? SOG's rooms are big, and the rate depends on your grade/rank. They usually have specials, so check their website. It's right across the street from the Poly.

Planning is half the fun!

 

[hpfan100]

I agree Chef Mickey us good choice. I had a great time riding the monorail and checking out the resorts there. Maybe head to CR for your meal then ride monorail and maybe take one of the boats to WL for some looking about. I think DTD is lame so I don't see the need to had there. Another thought is to head to AKL and see all the animals.


Those prices seem very high for Universal resorts.... Is that Easter week???

 

[mrsabbott]

I have looked into Shades of Green, but the cost is still outside of our $1000 max budget for lodging. I don't mind staying offsite since we drive down and I don't have to worry about renting a car of anything. We go in 9 months or so, so hopefully the DTD construction will be done by then. The kids liked DTD.. What we saw of it anyway. But riding the monorail is a good idea!! I will have to run that by DH and see what he thinks!

I haven't heard if they are doing the Salute tickets for next year or not.. I know the current offer expires in September.

The dates I picked are when the girls' Spring Break is.. Come to think of it, it may be Easter. I will have to check. Unfortunately, we can't afford to be more flexible in our travel dates. It will be easier for me to get off work during that time also. Hubs is starting a new job, so I hope they will be willing to let him off work then, even if he has no paid vacation days yet.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I have looked into Shades of Green, but the cost is still outside of our $1000 max budget for lodging. I don't mind staying offsite since we drive down and I don't have to worry about renting a car of anything. We go in 9 months or so, so hopefully the DTD construction will be done by then. The kids liked DTD.. What we saw of it anyway. But riding the monorail is a good idea!! I will have to run that by DH and see what he thinks!

I haven't heard if they are doing the Salute tickets for next year or not.. I know the current offer expires in September.

The dates I picked are when the girls' Spring Break is.. Come to think of it, it may be Easter. I will have to check. Unfortunately, we can't afford to be more flexible in our travel dates. It will be easier for me to get off work during that time also. Hubs is starting a new job, so I hope they will be willing to let him off work then, even if he has no paid vacation days yet.

I just checked the timeshare rental listings on TUG (Timeshare Users Group), and there is a week 14 rental (which I am pretty sure is your week by your ticker, assuming you arrive April 4th) at Liki Tiki in a 2 bed/2 bath villa for $650 for the week, which is well below your budget . Its a bit further of a drive vs. some of the other Orlando resorts but the price is definitely attractive. There is also a Sheraton Vistana Resort float week that would be worth checking out, listed at $950 for the week rental in a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom villa. You could always email the owner and ask if they can get the week you are looking for.

 

[mrsabbott]

I just checked the timeshare rental listings on TUG (Timeshare Users Group), and there is a week 14 rental (which I am pretty sure is your week by your ticker, assuming you arrive April 4th) at Liki Tiki in a 2 bed/2 bath villa for $650 for the week, which is well below your budget . Its a bit further of a drive vs. some of the other Orlando resorts but the price is definitely attractive. There is also a Sheraton Vistana Resort float week that would be worth checking out, listed at $950 for the week rental in a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom villa. You could always email the owner and ask if they can get the week you are looking for.

Thank you, Gina!! I will check that out!!

 

[mrsabbott]

If it isn't one thing, it's another. Our a/c is broken. Goodbye vacation fund..

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

If it isn't one thing, it's another. Our a/c is broken. Goodbye vacation fund..

Aw, that stinks . Fingers crossed that the repair isn't too costly. Home ownership can be a real bummer sometimes.

 

[mrsabbott]

Thanks! It cost us $325.. Ouch! But, at least we didn't need a new a/c unit. Ours is very old and it just needed a part. Thankfully, our a/c guy is honest. He said it is past it's prime but we should keep it going as long as we can. He totally could have sold us a new a/c unit and I wouldn't have known the difference.

It was our anniversary yesterday. 13 years married! 20 years together! We didn't do anything big. I got hubs an iTunes gift card and he got me liquor! LOL! I swear, I'm not a big drinker, but I do like to have a cocktail before bed! We are getting a bunch of mangos through our co-op, so he got me some rum to make fresh mango daquiri's. I'm going to drink them and pretend I am by the pool in Florida, surrounded by palm trees.

Lots of errands to do today!

Oh yeah! For those who read my prior TR.. I got myself a little present the other day!

It isn't wearing sunglasses or shoes, but.. it will do! Hubs HATES it! ROFL! I love it though! I have to somehow figure out how to add shoes and sunglasses to him though. Still trying to think of a name!

Total impulse buy! It was the last one at Lowe's and it was on clearance!

 

[mrsabbott]

Not much to report right now as far as trip planning goes. We are starting over on our vacation fund since we had some unexpected expenses.. :/

I start back to work in just two weeks, so with duel incomes we will be able to pay off some debt and put some money aside for vacation. My goal is to put $100 away each payday (that would be about $200 a month) for vacation. I have already decided that Christmas will be vacation themed as far as gifts go.. Gift cards for everyone!

Next month, I am going to make the final choice on our vacation rental and put down the down payment on it. Only then will it seem real to me! I am hoping that this year will be a good one for us, without lots of car repairs and surprise financial emergencies!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I have already decided that Christmas will be vacation themed as far as gifts go.. Gift cards for everyone!

We do that too . We sure as heck don't need any more "stuff"!

Next month, I am going to make the final choice on our vacation rental and put down the down payment on it. Only then will it seem real to me!

Which properties are on your short list?

 

[mrsabbott]

We do that too . We sure as heck don't need any more "stuff"! Which properties are on your short list?

I agree.. We have way too much stuff!

I have some condos at Bahama Bay, which is where we stayed at before, and a few at Windsor Hills on my short list. Both resorts are within our budget. I am leaning more towards Bahama Bay though. We know what shops and restaurants are in the area, we have family nearby, and the resort has several pools, a splash park, and a beach to keep the kids happy on our "rest" days. Plus, the food at the restaurant on property was really good. I am also tempted to give the spa a try as well.

Windsor Hills has gotten positive reviews, but I don't know the area it is in or anything like that. I kind of want to try someplace new, but I am a little nervous.

I am always getting last minute deal notifications for places in Windsor Hills.. Condos for $299 and town homes for $399 a week. Part of me has considered holding off for a last minute deal. It seems like there are deals to be had every month but, knowing our luck, the week we will be there will be the week that there are none available and we will be screwed. LOL!

I have looked at some other resort areas, but I end up reading mixed reviews on the property, there are no amenities(water park, spa, etc) available for the price, or hey are too expensive.

 

[mrsabbott]

Had to spend some time in my "happy place" yesterday.. When the going gets tough, the tough plan vacations! Spent some time you tubing Diagon Alley and reviewing potential vacation rentals.

We have a family reunion this weekend, so I am trying to get school work done tonight. We are tossing around the idea of heading up to Milwaukee (Hey Macraven!) next month. Hubs wants to go to an Indycar race but I just want to bum around the city because it looks cool and I've never been there! Plus, I REALLY want to stop by the Jelly Belly factory on the way.. I'll let you know if that happens. It would be like a little vacation to tide me over until we get back to Universal!

Punky was asking me which park I liked better, Disney or Universal. We haven't been to Disney since 2009 and I loved it and would like to go back, but I fell in love with Universal. I told her I wasn't sure.. but SHE said that if she had to choose between the two, she would choose Universal!

 

[Houndar]

Had to spend some time in my "happy place" yesterday.. When the going gets tough, the tough plan vacations! Spent some time you tubing Diagon Alley and reviewing potential vacation rentals.

We have a family reunion this weekend, so I am trying to get school work done tonight. We are tossing around the idea of heading up to Milwaukee (Hey Macraven!) next month. Hubs wants to go to an Indycar race but I just want to bum around the city because it looks cool and I've never been there! Plus, I REALLY want to stop by the Jelly Belly factory on the way.. I'll let you know if that happens. It would be like a little vacation to tide me over until we get back to Universal!

Punky was asking me which park I liked better, Disney or Universal. We haven't been to Disney since 2009 and I loved it and would like to go back, but I fell in love with Universal. I told her I wasn't sure.. but SHE said that if she had to choose between the two, she would choose Universal!

Have you tried Bonnet Creek? We stayed there for a week for under $1,000 2 springs ago. I believe we went through Vacation Upgrades. I want to say April is one of their Value seasons. Our kids spring break is mid march this year and somehow that's high time.

 

[mrsabbott]

I have heard some amazing things about Bonnet Creek and I have looked.. but the lowest I could find was $1100 after taxes and fees and stuff. The thing is, I want to be UNDER the max budget if I can, because that will free up some spending money for things like lunch at Mythos or more candy from Honeydukes!

I just got back a little while ago from our family reunion! Lots of fun, but we are thinking of all chipping in and renting a HUGE cabin in Gatlinburg next year! I've never been to Gatlinburg so I am excited about that!

 

[IndyPrincess]

As you know from responding to my thread, I feel the same way. There is just no way around the fact that Universal has just surpassed Disney in every way at this point. PLUS its cheaper! On this last trip to Disney I went thinking (hadn't been in 10 years) That well the theming will be better than Universal, Nope, not at all, the theming at Universal is way better than Disney at this point. The rides, the fast pass system, the vibe and magic are all just better at Universal at this point.

I think Disney has its work cut out for it in the future to really improve new future rides, and IMO with the latest addition at MK with the mine train and the mermaid ride, they fell quite a bit short. Thought those rides could have been much better. The theming in that area is spot on, but that's about it.

All in all Universal is just officially the best park in the world at this point, hands down IMO. I feel like 98% of the Disney people that do not think that, just have not been in the last 10 years and just don't know what they are missing. Most I think after they visit come around and go Oh yeah, now I see what you're talking about. ITS NOT A ROLLER COASTER PARK!!

 

[sydneysmom]

As you know from responding to my thread, I feel the same way. There is just no way around the fact that Universal has just surpassed Disney in every way at this point. PLUS its cheaper! On this last trip to Disney I went thinking (hadn't been in 10 years) That well the theming will be better than Universal, Nope, not at all, the theming at Universal is way better than Disney at this point. The rides, the fast pass system, the vibe and magic are all just better at Universal at this point.

I think Disney has its work cut out for it in the future to really improve new future rides, and IMO with the latest addition at MK with the mine train and the mermaid ride, they fell quite a bit short. Thought those rides could have been much better. The theming in that area is spot on, but that's about it.

All in all Universal is just officially the best park in the world at this point, hands down IMO. I feel like 98% of the Disney people that do not think that, just have not been in the last 10 years and just don't know what they are missing. Most I think after they visit come around and go Oh yeah, now I see what you're talking about. ITS NOT A ROLLER COASTER PARK!!

I love hearing all of this!! We were originally going to do a Disney trip... then a split Disney / Universal trip... well, we have now decided to skip Disney altogether and ONLY do a 8 day / 7 night Universal / Sea World. From everything I keep reading (including what you wrote), it just gets me more excited. One of the things that locked my DH in was the "skip the line" perk staying onsite. We've decided on Royal Pacific.

When we went to Disney the last time, it was June... lines were long, it was hot... the whole thing was kinda miserable. So for him, skipping the line just got him giddy with excitement. Plus, it's a brand new experience. I'm having the best time just pouring over all things Universal to get familiar with everything.... so far, it looks AMAZING. and ALOT more exciting!! Your review only adds to the excitement!!