t_catt11
Pin Trading Addict
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2008
- Messages
- 3,790
We've been planning to go back to WDW this year, but my oldest son (15) is now in an accelerated high school. We've always done low crowd times, but with his school, we had decided to bite the bullet and go Thanksgiving week.
Well, he's stayed in the top ten of his class all through freshman year, and feels good about it, so we are now going the week before Thanksgiving. That drops our crowds from 8-9 down to 3-5. Fantastic!
All told, six of us are going - myself, DW, DS15, DS6, DS4, DS2. Sadly, DD17 is not a Disney fan, and we have decided not to force her to come.
We were considering Art of Animation, but a suite there wasn't much better of a deal than two moderate rooms. I miss the days of going deluxe (we've done Animal Kingdom Lodge twice, Wilderness Lodge once, and Coronado Springs once), but I can't afford two deluxe rooms. We were thinking of doing quick service dining this time with just two "sit down" meals - Chef Mickey's and Le Cellier.
At any rate, my wife and I both got email PIN codes for free dining, and good for our dates. So I called and spent some time on the phone, ended up looking at these three options (8 night stay, 8 day hoppers):
Art of Animation suite: $4600 (quick service dining) or $5000 (standard dining).
Coronado Springs (two rooms): $5400 (standard dining).
Beach Club (single room that would accommodate us all): $5600 (standard dining).
My wife had once seen a Port Orleans Riverside room online that would supposedly sleep all six of us, but hadn't been able to find it again, and the CM on the phone assured me that wasn't an option.
We weighed the options. Once we pay out of pocket for Le Cellier and Chef Mickey's, we might as well do standard dining. Which means that our cheapest option was only $600 less than going deluxe. So, we were leaning towards Beach Club.
Saturday night, my wife went online to do her own pricing once more time, when she came back across the Port Orleans deal. I copied it down and called again.
Sure enough, we CAN book there... and we did. We are now looking at six people, free standard dining, park hoppers... for $3700, tax and travel insurance included. Holy cow!!!
Yeah, being in the Downtown Disney area isn't optimal (Coronado spoiled us due to the central location), but that price is just amazing. I am officially excited!
Well, he's stayed in the top ten of his class all through freshman year, and feels good about it, so we are now going the week before Thanksgiving. That drops our crowds from 8-9 down to 3-5. Fantastic!
All told, six of us are going - myself, DW, DS15, DS6, DS4, DS2. Sadly, DD17 is not a Disney fan, and we have decided not to force her to come.
We were considering Art of Animation, but a suite there wasn't much better of a deal than two moderate rooms. I miss the days of going deluxe (we've done Animal Kingdom Lodge twice, Wilderness Lodge once, and Coronado Springs once), but I can't afford two deluxe rooms. We were thinking of doing quick service dining this time with just two "sit down" meals - Chef Mickey's and Le Cellier.
At any rate, my wife and I both got email PIN codes for free dining, and good for our dates. So I called and spent some time on the phone, ended up looking at these three options (8 night stay, 8 day hoppers):
Art of Animation suite: $4600 (quick service dining) or $5000 (standard dining).
Coronado Springs (two rooms): $5400 (standard dining).
Beach Club (single room that would accommodate us all): $5600 (standard dining).
My wife had once seen a Port Orleans Riverside room online that would supposedly sleep all six of us, but hadn't been able to find it again, and the CM on the phone assured me that wasn't an option.
We weighed the options. Once we pay out of pocket for Le Cellier and Chef Mickey's, we might as well do standard dining. Which means that our cheapest option was only $600 less than going deluxe. So, we were leaning towards Beach Club.
Saturday night, my wife went online to do her own pricing once more time, when she came back across the Port Orleans deal. I copied it down and called again.
Sure enough, we CAN book there... and we did. We are now looking at six people, free standard dining, park hoppers... for $3700, tax and travel insurance included. Holy cow!!!
Yeah, being in the Downtown Disney area isn't optimal (Coronado spoiled us due to the central location), but that price is just amazing. I am officially excited!
