TigerlilyAJ
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2011
- Messages
- 1,508
UPDATE: Oh, how much can change after two weeks of intense research. OK, I now know that the character and buffet meals we're interested in make the DDP easily a solid break even choice. And it's $236/day value for 3 adults and 2 kids is always a bigger discount than even a full 30% room discount.
But we also now have strong rumors for FD dates, and the choices laid out here assume they are correct.
So really, I'm now choosing between:
1) A FD offer after Thanksgiving, either the week after Thanks or my kids' last week of school before Christmas break (because, as my 11yo puts it, "We won't be missing any real work that week."). We'd stay in AoA and upgrade to the DDP or stay in the Cabins at FW (although ASMu family suites or two rooms at Pop are also on the list in case we have availability issues).
OR
2) A WDW version of our glorious "Two Holidays, One Trip" vacation at DLR in 2012, where we swooped in for the last Halloween party on 10/31, hung out at an empty park for the first week of Nov, left for Legoland, and then returned to enjoy the first Christmas tour and parade before going home in mid-November. It's actually easier to do this at WDW because MVMCPs start on Nov 7, so a 10-day stay would allow us to experience both seasons and both parties. But no FD means we would not stay at a Disney property until the last couple of days (which is what we also did at DLR, staying mostly at RI Maingate, and then bouncing over to a view room at Paradise Pier for the last three days).
The two choices are essentially equal in price, even giving ourselves a full $300/day for OOP food at the parks to mimic the DDP and accounting for a second set of party tickets, because the WBC resort costs that much less than any Disney suite for six.
WWYD? Point out things I am missing?
Hello, voices of experience! I am planning a trip that begins in November for myself, DH, three sons (ages 6, 9, and 12 at time of trip), and DD (2.5 at time of trip). What's keeping me from booking? Two issues: 1) A dear friend who wants to join us with her family (so more details to work out, as we most likely would be staying at different resorts) , and 2) The FREE DINING possibilities.
I want to do a Christmas party in either case. But free dining could make me willing to consider a range of dates. Without free dining in the mix, I strongly prefer to go after Thanksgiving for the full holiday experience while enjoying modest crowds. We would NOT purchase the dining plan under any circumstance. (Like, $250/day for us! Even with a 12yo who would definitely eat his fill, just not worth it.)
With free dining, I would be tempted to do mid-November (assuming no late-Nov Free Dining dates). I would even consider going during Halloween, which I also enjoyed at DLR. (We did a two-week trip to DLR in 2012 that began Oct 30, so we did a Halloween party AND got to do a holiday tour that ended with the Christmas parade Veteran's Day weekend.) I love the idea of feeling free to order a pricier entree, being able to coordinate with the kids so we order a couple of different desserts so we can taste more, and not worrying about the cost. I often skipped lunch (it helped that I had a giant hot breakfast at the RI Maingate every morning), eating kid leftovers (yum, right?), and split desserts, and basically brought our own snacks every day. We also have Hoop Dee Doo and character meals planned, so a free DDP would help there, too.
I am concerned about room availability, though. Even today, I can't always get what I want when I look at possible reservations (especially theme park views at places like CR). With a family this size, a number of options are out, and I fear that free dining either won't be available at places big enough for us (like AoA and Ft. Wilderness cabins) or will sell out instantly. Although technically possible, I am less worried that free dining + rack rate for a room will cost more than the rates I could get today for rooms, just because the total price of three "adults" plus two kids on the plans is so big.
Should I make late-November reservations now? I was planning a split stay, with a southern resort like AoA to start, to be near the three parks, then going to USO for a couple of days, and then ending with a fancier (read: pricier) stay at somewhere near MK like CR. Is it a big deal to change or re-do reservations if free dining makes me want to change my plans? Advice and experience welcomed! I don't know what I don't know, so tell me. ;-)
But we also now have strong rumors for FD dates, and the choices laid out here assume they are correct.
So really, I'm now choosing between:
1) A FD offer after Thanksgiving, either the week after Thanks or my kids' last week of school before Christmas break (because, as my 11yo puts it, "We won't be missing any real work that week."). We'd stay in AoA and upgrade to the DDP or stay in the Cabins at FW (although ASMu family suites or two rooms at Pop are also on the list in case we have availability issues).
OR
2) A WDW version of our glorious "Two Holidays, One Trip" vacation at DLR in 2012, where we swooped in for the last Halloween party on 10/31, hung out at an empty park for the first week of Nov, left for Legoland, and then returned to enjoy the first Christmas tour and parade before going home in mid-November. It's actually easier to do this at WDW because MVMCPs start on Nov 7, so a 10-day stay would allow us to experience both seasons and both parties. But no FD means we would not stay at a Disney property until the last couple of days (which is what we also did at DLR, staying mostly at RI Maingate, and then bouncing over to a view room at Paradise Pier for the last three days).
The two choices are essentially equal in price, even giving ourselves a full $300/day for OOP food at the parks to mimic the DDP and accounting for a second set of party tickets, because the WBC resort costs that much less than any Disney suite for six.
WWYD? Point out things I am missing?
Hello, voices of experience! I am planning a trip that begins in November for myself, DH, three sons (ages 6, 9, and 12 at time of trip), and DD (2.5 at time of trip). What's keeping me from booking? Two issues: 1) A dear friend who wants to join us with her family (so more details to work out, as we most likely would be staying at different resorts) , and 2) The FREE DINING possibilities.
I want to do a Christmas party in either case. But free dining could make me willing to consider a range of dates. Without free dining in the mix, I strongly prefer to go after Thanksgiving for the full holiday experience while enjoying modest crowds. We would NOT purchase the dining plan under any circumstance. (Like, $250/day for us! Even with a 12yo who would definitely eat his fill, just not worth it.)
With free dining, I would be tempted to do mid-November (assuming no late-Nov Free Dining dates). I would even consider going during Halloween, which I also enjoyed at DLR. (We did a two-week trip to DLR in 2012 that began Oct 30, so we did a Halloween party AND got to do a holiday tour that ended with the Christmas parade Veteran's Day weekend.) I love the idea of feeling free to order a pricier entree, being able to coordinate with the kids so we order a couple of different desserts so we can taste more, and not worrying about the cost. I often skipped lunch (it helped that I had a giant hot breakfast at the RI Maingate every morning), eating kid leftovers (yum, right?), and split desserts, and basically brought our own snacks every day. We also have Hoop Dee Doo and character meals planned, so a free DDP would help there, too.
I am concerned about room availability, though. Even today, I can't always get what I want when I look at possible reservations (especially theme park views at places like CR). With a family this size, a number of options are out, and I fear that free dining either won't be available at places big enough for us (like AoA and Ft. Wilderness cabins) or will sell out instantly. Although technically possible, I am less worried that free dining + rack rate for a room will cost more than the rates I could get today for rooms, just because the total price of three "adults" plus two kids on the plans is so big.
Should I make late-November reservations now? I was planning a split stay, with a southern resort like AoA to start, to be near the three parks, then going to USO for a couple of days, and then ending with a fancier (read: pricier) stay at somewhere near MK like CR. Is it a big deal to change or re-do reservations if free dining makes me want to change my plans? Advice and experience welcomed! I don't know what I don't know, so tell me. ;-)
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