Two Vacations in One ... Advice?

[junderwood99]

Hello everyone! I haven't been on in awhile - so excited to be back and planning our trip for next August!! Woo hoo!

So, here is my question. Our family generally goes for a 10 day trip - already decided we are staying back at CBR next summer. However, this trip will be a bit different. My mom does so much for us, we (her and I) thought it would be so fun to do a girls trip - just she, I and my 3 daughters. Then, we got thinking that we should do Disney. We thought of having us girls go down for 4-5 days alone, then, have my hubby come down. Then, my mom leaves and we stay as just a family.

Can anyone give me advice on the best way (financially) to do this? We are hoping for a continuation of free dining for August 2013, however I know that free dining will probably start during the middle of the trip. My tentative dates would be the following:

Fri Aug 16 - Aug 21 ----> Girls Only (Me, my mom and 3 DD)
Aug 21 - August 23 ---> All of us (My, my mom, DH and 3DD)
August 23 - August 30 ---- Family only (Me, DH and 3 DD)


So, pretty much - me and my 3DD will be going for 14 full days. My mom will be there a full week and then my hubby will be with us for 10 days. Obviously during the overlap (21-23) we would need two rooms.

Also, what if free dining is offered during this time frame?

We would not need 14 days worth of tix - since the girls only time we could cut back on a day or two and hang out at the pool.

Is a split stay the only way to do this?
Would that make the trip more expensive since we'll be booking two separate packages in essence?


Hope this makes sense! Thanks for any advice!

 

[minnie mum]

You would be doing 2 connecting rooms at CBR, right? Honestly, with people coming and going at different times; the dining option, whether paid or free makes things very, very complicated. I can't help but think, given the dynamics of your group, that you would be better off in the long run by paying OOP for your dining and looking for a good room only discount. That way you can purchase tickets separately for what each person needs, and not be tied by the constraints of a vacation package, which requires everyone to have the same package.

And trying to do free dining in the middle of your stay would require 2 separate packages with 2 separate tickets for everyone. That gets very expensive unless you only buy the minimum ticket days for free dining and then use those second tickets on a subsequent visit. Still an expensive way to go.

What do you plan to do about your park tickets for you and your DDs? Since you can only have a maximum of 10 park days on a MYW ticket, were you just planning 4 non-park days, or adding the Water Parks and More option, or going for APs?

 

[MMS1125]

I think I'd just reserve a suite at AoA or ASMu OR a FW Cabin in your name for the whole 2 weeks so you and your girls get tix and dining for the whole trip without having to pay twice for tix. Your DH will fit in the room without having to get a separate reservation. You can add him while you are there a few days before he arrives to save from having to pay for him the whole trip. Not 100% sure if he'll get dining credits or not but at least you won't have to get another room. Worst case you pay OOP for his meals but that's better than 2 day tix for 4 people if you go with 2 reservations. I think you can add your mom the same way before your trip just for the time she'll be there.

I'm sure if you get a fab CM on the phone they could help you sort it out better..it makes sense in my head anyways

 

[Gibbygirl]

So, pretty much - me and my 3DD will be going for 14 full days. QUOTE]

Your questions exceed my simple thinking but all I can say is:

JEALOUS!!!

We only "get" to go for a week at a time & it's not near long enough! However this works out for you--have fun & enjoy!