Your opinion needed

[Limmer]

As some of you may remember I won a trip to Disney through my work! I finally got the particulars last week and I am trying to decide which way to go. I got a gift certificate for itravel2000 for a certain amount of money. Once you have booked with them you cannot change your trip AT ALL. So now I am tyring to decide if I book right now for the hotel I really want (POR) or wait to see if free dining comes out and maybe have to settle for a different hotel. My family just keeps saying "whatever you think".

I am also trying to decide if I should book hoppers (we idi not get them last time but thios time we are traveling with a 2 and 5 year old). I am worried that I will not be able to upgrade there as we are booked through a travel agent but I am not sure I want to spend the extra $$$.

 

[lisalonglash]

As some of you may remember I won a trip to Disney through my work! I finally got the particulars last week and I am trying to decide which way to go. I got a gift certificate for itravel2000 for a certain amount of money. Once you have booked with them you cannot change your trip AT ALL. So now I am tyring to decide if I book right now for the hotel I really want (POR) or wait to see if free dining comes out and maybe have to settle for a different hotel. My family just keeps saying "whatever you think".

I am also trying to decide if I should book hoppers (we idi not get them last time but thios time we are traveling with a 2 and 5 year old). I am worried that I will not be able to upgrade there as we are booked through a travel agent but I am not sure I want to spend the extra $$$.

Why can't you change your package after booking it? That seems odd to me. I've changed my package a few times with my wickedly awesome TA with no problems whatsoever. I think you should clarify that with your itravel2000 agent

As for the tickets, I'm almost certain that you can upgrade at your hotel or at the park if you decide to upgrade to hoppers, so no need to change them beforehand if you don't want to

Congrats on winning the trip - that is wonderful!

 

[murcor]

I am also trying to decide if I should book hoppers (we idi not get them last time but thios time we are traveling with a 2 and 5 year old).

Park Hoppers....we never get them. Once we leave a park we are done for the day weather it is a noon or 4pm IF we want to go back, then we would return to the same park

Save few $$$

 

[skiloff]

When are you going? The free dining is only offered at certain times of the year, isn't it? If you're going in one of those times that its a possibility to get the free dining, why not wait, but if you aren't, may as well book the resort you want. I'm not a fan of the dining plan with small kids, unless its the new Quick Service plan you're looking at. The kids kind of lead us where we're going day to day, depending on how they are coping, so I did not like having to work around reservations when the kids would be completely worn out. We also bought food and had breakfast in our suite, or they had a Mickey Waffle at the Quick Service restaurant in the hotel.

 

[Limmer]

I did clarify with the agent. They said there could be no changes after the ressie was made. I had never booked with an online TA before but I did think that was weird.

We are going in Sept.

 

[lisalonglash]

I did clarify with the agent. They said there could be no changes after the ressie was made. I had never booked with an online TA before but I did think that was weird.

We are going in Sept.

We're going in September too Honestly, try another agent at itravel - perhaps they would be happy to actually do their job? I just do not think that the agent you spoke to is correct, I really don't.

Have a wonderful, magical trip

 

[mickeywho?]

I voted "book now w/o hoppers"
We love to use parkhoppers if we stay at BWV, BCV, WL or Poly. Whenever we have stayed anywhere else we haven't used them. So if you are set on POR chances are once you go back to your hotel after being out for part or all of a day at a park you most likely won't go to a park for your evening - maybe just spend that time at POR or DTD instead. We've used them when we've stayed at these other hotels because it's an easy alternative to walk over to Epcot for an evening meal or get the boat or monorail over to MK just to see the parade/fireworks and have an ice cream etc. We usually only do the EMH in the evening for these resort/parks as well.
If you have a car with you, or the family is up for going to a late night park every night that would help change my mind.
HTH!

 

[maggieb9975]

Congrats! That is soo cool

I voted for no hoppers so you have extra money. You can change them at park anytime if you want. I find same as others have said once you leave a park you may not want to return. What we do get is get some FP's as you leave park and then if you return you got them! For adults, park hopping can be an advantage esp if you want to go back to Epcot, but with young kids dinner is not a high priority or Epcot at all From many reports I have heard, it is best for this trip to plan around your kids needs to keep everyone happy.

When I went with my 3 girls who were "14" at time they hated the long TS meals ...they were much happier with something quick....with a 2 and 5 yr old, no matter how good they are,I think a 1 1/2 -2 hour meal is pushing their limits......so I would go for hotel you want , perhaps buy the QS DP., You can grab food quick, go back to room in afternoons with kids for absolutely needed rest and hit the same park later if you want with FP's in hand.......

Perhaps do one or two character meals OOP......

Have a great trip!

 

[laura001]

Book now without hoppers, you can always upgrade your ticket at WDW when you arrive to hoppers if you want.

Perhaps you can make no changes because you won the trip??

 

[highland3]

I too said book now without the park hopper option.

Normally I'm a firm believer in park hopping, but with the age of your kids, it might add up to overstimulated kids.

Have fun!!!!