The NEW Official November 2010 Countdown & Planning Thread ~ Come join us! (Part 1)

[sjs314]

Well it was nothing too drastic, but still. Messing with my WDW time is not acceptable!

They had already changed both flight numbers once and changed the flight home, but only by 15 minutes so they didn't contact me. But when I noticed (because I check obsessively everyday) I had to call WDW with the new flight numbers. That was about 1 1/2 months ago.

Then yesterday I get an email from them and they had changed my flight home by about 20 minutes and my flight down by nearly 2 hours. Two hours later!! Instead of leaving Pittsburgh at 11:00, we would now be leaving around 1:00. They used to be bad about contacting you of changes, so at least they do it now via email. You can click to confirm or call to change. They have to give you any other flight you want without a charge, even if it costs more. The flights I paid $79 for months ago are now at $180.

So I call. I'm on hold forever. I finally get to talk to someone and explain to them that the new time isn't going to work. They offer me a VERY EARLY flight down and say that is the only other non-stop option. I had to take it. I hated to, but it was either that or our whole first day would be pretty much shot. So we will be getting up at about 4:00AM to make our flight. Not good for my pre-teen DS who can't seem to get out of bed at 8-9:00 in the summer!!

Oh well, I guess I should be happy. It's more time at WDW. But I just know we will all be tired and grumpy. Which will be fine if our room is ready when we arrive, but I highly doubt it, it will likely be before 11:00am when we get to the resort!

We normally always take the first flight out in the morning that we can get 6-7am but we stay overnight the night before at a hotel near the airport in one of those "stay park fly" deals that way we get a good nights sleep and don't have to worry about the drive to the airport on departure day , maybe doing that would work better for you guys too. I know how hard boys tend to be to get up and moving in the morning.

 

[sjs314]

awww.... I'm so sorry to hear about your son My condolences. I can just imagine that must be the worst pain ever.. my heart goes out to you.

I hope you can get your Ddil in with you. Disney will probably be good for her.

I hope it all works out and your DIL is able to come with you guys. I'm sure it will be very comforting for her to spend that special time with you and your family.

ugh!!! well I guess on the bright side you get more time at Disney!




huge hugs to you... I hope she can come with you guys. You can talk to us if you ever need too.. sometimes it helps to talk to strangers about things we can't talk about in real life..

Thank You Everyone , I hope it all works out too, I wish we had made plans earlier but it was just one of them things where Ddil told me about her family's Grand Gathering so I just never thought she want to come with us this time.
In 2007 DH and myself went to Vegas and DL with My DS and Ddil and last year we all went to WDW, in 2008 DS and Ddil went to WDW with her family any way Thank You again, I just hope she can get the time off now, and I can get us a bigger villa at AKL and not have to change resorts.

Won't sleep tonight with this on my mind, I hate to even think about trying to book new ADR's

 

[summerlady]

Well it was nothing too drastic, but still. Messing with my WDW time is not acceptable!

They had already changed both flight numbers once and changed the flight home, but only by 15 minutes so they didn't contact me. But when I noticed (because I check obsessively everyday) I had to call WDW with the new flight numbers. That was about 1 1/2 months ago.

Then yesterday I get an email from them and they had changed my flight home by about 20 minutes and my flight down by nearly 2 hours. Two hours later!! Instead of leaving Pittsburgh at 11:00, we would now be leaving around 1:00. They used to be bad about contacting you of changes, so at least they do it now via email. You can click to confirm or call to change. They have to give you any other flight you want without a charge, even if it costs more. The flights I paid $79 for months ago are now at $180.

So I call. I'm on hold forever. I finally get to talk to someone and explain to them that the new time isn't going to work. They offer me a VERY EARLY flight down and say that is the only other non-stop option. I had to take it. I hated to, but it was either that or our whole first day would be pretty much shot. So we will be getting up at about 4:00AM to make our flight. Not good for my pre-teen DS who can't seem to get out of bed at 8-9:00 in the summer!!

Oh well, I guess I should be happy. It's more time at WDW. But I just know we will all be tired and grumpy. Which will be fine if our room is ready when we arrive, but I highly doubt it, it will likely be before 11:00am when we get to the resort!

Well, ugh! That said, we always fly Continental out of Newark, the 7:45 a.m. flight and get to the resort at around noon. Getting up that early, the airport's a little over an hour's drive for us, is not fun at all especially since I'm too excited to sleep much the night before. Even so, the excitement keeps us going throughout the first day until we crash into bed that night. Hopefully you'll do the same without feeling too exhausted to enjoy yourselves. I'll keep my fingers crossed that your room will be ready at your arrival.

 

[summerlady]

Oh No ! One or both flights?

I am sitting here priceing resorts, My other Ddil wants to go with us in November, I will know tomorrow if she can get the time off from work or not.

I am scared to call to see if my % off pin will still work and if it does what might be available, we never asked her about going since when we started planning she was going to Florida with her family for a grand gathering in March.

But over the weekend we went as a group to visit my son's grave, hard to believe he has been gone for a year already and we all started talking about things and she said how if she could get through DS B-day and her B-day, which happens to be while were gone Nov 9th , she will be ok, she is back in therepy because of the grief.

I played around with the FD online only thing is if my Ddil comes with us she can get 3 of us in for free plus she gets a discount at most of the restarants since she works for ESPN/ABC, she get a 50% discount on resorts too but she thinks the time we are going is blacked out

So sorry for your loss. Hope the trip works out for you all.

 

[Mindy5767]

I just hope she can get the time off now, and I can get us a bigger villa at AKL and not have to change resorts.

Won't sleep tonight with this on my mind, I hate to even think about trying to book new ADR's

We don't fly to Florida very often. Its worked out so far that we have driven, usually in a caravan with another family. However, when we do, I usually try to grab the United flight out of Dulles at the "butt crack of dawn" that leaves at 6:30am. You don't have to be at the airport 2 hours early because the check-in isn't even open yet. I live less than 15 minutes from the airport, so its not like I have to get up THAT early! And we arrive in Orlando at 8:30am. We get on the Magic Express and are in our resort by 10:00am! There isn't a flight out late enough though.... I think around 8pm is the latest I can get. That's when you WANT the red-eye!

If you can't get a bigger Villa at AKL, try Old Key West (the largest villas) or Saratoga Springs (larger inventory).

Good luck. In November, we'll be driving down, in a caravan with my sister's family. We'd all fit in my van (seats 8) but they want their own car

 

[summerlady]

And hey Summerlady, just think of having crutches as a small measure of insurance against ever needing them again. If you have them, somehow it's less fun for the "fates" to pick on you in that way. They'll find another way. Take it easy! It's easy to voer-do. But also, you must be mending well. GOOD!

I think maybe I'm feeling a little too well? Not that I'm complaining about it and I wouldn't mind another day or two of DH waiting on me hand and foot , but I'm hardly even limping even without the crutches. Weird. The best thing today was being able to take a complete shower!

 

[TruBlu]

AirTran changed my flights!!!!!!

Delta did that to us a couple of years ago. They didn't notify us, and by the time I found out it was too late to switch. We lost our entire last day in the parks! And they changed our seats to the LAST row on the plane!!!

We have not flown with them since, and don't plan to ever again unless they are the only choice. It's Southwest for us ALWAYS now!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

This is pretty much what happens for us on our flights over there...if we have a 9:00 flight, we HAVE to leave before 5. It's almost 2 hours over there (give or take 15-20 min...but you have to figure in that it's Houston and you never know)...and plus they always want you there 2 hours early! Last year we planned to be there an hour and a half to two hours early. It was close!!! We had left here with it snowing, and the roads frozen. Not very common where I am--we passed soooo many wrecks and had to keep crawling due to frozen overpasses and crazy drivers! Hopefully the weather will not be an issue this time and we can shave a little time off the 'earliness' of our waking and leaving home-time. Hopefully I can sleep until 5...but you know how it is...knowing its DISNEY DAY..who can sleep anyway?!!!

We shouldn't have to contend with too much snow/ice the beginning of November, but it could happen. Which means we would have to get up even earlier!

We normally always take the first flight out in the morning that we can get 6-7am but we stay overnight the night before at a hotel near the airport in one of those "stay park fly" deals that way we get a good nights sleep and don't have to worry about the drive to the airport on departure day , maybe doing that would work better for you guys too. I know how hard boys tend to be to get up and moving in the morning.

We have thought about getting a hotel by the airport the night before, but we are within an hour of the airport, so I just can't justify it. Plus I don't sleep well in hotels unless I am at WDW. So it probably wouldn't give us any extra sleep! Anyway you look at it, DS11 is going to be a bear!!

Well, ugh! That said, we always fly Continental out of Newark, the 7:45 a.m. flight and get to the resort at around noon. Getting up that early, the airport's a little over an hour's drive for us, is not fun at all especially since I'm too excited to sleep much the night before. Even so, the excitement keeps us going throughout the first day until we crash into bed that night. Hopefully you'll do the same without feeling too exhausted to enjoy yourselves. I'll keep my fingers crossed that your room will be ready at your arrival.

Yes, hopefully we will be on an excitement high and we will be fine!! But it will definitely be in our favor if our room is ready when we get there.

Delta did that to us a couple of years ago. They didn't notify us, and by the time I found out it was too late to switch. We lost our entire last day in the parks! And they changed our seats to the LAST row on the plane!!!

We have not flown with them since, and don't plan to ever again unless they are the only choice. It's Southwest for us ALWAYS now!

I was thinking, what if AT changed our return flight while we are on vacation and we don't know about it??? I don't bring my laptop to WDW. I like to take a little vacation from it! I guess when we have the resort print our boarding passes the day before we would find out then. Hopefully that won't happen!

We used to get great rates with SW, but not anymore. Even including baggage fees AT was much cheaper.

 

[sjs314]

We shouldn't have to contend with too much snow/ice the beginning of November, but it could happen. Which means we would have to get up even earlier!



We have thought about getting a hotel by the airport the night before, but we are within an hour of the airport, so I just can't justify it. Plus I don't sleep well in hotels unless I am at WDW. So it probably wouldn't give us any extra sleep! Anyway you look at it, DS11 is going to be a bear!!

Yes, hopefully we will be on an excitement high and we will be fine!! But it will definitely be in our favor if our room is ready when we get there.



I was thinking, what if AT changed our return flight while we are on vacation and we don't know about it??? I don't bring my laptop to WDW. I like to take a little vacation from it! I guess when we have the resort print our boarding passes the day before we would find out then. Hopefully that won't happen!

We used to get great rates with SW, but not anymore. Even including baggage fees AT was much cheaper.

We are within and hours drive too but the cost of just parking for a week and the cost of the room with free parking , we just feel it is a better deal for us , even last year when we stayed in the city since we were flying out of JFK....I am usually so stressed out from doing all the last minute things, taking the dog to the kennels, packing and getting to the hotel, I hit the pillow and pass out, strange bed or not , bad thing is I can't doze off on the plane ride

 

[sjs314]

Sitting here this morning waiting to hear from Ddil, I suppose she won't call until her lunch or maybe not till she gets home

I am just one of those people who has to have a plan and know for sure what I am doing and until I find out if she can come and see about changeing our ressie I am on pins and needles.

Thinking of maybe going with FD if my pin number is not any good still

Thunder boomers coming have to run

 

[mbonomo]

Well it was nothing too drastic, but still. Messing with my WDW time is not acceptable!

I am so sorry to hear this! You are right, positive is more time at the park! First day will just be an early night and no doubt you will sleep well and ready for day 2! I always wish i could sleep on the plane like my DH. He can fall asleep during take off and not wake up till we are at the gate!

 

[mousescrapper]

Well it was nothing too drastic, but still. Messing with my WDW time is not acceptable!

They had already changed both flight numbers once and changed the flight home, but only by 15 minutes so they didn't contact me. But when I noticed (because I check obsessively everyday) I had to call WDW with the new flight numbers. That was about 1 1/2 months ago.

Then yesterday I get an email from them and they had changed my flight home by about 20 minutes and my flight down by nearly 2 hours. Two hours later!! Instead of leaving Pittsburgh at 11:00, we would now be leaving around 1:00. They used to be bad about contacting you of changes, so at least they do it now via email. You can click to confirm or call to change. They have to give you any other flight you want without a charge, even if it costs more. The flights I paid $79 for months ago are now at $180.

So I call. I'm on hold forever. I finally get to talk to someone and explain to them that the new time isn't going to work. They offer me a VERY EARLY flight down and say that is the only other non-stop option. I had to take it. I hated to, but it was either that or our whole first day would be pretty much shot. So we will be getting up at about 4:00AM to make our flight. Not good for my pre-teen DS who can't seem to get out of bed at 8-9:00 in the summer!!

Oh well, I guess I should be happy. It's more time at WDW. But I just know we will all be tired and grumpy. Which will be fine if our room is ready when we arrive, but I highly doubt it, it will likely be before 11:00am when we get to the resort!

OUCH!


well at least you were able to change and find something that can sorta work...

why not use those first hours to chill at your resort, snooze by the pool and just soak into to Disney...then grab a fun dinner do a little touring in the mid afternoon to early evening and then turn in for the day early so you can be rearing to go on your first full day at Disney...

I have learned the hard way...w/ flight changes, dealys...etc...it's just best not to plan anything on the arrival day and have a fun non-park day...take advantage of the great resort, get a good night's sleep and consider Day 2) the FIRST DISNEY day...

as well...

doesn't look like anyone did a 4 month DANCE yesterday for any of you November travelers arriving on the 19th....

 

[mbonomo]

Another question for the experts.
How is SSR? It looks beautiful! DH family said the buses take forever and that it is worth the extra $$ to stay at BC or BW. I need some help!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

We are within and hours drive too but the cost of just parking for a week and the cost of the room with free parking , we just feel it is a better deal for us , even last year when we stayed in the city since we were flying out of JFK....I am usually so stressed out from doing all the last minute things, taking the dog to the kennels, packing and getting to the hotel, I hit the pillow and pass out, strange bed or not , bad thing is I can't doze off on the plane ride

I am so sorry to hear this! You are right, positive is more time at the park! First day will just be an early night and no doubt you will sleep well and ready for day 2! I always wish i could sleep on the plane like my DH. He can fall asleep during take off and not wake up till we are at the gate!

My DH is the same way. He can fall asleep anywhere anytime. Even when I am talking to him! But I am just the opposite - it's hard for me to sleep anywhere that's not my bed! And definitely not on the airplane!

OUCH!


well at least you were able to change and find something that can sorta work...

why not use those first hours to chill at your resort, snooze by the pool and just soak into to Disney...then grab a fun dinner do a little touring in the mid afternoon to early evening and then turn in for the day early so you can be rearing to go on your first full day at Disney...

I have learned the hard way...w/ flight changes, dealys...etc...it's just best not to plan anything on the arrival day and have a fun non-park day...take advantage of the great resort, get a good night's sleep and consider Day 2) the FIRST DISNEY day...

as well...

doesn't look like anyone did a 4 month DANCE yesterday for any of you November travelers arriving on the 19th....

Yes, I am thinking that is what we will do. Just get some lunch and hang out at the BWI until our room is ready. We can always stroll over to Epcot if we need to kill some time too. Although I am sure it will be crowded that day due to the F&W festival and Jersey Week ending.

Then we get an extra hour of sleep that night since we turn the clocks back!! So day 2 we will be well rested and ready to go!

Another question for the experts.
How is SSR? It looks beautiful! DH family said the buses take forever and that it is worth the extra $$ to stay at BC or BW. I need some help!

We haven't stayed at SSR, so maybe someone else can help you out there. . .

We did however stay at OKW (which is very close to SSR and very large like SSR). We liked the resort, the atmosphere was relaxing and the grounds were beautiful. But we got a room VERY VERY far from the main building. Now let me say that we have stayed at all of the moderates and 3 of them are very large and spread out. But they were nothing like OKW. We had to take a bus to get the the main building and pool. So we didn't care for that. The buses ran all the time, but did take a great deal of time getting out of the resort because of all the stops and backtracking the buses have to do. OKW and SSR are very close to DTD, which is great. But that makes them a little further from the parks than the other resorts. We would stay there again, but maybe rent a car next time!

Hope that helps some.

 

[Mindy5767]

Another question for the experts.
How is SSR? It looks beautiful! DH family said the buses take forever and that it is worth the extra $$ to stay at BC or BW. I need some help!

Saratoga is our Home Resort and we have stayed there many times. We absolutely LOVE it! It also doesn't have the weird walkability problems that OKW has. We stayed at OKW once, and we were at the very end of a road. To get to the bus stop, we walked along a sidewalk, but then before we got to the bus stop, the sidewalk ended and we had to walk in the road. You also can't walk to the main building and feature pool from where we were because of a river and the roads. We NEVER have that problem at Saratoga. At Saratoga even if you're staying in a section away from the main buildings and pool, it is easy to walk to them by paths. There is an internal bus that connect the Treehouse villas to the Grandstand section. If you stay in the Grandstand Section, you'll get the bus first when it arrives at the resort, but you'll have to sit through all the other stops on the way out. I forgot which stop is the last one before the bus leaves the parks.. but then on the way back in, its the last stop. Depends which you prefer. We usually find the buses to be very good and timely at Saratoga. It is a long ride to MK, but not bad to EPCOT or DHS. You can take the boat to DTD or walk along the lake. You can also take the boat to OKW and PO.

We also like the quieter atmosphere at Saratoga than you'd get at the Boardwalk. And here's another plus... Saratoga doesn't have a maniacal clown on our pool!

 

[TruBlu]

Another question for the experts.
How is SSR? It looks beautiful! DH family said the buses take forever and that it is worth the extra $$ to stay at BC or BW. I need some help!

We were probably in the worst place to be at SSR - as far from the pool as possible on the opposite side of DTD, and WE LOVED IT!!! We didn't have any complaints about the busses, and the walk to the pool wasn't bad at all! I think you are going to be very happy!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Saratoga is our Home Resort and we have stayed there many times. We absolutely LOVE it! It also doesn't have the weird walkability problems that OKW has. We stayed at OKW once, and we were at the very end of a road. To get to the bus stop, we walked along a sidewalk, but then before we got to the bus stop, the sidewalk ended and we had to walk in the road. You also can't walk to the main building and feature pool from where we were because of a river and the roads. We NEVER have that problem at Saratoga. At Saratoga even if you're staying in a section away from the main buildings and pool, it is easy to walk to them by paths. There is an internal bus that connect the Treehouse villas to the Grandstand section. If you stay in the Grandstand Section, you'll get the bus first when it arrives at the resort, but you'll have to sit through all the other stops on the way out. I forgot which stop is the last one before the bus leaves the parks.. but then on the way back in, its the last stop. Depends which you prefer. We usually find the buses to be very good and timely at Saratoga. It is a long ride to MK, but not bad to EPCOT or DHS. You can take the boat to DTD or walk along the lake. You can also take the boat to OKW and PO.

We also like the quieter atmosphere at Saratoga than you'd get at the Boardwalk. And here's another plus... Saratoga doesn't have a maniacal clown on our pool!

Yep - that is what I was talking about at OKW with the walking. Not laid out very well I guess. We still had a nice time there and loved the theme. I'm not sure I would enjoy the SSR theme as much, but it sounds like it is laid out much better. I'm sure we will try it one day, we just love DTD and it would be great to be able to see DTD from the resort!


PS - I can't wait to go down that freaky clown slide at the BW!!! Looking very much forward to it!

 

[Magalex]

I did it! Made flight arrangements and contacted my Disney TA for the week of Nov.13th-Nov.19th. Will be at MVMCP on Tuesday 11/16. First time during holiday season. Regular June visitor...hope for sunshine but cool weather.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I did it! Made flight arrangements and contacted my Disney TA for the week of Nov.13th-Nov.19th. Will be at MVMCP on Tuesday 11/16. First time during holiday season. Regular June visitor...hope for sunshine but cool weather.

You will love November!! The weather is awesome!

 

[Mindy5767]

Yep - that is what I was talking about at OKW with the walking. Not laid out very well I guess. We still had a nice time there and loved the theme. I'm not sure I would enjoy the SSR theme as much, but it sounds like it is laid out much better. I'm sure we will try it one day, we just love DTD and it would be great to be able to see DTD from the resort!


PS - I can't wait to go down that freaky clown slide at the BW!!! Looking very much forward to it!

Theme is all about personal preference. I feel connected to the SSR theme because my great grandparents and grandparents used to stay at the real Saratoga Springs in Upstate New York on their vacations in the 1900's and 1920's and we have some really great photos from my grandmother's album taken back then that look ALOT like the ones hanging in the resort rooms. I find it a very charming resort. But then, I'm more turn of the century charm than futuristic shine (BLT). OKW had a nicely themed pool. We also found at OKW that there wasn't a good place to eat the quick service food INDOORS. We ended up eating breakfast at a picnic table by the dock, which was ok because it was October, but it would be horrid if it were summer! Saratoga has a nice indoor eating area with outside tables too.