Thinking out loud :) rci deal?

[irishsharon]

So I was looking at the rci website today(family friend is sharing her points,we have used points for a trip to Williamsburg in August) So they have a week in Jan. for the Wilderness villas and weeks avilable at Saratoga springs.I think the total amount would be less than $400, I know our guest fees for our August trip was $225.Southwest is showing $130 each way for the month of Jan,......So what do you think is Jan. a good time to go? Which resort would you choose?We have 2 boys(6&10)this would be there first trip.I have to make this look good for dh so need some strong arguments why this would be the perfect time and the perfect price So please help me convince my dh We would be in a one bedroom with a kitchen,so we could save by eating in the room.Any helpful budget tricks?Thanks everyone

 

[adisneymama]

Have not been in January but would choose WL over SSR. You have access to the boats to MK from WL or even over to CR if you wanted to go there. I think your kids would enjoy it more. G/L with the hubby!

 

[cjnix29]

We went the last week in January this year, and it was fantastic!!! Warm enough to swim in the afternoon, but not too warm that I need to shower every afternoon from the sweat! We wore shorts most days, but long sleeves in the evening. Crowds were great. I would go again the end of January in a heartbeat. And...I would choose WLV, for sure!! WL is my favorite resort just the feeling I get when I walk in. Plus the boat to the MK. Have fun!

 

[irishsharon]

The only rci week available for WL is Jan.18-25.I like the idea of being able to take a bus or boat to MK.Told dh about my wonderful plan.......he didn't seem sold Told him the crowds would be low,weather would be mild and since both boys are still in elementary school this is the only year they can both miss some school(they have never missed school for vacation before and this would be a one time deal)I can't cut cost on airfare $1,038 and park tickets $i,000.So hope to get ideas on keeping food budget low and misc. expences down.Any ideas....... I really want to bring my boys

 

[missycj96]

A week in vwl in jan through rci is great. Grab it before someone else does. Crowds are light.

 

[HM]

Sounds like a great plan to me. I'd take whatever was available. I'm also planning my first January trip. I've done December and February before though.

 

[arihillfarm]

If you can't sell him on it quickly, it probably won't be an option anyway since the week will be gone soon on RCI. Have you looked into YES tickets? I don't know if programs are running in Jan., but it's worth looking into. Good luck!

-Astrid

 

[daileyad]

That's a generous friend! DVC trades take a lot of points.

 

[irishsharon]

Thanks everyone I was wondering if I could buy one ticket at a time from the disney store.This way it can break up the cost instead of one big lump sum all at once.Can I get the dining plan if I am useing rci points and buying my tickets at the disney store?We do not want to use cc for this trip.

 

[irishsharon]

If you can't sell him on it quickly, it probably won't be an option anyway since the week will be gone soon on RCI. Have you looked into YES tickets? I don't know if programs are running in Jan., but it's worth looking into. Good luck!

-Astrid

What are Yes tickets?

 

[delmar411]

Thanks everyone I was wondering if I could buy one ticket at a time from the disney store.This way it can break up the cost instead of one big lump sum all at once.Can I get the dining plan if I am useing rci points and buying my tickets at the disney store?We do not want to use cc for this trip.

Yes, you'll have to call DVC member services a few weeks after making the reservation and they'll give you a real reservation number (the RCI one isn't the one for disney's systems) and you can add ME and the dining plan. You have to add the dining plan at least 3-4 days in advance of the trip and pay for it in full when it's added.

The reservation is pretty much handled as a DVC reservation once it's made so no ticket purchase is required.

 

[princessmorgan]

We have been the last two Januarys and weather really played into how much I liked it In 2011, it was cold when we went. I put on hats and gloves and a snowsuit at night on the baby, lol! I swore I would never go in January again. Then we went again this year in January and I loved it! I felt the crowds were lower, the weather was perfect. We could swim a couple of days and it wasn't too hot during the day. So January is a gamble.

We used YES tickets as well and it saved our family a lot of money. They have a YES thread here on the budget board. It's for the Youth Education Series that Disney has and January is traditionally an open enrollment time when anybody can sign up for the class. You can sign your child/children for an educational class that typically lasts about 3 hours in exchange for discounted tickets (usually saving about $100 a ticket) depending on which package you choose. It's really a great program and my oldest DD has enjoyed 2 classes!

 

[hsmamato2]

If you can't convince y our DH (fast) that this is good idea.I don't know what else could be....since a room worth thousands is being given to you.... jump on it! they do go FAST so think fast!

 

[elaine amj]

If you do a search, I did a thread early in the year where I listed all the dates I could find at the time for open enrollment classes in WDW in 2012.

Of course, now I'm dreaming of a DLR trip and didn't list those and now don't know the dates for those for the first half of the year.

 

[bumbershoot]

Thanks everyone I was wondering if I could buy one ticket at a time from the disney store.This way it can break up the cost instead of one big lump sum all at once.

Of course you can.

But why not save *more* money, and use an authorized reseller like undercovertourist dot com? If you search for them here you will see countless happy customers who saved money by buying their tickets from them instead of through Disney.

If you want to save a small bit more, sign up for emails from mousesavers dot com, and on the 15th of each month check their email for the special link to extra savings on Disney tickets. The bulk of the savings is in just buying from them; that link gives you a little bit more.

 

[cjnix29]

another shout out for YES tickets. We used them this January...there is a whole thread on this board about it. Seems too good to be true, but it is fantastic!! Kids take a class, (so you don't feel quite so guilty about taking them out of school), and you get discount tickets!

 

[Crystal824]

Thanks everyone I was wondering if I could buy one ticket at a time from the disney store.This way it can break up the cost instead of one big lump sum all at once.Can I get the dining plan if I am useing rci points and buying my tickets at the disney store?We do not want to use cc for this trip.

You might want to check Undercover Tourist too. There tickets are cheaper than Disney. You can also buy them one at a time through them.

 

[irishsharon]

WOW Thanks everyone My 10 year old is in a special ed class does this effect him being in the Yes program?

 

[Disneyhayes]

do you have a world market near you and are you flying Southwest? If you spend $20 at world market you get 15% off Southwest airfare. There will be a redemption code at the bottom of the reciept.