The Imaginary Vacation.....is no longer imaginary! (7/20-Daily plans w/ADRs)

[Vacation Lover]

Here's a loose idea of what I think we should do each day. I'm sure it will be revised many, many times before the actual trip. Daily details will be added later...

Thursday, October 1 ROAD TRIP
Leave home after work. We can drive to Jacksonville and get a cheap hotel, or stay with my uncle and aunt, who live near there. I'm guessing we'd arrive around midnight, so it might not be convenient for our relatives to have us stay with them. Especially since I want to be on the road between 8 and 9am the next day. I hate to "use" them as a hotel and not have any time to visit, plus they're about 20 minutes off the highway, so it adds a little time to our trip. I'll be seeing them at my parents 50th anniversary party in June, and can talk to them about it then.

Friday, October 2 ARRIVE AT DISNEY
DISNEY QUEST & DOWNTOWN DISNEY
Hoping to get to Disney by noon. Check in, if possible, or just get our Key To The World card. Add "Water Parks & More" option to tickets and hit Downtown Disney. Will is more excited about DisneyQuest & the Lego store than he is about the other parks! Hoping my MIL will come in this afternoon so Bill and I can have Date Night.

Saturday, October 3 EPCOT
If Sally and Linda come, this is the park they will want to go to. We are also looking forward to it since we didn't get to do nearly everything we wanted to at Epcot last time. Especially excited about Soarin' and Test Track.

Sunday, October 4 BLIZZARD BEACH
We did Typhoon Lagoon last time, so we will most likely do Blizzard Beach this time. I think it will be good to have a fun, relaxing water day between park days.


Monday, October 5 DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
The Rock'n Roller Coaster was closed last time we went and we're excited about finally getting to ride this one. Also looking forward to the Beauty & the Beast show since Belle is currently Kate's favorite princess. Sarah Anne will enjoy the HSM performance.

Tuesday, October 6 RELAX, then MNSSHP
I tried to include some down time on this trip, but it's so hard--there's just so much to do! Anyway, I'm squeezing some downtime into our last day. I figure we can hang out at the pool in the morning, then hit Magic Kingdom when it opens to MNSSHP ticketholders at 4:00. Since it's our last evening we can stay late and (hopefully) the kids will sleep on the way home Wednesday.

Wednesday, October 7 RETURN HOME
Enjoy the morning, then leave by noon. Is it over already? This vacation was way too short. Wish we weren't taking the kids out of school for it or I'd add another day. Worried about Will having to make up too much work; he'll be starting middle school, taking honors classes and I hear it's hard to catch up after being out a week. I'll have to think about this a little more; might just decide to add one more day...

 

[tink1957]

Great Pics, it sounds like you're planning on doing alot of the things that we are. You will love R & RC it's my favorite ride at WDW. The F & W Festival is great too! I can hardly wait to go to MNSSHP again, it was so much fun last year.

 

[eandesmom]

So the imaginary dates for my imaginary vacation are October 2-7. I'm imagining we'd leave after work on Thursday, 10/1, drive to Jacksonville and get a cheap hotel there. Then we'd get up and drive the rest of the way, getting to Disney no later than lunchtime on Friday 10/2. Trying now to decide on a resort.

Last time we stayed at CBR; we liked it, but felt it was a little too spread out. We ended up driving to the pool and food court most of the time. Before that we had a suite at the Sheraton Safari just outside of the Disney gates. Loved having a large living area for relaxation and downtime.

Here are the options I'm considering for this trip:
(I'm pricing the rooms for 5 nights and 1 day park tickets, because we have non expiration passes from a previous visit.)

Option #1
1 room at POR - $1,335
The least expensive option, but awfully cramped. I'd rather splurge a little for more room.

Option #2
All Star Family Suite - $1,680
Like the idea of a suite, but I think we'd rather do a moderate. The kids definitely want a cool pool with a slide and I'd like the "extras" that you can get with a moderate.

Option #3
Cabin at Ft. Wilderness - $2,155
This is definitely high on the list, but I think I'd rather stay here when we're not doing free dining. Then we could use the kitchen and enjoy all of the amenities of the campground area without rushing off to be at a dinner reservation.

Option #4
2 connecting rooms POR or POFQ - $2,295
This is probably my favorite option for this trip. It will be nice to have some privacy for me and Bill on our vacation, and some room to spread out. I like the idea of being able to take the boat to Downtown Disney and --I think--to Epcot too. (Is that right? How long does it take?)

Option #5
5 person room at Polynesian - $2,715
The most expensive option, and only one room for the 5 of us. On our last visit we toured the resort loved it, so I'm putting it on the list of "potentials." Remembering how cramped our stay at CBR was, I don't know if the beauty of the resort would justify 5 nights in such close quarters--especially considering the cost.

Would love to hear some input from the many, many people who appear to be following this (imaginary) pre trip report. (Helloooooo out there!)

I'm all over an imaginary PTR! I could write 2 right now. Trying to plot a girls getaway for 09 F&W and then have semi firm (MIL saying great idea, DH saying I'd rather wait till 2011 but it'd be fun) plans for F&W 2010 with the in laws. As far as I am concerned, that one is a done deal. Just a matter of picking dates. If only the school calendar, free dining and F&W dates for 2010 were out now, I'd book it tomorrow. LOL!

I will put in my vote for the cabins. Even WITH free dining. We just came back from there (if Feb is "just lol) and loved having the kitchen even though we had DDP. I like coffee. More than one cup. A big cup. On a deck. Sigh I like being able to just feed kids as they get up. And with our crew (8,9,12,16) the wake up times have a HUGE spread so an ADR for breakfast was not going to happen (to my regret, I LOVE going out for breakfast).

I debated btw 2 rooms at a Mod or the Cabins (as a party of 6, the Poly was out and 2B villas are insane). For 6 it was a little tight. For 5 I think it would be, as goldy said...Just right!

And really, it is a MK resort at a moderate price. Boat straight to the MK. You just cannot beat the location! I'm only a couple of days into my trip report but feel free to check out some of our pics We had zero issues getting anywhere (well almost zero) but from a dining perspective, getting to any of the MK resorts, which has a ton of great TS dining, it's a piece of cake!

Kids and I were just talking about it tonight, they really want to stay again there on our next trip. Personally I'm fairly sure it will be BCV, BLT or BWV. ONLY b/c we will be with the in-laws and well, we will NEED 2 bedrooms! We are condo rental people on vacation. I like my kitchen! Even if I don't cook that much. Just having cereal and yogurt for the early birds, coffee for me, and beer in the fridge for when we get in if we want it...priceless! And for us, with west coast late check in, being able to make that first dinner and not try to make it somewhere before they closed was...a gift.

 

[Vacation Lover]

Great Pics, it sounds like you're planning on doing alot of the things that we are. You will love R & RC it's my favorite ride at WDW. The F & W Festival is great too! I can hardly wait to go to MNSSHP again, it was so much fun last year.

Thanks, Tink. We love roller coasters and can't wait for R&RC. The F&W Festival is a whole new thing for me to research and plan. I know nothing about it at this point...

One more week 'til the Bruce concert!!

 

[disneyaddicted]

Hi, I'm Ty
I was up until a few days ago in the same boat as you, had a plan for Disney but nothing booked, I thought AHA! We can hang out and be ressieless together, but you booked, everybodys ships are sailing and I'm floating behind in the dingy. I can't book until the 2010 prices come out. So I am living through everybody else, even though I did start a PTR, I feel like such a poser. oh well, what can I do?

Your plans (all of them) sound amazing. It's gonna be good times, I can tell.

Great pictures from your past trip. Can't wait to read more.

 

[Vacation Lover]

I'm all over an imaginary PTR! I could write 2 right now. Trying to plot a girls getaway for 09 F&W and then have semi firm (MIL saying great idea, DH saying I'd rather wait till 2011 but it'd be fun) plans for F&W 2010 with the in laws. As far as I am concerned, that one is a done deal. Just a matter of picking dates. If only the school calendar, free dining and F&W dates for 2010 were out now, I'd book it tomorrow. LOL!

I will put in my vote for the cabins. Even WITH free dining. We just came back from there (if Feb is "just lol) and loved having the kitchen even though we had DDP. I like coffee. More than one cup. A big cup. On a deck. Sigh I like being able to just feed kids as they get up. And with our crew (8,9,12,16) the wake up times have a HUGE spread so an ADR for breakfast was not going to happen (to my regret, I LOVE going out for breakfast).

I debated btw 2 rooms at a Mod or the Cabins (as a party of 6, the Poly was out and 2B villas are insane). For 6 it was a little tight. For 5 I think it would be, as goldy said...Just right!

And really, it is a MK resort at a moderate price. Boat straight to the MK. You just cannot beat the location! I'm only a couple of days into my trip report but feel free to check out some of our pics We had zero issues getting anywhere (well almost zero) but from a dining perspective, getting to any of the MK resorts, which has a ton of great TS dining, it's a piece of cake!

Kids and I were just talking about it tonight, they really want to stay again there on our next trip. Personally I'm fairly sure it will be BCV, BLT or BWV. ONLY b/c we will be with the in-laws and well, we will NEED 2 bedrooms! We are condo rental people on vacation. I like my kitchen! Even if I don't cook that much. Just having cereal and yogurt for the early birds, coffee for me, and beer in the fridge for when we get in if we want it...priceless! And for us, with west coast late check in, being able to make that first dinner and not try to make it somewhere before they closed was...a gift.

Ooooh, a girls trip--fun! I'm all about a Girls Night Out time! Hope that works out for you. Sounds like your DH is a lot like mine--a non-negative answer is generally an okay. Heh.

Thanks for the info on Ft. Wilderness. It's definitely one that's high on our list, so we'll be trying it out on one trip or another. (Hmmm, does this mean I need to start planning a second imaginary trip?)

Can't wait to check out your trip report!

 

[Vacation Lover]

Hi, I'm Ty
I was up until a few days ago in the same boat as you, had a plan for Disney but nothing booked, I thought AHA! We can hang out and be ressieless together, but you booked, everybodys ships are sailing and I'm floating behind in the dingy. I can't book until the 2010 prices come out. So I am living through everybody else, even though I did start a PTR, I feel like such a poser. oh well, what can I do?

Your plans (all of them) sound amazing. It's gonna be good times, I can tell.

Great pictures from your past trip. Can't wait to read more.

Thanks for looking. I checked out your PTR and it's great! Funny and sentimental at the same time.

 

[Vacation Lover]

Okay, THIS is why this is still just an imaginary trip report: I can't seem to make a simple decision! Every time I get close, another option presents itself and I start second guessing myself.

Here's the thing: I feel like a 5 night trip is just too rushed. You saw my plans. That's a lot to squeeze in, and I'm worried there isn't enough downtime. But I'm concerned about taking the kids out of school for an entire week, plus we have to work our vacation around the Carolina games, and a 1 week trip during free dining takes us away from a home game.

So the new option is to get a townhouse in Windsor Hills. We could get a 3 bedroom, 2 bath condo with a private pool for around $500 for one week. Then we wouldn't be limited to the dates of free dining and could move the vacation to a week where the kids have some time off from school. I figure that if we went all out with our dining, paying out of pocket and eating most meals out at our preferred restaurants it would cost around $1,500 for meals. That's actually a couple hundred dollars less than my original plan with free dining and adds 2 days to our trip.

I've stayed once onsite and once offsite and each has it's own benefits. We generally drive wherever we're going whether we stay on property or not, so transportation is not an issue. I just can't decide what to do! Here's a list of pros and cons: (Any input is welcome! I have until Tuesday before the deposit on my POR rooms is due.)

Windsor Hills
7 nights
3 BR 2 BA townhouse

PROS:
Plenty of room to spread out
private pool
Resort pool w/ slide
Longer visit, better dates
More options for dining since not on the dining plan
Easy to eat a quick breakfast in the kitchen
Possibly more relaxing due to being away from Disney

CONS:
Off property
No boat ride to Downtown Disney
Pay for parking at parks
Off property (this one warrents a second notation!)

Costs:
Condo Rental: $500
Food/Dining $1,500--if we go all out
$750--if we cook some meals, eat at less expensive places
Parking $50
TOTAL: $1,300-$2,000??


Port Orleans Riverside
5 nights
2 connecting rooms

PROS:
Staying Onsite
Resort Pool w/ slide
Easy/fun boatride to Downtown Disney
Transportation available, or quick car ride to parks
Dining plan = can go all out without feeling guilty about overpaying

CONS:
Less time for vacation
No area to relax at night
Less room to spread out

Dining Plan + 2 rooms
TOTAL: $2,300

 

[tink1957]

It's a tough choice, we've stayed off property before & while the room was nicer, the magic just wasn't there. The parks would also be more crowded during the time when the kids are off. How much more would it cost to add another night? If you go Sat-Friday the kids would miss a week, but there would be less people in the parks, free food & the memories would be priceless. On the other hand, that condo sound great & a much better choice for the room & price. I'm no help, I can't decide either.

 

[Vacation Lover]

Just talked to Bill and he's leaning toward Windsor Hills. (I don't think missing out on the Disney magic is a dealbreaker for him. He much prefers the private pool and living room with big TV.) Meanwhile, I still can't decide!

ShordieBecka--I need one of your Power Point presentations!!

 

[disneyaddicted]

I say have more time, spend less money, for me it would be all about the most bang for your buck. That is a tough decision, hurry up and take your time making it.

 

[Vacation Lover]

First I have to make the decision whether to stay at POR or to go offsite. Then I'll have to decide on new dates and where to stay. The $500 Windsor Hills offer that got me considering going offsite did not work for us (of course!) But it got us thinking, and now everyone seems to be up for the idea of staying at Windsor Hills.

When I expressed to Bill that I was concerned about losing the "magic" by moving offsite, he said "What magic was there last time? (Onsite at CBR) It pretty much felt like a hotel to me." And he's actually right. We drove everywhere, rarely ate at the food court, and didn't take advantage of the amenities. It pretty much just felt like a nice hotel with a great pool. But that's part of the reason I wanted to try POR this time: CBR is so spread out, I wonder if staying at POR would feel more like Disney? And is the magic worth an additional $500-$1,000?

So here's what I have so far:

Option #1 Port Orleans Riverside (2 connecting rooms)
Saturday, 10/3-Friday, 10/9
*I added a day to our original plan, so we'd end up having 5 1/2 days; the big negative is that the kids miss a full week of school. On a positive note, they have a school holiday the Monday after we get back, so they'd have plenty of time on Sunday & Monday to make up missed work.
TOTAL with dining: $2,675

Option #2 Windsor Hills
Sunday, 10/11-Sunday, 10/18
*This gives us 6 1/2 days. The kids only miss 4 days of school due to the holiday. I'm looking at some 3 bedroom condos and townhouses; prices range from $600-$900 for the week. My favorite is around $800, has a private pool and is very close to the clubhouse & resort pool. The kids room is decorated really cute with a Mickey theme. I'm estimating dining to cost around $1,200 for the week. ($125 for dinner, $75 for lunch and breakfasts in the condo. For this estimate, I'm not including alcohol or tips because that's not included on the dining plan.) This is probably on the high end because we'll most likely cook one or two nights.
TOTAL with dining: $2,000

A difference of $675!

Ahh, Decisions, decisions...

 

[Vacation Lover]

Well, we sat down and talked about it tonight. It looks like it's unanimous for Windsor Hills. The kids like the big slide at the pool, movie theater, playground and getting to stay longer. Bill likes the price tag, private pool and 42" TV.

And I'm STILL second guessing myself. Is it going to feel like a vacation for me if we don't have daily housekeeping? Will I feel as pampered? Hmmm, I guess I'll just have to add a trip to a spa to my itinerary to ensure pampering...

The unit we decided on is Storytime rentals, which has gotten some good reviews lately here on the DIS. It has a cute Mickey themed room for the kids, plus a king bed in the master and queen in the 2nd room.

I'm pretty sure we're going with that one. Just have to sleep on it.

 

[disneyaddicted]

It really does sound great. Something for everyone. You can't beat that price either.

 

[Vacation Lover]

It really does sound great. Something for everyone. You can't beat that price either.

Thanks for the encouragement, Ty! I will most likely make the reservation today, then the FUN part of planning can begin.

 

[TheFirstMriethebee]

Hi i was reading your TR and you said that polly dosent have rooms for 5 but we are gonna stay in a room that has 2 queens and a pull out bed. i dont know if you completely scrached the idea of polly but i think you should go there concitering you liked it your last trip - just wanted you to know
later

 

[tink1957]

Congrats on your decision, it really sounds nice & more vacation time is always good. I know because I just asked my boss for the time off today & she said yes, no problem it's a slow time of year for us.I got so excited that I booked another night so now we're staying for 9 wonderful nights with Free Dining & both our trips are no longer imaginary.

 

[Vacation Lover]

Hi i was reading your TR and you said that polly dosent have rooms for 5 but we are gonna stay in a room that has 2 queens and a pull out bed. i dont know if you completely scrached the idea of polly but i think you should go there concitering you liked it your last trip - just wanted you to know
later

Thanks, Jess. We loved Polynesian, but we decided we wanted a little more space. One of these days we'll splurge and stay there. Still deciding what to do this time...

Your trip report is looking good. I think Sarah Anne will enjoy seeing a report by another kid. Keep it up!

 

[mncherokee]

We stayed last year at Windsor Palms in a 5 bedroom house with a pool... I, too, wondered about if it would feel like VACATION when I still did the cooking cleaning etc. But, OH, HOW NICE THE EXTRA SPACE was! Everyone pitched in to help keep it tidy. And that we could retire to private rooms at the end of the day was so, so RELAXING!!!. I also appreciated being able to throw a load of laundry in the washing machine so my clothes were actually clean the next day. I don't know about you, but I don't enjoy doing laundry in hotels and will avoid it .

We still had DISNEY magic ... the moment we drove to the park tears came to my eyes when I saw the Welcome signs and I don't think we missed the magic. Of course, I haven't stayed onsite to compare...

 

[mncherokee]

If you haven't booked... check out RomancingtheMouse.com especially if you still have more than just your family going. They have 4, 5 and 6 bedroom homes for rent in Windsor Hills and Windsor Palms. We are going with them this time and have seen nothing but good reviews on DIS boards.