Ancien Maestro

Lots of FTers think I'm an employee.. quite funny.. I wish that was the case as we would have taken advantage of NFAF some 8 years now.. 225 nights at a Fairmont over that time. Got lots of connections to employees, but no family or anything working at hotels.. employees get 50% off food.. better than NFAF rates on rooms. The reason we stay at Fairmonts is because they have a monopoly on iconic hotels in BC and Alberta.. we know managers at various hotels, and we always stay in a nice spacious one bedroom suite. So if you're up this way, pm reservation# and I can get you free upgrades at Banff, Chateau Lake Louise, and Hotel MacDonald.

I remember the gift card deal, but I didn't remember it combined, so yeah that would have been the farm..^ Being first time there Oct 08, we thought for flexibility to stay off the resort because we thought it was a tourist trap.. didn't look into, but maybe should of.

Mary2e

It IS a tourist trap. We all know it.

Where else would you be charged 5 star prices and get, at best, 3 star rooms and services?

Thank you for the offer... Banff is on the list of places to see!

Ancien Maestro

The hotel manager put our family up in a 1,200 sq ft specialty suite this last time out to Banff Springs, with a 600 sq ft balcony.. had two nights free nights out of five , and we ended up getting six massages, 2 for 1 golf twilight golf round, private room for family friends at Banffshire Club no charge.. unreal deals.

We have to do Disney because of the kids.. Mary2e, I noticed you on Hawaii threads as well as Orlando.. How often do you go up, and where do you stay?

We've done Big Island/Maui for the past 7 years, about once a year.. I get free flights there on Aeroplan/United Miles, and Fairmont Hotels give out a pretty good deal, plus we have suite upgrade certificates that gets us an ocean view one bedroom suite backing on the golf course at Fairmont Orchid on Big Island, and free night certificates and upgrades for an ocean view one bedroom suite at Fairmont Kea Lani. That's been a draw for our family.

For Disney, we get there on miles as well.. so a no brainer to go to Disney World as its the same amount of points to fly to Florida as it is to fly to California. We'll head up next year right before my 7 month old turns 2.

Mary2e

We generally go to Hawaii twice a year and stay on both Oahu and Kauai. We don't change islands during the trip, so we have to go twice to visit our two favorite islands. We always stay at a Hyatt, and we save our points and upgrade certificates for suites in Kauai.

Since we're both Hyatt Diamonds, it simply doesn't pay for us to stay elsewhere, since we get upgrades and lounge access.

I'm currently saving points with Hilton to get to the Big Island for a a week. But it's going to be tough giving up all Hyatt bennies

Ancien Maestro

Money not obviously the issue, its quite a long plane ride from the east coast to Hawaii, my guess is its' about 9 or 10 hours.. twice a year, I don't know how you do it.

Funny that you do Kauai and Oahu.. we do Big Island and Maui because of the Fairmonts, and the great deals we get there.. There is a Hyatt on Maui in the Ka'anapali area you should try out. My son's classmates' grand parents just stayed there over spring break, and apparently its very nice.. so definitely if you can, use a suite upgrade to Hyatt's concierge level.. you'll enjoy it. Or maybe you've been..

We actually are finding that staying longer and hopping both islands is a treat.. year's past we would just stay one island and fly back.. hopping two islands is convenient especially with our 7 1/2 hour flights back home, we end up staying longer and relaxing a bit more.. breaking it up seems like another vacation in itself.

Between Hawaii and Disney, probably that'll take up most of the time.. but funny we both, as well as many others, enjoy visiting Disney Parks and State of Hawaii.. Two of America's most toured destinations.

Mary2e

[QUOTE]I've been on FT a loooong time, so I've learned how to do it without breaking the bank. Lately we've been fortunate enough to do it in BF. Yes, it is 10 hours going and 9 coming back.

We've been to all the islands and like Maui the least. As well, the Maui property is the least "compliant" of the chain for Diamonds. We did get an upgrade, but others have not. Upgrade to club level is a standard diamond benefit. I could pay and use a suite upgrade, but we'd rather save them for places we like better.

We prefer more trips rather than staying for 2 weeks.

We've got a bit more vacation time this year, so we're not going to Disney for that week, and looking around for somewhere else to go. We will be back in Kauai this Nov. We go to those 2 places because it's now easy for us - no brainer vacations with little to no planning needed.

Ancien Maestro

I agree.. Maui is more commercialized.. we love the Wailea area because it seems like Heaven on Earth.. hence Kea Lani, means Heavenly White in Aloha. We like the Big Island because we can pay the lowest price in the hotel and get a double size one bedroom suite backing onto the course and overlooking the ocean.. Likewise, this is a no-brainer as well, with lots of room to wiggle. Big Island is eco diverse with interesting volcanic activity.. lots to do. We like doing the Four Seasons Hualalai Surf, Sands and Stars.. $86 pp, all you can eat lobster, sushi, sashimi, steak, ribs, etc.. One of the Best meals we've ever had.

Sorry, still a bit green here.. what does BF mean?
Edit: Ok.. I think Best Friend.. sorry, I'm a bit stale.

Being self employed, we take time off when we want as well.. my wife has been asking to stay at home to set up the house, and with an infant child we'll probably just hang out at home until December. Probably BI/Maui next year, and Disney.. we're still trying to determine where to go Spring Break and Summer.. It would be interesting to hit Disney World Christmas week though!

Mary2e

I call Maui a suburb of Southern CA. Nothing wrong with that if that's what you're looking for. We're not

BF = Business First (on CO)

It is NOT interesting to hit Disney Christmas week. It's a nightmare. I just talked someone out of it. It's the single busiest week of the year with prices to match. The lines are really long. We did NYE one year and it was enough and we didn't go into the parks on that day at all. If you want to see Disney at Christmas, go in early Dec.

As for spring break, at particularly the week before and after Easter - well, that's the second & third busiest weeks.

The best time to go - climate & crowd wise... Oct and May, as long as you stay away from the Columbus Day holiday in Oct and memorial Day in May. You might have no waits at all and the weather is almost perfect.

Ancien Maestro

Sorry bout the BF.. yeah I'm definitely green.. but trying.

My 4 year old is in a top rated private school.. so pulling him out for the slow times would be pretty difficult since he needs to keep up with his homework.. plus we were quite fortunate to get him into the school, and happy to say that he is doing quite well. So we're left with Christmas/New Years, Spring Break, and Summer.. to go to Disney World.

I was able to pull off Spring Break vacation booking on Miles for the entire family, and getting less than 2 benjamins per night at the Orchid.. and scoring the double sized suite.. Top it all off a week in Wailea.. Not impossible to book, but yeah, it was tough, but got it done.. 22 nights of bliss.

Being Hyatt Diamond members.. Do you and your husband qualify the traditional way, or with some help.. like Amex Platinum?

Mary2e

We qualify the traditional way. Both of us are diamonds this year.

toomanybooks

I tell people about the godawful crowds at certain times of year, and they scoff. "Oh, how bad could it be?"

I show them this video and tell them, "This bad.":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSKCvAF6TnQ

Try fighting that for 12 hours a day, while paying top prices.

Mary2e

Yeah, too bad EVERYONE thinks "gee, it would be nice to be at Disney for Christmas"

NOT

Ancien Maestro

.. got a great hotel deal in Hawaii Christmas break.. getting there is the problem @ $2,000 pp. I'm considering Disney World but staying off site.. I assume that Disney doesn't have the meal plan going on during Christmas week.

We were at Disneyland one year during Christmas week.. wonderful atmostphere. The time and setting does make it special.. Had a neighbor go down to Disney World for Christmas week, and loved it.. so will ask them about their feedback too. Thanks Mary2e.

Mary2e

You WILL be sorry. Seriously. Particularly if you're off site. There are no discounts at all for that week, and you can't buy the meal plan if you're not staying in one of their hotels. Not that you could get a dining reservation anyway.

In addition, if the parks reach capacity, and they definitely will on NYE, you will not be able to get in. If you're on site, they say you can get into a park - it just might not be the one you want Traffic will be a nightmare around the property. Hotel Plaza Blvd can and will become a parking lot.

I don't know where you want to stay, but it's not going to be easy for you.

The discounts and packages they have available right now end on 12/16. They're running 40% off deluxe and DVC studios. This is the best deal you're going to find if you can go before then. If you want the meal plan, pay for it separately, or just pay for the food you're going to eat. It's not as good a deal as it was, particularly if you have to hunt to save the purported (as much as) 20% they're now claiming.

I still don't get why everyone wants to go Christmas week, when there's absolutely nothing different if you go in the weeks before - except for the crowds

Oh, and watch the video above to see what it will look like. If you're not a seasoned visitor and don't care if you get on a ride or eat the meal you want, you will feel like you've wasted your money - and you will have.

Ancien Maestro

I agree with your advice.. just with our 4 year old son in a top performance private school, we have no choice to do our vacations on Christmas, Springbreak, or Summer.. so we'll see if we can tough it out by renting a house, or getting a one bedroom suite at one of the regular hotels, since there is no Fairmont in Orlando.. not too picky I guess we are. So long as I can manage a flight down to Orlando, we can hit up Universal, Water parks, Disney, etc, and eat off sight at the various restaurants. Although it was nice the last time out just to stay on the resort.. no way logistically to be able to stay at the resort and expect a holiday going during Christmas break.

Breakers Palm Beach was a nice stopover.. maybe we can do a bit of a break.. hit Cape Canaveral.. Universal.. Sea World, as well as the Disney Parks.

So its' high season.. or no vacation.. didn't do much this summer.. will probably tough it out somewhere, somehow.