Thinking of 3 weeks

[AcrossthePondNic]

Hi All. We're a family of 4 and we'd really like to go for 3 weeks. But, while I can, DH can't take that much time off and suggested that I take the kids and head out then he could join us a week later. I've been pricing it up direct with WDW travel company and have realised that the room price doesn't change whether it's all 4 of us or just 3. All that would be affected is the park ticket price and that's only about £30.

I was wondering how it would work if we book for us 3 then add DH in a week or so later. Would we have to check out and then back in? Would it be easier to just book all 4 of us into the room for the 3 weeks regardless on when he can arrive? But if we did that he wouldn't be able to use ME from the airport whenever he was able to join us.

I've also seen that for 3 of us we might end up with one king bed and a day bed if we were to stay in one of the deluxe resorts. But we wouldn't want that and I know that requests are just requests.

Anyone had any experience of this? We'd definitely still only want to stay in Disney and as my kids have additional needs I don't want to be moving rooms after the first week if I can avoid it. I'd like to arrive, have a leisurely few days for them to recover from the flight and take our time exploring and then daddy join us without any hiccups.

It wouldn't be my first choice, but if I did a week in one resort with them and then moved to another when DH arrived would an Uber be the best way for me and the kids to get from one resort to another? I'd worry that magic bands etc might not transfer. Any tips appreciated

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

We did a similar thing the last time we went in 2014 although it was me and DH who went first and then our sons joined us a week later. As you rightly say it makes no difference how many people you have in the room to the room price assuming you stick to the room limits.

We bought 21 day tickets for us and the boys even though they weren't there for that long as we were able to make great use of the extra dining credits that gave us. We ate in a lot more 2 credit signature restaurants than we wouldn't have been able to as we had all the boys credits that they didn't need as they hadn't arrived yet.

Disney didn't care that we were only 2 in the room (it was a 2 queen bed room) as we'd paid for the room and no one questioned our dining credit use as all credits are loaded onto your account at the start of your holiday and then it's up to you how you use them.

 

[AcrossthePondNic]

Hi. Thanks. That's what I thought. Last time we booked the flights at the same time with Disney. But if we're going to do it that way we will need to do them separately I assume. Did your boys travel from the airport on the magical express or taxi?

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

Yes we booked our flights separately from the hotel/tickets package.

We had a hire car (we never use ME as we find it takes too long) so we just driove back to MCO to collect them.

 

[AcrossthePondNic]

Never been brave enough to hire a car. I think this will be the way to go though. If he needs to use a taxi or Uber just for the trip from the airport we can live with that. Thanks

 

[disneyholic family]

i would book all 4 of you for the entire time...
he can use magical express whenever he arrives...
we didn't all come together on magical express.
though we were on one reservation we came in at 3 different times, one of us arriving a week later.
Disney didn't care that we were on ME on different days.

 

[AcrossthePondNic]

Really? How does that work. Is it complicated to sort out? I thought if you booked everyone for the 3 weeks they'd have 4 passes for the main arrival day otherwise they would know he's not there and it might confuse bookings. But sounds like there is a way round that then. It's getting more likely that I'll be able to go for three weeks

 

[disneyholic family]

i booked for everyone as though they were staying for the whole time...
there is barely any difference in cost (as you mentioned)..
when i reserved i said at what time everyone was coming in...
i'm trying to remember if the person who came a week later was a problem when i booked...
i might not have told them at booking, but later arranged it with ME that he was coming in a week late...
i don't recall if i told them at booking or later....but everyone got to ride ME when their flights arrived.
you don't have to be on ME together..

 

[AcrossthePondNic]

That is fab. Thanks. Just have to be brave enough to take the 2 of them on my own. And I don't like flying. But I really want to be there for 3 weeks!

 

[scoobydooby2016]

Definitely just book as if you're all there for the three weeks and enjoy the dining credits. Tiffany Towncar are a good company if he needs a decent airport transfer. I think it's about $50 one way which really is nothing compared to the cost of the total holiday. They watch flight landing times and meet you inside the airport. Would remove any stress.

 

[disneyholic family]

the very first time we went for 3 weeks (instead of 2) was when i took our two kids by myself for the entire time (DH couldn't get away from work that summer)..
i was apprehensive, but it was fine and we had a great time!!
the kids were 10 and 8 at the time

 

[AcrossthePondNic]

All your comments are definitely helping me convince myself this is going to be great I can do it. I can manage the kids and the suitcases. If it gets me there for 3 weeks - I'm in

 

[disneyholic family]

how old are the kids?
as i said, mine were 10 and 8 the time i took them by myself...
to add to matters, it was half a year after i'd had a terrible medical incident where i was hospitalized (and incorrectly diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor - ...they were wrong....and then they incorrectly diagnosed with me with MS...again...wrong....)..
anyway, half a year later, when i'd been back on my feet already for 3 months, but still with a a sword hanging over my head, i decided i wanted to go to WDW for 3 weeks (my own personal make a wish trip)....and the only way i could do that was on my own as DH couldn't go that year..

so i was even more worried about something happening....
i typed up identity cards for the kids that i made them wear in little belly packs around their waist....
with their name/my name/emergency contact/emergency phone numbers/insurance info....
fortunately, we never needed it...
but i wasn't going to let anything stop me from taking them...

it was one of our best trips ever....super great....
of course, that year, i found a really cheap flight via amsterdam and wouldn't you know it, we got delayed for the entire day in the airport there...
(due to technical problems on the plane)
but we finally flew to orlando and it was fabulous!!!
so super wonderful...and the kids were great...
we didn't take all that much luggage....i used the laundry in the resort....

 

[AcrossthePondNic]

Thank you and I hope you are now well.

The kids will be 13 and 10 so big enough to help with suitcases and good company. But they do both have some additional needs so it will be the flight itself that takes it toll, keeping anxiety levels and physical symptoms in check. Once safely settled in the room we'll be fine. I REALLY don't like flying so I will have to keep my emotions under wraps. But being sole adult will probably take my mind off that.

We have stayed at POR before and I was hoping (dreaming) of staying at BC or YC but the price difference is considerable when comparing the 2 resorts for 3 week stays and I can't really justify the cost increase. So I'm going to mull that one over for a while. We love POR but it takes so long to get anywhere for a sit down meal which would matter more when there for 3 weeks. We like the idea of being able to walk to Epcot or walk along the Boardwalk for some down time without a bus journey. 3 weeks at POR doesn't look too bad but 3 weeks at a deluxe is taking it that bit too high unless we win the lottery.

But, at least I feel better that 3 weeks can be done easily by just booking us all in and OH joining us when he can without separate bookings.

 

[disneyholic family]

i'm fine...that was a long time ago....my kids who were 10 and 8 are now 31 and 29
so a long long long long long long long long time ago...
we stayed in the all star music - since it was just the 3 of us...
until that trip, we'd always stayed in something much bigger, but i couldn't justify it for just the 3 of us and for 3 weeks...
there was no such thing as free dining at the time, so that aspect didn't matter...
as it turned out, we really enjoyed the all star music....who knew!!!
we even got to ride out a hurricane there...this was in 1995....can't remember the name of the hurricane, but it was a big enough one that it was still storming by the time it reached orlando (relatively unusual)..

i'm also terrified of flying, but i always tried to keep it under control with the kids...

after we did that 3 week trip, we continued to go for 3 weeks every year.....
in fact, that's the most dangerous part of going for 3 weeks....there's NO GOING BACK once you've done it....it's very hard to go for less time than that..
we have...we've gone for 2 weeks, and even less one year when we had to get to detroit for my nephews wedding...but it hurts once you've been there for 3 weeks..
3 weeks is so very relaxing.....4 weeks is even better (we did that twice...heavenly)....
you don't worry about rushing hither nither and yon.....just relax and do whatever you want every day without going all disney nazi over the schedule...

i'm sure you'll have fun!!

 

[AcrossthePondNic]

Glad to here you're recovered from that. Ooh 4 weeks. We have 2 dogs and they can go to grandmas for a fortnight but 3 weeks would be pushing our luck. So another reason why at the moment all 4 of us couldn't do it. I also think he's secretly quite keen on a family free week at home. There is a lot of pressure to do everything isn't there and I'm hoping that having that extra week will take that pressure off and allow more down time. We took them for the first time last year. It took about 4 days for them to recover from the flight and get their heads round things so that extra time will be a huge advantage.

I have to say, I think this is all going to have to be in 2018 as I don't think the coffers will allow it next year. But plans are afoot

 

[disneyholic family]

we also have a dog....we have a very good kennel that she goes to when we're away (we call it doggie camp)
she has a great time ....though we miss her like crazy...the kennel posts pictures and videos on facebook every day, so that helps a bit..

our big family trip is next summer (2017)..
we used to go every year for 3 or 4 weeks, but now that the kids are grown up and married (and one has two kids of his own), it's a lot lot lot more costly for us to take everyone..
our one little family of four has turned into 3 families....and we pay for everything....so that's now 8 people flying, plus resort for 3 families..
i've already reserved the disneyUK free dining for us at saratoga springs....i won't tell you how much the whole thing is going to cost us, but there's no way we'll be able to do it again for at least 5 years..

the last time we took all 3 families (at the time it was 3 couples, as there were no grandkids yet), was in 2011....so this will be 2017....so i guess that's what it will be now...every 6 years...with a lot of saving in between...

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Would you be able to call special assistance for the flight, they might be able to get you on the plane earlier so you can get settled in your seats before full boarding begins if that would help?

 

[AcrossthePondNic]

Our doggies are rescues and I promised them I wouldn't put them in kennels so it's grandma for them. I do wonder if I'll never be satisfied with 2 weeks after this. I would love to go in a big family group like that. I'd be interested in hearing what Saratoga Springs is like. I did look at that because it's so close to Disney Springs. We don't do the bars or the shows so for us, a stroll around the shops or somewhere to walk and chill is a factor.

Yes, at Manchester Airport I can get a special flyer wrist band for them which lets us join the speedier security line etc and last time Virgin did board us with the priority boarding line so that helped. But we actually waited and exited last so that we weren't overwhelmed. However, what's also just occurred to me is I'm not very tall so I'm going to have to rely on the kindness of strangers to put my bags in the overhead lockers for me too. Mind you, my DD may have overtaken me by then and so could have a whole range of extra uses.

 

[disneyholic family]

people usually help on planes...my mom can't put her bags up anymore and someone always helps her if she's flying alone

we've never stayed at saratoga springs....we have at old key west, but when i booked with disney UK, there weren't any 2 bedrooms available at OKW with the free dining package.....so i picked saratoga...i hope it's good