What to do - AoA LM or POP?

[WantToGoNow]

Right now we (me, dd29, ds12 and dd9) are booked from Oct 5-12 at AoA LM with 8 day tickets and the QSDP. We will be driving to FL from OH. We received a free dining PIN but would have to check in by Oct 2. I am not able to take 3 additional days off of work and I don't wish for my kids to miss 3 additional days of school. We can't change our dates completely because we are meeting up with my cousins family who will be there the same time on a MAW trip and staying at Give Kids the World. They picked their dates specifically because we will be there that week.

So here's our thought. If we change over to POP and start our trip on Oct 2, my dd29 could fly down early and she could spend a couple of days lounging until we arrive. We would save almost $600 even with the 3 additional nights at POP. We are excited about staying at AoA but we have stayed at POP before and we enjoyed our stay.

I would be driving the entire trip by myself though with my kids (dh is sitting this trip out). Any thoughts?

 

[kirby428]

Right now we (me, dd29, ds12 and dd9) are booked from Oct 5-12 at AoA LM with 8 day tickets and the QSDP. We will be driving to FL from OH. We received a free dining PIN but would have to check in by Oct 2. I am not able to take 3 additional days off of work and I don't wish for my kids to miss 3 additional days of school. We can't change our dates completely because we are meeting up with my cousins family who will be there the same time on a MAW trip and staying at Give Kids the World. They picked their dates specifically because we will be there that week.

So here's our thought. If we change over to POP and start our trip on Oct 2, my dd29 could fly down early and she could spend a couple of days lounging until we arrive. We would save almost $600 even with the 3 additional nights at POP. We are excited about staying at AoA but we have stayed at POP before and we enjoyed our stay.

I would be driving the entire trip by myself though with my kids (dh is sitting this trip out). Any thoughts?

You want us to call it for you? Humm between giving thumbs up to extend your stay and save $600 by asking you relative to just lounge around waiting for your arrival? Good deal for you, but asking anyone to just lounge around sounds risky to me too. Why decide it here? Call the others involved that will be impacted and go from there. I think these meet- n-greets require some planning compromises in time and expense else go on your own terms and forget linking up as a priority. All this to get free dining? Not me. OOP all the way for total freedom of choices and no haggling over whether this or that is free. The free stuff is a manipulation thing to get people targeted to dates and resorts as Disney prefers. For the things you have described as the price of the PIN, it doesn't sound free to me.

 

[DSNY4ever]

Sounds like a hassle. I know it is frustrating to pass up something free, but your trip is too set in stone, I would just forget the PIN (and I would forget the Dining plan all together!)- bring your credit card and eat wherever you want. I bet you will save money.

 

[iamfishie]

Be sure to check the fine print on the PIN- A of A LM is typically excluded from the free dining deal.

 

[chrystalc77]

I think I would just stick to the original plan of AOA LM. The reason being when we were at Pop last year walking around the resort when we came upon the bridge my DH looked at me and said "Why in the hell aren't we staying over there?!". I don't think all the free dining in the world would get my DH to stay at Pop again!!!

 

[katiee37]

AoA all the way! You're already meeting up with family who are there on a MAW trip and adjusting dates for a plan that probably won't give you that much for free isn't worth it IMO.

 

[mkarizona]

Personally I will always choose less money and more days!! You can always do AoA next trip or perhaps change your last night to AoA just to experience the resort. Less money, more days, and free dining is a win all around!

 

[Tink0812]

If this were me, I would extend the stay and switch to POP. We loved Pop when we stayed there a few years ago and someday we do plan on staying at AoA; however, if given the option of extending the trip, switching resorts, and saving money I would take it! Offers like that don't happen too often and I would hate to pass it up! While, I am not a fan of change, some changes are totally worthwhile!

 

[Marlynmik]

Same decision, we decided to keep our LM room and skip the free dining offer.