Trip confusion - Please help me find the best use of time and money!Really long!

[Disneycrazymom]

I have gotten myself so confused! I did it too myself but now I have too many choices. Please help me decide what to do!

A little background: We are going on a Mariner cruise out of Port Canaveral for 7 days - Sunday to Sunday. I got a great airfare into MCO but it is on Thursday and we fly home on Tuesday. Giving me 6 days to fill 3 on either side counting the day we get off the ship. They make you leave WAY to early! Also counting our flight days. Of course my first thought was "We are going to Disney!" But it will be July and hot and crowded with only Friday, Saturday, and Monday as true full days. A lot of money for tickets for a pretty short time.

What would you do?

Choices:
1. Swan teacher rate of $149. for all 5 nights before and after and 7 day park hopper tickets for 4 @ $1000

2. Sheraton Vistana teacher rate $111. (2 bedroom) for 5 nights and Seaworld tickets 2 days for 4 @ $215

3. Embassy suites ( at Universal) for 5 nights The movie and meal deal rate $155. Universal tickets for 4 @$348 They expire before we return from the cruise. So we don't get the full advantage of the 7 days.

4. Some combination of above like the first 3 nights at Embassy and the last 2 at Vistana. Or the other way around

5. Some other combination using old water park tickets and mini golf.

As you can see I am lost! Of course I want to say on site and do Disney but it is a lot of money for what we would get. We have never ventured to anything offsite so that would be a new experience.

If you are still with me Thank-you. Give me all your great ideas please!!!!!

 

[jessica52877]

Staying at a value would make it a little cheaper, but might not be worth it. I would plan on maybe doing a park 1 day (disney) and maybe seaworld or univeral another where there is no major advantage to going more days. The rest spend doing other fun things in the area. I can go to disney and never go into a park. We enjoy blizzard beach for a day too. But with downtown disney, all the outlets, movie theatres and things on 192 to do there are endless possibilities. Celebration is nice too. Do you have kids and if so how old are they?

 

[Happy vacationer]

All your options sound wonderful to me!! How about if you did the Universal Park/hotel option when you arrive in Florida. Then when you return from your cruise check into a Disney hotel (or off site hotel), buy just one day tickets and go to your favorite park, then hang out by the pool or use water park tickets for your last day. I know for my family, down time on the last day there is what they really enjoy. You could make dinner reservations for one of the places at Downtown Disney or at one of the resorts if you want more Disney on your trip. Whatever you decide will be fantastic I'm sure.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Thanks to you both! I had an exciting planning day yesterday! I kept thinking about it all afternoon at work, trying to figure out how to do everything and not spend so much money!

First, Let me say, "I LOVE Southwest!" Yesterday my ding fares popped back up but for Friday and Monday. I called and they let me switch them - for no fee!!!! Now we fly in Friday afternoon, much better for DH as he can work Fri am and DS as he can make it to hockey Thurs night, and we are paying for 1 less hotel night at both the front and back of the trip.

Then I went and checked our Visa points and we have more than I thought. So today I am going to see if I can use the points for one of the value resorts. Thank-you Jessica.

I have the morning off so I am in full press planning mode now! Wish me luck. Now it is all about bringing it in on a tiny budget! - If only RC would put our cruise on sale I'd be in planning heaven!

 

[HayGan]

I like the idea of Universal at the begining of the trip and Disney at the end.

Did you know that you can switch your Southwest reservations on line? It is really easy and really saves time

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Actually what I did with Southwest was had my new ding reservation on my screen ready to go. I then called and asked her to cancel my existing reservation. As she canceled I entered the new reservation and used the credit. I was so easy! I didn't want to let my old ding go and risk not getting the new one.

I am thinking I might do Universal last. If we stay on-site 1 night we would get 2 days of front of the line. We should get to do pretty much at the park with front of the line even in 2 short days.